Over dit evenement
18–21 November 2027 — INTIMACY & DESIRE
Exploring autonomy, attachment, vulnerability and differentiation
An embodied journey towards authentic relating and the meeting of self and other
Intimacy & Desire is the fourth and final module of the Libido Love of Life 2027 year-long journey. You are very welcome to attend this retreat as a standalone workshop, or join one or more of the other modules.
Two of the most powerful forces in human life are our longing for autonomy — to be ourselves and have a sense of agency in our own lives — and our longing for attachment — to connect, belong and be in meaningful relationship with others.
Our challenge as adults is not to choose between the two, but to learn how to hold them together.
This retreat is an invitation to explore how to stay rooted in yourself while remaining open to meaningful connection with others. Through dance, movement and embodied practice, we explore what it means to remain connected without losing ourselves, and to remain ourselves without disconnecting from others.
Drawing on the wisdom of David Schnarch's work on differentiation, intimacy and desire, the Four Points of Balance, attachment theory and other relational approaches, we bring these themes into the body through movement, reflection and open verbal inquiry.
Intimacy asks us to enter the mysterious territory between self and other — where autonomy, attachment, vulnerability and longing meet.
What happens in the workshop?
We use Open Floor Embodied Dance to explore intimacy, desire, autonomy, attachment and differentiation through the body.
We practise the skills of staying connected to ourselves in proximity with another, reassuring and regulating ourselves rather than relying on the other to do it for us.
We practise differentiating without separating — staying rooted in ourselves while remaining connected, responsive rather than reactive.
We explore how to stay present with meaningful discomfort, allowing it to become a place for growth rather than something we immediately need to avoid, control or resolve.
We combine movement with embodied practices, teachings, group process and open verbal inquiry, allowing experience and reflection to inform each other.
We explore how attraction, vulnerability and connection can become doorways into greater authenticity, creativity, pleasure and intimacy.
There is also spaciousness to rest, integrate and simply be together — enjoying the lightness, tranquillity and beauty of continuous dancing, moving, experiencing and relaxing in a closed group surrounded by nature.
There is no explicit sexual content or sexual exercise.
Who is it for?
This workshop is open to adults of all genders, sexual orientations and relationship statuses. We strive to co-create an environment that is inclusive, positive, curious and expansive, and that honours the experiences each person brings into the room.
It is for people who want to deepen their capacity for intimacy while developing a stronger sense of self.
It is for anyone curious about the interplay between autonomy and attachment, desire and connection, closeness and differentiation.
Relationships take many forms, and this retreat is not limited to couples or romantic partnerships. On the contrary, we are always in relationship — with ourselves, with one another, with our communities and with the world around us. This retreat offers an opportunity to explore these many dimensions of relationship and deepen our connection with ourselves and others.
Some prior experience with conscious movement practices such as Open Floor, 5Rhythms, Movement Medicine, Biodanza or similar is recommended, so that you can fully engage with and deepen the embodied explorations.
This workshop is not about dance technique or performance. You are invited to participate at your own pace, honouring your own boundaries, capacity and sense of choice throughout the workshop.
Libido workshops count as a prerequisite for the Open Floor Teacher Training.
The retreat will be taught in English, with translation into Dutch where needed.
YOUR TEACHER - MONIKA KÖRSCHNER
Monika Körschner is an accredited 5Rhythms®, OpenFloor and Libido teacher, trained in the Wheel of Consent. For more than 20 years she has taught conscious dance and movement in the Netherlands and internationally, specialising in Embodied & Conscious Sexuality.
Since 2018, she has been a working member of Open Floor International, contributing as mentor, supervisor, teacher and co-creator of international training programs.
Her ongoing studies include the Centre of Tantra, the Diamond Approach and the Wheel of Consent, alongside extensive self-directed study through books, research and other sources.
Monika loves creating a non-judgmental, open space where people can show up again and again, feeling welcomed to move with whatever is present — and a safe, creative, loving and playful environment for in-depth inquiry with compassion and curiosity.
ASSISTING TEAM
Hester Hudig - OpenFloor teacher, Therapy in Motion practioner, Therapist (psychosynthese), Ecstatic DJ
Further to be announced.
"We long for love, the essential nutrient that our cells crave,
true positivity, charged connection with other living beings.
The more we experience it, the more we open up and grow,
become wise and more attuned,
more resilient and effective, happier and healthier,
grow spirituality, interconnectedness"
- Barbara Fredrickson -
DATES & TIMES
18-21 November 2027
Thursday 10 am till Sunday 5pm
Payment in Instalments
It is possible to pay in instalments while retaining the Early Bird rate, provided registration is completed before the Early Bird deadline.
We aim to keep our pricing transparent, moderate and fair for everyone. The Early Bird rate and instalment options are our primary ways of making the program accessible. If finances are the only reason preventing you from joining, please reach out. In a limited number of cases, we may be able to explore a scholarship or alternative arrangement together for participants with genuine financial limitations.
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS
The group will consist of approximately 16–21 participants.
We stay in cozy shared rooms. During the warmer months, there is also a spacious bell tent with beds available for two participants who enjoy sleeping outdoors.
If it is important for you to have a room to yourself, this may be arranged in exceptional circumstances. You are also welcome to bring your own tent, with a maximum of 2–3 personal tents per module.
The investment is the same regardless of the type of accommodation chosen.
All meals are vegetarian, nourishing, and partly organic. Dietary requirements can be accommodated when medically necessary and communicated well in advance.
MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION
For more information about investment, registration and practical details, as well as the complete Libido Love of Life 2027 journey — including the other modules, Reviews and experiences, the Vimeo film and acknowledgements — please visit the main programme page and scroll down.
DISCOVER LIBIDO LOVE OF LIFE 2027
https://embodieddance.nl/news/39/72/Libido-Love-of-Life-Year-group.html
April 1-4, 2027 Libido Fundamentals
https://embodieddance.nl/news/34/72/Part-1-Libido-Fundamentals.html
July 1-4, 2027 Sense & Consent
https://embodieddance.nl/news/65/72/Part-2-Libido-Sense-Consent.html
September 2-5, 2027 Shame & Belong
https://embodieddance.nl/news/66/72/Part-3-Libido-Shame-Belong.html
November 18-21, 2027 Intimacy & Desire
https://embodieddance.nl/news/67/72/Part-4-Libido-IntimacyDesire.html
Gesproken taal
Engels, Nederlands
Opslaan
