'Natural movement is like a language. There is a vocabulary to it.'

Project Woman is Abi’s calling; and is a movement focused programme designed to support women in discovering what it is to be female in today’s world. Abi uses hormones and a deep understanding of the menstrual cycle as a start point to discovering what each woman’s body and mind needs through all life stages. 

1. First, tell us a little bit about the work of Project Woman. What led you to create the programme?

‘I have been a yoga teacher, a mobile organic spa owner, then a yoga studio and organic vegan cafe owner but I have always loved to dance. And my discovery of movement as a route to understanding the female body came after a really tough personal period. 2016 was a challenging year and, as I emerged from it I became drawn into the world of movement as a path to recovery. I started seeing people online doing these beautiful moves;

“Natural movement is like a language. There is a vocabulary to it. And I wanted to learn. Movement taught me menstrual awareness.”

Before learning to move, my periods had been irregular. I’d never really given them any attention. Then, in the space of 2 months of training in movement I had two 28-day cycles - back to back. I wanted to know why. As I trained further, I learned about how our hormones are impacted by movement. And how we can manage them in the way we move. But the thing that drives me most is the relationship between the emotion we store in our bodies and how we can physically move through those emotions. 

Project Woman looks to guide women into feeling relaxed, confident and strong in their bodies by refreshing the way they exercise and increasing their awareness of their menstrual cycle;

“There is nothing more fulfilling that evaluating the way you move and feeling where you hold your emotions, stress and limitations so you can create the changes to make your body a happy place to live”.

To maintain a healthy body, mind and spirit during the evolution of the individual woman.  To re-establish a ritual of selfcare that feels natural, supportive and empowering.  To build an inspiring relationship with the body and nature.

By understanding our past we can understand how we are controlling our future and the transition of cycling within us.  Understanding our habits that are causing us tension and limitation, using specific approaches to unwind them/manage them.’

2. Who is your ideal client?

‘Women. All women! We all have this magic which is the menstrual cycle which allows us to be very creative, very inspirational -  it brings the magic out in life. I feel that, for us to have strength during the menopause, we need to understand our menstrual cycles - and work with them. I work with women to remove the armour worn, to help them step into their bodies.’

3. If you share any nugget of wisdom with your younger self, what would it be?

“That your menstrual cycle will tell you what you need to know. And that you have the most beautiful body. Just let it sing.”

4. What would be your key advice to women entering the peri-menopause today?

‘Be aware of what you carry with you into menopause. Be aware of the blueprint you may have inherited from your mother, your grandmother, the women around you. Know that your adult self has the power to make each Lifestage beautiful. That you are unique and you, uniquely, know what you need’.