Spring Women's Pleasure Retreat 2023
I really loved the quality of our spring women’s pleasure retreat with an intimate group of women at the Kulturpark Mariposa surrounded by tranquility of a wide spanning landscape of mountaintops. The size of the group, the women were able to have in-depth conversations and had plenty of room to reflect on and integrate their retreat experiences.
Being a part of the group's dynamic was lovely.
The retreat center is spread over 20.000 m2 with the works of 80 artists, individually designed houses, a pool, terraces, caves, and shade areas under eukalyptus and pink pepper trees. We decided to facilitate the workshops in different parts of the park, sometimes under the sky and for the intimate work indoors in Casa Dobermann.
In the mornings we met on a long stretched marble terrace slightly shaded by trees. We practiced Chi Gung, meditation, breath work and yoga. Afterwards there was the possibility to have a jump in the gorgeous pool. Our dining table was inside a summer kitchen that was an open-plan kitchen. We sat around a round table hearing the birds sing and feeling a light breeze of wind, sharing delicious meals cooked by our fabulous cook Raquel. As we sat, ate and talked we looked out at the garden filled with huge, gorgeous cactus.
Bodysex starts with an educational part which we decided to do in the atrium overlooking the far stretched landscape of volcanic mountains. It felt like we had all the time in the world to talk and relate with all the given information to our sex organs, women's cycles and exploring the correct anatomy of the entirety of the clitoris. There are always AHA moments in these sessions about the myth of the vaginal corona also known as hymen, the anatomy and function of the clitoris, the pubococcygeus muscle (PC muscle) plus the paraurethral glands and the glands.
The part that always stands out are the drawings by Betty of the different vulvas styles, as most women have never seen such variety. Those moments start immediate healing processes, as we are assured to be “normal” and perfect as we are.
This time we introduced a new word for us to change the way we speak and think about “penetration” by simply calling it “circlusion”. Bini Adamczak, a German feminist and political writer proposed the term as part of her article “Come On” appearing in the Berlin-based Missy Magazine in March 2016.
“Circlusion means pushing something––a ring or a tube––onto something else––a nipple or a shaft. The ring and the tube are rendered active. That’s all there is to it.”
Bini Adamczak in her article: On Circlusion.
It is important to touch on the concept of penetration, as words frame our perception and influence our approach towards them. The word penetration stems from there being an active part that pierces or infiltrates something else. Therefore the dildo, finger or penis is the active and dominant part, while the vagina or anus is the passive, receiving part. If one imagines putting a condom over a banana, then the image of the banana being active vanishes as the condom is actively wrapped onto the banana.
We use the word ‘circlusion’ for a person with vagina to make an active decision to invite and circlude a penis, dildo or finger, instead of an insertion taking place without the feeling of being ready to receive something. The use of some words that have been around for ages can be very limiting, when it comes to expanding our horizon of pleasure and empowering women.
“Women have to learn how to run the fuck’”
Betty’s Dodson statement on The Goop Lab “The Pleasure is ours” by Gwyneth Paltrow.
That’s where we need a shift of paradigm because the one we have been given through education and our upbringing has had many disempowering effects on our connection to our bodies, pussies, pleasure and understanding about how to make sex work for us women. All of this is to add another concept for our vagina as an active body part to run the fuck, not to limit anything that already brings anyone pleasure. Fuck how the fuck you want as long as it feels elevating in whatever sense. You are the expert of your pleasure, always!
Re-framing language supports women to reclaim their pussies and try out new ways to enhance their pleasure, rather than solely please and leave empty handed.
Yes I‘m writing about changes in the paradigm that we have all grown up with in which women are thought of as nurturers and are there to please everyone else. Women need to access knowledge about the beauty and diversity of our pussies and its power to enjoy endless pleasure. Our pussy is our powerhouse, the igniter of sexual and creative energy. Sexual energy is life force. We all wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the wonder of sexual energy merging and bringing new life into this world.
I absolutely loved the experience of the retreat! There is much more I could write about but something are there to be experienced!
See you at our next retreats.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! If you happen to have any questions please feel free to write to me. I’d love to hear from you,
Xx Anna Scheer