Part of each Red Tent Event is the creation of altars. They are different each month, and we invite participants to offer to create the altar at future Red Tents. They are beautiful, ephemeral works of art, as well as the sacred focal point for the sacred space that is created through ceremony and intention. We also invite offers to lead the ceremonial opening and closing of the evening, in whichever tradition or style you wish, as long as it is honouring of women, or by extension, the Earth Mother. I offer the photos here for inspiration, acknowledgement of past beauty created, and an opportunity to learn about various styles in the manner they've been offered. If there are different elements, animals, etc. associated with the directions in your tradition, we welcome that offering, as well as acknowledge that the altar does not have to mark the directions.
Vulnerability is a somewhat misunderstood experience, and in Brene Brown's TED talk on the power of vulnerability, she is wonderful and humorous as she shares her deep insight on this powerful, important human emotion. This TED talk is the 4th most-watched TED talk in history, as of mid-December 2013, and well worth 20 minutes of your day.
The Red Tent Events in the Comox Valley are intentionally created and presented as a safe place to be vulnerable. We ask everyone for confidentiality around what is shared, for respectful listening, for speaking your truth from a place deep inside yourself. Since Brene Brown studies vulnerability, courage, authenticity and shame, I thought it was an ideal talk to share on this page. The full list of the 20 most-watched TED talks up to this point includes a fabulous talk by Jill Bolte Taylor, on her stroke of insight, the 2nd most-watched TED talk. When a stroke damaged and silenced her right hemisphere, she was able to fully experience herself as the left hemisphere experiences her life ~ in the present moment, as an energy being connected to everything around her, perfect, whole, beautiful. She saw the world from a beautifully compassionate, deeply peaceful, loving perspective. As we gather tonight in the Red Tent, and in the coming days with friends and family over the holidays, may we all remember our deep interconnection with each other, experience ourselves as compassionate, loving beings and welcome deep peace into our lives. Here is a link to the text and a very short audio reading by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, of the story of The Grandmother River. This is an entry on a website called The Moderate Voice, which Clarissa is the Managing Editor for. You can explore more of her writing for this site, which describes itself as "an Internet hub for centrists, independents and moderates with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting and popular features from the left, center and right." This is a bit of a wry quote that made me smile and nod my head today. There are many more great Eleanor Roosevelt quotes on this page. She was truly a wise woman. Follow this link into Clarissa’s website, to the page describing the audio program that has been played for a portion of the first Comox Valley Red Tent Events. Clarissa's voice is really entertaining and enjoyable to listen to, and she brings in humour and humility along with her warmth and wisdom. Women have been gathering together, sharing their stories, since time immemorial. Gathering together at the time of menstruation and giving birth is a common experience across cultures. First Nations in North America called the space for this gathering a Moon Lodge. In the Middle East in the pre-Christian era, the space was called a Red Tent. In 1997, Anita Diamant came out with the fictional book, The Red Tent, describing that women in the pre-Christian era in the Middle East were required by law to take refuge together while menstruating or giving birth. This gave them an opportunity to offer mutual support and encouragement to each other, handing down traditions and teaching big life lessons to the younger generations. This struck a chord with many women who read the book, and who longed for a similar sense of female community, belonging, sharing and inter-generational learning. In our modern times, we are quite disconnected from each other, and women often don't have this sense of community, even within their families. Hence the popularity of new moon gatherings and red tent events among modern women. ALisa Starkweather is a forerunner of this modern movement, and her website, Red Tent Temple Movement, has more great information to explore. She is also featured in this documentary film that has been made about the movement. |
AuthorLori is one of the three facilitators of the Comox Valley Red Tent Events. Archives
February 2014
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