Flow

October 28, 2024
Women should embrace their “natural cyclicality” to tap into their innate “resilience, empowerment, joy and purpose,” contends hypnotherapist Redgrave in her empathetic debut. Focusing on four cycles that organize women’s lives—seasons, moon phases, menstrual cycles, and life stages—Redgrave explains how readers can honor each stage by maximizing its “unique strengths and opportunities” (for example, spring, a season of energy and new beginnings, is ideal for setting new goals). Elsewhere, she details how each cycle can guide reflection (during the full moon, readers can use the provided journal prompts to meditate on the past month) and physical self-care (readers should take advantage of the higher duration of REM sleep during the follicular stage of the menstrual cycle by getting enough shut-eye). While the author’s new agey tone won’t be for everyone—women are encouraged to embrace their “feminine power” as they embark on their “menstrual voyages”—there’s much to be said for her wide-ranging approach, which wrangles together spiritual, emotional, and physical rituals and practices, along with useful background information (including a valuable section on menstrual conditions). This will appeal to women seeking natural means of finding greater balance and peace.