The Poetry of Menstruation
with Keito Hirakawa, Emmie Rae & Special Guests
Take a slow walk along a moss covered path, through an early morning coastal mist and take a seat on an ancient rock warmed by the sun. Together, we gather here. We pause long enough to feel the warmth of the sun seep through our clothes and reach deep into the marrow of our bones. We pause long enough to notice the movement of the birds, the scent of local flowers, mud and the ocean on the breeze. We pause long enough to notice each other. To notice our feet on the earth, how the air touches our skin.
The Poetry of Menstruation is an enquiry into the female body as the ancient library within us all.
From the sterile, colour-coded approach to menstrual cycle education, offering hard lines between seasons and the suggestion of supplements and workout plans to 'fix' or 'win' at each phase, this cocoon teaches menstrual cycle awareness as something that lives and breathes, shapeshifting and undulating, constantly. Together, we extract the knowing, and the stories from within us, and the rhythm of the diverse environments we live and breathe in.
If you've ever paid attention to the world around you, you'll know nature has no solid lines. Spring stretches up through the depths of winter, catches our attention and then retreats once again. Sometimes we need to keep our feet warm, even in Summer. Sometimes the brightest flowers blossom under snow.
CHAPTERS 1-5
Chapter One: Daughters of the Earth
Chapter Two WHat
Chapter Three Ancestor
Chapter Four: Rest as the Altar
Chapter Five: Menstruation as the muse — questioning the norms re what we’ve been told about the menstrual ‘seasons’ —- creativity is through the whole cycle and how our symptoms can be alchemised into songs. Creativity as our super tailored medicine. Personalised formula. Creativity as the true medicine in menstruality. The sound of the cry and the vibration of the body is the medicine. Not being afraid of what comes out of us: tears, breast milk, sounds blood, shaking.
Chapter Six: Monica
Chapter Seven Shion
Chapter Eight: Power ****and confidence —- when I can name plants, not ownership but intimacy and no one can take it from you. As long as women exist in this world the earth cannot help but self adjust and self heal and we don’t do it by tending to the wounded or by effort and force but by being women and as long as we have our bodies the stories weave their way through us and want to be woven through us and that’s what healing the world. Humankind maintain the relationship with nature by questioning why do we bleed and why do we tell stories.
Chapter Nine Bonus: Q&A, open storytelling circle, sharing
Included:
Each workshop is a chapter, a live class approximately two hours in length, with time for Q&A
The content will be available for a year.
While joining live is always encouraged, you are also welcome to complete in your own time by watching the recordings.
There are suggested practices through the immersion that will take just a few minutes per day
Monia Laflamme
Shion Kune
Chapter One: Daughters of the Earth
Welcome & introductions, what is earth-based menstrual storytelling and why is it important
Chapter Two: The Ancestors Live Within You
Chapter Three: Living Poetry
All women are storytellers, language and meaning makers.
Chapter Four: Menstruation as the Muse
Creativity as medicine in Menstruality (and not limited to the ovulatory phase alone)
Chapter Five: Thresholds - the mist, fog and in-between space.
Practices of stillness, quiet and depth as altars
Chapter Six: Monica
Chapter Seven: Shion
Chapter Eight: The Cedar Tree / The Mountain
Menstrual knowing as self-trust and empowerment. Something that can never be taken away.
Closing:
Bonus: Soft Business and Menstruation?
Pricing
$680 AUD or $340 x 2
Who is this for:
Wanting to understand the power of the menstrual cycle beyond the binaries of healthy/unhealthy or symptoms/symptomless
Creatives, writers and business owners who look to nature as source of inspirations
Not about finding a ‘cure’ but we will be surprised if you relationship with your menstrual cycle and her symptoms doesn’t change.
Women who wish to enter into a trusting relationship with the body
For women desiring a richer life
Even if you do not currently experience a menstrual cycle and you feel a pull to join you are more than welcome to join
It is truly an honour for me to cast the container for this exploration.
Keito Hirakawa
Everything here moves with the seasons, and nothing is permanent—only cyclical. As the Japanese saying ichigo ichie reminds us, no encounter is ever the same. Each meeting with people, conversations, flowers, wind, or food invites us to notice and cherish the moment as it is. It is my joy and honor to host this retreat here with Emmie, alongside dear local friends in Hayama who welcome us into the everyday rhythms of life, and to share this moment, this place, and this gathering with you.
FAQs
-
Our retreat house can be easily reached from Kamakura (about 1.5 hrs from central Tokyo). We will be in touch with exact access instructions prior to the retreat - do not worry, you will be well taken care of in reaching the retreat house!
-
Please review our cancellation policy in depth before making your deposit.
-
If you have any dietary restrictions, please do reach out via the contact form before making your deposit, so we can be sure it’s possible to accomodate your needs.
-
While it’s important to take care travelling wherever you are in the world, Japan is very safe for solo female travellers, and is well equipped for solo travel in general. We highly encourage to join this retreat solo! Most participants to our retreats do.
-
We will meet around 3pm on the 20th and depart at 11am on the 23rd.
-
There is nothing special you need to bring! We will provide all yoga equipment.