Spirituality

Sadhana During Menstruation

49.6% of the world population is women, and around 50% of them are of reproductive age. This means that 26% of the total world population menstruates every month. This also means that most of these women go through excruciating pain and mood swings every month. This also means that in certain countries, these women are considered unholy during their menses, asked to live in another room, treated as untouchables, and most importantly, asked to remain away from all spiritual and religious activities during their menses. 

While Westerners are shocked at the atrocities women in the eastern world go through, especially in India, people think it’s normal and necessary. Traditional Tantra, on the other hand, banishes the fallacies and encourages women to perform Sadhana during their menses. But Tantra comes from the East, right? Why, then, most eastern countries follow these fallacies when they aren’t mentioned anywhere in the Vedas? Why does Traditional Tantra encourage women to perform Sadhana during their menses? In this blog, we answer these questions and understand the spiritual science behind them. 

The Legend 

According to the legends, Lord Indra had killed a demon who was a Brahman and hence got the guilt and sin of Brahma Hatya (killing a Brahman) on his head. In the Vedic times and even now, Brahmans are considered to be people who have the Brahma Gyaan (eternal knowledge) and that this is their last birth, post which they will achieve Nirvana. Kindly note that we aren’t talking about people who belong to the Brahmin caste, but people who have worked and acquired the knowledge of the eternal truth. In such cases, when a Brahman is killed, they need to begin the cycle of birth again because their journey to Nirvana was stopped mid-way. This is why Brahma Hatya or killing a Brahman is supposed to be the highest sin. 

After the incident, Lord Vishnu appeared and advised Lord Indra that since killing a Brahman is an irreversible sin; Lord Indra needs to dilute the impact of the sin and distribute the sin amongst the pious creations of Vedic Gods. It is believed that if a pious creation takes a part of a great sin, it can overcome evil elements and spread harmony and peace, among others. 

As a result, the sin was distributed among four of the most pious creations – 

1. Earth
2. Ocean
3. Trees
4. Women 

As a result, cracks started coming on the earth; waves began forming in the ocean, milk started oozing out from the trees, and women began menstruation. 

Why The Restrictions? 

During menstruation, women’s bodies go through detox. All the negative energies and toxins are released out as blood, mood swings, sweat, and some women also go through diarrhea during their menses. As a result, women during this time are considered impure because they are oozing out negativity and are asked to stay away from temples and spiritual places because it’s feared that they will end up creating an imbalance in the purity of the place. Also, since women are weaker during this time, they were asked to rest in one place and not do household work like cooking, filling water, lifting weights, etc. However, these measures taken to put them at ease, over time, got diluted and became restrictions that lead to current fallacies. 

What Happens to Women Spiritually During their Menstruation? 

Spiritually it is believed that when women are menstruating, all the stored negativity and toxins are going out, and to allow that to happen, all their energy centers (Chakras) open up. At this time, women become highly receptive to all the energies around them, and these energies can seep deep into their system, affecting the upcoming month. Women absorb all the energies around them, and their Chakras begin operating in the manner of the energies absorbed. Also, period blood is considered the most sacred because it comes from the ovaries responsible for new life. Scientifically, period blood is said to be cleaner than blood in the rest of the body. Kamakhya Devi temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, where the Divine Mother’s genitals had fallen as per legend. (Read the full blog on it here – https://www.chamundaswamiji.com/archives/1735) It is believed that the Divine Mother menstruates once a year, and the river Brahmaputra flowing around the temple mysteriously turns red during those three days (signifying Maa’s menstruation blood) and turns back to transparent after. Many devotees get pieces of white cloth and dip them in the Divine Mother’s menstruation blood, take the fabric back home, and keep it in their temple for spiritual and material growth.  

OK, But Why Sadhana? 

Precisely because women’s energy centers are open, and they are receptive. Sadhana helps women surround themselves with positive and powerful energies that will heal, empower and strengthen their Chakras, helping them evolve spiritually and materialistically. This is why women need to perform Sadhana and especially Chakra empowerment Sadhana during their menses. Besides, performing Sadhana during menstruation also helps women balance their feminine and masculine energies, heal any hormonal imbalances and ease any pain or discomfort they might feel. 

So if you are a woman, the next time you get your menses, perform Sadhana and notice the positive changes you experience. Don’t forget to share these changes with us. Understand that you aren’t impure but just helping the world be a better place as you exhale all the negativity and open yourself up for positivity and healing. 

We hope this blog helped you understand menstruation and Sadhana better and remove the taboo from the subject. For any queries or spiritual guidance, please write to us at info@chamundaswamiji.com