This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn about sex as a celebration with Tantra teacher Om Rupani from NYC. The word 'Celebration' to me epitomizes human abundance.  It is a state marked by lavishness, sharing and joy.  Our celebrations hallmark what we cherish, what we want to preserve and nourish in our lives, in our relationships and in our culture.

So what does it take to make our sex into a celebration?

Come explore the possibilities! 

This evening will start of with a few ideas and discussions and exercises to explore the notion.  Where it ends up will depend partly on you the participants.  Come play!---as much as you want, from any position that you want.  It's all perfect.

Om is a photographer and a sex educator.  He shoots fashion and portraits of beautiful women by day and teaches people how to have better sex by night. He was born and raised in the great city of Bombay/Mumai.  Like many other sensible Indian lads he started his career in the direction of engineering and medicine, but then the Muse called and that was that.

He has been with the same fabulous woman for 21 years.  He started studying sexuality and relationships some years back mainly to make his own life better and sweeter and more vibrant.  Along the way that student heard the call to teach and share and hold space for others.

He was the director of the NY branch of OneTaste Urban Retreat Center for over a year and taught all their courses on sexuality, communication, and Orgasmic Meditation.  He has studied Tantra with various wonderful teachers.  His two biggest philosophical/spiritual influences are Osho and Eckhart Tolle.

His teaching style combines psychological insight with hands-on sensual practices.  His goal for his students is to help them become Masterful at Giving and Masterful at Receiving---and face and play with all the monsters they encounter along the way. 

For more on his teachings visit: www.OmRupani.org
To see his photography visit: www.OmRupani.com

The workshop begins after dinner at 8pm.  I invite you to join us, though as always what ever choice you make you will be honored in.

This entry was posted on February 25, 2010 at 8:02 PM and has received 1902 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn how to ask for what we want and explore our desires and needs. Many of us are afraid to ask for what we want in a relationship for fear or either not getting it or of having the other person give it to them out of obligation. Asking for what you want is an act of trust. You are taking a step into the unknown – not knowing how the other person will respond. We are giving up control because when we chose to relate we don't know what the answer will be. And in my experience it is better to practice lots of asking and getting some No than to avoid asking and then making asking a request mean more than it does.

This week we will practicing saying what we want, what we don't want and from who. And renegotiating these requests when we notice that our feelings have changed. Oh my goodness what if others get angry or upset by our requests? We will work with that energy too! We will work with some of the skills from Susan Campbell's book Getting Real.

[Some text from copied from http://www.susancampbell.com/datinghelp/10truthskills.html ]

The workshop begins after dinner at 8pm.  I invite you to join us, though as always what ever choice you make you will be honored in.

This entry was posted on February 24, 2010 at 11:30 PM and has received 1803 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn how to make our life more balanced. The Spring Equinox is near on March 21st and it is a day of 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness balancing light and dark. What a great time to look at how our home/work/pleasure are balanced and learn ways to improve.

The workshop begins after dinner at 8pm.  I invite you to join us, though as always what ever choice you make you will be honored in.

This entry was posted on February 24, 2010 at 11:14 PM and has received 687 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

I just found the DC Area Spiritual Resource Center website. It lists numerous spiritually minded and artistic events, workshops, yoga, kirtan, seminars, classes, centers and information. The author is Marc who teaches a weekly Tai Chi class in Bethesda.

This entry was posted on February 23, 2010 at 7:30 PM and has received 1788 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

I have been to this several times - great art and music and interesting people.

Playa del Fuego is Burning Man festival in Delaware - a celebration of 
the spirit of radical self-expression, community, and participation. And 
plenty of music and fire art! Playa del Fuego is the burning event of 
the Mid-Atlantic Region.  The Spring 2010 event will take place this 
May Memorial Day weekend,(5/27/10-5/31/10) from Thursday 5 pm through 
Monday noon. Tickets are $50 for 4 days (what a deal!) for camping. The 
cut off for online tickets is Saturday March 27 (first tier), Tuesday April 27, (second tier) . FYI Tickets often sell out with in 10 minutes of the posting time. 

More info at
http://www.playadelfuego.org/

This entry was posted on February 22, 2010 at 4:07 PM and has received 1807 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

I haven't watched TV news or listened to radio news for about 3 years
now. I do sometime read headlines in the Washington Post when I am
grocery shopping. But my main news source is what friends and coworkers
are talking about. If it is big news then I hear about it. (I used to
spend an hour a day reading the Post cover to cover plus CNN, PBS news.
I guess I was a news junkie!)

So I found this article by Joe Vitale about new and a new positive only news website
interesting.

Joe Vitale wrote:

> As you probably know, I'm not a
> fan of mainstream news.
>
> Why?
>
> It's generally 99% negative and fear based.
> Not to mention, most of the news has very
> little impact on your daily life, unless you
> choose to engage and consume it, which
> doesn't feel good at all.
>
> Why invite it in to begin with?
>
> This is not the "Outer Limits." You are in
> complete control of your television set.
>
> With that said, I am a major fan of reading
> and consuming positive and inspirational
> books, news, press and headlines.  For me
> this is an inspiring process that helps foster
> creativity and success.
>
> This morning I read a batch of the latest
> testimonials and case studies from my Miracles
> Coaching students.  Wow - talk about a jolt of
> inspirational adrenaline.  My coaching students
> are taking the expression "Dare Something Worthy"
> to new heights.
>
> One particular case study really caught
> my eye, as it seemed to truly embody
> taking immediate action on an inspired idea.
>
> Inspired largely by my book "The Attractor
> Factor", one of my miracles coaching students
> developed a "positive news" website.
>
> Yep. This site has nothing but positive news
> relating to business, politics, health, science,
> entertainment and more. You can see it here --
>
> http://www.positivenewz.com 
>
> Now that's a news site worth visiting.

They have an old saying in newspapers that "if it bleeds it leads". I take to mean that violence, conflict and fear tend to make it to the front page or leading stories. This is even more true of TV, which is a more emotional medium.

I do like some radio shows such as This American Life which goes into non=leading stories.

Perhaps if you contact the website with you idea for actionable news they would be interested.

If you don't already read it you might check out Yes magazine http://www.yesmagazine.org/

"Concerned with building a more just, sustainable, and compassionate future with articles about economic alternatives and peace options."

I also watch spiritual cinema circle DVDs as a way to find uplifting movies and documentaries. http://www.spiritualcinemacircle.com/

Does any one have any other positive magazines, website or shows they can recommend?

This entry was posted on February 18, 2010 at 4:11 PM and has received 1838 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

I have used EFT (tapping) for years and highly recommend it. Here is info on the free tapping world summit from Joe Vitale. The event is Sunday, February 21st, through Tuesday, March 2nd 2010

Last year 81,000 people attended the Tapping World Summit. This year even more will attend the free online event.

Why?

And what is tapping?

Tapping is a simple way to release issues and blocks that occur in your life.

I call it "psychological acupuncture."

In short, all you do is use your fingers and "tap" specific areas of your body while you think of a problem or issue you want to release.

Tapping has been shown to provide relief from chronic pain, emotional problems, disorders, addictions, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, and physical diseases, as it helps people clear the limiting beliefs that are holding them back from attracting what they really want.

I've been using, teaching and promoting this simple technique for decades. I've written about it, and even appear in a movie about it, called "The Tapping Solution" (formerly titled Try It On Everything).

The Tapping World Summit is the best place to learn all about this.

It has lots of teachers and lots of bonuses.

It's an online event -- and it's freeee.

Just go to --

http://www.tryitoneverything.com/cmd.php?Clk=3533132

This entry was posted on February 18, 2010 at 4:06 PM and has received 970 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

Recently a friend suggested renaming "Global Warming" to "Climate Chaos".  Michael Rios wrote:

"Who doesn't like being warm?  And when the warming is
just a couple of degrees, who can tell the difference between 76 degrees and 78?  None of these are likely to generate concern in the average listener.

The issue that matters isn't temperature itself; it is the consequences of those changes that are important.  So while "global warming" is technically correct, better and more meaningful framings would have been "global climate instability" or "climate chaos."

Framing the debate by choosing what you call the issue is a key way to win a debate before you start. It is something that right wing issue groups have been doing well for years now, using NLP to help frame issues. Perhaps it is time for left wing groups to start using this technology more. Perhaps it is time to email Al Gore and suggest a reframe for global warming like the one Michael Rios gave above

"Strange title for a New York Times bestseller, isn't it, but this little book has lit a fire under the Democratic party which had no idea how it lost the last election. The author, George Lakoff, is a linguist. He studies language and how it works in society and especially inside of our heads.

In this 120-page book, Lakoff argues that the Republicans won by framing the debate about everything in the election. And framing is so powerful a tool that it got people to vote for Bush and against their own self interest. "Many Americans voted their moral identity and values, often at the expense of the economic interests." Such is the power of framing.

Howard Dean, in the foreword, says: "Language matters. Americans who want to be first to set the agenda need to be quick, and must understand the use of language."

Whether you're a politician running for election, a corporate leader trying to shift the corporate direction, or just a parent trying to orient your children, you might want to learn more about framing and reframing.

This entry was posted on February 18, 2010 at 4:00 PM and has received 1857 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

I just bought this from HayHouse (text and images below from their newsletter) - looks interesting if you are into chanting or India spirituality. I have several of his regular CDs and looking forward to listening to this more personal one.

Coined "the chant master of American yoga" by the New York Times, Krishna shares his heart through music and chanting—his way of serving the Divine within himself and others.

Chants of a Lifetime: Searching For A Heart Of Gold offers an intimate collection of stories, teachings, and insights from Krishna Das. Since 1994, the sound of his voice singing traditional Indian chants with a Western flavor has brought the spiritual experience of chanting to audiences all over the world. He has previously shared some of his spiritual journey through talks and workshops, but now he offers a unique book-and-CD combination that explores his fascinating path and creates an opportunity for just about anyone to experience chanting in a unique and special way.

Chants of a Lifetime is about Krishna's search for true meaning within. He details his struggle with seeking outside himself for love and acceptance and the connection he found through chanting.

My life has been spent searching. Even before I knew what I was looking for, everything that has happened to me has led me into the presence of love, whether it was the physical presence of my guru or the presence of love deep within my own heart. No matter what my life may look like from the outside, on the inside it is a constant process of turning toward that place, of trying to come face-to-face with love.

The more I chant and share my path with seekers from so many different countries and cultures, the more I am being transformed myself. The purpose of this book is to illuminate the part of my path that surrounds and gives life to the chanting. I hope that by sharing the way I see my life, some of my experiences and some of the things I've learned while waiting for the door of my heart to swing open may be of help to those of you who are trying to open that same door.

Chanting alone is not my path. It is my main practice, but my life—and everything in it—is my path. I had the opportunity to spend several years in the presence of my guru, and I've been able to meet many saints, yogis, lamas, and instructors from different spiritual traditions. Without the blessing of these wonderful teachers and my experiences with them, I wouldn't have been able to pass through the darkness and despair that have often filled my life, and finally begun to learn how to be good to myself.

When we do kirtan, the practice of what in India is called "chanting the Divine Name" over the course of a few hours, we are letting go of our "stories" and offering ourselves into the moment over and over again. Chanting is a way of deepening the moment, of deepening our connection with ourselves, the world around us, and other beings. The Sanskrit chants that we sing—recognized for millennia as the Names of God—come from a place deep within each of us, so they have the power to draw us back within. If we go deep enough, we will all arrive at the same place, our deepest Being.

When you hear my story, maybe it will resonate in your heart because, even though all of us walk our different paths and live our different lives, we are all headed to the same place: our One Heart of Gold.

Chants of a Lifetime includes photos from Krishna Das's years in India and also from his life as a kirtan leader—and the CD that is offered exclusively in the book consists of a number of "private" chanting sessions with the author. Instead of being performances of chants for listening, the recordings make it seem as if Krishna Das himself is present for a one-on-one chanting session. The idea is for the listener to explore his or her own practice of chanting and develop a deepening connection with the entire chanting experience.

This entry was posted on February 18, 2010 at 3:56 PM and has received 1927 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

The Sandbox sleepover weekend is Friday 4/2/10 - Sunday 4/4/10. Come co-create a stronger Sandbox community! I was inspirited both by the New Culture weekend and the Sandbox cabins/kitchen at Beltane.

Please RSVP here.

• opening circle Friday night to create safe container and introductions
• plenty of unstructured time to hang, interact, play
• workshops, some dance/movement
  • Contact improv dance
  • a morning yoga class
  • Millie wiccan ritual
  • Buddhist meditation (developing bodichitta)
  • Aural sex (yes the ears!)
  • Cuddle pit
  • Finger (and other body parts) painting
  • More to come
• closing circle Sunday lunch
• space to sleep over if you chose or commute to and fro
• shared meals - breakfast, lunch, dinner
• everyone helps out with prep and clean up like at Wednesday gatherings
• support for clear communication throughout the weekend
• Cost is on a sliding scale donation basis so that all that want to attend can. Suggested donation $50 for the whole weekend - Friday night, all day Saturday, Sunday til after lunch closing circle. If you only come for part of the weekend then make a partial donation.

This entry was posted on February 18, 2010 at 3:45 PM and has received 1738 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.