Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine for Our Health

There’s a story passed between trauma therapists, feminist scholars, and holistic practitioners, a haunting tale of a convent where many of the nuns were diagnosed with uterine cancer. It is said that the priest guiding their spiritual education had long taught that the female reproductive organs were “of the devil.” That message, repeated over the years, carved itself deep into the psyche of these women, until the body, silenced for too long, spoke in the only way it could: through illness.

Whether this particular story is symbolic or historical, it mirrors a pattern we can trace across generations and geographies. A pattern where bodily autonomy, particularly for those socialised as women, was denied. Where the womb, the very centre of life, was cast as unclean, shameful, or dangerous. And the ripple effect is measurable biologically, rather than just metaphorically.

Modern research into psychosomatic medicine shows that our emotions, particularly guilt, shame, and fear, are not confined to the mind. They live in our bodies. Chronic stress triggers the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, altering cortisol levels, which over time can suppress immune function, disrupt menstruation, increase inflammation, and even influence cell growth. Trauma literally embeds itself into tissue.

Consider this: a 2018 study in Psychoneuroendocrinology found that women who internalised body shame had higher markers of systemic inflammation, linked to chronic illnesses ranging from autoimmune conditions to cancer risk. Epigenetic research shows that stress and trauma can influence gene expression, sometimes with effects that persist across generations. Our bodies carry stories our minds often forget.

At JuneAura, healing is not only about the mind or the body; it is about both. It’s about reuniting with the parts of ourselves that were silenced. It’s about honouring our physical form as sacred, not sinful. The womb, the breasts, the skin, the voice, they are not battlegrounds. They are maps that signal where love, attention, and integration are needed.

Healing becomes an act of storytelling and listening. I guide clients through the narratives their bodies have encoded over time. Sometimes, it is as subtle as noticing where tension resides in the body or where a ritual might reconnect someone to their own sense of safety. Other times, it is about using symbols, breathwork, or gentle movement to reintegrate what has been denied.

The goal is always the same: to help you reclaim your truth gently, in your own time. Because no part of you was ever the enemy. Every part of you was always meant to be loved.

Reconnecting Through Pleasure: Neuroscience of the Embodied Self

One of the most radical acts of healing is simply learning to feel your body again without judgment. Pleasure is biology in action, simple as that. When we engage in activities that make us feel good, whether it’s a warm bath, a gentle stretch, a nourishing meal, or mindful touch, our brains release dopamine and oxytocin, neurotransmitters associated with reward, bonding, and safety.

Oxytocin, sometimes called the “cuddle hormone,” lowers stress hormone levels, reduces inflammation, and even supports tissue repair. Dopamine motivates us to seek life-affirming experiences. Together, these chemicals remind the body that it is safe, alive, and worthy.

Embodiment practices, like slow yoga, conscious breathing, or simply placing your hands over your heart or womb, train the interoceptive system, the network of neurons that helps us sense internal bodily states. Trauma and shame dull this system, leaving us disconnected from hunger, fullness, sexual energy, and emotional cues. By practising presence in the body, we literally rewire the nervous system, strengthening pathways that signal safety, pleasure, and self-trust.

A story comes to mind of a client who had long feared her body after years of critical messaging from family and society. Through gentle daily rituals, she slowly reported feeling “at home” in her own skin for the first time. Her sleep improved, tension eased from her shoulders, and she described a renewed sense of creativity and desire to engage with life. Science now explains what her experience feels like: neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself, and the body’s capacity to release trauma encoded in tissue.

Reclaiming the sacred feminine, therefore, is both spiritual and scientific. It is a conscious act of reprogramming the nervous system, honouring the pleasure, intuition, and resilience encoded in every cell. It is saying: I am safe. I am whole. I am mine.