Review: Introductory Tantra Evening for Women
Looking, leaping ….and landing in the curious, welcoming and surprising world of Shakti Tantra.
This has been a long time coming. Take one adult lifetime, a recommendation, background reading, an enquiry call, (ok, two, maybe three) and here I am, clicking on the link through to my first connection with Shakti Tantra online – the Introductory Tantra Evening for Women!
The welcome from Annabel and Pauline, the course leaders, is warm and friendly. My fellow participants seem happy to be there too.
‘But how on Earth is this going to work?’ I wonder, (not for the first time).
In at the deep end?
Having attended many courses with people I’m meeting for the first time, I’ve come across icebreakers with plenty of variations on a theme. Yet this is a new one to me.
“Why are you here?” I’m used to this one, and….
“How do you see yourself as a sexual being?”
Gulp.
Inevitably I’m feeling a little nervous. Annabel and Pauline expect this, and once we’ve been introduced to both Shakti Tantra and each other, we’re into the first exercise – getting out of our heads and into our bodies through shaking. I’m trying this standing up, bending slightly to accommodate being attached to my tablet by my earphones (for privacy and to spare my neighbours). It’s not that easy at first, but I work my way around it, and soon I’m starting to ‘think’ less, plugging out of my day and into the accompanying music.
Following this is more relaxation, with a guided body scan. It is only once I am guided to say ‘hello’ to my feet, that I realise, in all my life, this is the first time I have offered them such a salutation. I like it, and they seem to like it too. A lovely connection is made.
We return to the group to share our experiences, and the evening unfolds into more collective exercises, body exercises, sharing, honouring of ourselves, each other, and the space we hold. We are encouraged to nurture an attitude of ‘curious enquiry’. Some of what we are guided to learn is simply beautiful, heartfelt, joyful and innocent, to my surprise.
The newly formed Women’s Circle in which we find ourselves belonging by the close of the evening, seems to create an anticipation of future courses and events.
As mentioned, learning online has its challenges. (I would recommend whizzing round with a vacuum cleaner and having a quick tidy up prior to going live…) but these were not insurmountable. As much of the country is now meeting online, adapting is largely common sense.
One week later, and I’m starting to appreciate the steps I have already taken and progress I have made. I need this. I wonder if as a society, ‘we’ need this, a greater focus on practical guidance to creating respectful relationships with ourselves and each other.
Perhaps I have an obligation to explore this new world in which I have landed some more……..
By Laura (September 2020)
