What’s your relationship with physical pleasure? What’s your experience of touch as a pathway to deep connection - with yourself, with others, with the world?

Humans are physiologically designed to thrive in response to consensual, caring, responsive touch. When we are in healthy states with open communication then connection is pleasure. However, for many (Most? All?) of us, some of what we have experienced around touch and pleasure has created trauma. The trauma of being touched when we didn’t want to be, in ways our bodies and hearts didn’t like. Or the trauma of the absence of the type and frequency of touch we were truly longing for.

This is as broad as being forced to hug people as a child, being subjected to physical violations by medical professionals, or having partners withhold s.ex and physical tenderness as a form of emotional manipulation or ‘punishment’. And more. So, so much more. So much has disrupted our natural desire for, and expressions of, intimacy in all the ways. So much has disrupted our natural ability to find sublime pleasure in the receiving and giving of even the most simple touch.

Sometimes we are even too numb to feel our true desire for connection anymore, we’ve forgotten (or never known) the true pleasure to be found in platonic (non-sexual) touch. Or we know, but we are too afraid to ask, so unused to voicing clear desire.

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Stop for a moment. Feel into what you’ve just read.

Is there something in this that resonates in you? Resonates in either pleasure or pain?

You are not alone in any of this. It’s all of us in varying ways, in varying contexts. Come, let’s unravel some of these things together. Explore, feel, create space for new opportunities to heal, new opportunities to relax into connection, open up to pleasure.

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Join me, Gabriella Salmon, for a 2 hour dive into Platonic Pleasure through physical touch. This will be a fully clothed, non-sexual, yet intimate event interweaving solo practices & partnered & group connection. There will be opportunities for touch in the form of mindful touch, massage, movement, and cuddles. Everything is optional, and clear, moment-by-moment consent is the foundation on which this experience will grow. These can be highly charged waters, we will enter mindfully.

What to expect:

This is a fully guided space, however, there is still lots of space for creativity in each of the exercises. We always start and end with a circle share (including group agreement of the boundaries of the space to start). Apart from that, every session is different in terms of exactly what exercises we do and what themes we may be focusing on for that night. Some exercises I have personally developed, others are borrowed and/or adapted from complementary spaces such as contact improvisation, theatre, the work of Betty Martin, and other mindfulness practices. There is a big focus on going slowly, honest expression and feedback, and honouring our moment-by-moment capacity to participate or to take space. Group size can range from 6 - 25 people.

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About your facilitator:

Amongst other qualifications and experience, I am a degree qualified counsellor with a Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and Neuroscience. I have over 15 years experience leading and mentoring people from all walks of life, using a wide range of creative practices. I currently regularly teach acroyoga, offer workshops on the Art of Facilitating, lead the "Home Base - Mindful, guided exploration of sensual and erotic play space.', and am a qualified yoga teacher and massage therapist.

Platonic pleasure, sensual self-love, and wholistic intimacy are areas I am deeply passionate about, both personally and professionally, and I offer this experience because it is the kind of space and process my body and heart was longing for and I couldn't find it. I created Platonic Pleasure spaces in 2021 in the deep knowing that it’s never just me who’s longing for similar things and have had hundreds of people join me in the explorations over that time. We are never alone in our pleasure, our yearning, or our pain. Some come just once, some make it a regular part of their lives, whatever works for you is welcome.

*PLEASE NOTE: Platonic Pleasure events are non-sexual spaces, if you are looking to explore in a more erotic space, please check out my 'Home Base' event.

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Practicalities:

When:

Saturday 25th October - 6:15pm for a 6:30pm start. We will finish close to 8:30pm

Where:

Nambour Yoga Centre, Upstairs 65 Currie Street, Nambour

Who: Come with a partner or solo. (If you come with a partner, you will not be working with them the whole night, we’ll be mixing it up and some things will be the whole group.)

How much:

Pay-as-you-feel.

** I am strongly of the opinion that we need more opportunities for healthy, safe connection that are not hidden behind ever increasing paywalls. However I still a) Have to exist in this financial world and b) Clearly value the skills I have invested so much in, so I put it out there as pay-as-you-feel in the trust that you will support me financially to the level you comfortably can. My suggestion is $35, but if you're feeling more or less financially abundant, please roll with that! You can either pre-pay via this platform, or book a 'Free' ticket (type a numeral 0 in the box to register) and contribute cash on the night. :)

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IMPORTANT! If you are committing to coming, you MUST register via the Humanitix link. Please be mindful that your last minute no-show could mean someone else misses out, so if you register please make it a priority to communicate asap if you can no longer make it and I can offer the space to someone else.

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Pre-Event Prep:

Be clean - You will be sharing close physical space with others, so please be freshly showered and in clean clothes, probably avoid eating a heap of garlic that day, and definitely avoid strong perfumes or aftershaves.
Be clear - Leave your sexual needs and wants at home. (There is the possibility you may get turned on during an exercise. There’s absolutely no shame in this if it’s a genuine, physiologically spontaneous response. Refocus on the platonic intention and it will dissipate on its own.)
Be sober - No exceptions. This is sensitive space and there is physical contact involved. And we want your full presence and focus. Anyone arriving at the event obviously altered by any substance will be refused entry and ticket price will be forfeited.
You're invited to wear form-fitting clothes that you can easily move in. (Think yoga or workout wear.)
If you feel to or need to, bring a cushion or back support or little bean bag chair if sitting directly on the floor is hard for you. (We will be moving around often though, and there will be the opportunity to lay down for sections.) Bring enough clothing so you can get warm and cosy if you feel to.

I will send a reminder email to those registered the day or two before the event. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out. Look forward to seeing you soon!

Much love and curious exploration,

Gabriella