Hello Adri and a very warm womb felt welcome to you. I am so pleased to have you here.
This is a virtual space where we can chat about all the Womb things and share where we are in our womb story.
I would love to start by asking where you are in the many cycles we are constantly moving within? (E.g menstrual, life, moon, 24 hour!).
The day I’m writing to you is my crossover between inner winter and inner spring—the fourth day of my cycle. This day is usually a turning point for me, as my bleeding lasts about four days, and I feel an energy shift around this time. My menstruation tends to align with either the full moon or the new moon, and right now, I’m in a phase of nearly always bleeding with the new moon.
In my life cycle, I’ve experienced a slow transition to who I am now, which began when I turned 29. It was the year my inner calling toward something more meaningful became very loud. I was already trained as a yoga teacher, developing a budding interest in menstrual cycle awareness. I studied the Rider–Waite Tarot and devoted myself to these practices daily while working at a corporate job for four years. The cards kept confronting me with my intuition, telling me I wasn’t yet on the right path.
Now, at 33, a magical number, I feel I’ve found my path. This year has blessed me with much divine support and guidance, reflecting the symbolism of this number. Interestingly, the cards seem to confirm this.
I know language is powerful and that the words we use to describe female anatomy can be loaded. I would love to ask you how you feel about the word womb?
To me, the word womb conveys softness and warmth, a place where we all want to hang out. The Hungarian poet and writer Dezső Kosztolányi wrote in 1933: “Where do I come from? From where all people come from. From the crimson-colored cave of a womb.”
I often think about this shared human experience and imagine the womb as a beautiful, crimson-colored cave, with a certain velvety softness to it.
Can I invite you to describe your current relationship with your womb?
We’re in a good place! She feels well cared for. My menstrual cycle awareness practice and the embodiment of my cyclic experience have nurtured this connection. I’ve never had significant medical issues with my cycle, but I used to experience painful periods and a range of premenstrual symptoms. With dedicated attention to my body, I’ve healed most of these symptoms. When they arise nowadays, it’s usually tied to stress—whether from traveling, changes to my nutrition and exercise routine, or emotional challenges. When something comes up, I can usually identify the root cause and gently guide myself back to balance. That’s what it’s all about for me: the deep wisdom of our bodies and learning to navigate life’s challenges. It’s where I guide my clients.
From a spiritual perspective and in terms of my creative and professional work, I don’t separate my womb, pussy, intuition, higher power, creativity, or life force. Right now, they feel like expressions of the same thing to me. When we live in alignment with what’s true and meaningful to us, I believe the whole body becomes a channel, a manifestation of that inner spark or purpose.
I am really interested to know if your relationship with your womb has changed? And if so how?
The biggest change was moving from nothing to something. Like many, I have a straightforward menstrual story. However, I was fortunate to have a supportive environment at home where I could openly discuss periods and sex with my Mom. My first period was a proud moment rather than something shameful, but after that, I didn’t give it much attention. When I started dating my first boyfriend, my Mom took me to her Ob/Gyn, and that’s when a decade-long journey with the pill began. I often wonder who I’d be if I hadn’t suppressed my natural hormonal landscape for so long. The core of my personality would’ve likely remained the same but I believe my life would’ve taken different directions. Coming off the pill at 24 was a wake-up call. My life and behavior transformed—not only due to my age or environment, but because I responded to life with a newfound sense of wonder, boundaries, and care, and a real hunger for getting out of my comfort zone.
Is there anything else you feel called to share about your womb story?
After coming off the pill, I wanted a hormone-free life and needed safe contraception. When I met my current partner, I became interested in basal body temperature charting and self-taught fertility awareness. However, my sloppiness in learning it properly became a cautionary tale about how not to apply it: I misinterpreted my fertility signs while traveling and became pregnant. The abortion was arduous, mainly due to legal and systemic, patriarchal barriers. This experience fueled my frustration with how women’s bodies are governed and politicized. It also deepened my commitment to understanding my body and empowered me to align more closely with my rhythms. Over time, my fondness for menstruality grew until I discovered Cycle Coach School. The deep, embodied yes I felt led me to train as a Menstrual Cycle Coach in 2023, and menstrual cycle awareness has been my focus ever since.
As a Menstrual cycle coach, how do you share womb wisdom with your clients?
I share snippets of wisdom on Instagram and pour my heart into writing newsletters, as well as essays for my Substack community, Bloody Well. My work is available through 1:1 coaching online, workshops, and in-person offerings in Berlin. With training in holistic life coaching, menstrual cycle coaching, and somatic therapy, my approach weaves together evidence-based techniques with a holistic understanding of the body, mind, and emotions. I love this harmonious balance between the logical and the magical.
Through the lens of the menstrual cycle, I guide clients to connect with their body’s innate wisdom, empowering them to align with their natural rhythm—no matter where they are in their menstrual journey.
It would be wonderful if you could share your top three tips for menstruators to reconnect with their womb wisdom?
My top tip is rest. Our connection to the womb is strongest during menstruation. Stillness can be a portal to ideas and dreams—but we need to create space to receive them. Rest during our bleed should be non-negotiable but true rest is a more advanced practice than we usually like to think of it. Start small: explore your relationship with rest and see how you can carve out passive moments of stillness to receive, even if it’s just 1%. The biggest change always happens from nothing to something.
Untethered creative expression is another one. Whether or not you’re cycling, finding an embodied creative practice you love can connect you to your intuition—be it in the form of movement, art, pleasure, or meditation. Start with something you enjoy childishly and without self-judgment. Creativity is about passion and compassion, not perfection. What would make it simple and fun for you? Do just that.
And finally, touch. Gentle, attentive touch has so many amazing physical and psychological benefits. Touch wakes up the nerve endings in our skin, sending signals to the vagus nerve, a key player in calming our bodies. It regulates our nervous system, boosts feel-good chemicals in our brain, improves lymphatic circulation, and relieves stress. There are many simple self-massage techniques for the body, breasts, and womb, and I’d warmly recommend experimenting with them. It’s a delicious pause and like a reset for our whole system.
Thank you so much for being here in the chat womb with me. ♥️ I really appreciate your time and energy. Before you go, please let readers know how they can get in touch with you.
You can find me for 1:1 holistic cycle coaching at adrilestyan.com. To enjoy the cyclical wisdom I share, follow me via @adri_lestyan or subscribe to the Bloody Well community on Substack.
With gratitude,
Adri
Warmly
Hannah
CEO @ Womb Wisdom
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