For many years, as well as running my tantra practice I’ve also run dance classes for babes and toddlers… the principles of this developmental movement play practice from those sessions, that help ground and centre the little ones, work just the same with us big people! We need to affirm and validate our edges and re-find our centres, again, and again and again.
Lockdown ponderings …
I’m inspired to start talking to my camera and share my thoughts … I made this one just before the lockdown kicked in.
Shedding skins and dreaming of flying…
Happy to new year. I know that January 1st is generally referred to as the start of the new year, but in this Northern Hemisphere I tend to see February 1st as my new year. I have a particular love of snowdrops … what harbingers of hope they are.
This winter I’ve been truer than ever to my need for really lay low, hibernate, be snuggly and internal. Within this slowness and quiet I swear I’ve sensed the pulses of germination within my being, even a skin or two being shed. I just might just have popped a shoot out of the earth now!
For a good wee while I’ve felt like there was a new flavour for my work wanting to come through. Having given myself this aligned winter break I’m finding the space to allow that to rise. I’m not going to talk about what will come yet, as it’s not quite ready to hatch yet, (A bit like how pregnant women tend to wait till they’re three months pregnant before they announce it!) but I think this incredible video showing a puss moth going on it’s magical journey somehow captures my inner dance at the mo.
I do absolutely love moths by the way …
Sending love to your new shoots and all that you’re growing into, whether your at the getting lots of nourishment to grow phase, shedding skin or in the soupy pupa phase, drying your new wings or have even taken flight already.
Annabel’s talks from the Manchester Sex Lectures…
I’ve given a couple of talks now, as part of the Manchester Sex Lectures… the first was in September 2018, and the most recent was a couple of weeks ago, September 2019.
I can’t begin to tell you how nervous I was the first time, but I did it nonetheless and learnt a lot. Tantra is so much to do with living our biggest and most expansive life, present to the fullness of possibility in any given moment. Give me a group to stand before as I teach on a workshop, or a single person or couple I’m working with in my private practice and I’m generally very comfortable, but public speaking with bright lights, mics and no dialogue is a different kettle of fish – definitely pushed me to expand, and go way beyond my comfort zone. I’m very grateful for that push; of course I’ll get better at this… please excuse my beginners ways.
The first talk was about Sexuality and Vulnerability – It’s 12 minutes long. You simple can’t open to sexual expression without also being open to vulnerability – it’s a very close bed-follow to authenticity.
The second is my musings on how Heart Break is Just a Part of Life – 17 minutes. Seemed like a good idea to talk about at the time! Gosh, I make myself laugh with the ideas that hold resonance to me… this was not the easily subject, but I have to say, regardless of the quality of my delivery I went on an awesome journey as I researched and tuned into this talk. I hope that it touches you in some way.
There are loads of other brilliant Sex Lectures that have been given by other people on the Sex Lextures YouTube account. I highly recommend that you have a good ol’ listen. They are all enriching, illuminating and each one has a surprising amount of info in such a short talk.
Biggest thanks to Alison Pilling and Roget Bygott who have co-created and curated and put on the Manchester Sex Lectures… and now they are beginning to travel. The next Sex Lectures evening is in Glasgow on November 23rd.
#itsnotallaboutsex
I’m one of those people who always felt uncomfortable when things weren’t being talked about, like I could sense the elephant in the room… And seeing as lots of people’s ‘elephants’ are connected with their relationship with sexuality, I’ve had a need to create a life where shame melts, taboos bust, and elephants stomp their feet! I feel more peace when secrets can be spoken and the energy they held in the body and mind can flow into our lives.
However much sexuality is liberated on this tantric journey, this doesn’t stop the fact that tantra isn’t all about sex – It’s about consciousness and expanded awareness, married with the fundamental belief that we are meant to enjoy our lives.
I wrote this small blog for Shakti Tantra the other day, as I flew back home from America. Considering how much people think tantra is all about sex, I thought this moment captured much of what I’ve learnt over the 13+ years I’ve been travelling on this tantric path. It makes me chuckle too, as it’s so not what the average person on the street thinks when they think about living a tantric life!
This is what I look like after three hours sleep on a wobbly plane by the way! 
A Beltane retreat in North Wales
I was one of the facilitators at this recent retreat, celebrating the Celtic festival of Beltane at Cae Mabon, the stunning eco-retreat venue in North Wales. I’ve been visiting the centre since 1999; the place, the people, the memories, stories, songs, the teachers I’ve worked with there, the living breathing land, all of this has helped create the me I am today and do what I call ‘rewire the indigenous soul’… in other words, it’s one of my most favourite places in the world!
I also love the alchemy of groups; the perfect combination of people are always there <3 … and this Beltane retreat group was no exception. Co-creating and working with Eric Madden and Angharad Wynne from Cae Mabon was effortless and together we put great ingredients into our metaphorical ‘retreat cauldron’!
It was an honour to run my part of the retreat which supported the group to drop deeper into connection on the first day of the retreat by facilitating some beautiful simple tantric exercises that brought us into our bodies and out from our heads. When trust is established we can soften and be truer, braver, more vulnerable and authentic versions of ourselves. We did that, and the rest of the weekend that followed had mythic magic proportions. Humans in our highest can create such beauty.
But enough of my words, here’s a wee blog that Angharad wrote about the event. I highly recommend the amazing work that happens here. Take a look at their website and scour their calendar for upcoming events…
Sexual Freedom Awards – November 2014
November – 2014 – Annabel had the honour and joy to have been nominated for a Sexual Freedom Award in recognition for her tantra and conscious sexuality practitioner work. She was very surprised and shocked, when the winner was announced, to hear her name – a nomination really was enough. These awards have been running for twenty years now and celebrate the pioneering work of people from all different professional fields who support and and create a more sex positive and informed culture in Britain, and indeed throughout the world. Everyone from politicians, writers, erotic performers, campaigners, teachers, sex-workers and therapists have been presented with these awards over these last two decades. The awards are also a major annual fundraiser for The Outsiders Trust, which supports disabled people to gain confidence and find parters. Outsiders, and also runs the TLC Trust for people with disabilities to access responsible sexual services.