I picked up a copy of The Language of Your Body: Embracing God’s Design for Your Cycle by Christina Valenzuela with a sense of skepticism. The blurb states “Menstruation is sometimes labeled a ‘woman’s curse,’ but the Catholic Church invites us to claim our cycles for good. This book is a beacon to all women searching for positive ways to integrate our menstrual cycles into our sense of self, our relationships, and our prayer.” I can honestly state that for the nearly four decades that cycles have been part of my life, I have viewed them as a curse. They have caused me a great deal of both physical and emotional pain and suffering. Could Valenzuela possibly convince me to change my opinion?
I was familiar with Valenzuela’s work through pearlandthistle.com, her ministry in which she provides cycle education to girls and women at all stages from early puberty to perimenopause. She has a master’s degree in theological studies and is a certified Natural Family Planning instructor as well as a member of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic. She brings a great deal of wisdom and understanding to the conversation about this important part of being a woman which has been largely ignored by the Church except for its role in reproduction. Her cycles have also caused her suffering, which means she isn’t viewing this topic from the viewpoint of one who has had a relatively pain-free experience.
There is no doubt that motherhood, both physical and spiritual, is valued in the Church, but “womanhood is much bigger than this single function” (21). In addition to the obvious point that much of our Catholic theology has been written by men, another reason that women’s cycles have been largely ignored is that a true scientific understanding of them is a relatively recent phenomenon. Valenzuela ties science and theology together, discussing the roles of various hormones in our cycles and the way they can impact how we live, work, and even how we pray and practice virtues. She explores the way women uniquely reflect the image of God. “We deserve to know that our body, in all of its functions, is loved and cared for by Christ” (48).
I’m a firm believer that all women should learn how to chart their cycles, whether or not they plan to use that information for family planning. Understanding the way one’s body works is empowering. Valenzuela explains many of the various charting instruction and methods available. That is not, however, the primary focus of this work.
Instead, The Language of Your Body: Embracing God’s Design for Your Cycle is a beautiful scientific and theological exploration of a woman’s embodied spirituality. This book should be required reading for priests, deacons, and all who minister to women in the Church. I could see it as part of courses on women’s spirituality at Catholic colleges and universities. Most importantly, though, it is useful for women to come to a greater appreciation of our bodies and our cycles and to help support our young daughters as they transition through puberty.
Did Valenzuela bring me around to a positive view of this aspect of my life? Not completely. As I indicated, I have a lot of baggage there. But she made me think about the process in a more comprehensive way and had me pondering theological truths in a way I never had before. This book is groundbreaking and I hope all those who can benefit from this understanding will read it.
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