The seven dwarves of Menopause

I was given this the other day to put up on this blog. I thought it was quite amusing. I am keen to draw the symptoms myself using this concept. Join me in the 7 dwarves of menopause and if you would like to put an image you have drawn or found on this blog get in touch with me.

Contained

The heart is symbolic of moral, spiritual and the emotional, the soul, the human mind and repesentational to love.

The word "contained" came from another blog spot - Illustration Friday. you can visit "static pencil" to see my drawing there too. I then thought about how contained one has to be sometimes when the body within is feeling totally illogical when hormones are raging or starting to change. I begun to draw the picture of this heart with the feelings that race around, the emotions that we keep hidden. A feeling of a whirl of energy within creating a need to manage how we feel when at times to either run away and be alone, a crazy desire to cry, shout, scream is trying to be contained. Then when we do say something that sounded sensible to you but to the other person listening didnt make sense, a feeling of more bewilderment and self talk. Is this familiar to you? My picture expresses for me the floating heart trying to keep calm and ride the waves of hormones once again as the pulsating heart swirls and spirals trying to catch me out in one of those moments that creep up during the month.

MENOPAUSE

The quote below is a great introduction.

"The grief of menopause affects every woman consciously or otherwise. The feeling that one's day has passed its noon and the shadows are lengthening, that summer is long gone and the days are growing shorter and bleaker, is a just one and should be respected. At the turning point the descent into night is felt as rapid; only when the stress of climacteric is over can the ageing woman realise that autumn can be long, golden, milder and warmer than summer, and is the most productive season of the year."

The Change, Germaine Greer

MENARCHE

In the beginning we have the MENARCHE, the females first menstruation, occurring at around the age of 12 although in todays society it is happening sooner. The menarche in many cultures signifying a female becoming a woman, with many customs and beliefs. From the onset of Menarche to the journey of menopause is where I am keen to explore. So many different cultures, customs, secrecy, wives tales, and attitudes. Menopause is researched to happen somewhere between the ages fo 45 and 55. You can find books, websites etc, etc, but I want to explore it from how it is for individuals, explore it through art. When does the perimenopause begin for you? How are you feeling? what are the beliefs that surround you?

I recall as a young girl some information being given to me about menstruation. I knew about this when I was in primary school and expected it to happen anytime from the age of 10. My friend I recall at the time knew nothing. She had already begun to develop and we would talk and I told her what I knew, as best a 10 year old can. She begun her Menarche before she left primary school. I begun mine at the age of 17. Conversation didn't occur around support and reassurance of this belated stage and even today at the age of 48 I find limited discussion about Menopause, peri-menopause or premenstrual tension unless I happen to speak first. Hey but once I do speak up the conversation becomes animated and interesting and we gain knowledge. So what is it about this western world...

The picture above is one I drew in my journal on a particularly bad day of premenstrual tension. I call it this because I am in the midst of not knowing if I am in a perimonepausal state. Doctors can do tests but I reckon we all know our bodies fairly intimately to know where we are at. The importance I believe is to be able to share with each other.

I am hoping this site will inspire others to record feelings with images of any art form. I will as I do this blog evolve. My aim is to run workshops for those that live near to me to follow this stage of life using art mediums and theory in art and cognitive therapy, and eclectic counselling.