Pheromones. We’re all familiar with the word. The barely detectable, yet intoxicating scent that draws you to a certain someone. One of the driving factors in reproduction. But really what are pheromones? How are they produced in our bodies? Why are we drawn to certain people’s scents more than others? Let’s take a look and find out just what the deal is with these mysterious molecules. Pheromones are airborne molecules, that when detected by a member of the same species, like human to human, elicit some type of response. They are considered ectohormones, which means although they are a hormone, they are excreted outside of the body. They are picked up by the olfactory system, which is what allows us to sniff and smell the world around us. Most insects use pheromones to communicate, and while we have many other methods of communication, pheromones may also play a role... View Article
In a world where we live disconnected from our wombs, the sacred space that holds the capacity for life and creation, we often forget the power contained in our bodies. As women, or people with wombs, we have been conditioned from every angle to forget this. Our bodies have been objectified, taken advantage of, victimized, minimized, and torn apart. We’ve been taught to disregard the abilities that lie within us. To wander through life living in floating heads, forgetting that they are attached to bodies. To limbs that move and weave for us. To feet that carry us through life. To a core that supports and holds us. To organs that vitalize and propel us, pumping life through our beings. In a culture of disconnection, the secret lies inside us. Our ability to reach in and find the depths of our soul that moves through every one of our... View Article
Yoni Steaming. If you’re hip in the world of self care and womb wellness- you’ve probably heard of it. Maybe you haven’t. Either way, we’re here to get down and steamy. To answer some common questions, and see just what the deal is with this incredible practice. If you aren’t a devotee yet, you’ll surely be converted after just one session of what some call “A hug for your vagina.” While it may seem like a new trend in the world of wellness, yoni steaming is a practice that goes back from ancient Mayan healers and midwives performing bajos to Korean healers with the practice of Chai-Yok. Yoni or vaginal steaming gives us the chance to dive into the portal of the divine. To spend time with an area so many of us neglect outside of sex and birth. To purify and clear away the generations of heaviness... View Article
Sex. Most of us are doing it at one point or another. This sacred act is one of our greatest gifts as humans. The ability to connect, to create, and to collapse into another. The practical act of having sex comes with certain logistical measures that need to be taken. The biggest being preventing sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. While there are numerous options for preventing unwanted pregnancy, there are less when it comes to STDs. If you are choosing to have penetrative sex, whatever the iteration of your relationship may be, you may also be choosing to use condoms. For many of us, our first experience with condoms was seeing a health teacher slip one onto a banana, or our parents embarrassingly handing us a stack “just in case”. While it is important to practice “safe sex,” what wasn’t discussed was the possible implications of the... View Article
The earth goes through natural cycles. The sun rises and sets, the moon waxes and wanes and the seasons have a rhythm of blossoming and falling away. The earth’s cycles are balanced and rhythmic. They keep the harmony of all the species that live here. The animals depend on the cycles to know when to migrate, conceive and birth their kin and when to store food for a long winter. We, humans, also depend on the earth’s cycles, however we have gotten so far away from the natural elements. Kids are more familiar with screens than greens. We had to invent practices like “earthing” to remind people to walk on the earth. Dis-ease is normalized, birth is institutionalized and we have completely handed over our power to forces outside of us. Women’s bodies are a mirror reflection of the earth and carries out these natural cycles, each and every month.... View Article
Hormonal birth control. Just the word stirs a whole lot of feelings in people across the board. On one hand, it represents feminist movements and revolutionizing females in the workplace, but now that it has been integrated into our society and bodies for some time, we need to take a better look. An estimated 60% of women of reproductive age are using some form of contraception. Of that, about 72% are using a nonpermanent method, primarily hormonal options (1). That means that a huge portion of the population are on these relatively new medications for long periods of time, perhaps all of their reproductive years. This isn’t to be taken lightly. But before we can understand the implications of hormonal birth control, we need to consider the reasons that people go on it in the first place. Have a conversation with almost any young woman these days, and... View Article
In the northern hemisphere, after the Fall Equinox, the days get shorter as we move from summer to winter. From a time of liveliness and extroversion, to a time of turning inwards and reflection. No matter where you are in the world, Equinoxes are a time for rebirth. For change.They are a pause in between the extremes. Days of equality. Where night and day are balanced. They are a time for reverence and celebration for all that has come, and all that has yet to come. We love rituals around here, and what better time to create one than the powerful tide of Fall Equinox? On the two days of the year where we have equal amounts of night and day, the forces within us become balanced. It creates this portal with which we can dive into and plant seeds for manifestation, as well as wipe away self... View Article
We’ve been bleeding for as long as we’ve been in these human bodies. This much we know. But how has the natural process of menstruation been taken care of or viewed throughout the ages? Between menstrual cups, tampons, pads, and period panties, we’ve got plenty of options these days. But what did perioding people do before industrialization and online shopping? A good thing to remember when reading through this, is that most of our historical information has been recorded and passed down through men. So while we may be able to get an idea of what sort of practices were employed, it still may not be totally reflective of the women at that time. Also worth mentioning, for many women throughout time they would have many babies back to back from their teen years on. This means their cycle would be mostly suppressed for much of their... View Article
“Nature gives us everything for free. Nature doesn’t charge us money. All that nature asks of us, is that we protect it.” -Unknown Living in cities, being bombarded with screens, and eating food from plastic containers- we sometimes forget that we are of this Earth. That our bodies are a microsom for the world around us. Our relationship with the Earth is a direct reflection of our relationship with our bodies. This is especially true for women and female bodied people. As the Earth houses our bodies, we house the bodies of future generations. Whether we are conscious of it or not, every change that the Earth goes through, we feel in our bodies. The uprooting or devastation of trees and forests, we feel it in our lungs. The insane amounts of trash clogging our oceans, we feel as discombobulation in our nervous systems. The further we... View Article
Part of the process of reclaiming our femininity, is honoring and respecting all parts of ourselves. In a culture where menstruation has been hidden, demonized, and shamed, it as an act of revolution to change your relationship with your period. One of the many benefits of using a menstrual cup is that it dissolves the disconnection that comes with many conventional feminine hygiene products. Instead of hastily taking out your tampon, or ripping your pad out and burying it in the trash, you connect with the beauty of your body. Cleaning and emptying your Mahina Cup can become not only a necessary part of your menses, but a ritual to embrace. An incredible way to create these rituals, is to look beyond the toilet for emptying your cup. Understanding that the sacred fluid that seeps from your body during your cycle is also high in proteins, phosphate, iron, calcium, and... View Article
As talk of female anatomy becomes more and more common, we hear different terms being thrown around. One of those being cervix. Many of us are familiar with the magic of the cervix during labor. While navigating the portal that is childbirth, a birthing person’s cervix goes through a process of softening, dilating (opening), and effacing (thinning). This is to allow an opening for the baby to travel from the uterus, through the vaginal canal, and out into the world. What many people don’t know, is that the cervix plays a powerful role in our reproduction, besides during the process of birth. Although technically, the cervix is its own distinct anatomical structure, it is the lower part of the uterus, extending from the bottom of it. It is the gateway from the uterus to the vagina. The cervix maintains sterility of the upper reproductive tract. Protecting... View Article
Vagina. Some people squirm with discomfort at the sound of the word. For some, it’s an average word in their vocabulary. Some say it every chance they get. No matter your relationship with the word, and the organ, vaginas are a subject that need to be discussed for many reasons. Part of building a discussion around our vaginas, is creating vocabulary around what we call them. Pussy, cunt, yoni, bits, coochie, the list goes on. Some of these words are more charged up than others. Some are seemingly lighthearted family words. We’re here to give you some background on where these words come from, what they truly mean. As well as how you can feel empowered, no matter what you call your vagina. Let’s start with an obvious one… Vagina: Latin origins. This refers to a sheath. Specifically one that someone would put a sword in.... View Article
