Helping South Asian Menstruaters find Empowerment

This week, I welcome back my guest from a few episodes ago, (S2E4) Jonita D’souza to discuss how South Asians teach people that the most natural event that happens to a person is a time of impurity: menstruation. .

If you are squeamish about this topic, I suggest to lean in because you know someone that menstruates no matter who you are, and since more than half the population bleeds every month for 5-8 days, understanding how old-world cultures view menstruation might give you more appreciation and how resilient menstruaters are.   
The stigmas in my Nepali culture about menstruation in my opinion are archaic and steeped in some patriarchal bull shit. Plain and simple.

Please tell me how, if you believe that god created you, then god also created you to bleed every month, but during that time, god says you are dirty, impure? Naw, dude.  God didn’t say that. Who made that rule up? So if a menstruater believes in god, and that during that time you are impure, dirty, you are not allowed to perform your aarti? Or like Jonita who grew up Christian, she along with other menstruaters are not allowed to take holy communion. Or a  Muslim menstruater in India, that you aren’t allowed to pray (she mentions that in the episode)?

Yeah, it boggles my mind that people still carry on these traditions, but maybe, just maybe we can evolve, and people can stop putting their young girls and women all alone in period huts in rural areas of Nepal where danger and death can befall them. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/menstruation-huts-destroyed-nepal-exile-persists-68346515

We discussed our experience of our respective South Asian families and South Asian society's rules we had to abide by when we were on our period.

Jonita offers some of her teachings on how to reclaim and be empowered while on your period.  It was a fascinating and eye-opening conversation for me, because I feel disempowered and drained when on my period.

Topics discussed:
- Sharmila talks about her experience growing up Hindu in America and being on her period
- Jonita also talks about growing up in India as a Christian menstruating woman, witnessing her Hindu and Muslim friends traditions around their periods
- Conflicting message equating menstruating to being dirty
- Jonita found reverence with her period through Ayurveda
- Jonita discovered that in ancient India women were honored when they were on their period
-Jonita also talks about how in other cultures, thousands of years ago there is evidence in other cultures about the reverence for women and their menses.

-Jonita talks about changing your perspective starting with being okay with your blood
-Self-care during your period with nutrition, meditation, etc
-Advanced practices for using your menstrual blood

About the guest, Jonita D'souza

Jonita D’souza is a Feminine Lifestylist, an Author and Creatress of Exploring Femininity Ltd., assisting modern-day busy women who struggle with burn-out, overwhelm and body love to reconnect with their feminine and sensual energy using the ancient Taoist and Tantric arts, so that they can create a lifestyle that is fulfilling, nurturing and pleasurable.

She is also a certified Life Coach, NLP Practitioner, Master Hypnotherapist and combines the teachings of Indian feminine mysticism and shamanism in her work, facilitating monthly moon circles, online workshops and sacred feminine retreats.

jonitadsouza.com  FB: @exploringfemininity www.youtube.com/channel/UC6UoCyuUA5J8hWcLGc2yUow

About the Hostess:
Sharmila Mali, in case you didn’t know,  is a Self-Love Expert, intuitive healer, Reiki Master Teacher, Akashic Records Reader (in addition to being a podcaster) and for the past 15 years or so, most of her clients have been women, who want to get over their ex. She also teaches intuitive energy healing and Reiki.

Sharmilamali.com

FB: @Intuitive-Consulting-with-Sharmila  IG: @sharmila_the_self_love_expert TikTok: @confidenthealer https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEcso8CuyKEae6pIp9Afjsg

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Intro and Outro Music: The Joker produced by Danya Vodovoz, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz2XCAr0rc0&list=PLq4r2IOXma9DSwR-JOVaCm3uqYrqwhV1x&index=26  Royalty Free Music.

Produced  Sharmila Mali
Edited by Chris Jessup