"Living consciously and mindfully through our menstrual cycle is the red thread that brings us back home to ourselves." - Nikki Zavitz
what we are.
Pretty River Red Tent is a circular Geodome situated on a small offset of the Pretty River in Nottawa, Ontario, Canada where the Petun Indigenous Peoples lived before us.
It is a community and supportive space for women, menstruators, womb havers (physical or energetic) to gather, rest, share, connect and explore the map of their Menstruality, as well as nurture the relationship with self, fellow women and our daughters.
Menstruality is defined by Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer as "a woman's accumulated inner intelligence that is a compass guiding her from her first bleed (menarche), throughout her menstruating years and menopause and post menopause years."
Pretty River Red Tent is a hub of education, conversations and connection, workshops, celebrations, ceremonies, moon circles, resources, mentorship, collaboration and multi-generational bonding.
We aim to nurture and inspire womb havers to live in sync with their cycles through exploring Menstrual Cycle Awareness as a tool for personal development, spiritual growth, well being, creativity, nurturing relationships, self love and self care.
With 800 million people menstruating every day, we aim to broaden the narrative around our Menstruality and challenge the idea that menstruation is a limitation and inconvenience.
Having a sacred space like the Pretty River Red Tent gives permission and encouragement to come back to the idea that there is power in our menses. In our culture today, with busyness being a badge of honour and the amount of expectations on women, a Red Tent is crucial for our sustainability as happy humans and leaders.
history of the red tent.
The Red Tent is a historic fictional novel by Anita Diamant. She uses the concept of The Red Tent in the book that represents the Moonlodge that existed in Indigenous cultures.
It was a sacred space where women withdrew from the tribe and gathered with other women of multi generations during their menstrual time. They were free to connect with themselves
and each other to replenish and renew their body and minds.
2 billion people in the world experience menstruation and therefore this work is crucial.
This space is needed to inspire, educate and guide women, girls and our partners to better understand what is written in our bones. We are born with this inner map,
and Menstrual Cycle Awareness is the compass to discovering the power in our gifts.
what we do.
This is the beginning. This is where our community will flourish, connect, grow, evolve and gather.
Pretty River Red tent was created as a physical, spiritual and educational space for our community, our friends, our fellow womb havers, for young girls who look up to us as leaders, and for our partners. We have so much to gain as a community by being aware of this work and by opening up our lives and minds to the natural gifts our Menstrual Cycles have to offer all humans.
Whether you're looking for a gift for a special womb-haver in your life, or you've decided to treat yourself to some self-care, you can feel great about your purchase from The Pretty River Red Tent since a portion of our shop proceeds go to charities committed to extending menstrual knowledge and resources to people locally and around the world.
what's in the shop?
who is nikki zavitz?
Hello and welcome! I am Nikki Zavitz and I share this beautiful life with my partner and our 3 unschooled daughters who are 11, 9, and 7. I am an "early retired" teacher, a stay-at-home unschooling Momma, an artist, wife, daughter, friend, life long learner, empath, passionate hobby collector and of course, a menstrual activist.
I am a true advocate for connection and community and I especially hold the relationship between mother and daughter near and dear to my heart, as well as the relationships among women in my community and the relationship I have with myself.
I believe our cycle is the red thread that connects us all to our highest selves and I am so grateful and excited to be able to do this necessary joyous work.