These are the images of the second Red Tent we had on the Central Coast, Australia

The first one has no visual images recorded as we were all way too immersed to remember taking snaps - we do however have it in our hearts. The first one was in summer. & the second Red Tent, was in winter. A cold & still night air greeted 40 women as they prepared to immerse themselves in the warm, inviting red tent. We were graciously given the space. A very large room with a bathroom & electricity & table. Each woman brought a plate of food to share & another brought an urn of chai.

Invitation to the first Red Tent ~

Nicole B, mother extra-ordinaire, midwife & all round Goddess was the main organiser & founder of the Red Tent events on the Central Coast of Australia.

Haven invocation ~

We started with a traditional havan ~ fire ceremony - invoking Saraswati, the Divine Mother, Mother Mary, Saraswati & all of the protectors of the planet.

We had decided when organising the event that we would each tell a birthing story. It was to be like this as there were many women in the community who had been unable to freely share intimate moments of their birthing experiences. If one had not birthed, they could tell a story of their own birth, someone else's or were free to tell any story.

We started with two rules; we would'nt 'go around' the circle, once one person had stopped telling their story - anyone could start; this way the flow of the stories evolved. & to show respect, once the person had begun speaking they could not be interupted. We talked, oh boy did we talk!

It was such a priviledge to be in that room. There were stories of such a large variety & even though we created a safe space there were some women could not talk yet. We laughed & cried, we sobbed & passed the tissues around. What was really accomplished was the solidarity we all felt that this experience was truly empowering.

Quan Yin or Green Tara - pictured below - is the goddess of all Women & Children especially around the birthing process.

In the tradition of Red Tents, babies were welcome. At various times they were fed, cuddled & passed around.

If you have not yet read Anita Diamant's Red Tent book, buy a few copies for you & your sisters. I shared it with my mother, sisters & any one who would even vaguely seem interested in it.

Our next Red Tent is being planned for Spring 2010. This time we will share stories of personal 'awakenings'. Women's stories; brave, vulnerable, honest, raw, open, unedited stories about our real lives.

Below is a poem shared by Melanie. Her stories of three cesareans were beautiful, invoking & heartfelt & after reading aloud her poetry, there were only moist eyes in the Red Tent.