Extraordinary Women’s Cycles

Welcome

Welcome to the course. I hope you enjoying learning with me, Suzanne Yates, founder  of Wellmother.

This home page gives you the main information you need for the course. If you want to make comments within the course, make them at the bottom of this page. There is also a Facebook group and you can email me directly at suzanne@wellmother.org.

The movement exercises are mostly the videos and the visualisations are the audio clips. There are over 11 hours of videos and 5 hours of audios with total activity time being around 19 hours.

I’ve set this course up because I want to share much of what I have learnt with working with clients and students for over 30 years. I love teaching exercises and visualisations and supporting people in their journey of development.

The Extraordinary Vessels are powerful tools which anyone can use, regardless of whether you know anything about Chinese medicine. I hope I present them in ways which make sense to you, but please let me know if anything is not clear.

I specialised in maternity work for many years, and as more women began having difficulty conceiving I become more aware of the importance of the menstrual cycle. As I worked with it more I realised that the different phases of the menstrual cycle, express different aspects of our being which are not only limited to that phase in the menstrual cycle. We can tap into them at any time of our life. I also realised that the perimenopause offers us the opportunity to more freely move between the phases and that hopefully after the menopause we can access more easily all of the different phases. 

You may wonder why I don’t relate to each phase as many people do these days, as spring, summer, autumn and winter.  This is because my understanding of the different phases is influenced by my work with the Extraordinary Vessels. While there are indeed some aspects of spring, summer, autumn and winter within them, each phase is more complex than that. Often several things are going on, as indeed happens in our lives. You can still work with your understanding of the 4 seasons, but hopefully my approach will give you new insights into what is happening.

I present each phase in its widest sense and you can connect with it in the way it feels right for you. However the most important is that you listen to your body. Always move in a way that feels right for you and leave out anything which doesn’t feel right. Whatever phase we are exploring and whatever phase you are at in your life, you need to take time to nourish yourself. If you are pregnant it is a time to be even more aware of listening to your body because so much is changing. If something doesn’t feel right, please stop and come back to yourself and your baby. However, don’t be afraid of the clearing phase, because we gently clear in each moment through breathing out. Some aspects of clearing and letting go are always relevant.

We are connecting with powerful energies and phases in our lives. Things may be brought to the surface which we have kept hidden. If we listen to our body and don’t force anything, then things will only arise which we are ready to process. However, if you feel you need additional support to process them then please reach out. Either to me or other students in the group. Or to any relevant professionals or people in your support network.

While it is our philosophy to encourage you to connect to your inner wisdom, it is always important to be aware that part of listening to your wisdom is also to acknowledge the support of the western medical system: they are your primary care providers. If you have any medical conditions, then always follow any medical advice given.

How the course is structured

The course is set up with 8 topics. I suggest you start with topic 1: Tuning In, but you can go back and forth between the topics depending on where you are at.

In the first topic “Tuning in” I give a few more detailed ideas about phases that are more relevant for you at different moments in your life – for example if you are pregnant, or trying to conceive or post menopause.

I have given an indication of length of video, audio and an average reading time for the text documents.

The video is usually an exercise, the audio a visualisation and the text explains how the Vessels support you in that phase. There is a mudra (hand gesture) and an affirmation for each of the Vessels. I explain them in a way which I hope will be easy for you to relate to.

There are also ideas for “creative reflection and activities”. These can be writing (journaling), drawing or other creative activities (e.g. weaving, arranging flowers, gardening, massage, shiatsu).

Setting up the spaces for the course to meditate and exercise

Take a bit of time to create a relaxing and safe space in which to do the visualisations and exercises, where you are not going to be interrupted. You might want to be inside or outside. Make sure there is plenty of space around you and you might want cushions or blankets to make it more comfortable.

Begin each visualisation by finding a comfortable seated position, meditation style on the floor or sitting in a comfortable chair. Seated is usually better than lying down, so that you stay aware of your sensations. You might want to use a cushion to rise the hips so Blood can Flow through the legs. 

But if you don’t feel you want to sit, you can always lie down. It is best to soften your gaze or close your eyes so that you can go more inwards.  

In some of the visualisations I suggest that you can take a position where you move.

I suggest with all the visualisations that you read them through first before you play the audio, especially with the ones which are tapping into potentially more challenging themes for you to connect with. Remember you can pause the audio at any time if you want to spend a little longer connecting with something.

Mudra for all Vessels

Place your thumb and index fingers of your two hands together to form a figure of eight.
Touch the tips of your remaining fingers (middle, index and little) together fully extended.

You can point the 3 fingers outwards, upwards or downwards.

I tend to point them down when in front of the reproductive organs, to connect with earth

Sometimes I place them on my lower back over Ming Men: I point them away from the body to connect with the past

I point them outwards when in front of the heart to connect with others and the future

I point them upwards in front of the brain to connect with space

Affirmation for all Vessels

I am connected to the fullest expression of who I am, my potential and my creative power. 

I contain the energy and power of the whole cosmos within my body

I have access to my potential -my destiny

I am connected to heaven and earth

I navigate my way between my outer and inner worlds.

I protect,  guide and support myself  

Total length of time for the on line materials here is about X hours, not including any personal exercise or journalling practice. The live version has 8 Zoom sessions – one and half hours per topic.

Don’t forget you can post comments at the end of this main course page. You can also email me for clarification.

There is a private facebook group for the course and you can share there and upload things.

You can book an individual on line or in person session with me if you want more time.  

Enjoy