Imagine a reality show on POLY that's a cross between Survivor, Fear Factor, and Lost in one! http://ping.fm/dG2Ab

Stop Shadow Boxing...

This promises to be one of the best weekend intensives I've ever taught. For the last six months, I've been working Tantra Master David Cates. http://www.dakacoach.com/ and the visioning conversations have been simply inspired. In his presence and mentorship I feel tremendous grace and surrender. Infact, just recently he helped me see how much I was still in the struggle paradigm. when I orginally titled the workshop: Shadow Boxing.  He quickly re-titled it to Shadow dancing and is helping me turn the battle into a virtual ballet.  I can't wait to introduce him to my community next month. He'll be offering a two hour introduction at the next Tantra Talk and Poly Potluck at 6:45 on Nov. 18th.
And if you're dying to for a sneak prievew of the weekend, here are three examples of exciting exercises we plan to facilitate:
1. Shadow Puppets--We'll playfully act out aspects of our alter ego behind a backlit bedsheet
2. Feeding the Demons--A safe and creative variation of the Tibetan Chud Practice
3. Circle of Mirrors--Where your peers offer you intense reflections of your shadow self
Stay tunned as I share more about these and other transformative exercises, we have more than a dozen experiential, fun practices to share.
By Kamala Devi, Author of Don't Drink the Punch, Sacred Sexual Healing, Tantra Teacher and Sacred Sex and Open Relationship Coach www.BlissCoach.com

Special Family Constellations with Mathew Blom

What magical experience for a soul group of over 20 beautiful beings. Mathew was masterful in fascilitating and demostrating a deep and personal healing on my family, which touched and healed everyone in attendance. I am still personally integrating and have much to say about this new shamanic psycho-drama therapy, but for sake of this blog, I'll boil it down to the essentials.

Bert Hellinger (German, founder) describes Family Constellations as: "a phenomenological method of doing systemic psychotherapy. That means that in a group, a person collects himself and selects representatives for the members of his family –including one for himself- and places them in a space in relationship to one another, following only his own intuition. And as soon as those people have taken up their places they feel like the people they represent without knowing them. So by means of the Family Constellation, we get a real picture of what is going on in the family."

After a number of fun icebreakers and a centering meditation. Mathew conducted my intake interview infront of everyone. Here is the general line of questions and answers:
What hurts?
My first born son is almost three years old, and though I'm technically over my postpardum depression, I still find myself hating motherhood.

And what makes you think this issue might have to do with your family constellation?
My Abuelita (grandmother) who recently died, had sixteen children. She started when she was 15 and was pregant and nursing into her 40's. I can only imagine that she sometimes hated motherhood.

Yes, I can certainly see how that is relevant. Can you tell me about your mother?
She's an angry depressive, who loved us all very much, but yelled and blamed and made it unsafe to be a child.

Where are you in your family structure?
I have two older brothers and one younger brother. I'm the only girl, and for a long time I hated being a woman. The mexican culture is very machismo, and I became a feminist to rebell against that power structure.

And your first-born is a boy?
Yes.

And what about your abuela's first born?
He died at a young age. He was swept away in a flood. My grandfather once told me that they never got over it. They kept trying, they never had a son like the first one.

OK. Got it. So Let's start there...
Mathew asked for three volunteers to play my mother, my abuela and me. Without knowing who was to "represent" who, Mathew asked me to intuitively place them in "the field."
The players immediately assumed new body possitions and began to feel and voice into their characters.
The woman in my role dropped to her knees in what she described in heavy hopeless dispare.
The woman playing my mother stood strong and angry.
After about 10 minutes another character was "drafted" to play the role of my dead uncle who was angry at first: "I just want to punch the door!" When he calmed down we were able to welcome him back into the family and when he was told that he will always belong, he got down on his knees and bowed at my feet. And then he laid down in peace and said "I'm done." 
Kleenex were passed around and much cathartic healing was shared.

I look forward to hosting Mathew for a deeper weekend workshop in San Diego, sometime next year. Mathew can be reached at http://www.mathewblom.com/ Let me know if you're interested in his return.

The event was not only profound for me personally, but professional sparked many ideas for the developing modality called: Tantra Theater. I've been using the power of improvisation and the morphogenic agreement field to inspire many deep sacred sexual stories and personal narrative. I'm intersted to see how this form can help my players "channel" powerful tantra teachings onstage.

I don't belive Bert Hellinger ever intended to use his phenomenological method to practice tantra, but when he was asked: What areas can your systemic method be applied? Here's how he responded:
"There is a tendency at present that we extend the field away from psychotherapy and include many other areas, because it seems in them what I call orders of love -which lead to entanglements- can be applied in ways which lead to solutions. As an example I mention the work in prisons. We were in London last year and we worked in three prisons; it was very astonishing how the work was positively received by the prisoners. In Germany there is now research being done on how to apply this work in prisons. My suggestion was that we work first with murderers and their victims, because that seems to be the extreme case and it shows the laws best. I think if we can gather from them ways of solving these difficult issues then it can be extended more easily to other fields. Another field is schools for instance. Teachers can do that, apply that without being psychotherapists. Or in social work it can be easily applied. And to find solutions for relationship difficulties in organizations too, as we did in the workshop here in Santiago on September 3. So we try to get away from the restrictions of psychotherapy and apply in a wider field. And I think that's quite in harmony with what you actually want to achieve."
(By Humberto del Pozo in Santiago de Chile, 1999. Translated from Spanish by Humberto del Pozo in Santiago de Chile, September 1999. )

Stay tunned as the organic art of tantra theater continues to develop. By Kamala Devi, Author of Don't Drink the Punch, Sacred Sexual Healing, Tantra Teacher and Sacred Sex and Open Relationship Coach www.BlissCoach.com

Decoding Men, DeMystifying Women with LiYana Silver

There were about 40 that attended Last nights Tantra Talk and Poly Potluck with guest Speaker LiYana Silver. The discussion explored a range of differences between masculine and feminine. From brain chemistry to body type to orgasmic style. One of the highlights for me was when she discussed a woman's 28 hour moon cycle as a microcosm of the year. Four weeks can be compared to the four seasons. When women are bleeding it's like Winter, time to go inward and lay fallow. The week after is like spring a good time to start new things and be a little more social. The third week (ovulation) is Sexy Summertime, time to flirt and date and have fun. The final week (PMS) is like the Fall, time to start taking it easy and preparing for the winter again. In contrast, she said men also have testosterone cycles, which are rapid and reliable like the sun.
If your curious, check out her website: http://www.redefiningmonogamy.com/
This was our LiYanna's first time teaching in San Diego, if you'd like to hear more, let us know so we can bring her back. By Kamala Devi, Author of Don't Drink the Punch, Sacred Sexual Healing, Tantra Teacher and Sacred Sex and Open Relationship Coach www.BlissCoach.com

Laugh now...We'll see who's laughing later...Introducing the "Now Shower!"

"Water is a precious resource, So, if it's yellow leave it Mellow If it's brown flush it down. Namaste"

     This sign is posted above the toilet paper dispenser in the bathrooms at the Emerald Temple.  My husband, Michael (AKA the Eco Elf) is a passionate environmentalist. He's been featured on TV and radio news for his creative and sometimes ourtrageous environmental ideas. His purpose as a pioneer in the green movment is to create, impliment and educate people on solutions that are not only sustainable but beautiful, and affordable.
      For me, it is not always easy being green.
      As an urban tantra teacher, baths and showers are not only practicle, but an energetic necessity and bath-time is known to be a transcendental practice of going back to the womb. So the running joke in our household is that we have our guests conserve water so that the goddess can take longer showers.

     Yesterday, Michael found a new and unusual solution called the "Now Shower" that allows me to take long guilt-free showers! This new idea is sure to raise many eyebrows, as it did mine. 
     At first people always laugh: when we started feeding our organic garden with grey water from the washer machine, or waxing our floors with local beeswax. But, they usually stop laughing when they learn about the toxins in their carpets or see how the ocean's been devestated by run-off polution. And I have to admit, it took me a while to get used to line drying clothes and handwashing dishes, but ultimately I feel more connected to the elements.
     So Michael installed this new showerhead into my bathroom and he told me that I'd be one of the first public tests in America to pilot this eco technology.  
     Here's how the Now shower works:
I get undressed, and place the special drain plug over the tub drain to create a pool of water, turn the "Now Shower" on. It uses jet pump action to recycle a high volume of filtered shower water. This creates a luxurious, soothing waterfall like shower. (Optionally, I was told i can add scented bath gel for a sensual aromatherapy experience.) After finishing, I unplug the jet pump and get a final rinse and drain the tub. Here's a picture of one of the prototypes.
     The big advantage is that the "Now Shower" saves energy! "Instead of dumping heated water right down the drain, the heat energy is recycled each time it is recirculated by the jet pump. The promoters claim that The ample 3 gpm shower uses only 1 gpm! The average family of 5 will save 20,000 gallons of water per year. That's a 10% reduction in total household water use!"
     Yet, the obvious conceren is that I'm bathing with recycled bath water.  It may be different than what I'm used to but when I realized that it's really no different than sitting in a tub of my own bath water, I found it quite comforting.  It's a new expirement, and I'm sure there will be a few quirks to work out, but in the meantime I'm am enjoying my "urban waterfall" as Tantra Teacher Shawn Roop has been known to call it.
      The product can be viewed at http://www.wowshower.com/whatisit.htm in order to purchase, you may have to call as the order page doesn't work yet. 509-493-3850 mellis@wowshower.com If you have any local environmental questions you can contact Michael at michael@ecoelf.com or contact the creators:

Soul Retrieval with Katie Weatherup

I'm still integrating a profound shamanic soul retrieval with my goddess, sister, shaman friend and author Katie Weatherup. The experience was truly eye-opening and simply can't be put into words.  But Katie does a pretty good job writing about it:

"About Soul Retrieval"

SOUL RETRIEVAL IS DEAR TO MY HEART. It is a gentle, graceful, and profound healing practice. This information will better help you understand your soul retrieval. In the description that follows, I am using a shamanic framework to describe and clarify the nature and experience of the soul. This article will help you understand and possibly engage with the unseen world by presenting a framework that our conscious minds can understand. You don’t have to believe in or agree with this framework to have a soul retrieval.

The soul, as referred to in soul retrieval, is the energetic essence of your being. It encompasses the intangible aspects of your being, including gifts, qualities, and aspects of who you are. It is the you that transcends physical experience. Pieces and parts of that soul essence can sometimes become separated, trapped, and/or lost. If you imagine the soul energy as a sphere, when soul loss occurs, there are voids and areas that are missing.

Soul loss is part of the human experience. It’s designed to protect our nonphysical essence from various kinds of trauma. If something traumatic is happening, such as a car accident, physical violence, or an emotional assault, the last place we want to be is fully present in our bodies and in the experience. Instead, part of us goes away to avoid the trauma. Psychologists refer to this as dissociation. The shamanic community calls it soul loss. Either way, it helps us to survive the various kinds of trauma that happen in our lives.

Lots of kinds of trauma can cause soul loss. Examples include accidents, surgery, sexual violence, and combat trauma. Whenever someone says, “I’ve never been the same since my accident/that relationship/my surgery,” they are describing a soul loss experience. Trauma that causes soul loss can be subtle and different for each person. Being teased or shamed can cause a sensitive child to lose soul parts.

Whatever the trauma, the protective mechanism of soul loss causes part of our life essence to leave in order to protect itself from being damaged or traumatized. The soul part leaving sometimes carries away some of the memory and immediacy of the experience. In the normal course of events, the soul part would return on its own after the trauma had passed. But sometimes the trauma is so severe that the soul part goes so far and fast that it can’t find its way back and gets lost. In cases of chronic trauma or abuse, the soul part may not know it’s safe to come back. There’s no time in shamanic reality, so the soul part doesn’t know that twenty years have passed and the violent stepfather is no longer in the picture.

Another type of soul loss occurs when a part leaves because it doesn’t fit or because it is sent away. This could be an aspect that is shamed or punished; for example, a girl might send away her anger. Sometimes we send soul parts away because they don’t fit into our adult lives, disowning our impractical passions.

Finally, soul loss can happen when parts of our soul are taken by or given to the significant people in our lives. As human beings, we struggle to maintain good physical and emotional boundaries. The concept of good energetic boundaries is not something that occurs to most people. When soul parts are taken or exchanged, it invariably happens on an unconscious, energetic level. People who have had soul parts taken unknowingly take soul parts from others. While there’s no judgment or blame, this does put people in an inappropriate energetic relationship.

Picture a mother, already diminished by her own soul loss experiences, looking at her child. She might think that if she could just have some of her child’s vitality and energy, she would be able to cope with her life. On an energetic level, she reaches out and takes some of the child’s essence. The child may resist at first, but eventually it is easier to give up the soul part than keep struggling. Or perhaps the child feels sorry for the parent and gives up their soul part willingly. Again, I want to emphasize that this isn’t deliberate. When I retrieve soul parts, parents are always glad to give up their children’s soul parts once they realize what they’ve done.

In a romantic relationship, the people involved often will trade soul parts. Our culture’s love mythology implies that when we love someone, we give them our heart and our soul. It’s easy to mistake a lack of energetic boundaries for closeness and connection. People often unconsciously give their lover some of their own vital life essence along with their love. This exchange makes both people more dependent on each other, less able to stand on their own, and thus less likely to leave. It can feel safer and more connected to both parties, but in reality, both people are diminished.

Whatever the source of soul loss, the effects are much the same. Soul loss will diminish a person’s sense of well-being and joy in life. It can cause a lack of vitality and interest in the world. People often feel depressed, listless, and as though the world was all gray. Soul loss can lead to gaps in memory. People can feel fragmented or spacey or even like pieces are missing. Sometimes people become accident-prone or keep falling into the path of misfortune. People with soul loss can spend a lot of energy working through events of their past and still feel impacted by them. In extreme cases, soul loss can cause a lack of sense of self, suicidal tendencies, and vulnerability to physical illness.

Impact of a Soul Retrieval
The experience of soul retrieval varies from person to person. Some people experience soul retrieval as life-changing: a sensation of being filled up, a tingling or a heat. Other people feel a subtler impact. Often a much greater effect is felt some hours after the soul retrieval than immediately after the work is completed. I felt the largest impact at dawn the day after my soul retrieval.
The shift in your life can be subtle. Some clients have reported that they felt very little at the time but found that they felt more solid in themselves, less tired, more sure of their choices and path following a soul retrieval. Things that would have been nearly impossible seem fairly straightforward after a soul retrieval.
In terms of emotional impact, soul retrieval is very gentle. Even when parts are lost due to severe trauma, they come back unharmed. When people get back memories of the traumatic events that caused soul loss the memories are factual, with no emotion attached. After a soul retrieval, people often want extra downtime, to reflect and just be with themselves. If people have a strong emotional response to soul retrieval, it’s almost invariably one of profound joy and celebration. “Dark night of the soul” work and emotional catharsis are valuable, but they are not generally part of the soul retrieval experience.
Because soul retrieval is so gentle, people are sometimes surprised by how much of an impact it has. Afterwards you may find it much harder to accept situations where you are not being honored, regardless of the economic or emotional advantages of being in that place. For example, I used to be very good at swallowing my truth and not speaking up. After my soul retrieval it became much more uncomfortable to be silent than it was to speak, so I began saying what I needed to say to those around me. It was a good change, but it happened very quickly. A soul retrieval has the potential to put you on the fast track of interpersonal growth.
If you get soul parts back from another person, this can impact your relationship with them. In some cases, returning the soul parts instantly improves the relationship. Tensions and conflict may dissipate overnight. In other cases—if a marriage is teetering on the edge, for example—a soul retrieval could precipitate its end. Any relationship where the other person is invested in controlling my client is likely to be made rockier by a soul retrieval. This is because a soul retrieval makes the recipient stronger, more complete, and harder to control or manipulate.
Those individuals who have ended a major relationship and are having trouble moving on are perfect candidates for a soul retrieval. Very often a soul part is left behind with the former spouse or lover and returning that part to my client frees them to move on. If someone who held your soul part has died, returning that soul part has a powerful benefit for both of you. It frees the soul of the other person to move on, unburdened by energy that they can’t use. For my client, it can release them from a fascination with and a pull toward death.
About Power Animals

My soul retrievals include bringing back two power animals. They help support you following the soul retrieval. Power animals are spirits who appear in shamanic reality in animal form. It is believed that when a child is born, a benevolent spirit in animal form looks at the infant and sees how helpless they are. That spirit takes pity on the child and becomes their ally and protector. Often a person’s power animal will be an animal that they have a strong affinity for.
In ordinary reality, a power animal is a source of protection and power. It’s your power animal’s job to make sure that the idiot driving way too fast doesn’t hit you and that if a rock falls out of the sky it lands next to you, not on you. They work on our behalf to keep the physical world safe and positive for us. A strong connection to a power animal provides a source of energy and support and enhances the flow of your own energy.

The power animals I bring back may or may not be the ones that you expect. If I bring back an unexpected power animal, it doesn’t mean the one you expected isn’t your power animal; it almost certainly is. It just means that these are new animals coming into relationship with you. The more work we do to heal and grow, the more spiritual help is available to us, hence more power animals.

Honoring Privacy

When receiving a soul retrieval, you have the option to share or not share the events and experiences in your life that may have led to soul loss. The work is completely effective even if I don’t get any information from you aside from your request that I do the work. If you choose not to share knowledge about your life, my spirit guides will honor your privacy by not showing me things that you haven’t shared. They may give me symbols that are meaningful to you but not to me.

When people choose to share, I get more information and detail during the soul retrieval. I can also sometimes address family themes that need healing or do other types of healing work if the person has talked to me about their experiences. But sharing isn’t required.

If any information I receive about the soul parts I find conflicts with your intuition, trust yourself rather than what I told you. I was molested at five. Because I had no memory of the event, I didn’t list it as a cause of soul loss. Therefore, the person doing my soul retrieval got a vague and different story about that soul part. I knew the loss of this part was related to the molestation because I got the memories back with the soul part. So trust your own experience rather than my report; sometimes I am given a different story as a placeholder.

How Soul Retrieval Works

When I begin a soul retrieval, you’ll lie down quietly. While I am doing the soul retrieval, set your intent to release anyone else’s soul parts you may be holding onto and ask that they return to the appropriate person. Simply stating this intent clearly and/or asking your guides for help is sufficient.
During the soul retrieval, I go into an altered or trance state while lying down quietly and listening to a drumming CD. I shift my awareness into shamanic reality, meet my guides, and begin the work. I begin by locating two power animals that will support you through the reintegration process.

After meeting your power animals, I ask your spirit guides if there is a message or information for you.

At that point, the true soul retrieval work begins. I step into a shamanic void and wait for the soul pieces I will be bringing back to light up, showing me how many there are and where they are located. My horse then carries me to each of them in the order that my guides agree is most appropriate. At that point I work with the soul parts in whatever situation I find them.

If the soul part is alone, I talk to it about how you are ready to receive it back and would like it to return. I give it space to tell me its story. Sometimes the part talks to me about why it left, sometimes not. I note the surroundings in which I find the soul part and how old it appears to be.

If the soul part is a part that is held by someone else in your life, I offer a soul retrieval for the person holding your soul part. My hawk will go forth and bring back the soul parts that this person lost that caused them to take your soul part. It’s not a complete soul retrieval, but invariably after the shamanic aspect of that person has their own soul part returned, they are willing to relinquish yours. In shamanic reality, the person holding your soul part has better access to their higher self. So however disconnected from their love and compassion they may be in ordinary reality, they often experience those emotions in the shamanic world.

Once I’ve gathered up the three to six soul pieces that my guides have identified as the most critical, I stand on a cliff and cast an energetic net into your past lives. (Please note: You don’t have to believe in past lives. Again, this is part of a framework for understanding the experience.) I pull forward any soul energy that was left behind or trapped there and add it to the other parts I am bringing back. For some clients, there is a huge amount of life essence from past lives, for others only a small bit. These parts come back just as energy without a story.

Before I return the soul parts to you, I do an extraction. This simply means removing any energy that has taken the place of the missing soul parts that doesn’t serve you. I gently remove black, stagnant energy, creating space for the soul parts to go into.

If I am doing the soul retrieval in person, I then return my awareness to ordinary reality with the soul parts held in my arms. As I sit up, I lean over and blow the soul parts into the heart chakra and then into the crown chakra. I seal the aura with my hands or with a rattle and let the client know the work is complete. I like to give my client some time to sit with the experience before I talk with them about it.

I then share the details of my journey. This completes the soul retrieval.
I recommend that people wait 24 hours before talking about the soul retrieval experience. This is because often the work is felt most strongly some time after the initial return of the parts. Since soul retrieval doesn’t translate easily into words, talking about and analyzing the experience can take you out of it. It is said that in Western culture we suffer from premature evaluation. Also, if you put words to it too soon, you risk remembering the words you used rather than what the soul retrieval felt like.

Following a soul retrieval, you will continue to experience spontaneous soul return of soul parts coming back on their own, now that the process has been activated. This is part of why most people only need one soul retrieval, rather than ongoing sessions.

By understanding soul loss, there is an opportunity to move through the world with much healthier energetic boundaries. It is good to become conscious of not giving away your soul parts, no matter how deeply you love someone. You can also set your intent to release any soul parts that you may have collected from others as you go along. When you release those parts, you free yourself of the burden of unusable energy. You also improve your energetic relationship to the people whose soul parts you have and place yourself more fully in right relationship with the universe.
©2005, Katie Weatherup. All rights reserved.

Vote for the Cover Photo of our New DVD

And the Winner is...

Go to this Link to cast your Vote. http://www.partnerplayshop.com/Poly_DVD_Cover_Poll.html
Namaste!

Test Cover for Intstructional DVD on Polyamory

http://www.blisscoach.com/ Comments from Facebook:
Michelle Ropczycki

Looks hardcore S&M ish.
Brandé Faris
HARDCORE? Really? It looks like lighthearted, playful fun role play to me.
Joy Phoenix
I agree, it screams S&M not polyamory. If I knew nothing about polyamory looking at this cover I would assume it involved B&D
Norm Kerlin
(Bodhi Dharma) First thought: "And the problem is...?"
Second Thought: Marketing is about the eyes of the beholder, not the eyes of the marketer.
Stacy Elizabeth
the bondage appearing elements over power the polyamory elements, in my opinion. its going to require the consumer to take a slow, longer look at the cover... when most will likely only give it a quick glance.
Elizabeth FabuLiz Hahn
S&M is the first thing I see. Hard Core Bondage. Reminds me of my dungeon days. Knowing you both so well, it does not digest correctly. LOVE YOU
Avalon Avlyset
Gotta agree, there is another photo of just you and Reid together that is very sweet instead of S&M-ish. Love you both....all? :)
Brandé Faris
After viewing the picture and reading these posts, it has become very clear to me that I have a quite different working knowledge of what Hardcore S&M/Bondage is than the above posters do. Heh. We humans are so interestingly diverse!
Allison Moon
I think it would look more lighthearted, and less S&M-y if it were in color.
The black and white reminds me of Madonna's truth or dare, but not in such a good way. .. .
Robyn Talbott
KD, it's spelled "monogAmous." Signed, your spell checker
Amy Thornton
i agree that color would help this photo....I don't really see the S&M vibe here myself, but I suppose I could see how other people do.
Jamie
mmm, i have some ideas too...let me know if you'd like me to whip up something for you...would love to revisit my graphic design days...xo

This photo was submitted by one of our fans, Jaime, Thank you for taking our ninja photo and running with it. Based on all your feedback, I'm putting together a poll so you can vote on the best DVD Cover. This is so much fun!

Since many people said the last draft looked too "Hard core BDSM." Let usknow if this looks more innocent. I didn't even think about the BDSM affect until you offered your reflections. I am not a graphic designer, and ultimatley Reid will be doing the cover art. I'm just playing with the photos we took last weekend to consider some possiblities. Maybe we should hold a poll and open it up to customer feedback ... Read Morebefore we make the final decision. So, I selected a more "innocent" looking photo, let me know what you think of this one.

Namaste, Kamala Devi

October Potluck, Performance art and Sacred Snuggle Party

The evening was cold and since it gets dark early we decided to start the show before the potluck.  We had a great turn out with approx 30 eager friends and lovers in the audience.
Thank you: Shawn, Joy, Ember, Michael and a big warm welcome to Heidi for stepping out on stage for the first time. We put on an awesome show ( I think the hour and a half of rehersal paid off!)
And we tried a new theater game: Your sacred sexual Awakening onstage! In this game, we asked several audience members to stand up and tell us about a sacred sexual awakening and then the tantra theater troupe would spontaneously act out the stories on stage. 
For example, Cara talked about her fantasy of meeting an older more experience couple and being invited into their bedroom to learn.  And then Shawn and Ember stepped as Buffy and the professor (smoking a pipe) But ultimately Ember was scared away when she found out the professor hadn't changed his depends. 
Thanks to all for making it such a fun and memorable evening. 
Here's a photo from our last night in the tantra tent.  We're taking it down for the rains.  Since our backyard stage is out of commission through the winter I'd like to start looking for local performing venues such as the universities and downtown stages...anyone want to help scout for space?
Thanks to all, for your support and inspiration!
Love,

Kamala Devi By Kamala Devi, Author of Don't Drink the Punch, Sacred Sexual Healing, Tantra Teacher and Sacred Sex and Open Relationship Coach www.BlissCoach.com

A conference for sacred sexual healers, teachers and practitioners

You were missed at the Daka-Dakini East coast conference this year. It was held in a quirky 90 year old Inn by a lake in the Catskills, upstate New York. We had approximately 50 people in attendance from all over the country and several New Zealand representatives there. (I'm guessing about 10 people from NY and perhaps the same 10 people who were totally new to the conference.) The official theme of the conference was: Creating alliances, raising consciousness and cultivating professionalism. But the theme that spontaneously arose during this gathering was: a reunion of kindred souls. It felt as if a unique constellation of spiritual people came to earth to help anchor the experience of sacred sexual awakening. The Keynote presenters were Betty Dodson and Carlin Ross. Mistress and Master of Ceremonies Barbara Carellas and Baba Dez Nichols.

This conference was unique because we took over the entire inn and didn't have to interface with "muggles." Reid Mihalko was the official conference coordinator and charted a bus to pick us up outside Grand Central Station on Thursday. We met with about 20 sexual healers, educators and practitioners under the empire state building. The bus came late due to a flat tiered (we should've suspected something was wrong) But we loaded up and excitedly boarded and started introducing ourselves. What a quality group of people, the vast majority of whom have been to the conferences in the past so there was a lot of catching up to do. We spent most the trip playing musical chairs so that we could talk, massage, snuggle and connect on the FIVE AND A HALF hour ride up. The trip was supposed to be under two hours, but the fuel injector broke. We pulled over to the shoulder and drove about 15 MPH for over 30 minutes. What's a fuel injector do? I asked to which I got the humorous response: "In tantric terms, it's as if this bus is preserving it's seed." Ah. That explains everything. Lisa brought a bunch of percussion instruments and a small group jammed in the back of the bus nearly the entire trip. Nobody seemed to mind the extra time to connect. I personally enjoyed connecting with sexy birthday-girl Betty Martin, luscious Athena Lund, the affectionate Carla Tara and I finally met the much admired Anton Diaz. But ofcourse my favorite person to travel with is my beloved hubby Michael.
It was dark when we arrived at the groovy little inn which seemed designed to host small Jewish weddings. The catered dinner was yummy and then Lawrence Lanoff led a beautiful trance dance activation series in a small hot room where the participants played in varying states of undress...it was ecstatic!
Meanwhile Reid ran around like a chicken trying to accommodate late arriving guests who's rooms were needing repair. Broken door handles, sloping beds, leaking ceilings, no heaters were just a few of the complaints. The inn was run by a sweet Mafioso type named Keith who was understaffed.
Opening circle was simple: let's take a few breaths together and then dive in...There were about 20 presenters and lots to cover in only 45 minutes each! The highlight of the weekend was the sheer QUALITY of the presentations. Even speakers who I had heard before and wasn't too impressed with, have clearly grown into powerful presenters. See picture below for an idea of the amazing line up:

 

Hope to see you at the Daka-Dakini Conference WEST next May in Sedona when I MC with Shawn Roop. Kamala Devi, Author of Don't Drink the Punch, Sacred Sexual Healing, Tantra Teacher and Sacred Sex and Open Relationship Coach www.BlissCoach.com

Goddess Photo shoot with Sisters in Truth

At the graduation of Sisters in Truth, Summer 2009, a small but fierce group of goddesses agreed to do a playful little photo shoot. Here are some fun and sexy shots that resulted. www.BlissCoach.com

DVD pre-release party is a sexy success!

I'm back from a wild weekend conference in upstate New York where we pre-launched our new instructional DVD. Here's a sneak peek at one of the possible cover photos taken by Kevin Barwick. Thanks to Michael and Natasha for showing off your inner ninja. We did a mini-viewing and and sold out of pre-release copies!
We will be holding a contest to see which cover photo you like the best.  Please let us know: Which one would you Buy? Contact Kamala at www.BlissCoach.com or Reid@reidaboutsex.com