Stillness is the answer – befriending our cyclic nature

If you are a woman, how do you feel about your monthly cycle? Frustrated with the ups and downs, irritated by PMS? Inconvenienced by bleeding? There is another way.

I’m so excited to tell you that Lisa Lister, a wonderful woman who has helped me to find my own authentic writing voice, has written an important, ground-breaking book that shows us how to work with our cycles instead of trying to smooth them out. It’s called Code Red and it launches today.

Did you know that you can find out how each phase of your cycle affects you and use that information to help you with your relationships, your health and your work? Even the commonly maligned pre-menstrual phase has its qualities, and knowing these can help us to understand how we tick and schedule our activities accordingly.

I just wish that there had been a book like this 30 years ago, so that I could have embraced my reproductive years rather than medicating myself and complaining about the ups and downs, the emotional and physical discomfort. There wasn’t, of course, but there is now. Even mid-life women like myself can benefit from reading Code Red; the book has been a personal journey for me, growing in understanding why I have felt and acted how I did over the years, and we can even make use of a lot of Lisa’s knowledge and wisdom if we are no longer bleeding.

Lisa calls on experts to help us with specialist subjects like nutrition and herbal medicine, and – awesomely – includes a chapter written by her husband for our partners to read. I really want my teenage son to read it but it may take me a while to persuade him!

And, yes, even here stillness is the answer. Lisa teaches yoga tailored to women, and in Code Red she advises which asanas to use at which time of the month, and when to be still and introspective, when journalling will help most, and what kind of movement will work best at which times.

This book is like having a wise and funny best friend to walk you through your cycle, reassuring you, educating and entertaining. Every woman should read Code Red. So should every man – at least the blokes’ chapter. Get it here.

I’m so proud to know Lisa, to have benefited from her advice and to have the opportunity to introduce this book to you. Don’t miss it.