We hold dear the idea of ‘already belonging’.  

We believe in treating ourselves and others as if we already belong.  

We hold dear the idea that we have always been headed towards this connection between us.  

We love the idea that our path so far has led us to this moment of recognition.  

We hold dear the idea that each of us has a calling. Each of us is called to our own work. You hold your own piece of the red thread. The awareness of our connection helps us to trust that we are part of a story greater than our own, that we are not alone.  

Feeling connected can spark our desire towards a greater work than we had once imagined for ourselves. We each have something that is ours to cause and create. Saying yes to our call makes us available to see what we haven’t seen.  

We hold a piece of the greater thread that is an essential part of the fabric of the world.  

We hold dear the idea that gathering together helps us to discover more about who we are and our calling. That circle is a space for blooming and becoming.  

We understand that a circle can be sacred space and that each one of us contributes to that holy weave. Witnessing one another’s stories changes the stories that live in us. 

We hold dear the energy and power of Intention. We apply intention and attention to the circles we participate in. Intentional focus amplifies energetic and physical shifts for us and those we sit in circle with.  

We are creating a field of possibility. We weave our threads together and transform through the quantum connection.  

We hold dear the idea that we can choose transformation by curating our own consciousness. That we are co-creatives capable of altering our path and influencing the path of others for good.  

We hold dear the idea that we are actually responsible to our thread – to know what it is and to weave it. And that if we do our part, then others are freer to do theirs.  

We hold dear the gifts of creativity.  

Our experience is that that when we create we activate our own inner information. That we can become more and more of who we are.  

We are aware that our 'inner world' is more available to us when we are engaged in creative process.  

Many of us who hold our red thread as medicine, seek to heal our own suffering so that we may work with others to heal their suffering.  

Photo Credit: Pamela Llano from Rites of Passage Color of Woman Gathering 2022

We feel that one of the responsibilities to the Red Thread is learning about some of the worldwide stories and being able to share them with others. That there are so many stories, matters to those in your circle, because knowing that a symbol is shared this widely has meaning and relevance for your circle guests. It is delightful to discover something like the red thread!

We feel a talisman this widespread is legendary all on its own! The idea that it is both sacred and taboo is what stirs the Cosmic Cowgirls into thinking the red thread is indeed LEGENDARY!

Not just a story, but many stories with deep potent meaning creating a tapestry. For a very long time, most cultures would not have known about the other stories from other lands! Collectively we feel this is the making of a legend!

There are several layers of connection that happen with red thread and story.

• Cultural: There are stories about the red thread in the world from cultures and traditions, many of which get passed from generation to generation.

• Collective: That there are many stories, means it is in the collective.

• Community: There are the stories we tell about it in our community based on the experiences we have.

• Personal: There are your personal stories and experiences.

• Transpersonal: There are the experiences and stories of others you work with.

Symbology, Tradition and Themes

There are many Red Threads in traditions and stories throughout the world. It is a global, gender-inclusive symbol with many meanings, most often translating as connection, protection, and blessing. The Red Thread circle creates a powerful context for transformation, connection, education, deep listening, and relevancy. It supports us in connecting to our bloodlines and ancestry. There are Red Threads to follow throughout history, all the way to where we now stand.

When we begin a Red Thread circle, we often make a reference to the history of Red Thread itself before the thread is passed. This creates a deeper connection to the symbology of the Red Thread for those gathered. You can choose to speak about whichever Red Thread tradition resonates the most for you, or fits in with the circle theme.

Allowing for each person to find their own connection to the Red Thread creates a dynamic of diversity and relevance. It also means that when you wear or see the Red Thread you can choose to feel the rich connection to all of us out here wearing our Red Threads; even if we don’t know one another, come from other parts of the world, and have different belief systems and traditions. We can all be connected by the Red Thread within our own context.

Until recently, the legends of the Red Thread have mainly been oral traditions. We are still discovering how widespread the Red Thread is globally. Even most flags representing the countries of the world are sewn with red thread. At the United Nations red is the most dominant color flying in that Avenue of Flags.

Many in our Red Thread community believe it symbolizes the sacredness of connection and the unique piece each of us holds. In the following section, we will offer a summary of the global traditions surrounding the Red Thread to orient you to its mysterious global and universal weave.

These references are shared with you as an introduction to a variety of perspectives and uses of red thread in cultural and spiritual traditions globally. What we will share here is not exhaustive, but a summary of what we have found in our research up to this point. You may find your own red thread traditions as you do your own research – perhaps even connected to your own ancestors and lineage.

A Symbol of Blood, Protection & the Sacred

What are we to make of a symbol found worldwide in so many cultural and spiritual traditions that it cannot be ignored? A symbol that is neither masculine nor feminine that somehow connects all of us.

To begin with, we will share some of the global traditional stories and meanings connected with the red thread in list form, and will expand more in the sections that follow.

The red thread is a symbol of bloodlines and connection to the ancestors, also connected to the Tree of Life in many traditions.

The red thread can be tied around the finger as a reminder.

A red thread tied around a rowan cross is a charm of protection in the Celtic/Gaelic tradition

The Red String of Fate or Red String of Marriage in East Asian culture says that those who are meant to meet are connected by this string via their little finger or ankle

In anticipation of a birth, a cord ceremony is conducted during which the wrists of participants (usually family members and close friends) are bound with a single red cord of wool or yarn. This cord is kept around the wrists until delivery and all the post-natal tasks for the mother are complete. The cord is cut as a symbol of unity, and a great way to remind others to keep the prospective mother in their thoughts (Dogra, 2018).

In the Hindu tradition, there is a red bracelet called a kalava tied onto the wrist by a priest during a fire ceremony said to invoke divine blessings, fortune, well-being, and prosperity. (Dogra, 2018)

“Red has been a color used since ancient times, and is a symbol of blood, protection, is used in the work with the Evil Eye, it’s been painted on the human body before battle, even painted on doors of homes for protection. Red has had a long-standing tradition in human history for many things, more so defined by the attachments that the culture puts on them. In energy work, this bracelet can become a talisman and is charged with energies that are to protect the wearer.”  ~ Henrietta B

The red thread is seen by some as a sign of prophecy and purity as the Virgin Mary was said to be weaving the veil of the temple with a red thread 2000 years ago when the coming of the Christ was announced.

In the Bible, Joshua Chapter 2, Rahab helped the Hebrew spies to escape from Jericho by sneaking them out through her window by means of a rope made of scarlet thread.       

In the early 7th Century, the red thread was condemned for use as a talisman by St Eloi of Luxeuil in France.

Since the early 500s A.D. the tomb of Rachel the matriarch has been wrapped seven times with red thread as a symbol of hope and faith. After being tied around the tomb it is thought to have mystical divine powers and is then cut into pieces and given to people to wear around their left wrist.

During the American Civil War, red thread was worn on the uniforms and placed on the dwellings of soldiers who favored peace.

Kings and prophets throughout history were often clothed in red garments to honor their greatness.

Christ was clothed with a scarlet robe as ‘King’ along with his ‘Crown of Thorns”.

There is a superstition practice of pinning a red thread or ribbon to pregnant woman's underpants to protect herself and unborn child. This superstition also extends to tying a red ribbon or piece of yarn to a baby’s carriage and crib to protect them from danger (The CBR Blog, 2016)

During eclipses, ancient Aztecs and Mayans who were pregnant would tie a red string to an arrowhead and wear this around their necks to protect their baby’s from birth defects. In modern-day Mexico, pregnant women have adapted this tradition and now wear red underwear during an eclipse. (Martinez, 2017)

Based on Jewish folklore, some people in Israel have a custom of wearing a red string or ribbon as a bracelet and/or tie a red string on their baby’s crib or shoelaces to ward off an Evil Eye.

In Puerto Rico and Brazil, there is a tradition of giving new babies either red baby slippers or a ‘mano negra de azabache’, a red-knotted bracelet, for good luck or to ward off evil spirits (The CBR Blog 2016)

In Greek mythology, the Moirai were the three goddesses of fate who represented the “...inescapable destiny of man” (Theoi.com, n.d.). They allotted each person their portion of fate. Their name - Moirai, means "parts", "shares" or "allotted portions". The individual names of the three goddesses were Klotho (Clotho) "the spinner" who spun the thread of life, Lakhesis (Lachesis) "the Apportioner of Lots", who measured it, and Atropos (or Aisa) "She who cannot be turned," who cut it short. (Theoir.com, n.d.)