Workshops

The workshops below all take place on Friday July 11. They are in the same order as on the program schedule page.

Integrity is key to any relationship (even our relationship with ourselves!). But our lives are often filled with many pressures - to conform, to agree, to comply, to appease. Many of us are people pleasers and it is easier and seems nicer to just say yes. Agreeing can also be part of our learned survival system.

But being out of integrity - saying yes when deep inside we really feel a no - can have long term physical, emotional, and relationship consequences. But, how do we get past the guilt or shame we might feel, thinking that we are disappointing others, or are not being supportive enough, or will be rejected?

In this experiential workshop, we will explore the somatic sensations that arise when we are in integrity, or when we are out of integrity. Learning to recognize the somatic sensations that you experience as the process unfolds, can lead to a greater understanding of what “go with your gut” feels like to you! Once you experience incongruity in your body, it’s hard to ignore when it happens again. We will practice feeling the sensations that arise in our body as clues to figuring out our yeses and our nos, and maybe even our maybes.

Some aspects of who we are don't often get a chance to shine or be seen, let alone be acknowledged by even ourselves. How we learned to be and behave in society may not be representative of our deeper desires for expression. By practicing mindfulness, accessing courage and communicating honestly, we can discover what it feels like when we remove our walls and masks, if only for a moment. What is it like to be our true selves among others who are looking for the same kind of freedom? Woosh, that's vulnerable! Watch and feel how quickly trust can build as we empower our voices and share our hearts with one another. This is a gentle way to start connecting with yourself and learn how to engage with others in meaningful and respectful ways.

Whether you are new or experienced, authentic relating can be a supportive tool to help navigate deepening connections throughout the weekend. Bring your curiosity and a comfortable seat.

Today's session focuses on a total system-Mind/Body/Spirit reset through a dynamic approach. The goal is to counteract the constant stimulation and stress caused by our hyper-connected lives, which overload our nervous systems and lead to feelings of overwhelm and more stress. Many of us fail to unplug and reconnect with ourselves, despite the popularity of practices like breathwork. This session, however, is designed to be a fast track to resetting your system. Rather than a traditional relaxation practice, it involves rapid, intense breathing to give your nervous system a controlled shock. This approach aims to quickly bring you to a calm, centered state. The session combines conscious connected breathing, curated music, and personal coaching to help you achieve a fresh start and reset your mental, physical, and spiritual state. Bring a yoga mat, water, and possibly have a small pillow or cushion.

The 5 Element Sensual massage is an interactive touch and movement practice. Not for relaxing or checking out, the receiver is in complete control. Their pleasure and personal agency is the driving force. Turning up the volume on the fireworks of sensual pleasure as it crescendos and moves throughout the body during a massage ritual.

The interactive ingredients are simple but with infinite variations. Touch, breath, sound, and movement with qualities of air, water, fire, earth and ether. Air is light. Water flows. Fire heats. Earth grounds. Ether surrounds. 

Enduring nothing, always consensual, the receiver tracks the ebb and flow of sensual pleasure waves in their bodies. Frequently asking for the touch they need, where they need it, for as long as they need it. The receivers are not bound to lying still. They are free to move, stretch, dance and open their bodies in any way. The givers are there in service to the receiver’s pleasure from building erotic fire, to flowing and circulating energy. From holding space to deep embrace, the 5 Element Sensual Massage workshop creates a new vision of giving and receiving sensual pleasure.

Prepare to go on an embodied journey through the chakras using movement, music, and breath to bring you back to yourself.

We will explore fun, sensual and dynamic embodiment practices/exercises that relieve stress, build body awareness, and experience deeper emotional release and clarity.

Our goal is to activate each chakra through intentional, rhythm-based exercises.

Moving from the earthy tonal expression of the root chakra, through to subtle meditation that connects us to our crown chakra, we will go on a journey through the unique character of each chakra. We will explore a wide range of styles, rhythms and traditions - embodying kundalini yoga, tantra breath work, Hip Hop moves & Latin, African & Polynesian rhythms.

Got a fantasy you’ve been keeping tucked away in your mind’s private vault? Maybe it’s that ridiculously hot guy from the gym—the one who dropped his towel just right—or maybe it’s something wilder, deeper, and deliciously out of reach… until now.

In this fun and frisky workshop, I’ll guide you into a hypnotic trance where your wildest turn-on becomes your vivid, full-body experience. No need for small talk, awkward pickup lines, or even pants—just close your eyes, relax, and let your imagination (and arousal) run free. You’ll feel the heat, the chemistry, the touch—as if it’s all happening in real time. This is about play, pleasure, and unapologetic desire… and you’re the star of the show.

So bring your curiosity, an open mind, and your favorite fantasy. Let’s make it feel real—in the best possible way.

Bring a yoga mat—or something thicker if you’d like extra comfort. A cushion or pillow can make things even cozier. I also recommend bringing a towel (trust me, you’ll thank yourself later).

Clothing is entirely optional in this workshop. You’re welcome to stay fully dressed, go completely nude, or find your own sweet spot in between. Whatever helps you feel relaxed, sexy, and free. Please note: This workshop should not be attended by anyone with epilepsy or if you are suffering from a psychotic illness.

Pleasure Mapping is the process of mapping the erogenous zones on your body. Every body is different, and things change, so dedicating time and attention to this practice is important - and fun! In Somatic Sex Education, we use this tool to identify what types of touch turn us on the most and find out how to ask for more of it in our lives. We can use this information in our solo intimate time, or share with others to keep things spicy. In this workshop, we will offer a demonstration before giving you the chance to pair up with someone new and practice exploring each other's bodies and debrief what you learned. Nudity is welcome in this workshop.

This hatha yoga class is open to beginners or more advanced yogis who wish to explore deeper dimensions of sensuality in their body. The first half of the class will include a blend of solo and contact postures, breath awareness and meditation. The second half will expand our practice to include simple partner touch exercises that invite us to connect from the heart in authentic ways. Join Chris to discover new connections within the sensual realm in a container that honours each of our bodies and desires.

Bring a yoga mat!

Caucuses are containers for an organization, network or movement to meet in order to do our different work.

Our QTBIPOC caucus will have a cuddle space, chill vibes, and space for people to share what’s on their heart.

This is your space and we invite you to use it how you see fit: find some rest, share an experience, laugh, cry, breathe, be. Observe both the inner voice and the witness.

This circle is for you if you are QTBIPOC (Queer/Trans/Two Spirit folks who are also Black/Indigenous/People of Colour) only.

The workshops below all take place on Saturday July 12. They are in the same order as on the program schedule page.

This offering is a morning ritual taking place before the festival officially starts for the day. After gathering by a magical corner of the ocean at False Creek, we will sit in silence, tuning into the sacred wisdom of water. From within the silence, the flute begins to chant — an offering to the water, expressing gratitude and weaving an invisible rainbow between our hearts and the more-than-human world.

This is a gift to the festival and to all beings, inspired by Walking Water and a deep longing to restore our bond with nature, especially the sacredness of water.

Meet at 8:30 am at Habitat Island Park.

Come and co-create ritual space in which we view queer experience and identity through the lenses of history, tradition, spirituality, and culture. We will contemplate how our queerness is passed down through a lineage of human and nonhuman ancestors, taking time to honour our ancestors’ courage and resilience, and to notice how we are influenced, inspired, wounded and resourced. This ritual is a group contemplation and enactment of a queer cosmology, exploring age-old questions such as: “what is queerness?”, “why does queerness exist?”, and “where does queerness come from?” This ritual is based on the work of Daan Van Kampenhout, facilitated with permission, and incorporates inspiration from archetypal psychology, science and biology, social history, queer ecology, and transformative justice.

What a blessing to have access to a sauna! This ancient technology provides regular practitioners with an array of physiological and psychological benefits. In this workshop, we will introduce a mindful and ceremonial approach to a sauna practice, inviting us to connect with our bodies, our breath and our intentions. Expand your capacity to feel by intentionally exploring temperature extremes (to your dis/comfort level) while keeping track of your inner experience. We will welcome introspection, intention setting and gentle vocalization to connect us with our body's sensations. Mostly sitting and stationary, expect to sweat and shiver. Access to outdoor shower, towels provided. Bring your journal, a towel, extra layers/blankets to stay warm (optional), a yoga mat, and a bathing suit (nudity allowed in the sauna).

Communal Self-Pleasuring is a revolutionary act of sex positivity. It can be exciting, scary, or both. It can be shame-shattering and ecstasy enhancing. Sustained periods of sexual arousal stimulate a cascade of happiness hormones in our bodies. Shout Hallelujah, c’mon get happy!

You will be invited to consciously utilize breath, touch, sound and movement to enhance your self-pleasuring experience. We will co-create a safe enough space to fully explore our erotic selves in the company of others, shedding layers of shame and guilt, and celebrating all the ways we can give ourselves pleasure. Partially guided and partially free style, with lots of ideas of different ways to approach self touch, self pleasure, self compassion, and self love.

You are invited to bring a sarong or towel or yoga mat - and you might enjoy bringing cock rings, sex toys, nipple clamps, or anything else portable that gives you pleasure, and makes you feel hot. We will provide coconut oil and water-based lube. You are welcome to undress to your comfort level, and to show as much or as little of your self touch as you are comfortable with. Nudity is welcome, but not required. Erections are welcome, but not required. Ejaculation (toward the end!) is welcome, but not required. Big Smiles will occur naturally.

Cocks and balls: we love them all, cut and uncut, hard and soft, different shapes and sizes. We have been playing with our own and others for years. We learned to jerk off silently and come quickly so we wouldn’t get caught. Time to find new ways to have fun with our “junk”! We will demonstrate and practice new strokes and techniques for giving and receiving pleasure. Learning new strokes can help avoid premature ejaculation, erectile disorders and other issues. And no need for a hard cock to feel pleasure. We will pair you up with a partner, or come with a buddy!

Come and bring your ideas, desires and confusions around how Queers save our world through: Activism, Pleasure, Bridging, Resting, Playing, Theatre, Ritual, Magick...

Using an "Open Space" model where everyone who has an idea can name it, we'll put it all up on paper, and folks interested in the different ideas/topics will meet in small groups to discuss. The small groups will then report back what was generated to the greater group so all can learn.

It is so easy to feel alone, lost, powerless, apathetic, angry or afraid - come and be in community to discuss the ways Queers make the world a better place . All you need is your body and curiosity.

The Erotic Body is dynamic. When sexual energy is high, it animates our bodies in animalistic movement, activated breath and bold sounds, often in wildly expansive ways. If we want to have more erotic pleasure, we need to explore our ability to express our pleasure freely and creatively. If we are shy, shameful, embarrassed or physically disconnected, we will be inhibiting our Life Force. We may also be limiting not only our own pleasure but also in our erotic connections with others. In this workshop, we will turn up the dial on our breath, sound and movement in creative, fun, sexy ways so that erotic energy can flow through us on its highest settings.  

In this all-abilities workshop, queer men will explore dancing with our inner and younger selves as a way to reconnect and hear the needs of our younger versions of ourselves. Using the language of the arts and the transformative Tamalpa Life/Art Process™—made famous by dancer Anna Halprin—we will delve into movement as a means to confront, release, and transform the stories held within our bodies.

The inspiration for this session comes from Anna Halprin’s pioneering work with queer men impacted by HIV/AIDS, which opened new pathways for personal healing and empowerment. This workshop offers a transformative space for self-discovery, providing you with the tools to understand and reshape your personal narrative while fostering a deeper connection with yourself.

Participants can expect a safe and supportive environment where no dance experience is required. Guided movement exercises, creative expression, and reflective sharing will invite playful exploration alongside personal insight. Please bring comfortable clothing, an open mind, and a willingness to engage with your inner self. Leave behind any expectations and come ready to explore, share, and connect on a personal and profound level.

Step into your truth and unlock the power of your desires. In this immersive workshop, we will explore the depths of your erotic fantasies and give voice to your deepest, most sacred desires. Through movement, breath, writing, and connection, you will create a powerful declaration of your erotic self.

What to Expect:

• Begin by awakening your body through guided movement and breathwork, connecting with the sensations that lie beneath the surface.

• Explore your fantasies in detail, writing them out with full expression and no limits.

• Share your desires with a partner in a safe, non-judgmental space, and then declare your truth to the group (optional).

• Walk away with a clear, embodied declaration of your erotic self, ready to be embraced and lived.

This workshop is for those who:

• Want to connect with their erotic desires in a powerful and embodied way.

• Seek a safe, confidential space to explore their fantasies without shame.

• Are ready to claim their desires and communicate them with clarity and confidence.

Are your nipples Sleepy? Sneezy? Grumpy? Happy? Bashful? Dopey? Or are your nipples a source of Ecstasy? Electricity? Eccentricity? Ebullience? Extravagance?

Wherever you are - from zero sensation, to wildly sensitive - you’re welcome to join this workshop to wake up and replenish the circuitry of your nipples.

We’ll learn some basic techniques from subtle to sensational, and we’ll have ample time to practice on one another. Experimentation, play, communication and consent are the building blocks we’ll use to create a sensational experience.

Come with a partner, or come single and you’ll be paired with a playmate!

The workshops below all take place on Sunday July 13. They are in the same order as on the program schedule page.

In this ritual honoring our individual and collective grief, we will co-create the container we need to invite the more tender parts of ourselves to show up in the communal space.

Together, we will acknowledge the stories that keep us from connecting with our grief and each other, and, through prayer and intention, make space for our grief to emerge. With the support of the ritual structure and music, we will honor our connection to those who came before us and give our hearts permission for authentic expression.

This ritual is informed by the work of Francis Weller, Martín Prechtel, Joanna Macy, Jordan Lyon, Jakob Klaffs and Hugo-huga Tibirica, and many more.

When we seek intimacy, we embark on a journey with ourselves and our partners. We slowly move from one mode of consciousness into another. From the more familiar, powerful thinking brain to the easeful, relaxed mind and the emergent sensing, feeling body. Moving Into Intimacy is a deep dive into the shared intimate space between men. Through the guided creative moving meditations, we slowly break down the barriers that separate us. Connecting through breath, touch and movement, we will build a roiling sensual field in which we expand and merge with our partner. Nudity is welcome but not required.

Our rosebuds are often a source of shame, fear, and trepidation. At the same time, they can open us up to a new world of pleasure, sexual expression and embodied presence. Starting with butt massage, we will relax the muscles in the area. External anal massage is a complete experience in itself, inviting givers and receivers to discover the intimacy and subtlety of this exquisite region of our body. Internal prostate massage is optional. Men offering massage will use gloved hands. Men receiving will be guided and encouraged to request and refine the exploration to meet their curiosity. Please arrive in the morning freshly douched (let go of perfection). Bring your own partner to explore with, one to give and one to receive.

Bring your yoga mats & towels.

Are you curious about flogging? How it feels and how it feels to do it? You will have a chance to both give and receive a flogging in a consensual space. We will practice techniques and demonstrate how to safely use a flogger on a body. We will also invite you to ask for what you want as you experience the sensation of a flogger.

10 Minutes to Total Transformation is an awesome opportunity to get exactly what you want! When it's your turn to receive, you'll have the chance to ask for ten minutes of the kind of touch you're craving, and a group of eager members of our community will follow your instructions to a T. You'll be amazed at how powerful it is to have your desires met with enthusiasm and care. You'll also find that it is just as fun to be on the giving side of the equation! As a giver, you will never be expected to do anything outside of your comfort zone. We will start off by setting consent ground rules so everyone is offering from a yes. Come prepared to ask for what you want! Touch exchanges will not include full nudity or oil, but topless is ok.

Want to learn how to talk someone into an erotic state? In this interactive, experiential class, you'll discover how to use hypnotic language and sensual touch to guide your partner into a deeply relaxed, pleasure-filled trance. By playing with the subconscious mind and physical body, we will explore states of heightened erotic receptivity and embodied pleasure.

This is a guided exchange-based experience, where you will both give and receive. Whether you’re new to hypnosis or experienced in bodywork, this class will offer practical skills to deepen connection, intimacy, and erotic charge. Bring a towel.

What You’ll Learn:

How to use tone, pacing, and hypnotic language to guide someone into trance.
Techniques to enhance pleasure through suggestion and sensual touch.
How to sync breath, voice, and touch for deeper embodiment.
Ways to invite erotic energy while maintaining consent and safety.
A simple but effective Erotic Hypno-Massage flow you can use with partners or clients.

We will create a ritual container in which to witness, explore, and share desire. The contemplation throughout will be, “What do I want? How can I create an experience that will fulfill me?” The free-format experience allows for different ways of interacting with others using the power of witnessing, consent, movement and touch, in which you will create your own journey. This can be a charged container as you’ll be tasked to find your own partners, and negotiate your own boundaries. Please bring your yoga mats.

In this workshop, we will engage with the spiral of the Work That Reconnects, exploring practices that empower us to respond to the challenges of our time with resilience, creativity, and hope. Through guided activities and group reflection, we’ll journey through key elements of the process:

• Ground ourselves in gratitude, creating a strong and supportive foundation for the work ahead.

• Honor Our Pain for the World: gently explore how our hearts’ reactions to the challenges we face can deepen our connection to what matters and mobilize us to respond to the crises we face.

• Seeing with New Eyes: Expand our sense of possibility and connection by opening ourselves to new perspectives

• Going Forth: Identify the roles we feel called to play and create actionable steps to bring our renewed vision into our lives and communities.

This workshop offers a space for reflection, connection, and empowerment, guided by the framework of Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone.

In our post-modern and tech forward world, physical touch is so important, now more than ever. And yet here we are: withering on the vine, touch starved.

Studies have found that physical touch calms our nervous system and slows down our heartbeat. It lowers cortisol, our stress hormone and releases oxytocin, our cuddle hormone.

Sink into your body, relax your mind, open your heart and join us in co-creating a positive touch container to envelop yourself in a nourishing embrace.

This workshop is a touch-centred workshop. There will be a short movement practice to start, followed with a large time window filled with an explorative touch practice centred around longer, sensuous touches and embraces. Dress down to your preferred level.