The pharmaceutical industry is trying to convince us that when Mother Nature formed an otherwise perfect female body she made a mistake somewhere in the hormonal system. How else to explain that one of the benefits of hormonal contraception is that women will not menstruate, ovulate, suffer from menstrual syndrome, improve their skin, simply that hormonal contraception will finally bring the female body into order and harmony.

But if Mother Nature did not make a mistake, and with every phase of the female cycle she had some intention, then hormonal contraception can also be seen as a robber of the century.

The woman is not pregnant, but the question is what she will pay for it. So let's take a look at what a female body, but also the soul, the robber… \ t

Ovulation - the most erotic perfume in the world

The first thing that hormonal contraception will deprive us of is ovulation. The fallopian tube does not release the egg, which could subsequently be fertilized, so the woman becomes infertile. But that is what you can argue. The problem is that when a woman has her "fertile period," she is fertile at all levels of her life. It is not only about being able to produce a new life, but it is also able to inspire it with all its new ideas, projects, intentions and contacts. In this period the woman shines. It is full of enthusiasm and a desire to start new things. And it's no wonder the surroundings feel it. Especially men were naturally equipped with special radars to sense exactly when a woman had her fertile days. Each man has the instinct to preserve his lineage, and therefore subconsciously seeks his Goddess of Fertility to give him a child. But if she encounters women without ovulation everywhere, she must necessarily be a little confused. This is not to say that hormonal contraception has no place in the world, it is only necessary to think carefully about the reasons it is being used. For example, if a woman uses it as a precaution, in anticipation of seeing a prince on a white horse soon, then this can become a bit counterproductive. Ovulation is the most erotic perfume in the world that can attract men, as the light of a lit lamp attracts night butterflies. At the same time, the woman's sense of smell is equipped with a special ability to choose a partner who will ensure the conception of a healthy fetus without genetic defects by her genetic equipment. Last but not least, a woman has the greatest desire to make love in the period of ovulation, when she is most sensual, passionate and beautiful. So it seems that nature has thought everything down to the smallest detail and it is up to us, women, how easy we give up our energy to the Goddess of Fertility…

"Premenstrual syndrome" or anger of Goddess Kali

Another thing that hormonal contraceptives will rob us of, at least in the opinion of most gynecologists, should be premenstrual syndrome. Just the word syndrome can make women feel like something is wrong with them. Therefore, instead of referring to premenstrual syndrome, I prefer to use the term "anger of the Goddess Kali". Goddess Kali is a Hindu Goddess, pictured with two pairs of hands, holding a sword in one that mercilessly cuts away what is already dead, unnecessary, obsolete to create space for something new. And just as often a woman acts before menstruation. Maybe that's why she's kind of scary for men in this period. If your husband has been throwing socks on the floor with impunity in the last three weeks and has not been helping you as he should, he can now be sure he will get it right. In this period, a woman can arrange order in her surroundings. They are not afraid to go into conflict, express all their needs, suppressed emotions, all their anger that has accumulated in it. Although it sometimes does not do so in a harmonious way, it is a purifying and necessary process for her soul.

And even though the spouses and partners would often be better off if some magical pill could stop the wrath of Goddess Kali, it is to some extent cleansing for them. The air is cleared, all that has not been said is in the world, and the man can look forward to his wife's calm as a lamb in the next few days.

Menstruation - the most significant cleansing process in a woman's life

Another major thing that hormonal contraceptives will make us will be menstruation. Women taking 21 contraceptive days and then dropping on 7 days menstruate but not menstruation in the true sense. This is the so-called pseudomenstruation that occurs as a result of a decrease in hormone level and which is therefore useless for the female body. Unlike the actual menstruation, there is no physical cleansing, let alone mental. In a real menstrual period, the woman leaves her unborn egg, but most of all the unnecessary thing that accumulated in the womb during the past month. The uterus, which is the heart of womanhood, is so purified, rejuvenated and ready, clean and fresh, to enter into a new lunar cycle. It is understandable that a woman feels tired during the menstrual period. After all, the body works at full speed to be cleansed both physically and mentally. According to traditional Chinese medicine, menstruation is strongly associated with our liver and therefore our anger that is related to the liver. So, with the first day of menstruation, not only the unleavened egg leaves, but also all the anger and negative emotions that have accumulated in the woman. The reason why women so easily give up their menstruation is probably the overall negative attitude that society has for her. Menstruation is taken as limiting; something that is inappropriate to speak; something to be ashamed of. And just from menstruation, a woman can make a beautiful ritual. If she learns to perceive that this period belongs only to her, she has the right to pamper, pamper, learn to slow her pace and perceive the cleansing process that takes place in her body, she soon realizes that menstruation is not her enemy, but on the contrary, the number one ally.

So-called lunar huts still exist in some indigenous tribes in South America. Women who are menstruating at the moment go to her for 4 days and in the hut they only do themselves. They meditate, sing, share their hopes and dreams with other women, pamper their body so that after menstruation the full force and energy return to normal life. Perhaps if there were similar “lunar huts” and mutual support for menstruation in our society, then women would be much more able to appreciate the gifts they bring…

End of Strong Men in Bohemia

Try a little experiment at home. Ask your husband or partner whether there would be hormonal contraceptives on the market for men that would make them temporarily infertile if they were willing to take such contraception. For most of them, there is likely to be an uncovered shake on the face, or even a terrible apprehension, followed by a quiver after realizing that there is no such thing on the market. Men are properly proud of their fertility, and they will not take too much to use anything (perhaps except plum brandy). Unfortunately, contraception is the same if they are aware of it or not. And even for women here. Waste water purifiers are currently unable to exclude from the water the remains of the hormonal contraceptive that comes from the women's urine. In our waters, there are less and less fish males, while the male females are starting to develop ovariectomized individuals. Czech men are not as bad as frogs, so the influence of female contraception on their health can only be judged mediated. However, declining male fertility, a growing incidence of prostate cancer and, last but not least, the number of men on the street who walk in tight pink t-shirts and in the bathroom have more cosmetics than their partner is alarming.

My goal was not to judge or condemn hormonal contraception. I just think that if a woman makes any decision concerning her body and her soul, she should have all the information available to it. Because only then is her choice really free. And so, be it dear ladies, dear fertility gods, do you decide for hormonal contraception or not, always keep in mind that nature has created your body, with everything that belongs to it, as perfect and beautiful…

Jana Steckerová,
Published in Phoenix 10 / 2013