November 2012 Newsletter Excerpt: Performance Photos, Filming at the Temple, Radio Show & Temple Gatherings and more

Working with energy through movement, breath, sound, touch...

these are some of the key tenets of the path of Sacred Sexuality and have been critical in my personal journey of healing, growth and unfurling. 

Photo by Miguel

At my recent performance at the amazing

DAMNED V - An Exhibition of Enlightened Darkness

, I shared my soul. The piece was an emergence, an exploration from disconnected body and darkness to an emergence of enlightened, connected flow. The performance included fire and movement (inspired by Butoh, qigong and other energy and intuitive movement

Photo by Chop Shop Photography

practices), in conjunction with the transformational strings of Dixon's Violin. Stepping into power, light and flow with confidence and aliveness. Included here are a few photos from the performance. 

And most recently in Ann Arbor, I was inspired with the Continuum Movement (founded by Emilie Conrad) practices of Robin Becker. The practice evoked a deep remembering for me, a visceral familiarity. Robin's teachings inspired new ways for me to share the power of accessing body wisdom with others. I am grateful and look forward to sharing more! 

We are honored to have had Christopher Essey here at the Mystery School of the Temple Arts to film for his documentary on Integrative Medicine. I was honored to share about the healing power of sacred sexuality and shamanism. Excited to be a part of this inspirational film! More soon on when the final film will be released ♥ For now, check out his film promo video and website here>>. 

Our deepening continues with the Sacred Sexuality Shamanic Apprenticeship, our circle has formed and the program is underway headed into our darkest season of the year. I am very honored and grateful for how Spirit guided this group together. Sharing the deep medicine, fills me with gratitude, awe and wonder. If you are interested in possible future Apprenticeships, please contact me if you have not already. 

I was so excited, and nervous, to share on my October radio show about "Female Ejaculation"! Yes, every woman and the men who love them deserve to know about this! You can listen now to the archive of this and other episodes from my website. The November show will be Tues the 20th, join me live! See below for details.

Soon I will be announcing the dates for the Winter/Spring Semester of Sacred Sexuality classes.  You can browse the descriptions of past classes at the Offerings page for ideas of what's to come!

Reminder, please join us this Sunday Nov 18th to continue to explore at the next Temple Community Gathering at Mystery School of the Temple Arts in Michigan (5-7pm)! And listen in from anywhere in the world to the next "Sacred Sexuality with Leslie Blackburn" Radio Show on Tuesday November 20th.  And don't forget I offer Private Sessions as well, so if you'd like to explore this work but the idea of coming to a group class doesn't resonate for you, consider a private setting (Individuals, Couples, Multiple Partners).  Please do check out the FAQ's at my website and reach out, I would love to hear from you!

Love and light to you all!   

Namaste,

Leslie  

Light Bearer

 

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October 2012 Newsletter excerpt: Dark & Light, Performance Art, Radio, Temple Gatherings and more

I have been so inspired lately by the balance of Light and Dark.  The very nature of finding balance in our duality consciousness (for example: feminine & masculine, doing & being, mental & emotional, yin & yang), integrating and bringing wholeness within ourselves to step into our power.   Often in our Spirituality, we get stuck in the assumption that we can only see the Light, that we need to shove away the Dark, the Shadow...sweep it under the carpet, or "conquer" it or destroy it.  The reality is, both aspects of light and dark are crucial to who we are.  Energy cannot be hidden (without repercussions, often quite serious) or destroyed, yet it can be transmuted...changed, healed.  Earlier this year, I deepened in my own Shamanic path by learning and weaving in some of the most powerful shadow teachings available to support transmutation and transformation.  These Chöd practices resonated so deeply with me, that it felt like more of a remembering than a learning.  It was indeed. These shamanic Tibetan Buddhist practices support you in transforming your inner demons and voices that haunt you ("Feeding Your Demons"), as well as transmuting and clearing the land, the community and the consciousness around us ("Black Feast").  I have integrated Chöd into my personal growth and sacred sexual shamanic path, as well as my healing and transformational work with others.  These are powerful practices for self healing and growth, as well as to support others as a healer in your own practice. If the concept of this work resonates for you, reach out to me.

On this note of Light and Dark, I have been sinking into preparations for my next performance. I am honored to be performing for the 4th year in a row at the amazing DAMNED V - An Exhibition of Enlightened Darkness.  What I am feeling is an emergence, an exploration from disconnected body and darkness to an emergence of enlightened, connected flow.  The performance will include fire and movement (inspired by Butoh, qigong and other energy and intuitive movement practices), in conjunction with the transformational strings of Dixon's Violin.  Stepping into power, light and flow with confidence and aliveness.  I've been feeling this as an expression of my own story, an emergence into deep emotional, visceral connection.  I invite you to check out this amazing 3 night exhibit in Detroit, Michigan which includes introspective visual art as well as live performance art.  See below for more details!   

Our deepening continues with the Sacred Sexuality Shamanic Apprenticeship, our circle has formed and the program is underway headed into our darkest season of the year.  I am very honored and grateful for how Spirit guided this group together.  Sharing the deep medicine, fills me with gratitude, awe and wonder. If you are interested in possible future Apprenticeships, please contact me if you have not already.

 

I am honored to share that my September radio show, where I spoke about "Orgasmic Repertoire", was "far and away THE most listened to program we have EVER done to date" according to Body Mind Spirit RADIO!  Thank YOU for making that happen!  You can listen now to the archive of this and other episodes from my website here>>.  The October show is tomorrow, join me live!  See below for details.

So wonderful to have recently shared my "One Love: Sacred Sexual Healing Workshop" which was really well received, as welll as the all new "Polyamory and Alternative Relationships" class.  We shared from a deeply vulnerable, yet exciting and safe place!  The feedback has touched my heart, and I am filled with gratitude!  One woman shared "After the workshop I felt SO highly elevated on the path of polyamory. For me, polyamory went from being a large unknown (though exciting) void to something that felt far more familiar. I felt far better equipped in understanding its challenges, which allowed its blessings to shine forth in my heart and mind." 

Soon I will be announcing the dates for the Winter/Spring Semester of Sacred Sexuality classes.  You can browse the descriptions of past classes at the Offerings page for ideas of what's to come!

Reminder, please join us Sunday Nov 18th to continue to explore at the next Temple Community Gathering at Mystery School of the Temple Arts in Michigan (new time - 5-7pm)! And listen in from anywhere in the world to the next "Sacred Sexuality with Leslie Blackburn" Radio Show on Tuesday October 16th.  And don't forget I offer Private Sessions as well, so if you'd like to explore this work but the idea of coming to a group class doesn't resonate for you, consider a private setting (Individuals, Couples, Multiple Partners).  Please do check out the FAQ's at my website and reach out, I would love to hear from you!

Love and light to you all!   

Namaste,

Leslie  

 Light Bearer

PS. To subscribe to get these Newsletters directly in your email in their original, full format, click Here

Emotional Processing Toolkit!

Often I work with people seeking to improve their intimacy and connection in their relationships.  One of the most crucial aspects of supporting that deepening, is learning communication tools that support each of us as individuals, as well as nurturing the 3rd entity of the "us-ness" in relationship.  One such tool is working with our Emotional Body.

When we are triggered into anger, frustration, jealousy, fear, etc it is crucial to acknowledge and FEEL it in the moment, let it move safely.  Emotions that aren’t honored and are instead stuffed away, get stuck in the body and eventually manifest as tightness, pain, disease, even cancer.  Don’t allow them to fester, process them as they arise.  And acknowledge that there are likely many old ones stuck right now, the very trigger moment that arises has very little to do with what just happened, and a lot to do with what you’ve stored away over time.  So as you begin this practice, there may be a lot more to process than you expect.  Allow yourself to follow it, and you will find the old stuff will release, de-fuse and the triggered places happen less and less, and in smaller ways.  Here are some steps to processing in the moment:

1.    Recognize the emotion in the moment

a.    You may suddenly feel disconnected, paralyzed, out of body 

b.    Sensations in your solar plexus center (3^rd chakra)

2.    Say it out loud

a.    Own it as mine, takes partner out of the picture

b.    Allows partner to become witness

c.    Hard for Ego!

3.    Tell your partner “I need some time for myself to move some energy and I will return soon”

a.    No drama/games

b.    Release old “subconscious contracts” that drain energy (you know the ones…like “You get angry, I get frustrated, you get sad, I feel guilty” notice if you have a particular pattern, this helps you step outside of it to break the pattern)

4.    Be active!  Move the energy

a.    Bulk Energy releasing tools (Emotional Release) – Rules: do not hurt yourself, or anyone or anything.  For example, do NOT direct anger at your partner

                                               i.     Pillow Hitting

                                             ii.     Hand scream

                                            iii.     Wailing

                                           iv.     Pelvic thrusts

b.    Cathartic movement

c.    Even if you want to curl into a ball, especially if you want to curl into a ball, MOVE instead

Do NOT make your partner responsible for creating unhappiness in you!

If you must stay in proximity, remain in the “I feel” discussion (not the “blame” or “you did” discussion).

Once you release and move some energy and feel some spaciousness, return and acknowledge your partner and yourself.  If it’s possible to share in the moment do, or create an intentional time/space to do so in the near future.  Journal about what you’ve noticed for yourself.   

Give yourself a breath of gratitude for taking time for your own healing and growth!  Be gentle with yourself, reach out for help and support from a Sacred Sexual Healer & Transformational Guide if you desire additional assistance or feel overwhelmed by the process.  I would be honored to support you on your journey of self-healing and awareness, please email or call!  My contact information is at my website:  www.MysterySchooloftheTempleArts.com

(portions of this post were inspired by “Tantric Orgasm for Women” by Diana Richardson)

August 2012 Newsletter Excerpt: Vision Quest inspirations, Temple Gathering this Sunday, New Apprenticeship and more

As I sit here on a glorious, sunny afternoon, I am filled with gratitude and love for so much in my life. I have been midwifing myself back into 3D reality having recently returned from a rebirth experience of a Vision Quest on the land in western New York, with my amazing teacher and a sacred circle of new friends.

I am very grateful to have had some amazing spiritual journeys in my life, and this one marks the threshold of a new phase of my own growth and learning. For the first time, I allowed someone very close to me to support me deeply in my journey. My Love, Dixon, chose to support me and the group in a very special way, tending the sacred fire and holding a safe space 24 hours a day for 3 days, including a night of intense thunderstorms! Thanks to Dixon and the other amazing fire tenders, the fire that held our center blazed on! I and the other questers journeyed solo into the land and into our hearts. For those 3 days, I fasted on nothing but water. I met my basic shelter needs with a simple mosquito net and shade structure for rain protection, opting out of using a tent this time. I had warm clothes, sleeping bag, water and my sacred, ceremonial objects and journal. Nothing else, no distractions, just me... the raw, vulnerable me... and the animals, insects, Earth, Sky and Spirit.

What unfolded was perhaps the most powerful awareness opening experience of my life. I tapped into the visionary realms of Spirit and dreamtime in a way that was so visceral and real. I faced some very real fears, as well as joys. I carry with me now the understanding that I can indeed stand with one foot in the 3D world and one in the Spirit realm. That in fact, I MUST do so...to continue to grow and learn myself and that in my teachings I am here to be that bridge, shine the Light of possibility and help others see that infinite power within themselves as well. I am incorporating now, more than ever, ...weaving the vast teachings and facing the dark shadows that are crucial to the path of Sacred Sexuality. I AM a Sacred Sexual Shaman, a Lightworker, supporting others to find and share their gift with the world. A healing path in which I support each person where they are, empowering choice and shedding light on the power we each have to heal our own bodies, learn and grow. I do not take this lightly, I am humbled, honored and grateful. I feel more aligned and on path than ever.

I have such gratitude to Spirit, and the animal world for their guidance and protection. I plan to share more and more of this story as time goes on, for now I will share this one piece:

• On the way home, as I was blessed to not have to drive during the 10 hour return (gratitude once again to my Love!) I got to gaze out the side window at one point and saw a bald eagle!!!...soaring, flying, right along with us, over the water we were crossing.  I felt the freedom, the guidance, the love...yes, "follow your path...fly!!" he encouraged!  

And so the journey continues!!


Which leads me to being excited to share an important announcement of the next phase that was also guided during the quest.  I am pleased to offer a new Sacred Sexuality Shamanic Apprenticeship!  If you have been seeking a way to deepen your own practice, learn more about connecting with and sharing your own authentic gift with the world, and/or teach in the realm of Sacred Sexuality, this apprenticeship is for you!  I am honored to be sharing some powerful teachings, many for the first time.  This will be an integrative program consisting of group training held once a week over a series of 4 months (about 4 each month, for a total of 16 evening sessions), guidance for integration and home practice between sessions, along with a day long connection with the land.  Running from October 2012- February 2013, with the specific dates and details to be announced shortly.  Open to all, men and women of any sexual and gender identity, that feel called to this path!  Group size will be limited, if this apprenticeship is calling you please contact me to receive full details as soon as they are available.

And if you aren't quite feeling called to the commitment of the Apprenticeship program, here are dates for the new set of Fall Sacred Sexuality classes:

• "Tantric Energy Touch": Sunday Sep 9, 2012, 5-7pm
• "One Love: Sacred Sexual Healing Workshop": Saturday Oct 6, 2012, 10am-1pm
• New!! "Polyamory & Alternative Relationships": Saturday Oct 6, 2012, 2:30-4:30pm

Check the Offerings page for details and click here to register!

Reminder, please join us Sunday Aug 26th to continue to explore at the next Temple Community Gathering at Mystery School of the Temple Arts in Michigan! And listen in from anywhere in the world to the next "Sacred Sexuality with Leslie Blackburn" Radio Show on Tuesday August 21st.  And don't forget I offer Private Sessions as well, so if you'd like to explore this work but the idea of coming to a group class doesn't resonate for you, consider a private setting (Individuals, Couples, Multiple Partners).  Please do check out the FAQ's at my website and reach out, I would love to hear from you!

Love and light to you all!  

Namaste,

Leslie 

 Light Bearer

PS. To subscribe to get these Newsletters directly in your email in their original, full format, click Here

What does "Love" mean to you?!

Recently, I wrote a bit about love:

"So what does "love" mean to you? Does it evoke an expansive, bright feeling of aliveness? A state of being and awareness that is transcendental? Or do you feel fleeting happiness, or even anger, guilt, or shame? I invite you to explore "love" as a state of being, as the Oneness that we all share, Universal Love. This is different than human, romantic love. While romantic love can also be wonderful, it lies in a transitory place, a duality...one moment love, the next hate. What's it like to transmute, transform and purge our old ideas of love into the infinite energy space? One that empowers us to be our fully authentic selves! Love as a state of being!"

...and then invited a deeper exploration at the Temple Community Gathering.  An inspiring man, a client of mine I will refer to as PS, reached out, unable to attend the Gathering in person, and shared a bit of his story.  I shared his story at the Gathering, and the response was overwhelmingly resonant!

It has been such an honor to work with PS over the past few years, I am impressed by his body awareness and willingness to slow down and notice it's messages.  His personal growth and brightness has bloomed over this time as he's embodied the very concepts we work with and integrated them into his life's path!

Many people at the Gathering that day asked to see the email he shared.  I am grateful to have his permission, and am happy to share his words here (the color emphasis I've added)!

Sure Leslie,

Thank you for the opportunity. My personal discovery has been that as I started connecting more and more with my body on my journey over the last few years and listening to my body's signals to me I realized that love was not what I was taught my upbringing it was. Through my surroundings and popular culture I was taught that signs of love are 'being struck' by somebody, butterflies in the stomach, anticipation of how the date will turn out, will the person like me as much as I do them etc, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, even difficulty sleeping etc... Well, it turned out, at least for my body, that those are symptoms of fear.  So I realized that what I was always told was love was actually fear - exact opposite of love. I also realized that the language we use to describe this is more fear-like than love-like. We say 'fall in love' - I would now much rather like 'ascend into love'. I have had women tell me in the past that I am so handsome that 'they get weak when they see me' or that their 'knees get weak' thinking they give me a complement - I would have preferred that they had told me that they get strong when they see me. That would be more like love.

It has been the truth in my life that the origin of the fear is the energetic resemblance between the person and those that, although they loved us, actually hurt us most - our parents. The spirit in me recognizes the energies of those that attempted to disconnect us from the source and the body reacts with fear. As I have not been raised to understand what love is and what joy is so as to get my life energy from them, I learned to get energy and the feeling of being alive from cheap thrills and fears - one of them being the fear of those that look like those that hurt me. So I used to go for it - I would get the buzz of feeling alive - like I always do from any fear inducing event. Naturally those relationships had to 'go bad' at some point. Actually they were 'bad' from beginning - they started with fear!

Love is entirely different and is a state of being and it can be heightened by the presence of another person and I try now to seek those types of relationships - that will help me ascend to love, not fall into fear. I am also trying to understand what the role of 'exclusivity' is in relationships which to me feels more like ownership or tax-beneficial societal arrangements rather than love enhancing arrangement.  I don't have answers yet that would give me certainty with which I can organize my life but am continuing my journey.

This is an important topic for my growth and thank you for the opportunity to write a bit about it. I wish I could be there at the gathering - hope to do it next time.

With love, PS

Explore how love feels in your body, and please share your comments!

Namaste,
Leslie

What is your "Sex Elevator Speech"?!

A couple of months ago at a Temple Community Gathering here at Mystery School of the Temple Arts in Dearborn, MI, we explored sharing our "Sex Elevator Speeches", and at the most recent Gathering yesterday, the topic came up again with wild interest!  So I decided to share more about it!

Gratitude to one of my amazing teachers and fellow colleague, Reid Mihalko, for sharing this!  His wild, open and safe approach to love and sexuality is inspiring and fun!   He suggests sharing 5 key points about your Sexuality with anyone you meet!  Try offering your answers to the following 5 questions with a friend, a lover or a new connection...and then ask them to share theirs with you!:

1. What is your Relationship Status, and what are your Relationship Rules/Boundaries?  Are you not in a relationship at all?  Do you have one partner?  More than one partner?  Which gender(s)?  Are you married?  Do you follow traditional rules in your marriage or have you agreed to alternative ones?  What are your unique rules? Etc.
2. When were you last tested for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's)?, which ones?, what were the results?  Release fear and shame about these infections, open honest communication can shift a ton of anxiety.  Learn more about the infections and notice they aren't as scary as you may think.  Learn safe ways to connect deeply, regardless of your status. 
3. What are your Safer Sex Protocols? For example condom usage...do you use one for penetrative sex only?  Oral sex?  Do you use a dental dam?  Do you have a fluid bonded partner (meaning no barrier usage at all)? Etc.
4. What do you really Like to explore sexually? Note, this does not have to be just a list of "sex acts"...your answer might include something like one of mine that I will share here! "I really like to explore deep, conscious, connections with people, both men and women, and let our bodies decide how that energy sharing unfolds!"
5. What do you Not Like?  Again, in addition to a list of actions, explore what other facets don't work for you.  One of mine is: "I don't like disrespect or boundary pushing.  I love to explore a range of energies from soft and expansive to intense and raw, perhaps even shocking to some...however it must be with full awareness and respect of all parties involved!"

And don't assume you know the answers for yourself until you speak them!   If you are in a partnership, explore saying them out loud, in your own words, with each other.  You might be surprised what you learn together!

For example, my Love and I, after having been in a deeply connected, highly communicative, polyamorous relationship for over a year, were still surprised to hear how each of us shared our answers when we first learned this!  It was a beautiful way to expand our sexual path together!

In love and light!  Leslie

Which Mystery School of the Temple Arts class is right for me?!

Often I get questions about the classes offered at Mystery School of the Temple Arts.  Here's an introduction to them that I wrote in a recent newsletter that thought I would share to help navigate which class is right for you!  And as always, feel free to contact me directly with any questions! If you've been considering a class, and wondering which is right for you...I recommend starting with the morning workshop on Feb 11th ("One Love: Sacred Sexual Healing Workshop"), this is a great Introduction to the path of Sacred Sexuality and sets the stage beautifully for the afternoon experience the same day ("Pleasure, Love ,Bliss...Just BE it!!" Feb 11th), as well as providing a beautiful Introduction to working with me privately if that is of interest!  Once you've had some experience with this work (helpful experience includes practices such as meditation, qigong and yoga that bring mindfulness and breath awareness, even if you haven't had a class like this before), the Playshops (Feb 25th and March 24th) are an excellent way to deepen your practice.    And as always, "Tantric Energy Touch" (next offered on March 25th) has had great reviews and is also an excellent place to start, as well as deepen, your practice.    Any class can be taken multiple times, each time the energy of the group differs and offers unique experiences.  And the "One Love: Sacred Sexual Healing Workshop" has some exciting and powerful new content since it was last offered so I invite you to join in again if you feel called! Reminder that classes sizes are limited and they do tend to fill up, pre-registration is required.  More details on all classes and refund policies are listed on-line. If you have any questions, or would like to chat about which class feels right for you, feel free to contact me!  Also with the help of amazing people in my life, I have created some videos to share a bit more about facets of this powerful, life changing path.  If you'd like to see and hear more, consider starting with this one: Sacred Sexuality: Overcoming Fears & Finding Your Truth Love and light to you all!    Namaste, Leslie

Announcing New Radio Show!

I was recently at a yoga workshop with Arthur Kilmurray and was inspired in so many ways (special thank you to Katherine Schaefer for hosting)!  I had many, what I call, "Body Aha Moments!" as he teaches from a place rooted in body wisdom.  And in the realm of body our biggest hurdle can often be slowing down enough to notice the messages!  He shared a quote about living life from Mary Oliver that really resonated for me, and it went something like this:

 "Notice (Pay Attention), Be Astonished (Get excited!) and TELL About it!"

Those closest to me see how often I get excited about new awarenesses, things to share, it's so wonderful!  Often though, for me, I get stuck before the "Tell About it" Part...I share with those close to me but the vulnerability of sharing more broadly sometimes feels scary and I contract.

As Spirit is guiding me to share my story, more and more I am feeling called to share the deeper, harder stuff.  To invite others to see that there are possibilities in life, love, consciousness and sexuality far beyond what we often think are possible.

Sure enough, as I declared my readiness to the Universe, a beautiful opportunity unfolded.  And now I am thrilled and honored to announce my new Radio Show!

I am so excited!! I will be hosting this monthly radio program beginning March 20, 2012! "Sacred Sexuality with Leslie Blackburn" will air live on Body Mind Spirit Radio the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 10-11am (now a new time, same day!).

Options to Listen in live:

1) Internet streaming: Go to Body Mind Spirit Radio (no sign-in required)

2) By phone: call 646 378-0378 to listen in! You don't have to talk, however if you choose to talk, dial 1 to be in the caller queue

3) Join in directly to Leslie's Show Event on Body Mind Spirit Radio (requires a free sign-up, enables you to leave a comment & join in the chat room)

First one: Tuesday Mar 20, 2012, 12-1pm (EST), continuing the 3rd Tuesday of each month!

Please join me each month for straight talk, enthusiastic support and heart-felt encouragement for YOU to OPEN up to YOUR Sacred Sexuality!