For this Blog Tour, we were asked to write about the book that inspires us the most. I'm glad I've gotten the prompt to write about a book that has meant so much to me over the years and has in many ways, shaped the way I view myself as Jewish Woman (yes, with capital J and capital W).
Every woman should read Anita Diamant's The Red Tent. I have often called it Required Reading for Every Woman because it is a remarkable, gorgeous, sensuous work of historical fiction that celebrates both the darkest and most glorious parts of what it means to be Woman.
Seriously? Go read it this weekend. |
And with that, Dinah fades back into the dust of the Torah, never to be mentioned again. This is where Diamant picks up, fleshing out the story of Dinah's youth and relationship to her four mothers: Rachel, Leah, and Jacob's concubines Zilpah and Bilhah, as well has her grandmother, Rebecca. She weaves the tale of Dinah falling in love with the Prince of Shechem and that her brothers' crusade was bent on murderous rage. After the massacre, she flees to Egypt where she gives birth to a son and becomes an devoted and talented midwife.
The Red Tent refers to something we talk about a lot in the infertility community: our menstrual cycles. As happens in many confined living arrangements, the women would often cycle together, in a phenomenon known as menstrual synchrony or the McClintock effect. Ancient tribes of women would gather in a menstrual tent or hut during their blood cycle, often cycling with the moon. Dinah learns of her rich heritage, not just as a third generation of monotheistic Jews, but as a Woman in her place in a Long Line of Women Before Her.
As I've said before, we shouldn't be ashamed or grossed out by our periods, because our menstrual cycles are a vital indicator of women's health. The Red Tent reminds us of this and inspires us to be mindful of the miracle and wonder of our own human forms.
You may have also read posts where I speak of the Red Tent Temple, the women's group I go to every month. The Red Tent Temple movement was born out of Diamant's novel by ALisa Starkweather, a Wise Woman and Women's Empowerment Practitioner. I'm also so pleased to know filmmaker Isadora Leidenfrost who is making a documentary of the Red Tent Temple Movement: Things We Don't Talk About. This one-hour film is slated to be released next year. I have eagerly been awaiting the trailer; hopefully I've made the cut from hundreds of hours of footage that Isadora shot herself at Red Tent Temples all over the country. She's also looking for some more financial support to stay on track with her production and release schedule, so if you know of women-empowered businesses or organizations who'd be willing to help out an empowered woman filmmaker, please head over to her site and drop her a line.
The Red Tent in its modern iteration has become a place of community wisdom and social healing, a sisterhood of empowerment. In reading The Red Tent and participating in the Red Tent Temple in my own community, I've realized that their is indeed power to be had in gathered groups of women. We need more dialogue circles like this, more Red Tents, to share our collective womanhood experiences; there is so much we can learn from one another as women when given the opportunity.
- Roy: Roy’s Garage Sell and Auction Well
- Sulekha: Memoirs
- Sora: Peace from Pieces
- Shaeeza: My B Words
- Mari: Mari Sterling Wilbur Photography
- Paula: Hardline Self Help
- Karen: ...But I Digress
- (You are here) Keiko: Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed
- Catherine: Idea City
- Kate and Ashley: Back of the Book Reviews
- Desiree: Desiree Holt Tells All
- Sonia: Sonia Rumzi.com
- DK Levick: Writing in the Woods
- Sarcasm Goddess: For the Love of Writing
- Tosh: Totsymae.com
- Lucy: Life Through Lucylastica's Lense
- Leo: Find Peace, Love and God
- Dora: Blog-a-licious Blogs
16 comments:
As I read the beginning of your summary of the novel, I started thinking 'Why hasn't a movie been produced on this?' and then I see something is in the works. I'm surprised still it's not hit the big screen. it' such an important work. I'm getting the book. Thanks for sharing this. Glad I met you on the tour:-)
What a great, great story and what a wonderful topic. Okay. Gotta read this one.
Keiko, What can I say? This was absolutely delightful! You are wonderful and your writing is amazing. I did not like The Red Tent as much as you did but I understand it from your perspective now and love that it helped.
Blessings!
I need to go back to this book. As a former English major, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read a whole book cover to cover in a while ... and this was one that I remember enjoying a great deal. Thanks for the reminder. :)
I said it before and I'll say it again - I LOVE the name of your blog. This is a definite must read for me. Thank you for joining the blog tour.
Cheers - Dora
http://pandorapoikilos.com/
Looks like a very interesting book. You are right: the menstrual cycle is a powerful function of womanhood.
i will have to look this red tent up sounds interesting. great post, i like your blog and thank you for being on the tour. have a great day and god bless
Thanks for suggesting this book. I am really looking forward to reading it. Here from the blog tour and a new follower.
I read "The Red Tent" in a college religion class; and it's amazing! I could write so much more about it, but you just HAVE to experience it yourself...VERY worthwhile read! :)
It's very nice to find you - glad you're on this Tour. This sounds like such an interesting book I'll definitely have to read it. It sounds very empowering for women.
I may recommend that book for my book club. Thanks. Stopping by after #commenthour.
This sounds like a very interesting read. I normally don't read fiction but this one sounds surprisingly interesting. Here from CommentHour
Keiko,
You are helping so many with your website! The book sounds fascinating!
Isn't it interesting that we can learn similar things from totally different experiences, particularly in the self discovery realm when we go for what we want.
So nice to meet you!
Paula
Well - what can I say? I think I'm out on limb but I appreciate the boldness of your post. It is well written and honest. Thank you
This is one of my all time favorite books!! I completely agree with you. I have probably bought 6 copies of this book and handed it out to my closest girlfriends!
I wanted you to know that I added reading the Red Tent to my list of things to do this summer and I linked to this post from my blog:-) http://www.chasing-joy.com/2011/06/summer-of-joy.html
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