Temple Customs
- Owning Your Authority: You are your own authority at our gatherings; should you ever become uncomfortable, please feel free to rest, get a blanket, use the restroom, leave, or whatever you feel is in your own highest good—you do not need to ask permission. We ask only that you be mindful and respectful of the other women you are sharing space with.
- Comfort: Please feel free to bring a blanket, meditation cushion/pillow/backjack, and other comfort items you may wish to use. Chairs are provided. Sisters are always invited to bring a special item to be blessed on the altar during our gatherings.
- Cell Phones: Please turn off or silence your cell phones upon entering the Temple.
- Food Offering: If you have prepared a dish to share per the tradition of Red Tent, please ask either the Hostess or Keeper of Temple where to place your dish. We ask that you refrain from eating until we begin our social time. Consuming water and non-alcoholic beverages in Tent is OK.
- Timeliness: We enter circle promptly 15 minutes after the start time of each Gathering. Please be on time so that we may all enter circle with shared energies and intentions. This also affords our Priestess the space to present the program she has created for us without feeling pressed for time.
- Sisters & Goddesses: Our Red Tent welcomes all women, regardless of biological sex, over the age of 16 (without the accompaniment of an adult) to our circle. Girls who are close to menarche are welcome to attend, given they are accompanied by a responsible female guardian. Whether you menstruate or not, if you are a woman, you are welcome to join us in Red Tent. Men are not permitted in the Red Tent Temple.
- Drugs and/or Alcohol: Please respect yourself, Sisters, the Goddess, and the Ancestors by refraining from misuse of prescription drugs and/or taking non-prescription drugs, marijuana, or alcohol prior to Red Tent.
- Creating Safe Space: The Red Tent is a space of non-judgment. As such, we ask that you refrain from commenting, reaching out, touching, etc. when a Sister is sharing her Truth or when expressing emotion. Sometimes our attempts to comfort often say to a person, "Stop, I can't tolerate your pain."
- Your Role As Witness: We spend so much time in the Doing world carrying roles and responsibilities, we ask only that you enter this sacred space as Witness. To bear Witness is a holy act of love, as we allow each other to move through the experience uninterrupted. In doing so, each of us is asked to Be present with all that the experience offers -- beauty, tears, and all that may come between. While we may not always agree, we are here to support and respect one another’s unique path.
You will be sharing space with many women. Please be aware and respectful of their presence. If at any point during our gatherings, it is felt that your presence is not in integrity with the group dynamic, you will be asked to leave. The Keepers of Temple reserve the right to end your participation in Red Tent at any time if we feel that your presence is less than positive for the other women of the group.