Questions and Answers about the Red Tent Temple Movement

From www.Alisa Starkweather.com

The intention is that within the space we care for one another and are cared for with healing, song, meditation, story telling, council, quiet rest, herbs and sharing together. It is important that women remember that this is not a party but a social event where our intention is to bring in organically both the quiet spaces and the spontaneous moments where anything can happen such as storytelling, poetry, dancing and something as simple as laying a head in your mother's lap while she strokes it. Many times the women who are organizing the Red Tent Temple in their local area offer a simple form of a circle in the duration of our time together. The circle however is a part of what happens. We have learned over time that the most important thing however is to enter it for our own exhale of our breaths and finding ourselves on the next inhalation.


What is a circle?

Circles can mean many things to different people but here in the Red Tent Temple our circles respect that we enter here with many diverse beliefs and lifestyles. A circle is time for women to share what is in their hearts. We pass something that represents to us that this woman is taking her turn and we listen deeply to what she has to say whatever it is. Since we began the Red Tent Temples we have noticed that women are coming who have never been in a circle. If you are facilitating one it is important to know that our circle time can go very deep and also very uproariously high as we laugh, sing, share and revel in one another's company. And that circle is not therapy. It is a short increment of time to be able to check in with how you are feeling, share one story, an insight, a poem. We hope to make a safe place for women to share with confidentiality and compassion in case a woman cries. We listen rather than giving her lots of advice or wanting her to stop crying. We make room for our feelings. And again, it is not therapy. So women are not encouraged to go deeper than they come back from in a short increment of time. And to be aware of other women who have not had an opportunity to speak or be heard. We share the time among us depending on who is there. No one is expected to participate or to speak. You can still be in the Red Tent and not be in the circle if you choose but this seldom happens.

Who comes to a Red Tent Temple?

Women of all ages come. Women who are in menopause time of life are needed here to make our circles whole. Women who no longer have wombs are welcome. Young women are welcome if they have begun their moon cycles.

We have discovered that since we don't know what kind of things women might bring up in the circle it is best for minors to have consent by a guardian in order to be there so that we can speak freely among ourselves as women.

Women of all beliefs are welcome. This means we honor and respect the right of individuals to choose their own paths and follow what is right for them while honoring the diversity present. If we are going to grow this movement we must make room for all kinds of diversity to be in the tent with us. Our collective journey of being a woman is our common ground.

Our sisters, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, friends are all welcome. Our common ground is honoring the sacredness of our own womanhood journey.

Where are the Red Tent Temples?

They are in our own homes, yoga studios, basements of churches, and healing centers. They are in dance studios, offices, barns, and backyards. They have even been in our town commons, cities, and festivals that take place. Red Tents are being seen more and more everywhere. And at the same time, the Red Tent Temples are part of a movement among us to do this collectively and in collaboration, unity and support.... It is service. We are making it up as we go and learning along the way. Then we share what we are learning all over the country.

The Red Tent is not only a place but a metaphor of who we are as women. We are women who cycle and bleed with the moon and whether you think much about that or not, all women have shared this in common. We are women who are wanting our young women to have a positive experience of their womanhood with our support. And older women surely need that too.

Why do we cook for the Red Tent?

Somewhere a woman is cooking for you. She knows that you may not want to make food or that you don't have time after work. We recognize our need to nourish and be nourished. Food is simple but it is available in most Red Tents. You are welcome to bring food to share too. You are also welcome to cook for us when you are ready!

What is the Story Chair in the Red Tent Temple?

Anyone is welcome at any time in the Red Tent Temple to sit in the chair and tell a story of their womanhood journey. Sometimes the stories are sad and sometimes they make us all laugh. You can read a poem or share something in that moment. It is always available for you. I look forward to the day when we gather around our elders and young ones as they share with us their wisdom in a way that makes room for their unique ages.

We want many things for our world.

Our continued leadership is needed for the things that we most care about.

The Red Tent Temple Movement promotes women's empowerment.

The Red Tent is a gift to ourselves so that we remember our greatest strengths and also are kind to where we have limitations. By attending or giving yourself this time, which in the beginning is the hardest thing of all, we then make a time and place in our life to check in with ourselves and each other so that we can reenergize for the rest of the month. We will also make connections and friendships that will deepen our sense of community. When things get tough, women can brainstorm together in the Red Tent Temples. We will undoubtedly be stronger together.

Does it cost money to come to the Red Tent Tempe?

Certainly you know that everything such as this does cost money. And this movement began with an idea that it needed to be grassroots, able to be duplicated yet original to the women who are tending them, that we needed NOT to own our Red Tent Temples unless we all owned them by owning them as ours. Ownership here means to cook soup, make tea, welcome women, bring cloth, get the word out, offer up a place. It also means that if you find what is here valuable that you support it in ways that you can so that it is sustainable. The majority of the Red Tent Temples are free of charge with donations that are freely given that support the experience. There are often rental, heat and food costs. Women have given hours of their time voluntarily to build what is here so far and our vision is that with time, we will do this all together and easily. If there are costs it is because funds must be raised for space, heat and food in order for it to exist.

Why do the women sometimes wear red?

We invite women to wear red to remember the blood actually is for life and whether we talk about it or not, women are connected to their cycles, the moon and to one another. It is a way to begin to honor the deep feminine in every woman. Red also is a pretty energetic color. For those of you not wearing red, kick it up sisters. You are beautiful. Besides, you are the Red Tent don't you know?

What is the Women's Word of Mouth Board?

The most powerful information that travels is by word of mouth. In the Red Tent Temples sometimes there are boards where women can put down information for one another. It can be anything that we need to pay attention to. This ranges from personal networking, to good books and music, petitions, local recommendations, resources for our health and wellbeing. It is our hope that once the movement gets going and our interactive website takes place, we can then put this information out there on a local, state, national and global level depending on where it is needed. It acts then as a word of mouth board between us all collectively where information can get out there.