Do you remember how you felt about yourself when you started your menstruation cycle as a young woman? What was said to you when it happened the first time? Were you celebrated for the amazing woman you are? Where you scared? Did you have anyone to show you what to do?
I remember when it happened to me. My stepmother, Donna, cried tears of joy. This said it all to a young girl who had arrived at this pinnacle time in my life. I realized not only was this a big deal to me, but it was also a big deal to her. She gave me a hug and smiled at me. Sometimes that is all it takes to normalize what is going on inside of your body.
One of my passions is the support of women during pregnancy and birth. I am a birth doula and childbirth educator. I teach natural childbirth and Hypnobirthing classes. Another thing that makes me tick, is the mentoring of younger ladies. Not all girl have someone to lean on during this time. In days of old, the women would go spend this special time in The Red Tent. When a girl finally got her first period, she was finally able to go away with the mothers, sisters, and friends. What a milestone this was.
Part of the driving force for me to want to help organize and bring The Red Tent Temple to the Fitchburg/Leominster area, is so my daughters may know this amazing tradition. They inspire me everyday to make the world a little better, so when they are on their own, they will have a better chance at survival.
The Red Tent Temple is a sacred space that is safe for ladies and women to come and spend time just being. Sharing what needs to be shared, and hearing what needs to be heard are some of the gifts the tent brings to us. Another gift it gives us, is the gift of nurturing others, and being nurtured by others. Younger ladies learn from our example. We show them how to live, feel, think. We show this by example. Taking care of yourself and others is the best way to demonstrate the value you place on life.
Some of the wonderful things that happen in the tent are easy to talk about. Sharing a potluck meal is such an amazingly wonderful thing to do. As women gather in the kitchen, magic seems to happen. Enjoying some time sitting in a warm space, talking with other women about whatever feels right at the moment is sometimes missing from women's lives. The struggle of balancing work, family, home, and all the other demands of life can be draining. Your wellness will suffer if you don't take the time to nurture yourself. Songs are sung, poetry is read, yarn is knitted. People are available to give you massage, reiki, or even a tarot card reading.
Feel free to gather all the special ladies in your life and find your way to our tent. Bring the younger ladies with you so they may learn of a place of community and support. This will help to build their self esteem and help them be better prepared for life in this crazy world.
The Red Tent Temple of the Twin Cities is a work in progress at this point. We are gathering red furnishings of all types, rugs, blankets, pillows, and any red material that you may wish to donate. No material is to small or large as we are decorating the interior of our tent in red. We are also using smaller scraps to put together a quilt. If you are a practitioner who might be interested in volunteering some time during our monthly meeting of TRTT, please contact Charity Parrott at maternalinstinct@hotmail.com
As soon as we have a space secured, we will schedule our opening retreat. Please follow this blog for continued updates on The Red Tent Temple of the Twin Cities. Looking forward to making this magical thing happen in our community, for you all, and for our daughter.
~Faith & Hope~
Charity Parrott, CLD, CCCE, HCBE
I remember when it happened to me. My stepmother, Donna, cried tears of joy. This said it all to a young girl who had arrived at this pinnacle time in my life. I realized not only was this a big deal to me, but it was also a big deal to her. She gave me a hug and smiled at me. Sometimes that is all it takes to normalize what is going on inside of your body.
One of my passions is the support of women during pregnancy and birth. I am a birth doula and childbirth educator. I teach natural childbirth and Hypnobirthing classes. Another thing that makes me tick, is the mentoring of younger ladies. Not all girl have someone to lean on during this time. In days of old, the women would go spend this special time in The Red Tent. When a girl finally got her first period, she was finally able to go away with the mothers, sisters, and friends. What a milestone this was.
Part of the driving force for me to want to help organize and bring The Red Tent Temple to the Fitchburg/Leominster area, is so my daughters may know this amazing tradition. They inspire me everyday to make the world a little better, so when they are on their own, they will have a better chance at survival.
The Red Tent Temple is a sacred space that is safe for ladies and women to come and spend time just being. Sharing what needs to be shared, and hearing what needs to be heard are some of the gifts the tent brings to us. Another gift it gives us, is the gift of nurturing others, and being nurtured by others. Younger ladies learn from our example. We show them how to live, feel, think. We show this by example. Taking care of yourself and others is the best way to demonstrate the value you place on life.
Some of the wonderful things that happen in the tent are easy to talk about. Sharing a potluck meal is such an amazingly wonderful thing to do. As women gather in the kitchen, magic seems to happen. Enjoying some time sitting in a warm space, talking with other women about whatever feels right at the moment is sometimes missing from women's lives. The struggle of balancing work, family, home, and all the other demands of life can be draining. Your wellness will suffer if you don't take the time to nurture yourself. Songs are sung, poetry is read, yarn is knitted. People are available to give you massage, reiki, or even a tarot card reading.
Feel free to gather all the special ladies in your life and find your way to our tent. Bring the younger ladies with you so they may learn of a place of community and support. This will help to build their self esteem and help them be better prepared for life in this crazy world.
As soon as we have a space secured, we will schedule our opening retreat. Please follow this blog for continued updates on The Red Tent Temple of the Twin Cities. Looking forward to making this magical thing happen in our community, for you all, and for our daughter.
~Faith & Hope~
Charity Parrott, CLD, CCCE, HCBE
For more information on the National Grassroots Movement of The Red Tent Temple Retreat, please look at the website of our founding mother, Alisa Starkweather.
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