Peri/menopause is a rite of passage.
Peri/menopause is not an ending. It is a threshold.
We envision a world in which people in midlife are not diminished by this transition — but ignited by it. Where perimenopause and menopause are recognized as initiations into the fullness of our potentiality and wisdom.
We find pleasure in the pause. Then we ignite the next chapter.
Body of Fire gathers people together for immersive, somatic experiences that support anyone in peri- through post-menopause to reconnect with their bodies, reclaim their pleasure, and move through this crucial threshold with community, insight, and inspiration.
“The Body of Fire retreat was one of the most skillfully and thoughtfully held containers I’ve experienced. There was a deep sense of safety and an invitation to go inward, be vulnerable, and meet whatever was present.”
— Retreat Participant, January 2026
Together we can ignite a better culture of peri/menopause.
Body of Fire gathers people of all stages and ages together for a more embodied, more empowered experience of peri-post menopause. We do this through monthly virtual Fire Circles, half-day workshops, somatic courses, and multi-day in-person gatherings. We partner with special guest teachers and guides to create unique, profoundly connective and transformational experiences.
We are passion-led, not profit-driven. As a Low-Income Limited Liability Corp (L3C) with a 501c3 fiscal sponsor, we are organized primarily by volunteers. Many of our offerings are free. Our in-person gatherings reflect the cost of food, accommodations, and programming.
Contact us below if you’d like to be involved — as a participant, a facilitator, a volunteer, a sponsor, or a donor. We are building a scholarship fund to help ensure that anyone who wants a more empowering experience of the menopausal threshold can join us.
Upcoming Gatherings
“Body of Fire was the rite of passage I dreamt of but did not have moving through menopause. I came back home feeling profoundly shifted, rich in community, and ready to step into my wisdom years.”
— Retreat Participant, January 2026
“Melissa and the other facilitators offered masterful, embodied teachings that helped me meet my body with more love, respect, and trust. The retreat supported me in softening into the unknowns of perimenopause and menopause instead of trying to control or "get through" them.”
— Retreat Participant, January 2026
Who this is for
Anyone who’s ever had a moon cycle who wants to be in conscious relationship with menopause as a rite of passage.
Anyone beginning perimenopause who want to meet it with awareness and support.
Anyone in the full intensity of the transition - seeking grounding and connection.
Postmenopausal women who want to integrate its wisdom more fully, and support others to do the same.
We honor all gender identities & orientations who are crossing this threshold.
What to expect
Somatic practices to feel better in your body and experience pleasure in new ways
Nourishment for the body, mind and spirit
Community and shared wisdom
Time for rest and reflection
A fire ritual to mark this threshold, informed by rites of passage research + practice
This is an invitation to join us in forging a more embodied, and more empowered, experience of the menopausal threshold.
Welcome.
I am 47 and have been postmenopausal for nearly 4 years. I walked the path largely alone and in the dark. It was hard. But I learned to follow the wisdom of my body and the process became a profound rite of passage.
Peri/menopause is not an ending. It is a threshold. A portal into embodied wisdom. A fire that burns away what is no longer needed… so that what is — our essence, our power, our clarity — can come fully alive.
Across cultures and time, menopause has been known as the Great Awakener. In many Indigenous traditions, women become community leaders only after crossing this profound threshold.
I want to come together in conscious, even pleasurable relationship with this initiation. To hold each other in supportive sisterhood; to share wisdom and rejuvenate ourselves for the journey that lies ahead.
Menopause brought me to my knees. But it also gave me back to myself; helped me find my essence, my sovereignty, my voice, my power, and my pleasure. But this isn’t about me. We have an incredible team of people helping grow this community of threshold tenders. And it’s not about any one of us. It’s about ALL of us, including YOU. It’s about writing a different story and culture of menopause. For the collective good.
It’s an honor to walk this passage with you.
With love + fire,
Melissa
Former Guides & Special Guests
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![A woman with long red hair leaning against a tree in a forest, with her eyes closed and hand gently touching her neck.]()
Embodied Journeys
Melissa Brough, PhD, Independent Licensed Ishtara® Teacher
Co-Founder, Energetic Literacy Project
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![A woman chopping carrots on a wooden cutting board while another woman stands nearby, holding a piece of lettuce, in a kitchen setting.]()
Rooted Nourishment
Lisa Masé, author of The Culinary Pharmacy
Amelia Eckles, Food Doula
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![Person holding various skincare and herbal products including face cream, facial oil, body oil, and balm from Bee Love Herbals.]()
Body Oiling
Braelyn Gillespie, Bee Love Herbalist
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![A smiling woman with long curly hair standing outdoors among green leaves.]()
Breath Work
Lindsey Scott, Co-Founder Wellness 101
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![Woman with brown hair sitting outdoors against a tree, wearing a black top and gray jeans, with a tattoo on her arm.]()
The Art of Ritual
Ana Peltz, Visual Artist & Co-Founder Quantum Co-Lab
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![Woman with red hair and a red and black snakeskin-patterned dress, smiling with eyes closed, arms raised above her head against a plain white wall.]()
Shibari Somatics
Masha, Kink Educator, Somatic Coach, Midwife
