Imagine being a military spouse looking for community in a time of strife, and you wind up finding not only your tribe, but your greatest passion, too! That’s exactly what happened to Aj Smit.
When she found Red Tent, a movement dedicated to providing sacred spaces for all women to share, discover, and be their authentic selves, Smit was looking for ways to change the narrative surrounding womb health and womanhood.
“I was going to get a hysterectomy at 27, and I didn’t feel like I had anyone to talk to. I came across the book [Moon Time by Lucy Pearce] as I was figuring out my cycles and learning about them, then I found out about Red Tent,” she said, “and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh! This is what I’ve been looking for!’”
Red Tents create a safe space where all women – whether they are cisgender, transgender, femme, etc. – come together from all faiths and all walks of life to share and learn about themes such as guilt, curiosity, wildness, and cycles. They can laugh, cry, create, share, explore, journal, and meditate together in a safe and sacred space that is filled with love, acceptance, and most of all – inclusion.
What started as four women gathering together in Smit’s living room turned into larger events – funded by donations – and eventually, Soul Art workshops and even retreats. Incorporating Red Tents into Smit’s existing business was seamless.
“I already had my Mermaid Harmony business, so I just wove Red Tent in and started offering more in my business,” she said.
Smit’s business has always centered around two things – weaving joy into the lives of others and changing the narrative surrounding what it means to be a woman. With her characters Mermaid Harmony and Faerie Moonfire, she spread joy to children and encouraged them to follow their dreams. Now, Smit is the Joy Weaver, and she is dedicated to helping all women weave joy in their lives and create sacred space for themselves. Smit often reminds women to “sing their soul song” and to allow themselves time to create joy.
In addition to being the Joy Weaver, Smit is also an author! Her book, Red Thread: Weaving an Embodied Life of Joy, explores many of the themes that are discussed in Red Tent. While her original purpose for writing the book was to instruct others on how to run their own Red Tent, the book can also help women run their own personal retreat with friends, or just themselves.
“I wrote this book for the military women that kept moving away from our Red Tent who didn’t have community, didn’t have spaces, and didn’t know how to start a tent,” she said. “But it is also for women who want to cultivate sacred space within themselves and to understand what they need, because a lot of times, we get overwhelmed with life and we don’t know where to start, or even how to start asking those questions. What I like about my book is that it helps women walk through the themes hands-on, and asks the questions that help them explore those themes.”
Whether you are wanting to learn more about how to explore your own womanhood, or you are wanting to take a deep dive into your soul and learn more about how to sing your own soul song, Red Thread is for you.
“Everything I’ve been doing has been an offshoot of of this idea that wonder, possibilities, joy, and creativity are all worth exploring. It’s just come out in different facets, and my book is one of those facets,” Smit said.
Red Thread officially released on September 22. It is available for purchase at most major book retailers, or you can obtain a signed copy at AjSmit.com!