In times, before recorded history, before science and organized religion, menstruation was considered magic. How amazing for the females to bleed for days and live. How curious that the red flow occurred at nearly the same time every month. Much like thunder and lightning, a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, a flock of birds flying in formation – monthly bleeding was a natural, marvelous mystery.

In this article, we explore the First Moon ceremonies of a few women-honoring cultures that perceive first menstruation as a passageway into the higher realms of womanhood.