During the days the substance of the festival is the workshops. You don’t have to go to them and it’s fine to just chill in the tea tent or go for a walk in the forest but there’s a busy program going on that you can join.
Celebration
In the evenings there might also be the occasional workshop but it’s also a time when we can take a break from learning and go more into sharing our stories, hanging out and celebrating life.
Most nights there will be a fire and musicians can gather around the fire to play and sing. There are no concerts or stages and everyone can take part; singing like no one is listening, dancing like no one is watching.
The tea tent is open at nights, too, and many people like to gather there for a hot drink and a chat by candle light.
Sharing circles
When it comes to sex, love and our bodies, there’s soooooooo much to talk about.
For many of us, there are things about our sexuality and our relationships that we’ve always been too embarrassed to talk about. We’ve learned that they’re not topics for polite conversation. We might feel ashamed to even admit some of the things that we feel.
But together, in a safe and judgement-free space, there’s the chance to share, understand and heal.
Throughout the week there will be various sharing circles: some just for men, some just for women, someone for everyone, where we can get deep into tissues surrounding sexuality, body image, relationships, family, trauma and all the hopes, dreams and emotions that come with them.
We’ll gather together in the big tipi and will often use the ancient format of the talking circle where only one person can speak at a time and the rest of the circle listens with empathy and attention.
You don’t have to speak but often you find stuff coming to the surface that you realise you can share in an atmosphere of care and compassion. The talking circle allows even the quietest voice to be heard and it brings people together as a community like nothing else.
Cuddle parties
Cuddle parties are opportunities for people to get together and exchange touch, caresses, hugs and cuddles in a non-sexual way.
They are fully-clothed and are an opportunity to really open up to the joy of physical touch without any agenda.
Play parties
Play parties can get a little wilder…
The essence of a play party is that people can ask for what they would like to happen – perhaps they’d like their body to be caressed by someone’s hair. Perhaps they would like to have a 6 hand massage. It’s a place for explorations and, well, play 🙂
But it’s not a free-for-all. They begin wit guidance on consent and setting boundaries and have different zones – in one area people may just be holding hands or dancing together, in another they might be getting sexual.
Everyone is free to find their own way in their own tempo.