The first Bodysex® workshop took place in April 2022 in Vienna in a sex-positive venue named Schwelle. This place is a hub for a fantastic community of like-minded people interested in exploring and expanding their knowledge about sexuality. Reinhard Gaida, the founder of the Schwelle Vienna provides an amazing opportunity for me to run Bodysex workshops from now on in Vienna.
We only started advertising the Bodysex workshop 3 weeks before the actual event. I was certain that I will have a fully booked (10+ women) workshop. The reality seemed very different from my vision, as I received one booking per week in the coming weeks up until the actual workshop. Therefore it looked like I would be running a workshop for a teeny-weeny group of 3 women. Most importantly the workshop was happening and some women would profit from it.
The day before the workshop I meet Reinhard. He informed me that 12 women (!!) had booked my bodysex workshop. I stood in awe, knowing I would hold the space for a full group. I felt very happy, excited and slightly overwhelmed but I was sure the universe would provide just the right women, who were ready for the work. On next day the women started to arrive to the space. It was heated up by an open fire, the air smelled of scented oils and it was softly lit.
Bodysex workshops are for goddesses embarking their journey on removing shame , guilt and trauma, whilst broadening their perception of the experience of pleasure.
The first women immediately lay down in the circle. Her natural use of the space made it even more seductive to let go and just relax. Healing from body shame had already begun.
As we all gathered in the circle, we took a few minutes to become present through meditation. Allowing our body, mind and soul to fully arrive and opening our awareness to experience an embodied selflove practice in a community of women. I started by guiding the women through a healing breast massage. It’s a fun ritual in which we touch, stroke and shake our breasts and „tune into the right radio station“ by giving our nipples a meridian massage.
I loved the group dynamics from the first minute. Each woman was radiant and full of anticipation whilst everyone surrendered to the process of Bodysex. In the sharings each woman shared what was important to her concerning the following questions asked/
How do you feel in your body?
How do you feel about your orgasms?
Each sharing opened up deep and heartfelt stories about individual experiences of womanhood. Listening for two hours felt like we had known each other for a very long time. We felt deeply connected through our willigness to share and display our vulnerable parts, feeling accepted and acknowledged. After the sharings it was time to take a break and enjoy a cup of tea, some strawberries, chocolate and laughters.
Next was Genital Show and Tell! I especially love this ritual. It creates an atmosphere of great care and support whilst witnessing each other in such a crucial moment of our lifes.
For most women its the first time in their life that they get to hear positive affirmation about their genitals.
Being in a place of power by taking full authorship over our sex organ is a beautiful moment to witness and share. The courage to discover the shape and colours of each womans vulva is so exciting. As a Bodysex facilitator I always go first and the women don‘t do anything that I don‘t show first. All women in the circle are equal.
The space was set up with some cushion to lean back and have support for the back. I go first by using a lamp to have a well lit pussy and using a small mirror to see her. Taking some oil so all feels nice and lubricated I introduced “Ona” to this beautiful circle of sisters. I navigated them by locating the different parts ie. clitoral shaft, clitoral hood, clitoral glan, inner labia, outer labia, vaginal opening, urethra, urethral sponge. Then activating and releasing my pubococcygeus muscle and penetrating my vagina with my finger and locating the urethral sponge aka „G-spot“.
Afterwards we looked at beautiful prints of Betty’s vulva style drawings. Whilst looking at each drawing, we talked about the little differences and the fast scope of textures and styles. Suddendly we had become a group of scientist exploring the shapes and forms of this new specimen: our vulvas. The group was very interested in the anatomy of their sex organ and asked questions about the functions and locations of the paraurethral duct (Skene’s ducts) and the bartholin glands. The paraurethral ducts secret fluid during sexual arousal and release the “female ejaculate” which is about 2 -3 tablespoons fluid. The bartholin glands lubricate the vulva during sexual activity.
Next I asked the group if anybody wanted to go first for Genital show and tell. Each woman displayed her versatile vulva, navigating and explaining what touches she liked best and telling stories about how her relationship to her vulva. Each story was touching, sometimes very funny and also just incredible to hear a woman speaking about her lifetime story with her vulva.
Show and Tell is for each woman an unique experience, as its a first timer to view their vulva with a group of women witnessing and they receive a positive impact when viewing their vulvas. We enjoyed some great laughs and the atmosphere felt light and supportive. Again it was time for a short break. After we came back together to the circle I asked the women to share who they felt after our first evening. They were all deeply touched, some felt tired and all were looking forward to the second day.
As I was running the workshop during the week we only had 4 hours per evening, which meant it was a bit of a squeeze fitting it all in. On the next day I explained the importance of breathing during masturbation. Breathing gets us into the present moment and in touch with our bodies and feelings. I demonstrated the connected breath, which is a breathing technique for building up arousal and rising the sexual energy. We deeply inhaled and let the air slowly leave our lungs on the outbreath. After a while we started to speed up. This breath makes our energy move through our entire body.
Next we lay down on our back using a cushion under the head. I ran them through a couple of vulva strokes getting them in touch with their body and their vulva. As a little warm-up and to shake off any fear and to get our bodies moving we did a little dance with the vibrators. I showed them to tilt their hips and their clit towards the vibrator. We vibrated our upper body including our vulva, belly, breasts, solar plexus, throat, head, nose and ears. I guided them through the different positions with the vibrator.
I demonstrated the Rock n Roll Technique but didn’t push through to have an orgasm, as it was hard to fully relax, and taking the time to feel deeply aroused in front of my first group. Now was the moment to invite the goddess of abundance and enjoy the space filled with soft sounds of moaning. It was time for erotic recess! The landscape of women self pleasuring themselves on a big sea of matresses felt far away from the everyday and at the same tim felt very natural. A beautiful and seductive flair. Everyone seemed relaxed whilst massaging their bodies. The sound background tuned into a choir of sweet and soft moans and groans that gave each one of us permission in voicing and experiencing pleasure. We only had 75 minutes for our erotic recess. We shared some laughter, strawberries and chocolate and after a little break we carried on with the group massage, as a way to integrate the erotic experience.
Some of the women preferred not to get a massage and that was perfectly fine. And everyone who did want a massage got a front and back massage by two women at a time.
We re-assembled in the circle and took our hands up into the air and shaked all the orgasmic energy into the universe. Each women got the chance to say how she felt after the Bodysex workshop. The feedback was very positive and some women suggested to make a regular womens night for masturbating together, where women can come to celebrate and share pleasure.
I am grateful for every each woman and her presence at my first Bodysex circle. I want to thank each women for allowing me to guided them through the Bodysex rituals.
Love,
Anna