Many do not know what that is today. But the women of the past knew its power and the great need they had of it.
The world was tougher then, the climate they lived in was tough to survive too.
The men were hard to accept sometimes, due to the majority of their brutality.
But this place was a healing spring for their beings.
The way society is today is not very different at its core from what it was then.
This red tent was their place to come together and let go of everything.
Not all women had the opportunity to live to have their sanctuary like this red tent was theirs. The place to rest and replenish from all the hard work.
But what made women so in need of a sanctuary?
It's their nature, it always had been.
Being born as a woman to this world means that you are given a body that is too fragile to do the work of a man, but it is way stronger in bearing a new life for months and give it birth.
But we are overlooking something. We are the ones that bear the new life with us for months. And for some that are embracing their femininity giving birth is an ecstatic experience, without any pain. (Search for the documentary "Orgasmic Birth"). I had come to think that being a woman it's a blessing and not a curse.
When women are pregnant, they manifest a certain love through their hearts, that is out of the world of men. The fathers that are receptive and open also respond to this heart river that is flowing through the soon-to-be mother with their own heart river.
Women are of a passive and magnetic nature, they are more inviting the energy to come in and give it, than acting to take it or give it. That is how a man essentially is - of an active nature.
And because women are magnetic and passive, they always absorb whatever is happening around them, in their families and social circles. So there has to be a time when all that is absorbed, it's also recycled and let go of. And that is what the menstrual cycle is for. Giving birth also implies that women should have the freedom, heart loving-kindness, and intimacy they need. Unfortunately, society has robed women of that opportunity.
Imagine you are pregnant now and that instead of going to a cold, strange hospital, you would give birth in the center of your family. Having all the women of your blood there to chant and support you. Having the possibility of being hugged and caressed by your beloved man. Feeling the safety and security of your kind, knowing that your child will surely be delivered, but in the intimacy and warmth of your nest.
But apart from giving birth, there is the menstrual cycle. Now tell me how much you want your man to vaporize out of sight during that time. :) There are many reasons for that. One would be that during that time your primal feminine energy is linked with all the women of the past, present, and future, and so, you somehow feel what they have felt or what they would feel: pain, abuse, sorrow, happiness, love, safety. It's a feeling like time has stopped, or more like past, present and future have become one.
Another reason would be that during the menstrual cycle the woman has to let go of all the absorbed energy.
But if her family manifests a place filled with respect, love, kindness, honor, and virtue, she will experience more like a blissful heart feeling. One that makes her feel like she is floating on the river of the three times (past, present, future) seeing everything with wisdom and compassion, not feeling the rage towards any masculine figure, but total love and forgiving of all masculine energy that ever existed, that exists or that will exist.
Even if she feels this loving, she still needs her time to freely manifest with the women of her tribe, to tell stories, share her deep mind and heart, and receive the support of everyone. It doesn't have to be the whole time, but it still has to happen.
We, my dears, have lost the meaning of rituals. Of this ritual in itself. Because honoring the great feminine spring of all life in the form of a certain saint does not bring any harm to any divine masculine figure. In fact, it helps the sacredness of it to continue its work. It sustains and nurtures all the pure virtuous qualities of the divine masculine figure.
A ritual in which we let the blood flow freely without being ashamed of it (figuratively speaking), without cursing masculinity, and femininity at their core. In which we let go of the identities we take as women and just embody the feminine source of it all for just a few days. We become empty but also replenished during those days. And that is good. Because if we want to harmoniously take on all the roles the women carry, we need to have the opportunity to also be empty once in a while. At least. Some of us are already empty even beyond our menstrual cycles, and we are changing the world with the feminine core vibrating all over.
In doing this ritual, and in having our own sanctuary where no man would set a foot on, we could be better women for this world. We would become once again the river of rest, wisdom, and love for our men, the community, the whole world. It is of no surprise this has been lost, as it is of no surprise of how women are lost today, generally.
Beloveds we forgot our deepest purpose.
This sanctuary doesn't have to be a physical place. It would be nice to also manifest as such. But if it's not possible, when the blood starts flowing and the children want to be born, you can return to your heart to rest and let go there.
Listen to deeply feminine songs (not love songs necessarily), songs that get you back to your heart-mind connection, into that grateful lovingkindness state, where you feel compassion and a deep sense of wisdom. Learn to meditate and use the center, the emptiness you find there, as the source of life. It is the spring of everything. Recreate your own sanctuary.
The life of your family, community, men, and children will deeply change because of your constant and secure connection to the heart-mind center. You will overflow with wisdom and compassion manifesting as primal feminine energy which will heal everything.
And if you have experienced a chaotic family environment and you feel a lot of pain, or even chronic sickness has manifested, just learn to let go and forgive with each month passing. Let go of everything that has made you a victim, that has abused your shining heart and womb. Let go of the role of the victim, or abuser. There is nothing more powerful than a woman that is connected and secure with the heart of all life.
There are months where I still feel the pain of all women, but at the core of my being, I am grateful that I can feel that. And I experience compassion, wisdom, and most of all forgiveness for all the causes of suffering that were manifested.
So my dears, let's once again embrace our bodies, hearts, and mind, and let go of the burdens (identities) we took over time.
The well of the feminine source is in all of us. Let's not reject it, misunderstand it, or dishonor it anymore.
It is the well of everything. And it is a great gift that we get to feel everything that comes and passes through it. I am speaking about the deepest heart of hearts.
I respect and send to you all the blessing of the Red Tent.
Thank you