THE RHYTHM OF HER • The science + soul of the female cycle • Ovulation
SoulSpring Wellness Journal™
Volume 02 · Issue 03
The menstrual cycle is a conversation between hormones, body, mind and emotion.
Each phase carries its own rhythm.
In our last issue, we moved through the follicular phase, the time when follicles develop, estrogen rises and the body prepares for what comes next.
Now we arrive at ovulation.
The moment the body has been preparing for all along.
An egg is released from the ovary.
Hormones shift.
Cervical mucus changes.
The body opens a window of fertility.
And for some women, this can also be a time when energy, confidence, connection and libido feel noticeably different.
This is the peak of the cycle.
A moment of release.
A moment of possibility.
THE PHASE
Ovulation is the point in the menstrual cycle when a mature egg is released from an ovarian follicle.
It does not necessarily happen on Day 14.
That number comes from the example of a 28-day cycle, but real cycles vary. Ovulation generally occurs about 14 days before the next menstrual period, which means the timing can be different from cycle to cycle and from woman to woman.
The follicular phase has been building toward this moment.
A dominant follicle has matured.
Estrogen has risen.
And when estrogen reaches the right hormonal threshold, it triggers a surge of luteinizing hormone, or LH.
That LH surge signals the mature follicle to release the egg.
Ovulation typically occurs about 36 to 44 hours after the beginning of the LH surge.
The egg then enters the fallopian tube, where fertilization can occur if sperm are present.
The egg itself remains viable for a relatively short time.
Sperm, however, can survive for several days under the right conditions.
Together, this creates what is known as the fertile window, generally considered the six-day interval ending on the day of ovulation.
THE HORMONES
Ovulation is a beautiful example of communication between the brain and the ovaries.
The hypothalamus and pituitary gland communicate with the ovaries through a carefully coordinated hormonal system.
During the follicular phase, the developing follicle produces increasing amounts of estradiol, a form of estrogen.
As estradiol rises, it eventually creates the hormonal signal that triggers the LH surge.
LH then acts on the dominant follicle, leading to the release of the egg.
After ovulation, the follicle that released the egg transforms into a temporary structure called the corpus luteum.
The corpus luteum begins producing progesterone, preparing the uterine lining for the possibility of pregnancy.
One hormonal conversation leads directly into another.
That is the rhythm.
BODY LITERACY
Ovulation can be one of the most noticeable transitions of the cycle, but not everyone feels it.
You may notice:
• Increasing energy
• Greater confidence
• Increased libido
• A stronger desire for connection
• Changes in mood
• Increased cervical mucus
• Clear, slippery, stretchy cervical fluid
• Mild pelvic or abdominal discomfort
• Bloating
• Breast tenderness
• Subtle changes in appetite or sensory awareness
Some women experience a brief twinge or ache around ovulation, often called mittelschmerz.
Others feel absolutely nothing.
Both are normal.
One of the most useful signs of approaching ovulation is cervical mucus.
As estrogen rises, cervical mucus becomes wetter, clearer and more slippery. Around the most fertile days, it can become stretchy and resemble raw egg white.
This isn’t random.
Your body is creating an environment that helps sperm move through the reproductive tract.
Your cervical mucus is one of the body’s own biological signals.
Learning to notice it is body literacy.
THE FERTILE WINDOW
Ovulation is also the phase of the cycle most closely connected with fertility.
The fertile window is generally considered the six days ending on the day of ovulation.
The highest probability of conception occurs when intercourse takes place in the days immediately surrounding ovulation, particularly the two days before ovulation.
This is one reason cycle tracking can be so valuable.
Your calendar can estimate.
Your hormones provide clues.
Your cervical mucus provides another signal.
An ovulation predictor kit can detect the LH surge in urine.
Basal body temperature can help confirm that ovulation has already occurred because body temperature typically rises slightly afterward.
No single tracking method is perfect.
The goal isn’t to become obsessed with predicting one exact day.
The goal is to become familiar with your own patterns.
THE DIGESTIVE CONNECTION
Your reproductive system and digestive system do not operate in isolation.
Hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle can influence gastrointestinal function, motility and the way some women experience abdominal symptoms.
Research has documented changes in gastrointestinal symptoms and bowel patterns across the menstrual cycle, although the experience varies widely from person to person.
Around ovulation, you may notice changes in:
• Bloating
• Appetite
• Abdominal comfort
• Bowel regularity
• Stool consistency
• Food cravings
• Overall digestive ease
Or you may notice nothing at all.
That’s important too.
Body literacy isn’t about looking for symptoms.
It’s about noticing patterns.
And sometimes the most useful information is simply:
This is how my body feels today.
COLONIC MAINTENANCE
The ovulatory phase can be a beautiful point in the cycle to pause and check in with your body.
Energy may be higher.
Movement may feel easier.
You may feel more social, more active or more connected to your body.
At SoulSpring Oasis, we encourage women to think about colonic care as part of an individualized wellness rhythm rather than a rigid calendar.
Your hydration, bowel habits, digestive comfort, lifestyle, cycle patterns and overall wellness routine all matter.
If you are someone who enjoys scheduling your colonic around your menstrual cycle, the days following menstruation and the approach to ovulation may feel like a natural time to reconnect with your body and support your regular elimination routine.
There is no single “perfect” day.
There is your body.
Your rhythm.
Your needs.
THE LUNAR RHYTHM
THE OVULATORY PHASE + THE FULL MOON
If the follicular phase mirrors the waxing moon, ovulation is the full moon.
Full.
Bright.
Visible.
Expressive.
The body has moved from inward rebuilding toward outward expression.
The egg is released.
Energy may feel expansive.
Connection may feel more appealing.
Creativity may feel more available.
Libido may increase.
And the body enters its most fertile window.
The moon does not control ovulation, and your cycle does not need to synchronize with the lunar calendar.
The lunar rhythm is simply a beautiful framework for observing cycles.
New moon.
Waxing.
Full.
Waning.
Again and again.
Just like the body.
YOUR SOULSPRING RITUAL
THE FULLNESS RITUAL
This week, give yourself permission to take up a little more space.
Go outside.
Move your body.
Dance.
Create something.
Call someone you love.
Wear something that makes you feel good.
Let yourself be seen.
Then find five quiet minutes at the end of the day.
Place one hand over your heart and one hand over your lower abdomen.
Take several slow breaths.
Ask yourself:
What feels alive in me right now?
Where am I feeling most energized?
What am I ready to express?
What do I want to share with the world?
You don’t have to make anything happen.
Simply notice what is already there.
SCIENCE + SOUL
Ovulation is often described in purely reproductive terms.
An egg is released.
Fertility increases.
Hormones shift.
But there is another way to understand this phase.
Something has been developing quietly.
A follicle has matured.
Estrogen has risen.
A signal has traveled through the body.
And then, at precisely the right moment, something is released.
There is something beautiful about that rhythm.
Preparation.
Maturation.
Release.
The body does not hold forever.
It knows when to let go.
Maybe there is something to learn from that.
SOMETHING TO NOTICE THIS WEEK
Notice your signs of ovulation.
Your energy.
Your mood.
Your libido.
Your cervical mucus.
Your appetite.
Your digestion.
Your social energy.
Your desire to create.
Your desire to connect.
Your body may give you signals that you’ve never been taught to recognize.
Start paying attention.
Not every month will feel the same.
Especially during perimenopause, hormonal patterns can become less predictable and cycles may change.
That doesn’t mean your body has stopped communicating.
It means the conversation may be changing.
Listen closely.
CYCLE TRACKING
Add ovulation-specific observations to the tracking practice from our last issue.
Record:
Cycle Day
Cervical Mucus
Dry · Sticky · Creamy · Watery · Slippery · Stretchy
Energy
Low · Steady · High
Mood
Calm · Focused · Social · Confident · Emotional · Energized
Libido
Low · Steady · Increasing · High
Digestion
Comfortable · Bloating · Constipation · Loose stool · Other
Bowel Movement
None · Easy · Strained · Incomplete · Loose
Pelvic Sensations
None · Mild twinge · Cramping · Pressure · Other
Sleep
Poor · Restful · Deep · Interrupted
Body Notes
Breast tenderness · Headache · Appetite changes · Cravings · Skin changes · Anything else you notice
If you use an ovulation predictor kit, you can also record your LH result.
After several cycles, look back.
You may begin to see when your energy rises.
When your cervical mucus changes.
When your libido shifts.
When your digestion feels different.
When you feel most like yourself.
That is body literacy.
Noticing.
Learning.
Listening.
WHAT’S NEXT
Next, the cycle begins to turn inward again.
After ovulation, the luteal phase begins.
Progesterone rises as the corpus luteum prepares the uterine lining for the possibility of pregnancy.
Energy may begin to shift.
Appetite may change.
Body temperature rises slightly.
Digestive patterns may change.
And eventually, if pregnancy does not occur, estrogen and progesterone fall.
The body prepares to begin again.
The rhythm continues.
Know your rhythm.
Listen to your body.
Trust what you learn.
SoulSpring Oasis
Wellness rooted in body literacy, connection and care.
SOURCES
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). “The Menstrual Cycle: Menstruation, Ovulation, and How Pregnancy Occurs.”
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/infographics/the-menstrual-cycle
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). “Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of Family Planning.”
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/fertility-awareness-based-methods-of-family-planning
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). “Evaluating Infertility.”
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/evaluating-infertility
American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). “Optimizing Natural Fertility: A Committee Opinion.” Fertility and Sterility, 2022.
https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/optimizing-natural-fertility-a-committee-opinion-2021/
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI Bookshelf). “The Normal Menstrual Cycle and the Control of Ovulation.” Endotext.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279054/
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI Bookshelf). “Physiology, Menstrual Cycle.” StatPearls.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500020/
Cleveland Clinic. “Ovulation: Calculating, Process, Pain & Other Symptoms.”
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23439-ovulation
Cleveland Clinic. “Cervical Mucus: Chart, Stages, Tracking & Fertility.”
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21957-cervical-mucus
Coquoz, A., Regli, D., & Stute, P. “Impact of progesterone on the gastrointestinal tract: a comprehensive literature review.” Climacteric. 2022;25(4):337–361.
Heitkemper, M. M., & Chang, L. “Do Fluctuations in Ovarian Hormones Affect Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Women With Irritable Bowel Syndrome?” Gender Medicine.
