Time to Xplore
Over the recent Easter Weekend I got the opportunity to explore my erotic, sensual and sexual self with like-minded people at an event called Xplore.
Xplore allows you to explore different fields of sexuality and subcultures, ranging from latex and rubber to Shibari ropework, BDSM, Tantra, and much more. Oh, and did I mention naked Yoga? What a concept that is!
So what did I do in these three days? Well, I started each day with naked yoga, which was unbelievably great! To get naked and do yoga is such a liberating thing, for both body and mind. And no, nobody was checking anybody else out. We were all totally engrossed in our own practice – at least, when we weren’t engaged in partner poses, which gave us some great leverage!
I was fortunate enough to meet the wonderfully colorful Tokyo, who led the Latex and Rubber workshop. This was an opportunity to explore this material in all its glory.
Next up was something called the Kissing Whip, were we got to experience and explore how to use a whip. I learnt that the whip is an extension of you, of your soul, and your whip becomes a part of you, which you then give to the recipient. We were taught to go very slowly, even just moving the whip gently over the body, ever so slightly. We got to use all kinds of different whips – big ones, little ones, and even real hair whips.
Then there was Exotic Clowning, which encouraged us to bring out our erotic clowns! This was a workshop full of fun and it took me back to my childhood, with the chance to get dressed up and play. I put on a funky orange top and green tights, along with many different hats. We played all kinds of interactive games and this was a workshop that I totally loved.
Money. Isn’t it funny how no one wants to talk about this subject, or about how much they make (or owe!)? This workshop was all about exposing that and more. We took part in role plays that focused on the theme of money, and got to share our most expensive purchase ever, as well as our biggest-earning year. It really made some people very uncomfortable – but it was a fascinating subject to explore.
Then there was the Shibari workshop. Shibari, more correctly known as Kinbaku is an ancient Japanese artistic form of rope bondage that has many styles and uses. We were very fortunate to have Hajime Kinoko, who came all the way from Japan to be with us. He took us through the workshop ‘Shibari for Therapeutic Purposes’, where we were bound very slowly. I loved it. I have actually booked a two-hour private session with him, to experience the feeling of being tied and suspended. More on that after the session.
I took part in many more workshops over the three days, and the after-party was spectacular, too, with many Shibari performances and whipping demonstrations to entertain us. We danced the night away till the early hours – which is a rarity for me these days.
If you feel the need to explore your inner sexuality, why not check out Xplore 2013. Visit the Xplore website at http://sydney.xplore-festival.com and find out more. Come and join us next year, and do something different for the Easter Bunny within!
In love and light,
Taranga