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Francoise Decatrel (00:15) Hello, ladies, and welcome to The Way Home to Yourself—a space for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, and midlife with clarity, calm, and ease. My name is Francoise. I am a menopause coach, holistic guide, clinical aromatherapist, herbalist, and Reiki practitioner.

I'm also the founder of The Way Apothecary, where we embrace this transition as a time of empowerment—not as something to fix, but as a homecoming to yourself. We explore all phases of menopause through a mind, body, and spirit perspective. Each episode of The Way Home to Yourself offers gentle guidance, reflections, and practical tools to support you on this journey. I truly believe that this unique time in our lives is all about our journey home to ourselves. So, let's begin.

Francoise Decatrel (01:31) Last week, we discussed heightened intuition during perimenopause and beyond. This heightened state of intuition continues into the rest of our lives. In the last episode, we explored the science behind the brain changes, various hormones, and the natural introspective turn we take as we enter midlife. I think it's very important to have that foundation, so I highly suggest listening to that episode first. It runs about 30 minutes and will give you a strong grounding. We also talked about how heightened intuition might show up in your life and how it can sometimes masquerade as anxiety or overwhelm.

Today, we’re diving into the fun part: how to work with intuition. I firmly believe all women are born with intuition. We may experience it in different degrees throughout our lives. For those who grew up in unpredictable or unsafe environments, intuition can be heightened through hypervigilance and sensitivity to surroundings. But the intuition that arises during perimenopause is different. It’s deeper. It signals our turn inward—toward introspection, awareness, and listening to our bodies.

We want to harness this intuition, and there are multiple ways to do that. Meditation is one I recommend to everyone, whether or not you're focused on developing intuition. You can also work with dreamwork, body awareness, and somatic scanning. Intuition is much less about thought and far more about feeling. That’s the direction we begin moving in as we enter our 40s and beyond.

Today, we’ll also talk about what I call "allies"—a term we use in herbalism and plant medicine. Allies are tools that help inspire, guide, and support you in your process.

Always remember: intuition is about feeling. It’s about settling into your body and embodying what arises, rather than thinking through it. When midlife brings this gift of intuition, it can feel chaotic if we don’t know how to guide it. So, the first suggestion I offer is to create a daily practice where you sit with yourself, do some breathwork, and let your body relax enough to actually listen.

For many of us in perimenopause, this can be hard. There’s chatter, cortisol, and constant changes. That’s why it’s so important to pause, sit, be quiet, and still your mind—so that you can hear your own voice. I ask all of my private clients to develop a mindfulness practice. I personally prefer mornings, before my mind gets busy, before the phone and the news. In yogic traditions, they sometimes call this time the "ambrosial hours."

Start by creating a sacred space. If you have the room, create a dedicated area or room. I have a meditation room that looks out at the redwoods. It’s decorated intentionally and used only for meditation, guidance, and work with long-time clients. But even a small corner in your home will do. Just make it yours. Keep it consistent. Use objects that inspire you spiritually—crystals, a tuning fork, feathers, rocks, a singing bowl. If space is limited, create a ritual bundle or box that you can unpack and set out each time.

Something as simple as a small sheepskin rug, towel, or blanket that you sit on every time will hold your energy and help set the tone.

Now, in a daily practice for connecting to your intuition, I highly recommend using essential oils. We’ll talk more about breathwork shortly, but aromatherapy is an incredible way to anchor yourself. Clary Sage is one of my favorite allies for this phase of life. It supports hormonal balance and contains linalool and linalyl acetate, similar to lavender, but with a more mysterious, expansive energy. Simply smelling Clary Sage can help the body and mind relax, and opens your awareness.

You can use it in a diffuser—10 to 15 drops is sufficient, but start on the lower end with Clary Sage because it’s tenacious. Or put one drop on a tissue or cotton ball and hold it near your nose. When I work one-on-one with clients, I often use fragrance testing strips—the kind you see in perfume shops. One drop is all you need.

Once your space is set, I like to begin with intention. Here’s a simple process I learned while studying Reiki that has always stuck with me:

Spritz a calming mist or burn sage. Sit comfortably. Close your eyes, and bring attention to your eye position. Take a deep inhale, and note what you’re about to do: "I am beginning my morning meditation practice." Keep it simple. Then take an audible exhale to release tension.

Take another deep breath into the belly, focusing on your womb space—a powerful grounding area for women. Then bring your palms together at the center of your chest and set a deeper intention. You might say: "Please let this healing be for my greatest good. Let me tune into my body, quiet my mind, and connect to my intuition."

Now, begin breathwork. With your oil diffusing or your scent strip nearby, rest your hands or use a mudra if you’re familiar with one. Begin deep belly breathing. Think of the breath in three parts: inhale into the belly, expand the rib cage, then the upper chest. Then reverse it: release from the chest, rib cage, and finally pull the belly back to the spine.

Continue this for about 10 minutes. You can use a count to help you stay focused—for example, inhale to four, exhale to eight. Let the scent anchor you. Allow it to relax you and guide you into deeper awareness. Oils like frankincense are also wonderful for this. Use whatever resonates.

After about 10 minutes, do a full body scan. Start at your toes and move slowly upward. Notice what sensations arise. Do you hear anything? Is your body speaking to you? Is there a message? Don’t force it. Simply listen.

If you have a specific question—a decision to make, a relationship to consider—this is the time to ask. Don’t think the answer. Feel it. Does your body say yes or no?

When you finish, bring your palms together again and offer gratitude for the experience. Over time, this becomes a tool you can use anytime. For instance, if you're about to enter a situation and something feels off, body scanning can help you sense what's really going on.

Remember, tension in the body isn’t always a call to medicate. Sometimes it's a signal. Ask your body what it’s trying to say. Be curious.

Let’s talk briefly about spirit guides. This is another layer of support. A spirit guide can be an ancestor, an animal totem, a tree, or a goddess. You can ask in meditation for one to come forward. Say: "I ask that a spirit guide come forward who is positive, healthy, and whole. I invite your guidance." Over time, you can build a relationship with them.

Summary

In this second part of Episode 4, Francoise explores how to work with the heightened intuition many women experience during perimenopause and beyond. She offers guidance on cultivating this inner wisdom through meditation, breathwork, aromatherapy, and dreamwork. With a grounded, spiritual lens, Francoise encourages listeners to honor their inner knowing and embrace this phase of life as a deep return to self.

Keywords

Perimenopause, menopause, intuition, dreamwork, spirit guides, meditation, clary sage, aromatherapy, midlife transition, women's wellness, sacred space, nervous system regulation

Resources & Links

• Website: thewayapothecary.com

• Submit a question: Use the subject line "The Way Home to Yourself Question" via the website's contact form

• Essential oil allies mentioned: Clary Sage, Frankincense, Spanish Sage

• Crystal allies: Amethyst, Labradorite, Selenite

• Tools: Tuning forks, singing bowls, oracle/tarot decks

Takeaways

• Intuition during perimenopause is not random—it’s part of a deeper turning inward.

• Creating a daily meditation and breathwork ritual can anchor intuitive clarity.

• Clary Sage is a botanical ally with unique properties that support hormonal balance and intuitive connection.

• Developing relationships with spirit guides and using dreamwork are powerful tools for self-discovery.

• A sacred physical space—no matter how small—reinforces the sacredness of your inner work.

• Listening to the body through somatic scanning allows women to access insight beyond thought.

Chapters | Timestamps

00:15 – Introduction and purpose of the podcast
01:31 – Recap of the last episode and science of intuition
03:00 – Harnessing intuitive power in midlife
05:15 – Creating a sacred meditation practice
10:00 – Essential oils to deepen intuition (spotlight on Clary Sage)
15:30 – Guided intention-setting and breathwork ritual
19:30 – Listening to the body and scanning for messages
21:00 – Working with spirit guides
23:00 – The role of dreams and dream journaling
24:30 – Other allies: cards, nature, and crystals
25:32 – Closing reflection and invitation to connect

Full Transcript

Dreamwork is another powerful tool. Many women have intense dreams in perimenopause. If you have unresolved trauma, your unconscious may be asking you to process it. If dreams become overwhelming, consider working with a therapist trained in dreamwork.

Your dreams can also offer intuitive insight. Keep a dream journal and track what comes up. If you need rest, you can practice dream incubation—set an intention before sleep: "Please bring me something light."

To wrap up, let’s talk about some other allies. In addition to essential oils like Clary Sage, Frankincense, and Spanish Sage, you can use oracle cards or tarot decks as tools for self-reflection. Nature is a profound ally—visit the ocean, sit with a tree. Crystals like amethyst, labradorite, and selenite can help too.

Francoise Decatrel (25:32) Thank you so much for joining me today on The Way Home to Yourself. I truly hope this episode offered you insight, calm, and support. If you'd like to learn more about holistic menopause care and botanically active self-care, visit me at thewayapothecary.com.

If you have a question or a topic you'd like to hear about, contact me through the website and include "The Way Home to Yourself Question" in the subject line.

Until next time: live your life beautifully, live it calmly, speak your truth, stand in your power, and never forget how far you’ve come. Take good care.