Today’s column reviews a tantra retreat led by Hanna Tantra. For more on Hanna, check out her latest book, Tantric Lovers: The Ultimate Guide – Making Your Relationship Last.
I opened my eyes and we were still hugging. I didn’t quite know what to make of it. I was always the big hugger amongst my family and friends, and here I was mid-embrace – a long embrace even for me – with a stranger I had just met.
We breathed together, our chests rising and falling until we both released our arms and he said with a smile “That was a tantric hug.” This tantric hug seemed remarkably similar to what I have come to know in Austin as the hippie hug, and as I walked to my room on the ashram, I wondered about just what I had gotten myself into for the weekend.
Tantra is one of those ideas that most people have heard about, but few actually understand. When I heard that Ben and Efrat were inviting a Jewish Israeli and one of the world’s foremost tantra teachers for a three-weekend retreat at Israel’s Ashram in the Desert, I knew this was going to have Jewrotica written all over it. I was itching to experience the ashram, dip my toes in the waters of tantra and report back. And I figured, what other tantric retreat would have Kabbalat Shabbat penciled into the schedule on Friday afternoon? So, I registered for the weekend – the first weekend – and didn’t look back (The first weekend focused on tantric breathing, whereas the second weekend featured tantric massage and the third weekend was “tantra for lovers”. Yeah…).
So, what is tantra? There are different definitions, but the one that I would put forth is spiritual, mindful and ritualized sexuality. Halacha is to religious Judaism what ritual is to tantra – it permeates every element of the practice, and is meant to elevate actions while providing a structure for intention.
My only other Jewrotica “field trip” so far had been to the World Erotic Art Museum in Florida – a new experience, to say the least. But that experience was as a passive observer, whereas Hanna Tantra – our weekend instructor – required full participation in the retreat.
I wasn’t sure how much I would absorb from the weekend – if only for the language barrier. While my Hebrew is fairly fluent, my Jewish day school did not equip me with the proper vocabulary for a tantric retreat (big surprise). Though I did pick up a handful of words, most of the weekend instruction was in English and much of the weekend chanting was in Sanskrit, Arabic and Hebrew.
Some folks came as couples, though plenty of un-partnered individuals were present as well. Each man was asked to partner up with a woman for the opening exercise. One woman’s arrival was delayed, throwing off the balance, and Hanna asked for a volunteer to partner with two men. I figured that I was here for the experience and besides, how intense could breathing be, so – after a prolonged silence without a movement in the room – I piped up and volunteered.
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The people behind Jewrotica are quite quality! I have confidence that any project these folks take on will be equally quality.
I’m into Jewrotica. I went in for my second circumcision.
I had a great time deejaying at the Jewrotica event at Columbia University. The live readings were hilarious, informative, and in some cases, deeply moving. I know that I, along with many of my AEPi fraternity brothers, loved being able to connect our Judaism and our sexuality in a way that made all of us feel comfortable and welcome. I look forward to being a part of this again in the future!
I’m so glad that Jewrotica is represented here at Jewlicious! It’s bringing voices that need to be heard in the Jewish discussion and Jewish climate environment.
I attended and participated in last month’s Jewrotica event. The engaging performers and Ayo, our inviting host, inspired the audience to feel like one big community. What a great way to inspire our community to embrace sex as a beautiful thing that can be fun, exciting, sacred, sensual, ridiculous, scary and everything in between!
Jewrotica was everything I had dreamed of and more: sexy attendees, tantalizing confessions, and well-written literature to boot! More importantly, it empowers us Jews to reach inside and own our sexy selves and heritage!
The Jewrotica event “Evening of Jewrotica: Bedside Reading” was awesome. As Master of Confessions, I got to read the deepest, darkest secrets of people in the room out loud… It was scintillating, titillating, and – yes – even educational!
Jewrotica is something that the community has needed for a long time so that people can actually learn, express and share and have good relationships without having to stumble through life. Check out the site and learn something. Have fun!
My opinion on Jewrotica is: It’s sexy. It’s awesome. It’s Judaism to the next level. It’s what we should all be getting into!
What an incredible night Jewrotica was!!!! There was this fantastic moment, in a sea of Jews of all sexualities, ages, backgrounds and denominations, that I realized we were all in this together! I hope that there are many more events coming to Austin soon!
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