Beltane PreConference Inspirations

[sabrinamari]

Last year I did a Beltane Pre-Conference workshop for couples and magical partners. This year, I want to focus on deepening individuals' own experiences of sensuality and divine erotic connection. I'd like to combine my previous work on Sensory Spirituality with what I've experienced at FoV, contextualizing both in Aphrodite devotion. Essentially, I want to facilitate more intense, magical connections between my pre-conference participants and the people, divinities, and sensual world(s) around them.

In some ways, this would be like Priest/ess training, while in others, it would be more like Aphrodite veneraton. I would introduce the physical tools I love to work with (beautiful props and garments, essential oils, ambient sound and voice, physical touch, dance and movement, energetic touch and delectable sweets) and guide participants in using them to connect with divinity, each other, their beloveds and their own deeper selves.

The key idea would be that the body and its senses are our core tools for connecting with truth, the divine, and each other.

Wikipedia says this about the human senses:

"The traditional five senses are sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste: a classification attributed to Aristotle...Humans are considered to have at least five additional senses that include: nociception (pain), equilibrioception (balance), proprioception & kinesthesia (joint motion and acceleration), sense of time, thermoception (temperature differences), with possibly an additional weak magnetoception (direction)...and six more if interoceptive senses are also considered."

I could build a long workshop around this concept that would appeal to both couples and singles, and serve as an introductory event to FoV.

It would have a much larger capacity than previous classes, so more people could enroll. This would require more space than usual: maybe the bat barn would work.

Hmmmmmm...

Comments

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

That concrete floor isn't ideal for much in the way of sensuality, especially given the usual weather at Beltane. Back of the dining hall, maybe?

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Hadn't thought of that!

[ixtli-awakening.livejournal.com]

i agree with Keith about the locale; the Bat Barn is a great many things, but comfortable isn't one of them.

the idea of the workshop / intensive, i think is fantastic. there are a lot of people who, while not necessarily uptight about sex, still seem to have issues with enjoying the senses in other ways. i'm all for encouraging people to enjoy yummy smells, lush fabrics, brilliant colors; especially in the context of honoring Her. She is the opposite of austere.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

The idea is to unfold each person's internal spirituality in an organic, playful way through the medium of sensory spirituality. Intended side effects: easier connection to deep self, divine and lovers/beloveds; enhanced ritual presence, sharpened ritual skills; greater pleasure in the world.

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

I've recently been finding that Britain Yearly Meeting's current Quaker Faith & Practice (specifically, the Close Relationships section) and Jane Hirschfield's Women In Praise of the Sacred provide some incredible quotes about erotic love, and about how that's experienced in a romantic relationship and with the Divine, if that's of any help to you.

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

For example, this one, included in the 2009 F&P, but from the 1959 version. It's a statement on relationships by Britain Yearly Meeting as a whole:

"22.43

Marriage is to be taken seriously, but not always in grim earnest; its problems take perspective from fun, adventure and fulfilment, and joy and sorrow are mingled together. We rejoice in success, but we must also be glad that we can console each other in failure. 'With my body I thee worship' is to many a blessed phrase: but while some find a perfect physical relationship easily, others reach it the hard way, and it is not less precious for that. It is wonderful never to quarrel, but it means missing the dear delight of making it up. Children bring joy and grief; some will have none and will miss both the grief and the joy. For some, there is a monogamy so entire that no other love ever touches it; but others 'fall in love' time and time again, and must learn to make riches of their affection without destroying their marriage or their friends. Let us thank God for what we share, which enables us to understand; and for the infinite variety in which each marriage stands alone.

We thank God, then, for the pleasures, joys and triumphs of marriage; for the cups of tea we bring each other, and the seedlings in the garden frame; for the domestic drama of meetings and partings, sickness and recovery; for the grace of occasional extravagance, flowers on birthdays and unexpected presents; for talk at evenings of the events of the day; for the ecstasy of caresses, for gay mockery at each other's follies; for plans and projects, fun and struggle; praying that we may neither neglect nor undervalue these things, nor be tempted to think of them as self-contained and self-sufficient.

1959"

I love that they implicitly recognised that there are non-monogamous marriages, and that no one model fits all.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

COOL!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Please keep helping me. You inspire me and make me a better ______ (fill in the blank). I am so lucky to have you in my life, my dear!

[syndalaluna.livejournal.com]

Remind me to tell you about the Satyricon workshop/experience at DO that SwitchMe and Co put on. It was an incredible experience and one which I thing may have some elements that could be borrowed for your workshop!

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Yes, thank you!

[sidhne.livejournal.com]

i'm interested, but dislike the Bat Barn. one of the letter cabins, perhaps?

i would love to use something like this to deepen my connection with my partner and his wife as a triad.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

What a good idea! I want this to be useful both for those with partners and those without; I love the idea of deepening bonds of all kinds.

The letter cabins are pretty small. I'll have to brainstorm a bit with Cat.

[hypatia42.livejournal.com]

Dude, need an assistant? This kind of work is right up my alley.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmm....thinking...

[sligoe.livejournal.com]

I love this idea! It helps those of us who aren't as young as we used to be, and whose internal fires are waning. Love and pleasure, delight in your partner---yes, I'm all for that!

If I can help, please let me know. :)