MEN IN TOUCH
Men sharing caring touch
New Mexico Eros-Spirit Massage Retreat
October 19-23, 2022
*Early Registration Deadline Sep. 15*
Rediscover playfulness, sensuality and deep eroticism in the raw beauty of New Mexico's high desert. This secluded retreat center is in a serene canyon formed by a million year old volcano. Featuring natural hot springs of varying temperatures, it is a very special place to truly get away from it all. Soaking in the earth-warmed water under a crystal clear canopy of stars is sublime!
Join us at Bodhi Manda Zen Retreat Centre (website) to reconnect with yourself, with other loving men, and with Mother Earth. Eros is much more than just our sex drive; it is our life force. Focusing on building up the life force within queer men, we invite you to the New Mexico Eros-Spirit Massage Retreat: a five-day residential intensive drawing upon traditions of tantra, movement, and meditation. The Centre is located on the traditional and ancestral territories of the Pueblos Nation.
Conscious men will come together to explore core fundamentals and advanced techniques of Eros-Spirit Massage. Both beginners and seasoned practitioners will experience:
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Massage instruction and practice with a focus on communicating compassion, creating safety, and fostering trust through touch
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Exploration of different types of touch and how they activate different energetic responses
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How to be aware and take care of your own energetic and physical body while giving massage
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Increasing self-awareness, practicing verbal and non-verbal consent, and listening deeply
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Becoming a better lover by slowing down
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Connections with other men through multiple, randomized pairings in an intimate container
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Expressing and sharing your authentic experiences in circle
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Introduction to the philosophy underlying the tantric approach
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Grounding and nourishment to our bodies through gentle yoga, erotic experiments, and improvised movement
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Teachings on the chakra system and how to move energy through the body
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Experiential practice on how to give pleasure to the full body
An extended stay in this rarefied atmosphere is guaranteed to relax the body, clear the mind, open the heart, and nourish the soul.
WHERE?
Bodhi Manda Zen Centre
WHEN?
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Wednesday Oct 19 | 4:00 PM - October 23 | 12:00 PM MDT
YOUR GUIDES
Daka Ziji
(he/they)
Ziji has been studying Tantra and Buddhism for 16 years, and now offers eros-spirit massage, sacred intimacy and shamanic medicine integration. They strive to create spaces where people feel safe, appreciated, and honoured in body, heart and mind. Ziji is Persian-Canadian and committed to increasing diversity and belonging in the realm of sacred eroticism. Connect with Ziji at www.gaymassagevancouver.com.
Jackson Wai Chung Tse 謝瑋聰 (he/they)
Jackson is a Hong Kong-Canadian consultant, facilitator, and interdisciplinary storyteller. Exploring themes such as embodiment, movement, and queer identities coexisting with cultural values, Jackson has been synthesizing workshops for groups around the world since 2003. He dedicates his work to his ancestors, reclaiming spirituality, joy, and self-worth from colonized ideas. Connect with Jackson at https://sonofjacky.wordpress.com/.
SCHEDULE
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Mornings will include clothing-optional yoga, movement, meditation, and simple sensual touch. These activities help you relax, get into your body, and prepare you to share healing touch.
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The afternoons and evenings involve massage instruction on tables:
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On Thursday, you will learn ways of using touch to care for people with whom you do not have an intimate relationship. The massage is done in underwear. You’ll focus on the entire body beyond the pelvis.
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On Friday, you will learn how to honour the entire body in a sacred, caring way. In this afternoon, clothing is optional and boundaries are discussed and respected.
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On Saturday, you will learn advanced eros-spirit techniques and give and receive 2-on-1 massage, clothing optional and boundaries respected.
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- Afternoons include structured free time to explore the hiking trails, hot springs, or solo space. These activities allow you to integrate your learning, discover the beauty of the land, and participate in the retreat center's offerings.
- Optional early morning yoga classes are offered
PROGRAM INCLUDES
-simple Zen Buddhist vegetarian meals using fresh ingredients from the garden
-room and board (private rooms available for extra)
-spacious lodge and gardens
-access to hot springs
-free time to explore hiking trails, local highlights, and optional classes
THE CULTURAL CONTEXT OF OUR WORK
Tantra is a spiritual tradition rooted in ancient India and has been around for thousands of years. This meditation-based tradition differs from Western ideologies in that it encourages us to explore all states of consciousness instead of splitting our world into right and wrong. The sexual element of tantric culture has resonated in the West because the West has historically been sexually repressed. However, tantra is not solely focused on sex, but rather understands sex as simply part of the full scope of life.
During the colonization of India, tantric practices were outlawed. Like in many other places subject to Western imperialism, countries like India have been ingrained with sexual negativity. Part of our decolonizing work is acknowledging the oppression and violence that has occurred in these countries while sharing these practices with others.
Ziji and Jackson are settlers to the unceded homelands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Neither are from India, but we have personally benefited from tantric teachings and have been given permission to teach these practices. With ongoing learning, we are doing our best to sustain these teachings, while acknowledging the complexity of not being from its culture of origin. We are connecting with a lifelong learning process in bringing an anti-colonial approach to our practices and understanding the protocols of those whose land we are visiting. Our questions and practices continue to shift as our knowledge grows with time.
COVID SAFETY
Your facilitators confirm we are both fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and have our booster shots.
The Bodhi Manda Zen Centre (BMZC)'s Board of Director's policy is to accept attendees who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. BMZC staff will verify by viewing all participants' proof of vaccination. Participants will be asked to do a self-administered COVID test upon arrival, and the cost is shared with BMZC. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and adherence to these protocols as we strive to make the safest container possible for our work.
If circumstances shift and Men in Touch needs to cancel this workshop, all participants will be refunded in full (not including the PayPal transaction fee). We will proceed while prioritizing the utmost safety of ourselves, our participants, and our communities.
ACCESSIBILITY:
At Men in Touch, we strive to be a safer, inclusive space for queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. There is zero tolerance for racist, classist, homophobic, sexist, and/or transphobic behaviour.
The Bodhi Manda Zen Centre has uneven terrain and steps throughout the grounds. There are gendered washrooms next to the workshop space, and some rooms have a private bathroom. There is a separate shower room with several separated curtained stalls. The room is heated by geothermal radiators.
To ensure that our space is accessible to those who live with scent-sensitivity, we ask all participants to not use any colognes, perfumes, or essential oils.
If you have any concerns about COVID safety or any access needs for the weekend, please let us know and we’ll work on a plan to ensure your safety and comfort.
TESTIMONIAL:
"This was an exquisite and powerful retreat, bringing our group of men into joyous communion with each other, as it deepened our individual relation to body and self. It gave us a radiant experience of the sublime, and the skills to incorporate deeper touch into our relationships that will last far beyond the weekend." - March 2022
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Downloadable poster and preview below:
