Each month I hold the Space for Women in the Red Tent. Its a Sacred Space, filled with Woman's stories and laughter, successes and tears. Always we share, we inspire and we are reminded that whether or not we knew a Woman before this night, our Journeys reflect each other's Truths ever so much. Usually, these Red Tent Circles are held in honour of the New Moon, being the time of planting seeds and finding clear vision.
This month I called the Women to gather in a special Red Tent Circle in honour of the Full Moon : Grandmother Moon.
And so it came to Be that fourteen Women gathered from the many corners of Canberra and surrounds to honour this new year 2011 and to honour each Self. I believe that when Women choose to take the time out to visit the Red Tent, it is a deep gift to the Self - Women in the Red Tent are telling the Self 'I am worthy of this Sacred time, for I am Sacred.' And so they are.
And Be-ing the first Full Moon of this 2011 year I wished to give these Women something extra special. Something to celebrate this New Year, to well and truly put 2010 behind them, to step into a more empowered, blessed Woman Self than ever before, and ready to take on the world. This is why I created a Walking Meditation, where they could traverse the Lunation Gardens and find a hidden part of their own Self, with each step.
I will tell You dear reader, how we visited with the Clan Mothers in our Sacred Circle. These 13 Indigenous Grandmothers who came to this Earth to help humanity Be. They are the representation of the Spirit Self, that which has been before and still goes on and on, in every Woman. With the Clan Mothers present we shared our stories, of where we are sitting for this new year, and found whispers of where our focus will need to Be throughout the year. Women who had not previously met saw their own Self in the eyes of other Women. Friendships were formed. This is truly Sacred.
I will also tell You dear reader, how we visited with the Great Goddess Hera at Her Sacred Pool. This is not the Hera you see in the movies; vengeful, jealous and unable to keep Her man. The Hera I know has been around since long before Hellenic Greece. She is from a Matriarchal heritage, the daughter of the Earth and a great Power. She is a Queen Maker and guides and guards Her People with equal hands. Hera is the most beautiful of all Immortals, and bathes in Sacred Pools each year, to replenish and rejuvenate Her virgin Self.
Why then you may wonder has such a Woman of Power allowed for such a filthy story to eventuate, allowed for Her Women to be down trodden and fearful in the face of Patriarchy? How did this come to Be. I feel that this Power that is Hera is something we have all been waiting to find. She has lay in the Earth, waiting for Her Women to find Her strength. Waiting for the honouring of the Self that will help her rise, and change the name of the 'hero' to the Hera - a wise, strong Woman unto her Self. And with deep thanks I know this to Be True for each of the Women who attended the Red Tent this week. Watching those Women wade knee-deep in the waters, feeling compelled to immerse their entire Being in Her blessing. My heart sings knowing that these Women have found their Hera strength - oh what great things they will Do this year!
And now I will tell You dear reader, how we moved from the Sacred Waters of Hera to the Sacred Tree of Knowledge. An apple tree lives in the Lunation Gardens - a very friendly tree where children play and bees buzz. And we invited the presence of my dear old Sister Lilith to accompany us. Lilith and I have journeyed together many times. She's a fiery One, with a story about the Wild Power of Woman. Her story re-members Her said husband Adam and the Journey She took from him to find HerSelf. Lilith was gone from our conscious Knowing for a long time, but then the Women of the Earth began to realise - that the images of sex and the 'good wife' just weren't going to do it for us anymore. And so we invoked Lilith to join Womanhood again.
So the Women of the Red Tent went to the Tree of Knowledge and connected to that part of the Self that was still stuck in what they were 'supposed' to be - the Unreal World that is all about shoulds and pretends. And then the Women of the Red Tent let Lilith guide them to their Real Self. They saw the She - Wild Woman in their own Being and ate up the energy of the Tree. Sparks flew, skins were shed and wings grew off the back of each Woman. The Power of Women united in their own Truth is a wonderful thing!
And now dear reader, I will tell You how we walked sparkling steps to the Labyrinth where lay Ariadne the Weaving Woman. Ariadne shared stories of Spiders who are making their presence felt in the Web of Life at this time. Ariadne whispered about Her ability to Journey into Worlds unknown and face the shadows that lurk within. She even showed the Women how to find the Minotaur - the beast that follows you or jumps out in front, when you least expect it - and then how to beat it. And the Women of the Red Tent journeyed into the Lunation Labyrinth with Ariadne by their side. They circled through the many aspects of the Self, in deep to the womb of the Mother. And there they were warmed by the Light of Grandmother Moon.
I love to watch as Women travel this way and that through the Labyrinth together. Each turn shifts perceptions, each step invokes new colour, and each Woman is Sacred in Her own Space. It reminds me of bees, each doing their own Work, but working for the All. We women are a Powerful Force when we are together.
And now dear reader, I will tell You how we Journeyed on our dancing feet with Grandmother Moon and each Woman invoked Grandmother Moon into their bodies - into hips and hair, eyes and feet, we sang the Full Moon into the Self - we called her, She answered, we were Full. Skeptics and those who have not done the Work will not know how it is to Be connected to the Earth and the Moon and the Self all at once, but Women will Know, it is Perfect.
Danu was the Earth Mother to whom we called. We saw Her in Her Magickal splendor, as giver of the land and sustenance. We found Her care and nurture with the Knowing that All that we need is offered by Mama Earth, Grandmother Moon, and Gramma Sun. This is simply the way it Is.
We meditated upon the Knowings we found this night - the Blessed Virgin Self, the transformed Wild Woman Self, the Knowing Wise Weaving Woman and the shining Full Grandmother Self, and the Nurtured Self. The Women of the Red Tent called to their Mothers, to their Grandmothers, all the way back to their very first Clan Mother and they re-membered the Full Self along the blood line. And in this, we not only Do the Work for the Self, we also heal All that has come before.
So now dear reader, I hope You understand what it is to be a Woman of the Red Tent. We are empowered, wise Women of great strength. We make Change with a simple breath, and we re-member our very cells returning to Being in the Real World when we are willing.
Perhaps next time, Dear reader, I'll see you in the Red Tent. Bless.
-Hollie B.
All words and images © 2011 Hollie B. & Lunation Pty. Ltd.
www.lunation.com.au
