Pendulation is practice that we use often in somatic sex/intimacy education; pendulating awareness from the mind to the body. We see pendulation reflected all around us as creatures move from sleep to waking, whales dive the depths and come up for air. At the WAILS gathering in July, as a group of 200+ humans, we pendulated from collective grief into the resource of pleasure and collective joy. It was an ecstatic experience. This gathering was spectacular and exquisitely held in so many directions, so many considerations for how humans might need to be supported in this weekend long experiment of recording songs of grief. A vision birthed by Ahlay Blakely and brought to fruition by so many. I cannot wait to share the songs with you when they are ready to be shared. Goosebumps abound.
Photos by Alexandra Doumas (Insta: littleobsidian), Ahlay Blakely (FB: Alexandra Blakely Insta: alexandra_blakely) and Wails on Insta @wails_songs_for_grief
I imagined that my role, as the facilitator of the integration ritual, would be one of a gentle, down regulating host. The flowers had other plans. I experienced the flowers as collaborators, bringing a powerful energy of play and releasing 200+ inner children squealing with delight. I have come to name this experience a communal flower-gasm and it’s not the last one. I’ve had the pleasure of facilitating collective joy rituals several times since July. My floral collaborators insisted.
What is a communal flower-gasm? An experience of collective joy co-created by humans, flowers and magic. The recipe is simple and each communal experience is unique. We begin with a reason to celebrate, a birthday, a death, a change in vocation, anything that wants to be ritualized in community. Identify said community, who would like to witness and hold this energy with you? Source local flowers and invite the Pleasure Guide to facilitate. Once your flowers, humans and non humans are gathered, I will offer a grounding and initiate the petal making party. Together we turn the flowers into petals, this can take some time and the invitation is made to put wishes and intentions into these petals. The invitation is made to stay present with our senses, drinking in the smell, taste, touch, sounds, inner feelings as well as sensations. Communal toning brings the petal making party to completion, welcoming non-verbal weaving. The petals are collected on platters and scarves and distributed to the community and then the showering begins. Sometimes it’s one person receiving, sometimes it is many at once, sometimes everyone gets to take a turn receiving solo. Songs are part of this process as well as improvised sounds of intention and squeals of delight. It is always invitational and always magical.
Facilitating collective joy is something I get to do often. If you feel called to have a feast of the senses at your celebration or simply for yourself, reach out to me.
I’d love to curate something special for you.
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