One of my favorite trauma healing experts, Dr. Peter Levine, talks about the necessity of community to effectively heal trauma in the individual.
He describes an experience he had in South America in which one of the female members of the tribe suffered the traumatic loss of her child, and how her village gathered to support her in moving out of her trauma induced catatonic freeze state, through the process of grief, and into healing.
Two weeks ago I had a similar experience of how critical it is to have a powerfully nurturing community in order to deeply heal on an individual level…
June 28th – July 3rd was our 2018 Authentic Tantra Certification Retreat.
We had 23 people from all over North America came together to facilitate a deeper level of healing and growth within themselves, and each other.
These 23 people are all practicing, or have practiced in some capacity, the teachings of Authentic Tantra. The power of having 23 people all trained in the same practices, under one roof is indescribable!
What transpired over these fives days was nothing short of miraculous. We participated in soul retrievals, healing karmic wounds from other lifetimes, taming wounded spirits and offering them empathy and ease from suffering.
We awakened full body bliss by releasing trauma from circumcision, rape, and abuse. We reclaimed the lost pieces of our spirit, which had been fragmented off during the experience of trauma. We reintegrated these fragmented pieces of our selves through Tantric breath, giddy laughter, and orgasms of such power and depth they shook the house.
In short, we became a Tantric village for 5 days in which we practiced, lived, and breathed the non-sexual and sexual practices of the Tibetan Five Element Healing Methods.
And what struck me MOST throughout this experiences, aside from how truly revolutionary and transformative these practices are, was the clarity that this depth of healing was only possible because of the community we all created together.
How were we able to do this? By coming together as a community to create a space that was inclusive, open, free of judgment, supportive, and because of this- SAFE.
Because we were all there with one agenda – to support the highest healing possible together as a collective – the space that was created beckoned healing.
Because of the safety of the community we as individuals were able to relax and let go into a space of trust, dissolve armoring and allow light into places where before there was only terrifying darkness.
We, as a community, shone the light of love into every nook and cranny, every dark corner, every monster, demon, and shadow. We illuminated those dark corners and loved them back into union with GOD.
This event was a complete psycho, spiritual, sexual healing – made possible by a COMMUNITY of dedicated, mature and responsible Authentic Tantra practitioners.
From my perspective there are three specific elements which allowed for this type of community to be created:
#1 – There was ONE agenda held in the hearts of every participant, and that was HEALING, for self AND the group.
Every student who showed up at this retreat was committed to their own healing and 100% committed to being a foundation of support for their classmates. THIS is what makes a GREAT Tantra practitioner. Someone who is as committed to the collective healing as they are to their own individual healing.
#2 – Maturity to own our triggers.
We are human and we will brush up against each other and step on toes. This is what it means to be human and live in community. Yet it’s how we go about addressing those unintended and unconscious trespasses that determines whether a community thrives or not. The teachings of Authentic Tantra give us a variety of tools to remove inner and outer conflicts. When everyone in the community is committed to using those tools, Shit Works!
#3 – There is ONE guru, and that is your own inner wisdom which awakens and strengthens through these practices.
This school and these teachings are not about glorifying an individual or feeding the teacher’s ego. These teachings are about YOU and your process and path to full realization of your ultimate, undying consciousness. Our job as teachers is to support your learning and integration of these time-tested and highly effective tools for transformation, not to stroke our own egos.
Because of the clear intention for healing held by ALL OF US, Authentic Tantra retreats are not orgies and they are not a free for all fuck fest.
These retreats (and this entire program) are about supporting YOU in embodying the art and practice of using pleasure as medicine to heal wounding the world often doesn’t let any of us acknowledge.
As a result of this healing, we as individuals are able to reintegrate pieces of our soul that had been lost and trapped in the traumatic experiences of our past – whether that past be from this lifetime or others.
We can only go so far by ourselves. The gravity of intentional POWER created by like-minded community is crucial in allowing the depth of wounding to rise to the surface, in order to be transmuted by the love of the WHOLE.
This is how we transform this planet from the current state of chaos and suffering, into a society of balanced, healthy human beings, living in harmony with each other and their environment.
