Interview with Thomas about Art of Erotic touch Advanced
(Interview by Danny, June 2015)
This summer, for the first time in quite a while, the Art of Erotic Touch Advanced (level 2) will take place in a fantastic location near Paris, Boissy les Perche. In the days before, we are also organizing the beginners workshop Art of Erotic Touch (level 1) so that they easily can be combined as a great massage holiday.

Thomas talking about The Art of Erotic touch (level 1): I have been giving the current version of the workshop since 2007. It’s one of GLS’s Bestsellers. AOT focuses, in the first place on the
basic skills of massage and aims to give people the ability to get into touch, to get into tantric encounters and to engage in erotic massage in- stead of the normal type of sexual encounter.

We often wonder: How can we develop a deeper level of intimacy beyond sex with someone we’ve met? Or what do you do with someone you already know and when you want to find other ways to become intimate?

This basic course gives you the knowledge and practical skills to give somebody a great massage session that contains the basics of Swedish massage, sensual elements and Taoist massage.
Besides the strokes; there are other important aspects: One is the in- tension and intensity of the touch. We start with the three basic levels of intensity: effleurage, petrisage and deep tissue. We do exercises around the intention of the touch. Then we train you in the strokes for Swedish, relaxation massage. By releasing the tension in the muscles, we open the channels so that people can come into a deeper level of receiving erotic touch. Finally, we will teach two different ways of ending a session: One involves deep breathing and the big draw technique. The other one is a soft ending which uses soft breathing and a technique to balance energy between the chacras.

LEVEL 2
A lot of guys have completed level 1 over the past few years: Why should they take level 2? If you get really into using level 1 with your friends and lovers, giving or exchanging massages, you may come to a stage where it becomes routine. It’s the same as with sex: routines can open the possibilities to go deeper, but if you don’t use that door, they also risk becoming boring. So the point of level 2, is to open up new possibilities and learn new techniques.

In level 2 two we teach two new approaches: One is the internal and external anal massage. This tool can also be very enriching for people who are not used to bottoming. The other technique is about how to prepare our bodies for erotic massage, how to open up our channels, to be able to receive.

Of course, we also go deeper into Taoist massage, learning more techniques and exciting cock strokes to get deeper into the
experience.

I’m sure there will be a very interesting and sexy bunch of people with lots of experiences. The venue in France is perfect for that. It’s July, we can be naked outside and inside, we are very free
there. It’ll be unique, that’s a guarantee.

Winter Eros Retreat
The winter is approaching, so here is a short explanation about our Program by Thomas. (Interview November 2014)

What is going to happen?
Being together with an intimate group for a a longer period is in itself something very special. The space and energy helps to create a very strong feeling of community, an erotic community. The retreat is all about love and celebration as a group, but at the same time there is a lot going on the individual level as it’s the end of the year and everyone is preparing in one way or another for the year to come. We close the year with a very simple but profound ritual where we burn what we want to let go of and we also burn what we want to achieve. The strange thing is that, over the year, we get lots of feedback from participants: very often it’s about how their very big wishes were honoured by the universe, for example someone wants a new job, a new house and a new lover, and it all happened.

What does it look like?
We start every day with meditation, yoga and other types of bodywork. Then there is time for the group processes, working deeper on themes during the afternoon, after which there are erotic rituals in the evening. The trainer team is very experienced. Moxe, Periklis and me have been running workshops for years. 
The intimate setting of the Spitzmühle, deep in the woods, adds a lot to the group process. There is also a sauna for those who want to heat up, and a beautiful lake to cool down. 

What is most magical about the retreat? We always celebrate a very beautiful silent New Year’s ritual while outside everything is noisy. We are in the Spitzmühle with our own group doing the ritual, while afterwards we have a cool party. It’s all about community and the spiritual power of the group.

Grab your chance and sign up for the Winter Eros Retreat. It’ll be your guarantee for a cosy start of the year.

Sexperience, interview with Thomas
21/1/2014

In which way does Sexperience differ from the other workshops?
In the Sexperience workshop we confront you during four days with many aspects of sexuality. In other workshops we try to show you new ways of getting erotic and good sexual experiences. In the Sexperience we focus on all the ‘normal’/usual/habitual practices of our sexlife. We practice them from different angles and afterwards there is a process of digesting and learning about it.

To integrate sex in workshop means breaking social rules, because sex is something we either we do in a couple/threesome or we do it with more anonymous with people in a darkroom or a sauna.

What is the main goal?
The main goal behind the workshop is that there is a way for you to get at ease with your sexdrive. A sexdrive can be something positive, creative and does not have to be destructive. We invented this workshop because for many people sexdrive is linked with a lot of destructive patterns of behavior.

Can you tell us more about that?
Over the years we noticed the following in a lot of our workshops: We try to make doors to another sexuality… by doing conscious touch, tantra massage, ….. When we see people developing in our workshop, we see they learn something new, but still often the old patterns of sexuality stay. It’s like opening up another world, but not really coming in piece with the old world. Sexperience is something you can dive in and it can you an opportunity too confront yourself with this. It gives you the opportunity to get a very happy sexuality, a normal sexuality, whatever that means.

What kind of old patterns do people get caught up in?
From all dealing with clients and individual sessions and learning through the men that are coming to the workshops, there are basically 7 different traps we can step into when we are living our sexlife:

1. The trap of guilt and shame coming from religion. This provokes us to hide, to have sex in the dark and to be not allowed to enjoy it. That creates a lot of strange behavior, like a lot of the priests in the Catholic church who start to abuse young boys …
2. The second one is the romantic trap. If we are not allowed to really explore sex as we want, we might start to copy the Hollywood films: fall in love, be romantic and exclusive in order to try to fulfill a picture and think that sexuality is fulfilled than. The inner taught is often: If I am part of a romantic couple, I can be gay and be recognized by society. But it works for six months and gets boring.
3. The third trap is the sex machine: You move from city to city and fuck around as much as you can. You can get trapped into this repetitive behavior of something that originally might have given satisfaction.
4. The connection of drugs and sex. Drugs can give you the impression that your sex experience is deeper or give you the self-esteem to have sex, but the effect after sometime is that people can’t have sex without drugs and eventually need more or stronger substances. 
5. The fifth one is related to the second. We call it ‘the gay idol’. Once out, have your gay marriage, do it all the gay way like in the magazines, copy the idols, look what car the other gays drive, go to the popular parties, go to the gym and ask the neighbor what party is on. Have sex the same way.
6. Six is ‘the black hole’ or the porn industry. When your are sitting in front of the screen every evening, looking at more and more porn in order to get aroursed… you loose the real connection to another body.
7. Trap number 7 is getting stuck in a trauma connected to sex and being unable to have normal sexlife … Sometimes this results in extreme unhealthy behavior that can be damaging to yourself.

We really make awareness about those traps and check where you are at now. We let you experience that you have a lot of beautiful possibilities to get out of the trap and have a fulfilled joyful sexuality without drugs and unhealthy patterns.

Is it good as a first workshop?
It depends on your ability to open up. For people who need a lot of trust to open up, it might be better to choose another workshop first. Any other workshop that deals with intimacy, sexuality and touch, such as Playful Eros, Mysterium and so many other ones.

Why does it feel so heavy as a gay men not have a fulfilled sexuality?
In the process of coming out, we develop our own character of being different, of being the 3th or 4th gender. And sex is strongly connected with that phase. As a gay man, I have the taught that I have to have fulfilled sexuality to be a gay man, to be part of the tribe. So if I don’t have a happy sexual life, I don’t feel complete.

You take the group ‘Out in the scene’? What are people’s experiences?
The most often heard comment on that is: “With the group I had another experience of a sexclub or a sauna.” “It changed my way of being in the scene. When being connected with a group, going out is a total different story then going out alone. 

How about borders and communication?
It is like in every workshop: you can always step out, withdraw in the love lounge, watch all of it and come back when you feel fine. It is very important to have that possibility because if we are into sex, often things happen which we cannot control. It can either be very gorgeous and subtle or something might happen and I need my own space. Maybe because it’s boring or it triggers things deep inside. We teach that you always should be responsible over yourself and be the master over yourself even in sexual encounters. 

Welcome to the anal universe.
Are you ready for some Anal Exploration and to discover the way to deeper pleasure? Some reflections by the trainer Thorsten Sheranius. (Interview by Danny / May 2014)

It would be a misconception to think that this a workshop for anal freaks. It’s nothing like that. A lot of men who participate come in on Friday as virgins or are quite inexperienced. They are just open to learn. Welcome to the anal universe. It’s a must for every gay man who wants to have a more fulfilling sex-life. Even guys who consider them- selves to be purely tops can learn from it. If not for themselves, then at least to learn how to give more anal pleasure to others. We guarantee it will be a fun and deeply relaxing weekend!

One of the main things that first has to be overcome is shame around anything to do with the anus. Many men have never been conscious of this before or that this shame has prevented them from getting into real con- tact with their anus. We create a safe space for men, so everyone feels accepted and encouraged to explore deeper levels of body experience.
We will teach a lot of practical and useful stuff, but the main focus is exploring anal pleasure. Part of the weekend will be spent on massage, both external anal massage and for those who are open to it, also prostate massage. We will also play with toys, and in this case, as with other things,
it won’t be the size, but the way we use them to create pleasure that is important.

Besides all the difficult aspects: Anal work is fun, you will be very happy after giving so much attention to your wonderful rosebud. Anal touch can make us really happy. We are touched on many levels, which, in turn, creates a deep feeling of gratitude and happiness.
There are a lot of spiritual layers involved in anal work. Prosperity, the flow of money, letting go, dying, the path of love – all these big spiritual themes are connected with the anus. So let’s explore these levels together too!

As in all our workshops, we adapt the program depending to the wishes and needs of the participants. For those who are experienced too, there is a lot to learn and new things to try. What encourages us in this workshop is to see the big changes men are able to make in just one weekend. Consider it an anal ‘update’ (with a smile).

Thorsten tells us more about Playful Eros and SexCursion (December 2013, Interview by Danny)
Playful Eros – what is it about? (Playful Eros was the predecessor of the current workshop Eros Liberation)
This workshop is all about unfolding, opening and developing. Everybody comes with something else in his luggage: a dream, a desire, a project, a problem. I help the men to unfold whatever wants to be freed and shifted in that weekend.

The unfolding happens in playful and light ways, the inner children and playful animals are invited to come out and celebrate. Many times I have had the feedback that the men felt as they had been on a children ́s birthday party all weekend.

How do you do that?
To support the process, I tune into my female side, supporting and welcoming whatever there is. That makes me feel like the erotic and compassionate mother, nurturing everyone in the group.
Is there a standard program of activities? Yes there is, but the program can change from moment to moment, according to the needs of the group body that we all create together.

It’s about erotic healing at multiple levels. We all help to cure each other and I’m holding the space where this can happen. In that sense every Playful Eros Workshop is different. I use all my knowledge and experience as a sacred intimate.
If I put it in one phrase: Join the erotic circle of playful men and grow deep inside, reaching out to the unknown and the infinite.

Feedback from Playful Eros
“I enriched my self-confidence. I gained physical and emotional confidence. I learned to give and receive sexual pleasure, not focusing on fucking.”
“The way Thorsten taught was very soft, tender and spiritual and it was all very satisfactory for me. “

“It helped me a lot to rediscover my sensuality, to connect to my essence. I hoped the workshop would be more genital and sexual, but later I realised it was just perfect the way it was.”

SexCursion – where does it come from? Most of the content of SexCursion came from the Sexplorers Workshop. One of my teachers and friends Prasand Baidjnath Misier created this workshop and he has run it for many years.

I have assisted him several times in Sexplorers and when he decided to stop sex coaching he invited me to continue teaching this program but under a new name. So we gave it the name “SexCursion”. I am very thankful that Pras gave me all his knowledge. The SexCursion workshop comes very much from a sex coaching approach.

Tell me more about it.
As a group we share a lot of our sex-history and unmask (bring into our conscious mind) our mental programs that are controlling us.
For example we talk about the questions:
Where did we learn about sex? What do we use sex for? How are we sexually wired?

This workshop is about deprogramming our old erotic patterns. It is about learning new ways of sex, and the flow of erotic energy. Compared to Playful Eros it is much more a training about Sex.

How do you do that?
In facilitating it I use my male qualities more than my female ones. I use the teacher in me, the male experienced trainer, the warrior, guiding you to the challenges that will open new doors for your experience with other men.

The structure is pretty fixed. Think of it as a school class where I guide you through and everybody gets something else out of it, depending on your own place on the life journey and your special needs.

Feedback from SexCursion: “For me this workshop is like an island far away from the normal places where gay people meet. In this place we can inter- change emotions, physical stuff and intellectual and emotional issues.”
“After the workshop I saw the video Shortbus again, and I thought they are all looking for what I experienced in Sexcursion.”
“This workshop gave me the permission to recharge my batteries fully.”
“So the name defines very well what it is. It’s an excursion, sex- ual but in your own body and with the company of the other men.”

What is the goal behind it?
SexCursion is also very much about the healing qualities of sexual energy, learning how to raise your sexual energy and use it for healing and energising instead of shooting it out.

So actually it is very much about separating ejaculation from orgasm which are two very different phenomena that don’t always occur together. This can be learned in many ways, for example in solo and group masturbation exercises.

Compared to Playful Eros, SexCursion will push you more to your limits, confront you with your fears, guilt and shame about sexuality and support you to transform it. If I put it in one phrase: Join the erotic roller- coaster and enjoy the wisdom of the sex coaching circle.

Comments from two partners who did both workshops: “It’s a self discovery journey in the safe space of a group. It’s an intense mixture of erotic experience and finding inner peace: mentally and physically”.
I am looking forward to meeting you again or for the first time in one of my workshops.
Love, Thorsten Sheranius

Let's enchant the big tantric island !

Hanns is interviewing Thorsten today:

Gran Tantra Island - why are we doing this workshop?

We are doing this workshop for the third time. The magic place inspires everyone. For us it is simply powerful to create a Tantra Seminar in this beautiful nature in good weather. Through the place, the warmth and the care of our partners of XXXX it becomes like a real retreat. A place of retreat, where the men will on the one hand totally relax, but also dive deeply into their own physicality and the Eros.

What awaits me there?

It's the end of November, when it gets grey, dark, cool and foggy in northern Europe. There you can connect with nature outside at 25 to 30 degrees, you can walk around naked and let your balls dangle in the pleasant air. We can be outside without thinking, you can be in the sun, you can sit in the shade, we can do erotic exercises outdoors... we can always connect with the earth. When it gets hot at noon, there is a cool group room. Our physical well-being is lovingly taken care of. All in all, these are simply very good conditions for a workshop. These are excellent conditions where you can let yourself go, where you simply don't have to think and where you can simply enjoy being together with the men and nature.

For the contents of the workshop, simply read the description on the website, otherwise this will go beyond the scope of the interview.

Are we there all the time or are we going on a trip?

We are far away from the hustle and bustle in Maspalomas, but we can still go out with the group in the evening as an enrichment. We can use Maspalomas as a playground. Use the legendary Jumbo Center as a place of erotic inspiration. During the workshop our base is our wonderful retreat center in the beautiful nature.

And after the workshop I just jet back home?

After the workshop you still have the option to spend your holiday with us in a gay bungalow complex. You can extend this to a maximum of 7 days. We will be there for up to 7 days and you can decide whether you want to spend a day, two days, as long as you like and have time to stay with us for a maximum of seven days and simply take a holiday in this great group atmosphere. We did it last time after the workshop and it was really one of the best experiences we had. It is simply totally fun with such a group in which there is already a deep connection to arrange and experience the free days together in an informal way.

Every morning after breakfast we started the day with a sharing (a big round). Afterwards we did in small groups what we wanted to do - some were on the beach and in the water, some explored the dunes, some drove across the island and made excursions. Some of us went to sex clubs at night. It was simply fantastic to spend many more days together on this great holiday and to expand the connections between us.

Thorsten, what's so special about the gay scene in Gran Canaria?

Yes, there is a bit of gay inspiration already from the scene in Gran Canaria. Outside is the huge dune landscape of Maspalomas, which invites you to extensive cruising... here you can discover many different shapes and let your instincts run free. Of course you can also explore this zoo together with the men from the group. Or just lie back on the beach if you want to meditate and watch the waves.

It is a huge playground for all ages. It's not a usual beauty contest scene - on the contrary, inside, so in the many bars etc. it's partly trashy, but trashy with charm; partly there is a big British influence, a lot of British trash, of course also German trash mixed with all kinds of international funny colorful gay men of all ages. This is very natural and relaxed. Locally there is the scene mainly in the "Jumbo-center" and that is also really unique that everything can be found there in a shopping centre from 1982 in a pile... all kinds of bars, sex clubs, discos, drag shows, porn movies, sauna. It is simply fun and fun to discover this environment with the group and to simply drift away. The core is our bungalow complex, where we meet again every night or every morning. We are looking forward to a great time with you!

Interview with Moshe about the Israel- Palestine trip

Tell us about the trip

We are going to travel to at least four or five places, so it will be intense. We will also go to Pales- tine, most likely to Hebron to have a tour with ex-soldiers. Ac- cording to the situation we might change the programme a little bit. So the programme will be Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Hebron, Akko or Nazareth and definitely the Dead Sea to nurture ourselves.

The group will be pretty small, maximum 12. Several of the places we will visit have a great history, culture and cuisine. We’ll try to give you bits of
everything. Part of the pro- gramme will be fixed, like the places we visit, but depending on the interests of the group we can change the focus a bit, like more on culture, interaction with the locals, gastronomy.

I want to stimulate exchanges be- tween the group and the local men. If there are Israeli’s that want to join us, they can do so. I also would love to meet with Palestinian gay men, their situation is often quite fragile. I know one hip Palestinian gay guy. There is also an organization, but they are mainly lesbians and there is a cool bar in Jaffa which is gay friendly with a very mixed open minded crowd.

During the trip, we’ll have Yom Kippur which is one of the holiest days in the Jewish religion. It’s a day without cars and without shopping. The group will be in Tel Aviv and experience in this unique event. We can go to a synagogue and cycle around. It’ll be special and free of air pollution.

What is your big dream about this trip?

I want us to have a good time and create opportunities for learning and a more in-depth understanding of one of the most beautiful and troubled places in this world. It’ll be an unforgettable and unique experience.

Interview Moshe about Winter Eros:

Convince me to come to winter Eros?
Moshe: It will be more exclusive than a trip to Hawaii… It’s a great way to start the New Year with your community of gay men together.
It will be five days with lots of activities, self empowerment, self growth and fun….

It’s the best New Year’s party you could go to, for many men far more rewarding than the big parties in the gay scene.

Our team of trainers is communicative, supportive and very sexy (with a smile). We offer you five days where you get the chance to connect first to yourself, to find out what is important for you and also what’s important in connection with other men. If you live alone and look for great men, you will have the chance to meet many on the Winter Eros. This won’t be in an artificial setting, but in a relaxed way with a lot of fun activities and opportunities.

The Winter Eros Retreat is about being spiritual, and for us that means also being silly and playful, learning new techniques of seduction and new ways of communication. Its all about touching, getting in the mood for sexual exchanges with nice men, holding this energy and also feeling the group energy in spiritual rituals together.

It’s a very international experience.  We have a nice space in the Spitzmühle and in that space we create what we want. So every year is different. Different things happen, depending on what surfaces in the group. Sometimes we focus on what we want to do next year and where we are at that point, sometimes the focus is more on celebration, it varies. But the core is that you get lots of time to find your love or to know your next step to find your love.

Can you be more specific about the activities?
We often work in smaller groups, called families. These will be your safe ground for the week. We start every day with mediation yoga and bodywork. Then we work in smaller groups on different themes and techniques. The evenings are all about rituals, massage rituals, working with the senses and sexuality. Plus a few surprise activities….

Can you tell us a bit more about yourself as a trainer:
The feedback I mostly get is that I’m very strong at group dynamics and good at spotting individuals that get stuck in or are falling out of the process. I love flirting, meeting people and bringing others to the point that they can play, flirt and have a good time together, even if they are doing the dishes. I have been a Sexperience trainer for the last year and half. There I use lots of methods to help you open up to your sexuality, including erotic massages.

What are you specific dreams, and expectations for this years edition? We are in 2017, the world is very different from a year ago. There will be lots of issues around intimacy and also people looking for new challenges and ways to lead their life. We are in a time were people are looking for new models to feel better and change. Everything will be gloomy outside, but inside it will be warm and cozy. Everyone will have time to connect to himself and others on a deeper level and have fun.

Interview with Moxe about Body Telling.

Moxe has just launched a new workshop, called Body Telling. A title which might justifiably mean a lot of different things to different people. For that reason we thought we would interview him about it.

Can you tell us a bit about the key features of your new workshop? What is the primary motivation behind it?
Moxe: "I find it very interesting to explore the relationship between the different parts of your body and your emotions in relation to your individual story. "
I was learning about hormones and chakras, about emotions and parts of the body. Areas in which there are known and practiced concepts and theories. The special thing is that through my private erotic massage sessions and workshops I’m connecting more to the act of healing through erotic energy. For example we all have places in our bodies that we like and don't like. These places have stories and are connected to our nervous system as well as to our sexual life. Someone can erotically touch our belly and we might not feel aroused or loved but rather experience shame and sadness. We might like our eyes because in our childhood people commented on them positively. So we feel strongly present in our eyes and learn to use this part of our body for flirting, for getting what we want. Both of these examples are probably less conscious then we might think. Don’t get me wrong the workshop is not therapy, It’s a sensual, erotic experience in the body. Looking with new eyes at our body, other bodies and the connection with our feelings and minds.

So how will you do this in the workshop?
Moxe: I can be very unhappy with my body. This has a long history dating from childhood and cemented by societal messages. In the erotic massage I can unblock this energy, and change the way I look at things. What the brain says is not what the heart says and the genitals, well... they often speak for themselves ;). In the workshop we move from our private story to the bigger picture, from one body part to the whole body. Through all of our senses and with the power of a group we will explore our path to body telling. I offer tools to liberate our bodies by connecting with it, understanding it more and also by touching other bodies.

I’m a big believer in Love but love doesn’t only exist between two individuals. In the workshops we can build a ‘laboratory love environment’ where we can learn to love ourselves, love others and gain understanding of the different dynamics. 

How do you look at the body? Your own body? The body of other men?
I know today that my body has many layers. It carries the way my Mum looked at me and the way my lover does. Those who hurt me for being different and those who stood next to me in a supportive manner. My body is a daily tool that I’m ignoring most of the time unless I’m sick. Reconnecting with it makes me feel good. Spiritually I believe our bodies are all connected to one another and to the earth and sky. Both pain and pleasure are contagious. So why shouldn't we spread some eroticism out there? For me this idea also has scientific validity. We are full of microorganisms inside and out, there is a web of life that sustains us here in a very special balance. Our bodies are part of it.

That’s why the contact with other bodies is so important. When I touch a body whether I’m familiar with the man or not, I give touch to my body as well and I’m therefore more connected and present. This connection doesn't happen automatically, there’s internal and external work to be done. It's easy to for us to treat our bodies as shells in which we enclose ourselves.

What will men achieve in the workshop?
I think this workshop is one step of many on our personal path. I imagine my workshop as a fun-lab; some tools from touch to self-learning, some experiences sexy and meaningful, opportunities to do things you never did before, encounters to meet other like-minded people. The workshop will have some rituals, some massage, touch and space for reflection and integration.

Who is it meant for?
Actually for everyone, beginners and advanced participants. You don’t need to believe in anything or to be convinced. It’s meant for men who want to explore and get to know their bodies better. Everyone has their own limits, the workshop is designed to be fun and challenging. The challenging part is to do things you never did before but always wanted to try, and learn things about yourself. It will be fun because we will be touching and playing and connecting to one another, learning new stuff to take home with us and so on....

This workshop is not a classical training. I will teach some specific tools and types of touch and massage, but at the same time we will learn more about how to focus and direct our intentions. Each participant will take it to somewhere different. My role is to offer a structure and tools and together we will explore. This workshop is focused on self-growth, healing and intimacy
 
I’ve been giving workshops for some time now, on intimacy, sexuality and touch. I realized that the thing that attracts me most is the changes in personal stories. People who repeat our workshops gain new perspectives on their futures but also on their pasts.

I look today at my sexuality and I can see a totally different story to what I believed seven years ago. Not only has time changed it but also other perspectives, knowledge and experiences. I was very sexual all my life, sex clubs and cruising were part of my daily life. I got to know Tantra practices and instead of drastically altering my life I enriched it. Intimacy was a different concept before and after. I’m more conscious, more connected to my body and I listen to it. There's more balance between my body and my brain.

What are the benefits for absolute beginners and what for people who did a few workshops?
For beginners I think it will be very useful to understand the world of body telling and the mindset behind it and to connect with their motivations. For experienced men it will challenge them to put all those previous experiences and tools gained into practice. Helping them to connect with their bodies, to heal and connect to other bodies. The encounter with new people, new tools and new ways to look at things is a support in the pursuance of one’s personal path. Or participants can simply allow themselves to enjoy the weekend and go as deep as they want.

Marc Hagmaier spricht über seine Arbeit als schwuler schamanischer Heiler  (Interview November 2013, ENGLISH VERSION BELOW)

Was ist der Kern deiner Arbeit als schamanischer Heiler? Meine Arbeit ist nicht so einfach zu beschreiben, weil sie sich immer ändert, je nachdem mit welchen Menschen ich gerade arbeite. Ich erlaube mir, im \"Jetzt\" zu sein, wahr zu nehmen, was mein Gegenüber gerade in diesem Moment braucht.
Die Grundlage meiner Arbeit ist Liebe, Mitgefühl, Humor und Respekt. Für mich beginnt Heilung schon in der Art und Weise, wie ich einem Menschen
begegne. Wenn ich ihm Respekt und Wertschätzung entgegen bringe und er sich von mir wirklich als der wunderbare Mensch, der er ist, gesehen uns wahrgenommen fühlt, ist bereis ein großer Teil meiner Arbeit getan.
Mit dieser inneren Haltung sind die Methoden, die ich dann noch anwende, nicht mehr ganz so wichtig, sie bieten einfach eine Möglichkeit, den Menschen noch tiefer zu dem, was ich das Wahre innere Selbst nenne hin zu führen, jenseits von dem, was unsere Eltern oder die Gesellschaft glaubte, wie wir sein sollten.

Mein schamanischer und spiritueller Weg hilft mir, mich immer mehr als den kennen zu lernen, der ich wirklich bin, mein Potential und meine wunderbaren Fähigkeiten zu entdecken, von denn ich vor 20 Jahren noch nicht einmal eine leise Ahnung hatte. Für mich gehört das Auf- wachsen als schwuler Mann schon zu meinem schamanischen Weg, da ich mich schon früh mit
2 Welten auseinander setzen musste, meiner inneren Welt und der hauptsächlich heterosexuell geprägten Welt um mich herum. Zusätzlich muss ich mich als schwuler Mann in einer anderen Art und Weise mit meinen weiblichen und männlichen Seiten auseinander setzen, als ein Hetero-Mann, der seine Sexualität eher auf die \"übliche\" Art erforscht. Ich bewege mich adurch in verschiedenen Welten und das ist genau das, was den Schamanismus ausmacht: den Weg \"zwischen den Welten\" zu gehen, zwischen der geistigen Welt und der Welt, die ich mit meinen 5 Sinnen erfassen kann. So ist es kein Zufall, dass in schamanisch geprägten Kulturen oft Schwule und Lesben als Medizinmänner und -frauen auserwählt waren.

So lernte ich tiefer zu schauen und hinter der Fassade, die die meisten von uns vor sich her tragen, all die Schönheit und die Einzigartigkeit zu erkennen, die tief in uns allen verborgen ist. In meinen Einzelsitzungen arbeite ich mit Berührung, Massagen und tantrischer Arbeit, energetischer Körperarbeit, meistens auch in Verbindung mit der heilenden Kraft der Stimme, da Klang ein sehr direkter Weg ist, emotionale und energetische Blockaden im Körper und in der Seele zu lösen. Meiner Erfahrung nach fühlen sich Menschen durch die Klangheilung auf eine tiefere Weise berührt, da sie tiefer geht, als es reine physische Berührung vermag.

In meinen Klangheilungs- workshops können die Teilnehmer die heilende Kraft des Klangs und ihrer eigenen Stimme direkt erleben und sie haben die Möglichkeit, ihrer eigenen Kraft durch das spielerische Umgehen mit Klang und Stimme mehr Raum zu geben. Ich kann Werkzeuge für meine eigene stimmliche, persönliche oder spirituelle Entwicklung entdecken, einfach Spaß haben, mich in Klangbädern der Kraft des gemeinsamen Tönens im Kreis der Männer hingeben. Ich kann mich tragen lassen und meinen eigenen Klang in die Gruppe hineinweben.

Klang ist ein wunderbares Werkzeug zur Entspannung, Regeneration, Lösung von Blockaden und Schmerzen, er baut mich seelisch und körperlich auf und versetzt mich allgemein in einen höheren Schwingungszustand der Leichtigkeit und Lebensfreude. Ein Teil der Workshops ist der Seelengesang, bei dem ich direkt mit dem Wesen des Menschen Kontakt aufnehme und ihm über meine Stimme Ausdruck verleihe, was für die meisten Teilnehmer ein sehr berührendes Erlebnis ist. Wenn du Lust hast, dich auf diese wunderbare Reise zu dir selbst und deinem authentischen Ausdruck zu begeben, bist du bei mir herzlich willkommen!

Tantric Sounds
Der nächste Workshop von Marc ist „Tantric Sounds“ und findet vom 25. bis zum 27. April in Köln statt. Marc wird diesen Workshop zusammen mit David geben. Davids heilende, tantrische Körperarbeit und Marcs Soundhealing ergänzen sich auf wunderbare Weise, da das Eine auf dem Anderen aufbaut und sich gegenseitig verstärkt, so dass eine höhere Intensität in der Gruppe möglich ist.

Sie sind buchstäblich auf einer Wellenlänge und du kannst diesen harmonischen Fluß der Energie in dir und in der Gruppe miterleben, wenn du bereit bist, dich auf diese Reise durch Körper, Geist und Seele zu begeben, zu der dich diese beiden mitfühlenden und sensiblen Männer einladen!




Marc Hagmaier tells about his work as a gay shamanistic healer
(Interview by Danny, November 2013)
What is the essence of your work as healer? Marc: My work is not so easy to describe, as it is constantly changing due to the people I\'m working with. I try to be in the Now, to see and feel, what the people I\'m working with need in this moment in time. My work is based on love, compassion, humour and respect. For me healing starts with how I treat the people who come to me, if I meet them with respect and appreciation and they feel really \"seen\" as the wonderful people they are, then a big part of my
work is already done. With this inner attitude, the tools you use are not that important, they \"just\" offer the possibility of guiding the person to what I call their true inner self, what they really are beneath everything our parents and society told us about who we should be.

How do you combine being gay with the shamanistic walk of life? Marc: My shamanic and spiritual path helped me to get to know myself for who I really am, to discover wonderful abilities and potential I never thought possible 20 years ago. I see growing up as a gay man as a part of my shamanic path, because you al- ready have to deal with two different worlds, what you feel inside and what\'s going on in the mostly heterosexual world around you; also you have to deal with the feminine and masculine side within yourself in a different way from people who explore their sexuality in a more conventional way; you walk in different worlds, and that\'s what a shaman learns to do, walk the path \"between the worlds\", the Spirit world and the world you perceive with your five senses; it is no wonder that a lot of shamans in former times were gay men and women.
So I learned to look deeper, behind the facade that most people present and got the gift of seeing and perceiving all this beauty that lies deep within ourselves.

Which techniques do you use?
Marc: In my sessions I work with touch, massage, energetic body work and tantric work, mostly combined with the healing power of sound, because it is a very direct way of releasing emotional and energetic blocks in the body and the system. My experience is that, with the SoundHealing, most people feel touched in a much deeper way than physical touch is able to provide.

In my SoundHealing workshops I explore with the participants the healing power of sound and their own voices, giving them an opportunity to discover their own power by playing and experimenting with sound; people can discover tools for their own vocal, personal or spiritual development, having fun \"soundbathing\" and toning in a group of other powerful men, letting themselves be supported and weaving their own sound into the group, maybe getting to know themselves in a different way. Sound is wonderful for relaxation, regeneration, releasing tension and blocks, lifting your spirits and allowing your whole system to vibrate in a higher frequency.

Tantric Sounds
Marc’s next workshop Tantric Sounds will be held in Cologne on April 25th till 27th. He will be assisted by David. Davids healing tantric body work and Marc’s sound healing complement each other in wonderful ways, as they build on each other and heighten the energy-level of the work they are doing together.

They are literally on the same wavelength and you might experience this harmonious flow and raising of your energy, if you are willing to be part of this journey through your body, mind and soul, on which these two compassionate and sensitive men are going to take you!

A last message for our readers?
Marc: If you feel like going on this wonderful journey towards yourself and your authentic expression, you are very welcome!

Interview with Cünneyt about his work as a gay shamanistic healer (Interview by Danny, July 2013)
What is the essence of your work as healer? If I had to choose only one essential point, than it’s LOVE; to arrive in your heart with all we carry around as human beings.
This arrival includes for me a path down into the earth, into our roots, to integrate parts of us that are not really allowed to live or see the daylight.

For me spirituality has a lot to do with to coming into the body, arriving in the here and now, in 2013. This requires that we come into our heart and reconnect with our inner nature and the nature that surrounds us. But for me there is not just one essential point to my work, it has a lot of faces. It’s an ART, whereby A stands for awareness which we can reach with different kind of techniques, R for reconnection and T for transformation.

There is a nice quote, that when music or art touches you in the heart, we can call it healing. And when a healer goes deeper into his work and leaves preconceived notions behind, like what shamanism is .... then we can truly speak about art. That is also why I would never call myself a shaman, it’s too limiting.

Which techniques do you use?
I try to go beyond concepts and techniques, I try to be Cünneyt. I can tell you about shamanic techniques, the coaching path, but I find it a bit boring. The real technique is to stay in the present, not into concepts.... I don’t feel the need to rely on specific techniques, healing is not an artificial construct.

How do you combine being gay with the shamanistic walk of life? It just happened: I’m gay and I feel very home with the shamanistic path. I went through a process for me to be at peace with what I am. From my early teens I clearly knew I had gay desires. And when I was at school, I was already aware of energy fields. So I\\'m not sure which came first.

I started with spiritual energywork, with Reiki and Prana.
I discovered that many things I experienced had a name. Then I went to my first sweatlodge in Switzerland and I felt very at home. There I found a name for what I was doing. I came from a punk background, so it was a big change. Initiation into healing has been changing over centuries, we always experience it differently.

Is there a difference between the gay and straight groups you work with? Yes. First of all, it\\'s different to sit with only men in a circle and the male energy. And we share a second common thing, being that are all nearer to men. The touching is different. Sometimes I need four weekends with a mixed group to come to the point that I can easily establish in a day with a gay group, it’s a different attitude to body contact and sharing.
Experience from one of the participants to the last workshop in Berlin: “I had never done this kind of thing before, so I was a bit skeptical in the beginning. But Cünneyt had created such a lovely cosy place, that I couldn’t but open myself to the experience. His singing and drumming transported me and the others into unexplored realms of my soul. I discovered a power symbol and a totem animal. It might sound a bit crazy, but they have been so much help to me since then; whenever I’m in a difficult situation, I recall them.”

A last message for our readers?
Let’s conquer our hearts!