Happy Full Moon 🌕. Happy Summer Solstice

Years ago, I had the honor of interviewing Max Dashú — author, artist, feminist, and the force behind the Suppressed Histories Archives. Her work shines a light on the erased and hidden truths of women’s history, much of which has been deliberately excluded from mainstream narratives.

I thought of Max recently while reflecting on some cultural trends, particularly after watching the NY Met Gala last month. The theme felt like a visual experiment in role reversal: many women dressed in masculine silhouettes, while some male attendees embraced overtly feminine fashion. In stark contrast, the African Met Gala celebrated femininity in all its vibrant glory, with women adorned in breathtaking, regal expressions of ancestral beauty.

These role reversals aren’t just fashion statements — they often reflect deeper energetic imbalances in the collective. Something to sit with.

So, why did Max Dashú come to mind? In one of her research findings, she uncovered drawings of a tribe where, once a month, the men would deliberately cut themselves to mimic menstruation — believing it brought heightened intuition and spiritual insight. It reminded me of The Red Tent, Anita Diamant’s powerful novel honoring the sacred rites of feminine cycles.

I wasn’t taught that. Like many girls, I was blindsided. I remember sitting in my 6th grade classroom, sliding in blood on my seat, confused and embarrassed. My mother called it “the curse.” She told me I could no longer play with boys, warned me that a kiss could make me pregnant.

Then came the cramps. Midol. The oversized pads. The shame. The smell of blood.

It wasn’t until my first shamanic retreat that I finally understood — really understood — the power of menstruation. I reconnected to Pachamama, the moon, and the sacredness of my own body. I began to feel the energetic shift each cycle brought: deeper intuition, heightened awareness, and a powerful connection to the Earth.

Now, on the other side of that rhythm, someone recently asked me: “When I enter menopause, does that heightened intuition disappear?”

My answer: Absolutely not! 

This is the Wisdom Stage. The Crone Archetype emerges — not as an end, but as a becoming. It’s the time when perspective expands. We no longer take things personally. We say what we mean — without guilt. Compassion deepens because we’ve lived. Our very presence, when authentic, becomes a healing force for those around us.

So to all the women in transition, in transformation, in truth:

Do you, Boo.