Everybody has a body.
That’s the essential philosophy of the Sensuality Festival.
When we breathe, eat, drink, talk and move – every single thing we do is meditated through our body, it’s the one constant companion for every moment that we’re alive in this world.
But our bodies can be strangers to us. They can be reservoirs of trauma, places of shame, something that we might rather hide from others.
And yet our bodies can be such mediums of joy and delight, sources of pride and strength. When we begin to explore our physical selves we can awaken depths in how we move, dance and make love.
Because as our bodies meet other bodies in this world, we may feel attraction, desire and love. And then how can we connect sexually and emotionally with another in an authentic, conscious way?
Whether you want to deepen your relationships, heal traumas or learn to feel comfortable in your own body, the Festival of Sensuality is an opportunity to break free of old patterns and embrace a celebration of life.
Is this a sex festival?
It’s the Festival of Sensuality, not sexuality! The festival’s mission is to awaken in us all a deeper joy of living, of loving, of feeling alive in our bodies, awake to our feelings and desires.
And of course sexuality is part of that. And some workshops may explore aspects of kink, BDSM, and intimate massage. Other workshops, however, are more focused on dance, breath, communication.
The festival is a sex-positive space which means we encourage acceptance and communication around sexuality and acknowledge it as a fundamental part of what it means to be alive.
It doesn’t mean that you will have sex at the festival and it shouldn’t be your motivation to come!
You also won’t see people having sex or feel pressure in any way to take part in anything you don’t want to. In fact, staying true to what you want to do is an integral part of the festival experience :).
Is this a tantra festival?
Tantra festivals are to be found all over Europe these days but it’s not the focus of our festival. While there might be a workshop on tantra if someone proposes it, we won’t all be dressing up in white and addressing one another as gods and goddesses 🙂
The festival has a grounded, secular approach where you won’t be asked to believe in anything or take part in esoteric rituals! A sense of humour and a down-to-earth approach is at the heart of what the festival is all about, where everyone feels welcome regardless of their background and what they believe.
Because everybody has a body 🙂
Will I be safe there?
It’s really important to us that everyone’s boundaries are respected and so the festival will have established ground rules regarding consent and interaction. In fact, we take half of the first day to bring the entire festival together and establish the ground rules and ethos of the festival, really making sure everyone understands the nature of consent and boundaries.
We’ll take some time to practise saying ‘no’ and also to practise hearing a ‘no’ – with the invitation to hear it as an act of trust where the other person has let us know their boundaries. When we can trust their ‘no’ then we can also really trust their ‘yes!’
Of course as we participate in the workshops and activities we might find ourselves leaving our comfort zones and sometimes it’s hard to really express where we’re at and when we’ve gone a little too far. So we establish a double-tap system to indicate when we want something to stop.
We also encourage everyone to keep checking in. A ‘yes’ is not a yes forever, it’s only a ‘yes for now’. When in doubt we slow down, check in and make sure we’re all on the same page.
And still, stuff comes up! Unexpected emotions, triggered memories, doubts and fears.
Which is why we have a team of angels who are there to listen, hold space and provide support. They will be available at regular times each day to listen and support you in your journey. They will also be present during workshops that might evoke strong emotions.
Learn more about safety at the festival.
Is the festival for me?
Every year we’re asked this.
Am i too old to come?
Am I too young to come?
Am I too inexperienced to come?
We all yearn to belong, to be accepted, to be part of something and we’re often so quick to exclude ourselves before others might reject us!
At the Festival of Sensuality we believe that the greater our diversity of ages, backgrounds, orientations, the richer we are as a result.
If you have a body, you’re welcome!