The Red Tent

I’ve been hearing about The Red Tent by Anita Diamant for years.  It’s one of those books that I’ve heard other Pagan women rave about; that it’s such a fantastic book and provides inspirational fuel to start up their own red tent so they too may join together with other women in circle. Thanks to my local public library, a copy of The Red Tent found its way into my hands last week and this morning I finished reading it. 

The one thing I did not know about this book is that its author is Jewish.  I didn’t necessarily think she was Pagan, I just did not know Anita is Jewish.  This didn’t and doesn’t cause me any problem, it just made it a more interesting read knowing it was coming from someone with a different spiritual perspective.  In a small way I quite delighted in it because I find some Jewish women’s traditions to be quite lovely and hoped some of these might be included in the book.  Whether Anita is aware of how much her book has affected Pagan women, I do not know.  I reckon she might as she does seem aware that women across the spectrum of different faiths have found her book very powerful.

I enjoyed The Red Tent.  I found it an easy and interesting read.  I have no thoughts about the fact that the characters and basis of the story were taken from the Bible.  To me it was merely a novel set in historical times. 

What I did find myself thinking about was the whole point of a red tent, the relationships between the women in the book and especially the protagonist’s relationship with those women and how the concept of the red tent has taken off in today’s world.  I found it interesting that there is no historical evidence that women in those times sequestered themselves in a red tent during the new moon but Anita felt it a completely feasible idea that maybe they did (I’m thinking this may have also been inspired by Jewish tradition that menstruating women separate from their husbands, at least sexually anyway).  It was interesting that Anita took inspiration from the Native Americans (and, she says, Africans) who did have lodges especially for menstruating women. 

In the end, what I found most interesting of all was how the phenomenon of the red tent has grown that women are basing new traditions upon a work of fiction.  Powerful stuff!

Before anyone berates me for that comment, I don’t have a problem with it.  I just think it shows how powerful an idea can be and how much women have needed a red tent so they may find sisterhood amongst other women again.  The fact that so many women are is not a bad thing at all.  Besides, one could easily argue that most religious/spiritual ideas are based upon works of fiction and Paganism and Goddess spirituality are no exceptions.

Dinah’s story provides some thought provoking passages and, again, I enjoyed it.  That said, I find my reaction to it much the same as my reaction was to The Mists of Avalon – it’s a terrific book, but I’m not married to it.  It doesn’t inspire me to do anything more or different or better than what I’m already doing and perhaps that’s why it doesn’t – because I’m already doing them.  So many women found The Mists of Avalon inspiring them to seek out Goddess, to walk a more sacred path in their lives.  It seems to me that women who have read The Red Tent have found similar inspiration, inspiring them to seek out or create red tents of their own and to take counsel on a regular basis with other women.  These are all wonderful things.  For me though, I guess because I’ve been there, done that, the books could do no more but to make me smile at our similarities and warm my heart at the messages they presented. 

I would recommend The Red Tent to any one as being a good read and potentially inspirational.  It is a fantastic book. 

As for pitching one’s own red tent, more power to anyone wanting to do that.  Anything that brings women together to share, learn and celebrate the cycles of their lives is to be encouraged.  Personally, I’m involved in a women’s moon lodge that meets at each new moon.  When it started, myself and my Goddess sister chose to call it a moon lodge, taking inspiration from the Native American tradition of moon lodges and I’m quite satisfied with that.  To me, that feels right.  Nevertheless, I don’t feel that what we do is any different to a red tent.  It’s all the same to me and whatever one chooses to call it, it’s all good. 

Next week there is a new moon on the 1^st of June and I will again meet with other women for moon lodge.  May all of us who are gathering in red tents and moon lodges at next week's new moon find sisterhood and a deeper connection with ourselves and one another.