Shadow Tantra Weekend

Our erotic shadow is often suppressed both personally and culturally. Our darker desires: to control or be controlled, to release something of our inner beast or slut; to live with wild sexual abandon and similar unrestrained impulses can bring with them levels of shame and confusion.

There is a huge fear that if we explore these archetypal qualities we will become lost, out of control, shamed, disrespected, or somehow not an OK person.

And yet… these archetypes are rich sources of love, power and self-knowledge and bring with them powerful opportunities for healing, empowerment and personal growth.


By creating spaces where we can more safely explore our erotic shadows, we take a lit candle into the more hidden recesses of our psyches, shining a light on our inner motivations and thus learning more about who we truly are.

In practical terms, Shadow Tantra is about combining conscious sexuality practices with mindfulness, Conscious Kink, Neotantra, ritual and BDSM.

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This event is an opportunity to safely and consciously access some of our more challenging impulses and desires in facilitated exercises. To get a solid sense of the importance of boundaries, clear communication, working with energy, and in negotiating around the personal differences in level and types of activities people prefer.
This workshop explicitly welcomes people from Amsterdam’s LGBTQ+ communities. There won't be any heterosexual gender pairing in any individual exercise during the workshop.

**What will the 2.5-days look like?**

We will spend the first day exploring and learning how to set embodied personal boundaries, allowing these to come from heart and body as much as from mind. Consent, boundaries and good communication are the foundations of this work and we ensure that you have the tools and skills to navigate this space.


Only once we are sure that all present are capable of expressing and asserting our boundaries, can we start to explore within the spheres of the erotic shadow using BDSM techniques.

Among those techniques we dive into
Identifying the erotic shadow
Roleplaying the erotic shadow
Somatic practices for co-regulation
Tantric ritual to find deep forgiveness and transcendence


**Who is this workshop for?**

As a team, we consciously work on being a welcoming and educated space for trans and gender diverse people. There is no gender pairing in this workshop, so if you come along you may be working with someone of the same gender.

Participants from all levels of previous experience are welcome. If you have never been to any Tantra workshop, welcome, if you are already a pro, welcome. We strive to create diversity, thus we welcome all levels of experiences.

Please see the FAQ below for detailed accessibility for the venue. If you have specific access needs please reach out to us and we can help you decide if this is the right workshop for you.


**Facilitation Team:**

Seani Love (he/him) has been teaching erotic ritual techniques to clients, private groups, couples and workshops since 2010. A long-term explorer in this unique field, Seani received the prestigious industry award ‘Sex Worker of the Year’ in London in November 2015. His work combines ritual techniques, Conscious Kink, Neotantra, and many other disciplines. His sessions and workshops enable his clients to go on profound journeys into their inner worlds, helping them find power, wisdom, love, and pleasure within themselves.
Seani will be doing a limited number of private sessions while in Melbourne. Contact him directly for details.

ARIANE LALAKEA is an international educator, facilitator, coach & practitioner in the field of intimacy and erotic leadership. In her teachings she combines the Western world of positive psychology and trauma awareness together with Eastern traditions of Tantra and Yoga. She is co-founder of BliXX, an international brand that hosts transformational conscious kInk retreats. She is also host of the Better Relations Summit, a deep dive into how trauma impacts our ability to relate. Her mission is to share spaces of healing around our body and sexuality so we can relate to ourselves and each other from a place of fullness instead of neediness.

**Logistics & FAQ**

Q: Do I need a partner?
A: No you don’t need a partner. You are welcome to come alone or with partner(s). There will be exercises where you are encouraged to work with others, but you are welcome to work with the person you came with for any exercise.

Q: Do you have concession pricing?
A: Yes we have a small number of concession spaces available. Please contact Ariane directly for that, ariane@arianelalakea.com

Q: Do you cater for people with disabilities?
The space is in the basement with no stairs to access venue or the toilet. The toilet however is not wheelchair accessible - making it unsuitable for wheelchair users.


For other disabilities, please share with us at the beginning of the event or contact us by email if you are unsure of your attendance. We will let you know if we are able to cater the exercises to your needs accordingly.

Q: Is sex likely to happen?
This is a space in which some sexual activity could happen and is allowable.

Q: What is the age limit?
A: There is no upper age limit. Our minimum age for workshops is 18. Ages of attendees varies between event and location, but you can expect an age range of 20-65.

Q: Is this a queer friendly workshop?
A: Yes – definitely! All gender and sexuality expressions are welcome. We don’t ‘gender match’ at this workshop and all genders are actively encouraged to play and practise with other genders.

Q: Do you give refunds?
A: Gendered tickets are transferable to other people with the same gender. It is the attendee’s responsibility to find someone to transfer their ticket to.
If you can’t find a replacement for yourself, refunds are as follows:
*14 or more days before the event: 80% refund
* 7-13 days before the event: 60% refund
* 2-6 days before the event: 50% refund
* Less than 48 hours before event: no refund possible

What Others Say:

“I have de-clawed the daemons of my past, spanked them soundly and put them to bed. I’ve found a new language, a new confidence and understanding of control, consent and respect within the world of kink, which will serve me well in all aspects of my life. It’s a start, a foundation and one which I can’t wait to build on.. ~ Greig McArthur

“As a newbie to conscious kink and conscious kink spaces, and attending knowing no one, with a trauma history I was concerned may be triggered and overwhelm me, I was repeatedly hugely and happily surprised. Consent was central.
Vulnerability, wobbles, and confusions, were welcomed and held and loved. Each team member brought their gifts and the space was so, so, so well held. I had experiences I have never had before, found parts of me I didn’t know were there, and found ways to deepen intimacy with other amazing humans.” – Kitty

Timetable:
July 5th: 14:00-18:00
July 6th: 10:00-18:00
July 7th: 10:00 - 18:00


A limited number of concession places are available at this workshop. Please get in contact with us at the number below if you wish to discuss concession options.

In order to be able to give each participant the attention they need through their process during the weekend, we have decided to keep the group small, with a maximum of 24 participants.
For further information about this event please contact ariane@arianelalakea.com