Unraveling the Four Phases of the Menstrual Cycle
Brett Buchert · March 6, 2025
There are four distinct phases of the menstrual cycle–related to the cyclical physiologic changes we experience–each with its own energy, strengths, and challenges.
Menstrual Phase (Winter)
This is the time of: RELEASE. REST. RENEWAL.
You may feel: tired, calm, grounded, centered, relief, and yes, pain too
The gifts of this phase are creativity, intuition, and dreaming.
The challenge: actually resting
Follicular Phase (Spring)
This is the time of: EMERGENCE. TENDERNESS. PLAYFULNESS.
You may feel: more energy, exuberance, productive, silly, ease
The gifts of this phase are youthfulness, ease, and increased energy.
The challenge: taking your emergence slowly and having patience
Ovulatory Phase (Summer)
This is the time of: VITALITY. OUTWARD EXPRESSION. RADIANCE.
You may feel: high energy, productive, like Superwoman, sexy, confident
The gifts of this phase are productivity, confidence, and receptivity for creative downloads.
The challenge: not overcommitting yourself or expressing yourself to those not worthy of receiving
Luteal Phase (Autumn)
This is the time of: EMOTION. TRUTH. INTROSPECTION.
You may feel: internal, critical, emotional, sensitive
The gifts of this phase are intuition, dredging up shadowy and repressed aspects of ourselves, and connection to inner truth.
The challenge: accepting how we feel and who we are in this phase and honoring our true feelings
**We are all beautifully unique, so how you feel from one phase to the next may be different from these general descriptions.**
The menstrual cycle is a built-in roadmap for women, showing us when to rest, when to push, when to create, and when to retreat.
I won't lie–riding this cycle can be challenging at times, especially the luteal phase, especially when we have PMDD. It will work us month after month, and it will scream with symptoms if we're not yet able to hear and heed its more subtle messages.
But when we learn to understand and integrate our unique rhythms, our cycles can start to become a GUIDE in our lives, rather than a curse.
Want to go deeper? Unlock the power of menstrual cycle awareness for PMDD in my 1-hour masterclass.
