Does Menarche Matter?

Around the world, in every country and corner of the earth, women share a common experience: we reach the age when our lives are changed forever by the arrival of our menstrual cycle. Each of us learns ways to deal with and manage this experience, which will be with us for many years, using the knowledge and wisdom passed to us by the significant women in our lives, whether mothers, grandmothers, sisters, friends, teachers, or mentors.   

At least, that's the way it used to be. These days, we turn over much of the responsibility to 'experts'. We hope that the 'sex-ed' our kids receive in school is at least an adequate beginning. But is it? 

What I notice these days is that there is an abundance of information on the web regarding menopause (the issue for grown women) -- but very little about menarche. Many of you are now asking: What IS menarche (men-ar-key)?

Digging into the roots of words gives us a clue. Within the terms we use for this fundamentally female experience, there is a hidden element: the moon. These English words are derived from "mene", the Greek word for moon.  

Menstruation   =   Moon changing

Menopause       =   Moon pause

Menarche          =   Moon Beginning

So now that you know what menarche is, can we ask: what's happened to it? Where is menarche in mainstream culture? Who cares about girls who are beginning their 'moon' - except maybe the feminine hygiene companies?

If you are a mom, a mentor, an auntie, a grandmother, or even a dad or an uncle, with an important girl in your life who is approaching this transition, you are probably giving some thought to this topic. When is the right moment for "The Talk"? Do you feel comfortable and prepared, or does the prospect cause ice-water to run in your veins?! What else can be done to encourage her as she starts to sail the choppy waters of early puberty? 

Among other things, this blog will explore historical practices, which were in many cases extremely challenging and even death-defying. We aren't looking to restore such difficult rituals, but within them we can find elements that may be valuable to our understanding of this time in a girl's life. In many indigenous peoples, this transition is still observed with traditional ceremonies that have endured. What does it mean to our girls that there is so little in the way of community acknowledgment of their changed life-status? The research shows a lot of damage - and I will show you that research. And I tell you that we can change this! We can rewrite the script for menarche!  

S, what's the moon got to do with it -- really? In 1927, anthropologist Robert Briffault wrote, “Menstruation, that is, 'moon-change', is commonly spoken of by all peoples as 'the moon'." Of the female reproductive functions, he says that menstruation particularly is “naturally reckoned by women, in every part of the world, by the changes of the moon.” (emphasis mine)

This connection has often been discounted as superstition, “old wives’ tales”, or witchcraft. But the recent work of biologists and other scientists reveals the reasons for the correspondence between the moon’s phases and the ‘internal tides’ of women.  Now, finally, we have the scientific evidence explaining how it works; but these discoveries lead to even more intriguing questions about why - and precisely how - women learned to use the moon as a menstrual clock.  This too will be revealed to you, dear reader.  

And by the way, it was not for nothing that those wives lived to be old!

Rubicon Moon is dedicated to restoring the positive significance of menarche, and for building ideas to empower girls by acknowledging it in honoring ways. We publish materials to help adults honor a girl's menarche with tenderness, discretion, encouragement and respect.  This blog is meant to be a forum for shared discussion and collaboration; your comments are welcomed.