Menopause /andropause : A Time of Power and Transformation

Menopause is increasingly present in conversations — and that’s a good thing. Beyond trends and taboos, it’s a universal and intimate reality that has long been silenced. It marks an important and inevitable stage in a woman’s life, just like puberty.

As women, we can often choose when to become mothers, but we can’t choose when our periods begin — nor when they stop. That may seem unfair, but it’s also an opportunity.

In my work as a kinesiologist, I’ve met many women going through pre-menopause or menopause. I’ve seen how destabilizing, negative ideas about this transition can lead to disconnection and a loss of inner power.

The most common misconceptions?

• Old age

• Loss of femininity

• Uselessness

• The “end” of the cycle

In the collective imagination, menopause has been unfairly tied to all these notions.

But in truth, it marks the end of one chapter—and like every ending, it opens the door to renewal. That’s what I help women explore in my sessions, by working through beliefs and attitudes that may be subtly—or not so subtly—toxic.

What Is Menopause, really?

Physically, menopause refers to the permanent cessation of menstruation for at least 12 consecutive months. It usually occurs between the ages of 48 and 52.

Perimenopause, however, can begin as early as 35, bringing irregular cycles and a variety of symptoms such as:

• Irregular periods

• Hot flashes and night sweats

• Mood swings (emotional sensitivity, irritability)

• Sleep disturbances

• Vaginal dryness

• Slower thyroid function

• Fatigue

• Weight gain and body changes

• Hair loss

• Trouble concentrating or remembering things

• Joint and muscle pain

• Frozen shoulder

  
  

All of these can weigh heavily on daily life and make one feel “overwhelmed.”

Good News: There Are Solutions

Many approaches can help ease this transition. Here are a few:

• Adopt a balanced lifestyle: reduce alcohol and excess sugar, and favor a healthy, nourishing diet.

• Move regularly: engage in physical activity suited to your body and energy level.

• Consider hormonal therapy — if needed and under medical supervision.

• Practice relaxation: meditation, breathing exercises, yoga.

• Do emotional and psychological work: nurture your self-image and self-esteem.

This period can become a beautiful opportunity to reclaim your body and rebuild self-esteem.

It’s also important to remember that physical pain and emotional blocks are often intertwined (see my article The Four Planes of Exploration). Feeling useless, for instance, can trigger fatigue, mood swings, or even physical pain—and the reverse is equally true.

Menopause: A Universal Yet Unique Experience

As mentioned earlier, every woman goes through menopause — at different ages and in different ways. It’s important to realize that we’re not alone; we are part of a greater community — women.

Still, every experience is unique. It depends on individual physiology, social context, and personal history.

The symptoms may be similar, but the perception varies: some women feel liberated, others more vulnerable. Accepting that vulnerability allows us to confront deeper fears — of abandonment, rejection, or aging — and to build stronger self-esteem.

How to Connect Self-Esteem and Well-Being

Learning to love yourself means:

• respecting yourself (and, of course, others),

• setting clear boundaries,

• daring to say “no,”

• reconnecting with your true needs.

  
  

These skills matter at every stage of life, but they take on new meaning during menopause. Respecting yourself and asserting your boundaries often means dismantling inherited beliefs, letting go of toxic patterns, and accepting certain truths.

It’s not always easy to do alone — which is why allowing yourself to seek guidance or support can be so valuable.

The Feminine Cycle Doesn’t End

Even if menstruation stops, the feminine cycle continues in another form.

Women remain connected to the moon and to their inner rhythms.

The four physical phases of the cycle — menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal — persist symbolically (winter, spring, summer, autumn), energetically, and archetypically (healer, maiden, warrior/seductress, mother), even after menopause.*

A menopausal woman thus stays in tune with the same cyclical flow that has always accompanied her life.

Menopause: A Time of Power and Wisdom

Menopause can be seen as a loss — or as a positive transformation. It’s the shift from energy devoted to biological fertility toward one focused on creativity, transmission, and wisdom.

It’s the perfect moment to:

• cultivate desire (including sexual desire),

• nurture creativity,

• deepen connection with oneself and others.

  
  

Menopause is not the end of femininity — it’s a reinvention of it.

It’s a passage toward greater freedom, awareness, and inner strength.

And What About Men?

As I mentioned earlier, women are not alone in experiencing change. Men go through a transition, too — called andropause.

Andropause corresponds to a gradual decrease in testosterone production, usually beginning around 45–50 years of age. Unlike menopause, it doesn’t bring an abrupt end to fertility or biological cycles. It’s slower, subtler, and varies widely from man to man.

The main symptoms resemble those of menopause — though often fewer and milder. Yet for many men, this stage brings a deeper identity or existential crisis: fear of aging, desire to reclaim youth, feelings of lost virility, or questioning of social and professional roles.

The best ways to navigate andropause are similar to those for menopause — nurturing self-esteem, maintaining regular physical activity, and adopting a balanced lifestyle.

The men I’ve worked with during their andropause often speak of a deep loss of direction — without quite putting a name to it.

Andropause and Menopause: Different Mirrors

Menopause is a visible and universal transition; andropause, more discreet and uneven. Some men experience strong symptoms, others barely any.

But in both cases, it’s a life passage that invites reflection — on our relationship with the body, age, sexuality, identity, and mortality.

Have I helped you see menopause and andropause differently?

Let’s remember: the way we choose to perceive life’s transitions shapes our happiness.

Take time to reflect — and embrace the change.

*Inspired by Miranda Gray’s “Red Moon: Understanding and Using the Creative, Sexual and Spiritual Gifts of the Menstrual Cycle.”