Art Of Loving 's topics - tribe.net

Rainbowheart

Michelle — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:53:03 GMT

I was on the Celebrations of Love web site yesterday and saw a link that said, "In Memory of Rainbowheart". My heart sank. It was a YouTube video of him but there was no explanation of what happened. I've been doing Google searches and can't find anything.

I saw him at Harbin a couple of summers ago and he was on his way to live in Thailand. We spent a wonderful hour or so talking... little did I know it would be for the last time.

Can someone please tell me what happened to Rainbowheart?

Thanks,
Michelle

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

The Last thing someone did to make you feel Truely Loved..

Stormy_soul68 — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 05:02:39 GMT

As a Lover..or Just a Human being rolling along in this life..

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 24 replies

The Return of Desire

tenamoore — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:11:46 GMT

I love this book: The Return of Desire - A Guide to Rediscovering Your Sexual Passion, by Gina Ogden

So much good info. She polled women and men and then meshes their answers with stories, anecdotes and exercises. Reading it was empowering. I don’t know how long they are going to be giving away the five free gifts with it, so I wanted to pass it on.

www.ginaogden.com/promo

I took this from the website:

In this book you will discover innovative ways to:
• Open up to the four energies that spark desire
• Create heart-to-heart communication in your sexual partnerships
• Transcend guilt, shame, and "good-girls-don´t" messages
• Heal the sexual wounds of abuse, addiction, affairs, and low self-esteem
• Enjoy sexual pleasure and joy throughout your lifespan— from new love, to parenthood, and even into your golden years, when desire can ripen, like fine wine.

Gina Ogden – a marriage and family therapist and passionate voice in the field of women’s sexuality - invites readers to look beyond sexual performance and offers engaging ways you can say "yes" to pleasure on your own terms. She suggests wise and lively approaches for overcoming roadblocks to intimacy, and encourages you to expand your capacity for love, creativity, compassion, and sacred union.

http://www.amazon.com/Return-Desire-Rediscovering-Sexual-Passion/dp/1590303644/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215533917&sr=8-4

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

Desire is not the Problem, Dualistic Identity Is

bad ass trailblazing boddhisattva — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:05:46 GMT

Desire is not the Problem, Dualistic Identity Is

Excerpts from Troma Rigtsal Rinpoche’s upcoming book,
MahaSiddha Buddhism

Seemingly never-ending, unrelenting, seductive, distracting, debilitating; oh, the ebb and flow of Desire. Rumors abound that only the most realized, hard-core, radical, fanatical, warrior-hero Buddhists could ever dare work with it. But is Desire really such a problem? Desire is the radiance of Buddha-nature, our wakefulness to the sparkling, sacred qualities of existence. We glow with it. Our world is lit up when we are in it. In the surge of desire, we feel alive, tantalized and joyous. How then could it go so wrong at times? How then could it gain the reputation as being the bane of a Buddhist’s existence? To understand the answer, we must venture into the understanding of dualism and non-duality, the heart of the MahaSiddha’s Buddhism. The fundamental teaching is that most people live their lives in a state of dissatisfaction (dukha) caused by misperception of what we are. When we misperceive our own mind, we misperceive others, our world and all of reality. And in this misperception we find awkwardness and dissatisfaction at best.

Mistaken Identity

Imagine if you thought you were a tuba - imagine how this would complicate your life. People would try to feed you and you’d think, “tubas do not need food.” So you would not eat. Your lover would try to kiss you and as soon as their lips hit your “mouthpiece” you would blare out with your loud, low tuba sounds. Of course, this would make relationships difficult. Misunderstanding what we are is a serious mistake.

If you thought you were a plum and you were really a banana, trying to be more purple and round, more plum, more tart - imagine the awkwardness. Perhaps you would tighten up, knotting up your insides to mimic a plum’s seed and cover up how soft your long, white belly really was. You might try to act more like a plum and avoid expressing those embarrassing banana sentiments. Meanwhile, with all your efforts to be a plum, you might be plagued with shame and confusion about your inability to completely hide your big yellow peel and feathery, white flesh. Our attempt to be the plum would only make our existence as a banana much more complicated than it needs to be. Misperceiving what we are is a grave error that causes us to fall into all kinds of dissatisfaction, confusion and even all out suffering. Our mistaken identity in dualism is as ill-fitting (dukha) as thinking we are a plum or a tuba. It is a subtle but serious mistake that distorts our every experience.

How Desire Could Be Twisted

Our capacity for enjoyment quickly fades and our desire becomes twisted if we manipulate it to prove we are something we’re not. For example, we may think it is imperative to be a plum and therefore we need to be more purple, plum-like and juicy to be satisfied. We believe the way to satisfaction is in being a plum. We start looking for what is missing. A mixture of desire and grasping arise in a tidal wave as we fantasize about our future as a plum. We realize we need purple pants to cover up our yellow peel. We long for those pants, we day-dream about them and invest time in finding the exact right pair. We try them on and think about how great it will feel to finally be a plum. Finally, we get the purple pants, squat and roll around and do everything we can to be a plum. But something is still missing. There is still a problem – but it isn’t desire that is the problem, nor is it the object of desire that is the problem. Purple pants are not problematic by nature. They are quite enjoyable unto themselves, they are what they are. It is only when we are trying to manipulate them to disguise what we really are that a problem arises. Purple pants cannot do that. Objects of desire cannot provide the fixed, “good” self that the dualistic habit pursues. Nothing can hide our banana-nature, so life gets very tedious and unsatisfying when we let desire get tangled up in our dualistic identity.

If we misperceive what we are, we misperceive everything else, including desire and the objects of desire. Then instead of having desire properly and fully, we confuse desire and attempt to manipulate it to serve our mistaken identity. The piece of chocolate is no longer just a piece of chocolate, it becomes a way of drugging ourselves so that we don’t have to face our own insecurity. It becomes a way to avoid emptiness, the open-ended, insecure nature of what we are. The chocolate fails to do this of course, thus that desire leads to frustration. So also, relationship fails to makes us feel secure. Work we have done fails to prove we are the “good” self. Everything we have desired only fails us when what we are really wanting is not the object of desire. When the hidden motivation is establishing some ideal Self, the objects of desire doesn’t provide it. That is dualism, forever disappointing. Trying to establish Self is a futile pursuit, since what we are is too open-ended to be captured in fixed form. That is the "me" project that brings us so much suffering as we attempt to establish an identity made up of dualistic fantasies. It is dualistic because it is form based, the Self we want to find is imagined to be some permanent, definite, secure Self, divided from the temporary, ambiguous, insecure reality of life.

Every person wants to be loved for “who they are,” what if we also loved the objects of desire in this way? What if we enjoyed things for what they really are; lacking the security or confirmation, temporary and ineffable; as empty as we are. All objects of desire give us no solid ground to stand on, and we don't have take issue with that. We can enjoy phenomena as is. Then desire is just simple minded delight. Nothing more, nothing less.

Contacting What We Are Directly

Meditation is a method for contacting what we are directly. We can observe and become intimate with what we are. We discover moments where we are not relying on reference points to deduce what we are. We have the direct experience. Our attempts to prove we are “good” or disprove that we are “bad” through referencing how we measure up to plum-ness, tuba-ness or dualism has less meaning. What we actually are becomes directly apparent. Then desire is what it is. No more, no less, it is as pure and innocent as primordial existence. We can want the cake and eat it too. There is nothing un-buddhist about that. We can enjoy the cake even more, because we can eat the cake without the confusion of trying to use the cake to take away our anxiety, or give us the happiness or confirmation. It is just cake. We eat it as it is, with the calories, pleasure and the vivid emptiness that pervades all forms.

Desire can be as enlightening as it could be poisonous. Like everything, it could be the opportunity for waking up or confusion, based on our understanding of our own mind. We have all heard about the monastic path of renouncing desire. Who couldn’t appreciate the potency in that? Most adults have followed desire into neurosis at one time or another, but it is not the only direction we could go with desire. We could be in it and find liberation. Desire will only ever point to the non-dual nature of things if we do not try to forge a Self with it.

The MahaSiddhas

"Know that desire and covetousness are Discriminating
Awareness - You will find fine sensory distinction in no
other place than a mind hungering for beautiful things,
wanting the whole world. Look into the intrinsic
freshness of your desire and there is boundless light!"
-Yeshe Tsogyal, Sky Dancer

Motivated by revenge a king tried to corrupt the MahaSiddha of the Bell, by sending a woman to seduce him. Instead of being corrupted by desire, he was enlightened. Within passion, desire, love and companionship, he found the final ingredient to go beyond ignorance. The MahaSiddha called the Glutton was not told to go on a diet. On the contrary, he was instructed to increase his appetite to extend to all phenomena. When desire is liberated from the confines of dualistic identity, it is a raw appreciation that connects us with the living energy of all things. If we set down our dualistic obsession with trying to be other than as we are, then Desire is not a problem. A banana can enjoy appreciating plums. A person can enjoy a tuba. We don’t need to renounce them, unless of course that is our cup of tea. We only need liberate our grasping at dualistic identity to enjoy our world with awareness.

Disclaimer: Buddhism is a tradition of methods for awakening. The Buddha introduced 84,000 different methods that may seem contradictory because of their differences, but are each appropriate according to the specific individuals and stages of the path for which they are intended. This article is written from the perspective of the Inner Tantras. It does not address the relationship with desire taken by renunciate or monastic practitioners who take a different view as a method for awakening.

all content © 2007 MahaSiddha Dharma
for more information visit www.MahaSiddhas.org

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 1 reply

Incest 2

Wed, 23 May 2007 02:12:47 GMT

I like to keep a conversation going in one place, but the Incest thread says it is as deep as is allowed. So....Incest 2. :)

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 33 replies

How do you listen to a sexual assault survivor?

Djoke — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:40:53 GMT

How do you listen to non-violent sexual assault?

I always blissfully thought of myself as a woman who had not experienced sexual assault in her life. Until one afternoon, I started having flashbacks of an event which had been so intensely humiliating that I had managed to completely repress the memory for three years. A man had been sexual with my body without my consent, not through physical force, but by stealth and deception.

Since then I’ve been painfully confronted with how my community applies credibility measures to sexual assault; the extent to which an assault is thought to be provoked and resisted. I partly envy women who were violently assaulted by a stranger jumping out of the bushes. There is no doubt as to who is responsible, and it is easy to give nothing but full support to the victim.

I foolishly trusted a person who later turned out to be untrustworthy, and I paid dearly for it. I was often met with skepticism, judgment and a certain distancing, at a time when I was in desperate need of support by my friends. The assault itself was traumatic, but coming out with my story, was even worse.

Why I’m writing this

I hope to explain the confusion and the shame that often keeps a victim from talking about a non-violent sexual assault or, as in my case, to repress it completely. I hope that after reading this, you may be better able to give support, in case one day a friend of yours tells you a similar story.

I hope to raise awareness about how we assign responsibility for ensuring that sex is consensual. Specifically, I want to show how the non-violent perpetrator uses our moral code “no means no” to justify being sexual with a person’s body without their consent.

Also, I want to help prevent this from happening to other women in my community. The perpetrator walks in my social circles and, if you are reading this, it is likely he walks in yours as well. If after reading this you decide you want to know the name of the perpetrator to protect yourself or your friends, please contact me at djokesteen@hotmail.com

What happened

After partying all night at a Halloween party in San Rafael, I walked to my car, alone. A man, whom I had talked with earlier that night showed up beside me. At the party this man had been very friendly and respectful. I assumed he was walking to his car, but it turned out he walked with me to my car. It was a long walk with friendly chatter, I didn’t notice that he never asked whether I wanted to be escorted to my car. I felt very comfortable with him, and he won my trust.

When we got to my car, he offered to give me a back-massage and said that he could do this while standing up. Feeling fully my post-party exhaustion, I accepted. He gave me a wonderful back massage.

Suddenly, without any indication of what was about to happen, he pushed his finger in my vagina, and I found myself in the midst of a sexual situation. Part of my Halloween costume that year was hotpants and no panties. He entered me through the leg of my hotpants. It was easy for him to push aside the one inch of fabric separating my vagina from the outside world and before I knew it, I was penetrated.

He did not inquire in any way whether I wanted him to move from massaging me, to being sexual with me, let alone penetrate me. No unbuttoning of my belt, no pulling down of a zipper, no placing of his hand on my thighs and no approach to my crotch. I never had a chance to say “Yes,” therefore I also never had a chance to say “No.”

Fear and humiliation

When I all of a sudden felt his finger in my vagina, I felt a huge explosive pang go off in my head. I was dazed and in shock. The explosion in my head was accompanied by a great sense of loss. I had lost autonomy over my most private part; somebody was bulldozering himself into a part of me that I have so many tender emotions about. In my life, I have had many different kinds of feelings about being penetrated, but never utter surprise and horrified shock. The shock and the sense of loss were immediately followed by me going into an instinctual coping mode.

My survival instinct told me that I needed to cut my losses and prevent worse from happening by getting out of the situation as fast and smoothly as possible. This man had just proven to be capable of completely taking me by surprise and taking liberties with my body without any interest for my feelings. I did not want to find out what might come next.

I instinctively decided to placate him and to pretend that “all was well.” I remember with pain back to the moment where I wondered whether enough time had passed to get off of his finger so he wouldn’t realize that this was not what I had wanted. I felt I needed to hide my humiliation and fear and slip out of the situation as fast as possible and avoid any further dealings with him. After I extricated myself from his finger, I forced a smile and excused myself by saying that I was very tired and needed to go home. I apologetically declined his invitation to stay longer.

Confusion

In my car, I felt relieved that I had been able to get out of the situation without further damage. I felt sad because I had lost something very dear to me: control over what happens to my vagina. I felt ashamed, and humiliated about having been such a fool to misjudge this man. Most of all I felt confused. Had I done something wrong? Was there something wrong with me?

Being aware of our code of conduct which says “no means no,” I deduced I must have miserably failed by somehow missing my window of opportunity to say ‘no,” and wondered whether I was totally inept to take care of myself. I remember thinking: I’ll have to chalk this up to experience.” I remember how much I resisted this being part of my experience. I drove home, slept and blocked the memory out of my mind.

Making waves

My memories started to get triggered now and then when I started dating the perpetrator’s best friend. I desperately tried to keep the memories at bay, even going to the extent of defending the perpetrator when other women were put off by his sexual forwardness. Then one afternoon, I started having flashbacks and realized that I had had a horrible experience with this guy who was now a part of my social circle.

My boyfriend now found himself in the dilemma of either diminishing my experience or facing up to the fact that he had been friends with a person who commits sexual transgressions. I questioned whether my boyfriend had enabled his best friend’s predatory tendencies. My boyfriend would at times criticize his friend’s sexual transgressions, but mostly condoned behavior he suspected was painful to women.

The perpetrator is a very handsome and gregarious person, whose male friends admire his ease of conquest with women. His technique to get women to accept a massage from him is to offer what he calls his “Harmonic Body Wave” massage technique, which is a great source of humor among his friends. However, it may not have been so humorous to the women who trustingly agreed to be massaged and found them selves fondled instead, or as in my case, penetrated against their will. The chances are slim that his friends will ever ask him “but, did she indicate ‘yes?’ ”

Malicious intent

You may wonder how much malicious intent was present in the mind of the perpetrator. Does he consciously use stealth and deception to close the window of opportunity for a woman to say “no”? Is his offer to give a massage a ploy to be sexual with her body without her consent? or is he so delusional that he truly believes that when a woman consents to his hands on her body for a massage, she also consents him to be sexual with her?

On another occasion, I overheard (one of the triggers to my memory) him boasting to my boyfriend that he had stuck his finger in a woman’s vagina on the dance floor. My boyfriend asked him what had preceded this event, and he answered with a rather nasty smirk: “he, as long as they don’t say no …”
Confronting the perpetrator

Once I fully remembered and was able to handle the shame of being a sexual assault victim, I confronted the perpetrator and let him know what the experience had been like for me. His response was “I don’t really remember.” He said he felt sorry that I experienced my encounter with him as very negative, but added: “But I thought that everybody who goes to that party was promiscuous.”

I’m happy I finally gave the perpetrator much needed feedback. I know that many women prefer to scurry away from the overly sexually aggressive male instead of bluntly asserting that a transgression took place. Two of my girlfriends who met the perpetrator were irritated by his disregard for their personal space, but both of them chose to avoid a public scene and did not provide him with accurate feedback.
Adding insult to injury/ Female fault vs. male irresponsibility

Fear of being blamed, doubted, treated with insensitivity and even ostracized silences most victims of this kind of crime. I cringed whenever I heard a sentence start with: “Well, I would have…,” or, “you should have…”

Talking about what happened that day meant facing the shame and humiliation and self-blame that I felt. It also meant finding myself on the defensive with people who told me I was responsible for what happened to me that day.

The mythic image of the violent stranger jumping out of the bushes is oddly reassuring and very persistent in spite of contradicting statistics about sexual crimes. The uncomfortable reality is that most perpetrators are known and trusted by the victim and that sexual assault doesn’t necessarily involve the threat of physical violence.

One of the things I noticed is that some kind of uneasiness and defensive thinking kicks in when people are confronted by a sexual assault victim. The conversations focused around determining where I had gone wrong. All my voluntary interactions with the perpetrator before the assault were suspect, had I not asked for it in some way?

For women, I now realize that blaming the victim is a way to feel safer. If only we avoid the risky behavior of the past victim, than we can continue to believe we can prevent this from happening to ourselves. For men, focusing on victim culpability reduces the attention to appropriate male sexual behavior.

I noticed how complacent we are of the seeming inevitability of women always having to be vigilant, because we tacitly accept that women are always preyed upon. Apparently it is easier to tell a woman to restrict her actions and movements in order to reduce risk, than to tell a man to judge his actions by the effect it has on others. Is masculinity at odds with mutuality in sex? If all individuals were held responsible for minimizing risks, then what restrictions could men implement to prevent non-consensual sex?

I was reprimanded for having placed myself in what turned out to be a vulnerable situation and was deftly told what I can and can not do in my “new agey” community in the bay area in the 21st century. I am now very clear on that it is thought to be a woman’s responsibility to limit her freedoms in order to reduce the risk of bumping into an overly sexually aggressive male. It is kind of like being hit by a drunk driver and then being blamed for it.

What is sexual assault?

It became very clear to me that most people define sexual assault as a violation of boundaries, and not as non-consensual sex. I was blamed for not having put up a boundary at some point, somehow. The perpetrator was not blamed for taking liberties with my body without my positive cooperation, or even my awareness.

Negotiating consensual sex is a very complicated dance. I like to call it a dance since most of the communication is often non-verbal. The short phrase “no means no” is an over simplification of the process. However, the short-phrase is useful to help us communicate our morals about the more elaborate negotiation process that precedes consensual sex.

Our current sexual morality puts the responsibility for ensuring consensual sex entirely on the woman, by giving her the power to veto. Our commonly held definition of a sex-crime is that a man violates a woman’s “No.” (Of course men too can be sex-crime victims.) The implication here is that as long as a woman has not put up her verbal defensive block, no transgressions have occurred.

“No means No” facilitates the guy who likes to grope and fondle

Most of us see mutuality as necessary for sex, we want to be wanted. We want a meeting of the bodies and the minds. The sexual predator is content with merely using a woman’s body. I’ve read that most sexual predators resist the idea of seeing themselves as such. They will look for ways to validate their behavior and will often seek public approval for their private transgressions. Often they will give moral validation to their actions by their intent and not by how it affects others.

The predator who uses stealth and deceit (as was the case with the perpetrator) to circumvent the woman’s “no” walks away from his groping and fondling with his self-image of uprightness intact. The stealth and deceit predator uses our rule, “no means no” to sidestep the complicated dance of negotiating consensual sex. He inserts an imaginary “Yes” as long as a woman hasn’t verbally said “No.”

Just as men learn to degrade women from other men, they also learn to respect women from other men. A man who chooses the short-phrase “no means no” to represent his values about sex provides the green light for the stealth and deceit perpetrators to grope and fondle while leaving their self-image intact. A man who chooses “no means no” fails to protect his sisters and daughters from this kind of sexual predator.

A man who says “yes means yes” instills that consent is absolutely required in sex. That man says that to be sexual with a woman’s body without her consent is sexual assault. That man creates a safer world for women instead of telling women how to restrict their actions and movements in order to reduce the risk of getting hurt by male sexuality. Just as it is important for women to be assertive about their sexual boundaries, it is important that men are held accountable for their sexual actions.

Becoming a survivor

What happened that day, and what I thought it said about me, was very disruptive to my self image. At first, I took responsibility for what happened, and I thought that my failure to prevent this from happening to me was a sign of my personal incompetence. Additionally, I believed that my reaction of, pretending to be a willing participant, was further proof of poor coping abilities.

Today, I know I had poor judgment in trusting this man. However, I place the responsibility for what happened with the perpetrator and not with me. When I accepted the back-massage I did not consent to vaginal penetration.

I now realize that pretending to be a willing participant is a valid coping mechanism. What I had just experienced with this man was that he was capable of hurting me by using stealth and deception. By my pretense, I got myself out of that situation as quickly and safely as possible, preventing further losses.
Police

The intense humiliation and confusion and self-blame keeps most women from reporting sex-crimes with the police. For those few women who do report the incident, even fewer find justice. Since most non-violent sex crimes are “he said, she said” scenarios and we live in a country where you are innocent until proven guilty, the law is often unable to protect women.

However, I found some solace in knowing that my report is on file with the police and a paper trail has been created. If other women come forward with similar complaints about the same person, at some point it may add up to enough evidence. Also, the perpetrator, knowing about the complaint that is on file against him, might be inclined to change his behavior.

My experience with the San Rafael Police department was positive. I know that this is not always the case. I highly recommend getting assistance with reporting sex crimes. Rape crisis centers have advocates to accompany the victim to the police and ensure that the complaint is properly processed.

A scene from Until Someone Wakes up (created by Carolyn Levy)

Waiter: Would you like some coffee?

Woman: Yes, please.

Waiter: Just say when. (Starts to pour.)

Woman: There. (He keeps pouring.) That’s fine. (He pours.)
Stop! (She grabs the pot; there the coffee is everywhere.) What are you doing? I said stop.

Waiter: Yes, ma’am

Woman: Well, why didn’t you stop pouring?

Waiter: Oh, I wasn’t sure you meant it.

Woman: Look, of course I meant it! I have coffee all over my lap! You nearly burned me!

Waiter: Forgive me ma’am, but you certainly looked thirsty. I thought you wanted more.

Woman: But-

Waiter: And you must admit, you did let me start to pour.

Woman: Well of course I did. I wanted some coffee.

Waiter: See, there you go. A perfectly honest mistake.

Please feel free to forward this writing to whomever you think might be interested.

Djoke Steen

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

I need a hug....

GoddessLinda — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:51:05 GMT

I want to quit everything I have got going.....
Please.
I don't even want to try anymore. I just want it all to end.

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 3 replies

What is love?2

georgemarc — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:36:39 GMT

i began thi question when I was 12. Im now 60.
What's your experience?

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 4 replies

Justin Hermin Plaza April 9th SFWorlds Biggest Water Balloon Celebration

beastwilliam — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:12:11 GMT

Non violent water ballon party at justin hermin plaza in celibration of the passing of the olympic torch.
Please be very careful not to extinguish the flame...
since the olympics should not be “Political” !

recomend red yellow and blue ballons in honor of his Holiness the Dali Lama and all those who have died in tibet to make china what it is today.

Nameste
William

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

U.S. RECOGNIZES TANTRA LEGALLY AS AN OFFICIAL RELIGION

Sasha (Alex) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:48:29 GMT

U.S. RECOGNIZES TANTRA LEGALLY AS AN OFFICIAL RELIGION
Sasha Lessin, Ph.D.

April 6, 2008

The Infernal Revenue Service has finally, after over a year of challenges by the IRS, has finally been forced-- thanks to the tireless efforts of our wonderful attorney, Ramon Ferrar-- to award our Temple of Tantra full legal status as a religious institution.

Our Tantra Temple on Maui, Hawaii, (officially designated the Tantra Theosophical and Gaia-Worshiping Society of the Divine Human Family) can now receive tax-free donations (www.tantratheosophicalsociety.com) and recognize branches at other locales.

If you too have a tantric circle that could benefit if it were an official tantric temple affiliated with ours, write or call us to explore how we can extend our tax-free umbrella to your organization. Call Janet Kira Lessin at 808 244-4103 or write tantratemple@aol.com.

Here’s the principles that guide the Tantra Theosophical and Gaia-Worshiping Society of the Divine Human Family:

1 Practice All-Chakra Tantra & Experience the Love Divine That Infuses All

2 Connect Tantrically with Beloveds, Transcend Separate Self-senses, Merge with Higher Realms of Consciousness

3 Regress, Express, Reprogram to Distinguish Lovers from Dads and Moms

4 Raise Addictions to Preferences & Experience Abundance

5 Center & Embrace Opposites Within Us & Between Us and Our Beloveds

6 Rescript Pastlife Programs and Archetypal Dramas and Become Present

7 Create & Sustain Relationships & Community That Honor Individual Choices of Conscience

8 Uplevel Relations with Truth, Authenticity and Compassion

9 Celebrate Our Bodies

10 Honor All Consciousnesses; Make Amends to Women, Handicapped & Minorities; Share Gifts

11 Seek Compassionate Peace with Observation, Emotional Expression, Empathy, Needs Sharing and Requests

12 Honor the Earth, Her Creatures and Features

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

Is there a moderator of this tribe?

Kim — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:59:50 GMT

It seems to get spammed with impunity.

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 1 reply

TRAPPED - That's what I am

darlene22 — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:14:58 GMT

I'm trapped. Many don't understand why... why I choose to be hurt, why I choose to be the one to cause myself this incredibly untolerable pain that I endure almost every single time that I doubt how I really feel or maybe whenever I am confronted by the fact that I'm HUMAN and have FEELINGS!!

Hey, I'm one of those people who finds refuge in writing how I feel, and right now, this is how I feel;

I feel angry, I feel hurt, I feel betrayed, I feel like I'm losing my grip, I feel tensed, my stomach is churning, my blood is boiling, the back of my head hurts and I feel my blood as it excessively pushes to flow through my now throbbing head, my ears feels hot, I want to cry...

My veins are weakened by the sudden rush, now I'm calmer but depressed, my eyes still in doubt if it would release these salty defeat of tears that I've been holding back, my throat hurts as if there's something there that I couldn't swallow, my face still hot. What I feel right now is overwhelming but DAMN!! I refuse to cry... I refuse to!!

Trapped!! I'm trapped. This is similar to addiction... it feels good but no matter what I do, pain is tied with it... tears, outbursts... emotions! But I couldn't stop... I couldn't stop for one second. I couldn't stop sacrificing, I couldn't stop being patient, I couldn't stop myself from forgiving... I couldn't. I just couldn't and I don't know the hell why... I can't stop realizing that this is all so unfair and yet I hold on to it as if I'd die if I didn't...

TRAPPED!!

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 2 replies

URGENT! PLEASE HELP TIBET! SIGN THIS PETITION!

JuBaL — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:02:24 GMT

URGENT! PLEASE HELP TIBET! SIGN THIS PETITION!
PLEASE REPOST!

> Dear friends,
>
> After decades of repression under Chinese rule,
> the Tibetan people’s frustrations have burst
> onto the streets in protests and riots. With the
> spotlight of the upcoming Olympic Games now on
> China, Tibetans are crying out to the world for
> change.
>
> The Chinese government has said that the
> protesters who have not yet surrendered "
> will be punished". Its leaders are right
> now considering a crucial choice between
> escalating brutality or dialogue that could
> determine the future of Tibet, and China.
>
> We can affect this historic choice--China does
> care about its international reputation. China’s
> President Hu Jintao needs to hear that the ’Made
> in China’ brand and the upcoming Olympics in
> Beijing can succeed only if he makes the right
> choice. But it will take an avalanche of global
> people power to get his attention--and we need
> it in the next 48 hours.
>
> The Tibetan Nobel peace prize winner and
> spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama has called for
> restraint and dialogue: he needs the world’s
> people to support him. Click below now to sign
> the petition--and tell absolutely everyone you
> can right away--our goal is 1 million voices
> united for Tibet:
>
::: SIGN THE PETITION! :::
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/6.php
>
> China’s economy is totally dependent on "
> Made in China" exports that we all buy, and
> the government is keen to make the Olympics in
> Beijing this summer a celebration of a new
> China, respected as a leading world power. China
> is also a very diverse country with a brutal
> past and has reason to be concerned about its
> stability -- some of Tibet’s rioters killed
> innocent people. But President Hu must recognize
> that the greatest danger to Chinese stability
> and development comes from hardliners who
> advocate escalating repression, not from
> Tibetans who seek dialogue and reform.
>
> We will deliver our petition directly to Chinese
> officials in London, New York, and Beijing, but
> it must be a massive number before we deliver
> the petition. Please forward this email to your
> address book with a note explaining to your
> friends why this is important, or use our tell-a-
> friend tool to email your address book--it will
> come up after you sign the petition.
>
> The Tibetan people have suffered quietly for
> decades. It is finally their moment to speak--we
> must help them be heard.
>
> With hope and respect,
>
> Ricken, Iain, Graziela, Paul, Galit, Pascal,
> Milena, Ben and the whole Avaaz team
>
> PS - It has been suggested that the Chinese
> government may block the Avaaz website as a
> result of this email, and thousands of Avaaz
> members in China will no longer be able to
> participate in our community. A poll of Avaaz
> members over the weekend showed that over 80% of
> us believed it was still important to act on
> Tibet despite this terrible potential loss to
> our community, if we thought we could make a
> difference. If we are blocked, Avaaz will help
> maintain the campaign for internet freedom for
> all Chinese people, so that our members in China
> can one day rejoin our community.
>
> Here are some links with more information on the
> Tibetan protests and the Chinese response:
>
> BBC News: UN Calls for Restraint in Tibet
> http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7301912.
> stm
>
> Human Rights Watch: China Restrain from
> Violently Attacking Protesters
> http://hrw.
> org/english/docs/2008/03/15/china18291.htm
>
> Associated Press: Tibet Unrest Sparks Global
> Reaction
> http://ap. google.
> com/article/ALeqM5gSSpPcDOPMoAiRLhPUyezuCRiXBQD8VFDD680
>
> New York Times: China Takes Steps to Thwart
> Reporting on Tibet Protests
> http://www. nytimes.
> com/2008/03/18/world/asia/18access.html?ref=world
>
> --------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> ABOUT AVAAZ
> Avaaz. org is an independent, not-for-profit
> global campaigning organization that works to
> ensure that the views and values of the world’s
> people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz
> means "voice" in many languages.)
> Avaaz receives no money from governments or
> corporations, and is staffed by a global team
> based in London, Rio de Janeiro, New York,
> Paris, Washington DC, and Geneva.

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

Love...............

John — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 18:30:19 GMT

What is love anyway? For me it expresses itself in many ways, but can be abused as well. For me its the look I get from one of my charges when I return home. She has waited all day for her Master to return and she has waited patiently, know that when I return I will give her the affection she craves. Its the joy I hear in the voice of my charge, when I say something that pleases her, her little giggle, that I long to hear. Its the joy I receive when I see one of my charge do well, exceed their own expectations. Its the fact of knowing that I have made a difference in the life of my charge, and they are better for having associated with me. Nikki, love is not found in some alley, and its not found in the dark of night. Love is in the daytime, out in the light for all to see. Because love can hurt, be a weapon many fear it, and its power has been abused more than anything else. Nikki, because someone called it love does not make it so, as you have found out. Go slow Little One, enjoy the victories, and prosper. Do not be confused and don't be afraid to trust, even those that have let you down in the past. Expose yourself, your inner you, and trust that they will not abuse that trust. You must be challenged to grow, and you must go to places that are uncomfortable for that growth to occur. Its better to go there with a trusting partner, than to venture there alone, but either way you need to go. I have learned that love for me, should never be mixed with ego, ego is the nemissis of love. I have made that mistake in the past, and hope to learn from it. Be good Little One, know that I love you, and only want the best for you always. We are of one mind, and your never out of my thoughts.

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 1 reply

Lifestyle/Swinging info

Felip94608 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:45:35 GMT

What is Swinging?

Swinging is a form of recreational social sex between consenting adults, most commonly consisting of male/female couples meeting other male/female couples for sex and/or ongoing intimate friendships. Contrary to popular belief, couples that are involved in the swinging lifestyle are usually in it more for the friendship with other couples rather than the sex involved. Hence, the expression used in the lifestyle: "friends with benefits".

Swinging (otherwise known as "the lifestyle") can take a variety of different forms. Although single women are generally welcome at swinging events, the degree to which single men are accepted is very limited if at all. Although female bisexuality is generally accepted in the swinging community, the degree to which male bisexuality is accepted also very limited. Swing clubs can be "on-premises" (which means that one may interact sexually with others at that event) or "off-premises" (which means that one would generally go back to the home or hotel room of other couples for sex, after deciding to do so at the event).

Newspapers and magazines, which carry personal ads for swingers, also exist, and to a slightly lesser degree these publications may also be considered an aspect of "the lifestyle." Swingers have traditionally been largely middle to upper class and tend to blend in quite easily with the general population in terms of appearance and ideology.
What Might I Like About Swinging?

People may be attracted to the swinging community for a variety of different reasons. Many couples find the thought of having sex with other people to be very arousing, and may find that swinging becomes a catalyst for improving their sex lives and relationship. Some people may feel stifled by repressive societal attitudes towards sexuality, and may welcome the opportunity to form friendships and a new social network with people of like mind.

Others may simply feel that sex should be a natural possibility in any friendship in which there is mutual attraction, and so appreciate the relative open-mindedness and pleasure-positively with which the swinging community views this subject. Although the swinging community is unfortunately not always the best place right now for het-identified men to explore their potential bisexuality, it is currently a relatively good place for het-identified women to initially explore sex with other women, and this sometimes plays a role in couples choosing to seek it out. In the past, the swinging community has been somewhat unaware of or confused by alternative sexual practices such as BDSM or Tantra. This appears to be changing, and these days you may find many folks in the swinging community who are knowledgeable about such things (though forms of BDSM much more extreme than spanking or very light bondage may make people uncomfortable, depending on the club).

If you're interested in doing so and spend enough time meeting different people, you may actually find that today's swinging community is becoming a somewhat fertile place to meet folks with a variety of sexual interests. It is certainly true right now that the national swinging conventions tend to host seminars and workshops on a variety of sexual topics, which seems at least somewhat indicative of broadening perspectives in the community.

Some women may find the swinging community to be a welcome dose of sanity. Our culture can be quite cruel to women who have an active interest in sex, often derisively labeling them "sluts" - a term which stands in sharp contrast to the less derogatory term for men, "studs". The swinging community may be especially attractive to these women, who may feel their sex drives and/or sexual assertiveness should be appreciated rather than snickered about or reviled.

Some people end up learning quite a bit about themselves and their sexualities through swinging. For example, most folks find that having their partner actively enjoy and appreciate what they are experiencing during sex to be a tremendous turn-on; this is a realization which may stand in sharp contrast to the attitude that "performance" is all-important. Swinging can be an opportunity to learn to relax and appreciate sexual pleasure, and may help one view sex more as a source of pleasure and intimacy and less as a social bargaining chip or ego fuel.
What Might I Dislike About Swinging?

If you are uncomfortable with people being sexually attracted to you and/or flirting with you, then you might be uncomfortable at swinging events; similarly, if your relationship with your partner is on shaky ground, you might find seeing him or her flirt or be flirted with to be an uncomfortable experience. If either of you have hidden agendas concerning finding a permanent "replacement" for each other, you're probably in for a major emotional disaster. If you and your partner cannot communicate directly about relationships and sex, you're probably eventually in for a similarly sized disaster. In general, sex can provoke strong feelings along with its many pleasures; if you aren't comfortable dealing with emotions, then perhaps it might be better to wait a little while before exploring "the lifestyle." If you are a single male, you might actually be better off waiting until you are in a suitable relationship with a female before attempting to become active in swinging - most swing clubs allow very few if any single men to attend their events.
General Hints for Enjoyable Swinging

In the context of swinging, "couples" need not be married. They should, however, have at least a little history together and familiarity with each others' emotional needs, and be comfortable approaching others as a "couple." The general rule of thumb is that swinging works best when couples view swinging as an enhancement to their existing sexual relationship, rather than as a replacement for a failing one.

As one would expect, good communication is critical in any attempt at swinging as a couple. There are many, many different forms that swinging may take, and whichever one you choose is fine as long as you and your partner are clear about what you are doing and why. Sex has the potential to be an emotionally-charged area, and the pleasures that may be found in swinging can generally be reached only when both partners are sensitive to each others' needs, and put their partner's comfort first. From a more pragmatic point of view, there will always be another party, another personal ad, another dance, another convention; there may not be another chance to salvage an exploration into swinging if one partner becomes overwhelmed in "the garden of delights" and forgets to treat his or her primary partner with sensitivity and respect.

It's important to keep in mind that swinging is primarily a SOCIAL activity. The ordinary social customs of meeting people and initiating a conversation are really not that different than at any other type of social gathering, and the process by which acquaintances become close friends is not that different either. The key social traits that tend to be appreciated in the swinging community are responsibility, friendliness, flirtatiousness, open-mindedness, and most importantly stability with regard to one's primary relationship.

As is the case with almost all human social endeavors, if you already know people in a particular community you'll probably be happier if you attend your first few events with these people so they can introduce you to others. Waiting a little while and watching how others behave is also a good idea, as it is in almost any new social situation. Common courtesy, of course, is as welcome in the swinging community as it is in any other community; we're all just people, after all.

There are several different styles of swinging which you may see in the swinging community. Some people may prefer not to be around when their partner is having sex with someone else ("closed swinging"), while others may insist on it ("open swinging"). The term "soft swinging" refers to trading partners just for the purposes of heavy petting and then switching back to one's primary partner for any actual sex. It might be valuable for you to think about whether there are any potential situations that you feel you would be more or less comfortable in, and discuss these with your partner.

Although not all couples find it necessary to do this, some couples feel more comfortable having social "codes" that only the two of them know. Examples might be discreet phrases or gestures which mean a) one of you is attracted to the people or person he or she is talking to and wants to know if you are interested in swinging with them, b) a reply to the above, either affirmatively or negatively, and c) one of you is not having a good time and wants to get away from things for a while.

At most swingers clubs, it's common for people to dress up or else wear very sexy and risqué clothing. If there's a dress theme for a particular event, go with the theme.

By the way, it is not necessary to actually have sex with other people to have a good time in the swinging community. Activities such as dances can provide a wonderful opportunity to flirt and be flirted with in a non-threatening yet sexually charged atmosphere, which can be fun.
Dealing with Jealousy

There are many different opinions about jealousy - several of the books recommended at the end of this guide devote considerable attention to the topic.

An interesting dynamic can sometimes arise in couples new to swinging, a dynamic which has inspired the community adage that "the more enthusiastic member of a couple will get the couple into swinging, but the less enthusiastic partner will keep them there." As Carol Queen puts it in her book Exhibitionism for the Shy
"The swing community has noticed another prevalent dynamic in couples where one partner, more often than not the man, has more enthusiasm than the other. He has had terrific fantasies about freewheeling sex and plenty of it, and he finally convinces his initially reluctant partner to give swinging a try. When they get to the party, she has a great time and is high demand, while he thinks the party's a dud... Before you pack up your sexy outfit and fistful of condoms, take some time to consider and negotiate how you will deal with the chagrin of the less popular partner if such a dismaying event happens to you."

In other words, some jealousy may spring from insecurity: if I'm worried that I'm not valuable enough to keep my primary partner's interest and love, or that fewer people will be interested in playing with me than with my primary partner, I may be more apt to get jealous. For the latter case, some of these fears may be alleviated by choosing, at least initially, to only swing together as a couple; this way neither partner can be left out.

Sometimes jealousy may spring from feelings of scarcity rather than feelings of insecurity: the fear is that "there's only so much love and so much pleasure and so much intimacy to go around." With this in mind, I'd like to quote from the NASCA Guide to Swinging, "The Myth of the Scarcity of Love is the popular belief that 'love is scarce,' which encourages hoarding. Hoarding, in turn, created the very scarcity that was feared to begin with. The myth's premises are that each of us has a very limited amount of love to give, spend, or sell; that if this is divided among several people, each will get less; that love can be saved; and that in order to be valuable, true love must be exclusive."

If you enjoy good literature and want to explore this idea in more depth, take the time to read a short story by Amy Bloom entitled "Love Is Not a Pie" (published in her Come to Me: Stories collection). But just as food for thought for the time being, you might consider a question which Dr. Deborah Anapol poses in Polyamory: The New Love Without Limits: "Imagine a culture in which your partner's attraction to another signified opportunities for greater pleasure and intimacy; would jealousy occur in this context?" I honestly don't know the answer to this question, but for me swinging has been part of the inquiry.

To end this section on a more practical note, many couples find that the secrets to dealing with jealousy tend to revolve around good communication, keeping agreements, reassuring each other as to your love and commitment before and after playing with someone new, and listening to each other's emotional concerns and taking them seriously whenever they arise. If jealousy becomes an issue for you and your partner, you might try working on some or all of these things. Of Interest to Men...

By including these warnings I do not mean to imply that all or even most men would ever act like this; chances are if you're still reading this document you already have a healthy social sense and wouldn't think to misbehave in these ways. But anyway, here goes...

Attempting to hire an escort or sex worker to go to a swinging event with you, if you don't have a regular female partner, just so you can get in the door is a terribly poor idea; this is considered inappropriate at every club I have ever heard of, is generally sufficient to get you black-listed, and is a ruse that is highly likely to be noticed by others. A related concept is taking along someone who isn't really your primary partner and isn't really interested in swinging; such folks are called "tickets" (i.e. you just used them as a "ticket" to get in the door), and this practice isn't looked upon favorably either.

If you want nothing more than to see your female partner have sex with another woman, you will probably be better off forgetting about it until she brings it up; wandering around the club by yourself attempting to find a woman who wants to have sex with her, or otherwise trying to push this personal choice into happening, is considered quite unrefined and to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility.

Finally, please remember to converse with both members of a couple you and your partner are interested in, not just the partner you are interested in having sex with; ultimately it's your ability to form friendships with COUPLES which will determine the quality of your experience in the swinging community.
Using Personal Ads

In general, you will probably waste less time by placing an ad than by responding to ads. When writing your personal ad, it's important to be clear and honest about what your requirements are. You may find it helpful to first obtain a P.O. Box and a voice mail box which aren't traceable to your real name or home address; it's also a good idea to arrange the first meeting with someone new to be in a neutral and/or public place, so that if things don't seem to be going well you'll be able to leave easily and nobody new will know where you live. Ultimately, however, if you have swing clubs (whether on- or off- premises) in your area you will probably be better off meeting swingers through them than through personal ads.
Keeping Yourself and Your Partner Healthy
Introduction

Each sex-positive community in this country has had a different response to the AIDS crisis, and in the face of a very frightening disease it is hard for me to fault people for acting irrationally sometimes. However, I believe the time has come for a more intelligent, pleasure-positive, and long-term response to STDs (of all kinds) than "excluding bisexual men," "inquiring about sexual histories and hoping for the truth," "trying to reassure yourself about how few people in your community you think are infected right now," "stigmatizing anal play," etc.

Learning to use latex and water-based lube skillfully may take a little practice, and ultimately it is up to you and your partner whether you will follow some or all the precautions I'm going to describe. However, try to keep in mind some of the payoffs: increased protection from disease, increased peace of mind, increased protection against pregnancy when another form of birth control (such as the pill) fails, and greater ease in interacting with younger swingers who may have never known a time when they haven't felt it necessary to use latex.
The Basics

Put simply, the single most effective thing you can do to stay healthy when swinging is to use latex condoms for intercourse; this practice is now extremely common in the swinging community, and is often expected.

All condoms are not made alike; men should experiment with different brands until they find the one they like best. When you put on a condom, pinch its tip as you unroll it (all the way down!) to prevent an air bubble from forming in the reservoir tip. For intercourse, you should then put some water-based lube (such as I-D, ForPlay, Wet, or Astroglide) on the outside of the condom for comfort, mutual pleasure, and to keep the condom from tearing during sex.

For a while, health experts were recommending that people use condoms and water-based lubes with Nonoxynol-9 to help guard against HIV transmission; current evidence suggests that, in the real world, N-9 is not nearly as good at HIV prevention as it has proved to be at contraception. Also, many women are allergic or sensitive to N-9, and it tastes horrid. For these reasons I only purchase products without N-9, but of course the choice is yours.

It should be obvious that a new condom needs to be put on for each new partner. If you're going to switch from anal intercourse to vaginal intercourse, you should also put on a new condom (doing otherwise can cause vaginal infections - similarly, you shouldn't put any fingers that used to be in an anus in a vagina without first washing your hands with hot water and anti-bacterial soap).

Some men find that more sensation is transmitted to them if they put a drop of water-based lube in the tip of their condom before putting it on.
The History and Future of Swinging

Swinging dates back to the 1950's. Initially, personal ads were the only way to meet people in this particular lifestyle; the first organization to be open about swinging was the Sexual Freedom League (in Berkeley, California during the 1960's). Eventually, an umbrella organization called the North American Swing Club Association (NASCA) was formed to promote accurate information about the lifestyle all across the country.

Currently the Internet is becoming an alternative to printed personal ads, and a variety of large swinger's conventions are being held every year. Popular conventions include "New Orleans Swing Fest", "Lifestyles", "Wind and Waves", "Campout", "Northwest Celebration", and "Visions".

My best guess as to the future is that as more people in this country begin to think of themselves as "open-minded" and "sex-positive", as our response to STDs becomes more rational, and as more people from other sex-positive communities begin to explore swinging, the swinging community will grow and begin to attract a new generation of sexually adventurous enthusiasts. I suspect that the size and influence of the annual swinging conventions will continue to grow, and also suspect that "cyber-space" alternatives to real-life swinging (involving interactive video, sound, etc.) will become increasingly popular.

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

TANTRA SOUTH PACIFIC

jean — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:05:54 GMT

Hi. I'm new to Tribe. My friends and I, Swiss, American, Nepalese have 5,000 acres in Fiji and 500 acres freehold on an exotic island not far from Suva, Fiji plus a 50 foot motor sailer and we are discussing establishing a Tantra focused colony/commune/resort there. Any interest or suggestions?
Best wishes.

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

MORE PICTURES ARE UP!!! GO LOOK EVERYONE!!! MORE TO COME STILL OF COURSE!!! =D

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:03:01 GMT

MORE PICTURES ARE UP!!! GO LOOK EVERYONE!!! MORE TO COME STILL OF COURSE!!! =D

Yay!!!
More pics are up everyone!
So feel free to look and share with friends!
Show everyone you know!!!!! =D
I hope they bring a smile to your face.... =P
And this isn't all either!
Always more to come no matter what... So ALWAYS check back!
But for now, visit what lives there already! =D

If anyone has any questions about any certain one, just comment on the statue desired, and I shall tell you what you need to know!
Also any of the ones listed as toothpick holders, pen holders etc.. Can ALSO be used for INCENSE holding!!!
Just so you all know!!!

-Rivaleka =)

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

MORE PICTURES ARE UP!!! GO LOOK EVERYONE!!! MORE TO COME STILL OF COURSE!!! =D

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:58:19 GMT

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

Me-Porn

FetishGrrls — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 06:41:12 GMT

Me-Porn

We have to admit that we spend a lot of time looking at our own pics & profiles, re-reading our own journal entries, engaging in profligate self-love sessions.

We’ve come up with a name for it at FetishGrrly-HQ, we call it ‘Me-Porn’.

DamaCyka likes to think she started it. She had to do something to fix her broken relationship with her own body. & being an artsy-fartsy type in possession of an itsy-bitsy webcam pre-installed in a new computer, it was only natural to start taking photos. She comes from photographers. So, she took nekkid pics of herself. Lots & lots. Nearly a year later & she must have 1500 nekkid pics of herself, a number of them certifiably obscene, we’re sure. & some are so striking to the eye that they can stop the observer dead in their tracks. The power of the ability to objectify the body, to break it into pieces & gain some detachment thereby.

Plus, there’s all these things that can be done to the photos, playing with them digitally until they become like paintings, or are rendered more ‘real’ in some sense or another. To process the photo & turn it into something that resembles an engraving or a watercolor, this gives us pleasure . . . . . . . & in so doing we have us some new eyes.

A number of those ‘early’ pics (taken in late ’06, actually) are on our tribe profile. The creases series, shytit, artytit, backpic, gracefulback, all are examples of DamaCyka me-porn. Even the face pics become me-porn to the degree that we find & fall in love with photos of our faces . . . . .

& what makes it me-porn is that the ‘me’ in the equation spends hours looking at these pics, puts them on as screen-savers, is drawn compulsively back to look at the pics again. Me-porn incites me-lust, which is probably a good thing, & me-love, which undoubtedly is a good thing . . . . . . .

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 1 reply

Sleepysex

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:36:39 GMT

I have a fascination with a guy having sex with me while I sleep. I find it really erotic. I know some people think this is rape. What are other's thoughts?

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 18 replies

2007 Chicago Daka/Dakini Conference and Seminar

Wendywanders — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 17:57:53 GMT

Greetings,
We wanted to make sure that you were aware of the

2007 Chicago Daka/Dakini Conference and Seminar
A Conference & Gathering for Sacred Sexuality Healers, Teachers & Practitioners

being held at the Crown Plaza O’Hara in Chicago September 21-23rd

If you have not heard of or registered for this event, there is still time. Please
refer to our website events at www.sedonatemple.com/ddeast2007.html for more
information.

To register, please go to www.sedonatemple.com/registration.html

A list of our presenters is as follows:
Al Polito - Portland
Anna Marti - Portland
Baba Dez - Sedona
Betty Martin - Seattle
Crytal Dawn Morris - Sedona
Dr. Elsbeth Meuth & Freddy Zental Weaver - Chicago
Harold Kornylak - Virginia Beach
Kamala Devi & Michael McClure - San Diego
Lawrence Lanoff - Sedona
Mare Simone - San Diego
Nayka - New Jersey
Martin Barba and Lalita - Chicago
Patrick Russell - Santa Fe
Reid Mihalko - Manhattan
Shivakti Shaktiva - San Fransisco

As well, we will be offering a pre and post event
September 20, 2007 Chicago IL
Manifestation, Magic, and Joy with Baba Dez and Lawrence Lanoff
A One-Day Sacred Sexual Journey for Practitioners, Dakas and Dakinis

September 24th-25th, 2008 Chigaco, IL
Deepening the Love Within
A Sacred Sexuality Intensive

Please feel free to contact us with any of your questions.
Sedona Temple 928-204-1806
mail@sedonatemple.com
www.sedonatemple.com

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

My Men Will Do What You Tell Them!

Cindy — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 10:33:02 GMT

My Men Will Do What You Tell Them!

Good boys!

Male Sex Slaves For Women
http://tribes.tribe.net/sexslaves

The rules they've agreed to:

All males in this group must follow the sexual commands of the women in the group that are within a 50-mile driving distance. If she says, “come over to my place and take off your clothes”, you do so even if she wants you to get naked in front of a room full of people. If she says, “give me a massage and then lick my pussy”, you do so. If she rolls over and says, “now, lick my butt”, you do so. If she says, “pleasure my friend,” you pleasure her friend.

Within this group only the females are allowed to make any kind of sexual requests or offers. Male slaves must have a picture of yourself in your profile and it also must contain your location. These rules do not apply to the women in the group.

There is also a private "Male Sex Slaves for Women" tribe set up for women, and the males at this site are also their sex slaves.

This Tribe is strictly set up for free exchanges. Fem-doms offering services that are tied to “financial domination” will have their advertisements deleted. Likewise any other advertisements for pay such as for pay porn-sites, professional dating services, professional strippers (male or female), etc. will be deleted.

Nothing involving pain, poop, minors, or that is unsafe is required of our male sex slaves, but all safe and sane sexual commands from our women are mandatory for men to stay in the tribe. Have fun!

Male Sex Slaves For Women
http://tribes.tribe.net/sexslaves

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 1 reply

UNITED (STATES) a 7/27 fundraiser RhythmWave, a conscious dance camp at Burning Man

ambrozia — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:05:48 GMT

Join the Northern Cal/Marin dance community as we raise money to bring the first real spring wooden dance floor to Burning Man. RhythmWave collectively combines community from Sweat Your Prayers, Connexus, Rhythm Society, Barefoot Boogie, Dance Church, Dance Jam and the Groove Garden, into a divine force for conscious, esctatic, joyful dance. Join us in this rare, one time event!

UNITED STATES :: We are one in the dance!

A Fundraiser for Rhythm Wave, a conscious dance camp at Burning Man 2007

Friday, July 27
8 pm - 2 am
Stage D'Or Dance Studio, Sausalito
Tickets: Advance $20 @ http://www.zaptix.com/group/rhythmwave/unitedstates

LIMITED SPACE -- THIS EVENT WILL SELL OUT!

Come unite in a communal state of rhythmic bliss, awareness, presence and grace as we ride ride the wave and sweat deep into the summer night. Unite with the Marin dance community in the only event to support the RhythmWave [Dance] Theme Camp -- dedicated to bringing Gabrielle Roth's 5Rhythms moving meditation practice to Burning Man.

Help us raise funds to build the first wooden dance floor to ever grace the playa--a beautiful high quality sprung floor made of sustainably harvested bamboo.

- Invocation and ceremony to bless the dance floor by Spirit Rock leaders.

- Esctatic trance and 5 Rhythms dancing to DJs -- Rhythmystic,
Davida, Derek, Omer ... and special guests...

- Gorgeous valuted space near the Sausalito waterfront with sprung hardwood dance floor

- Meditative visuals by VJ Kosho http://www.koshoart.com

- Opulently decorated indoor chill space with massage tables -- plus outdoor dome.

- Organic treats, cacao truffles and chai by Ambrozia.

- Beautiful people who love to dance!

Rhythmic dance brings us to states of mind, states of grace, states of awareness, states of presence, states of bliss, states of being, state of the art, states of bliss...

RhythmWave camp is open to anyone seeking the Divine through Dance. Visit http://www.rhythmwave.org to join.

"There is extreme delight in flowing with an unobstructed rhythm..." - Alan Watts

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

Incest -

Sun, 06 Nov 2005 16:24:40 GMT

Can incest be a positive and love oriented event? I am not speaking about underage people, but between adults. I have met many on Tribe that think it can be a positive and spiritually uplifting thing.

Although not an incest relationship in the real sense, my mom and I have shared many love filled quasi sensual moments in massage.

Sorry - if I have offended anyone.

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 47 replies

Please come and join the new Poly-Couplery tribe!

69 — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:42:38 GMT

Hey folks, I just created a tribe called Poly-Couplery. It's for people like me and my boyfriend who are poly and consciously trying to date, fall in love, and overall be connected to other poly people....but as a couple. We'd LOVE for you to be part of this tribe! Yay!
http://tribes.tribe.net/polycouplery

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

My Book Finally Arrived!

Butterfly — Sun, 20 May 2007 02:46:51 GMT

I am so excited to post this Press Release about my new book. It is such a thrill. Please contact me for more info if you have ideas about where to distribute or do book signings. Wow, wow, wow! I promise you a great read!

Love & Gratitude,
Laurie Handlers

New York, NY - For Immediate Release: Sex & Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy

In this book Tantra yoga is explained by a true Tantra goddess. Laurie’s take on Tantra, Tantric sex and how they relate to intimacy will have you laughing and possibly crying – you will definitely look within. You may even find a way to transform your relationships in the process. That’s what Tantra is all about according to Sex & Happiness author Handlers – Tantra = transformation through pleasure!

Book Reviews:

“Terrific! A great time. Growth and awareness, kindled by Laurie’s wisdom and sense of humor, await you.” – Dr Judy Kuriansky, author: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tantric Sex

“SEX & HAPPINESS puts the innocence an love back into sex and gives Tantra the respect it deserves in the West. Take charge of your life – emotionally, physically and spiritually. A wonderful meditation on the self.” Alan Steinfeld, producer/host: New Realities TV

“Authentic! Handlers offers you a priceless opportunity to ‘grow your love’ in a playful way. Her down to earth style captures the depth and profundity of Tantra. SEX & HAPPINESS will make you smile inside!” - Cynthia Taylor Lamborne, owner: Nectar Products, Tantric Tools for Sexual Healing

Excerpts from Sex and Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy

“Even after listing sexual expansion techniques, I would still say, “Come to the bedroom with no expectations, but rather with openness in your heart for whatever happens.” And you would probably say, “Yeah, well, if I could do that I wouldn’t need to read this book, now would I?” And you would be right. This whole book is about regaining the unguarded openness of your heart and bringing it to sex.

Have you heard the Zen expression, beginner’s mind? It’s a way of being in the world like everything in it is new. There is no expectation, no pain from a history of hurts and humiliations. Everything is experienced from an alert yet unguarded place. It’s a fresh, open, childlike state of mind. Practicing Tantra is one path to this clear, childlike place, but it doesn’t just happen. It takes work and training to come back to the open and loving place that is our natural state, because there’s so much grief and rage to be dealt with between now and then, so much shame and guilt, and so many ideas about how we should be in love, in relationship, and in sex.”

“Intimacy with someone else requires, first and foremost, coming to peace with your own emotional and physical life. This is not a small task, but it is a crucial one. It takes time and courage and forgiveness, coming from you to you. If you want a love affair that is sexually electric and truly intimate, you have to begin by unblocking and unleashing the sex force that is already inside you and learning to feel safe expressing it, in whatever way feels right to you. In order to do that, fear and rage and grief – feelings that you’ve learned to resist – have to be acknowledged and cleared out on a regular basis, and that alone can be one heck of a ride.

What I’m trying to say is that this whole process is going to take time. It’s going to take some time, a lot of tolerance, and a lot of deep breathing. Fasten your seatbelt and settle in for the ride.”

The chapters are based on the Ten Tantric Laws of Intimacy Laurie Handlers teaches in her Ecstasy Advanced Tantra course. They are:

Law 1: Be Your Own Witness
Law 2: Please Yourself
Law 3: Practice Emotional Release
Law 4: Honor Your Anger
Law 5: Speak Your Truth
Law 6: Set Your Boundaries
Law 7: Look in the Mirror of Your Beloved
Law 8: Practice Full Contact Confrontation
Law 9: Surrender
Law 10: Make Love in the Unknown

In her Tantra workshops, Laurie often begins dinner with desert first so in her book Sex & Happiness: The Tantric Laws of Intimacy she begins with Law 10: Make Love in the Unknown and then works you all the way through the rest of the other Intimacy Laws in order 1 – 9 so that you can arrive back at the sweetest part Law 10. The book is a “how to” look into modern intimacy establishing a new paradigm at a time when 50% of marriages fail. It includes tips, real life examples and chapter summaries for you to follow in your own life.

The book can be ordered at www.butterflyworkshops.com and sells for $19.99 plus shipping and handling. The eBook sells for $14.99. The audio book will be available soon!

Bio: Laurie Handlers is a Tantra Teacher, an intimacy coach, an author, a radio talk show host and a Spiritual Leader. She holds a Masters degree in Education and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology. Her career includes over thirty years as a corporate change consultant, individual empowerment coach and international seminar leader. She is a dynamic speaker, facilitator and has taught Butterfly Tantra workshops for women, men, couples and singles since 1999 on ancient Indian, Tibetan and Egyptian Tantric techniques and secrets that are the basis of healing the body, releasing past emotional trauma, stopping the aging process, and reducing stress. Pod casts from her internet radio show Tantra Café can be accessed through www.tribecaradio.com. Laurie is a global citizen and currently divides her time between the US, India and the UK.

Her Vision: “Women and Men Dancing in Eternal Ecstasy on Earth Now!”

Butterfly Workshops, Inc.
"Women & Men Dancing in Eternal Ecstasy on Earth Now!"
(202) 686-7440
http://www.butterflyworkshops.com
http://butterflyworkshops.com/blog/blog.html
http://www.tribecaradio.net/blog/categories/tantraCafe/

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

Women, What Really Gets Your Goat about Men in Relationships

sadasiva — Wed, 02 May 2007 05:19:47 GMT

I am finishing a book on truthful, uplifting relationships and I am doing some final research on what women really think are the worst problems you face from Men in relationships.

try to be objective about the problem,, give scenario not a judgement..

like " Why do men say they will call back and then not do it"

not " why can't men be more emotionally attuned" we all know that..

I guess you could say that also,, but i want to hear about specific scenarios you have had,,

What are the recurring themes you are stuck in?

Women, what problem would you love to see addressed in a book about Love relationships?

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

Because we need something new on the top of the list.

Dream_Bear_Waking — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:43:57 GMT

Hello all,
I have had a day from heaven. I woke up this morning and felt loved. I had a weird night as my husband john was away and I didn't sleep well but I have been feeling this wonderful up swelling of love in my life and so I decided to meditate on Love this morning.
My revelations are for me alone for the most part but I wanted to say that we all have love in our lives if we allow ourselves to be loved.

How many times have we looked for love only to have it slip away when we turned our heads to look at another part of our lives? How many times? Could it be because we have been trying to make love happen instead of Letting love happen? i know I'm rambling but this is how I'm told to write this.

Love you all,
Grimm

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

An intro to "the orrior way"==a vision whose time has come; "orrior" not "warrior"

carlos-ity — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:49:49 GMT

This is a visionary angle of mine, meant to possibly inspire thoughtful discussion everywhere. It is foremostly a way of *radical/radicalized* loving and may well be interesting to those of you most dedicated to your "art of loving" desires.

What is this "orrior" word about? Well, the idea is the "or" beyond the "war" in the much taken-for-granted idea of "war-rior" (which I feel tends to tool us into traps we'd rather avoid somehow). The idea of permitting ourselves, validating ourselves to see ourselves and our desires for peace (tho in this case, i'm talking about *radical/radicalized peace*; where *we* get to define our ideas of peace/sanity instead of forever deferring to others in a kind of "chain-of-command" structure of envisioning ourselves and this reality we find ourselves in.

One idea about this "orrior" idea is that the words we pick up and utilize either have a way of "going to the heart" of liberating vibes, or they tend to get tooled by tyrannical vibes and aggressions. Thus the idea of "orrior" is meant especially to escape/evolve from the "war" within the word, and to create a "new" power, while validating our *own* ways of envisioning ourselves.

(to note: my inclination is *not* to promote artificial avoidance of "war" itself, which i think is unrealistic in a world full of persons mobilized to such *physicalities*, but to avoid how the general use of the term has a way of "occupying" and filling up the territory of our minds and our visionary imaginations, with its variously alienating aspects--i.e. the intense alienation of elites pushing uncomprehending populaces against each other for reasons of corporate- and state-craft).

Notably, as you read about these ideas, they are not "pacifist"/passive; they are coming from CONFRONTATIONAL strategies of nonviolence, similar to the "mass ju-jitsu" ideas of Saul Alinsky (whose creativity I agree with, not his reformist polytricks).

Other terms relating to and providing a kind of foundation for "the orrior way" include the "cruciaL aRtz" and "spanarchy" (see links below).

Two links go into image details,
the updated intro to "the orrior way":
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2007/04/196344.php
and
the original full zine (or, what I *think* is the whole thing):
www.angelfire.com/indie/desires/OrriorComix1/indexOR.html

Background info can be found here:
www.angelfire.com/folk/crucialarts/ (the crucial arts)
and here:
www.angelfire.com/folk/crucialarts/spanarchy.html (and an ideah called "spanarchy")

Note: all art shared here is by me, is anti-copyright (excepting use by government, corporate, or formal reformist-type media) and may be informally self-published everywhere (i.e. to help finance your survival desires, tho "not for profit")

For ideas relating to the "orrior" way, see Green Anarchy #23, Summer/Fall '06:
http://www.greenanarchy.org/index.php?action=viewwritingdetail&returnto=viewjournal&printIssueId=20&writingId=641
...Especially the part where there is discussion of Mohawk scholar Taiaiake Alfred's new book _Wasáse_ (2005). Here is a portion:

"...[Alfred] asks the question, what prevents us from decolonizing our minds? Interestingly enough from a surrealist perspective, he points to the atrophied power of the imagination as a key impediment to decolonization. As he explains, "We have lost our ability to dream our new selves and a new world into existence. We have mistakenly accepted the resolution to our problems that is designed by people who would have us move out of our rusty old colonial cages and right back into a shiny new prison of coping defined by managed fears and deadened emotional capacities.""

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

On Starlight and Fire

justiceputnam — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 22:08:21 GMT

"... It wasn’t that in those early days, there was no violence of nature and of other tribes, quite the opposite. But Herald’s birth-tribe survived because they were strong and many; and instead of attacking any tribe or person they came across, they shared what they had... "

(to read full post)

http://people.tribe.net/justiceputnam/blog&topicId=eab9b6d3-64aa-4170-9707-b88515d38b94

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 1 reply

a single glimpse

Stormy_soul68 — Thu, 18 May 2006 05:24:58 GMT

of what part of the human body would peek your interest??

for me it is the tiny XXXX on the back of a mans neck, the pattern draws my eye everytime...

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 13 replies

Gourmet LIVE vegan cuisine

Brian — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 00:52:45 GMT

Hello, my name is Brian Lucas aka Chef BeLive Light.
I used to be head chef and co-owner of Organica: The Living Cuisine in San Francisco from 98-99, open 1 year. It had previously been Jeremy Saffron and Renee Underkoffler's Raw Experience for a year and before that Juliano's Juliano's Raw Living Foods for 3 years. Jeremy Saffron and Juliano Brotman were my teachers. I learned and channeled the gourmet twist of Juliano and the LOVE energy and knowledge of Jeremy in to my own transformational intuitive exotic gourmet live cuisine. You can check out my website at www.belivelight.com and my myspace profile at www.myspace.com/brianlucas to read more about me.
I am currently doing private chef work, lessons and guest chef appearances so if you want to utilize my specialties than please contact me at belivelucas@yahoo.com and (310)460-9253. Also, if you're by chance in LA on Friday, April 13Th, please come to my guest chef appearance at Taste of the Goddess in Beverly Hills. At least tell your family and/or friends if you have any in LA area. It is going to be a 5 course gourmet Mediterranean meal from 7:00-9:30pm for $65 a person if you RSVP or $70 at door. I will be doing one at my friend Melissa's restaurant Terra Bella soon also.

Taste of the Goddess Café
Co-owned by Forest Whitaker Lawrence Zarian's, "The Fashion Guy" from the KTLA morning Show,
"One of his favorite places to Dine!"
7373 Beverly Blvd., (Nestled inside of Prive hair salon & Ona Spa)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-933-1400
www.tasteofthegoddess.com

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

From The Prophet...

Inner_Mission_Chiro — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 04:52:09 GMT

This is one of the most beautiful descriptions of love that I have ever read. I just re-read it after having let it sink from my memory for 10 years. Thought I'ld share it with this tribe, since I have yet to read a more artful description of love then this...

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 3 replies

Why is there so much...Trouble connecting

Inner_Mission_Chiro — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:43:14 GMT

Why do so many wonderful people I know, of differing sexes as well as sexual orientation have so much trouble maintaining a healthy, happy relationship? I was at a party the other night and I looked around at a room of attractive creative good hearted people and the majority of those in the room were in the midst of lamenting the dysfunctionality of their relationship.

Is it because of the emphasis that our society places on individuality or is it just part of the human condition to have difficulty making that connection? Is that why poets, artists, writers and everyone else places sucha value on Love, because it is the most elusive of states?

Please, let me know what you think?

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 16 replies

Read this three times a day for a month - it may change your life (repost)

sitkol — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 03:05:25 GMT

there were a couple mistakes in the original, so . . .

Back when i was in college i was given this book 'The Greatest Salesman In The World' by Og Mandino. It's a little book, the story where someone finds these ten scrolls for mastering salesmanship, if i remember correctly. To attain this you are supposed to read each scroll three times a day for a month, starting with the first scroll for the first month and etc. Overall it is a religious text, and now is something that i would be very skeptical about - i'm much more cynical than when i first came across this thing. But it was right for my openness at the time.

It was a very new time in my life, experimentation with psychedelics and forming new ideas of what was important and possible. I don't remember how it all happened but i know that reading this one particular scroll had a real effect on me. It was the only one i actually was dedicated to reading daily. The others were more about actual sales and stuff. Basically they were all just full of affirmations. But sometimes affirmations are very powerful tools.

Anyway i thought i'd reproduce the 'Love scroll', as i call it, in case anyone here wants to give it a try. I tell you that somewhere along that month i had connected with a universal awareness of love in myself and everything which lasted over a long period of time. The most powerful part of the scroll for me was where it says, 'And how shall i greet each whom i meet? In only one way - in silence, and to myself, I will address him and say, "I love you!" . . .' I did this everywhere i went and it had a great impact on me.

I changed a little bit of the male gender-specific-ness of it that i thought would be bothersome to some women . . .

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Scroll Marked II

"I will greet this day with love in my heart!"

"For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force."

"My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest day."

"I will greet this day with love in my heart. And how will I do this? "

"I will look on all things with love, and I will be born again."

"I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit."

"I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars."

"I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul."

"I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge. "

"I will greet this day with love in my heart!

"And, how will I speak? "

"I will laud my enemies and they will become friends."

"I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers."

"Always I will dig for reasons to applaud; never will I scratch for excuses to gossip."

"When I am tempted to criticize, I will bite my tongue."

"When I am moved to praise, I will shout from the roofs!"

"Is it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature speaks with the music of praise for their creator?"

"Cannot I speak with the same music to his children?"

"Henceforth, will I remember this secret and it will change my life."

"I will greet this day with love in my heart!"

"And, how will I act?"

"I will love all manners of people for each person has qualities to be admired even though they are hidden!"

"With love, I will tear down the wall of suspicion and hate, which they have built around their hearts, and in its place, I will build bridges so that my love may enter their souls!"

"I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me!"

"I will love the failures for they can teach me!"

"I will love the kings for they are but human!"

"I will love the meek for they are divine!"

"I will love the rich for they are yet lonely!"

"I will love the poor for they are so many!"

"I will love the young for the faith they hold!"

"I will love the old for the wisdom they share!"

"I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness."

"I will love the ugly for their souls of peace."

"I will greet this day with love in my heart!"

"But, how will I react to the actions of others?"

"With love!"

"For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger; adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains. My shield will protect me in the market place and sustain me when I am alone. It will uplift me in moments of despair yet it will calm me in time of exultation. It will become stronger and more protective with use until one day I will cast it aside and walk unencumbered among all manners of men and, when I do, my name will be raised high on the pyramid of life."

"I will greet this day with love in my heart!"

"And, how will I confront each whom I meet?"

In only one way - in silence, and to myself, I will address him and say, "I love you!" Though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkled my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened. And, who is there who will say nay to my goods when his heart feels my love?"

"I will greet this day with love in my heart!"

"And, most of all, I will love myself!"

"For when I do, I will zealously inspect all things which enter my body, my mind, my soul, and my heart."

"Never will I overindulge the requests of my flesh; rather, I will cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation."

"Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair; rather, I will uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages."

"Never will I allow my soul to become complacent and satisfied; rather, I will feed it with meditation and prayer."

"Never will I allow my heart to become small and bitter; rather, I will share it and it will grow and warm the earth."

"I will greet this day with love in my heart!"

"Henceforth, I will love all humanmankind! From this moment, all hate is let from my veins for I have not time to hate, only time to love."

"From this moment, I take the first step required to become a man or a woman among humanity. With love, I will increase my sales a hundredfold and become a great salesman!"

"If I have not other qualities, I can succeed with love alone. Without it, I will fail though I possess all the knowledge and skills of the world."

"I will greet this day with love, and I will succeed!"

-Og Mandino

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 3 replies

Good. evil...LOVE

Inner_Mission_Chiro — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 23:49:39 GMT

Thanks to all for sharing. If there is love and no love, and in everyone's deepest truest hearts of hearts and soulthey desire to live in love, is not the difference between good and evil how we chose to try and travel froma state of no love to a state of love. Some of us, those who seem truly full of violence and (self) destructio n, can not even begin to face their existence in no love and so try to destroy what reminds them of it. It is in the space between love and no love that all action, thought and feeling occur.

It's like the story of the crossroads. It is the path that you chose all destinations are the sa,=me, a return to oneness. Perhaps the experience of love is a resting place along our road. That is why we all crave, a little descanso, in which to breath for a moment, a return to the womb, where we existed in a world of our mothers love completely. Does the kabbalah contain a story of the crossroads?

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 0 replies

sincere request and plee

sharelove — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 09:01:23 GMT

Hi to you all,
>
> My name is Pierce Sharelove and I am posting
> this here today to ask for your prayers. I am
> facing complete financial ruin and the prospect
> of not having access to my two beautiful
> children. They have always been the Priority in
> my life and I want to be able to continue to
> offer them the emotional and spirirtual guidance
> that only their father can give them.
>
> I know that by asking for help, I am doing the
> right thing. Please consider this genuine
> request from my heart to yours in asking for
> your prayers and visualizations, or whatever
> method you use to connect with intention - to
> see me happily, joyfully and respectfully
> continuing to fulfill my lifelong passion being
> the best father I can be. I am only asking for
> your thoughts that will send energy and
> solutions my way so I can further provide and
> create a nurturing, supportive and loving
> environment for my children.
>
> Thank-you from the bottom of my heart for your
> sincere efforts, as I know many of you out there
> believe as I do, in the power of intention.
>
> My humblest prayers of gratitude and love to you
> all that devote even just one minute of your day
> in support of my children and I, in carrying out
> this request.
>
> In love and the sincerest appreciation,
> Pierce Sharelove

posted in ** Art Of Loving ** - 2 replies

** Art Of Loving **'s topics - tribe.net

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Desire is not the Problem, Dualistic Identity Is

Incest 2

How do you listen to a sexual assault survivor?

I need a hug....

What is love?2

Justin Hermin Plaza April 9th SFWorlds Biggest Water Balloon Celebration

U.S. RECOGNIZES TANTRA LEGALLY AS AN OFFICIAL RELIGION

Is there a moderator of this tribe?

TRAPPED - That's what I am

URGENT! PLEASE HELP TIBET! SIGN THIS PETITION!

Love...............

Lifestyle/Swinging info

TANTRA SOUTH PACIFIC

MORE PICTURES ARE UP!!! GO LOOK EVERYONE!!! MORE TO COME STILL OF COURSE!!! =D

MORE PICTURES ARE UP!!! GO LOOK EVERYONE!!! MORE TO COME STILL OF COURSE!!! =D

Me-Porn

Sleepysex

2007 Chicago Daka/Dakini Conference and Seminar

My Men Will Do What You Tell Them!

UNITED (STATES) a 7/27 fundraiser RhythmWave, a conscious dance camp at Burning Man

Incest -

Please come and join the new Poly-Couplery tribe!

My Book Finally Arrived!

Women, What Really Gets Your Goat about Men in Relationships

Because we need something new on the top of the list.

An intro to "the orrior way"==a vision whose time has come; "orrior" not "warrior"

On Starlight and Fire

a single glimpse

Gourmet LIVE vegan cuisine

From The Prophet...

Why is there so much...Trouble connecting

Read this three times a day for a month - it may change your life (repost)

Good. evil...LOVE

sincere request and plee

Art Of Loving 's topics - tribe.net