March 8: More than just a date – A healing call back to feminine power

Every year on March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day – a day that commemorates the power, history and unfinished journey of women worldwide. In my therapeutic practice, I experience daily how deeply political and social realities are inscribed in women’s bodies and souls. This day therefore invites us not only to political engagement, but also to a very personal, inner encounter.

What does it really mean to live as a woman in this world? What exhaustion does your body carry that is not just your own? And what power lies dormant within you that has perhaps not yet fully awakened?

The story that sits in our cells

International Women’s Day has its roots in the early labor struggles of the 20th century. Women went on strike, demanding fair wages, safe working conditions and the right to vote. These women – our great-grandmothers, our ancestors – fought with their bodies for rights that we take for granted today.

We now know from epigenetics and trauma research that experiences of oppression, silence and self-sacrifice are passed on transgenerationally. The exhaustion of many modern women, the inner compulsion to prove themselves, the difficulty of simply being enough – these often have deeper roots than personal experience. We carry a collective history within us.

So celebrating March 8 also means acknowledging this history, giving it space and at the same time asking – which patterns from it am I willing to let go of?

The female cycle as an inner compass

In many cultures, women were once considered the guardians of rhythm and time. The female cycle – today often perceived as an inconvenience or even a disruptive factor – is actually a highly complex biological and psychological system that takes us through four archetypal phases each month:

• The inner virgin (follicular phase): New beginnings, curiosity, fresh energy. A time when ideas bubble up and the outside world is inviting.
• The inner mother (ovulation): Connection, abundance, radiance. We like to give, feel present and visible.
• The inner sorceress / witch (luteal phase): Depth, critical vision, sensitivity. What is not right now becomes perceptible.
• The inner way (menstruation): Contemplation, peace, truth. A time of inner reflection, dreaming, letting go.

When we learn to see this rhythm as a resource rather than a burden, our relationship with ourselves changes fundamentally. The body is not an enemy – it is a wise compass.

Femininity beyond role models

Modern women often live in a silent balancing act: they need to be strong and vulnerable, successful and caring, independent and connected – all at the same time. This inner conflict takes a huge amount of energy and often manifests itself in physical symptoms: chronic exhaustion, hormonal imbalances, sleep disorders, pelvic pain.

In my practice, I repeatedly come across women who are too much for others and too little for themselves. Who have learned that their needs can wait. That rest is laziness. That setting boundaries is selfish.

What if the exact opposite is true? What if deep self-care is the most radical form of feminine strength? What if inhabiting your own body, listening to your own needs – is a form of political act?

Solidarity begins within us

Feminism and healing are not opposites. On the contrary: true solidarity between women only arises when we have stopped waging war on ourselves. When we no longer carry the internalized voice that says: You’re not slim enough. Not smart enough. Not productive enough. Not good enough.

Supporting, celebrating and empowering other women is easier when we support, celebrate and empower ourselves. Inner healing is not a distraction from the outside. It is its prerequisite.

An invitation to you

For International Women’s Day, I would like to invite you to a small but meaningful practice:

Sit in silence for a few minutes today. Place one hand on your heart and one on your stomach. Breathe deeply. And then ask yourself:
Which part of me has been overlooked for a long time? What do I really need right now? What feminine power within me wants to unfold?
It doesn’t need a grand gesture. Sometimes the most profound gift you can give yourself is to simply be present – for yourself.

March 8 reminds us that women have been fighting, dreaming and healing for centuries. In the outside world and inside. Both belong together. And both are an act of love – for the world and for yourself.

With this in mind: Happy Women’s Day. May it strengthen you, inspire you and bring you home – to yourself.