From November 13 to 17, Gesundheit Aktiv, a German citizen and patients’ association that aims for conciousness of health, is organizing an online conference on the subject of menopause. Participants will receive a wealth of information and practical suggestions for going through this phase of life in a positive way. The following is a conversation with the initiator, Maja Thiesen.
What is the intention behind the online conference?
We have noticed that the subject of menopause is still taboo. Usually, all we ever hear is that something changes for a woman, and “they just have to go through it.” At the most, we are provided with a list of the possible symptoms likely to be experienced. Many women themselves don’t know much about it and simply ignore it, saying, “That happens when you turn 50,” which leads to a high percentage being diagnosed with burnout in their forties or being prescribed antidepressants for mood swings and sleeping pills for stress. With our online event, we wanted to change that and to offer real knowledge and understanding! We invited a number of experts who will offer a thorough investigation of menopause from all sides.
How can menopause be viewed from an anthroposophical perspective?
Everything in our body is subject to rhythms: the breath, the heartbeat, and much else. Women are strongly influenced by their monthly rhythm through their periods. When this becomes arhythmic or finally ceases altogether, everything is initially thrown out of balance. Not only physically but also spiritually, we go through a time of transition and have to discover a new form of being free. All of a sudden, certain capacities are freed up that make it possible to take hold of our lives in a completely different way, in the sense of “finding a new relationship with ourselves” and no longer being so strongly attached to the outside. It becomes a time when we can create some distance from an outward-focused orientation—to a job or to our families—and begin to look more inwardly, at our own abilities and desires.
What message would you like to offer women who are currently going through menopause?
The first message is certainly, “You are not alone!” About half of German women are over 47, which means that a great many are going through this time right now. We can all become experts in change and learn to enjoy this journey of discovery. Because honestly, there are not just annoying symptoms that we have to endure—those will all end anyway—but, most importantly, there is also great power in change.
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Translation Joshua Kelberman
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