Analysis of The Gray - Part 1

Re-reading the dream (see previous post)  there are obvious links to aging and menopause and so many of the themes from my current reading and thinking are in there.  I will try to make sense of them here, but apologies if it becomes rambling.
Two Women - younger leading the older.
I did not really see who the younger woman was, or what age.  I thought later it might have been M's sister, who was 3 or 4 years younger than she was.  In any case there was a sense of her caring for M, who was really quite stooped and slow.  The younger woman helping - not leading - the older one to where she was going.
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So - if these women in the dream are aspects of myself -  the younger woman is me just now - reading, reflecting, thinking and writing about my life, the change, and my hopes and fears etc, which will help me when I become that older woman.
I think I know them in the dream and I do now recognise them as these aspects of myself.

The older woman is my childhood friend and neighbour.
I grew up with M as my next-door best friend from pre-school until they moved away when I was about 10 or 11. She represents my childhood - my carefree innocent existence as a Maiden.
Also the community in which I lived was of strong women who were at mostly at home during the day. The mothers were  very supportive of each other during this time of childrearing and domestic activities.  My own mother had been a nurse before having me and my sister, and she was often called upon to help with various crises.
Thinking about it now, from a child's point of view it seems almost tribal and idyllic. The fathers had interests in common too - golf, football, tropical fishkeeping among other things - no heading off to the pub every night here..   My father and M's used to coach a local boys' football team and would take them off to a camp every year.  Our  families would go midweek to visit for the day and it was a great adventure.
They moved away when I was around 10 or 11 - just before I entered the menarche at the age of 12.  This again emphasises me as the Maiden aspect in the dream.
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I have just started reading The Crone, by Babara G Walker and right from the first page it is chock full of wonderful images of the matriarchal societies from ancient herstory. I knew about them anyway, but had not realised how separate the two sexes lives were, or just how 'powerful' the women were.  (I don't really want to use the word powerful here, as, to me it has negative connotations regarding aggression and war etc, but until I can think of a better one it will have to do). Reflecting on my reading, and the images this dream has brought back to me, however, I  really get a strong sense of how those societies must have worked and how natural their way of life was. Indeed I imagine that where women get on with life on their own, or free from male dominance, then it will be a supportive place, where wisdom is shared..  I see it now in the online forums I frequent, and in the blogging community.

She asks me what I have been doing all these years, and I tell her in terms of what children I have had and the age I was when I gave birth to them.
I recount my  life to date solely in terms of my mothering. I detail the ages I was when I  had each child, and mention my divorce and happy remarriage - I use the word 'Soulmate' to describe my husband.  There is no mention of  any career or other achievements.
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So this is referring to my Mother aspect.  I give a full account of my fertility during the time since puberty, when I last saw M and now, as I stand on the cusp of the menopause.It is significant that I tell her my age at each birth.  I had my first daughter at the age of 19, second when I was 28, my first son at 31 and my younger son at 46, so I have had a baby in every decade of my fertile years.  I also indicate by mentioning my divorce an remarriage that I have gone through a dark time but that I have come through it and am at peace with myself.  This could also relate to my recent reading of the demise of the matrifocal societies and the rise of patriarchy, with all its attendant horrors (cruel gods, wars, genocides, the witchcraze and the general denigration of women as a gender).  Vicki Noble in her powerful book, Shakti Woman, talks about her hopes for a re-membering of the Goddess as a way of healing for women. men and for the Earth.

I feel I had better state now that when I talk about patriarchy I am referring to the social and cultural system of male dominance particularly in government and institutions.  It is not meant to be anti-men in any way, as many males suffer from the effects of patriarchy in the same way.

This is becoming what my husband calls a 'big' dream.  There are so many layers being uncovered that I am going to split this post into two parts. The second half will appear in the next few days.

Who's that knocking at my door?

This month I began to chart my menstrual cycle. I was inspired to do this after reading a review of Thirteen Moons - a cycle charting handbook and journal, by Jane Hardwicke Collings. In truth, it is something I have been thinking about for a while. I have been aware that my cycle is in tune with the moon - menstruating around the dark/new moon and ovulating just before the full moon, but I wanted to explore this in a deeper way - recording dreams, moods, energy levels and creativity etc. I began charting these in my 13 moons journal on the first day of my June menses . So far so good. Low energy and inwardness in the first few days and then a burst of activity at the end of my period. I looked forward to experiencing the creative and sexy time of the mid-cycle at the full moon. On day 13 I felt a strong cramp like pain on the left side of my belly. I remembered Jane, in her sample chart had noted a left sided ovulatory pain on day 12, so I duly did the same. That night I had the most amazing and vivid dream and the following night I had 2  further vivid dreams. I began to feel increasingly tired and drained and low in spirits. I could not understand why - was I not about to be at the peak of my most creative, energetic and attractive moon phase? Full and round and dazzling? If I didn't know better....
Well - what did I know? To my complete surprise, as I prepared for bed on day 17, I found I was bleeding. "Just spotting" I told my husband. Not so - it has turned into a full blown period, just 13 days after the end of my last one.
Now I may very well be jumping the gun here. Menopause is not a single event, it is a natural progression over many years - but I really feel I have heard the faint knockings of my inner crone! I will be 49 in November after all. She has to come out sometime. Suddenly all my dreams made sense in a different way to how I first perceived them.   I am slightly horrified, yet excited and anticipating at the same time. A bit of a complication is that I am still breastfeeding my two year old and it is my intention to carry on until he self weans. How will that work out? Is it a problem? I am still coming to terms with this second period in a month- it is really quite disorientating. I also don't know how I will manage to stay healthy enough to breastfeed, if I am going to have very short cycles too.
I hope to remain positive, though and listen to my body during this transition, however long it may take. This blog is a way for me to record the journey that will open the door to the Crone.