Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Red Tent Sisterhood

I'm a sucker for sisterhoods. There's just something magical about the bonds women form. Like spider webs, they appear delicate--but those intricacies create deceptive strength.


photo credit: Valarie Olson
As I sat in my kitchen with my new friend Valarie I discovered she felt the same way.  Somehow, the conversation came around to Anita Diamant's book The Red Tent

We love it.

Valarie and I are both fairly new to the area and discussed how we missed monthly gatherings of women--book club, writing group, etc. We discovered how similar we are to those ancient women in the novel who gathered beneath the moon each month in their red tent and relaxed, shared, and bonded.

Gaining strength from other women must be engrained in my DNA.
We decided to create our own Red Tent Sisterhood.  We knew we wanted to meet once a month... but doing what?  I wanted to involve food because something special happens when people break bread together. Valarie suggested we exercise.
Those of you who know me well can stop snickering.
I mean it.
Really? Now you're just being insulting.
Possessing many talents, Valarie is also a yoga instructor.  She teaches at 108 Yoga Studio, an amazing gem our mutual friend Libby Rogers opened several years ago. I've met so many nice ladies since I've moved here, and like that intricate spider web I mentioned earlier, somehow many of them are connected to the studio.

And that realization was it.  On the last Monday of every month, we planned to meet for yoga and dinner. We mentioned it to friends who mentioned it to their friends.  I think the first text said something about inviting any woman who wants or needs a sisterhood. Our Red Tent Sisterhood was born. 
Libby loves glamping, so at our first dinner, she wrangled a bunch of us into her Girl Camp.
photo credit: Valarie Olson

 I was hesitant.  I mean, there would probably be bugs since outside is their house and all. I had several excuses--one of which was that Garrett was out of town on the weekend it was scheduled.
Others were completely excited.  Once Moria Kinsey mentioned costumes...well, I was in. That really should have been brought up first, right?  
photo credit: Valarie Olson
 The kids went on "vacation" with my parents and I made it to Girl Camp. And I'm so glad. Gratefully, we didn't have to sleep in non-air-conditioned red tents--but we were beneath the moon in our metaphorical red tent in spirit.
photo credit: Valarie Olson
Check me out on Oklahoma Women Bloggers this month. I'll tell you all about glamping at Girl Camp and how you can do it, too.

10 comments:

  1. What a great idea Brandi. I too loved that book but Im lucky enough to have a round of sisters related and not who I can commiserate with. I wish you lived closer we could yogi and wine together:)

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  2. Haven't read "The Red Tent," but you have me curious. Even when me sister and I couldn't stand the sight of each other (many moons ago - before we got so mature)we couldn't resist sharing books we liked - nothing like the validation of "yes, indeed - that WAS a good book!"

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    1. That's so sweet that you had something on which to agree!

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  3. That sounds fabulous. Hooray! And I WILL read that book someday soon.

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  4. What a wonderful idea. Glad that you all had fun. I need to go read "The Red Tent", I can't believe that I have not done that yet. :)

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    1. I love historical fiction and learning about different cultures. Plus, this talks about ancient ways of dealing with fertility and sisterhoods, so it is definitely in my top faves.

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  5. I keep hearing great things about Red Tent ... adding it to goodreads right now. Great post!

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