Amidst all the turmoil and change in my life I managed to make it to my first tantra workshop in Bronte.
Craig and I arrived to the premises which is also used for yoga, dance and meditation practices. People gathering upstairs were a delightfully diverse bunch and quickly we learnt that most of them were regulars.
The workshop started with some startling premises, at least for me, about male-female polarity and related energies. I have already made up my mind to translate the mumbo-jumbo into my own language, not so much in my head but in my heart. Once I got over the strangely atavistic gender dynamics I found I could really get into the gentle meditation on different types of energies, the exercises in touch, intimacy, sexual energy and dance, and the positive and open sharing of feelings and thoughts.
I think we both found some of the ‘guidance’ rather dogmatic which neither of us liked, but both the exercises and the people were genuinely connecting with each other and staying authentically themselves as much as we could tell. I found the intimacy exercises joyful and even ecstatic at times and the dance to live drumming was tribal in a way that was both funny and earthy.
The ‘energies’ we were all generating felt very warm, connected, loving and respectful on a deeper level. As much as I revile against gender polarities I enjoyed the connections I was able to make though would have preferred to do away with the whole male-female pairing especially because I generally feel much more (initially and sensually) attracted to women. Apparently a few other people, including men, were voicing similar ideas at the end. ‘Gender polarity’ can easily turn into sexism and sometimes I felt this, but generally I found a lot of interesting ideas and feelings I could tap into and emerge with new physical, mental and emotional connections, energy and joy.
At its peak I was high as a kite, glowing, flying and blissing out… that should be enough recommendation, right? 😛
Most people seemed to lap up the loving, sensual and sexual energies but most of them were also single. Wonder if there is a connection. Craig and I split up most of the time and later found that almost everyone was open towards us and many even sussed out our polyness pretty quickly.
The energy swept a lot of people away and there was a lot of moaning, sighing and sweating. Afterwards there was so much talking, massage and hugging that we had to be thrown out! I suspect we all got slightly different feelings, ideas and benefits from the night and further nights might be pleasant, though I definitely have been tapping into all aspects of the workshop elsewhere before and I’d probably prefer to do more ‘energy work’ and sexual tantra at home with people close to me. As for guided visualisation, meditation etc I’m quite happy to do them by myself, though I have also learnt some new ideas about being in the present, ways of connecting and channeling feelings differently.
Craig just reminded me that tantra in its deepest forms is very much a religious practice and what we have experienced could probably be called ‘pop tantra’. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with ‘dabbling’ in the everyday quasi-spiritual ‘lived’ experiences of tantra as long as I don’t take the ideas too seriously. The way I see it is that I’m free and open to go around and dip into all kinds of experiences and take away whatever I want or need, and fortunately as long as you don’t get too involved with any organisation or ‘tradition’ you are pretty safe from the claws of religious dogma. Just take the good stuff I guess!
I suspect people who’d most need the tantra workshop will never get to one. I also realise that the more I go the more I’ll have to shake off lots of tantrically charged men afterwards, which is not particularly pleasant, but then again I’m not particularly straight. Hehehe.
If you want to explore your boundaries, expand your mind, deeply connect with others, learn more about yourself and have a cheap ($30) and beautiful night with others vibrating together with wonderfully positive connected energy, then please do go to tantricblossoming.com.au !! 🙂
