Episode 65 - How to Unlearn Shame Around Our Menstrual Cycle

The Inner Rhythms Podcast

Chapters
0:52
Introduction to shame and the cyclical continuum
1:28
Why shame is sticky and misunderstood
2:36
Different layers of shame we experience
3:37
Defining shame vs guilt
4:17
Shame as learned behavior
5:25
Healthy shame vs toxic shame
6:33
Personal example of vase incident with grandmother
7:49
Healthy shame followed by repair
8:47
Toxic shame as core identity
9:44
Cultural shame around menstrual cycles
10:45
Examples of menstrual shame in action
12:04
Energetic perspective on shame's low frequency
13:01
Why connection is the antidote to shame
14:46
The painful realization of self-abandonment
16:50
Deep patterns from young ageDeep patterns from young age
18:00
Reflection questions about shame in your life
19:28
Your cyclical body is not shameful
19:52
Shame as tool of control
21:25
How shame blurs boundaries
22:24
Never leaving yourself behind
24:04
Connection as antidote to shame
25:07
Closing thoughts and connection invitation
The Inner Rhythms Podcast
Episode 65 - How to Unlearn Shame Around Our Menstrual Cycle
Aug 27, 2025 Episode 65
Iris Josephina

🐚Topics covered

  • The difference between guilt and shame - guilt says "I did something wrong" while shame says "I am something wrong"
  • How shame disconnects us from our true identity and wraps itself around who we are
  • Understanding healthy shame vs toxic shame and recognizing the difference in your own life
  • Shame is a learned behavior that only exists in relation to the outside world
  • Why shame sits at the lowest frequency and vibration of human experience
  • Cultural shame around menstrual cycles - hiding pads, not talking about bleeding, being called "too emotional"
  • How toxic shame severs us from our cyclical power and ancestral knowing that menstruation is sacred
  • The physical experience of shame in the body - dissociation, lightheadedness, feeling like fading away
  • Why shame is used as a tool of control by oppressors and organizations
  • How shame makes boundaries blurry because we dissociate from our bodies
  • The antidote to shame: connection to truth, compassion, body, and community
  • Practical reflection questions for identifying where shame shows up in your cyclical continuum
  • Why repairing the connection to self is one of the most powerful things we can do


About the Host

I’m Iris Josephina, a functional hormone specialist, orthomolecular hormone coach, and entrepreneur. Through Cycle Seeds and The Inner Rhythms Podcast, I support people in reconnecting with their cyclical nature, deepening body literacy, and reclaiming hormonal harmony from a place of sovereignty and embodied knowledge. Most people know me from Instagram, where I share stories, tools, and inspiration on cyclical living, menstrual cycles, fertility, hormones and more. 


Let’s stay connected:

📸 Instagram: @cycleseeds

📧 Join my newsletter: https://www.cycleseeds.com/

💻 Visit the Cycle Seeds website: https://www.cycleseeds.com/

📝 Check out the blog: https://www.cycleseeds.com/blog

🎓 Holistic Hormone & Cycle Coaching Certification Training: https://www.cycleseeds.com/hhcc-training-2025-selfstudy-vip

📚Join my courses: https://www.cycleseeds.com/courses-masterclasses

📊 Chart Your Cycle Masterclass: https://cycleseeds.plugandpay.nl/checkout/chart-your-cycle-97