27/01/2025
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GROWING NEWER AS WELL AS OLDER!
I’ve been reflecting deeply on a topic that keeps coming up in conversations with so many women—menopause.
It strikes me how the dominant narrative surrounding menopause has taken on a tone that feels, well… pathologising. It reminds me of what happened with childbirth decades ago. The medical industry hijacked something natural, powerful, and intrinsically part of life and turned it into a “problem” to be fixed.
Experts like William Emerson and Cherionna Menzam-Sills have shed light on how the medicalisation of childbirth has caused immense harm, not just physically but psychologically and spiritually. And now, I’m seeing something eerily similar happening with menopause, and pretty well all other aspects of women's reproduction system.
Too many women are being sold a story that menopause signals the beginning of decline. That our bodies are betraying us. We need to “fix” the hot flashes, mood swings, and energy shifts with pills, creams, and a sense of resignation. I find myself increasingly concerned about how easily we, as women, are being duped into buying into this discourse.
I’m not here to accept that narrative. And I know many of you aren’t either.
There’s a concept I’ve embraced that has transformed the way I think about this stage of life. It’s called Regenopause, a term coined by the late Barbara Marx Hubbard, a visionary in conscious evolution. Regenopause invites us to shift our perspective—from one of decline to one of renewal.
Regenopause is about growing newer, not older. It’s a stage where we activate higher levels of creativity, purpose, and spiritual awakening. This isn’t just about surviving menopause; it’s about thriving through it.I’ve been reflecting deeply on a topic that keeps coming up in conversations with so many women—menopause. It strikes me how the dominant narrative surrounding menopause has taken on a tone that feels, well… pathologising. It reminds me of what happened with childbirth decades ago. The medical industry hijacked something natural, powerful, and intrinsically part of life and turned it into a “problem” to be fixed.
Experts like William Emerson and Cherionna Menzam-Sills have shed light on how the medicalisation of childbirth has caused immense harm, not just physically but psychologically and spiritually. And now, I’m seeing something eerily similar happening with menopause.
Too many women are being sold a story that menopause signals the beginning of decline. That our bodies are betraying us. We need to “fix” the hot flashes, mood swings, and energy shifts with pills, creams, and a sense of resignation. I find myself increasingly concerned about how easily we, as women, are being duped into buying into this discourse.
But let me tell you, I’m not here to accept that narrative. And I know many of you aren’t either.
There’s a concept I’ve embraced that has transformed the way I think about this stage of life. It’s called Regenopause, a term coined by the late Barbara Marx Hubbard, a visionary in conscious evolution. Regenopause invites us to shift our perspective—from one of decline to one of renewal.
Regenopause is about growing newer, not older. It’s a stage where we activate higher levels of creativity, purpose, and spiritual awakening. This isn’t just about surviving menopause; it’s about thriving through it.
Barbara saw menopause as an opportunity to step into our most significant potential, realign with our life's deeper purpose, and create something profoundly meaningful for ourselves and the world. Doesn’t that sound more inspiring than the tired old “hormonal chaos” narrative?
As women, we’ve been conditioned to see our worth through the lens of youth, fertility, and physical beauty. Menopause is framed as the “end” of all that. But that’s not the whole story. The changes we go through in menopause are not signs of the body breaking down—they are signals of transformation, inviting us to shed old identities and step into a freer, more authentic version of ourselves.
Yes, our bodies change. Yes, there are challenges. But why must that be a problem? Why can’t it be part of a natural evolution, like the changing seasons?
If we look at childbirth, we see how deeply harmful the medicalisation of a natural process has been. William Emerson’s work on pre-and perinatal psychology exposes how medical interventions in birth have created trauma for both mothers and babies. The same kind of harm is being done when menopause is treated like an illness.
This isn’t to say that medical support isn’t sometimes needed or helpful—of course, it can be. But what I’m challenging here is the narrative, the idea that we are broken and in need of fixing.
I’ve often shared how our personal experiences, even the painful ones, shape us. Growing up in post-war Belfast, I learned early how to survive—but survival isn’t the same as thriving. It took years of personal growth and healing for me to realise that I wasn’t a victim of my circumstances; I was a creator of my life.
Menopause is another stage where we can step into that creator role. It’s a time to ask:
• Who am I now, in this new phase of life?
• What do I want to create with the wisdom and experience I’ve gained?
• How can I contribute to the world with my unique gifts?
This is where Regenopause comes in. It’s a concept of Barbara Marx Hubbard's about embodying these changes with grace, curiosity, and even excitement. It’s about recognising that this is a rebirth, not a death.
I want to take this idea forward. As a community, I’d love for us to explore what Regenopause means in our lives. How can we reject the dominant discourse of decline and instead embrace renewal, creativity, and generativity?
Who is up for exploring this with me?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on changing the narrative and exploring Barbara Marx Hubbard's idea of generativity, having Suprasex by bringing our creativity into our relationships and communities.
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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