Menopause as Medicine: Finding Balance, Wisdom, and Peace in the Transition Years
Menopause as Medicine: Finding Balance, Wisdom, and Peace in the Transition Years
In classical Chinese medicine (CM), menopause was never regarded as a disease but rather as a natural stage in a woman’s life, accompanied by both physical and profound spiritual changes. It is understood within TCM’s framework of yin-yang balance, meridian theory, and life stages, where menopause marks a shift in the body’s energy, redirecting Qi and blood. Symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, or emotional fluctuations are attributed to imbalances primarily in the kidney, liver, and spleen systems, which play key roles in reproductive energy, blood flow, and emotions.
This stage of life is beautifully described in texts such as the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), which discusses the seven-year cycles in women’s lives. Menopause, as outlined in these writings, is seen as a time when the body’s vital energy, previously focused on reproductive functions, begins to nourish the heart and Shen (spirit). Through this redirection, a woman is believed to gain enhanced wisdom, insight, and a deeper connection to her spiritual self. The Jing (essence) that the Kidneys conserve shifts from reproduction to nourishing other aspects of vitality, fostering an organic emergence of wisdom and inner peace.
Instead of pathologizing menopause, TCM encourages balance within the body through practices such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and qi gong. These approaches harmonize yin and yang, tonify deficiencies, and address root imbalances, facilitating a smooth and enlightened transition. This holistic view aligns with the understanding that as energy flow changes, women are more able to channel their Qi and blood toward the heart and Shen, symbolizing greater wisdom and spiritual clarity beyond the reproductive years.
In the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), one of the foundational texts of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), women’s lives are described in cycles of seven years, with each cycle marking key physiological and energetic changes. These cycles reflect how the body, governed by the flow of vital substances like Jing (essence), Qi (energy), and blood, undergoes natural transformations at specific intervals. Here is a summary of these cycles as described in the text:
Age 7: A girl’s Kidney energy begins to thrive, her baby teeth are replaced by permanent teeth, and hair grows longer, signifying the start of physical growth and maturity.
Age 14 (2×7): The Ren and Chong channels are activated, and Tian Gui (heavenly dew or reproductive essence) arrives, marking the start of menstruation and the ability to conceive. This age represents the beginning of reproductive capacity.
Age 28 (4×7): The bones and tendons are strong, the body is at its peak, and a woman’s physical and reproductive health are in their prime.
Age 35 (5×7): The Yang Ming channels (responsible for nourishment and vitality) begin to weaken, impacting skin elasticity and causing the face to lose some brightness. This is the beginning of the gradual decline in reproductive energy.
Age 42 (6×7): The Ren and Chong channels begin to rapidly decline, and physical signs of aging, such as graying hair, become more apparent. The body’s energy begins to shift inward, preparing for the transition out of reproductive years.
Age 49 (7×7): The Ren and Chong channels are depleted, menstruation ends, and the body is no longer focused on reproduction. This stage marks the beginning of menopause and is viewed as a transition toward wisdom and the sage phase of life.
So it was written several thousand years ago about this time of natural period transition and transformation. At seven times seven years, the Ren Mai is empty and the great Chong Mai wanes. The Heavenly waters have put forth their full effort. Nothing further passes through the Way of Earth. The form breaks down and she no longer has children.
“The Ren Mai is empty and the coupled Chong Mai is beginning the return journey back to spirit. The gathering of liquid humours from Heaven have reached fulfillment and so the Way of Earth closes. Autumn has arrived with all the abundant harvest therewith. Wisdom of the years allows the woman to conserve her gifts while generously and thoughtfully sharing. With a joy strictly related to the completion of her earthly tasks, the woman enters her well-earned time of power and spiritual wisdom. Her community rejoices in her gifts.”
SHARON WEIZENBAUM Scolar & Classical Chinese medicine practitioner
The Huangdi Neijing explains these cycles as a natural progression, where each phase has its purpose, gradually moving a woman’s energy from outward physical development and reproduction toward inward cultivation, wisdom, and spiritual depth as she ages. Each seven-year interval is believed to reflect the natural rhythms of life, underscoring that aging is a balanced and integral part of health in TCM.
This resonates deeply with us: menopause is not a disease but a natural transition, and with the right support, it can be a smooth and enriching process. Embracing this mindset shift—viewing menopause not as a pathology but as a period of transformation into the wisdom years—is empowering. Physiologically, the body’s energy and blood, once directed toward the uterus, now flow toward the heart, which houses the Shen (spirit). This redirection supports not only physical balance but a deepening of spirit, making this phase a beautiful opportunity for growth and inner wisdom.
Resources:
- From Chaos to Calm: Strategies for Balancing Hormones During Menopause
- Menopause as Medicine: Finding Balance, Wisdom, and Peace in the Transition Years
- Managing Menopause Symptoms of Hot Flashes and Night Sweats Naturally
- Your Secret Weapon Against Menopause’s Toughest Symptoms
- Understanding Menopause and Its Impact on Weight Gain
- 5 Little-Known Tips to Balancing Hormones in Menopause
- Navigating Perimenopause and Menopause Naturally: Addressing Hormonal Imbalances, Weight Gain, and Hot Flashes in Vancouver
- From Chaos to Calm: Strategies for Balancing Hormones During Menopause
- 8 Surprising Benefits of Low-Level Laser Therapy for Hormone Balance
- Balancing Hormones with Dr. Lara Briden
- Rapamycin to Delay Menopause with the Egg Whisperer Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh