For our March Red Tent this year, we had a theme of International Women’s Day and shared a variety of experiences together. I made sure to explain at the beginning that we were exploring these practices out of respect, curiosity, and acknowledgement of the many forms of women’s wisdom from around the world, not attempting to appropriate to claim specific expertise in any of them. I’m sharing my outline for this Red Tent below for you to choose from or share some of our practices with your own circle.
Cautionary tale: this was a lot of energy to run through one circle. I would use caution in using so many different energetic practices so close together again and I would split them up over the course of several month’s worth of circles instead. I felt very “buzzy” after circle (I often do and need to make sure to properly ground myself 
when I get back home) and also got a headache that lasted for several days afterward and my theory is that it was simply “too much” energetically for me to hold on all at once. (Could also be coincidence, of course, but it felt related!)
- Group hum (this practice is detailed in this past post)
- Pass the red thread with our matrilineal line and do the “We Hold Hands” reading, alternating who reads which part and all finishing together.
- Then, individual introductions with poem/readings that help tell the circle something about us and who we are (I read Marie Eleni Gaspari’s poem, I Am Dreaming Back My Sisters)
- Sing: Circle of Women + learn new song: Maiden, Mother, Crone
- Pass rattle…discussion based on this quote:
“I see the wise woman.
She carries a blanket of compassion. She wears a robe of wisdom.
Around her throat flutters a veil of shifting shapes.
From her shoulders, a mantle of power flows.
A story band encircles her forehead. 
She stitches a quilt;
she spins fibers into yarn;
she knits; she sews; she weaves.
She ties the thread of our lives together.
She forms a web of spiraling threads.”
–Susun Weed (Healing Wise)
What does your inner wise woman want to say today?
- Chakra yoga practice*
- Heart meditation from the Worldwide Sister Circle for International Women’s Day
- Sing: Mother I Feel You Under My Feet
- Mantra practice (led by volunteer)
- Body Temple mudra practice
- Learn and sing: We are Women, We are One (with drum)
- Hold hands and song to close: Woman Am I
*Simple version of the Chakra Yoga practice: 
Root, red: pelvic rocks
Sacral, orange: pelvic circles
Solar Plexus, yellow: fingers to shoulder, twists.
Heart, green: arms in and out with thumbs up.
Throat, blue: head from side to side
Third Eye, purple/turquoise: on knees, forehead to ground
Crown, white/purple: savasana
To explore more of the sacred work of ceremony and ritual, I invite you to join our upcoming spring Goddess Magic Circle or a future session of Practical Priestessing or Red Tent Initiation. And, you are always welcome in the free Creative Spirit Circle!