Great mother Quote by Anita Diamant
““The great mother whom we call Innana gave a gift to woman that is not known among men, and this is the secret of blood. The flow at the dark of the moon, the healing blood of the moon’s birth - to men, this is flux and distemper, bother and pain. They imagine we suffer and consider themselves lucky. We do not disabuse them. In the red tent, the truth is known. In the red tent, where days pass like a gentle stream, as the gift of Innana courses through us, cleansing the body of last month’s death, preparing the body to receive the new month’s life, women give thanks — for repose and restoration, for the knowledge that life comes from between our legs, and that life costs blood.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, 1997
The quote celebrates women’s unique, cyclical power linked to lunar blood, emphasizing healing, renewal, and the sacred knowledge of fertility that men do not possess.
In simple terms: Women’s blood is a source of healing and renewal, known only to women.
Key Takeaway
Honor and nurture women’s cyclical wisdom.
Themes
feminine power
healing
ritual
cycle
sacred knowledge
Mood
reverent
empowering
reflective
Type
mythic
cultural
spiritual
When to use this quote
- menstrual health
- ritual healing
- women’s gatherings
- cultural rites
Key Concepts
Lunar cycles
blood as life force
red tent symbolism
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies better respect women’s biological wisdom?
- What rituals honor the cycle of renewal?
A Different Perspective
Men may view women’s cycles as a weakness, overlooking their strength.
