I’m cycling again! Reader, have you heard of the ancient red tent / menstruation hut / Moonlodge? A place where women join together in a communal support and love during their menstruation. I’m relatively new to the world of learning more about my blood and cycle, too. Let’s indulge ourselves together! So, for the past year I have been joining the most fabulous group of women each dark moon (that’s the new moon on most calendars, when the moon is dark), and my soul feeds on and lives for and dies with and composts and rebirths and love love loves this ritual. Early last year I was meeting only in the evening. Willa was still very young, in fact, she attended my first three Moonlodge’s with me. When she became more mobile, but could not yet contribute to the sacred content of the ceremony, she began to stay at home with her papa (which, let me tell you, has been beautiful for their relationship) and I became eons more committed to the nourishment my soul felt in response to this group and ritual. And in November last year I was invited to meet all day on every dark moon celebrating our womanhood, our cycle of life, and support of one another. I love these women.
I have found a portal of knowledge about my ancestors, about myself, about my sisters, mothers, daughters, grandmothers, and so on and so on and so on and so on again. Each dark moon brings new teachings to my plate.
This month I am spending some quality time remembering my first menstruation. I am remembering the details, the dark details. This month I am rejoicing in the return of this moon cycle, many many moons have passed without blood from my uterus after the sweetest Willa began growing in my belly. And now, my body rejoices in the return of my fascinating moon cycle!
I celebrate my menstruation, and yours. It’s so interesting that our culture is based around celebrating many many other things that are so directly correlated with our blood, but shuns the talk of the blood itself. And, interestingly enough, we allow our cycle and our reproductive rights to be on the table of many political discussions. Let’s get the party started before we let anyone crash it, let’s celebrate our bodies!
I want my daughter to grow up in a place where she is comfortable talking about her sync and symbiosis with the moon, where she feels loved and honored for the entire woman that she is, where she understands and loves the functions and goings-on of her body, and I am going to give my all to create this world. Too, I know you know balance is important in this realm; that’s what Glitter & Grit is about: balancing these two worlds. So I’m not suggesting that we run around the streets shouting about our periods (do it if you like), but I do believe that our culture could use a little more information and confidence from us ladies on the issue. There are plenty of organizations out there doing their part, too!
How can we create a society where there is no longer shame around our blood? You wonder? (Me too.) I’m thinking first off, we should spread the word about these Red Tents! Second, do you have a keeper cup (to catch your moon blood to give it back to the earth)? I originally bought mine as a financial investment; women spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on tampons and plastic pad supplies and my reusable keeper cup saves me! I’m certain to write more on this topic another post. Stay tuned.
I said oh my dang today, because I believe Red Tents all around the globe equals a safe place for women to shed shame of bleeding every month, a place for us to truly be ourselves, every single bit of ourselves, with women. It saddens me to think that some young girls have no idea how to express their new blood to anyone, that they may feel shame because no one talks about it. In my research to further educate myself about my menstruation, I fell in love with the beautiful women empowering other women in their writing and bleeding. I love you, I am grateful for you. We’re all in this life together, whether we choose to honor that or not. And I’m glad we are in this together. I think you’re beautiful. Just exactly the way you are.
I think I’ve told you about this movie before, but I really want to share the video with you again.
Did you get goosebumps? I do every time the beat changes and that woman starts dancing in the quaint dining room with her sisters. I do every time I see my Santa Cruz Moonlodge on the beach! I love this movie trailer, and I’m thrilled to see the extensive work these ladies have put forth come to fruition.
Have you read The Red Tent? Do you have a Red Tent? What is the most nourishing thing you do for your body / mind / spirit during your dark moon? Do you have rituals which help heal and open your soul?
