For our first Red Tent of the year, we set powerful intentions for 2016. Everyone received empty jars to take home and put by their altar, charged with juicy Red Tent energy. Throughout the year, we will write down on a little piece of paper each good thing that happens for us and put it in the jar. On December 31, 2016 we will open our jars and read them! Maybe we could do this as on online activity; like have everyone read their top 3 on a group chat.
Here are some observations from our January Red Tent:
It was another lovely Red Tent. I felt a lot of support for carrying on the mission and look forward to the year ahead.
Here are some observations from our January Red Tent:
- It was a quiet group and in sharp contrast to November’s loud group!
- There were two mother/daughter teams. Divya’s mom Padma was visiting from India and Keirsten’s mom didn’t know she was coming until 40 minutes before we started. Neither Mom had ever been to a Red Tent before, and seemed to really like it.
- Everyone enjoyed the ice breaker game where we basically asked each other some fairly deep or personality-revealing questions.
- I mentioned that there was a stack of blankets in the coat room and that they were welcome to take one if they wanted to be all cozy and warm during the ceremony. Every single woman took one. Visually, it looked so great with everyone under the blankets around the circle!
- One woman traveled really far to get there. She lives across the street!
- My intention or word for the year is “empower:” to empower myself and other women and girls. After I shared, we all stood up and practiced power stances.
It was another lovely Red Tent. I felt a lot of support for carrying on the mission and look forward to the year ahead.
Our November Red Tent
I skipped over a recap of this one because of the holidays. Here it is:
The theme for most of the Red Tents of 2015 was Greek Goddesses. Each month we honored and celebrated one of them. I saved Athena for last as I had a lot of resistance around her archetype. She’s probably the most masculine of them all. With Red Tents being so feminine, it felt like it might create a clash. Sure enough, there was some backlash around the activity I had planned.
Since Athena is the Goddess of law and justice, I thought we would each write a letter to a politician on behalf of our most passionate issue. A few women spoke up that they were not in the mood for that type of activity, it was too linear and intellectual (masculine) and they came to the Red Tent to be more flowing and reflective in heart space, and to connect with other women. True to a more feminine way of dealing with resistance, I listened, tried to stay open, and processed what they were saying. When I sat with it, I resonated with what that they were saying and actually felt the same way.
The initial idea for the activity came from a friend who is the embodiment of Athena herself and a friend who does not attend Red Tents. I am not surprised to get that kind of feedback at a Red Tent. Most women who attend probably wouldn’t rate that high on the Athena scale. Athena does however have certain traits that would make more sense in a Red Tent sister, like being a crafter. We decided to scrap the letter-writing activity. Instead, we all reflected on what issues we’re passionate about and talked about them in our sharing.
It was a great evening all together. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and I got to see how I can handle a little discord. I was proud of myself for being able to go with the flow and model feminine power.
I skipped over a recap of this one because of the holidays. Here it is:
The theme for most of the Red Tents of 2015 was Greek Goddesses. Each month we honored and celebrated one of them. I saved Athena for last as I had a lot of resistance around her archetype. She’s probably the most masculine of them all. With Red Tents being so feminine, it felt like it might create a clash. Sure enough, there was some backlash around the activity I had planned.
Since Athena is the Goddess of law and justice, I thought we would each write a letter to a politician on behalf of our most passionate issue. A few women spoke up that they were not in the mood for that type of activity, it was too linear and intellectual (masculine) and they came to the Red Tent to be more flowing and reflective in heart space, and to connect with other women. True to a more feminine way of dealing with resistance, I listened, tried to stay open, and processed what they were saying. When I sat with it, I resonated with what that they were saying and actually felt the same way.
The initial idea for the activity came from a friend who is the embodiment of Athena herself and a friend who does not attend Red Tents. I am not surprised to get that kind of feedback at a Red Tent. Most women who attend probably wouldn’t rate that high on the Athena scale. Athena does however have certain traits that would make more sense in a Red Tent sister, like being a crafter. We decided to scrap the letter-writing activity. Instead, we all reflected on what issues we’re passionate about and talked about them in our sharing.
It was a great evening all together. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and I got to see how I can handle a little discord. I was proud of myself for being able to go with the flow and model feminine power.
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