This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn EFT for smoothness and mental flexibility.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is an emotional version of acupuncture wherein we stimulate certain meridian points by tapping on them with our fingertips. This addresses a new cause for emotional issues (unbalanced energy meridians). Properly done, this frequently reduces the therapeutic process from months or years down to hours or minutes. And, since emotional stress can contribute to pain, disease and physical ailments, we often find that EFT provides astonishing physical relief. (More at http://www.emofree.com/Newcomer.htm)

The tapping 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 August 31, 2009 at 5:21 PM and has received 775 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we look at "What is Tantra?".

This short lecture with audience participation that explains what Tantra is, and what it isn't. The presentation includes a few quick Tantric breath techniques guaranteed to give you an experience in your body. This is a funny, entertaining and enlightening way to learn about Tantra.

While Laurie can not be with us this time in person, she will be here on audio CD for the exercises.

Laurie Handlers is a spiritual leader and dynamic speaker.  She holds a Masters degree in Education and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology.  She has taught Butterfly Tantra workshops for women, men, couples and singles since 1999.  She is an international presenter and workshop leader and has been featured in articles, on radio and TV in the United States and abroad. You can order her Shamanic Release & Latihan CD her Bliss: Beginner’s Tantra DVD or her new book Sex & Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy on her website below. You can catch pod casts of her radio show at www.tantracafe.com.

Laurie is teaching a one day workshop Intro to Tantra called "Bliss" on Sunday 9/20/09 in Rockville.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Laurie's Sex & Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy book:

• “If I could distill all my advice about Tantra and sex into one sentence, that sentence would be, Make love in the unknown. In answer to all your fears and doubts about sex, I’d simply say to you, bring back your beginner’s mind. Come to the bedroom with no expectation. Come with openness in your heart for whatever happens.”
•  “In Tantra you'll feel more peaceful, more tolerant, more aware of the world that has nothing to do with doing; everything to do with being.”
• “Intimacy with another requires first and foremost coming to peace with your own emotional and physical needs.”
• "Through Tantra, the power of sexual energy is able to render transformation."

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.

Some tips on Tantra at http://www.newfrontier.com/nepal/whatis.htm

This entry was posted on August 10, 2009 at 5:00 PM and has received 485 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we gather at Joel's house. More details to come.

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 August 10, 2009 at 4:00 PM and has received 460 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we look at Living with an Open Heart.  What are the benefits of opening your heart and are there any downsides? Finally we will look at how can I live with an open heart independent of external circumstances. This part is especially important in the coming shifts that are manifesting on our planet. Staying in heart space can be hard when others are in fear and the news is filled with panic. However I think it is vital for our health, happiness and in some cases our very survival!

We will learn some methods for moving our consciousness into a heart space of love, including a beautiful relaxing Shamballa meditation. And practice some ways to stay in our heart when others are not.

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.

What does living with an open heart mean to you?

Here are some good thoughts on this

...  living with an open heart means fully possessing and expressing trust, faith, love and hope.  To me it does not mean wearing your heart on your sleeve, as much as it means that you are genuine in how to approach others, and give fully of yourself at any given time to any given individual...

... living with an open heart used to mean give everything that I have to others, and have nothing to sustain myself.  That has changed in a big way.  You see, if I give everything that I have, and don’t reserve any for my own needs, eventually the well goes dry.  ...

... one must be willing to give, and to also, receive.  One also must be willing to take care of the heart needs that we have ourselves, so that our souls will be forever strong to assist others when they need us. 

... you have to be ready to heal the cracks within.  I have had several cracks, and outright breaks in my heart.  I have hurt, and angered, and loved and lost....

More at:

http://vanessaleighsblog.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/in-the-spirit-of-ubuntu-live-with-an-open-heart/

I have some fears about living all the time with an open heart. What if 
I am hurt? What if someone rejects me? What if I get ripped off?

What fears do you have around living with an open heart?

PS interesting article and technique for opening your heart and health 
benefits of doing so at
http://www.drlaman.com/living_with_an_open_hearth.html

This entry was posted on August 10, 2009 at 3:30 PM and has received 511 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we hit the topic of spanking for fun and pleasure. Whether it is a few gentle taps or a full OTK experience, many people find spanking to be exciting and a turn on. Activities range from occasional sexual roleplay (such as ageplay) to domestic discipline and may involve the use of a hand or the use of a variety of spanking implements, such as a spanking paddle or cane. Many cultures describe pain as an aphrodisiac. For example, the Kama Sutra, in particular, goes into specific detail on how to properly strike a partner during sex. We will also look at the spiritual side of spanking and pleasure. There will be a demo and if you want to be a demo bottom or top let me know!

We will also look at how to spank safely and areas that you should avoid spanking.

Here is an erotic spanking story to give you some ideas:

Communication is key:

"Communicating clearly and honestly with your partner is the first step, in any exploration or experimentation with new sexual ideas, and spanking is certainly a topic that will require discussion and honest communication between partners. While you are not in a sexual situation, fantasize with your partner about what you would like to do. Talk about sexy ideas, and incorporating some sexy erotic spanking into your sexual play. Together, decide your boundaries. Does she want to be spanked to tears? Does he fantasize about being spanked as ‘punishment’ or as pleasure? Discuss what you will do if one or both of you aren’t crazy about spanking." Read more

On the question of should the spanker stand or sit and what is best for the spankee... check this article out see this article:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/975860/bdsm_101_spanking_guide_for_new_and.html?cat=7

Some thoughts on the spiritual side of spanking and BDSM:

"Unable to move, unable to see, capable only of assimilating the dull thud of the strikes, I touched on a very pure and unfiltered awareness, something accessible only when enough layers had been pulled away to uncover it. For the first time, I had a sense of truly being myself -- no brainspace for taking notes for future stories or distancing myself from my own experience in any way. My standard methods of filtering information were completely shattered. Read more

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 August 10, 2009 at 3:00 PM and has received 558 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we gather by the bonfire in the backyard and chant, drum and dance to celebrate summer and the harvest. We will do a ritual for abundance and healing during the remainder of the year. Summer is a time of great abundance - corn and vegetables growing, friends and lovers meeting and long summer nights. This is a chance to connect with each other and with Mother Earth.

In the event that Father Sky sends rain we will drum, chant and dance in the new basement.

The circle 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 August 1, 2009 at 2:21 PM and has received 474 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we look at Energy Blocks with Barra Kahn (who you may know from her role hosting CSL). Do you find some areas of your life flow well and that you are stuck in other areas? What are Energy blocks?  Where are they?  How do we become aware of them?  What can we do about them?  How do we move the energy so that we can flow again?

In this session of Sandbox we will explore energy blocks from the Core Energetics perspective, learn how to recognize them, and what to do about them. I have done Core work with Barra and my experience is that she is very talented at helping people to shift energy in a loving environment!

Energy blocks are unconscious defense mechanisms that we create to protect ourselves against early wounding.   Energy blocks stop the free flowing expression of who we really are. We will use body readings to help uncover the stuck places and then do some physical processes to move that stuck energy. This frees you up to explore issues from a different perspective and solve where you are stuck. Because having a full tummy or alcohol gets in the way of this work we will do it before  dinner. Energy released I am sure we will all have a good appetite for dinner! There will be some light snacks available at 6pm in case anyone is very hungry!

The circle begins BEFORE dinner at 7pm.  I invite you to join us, though as always what ever choice you make you will be honored in.

This entry was posted on July 25, 2009 at 2:25 PM and has received 441 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn how to cut cords of attachment that are draining your energy. You are energetically corded to anyone who you have a relationship with (family members, friends, co workers, acquaintances etc) in some way whether it is harmful or healthy. Often this cord has a flow of unconditional love but sometimes it is negative energy. These negative bonds can negatively impact all aspects of your life. For example, your behavior may be influenced or controlled by the person you are negatively bonded to. You may be easily manipulated, feel stuck, depressed, have low energy levels or simply feel bad in the other person’s presence.

Will the cutting hurt? No - usually there is a release as you cut the attachment then you feel lighter. It does not affect the other person in case you are worried about hurting them too! Cords tend to stay around for ever unless you cut them so if you have energy drains from past relationships or even from people who have died you can cut then and start free today.

The cutting 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 July 10, 2009 at 2:23 PM and has received 428 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we learn about safe and pleasurable anal play for men receiving. We will view some clips from a video called Bend over Boyfriend about safe anal play for women on men, followed by a discussion, Q/A and/or demo.

Ever want to learn about anal sex for men? Want great orgasms, renewed intimacy & sexy romance?

In Bend Over Boyfriend, sex educators Carol Queen and Robert Morgan guide you step by step, showing you how to have anal sex and spice up your sex life.

• Build your confidence to ask for anal sex with your partner
• Find the best anal sex positions and techniques
• Choose the right strapons and dildos for anal penetration
• Select the best lubes and lubrication for anal sex
• Strapon the perfect dildo for his pleasure
• Relax and fully enjoy anal penetration
• Fuck him so anal sex doesn’t hurt
• Make an evening of anal sex a romantic experience

And men, you’ll see just how good it feels to have your prostate stimulated. Prostate stimulation, you’ll agree, leads to explosive orgasms!

The video 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 May 11, 2009 at 11:45 PM and has received 811 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.

This Wednesday Sandbox gathering we gain insight into profound unconscious blocks that get passed down from our families and ancestors. It is like spiritual psycho-drama. This neo-shamanic approach allows for insights that you can’t get to by traditional therapy.

Family Constellation work, as developed by renowned European psychotherapist Bert Hellinger during the last 20 years, has grown rapidly in Europe and is now gaining international attention. This technique grew out of his time as a priest in Africa, seeing how the Masai tribe of South Africa worked with their ancestral spirits.

This approach also comes from a long tradition of systemic therapy, which looks at situations as a whole versus as isolated incidents of wounding or pain. By viewing family situations in the context of a larger whole, we gain insights into the deeper reasons why things occur in a family: why individuals are pushed out, denied a place or not spoken about; and why behavioral patterns appear to repeat, often unconsciously, over generations.

We are all affected by our family energy field, or "family soul.”  Examining the family soul can help us to resolve issues that trouble our being. This family soul includes both the living and the dead and has a deep effect on the present generation.

In Family Constellation work group members are chosen to represent the participant’s family members and are positioned intuitively by the participant. As if stepping into the energy field of that particular family, these representatives then begin to feel in their bodies the actual feelings of those family members they are representing.  Unconscious loyalties are then brought to the surface. As new, healthy images of the family system emerge, genuine love and strength can begin to flow in a liberating way. The effects of this are profound and life-changing.


Randy Goldberg is a graduate of the Hellinger Institute of DC, and continues doing advanced studies with Heinz Stark from Germany. Randy is a former Yoga monk, a Craniosacral therapist, a world famous astrologer interviewed by the Washington Post and by CNN. He facilitates Family Constellation therapy for individuals and groups. www.randygoldberg.org

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 May 11, 2009 at 11:40 PM and has received 903 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.