Shakti Awakening: Circle of Sacred Life Force
The Experience
Shakti Awakening: A Women's Collective Circle of Sacred Life Force
Join the Women's Collective of Greater Philadelphia and Tantra Collective for a special collaborative edition of the Women's Collective Monthly Sisterhood Circle as we gather in sacred sisterhood for an evening of embodiment, connection, and remembrance under the light of the Full Moon.
This month, the Women's Collective is delighted to partner with Tantra Collective in welcoming founder Elana Stern for an inspiring exploration of the art of working with sacred life force energy.
Within tantric traditions, this life force is understood as the Divine incarnate—the sacred creative intelligence that animates all of life. It is the source of our vitality, intuition, passion, and authentic expression. Together, we'll explore accessible, embodied practices that gently awaken, cultivate, circulate, and channel this powerful energy throughout the body to support greater presence, confidence, pleasure, creativity, and aliveness.
This heart-centered evening will weave together guided meditation, breathwork, gentle movement, somatic awareness, and opportunities for reflection and sharing in a safe, trauma-informed container. Rooted in reverence for the body and the wisdom of the feminine, these practices invite us to reconnect with ourselves from the inside out.
Whether you're completely new to Tantra or already walking this path, you'll leave with an embodied transmission and practical tools for deepening your relationship with your body, your energy, and your inner radiance.
Tantra Collective, founded by Elana Stern, is devoted to co-creating embodied experiences that awaken hearts and evolve consciousness. Rooted in the wisdom of Tantra and guided by the path of love, Tantra Collective honors the sacredness of the body, heart, and relationships as portals to the living experience of Divine union.
The Women's Collective of Greater Philadelphia, founded by Joanna Colgan and Simcha Guttenplan, is a growing community of conscious sisterhood serving the region. Through monthly circles, collaborative events, and shared resources, the collective fosters meaningful connection, mutual support, and opportunities for women to gather, grow, and thrive together.
Come as you are. Leave feeling nourished, empowered, and connected—to yourself and to a circle of women walking the path beside you.
🌹 Sacred Agreements
This sisterhood circle is a co-created sanctuary of presence, compassion, authenticity, and reverence. Together, we cultivate a space where every woman is welcomed, honored, and free to be fully herself.
By entering this circle, you agree to help uphold these shared agreements:
1. Confidentiality is Sacred
What is shared in the circle stays in the circle. Honor each woman's privacy by never sharing another person's story, experience, or vulnerability outside of this space without her explicit permission. You are always welcome to share your own experience and personal insights from our time together.
2. Speak from Personal Experience
Share from your own lived experience using "I" statements rather than offering advice, interpreting another's experience, or speaking in generalizations.
3. Listen with Presence
Offer your full attention without interrupting, fixing, comparing, or preparing your response. Deep listening is one of the greatest gifts we can offer one another.
4. Honor Every Journey
There is no right way to heal, awaken, or embody. Welcome each woman's path with curiosity, compassion, and respect.
5. Consent Always
Honor your own boundaries and those of others. Participation in any exercise, touch, or sharing invitation is always optional. Your "yes," your "no," and your "not now" are all welcome.
6. Practice Self-Responsibility
Take ownership of your experience. Tend to your needs, ask for support when needed, and trust your own inner wisdom throughout the evening.
7. Presence Over Perfection
Release expectations of having the "right" words or experience. Come exactly as you are and allow authenticity to guide the evening.
8. Phones Away
Silence and put away phones for the duration of the circle. Please refrain from photography, recording, or other distractions so we may be fully present with one another.
9. Direct Communication
If something arises between you and another participant, we encourage direct, compassionate communication whenever appropriate rather than gossip, assumptions, or speaking about someone instead of with them.
10. Accountability & Repair
If a boundary is crossed or conflict arises, we are committed to approaching it with honesty, compassion, and care. When appropriate, a facilitated repair process may be offered to help restore safety, trust, and integrity within the community.
11. Uphold the Container
These agreements help create the trust and safety that allow authentic connection to flourish. Thank you for helping co-create a sacred circle where every woman can feel seen, supported, and free to unfold.
Evening Flow
- 7:00 pm
Opening Circle
Arrival into to the sisterhood circle and open sacred space.
Shakti Awakening Practices
Accessible, gentle, guided Tantric and Taoist embodied practices to awaken, cultivate, circulate, and channel life force energy.
Closing Circle
Ground, integrate, and share experience to complete the circle.
Hosts
Elana Stern, Facilitator & Tantra Collective Host
Elana Stern is a devoted guide in Tantra Yoga, walking the path of love and supporting individuals, couples, and groups in cultivating sacred connection, embodied presence, and lasting transformation. She was drawn to meditation as a teenager, studied Eastern Philosophy and Religion academically, trained with celebrity fitness icons in NYC, and earned Yoga Teacher certifications in both Vinyasa Yoga (Cindy Lee lineage) and Restorative Yoga. Her foundation is further enriched by training in Tibetan Buddhist, Transcendental, Vipassana, Mindfulness, and Sonic Meditation modalities, as well as Pranayama breathwork and Reiki techniques. Her journey expanded through advanced certification with Yoga Chitta—a Black-owned yoga school serving the BIPOC community-where she mentors yoga teacher trainees. After a life-altering kundalini awakening opened a portal into deeper energetic and tantric realms, she became a certified facilitator of Tao Tantra Arts (Mantak Chia and Osho lineages), with additional certification in trauma-awareness, and is a graduate of the International School of Temple Arts (ISTA). With a vision for evolving consciousness in Philadelphia, Elana founded the Tantra Collective—producing curated offerings for embodied spiritual connection—and ONE LOVE HUB, the city's co-created community for conscious events. With decades of practice in movement, meditation, and energy healing, Elana's teaching bridges the physical and the spiritual. She invites you into a deeper relationship with your body, your breath, your heart, and each other—where love becomes the path home to your divine nature.
Simcha Rachel Guttenplan, The Women's Collective Host
Simcha Rachel Guttenplan is a ceremonialist, mystic, medium, and ritualist who guides people back to their bodies and the earth through authentic self-expression. Drawing from Kundalini yoga, Kabbalah, Reiki, ThetaHealing, and sacred sound, she creates embodied experiences rooted in the belief that the body holds its own wisdom. She is co-founder of The Women’s Collective of Greater Philadelphia and the creatrix of This Wholly Life and The Wholly Sanctuary, her home studio in Chestnut Hill. Rooted in Philadelphia, she is devoted to sisterhood, ceremony, and the ongoing work of claiming life Wholly.
Joanna Colgan, The Women's Collective Host
Joanna Colgan is a Wild Feminine mystic, rebellious soul worker, and embodied practitioner of grounded masculine-feminine energetics. Drawing upon life force, sensuality, mysticism, deep ecology, and the arts—unbound expression in many forms--she supports groups and individuals to live in powerful, ecstatic, devoted integrity to their Soul's truths. Joanna is also a nurse, dancer, artist, and co-founder of The Women’s Collective of Greater Philadelphia. She went to school for anthropology, international studies, kinesiology, and nursing and went on to study the feminine arts with Mama Gena, Layla Martin, Leola Watkins, and Courtney Davis. Joanna supports you in igniting your world—THE world—into conscious, playful evolution.
FAQs
- Who is this gathering for?
All adult women-identifying bodies are welcome here! Whether single or partnered, mother or child-free, all sexual orientations and backgrounds are invited to come together to co-create this field of sisterhood in an open, supportive, and nurturing container.
- Do I need to have prior Tantra experience?
This experience is open to all adult women-identifying bodies, and we welcome first-time as well as seasoned participants.
- Is there an age restriction?
There is a certain level of self-awareness and maturity required to create a safe container in which we can explore our sensuality freely within this space. For the comfort and safety of all, participants are required to be over 18 years old.
- What do I bring? And how should I dress?
Please wear comfortable, flowing clothing in which you can move freely and feel sensual.
Please prepare to be barefoot or in socks.
Bring a meditation cushion, backjack, or pillow for floor seating.
Please bring a water bottle.
Optional: Please bring a meaningful object for the altar.
Optional: You may want to bring your personal journal and pen.
- Will there be nudity or intimacy in this experience?
While Tantra practices are eclectic from White to Red Tantra, this experience is a clothed, sensual, nonsexual container. In the safety of sisterhood, you may desire to move more freely in your own body. We will discuss the boundaries of our practices in the circle.
- Is alcohol or intoxicants permitted?
This is a sober event, and no intoxicating substances are allowed. We will invite energy to move naturally to connect with the divine feminine within. After closing our circle, we'll integrate and connect over warm tea and sweet fruit.
- Is the start time important?
Yes! Please arrive on time to help ensure that our container is well held, secure, and safe for all. Come at 6:45pm to settle into the space. Opening Circle is promptly at 7pm.
- Can I drop-in or register at the door?
We kindly ask everyone to register in advance so we can prepare the space and share the private location. If you're bringing a friend or partner, please include them in your registration as well.
- Why do I need to provide my contact information when registering?
For important contact reasons and for the safety of all, we need your true name, email address, and phone number when registering. We do not allow any anonymous participants, and any registrations under a false name or contact information may be canceled.
- Where is the gathering located?
This gathering takes place in Mt. Airy, Philadelphia at a private residence. The address is included in your registration order confirmation email, under "Message from the Host". For privacy and safety, please do not share the address. We ask that everyone register in advance.
- Is there parking or transit available?
There is ample unrestricted street parking throughout the neighborhood. You're also welcome to rideshare, take SEPTA (the train station is just a few blocks away), or ride your bicycle if you're inclined.
- Where do I enter the home?
Please enter through the enclosed porch door and leave your shoes at the entrance.
- What is the COVID protocol?
While masks are not required, we ask that you take mindful health and cleanliness precautions. Please arrive in good bodily and clothing hygiene, wash your hands upon arrival, and refrain from attending if you’re feeling unwell. Your care supports the safety and comfort of our shared space.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
