Lev Davidovich teaches a new class with us called Orgasmic Yoga: Embodied Self Love. As a part of this practice, Lev encourages the exploration of mindfulness, meditation, sensation, and pleasure. Because this class is so unique, we asked Lev to share more about the objectives of this practice, one you definitely don't want to miss.
1. How did you get started with your yoga journey?
I first started doing yoga regularly in 2006 at Rubber Soul, the same place as Revolution is now. I would go every evening to Cal's class. After a while I started teaching his sequence myself in that beautiful space, taking classes in zen meditation and clowning.
2. What does mindfulness mean to you?
To me mindfulness just means presence. It is possible to get into that state while swimming, running, rock climbing, thinking, working, meditating, doing yoga or having sex.
One way to achieve this is to focus on breath and let go of having any goal. One example is mindful masturbation that I teach in orgasmic yoga class - conscious breathing and letting go of the goal of orgasm while doing self-touch.
Along with my yoga/ mindfulness / conscious dance journey, I was journeying and exploring my sexuality through tantra, different forms of kink and bdsm like shibari and playfight.
Sometimes it would bring me very high and sometimes nothing would happen, sometimes I would just see my own fear, shame or other people's past trauma experiences playing out. I soon discovered that I most enjoy playing with people who are into mindful practices, especially somatics, the practi ce of being present with all the internal sensation, including the body.
In my opinion this “body mindfulness” really opens up sexuality as a tool of personal growth, like any other kind of mindfulness or trance - meditation, shamanic trance, ecstatic dance. It is easiest to learn by oneself, during mindful masturbation, before expanding it into partner or roleplay practice.
3. Who might be interested in your Orgasmic Yoga class & what would you like them to know?
The class is for you if you want to learn about your own sexuality. Your sex life starts with you and self-touch is exactly what we do during orgasmic yoga.
It especially for those who want to feel more pleasure, more connection to their eroticism, have difficulty reaching an orgasm or ejaculating sooner than they wish, shame around sexuality or fear of intimacy with oneself and with others
It is a fully optional and fully confidential space. All my suggestions are just suggestions. The students are very welcome to follow their own impulses.
The class is a confidential space - everyone is welcome to tell the world about their own experience but not about the experience of other people in the class.
No prior experience is needed for the class - it is open to everyone.
4. What happens in an Orgasmic Yoga class?
We start by everyone agreeing to create a confidential full permission space. I introduce the theme of the day, the suggested movements and breathing. We discuss it together and move to guided individual practice.
Everyone sets up their own private practice space in their home. Some light a scented candle, soft lighting and massage oils. Everyone chooses how much or little clothing they want to have on and if they wish to be on the video feed or not. We finish the practice with some integration time in "savasana". In the end everyone is invited to share what came up for each one of us, or just to share some silent breathing and presence with the group.
5. Do you have a favorite aspect of Orgasmic Yoga?
Orgasmic Yoga and the usual yoga both share the emphasis on breathing. However there are no asanas. Instead, there are movements, breathing techniques and exploration themes.
My favourite orgasmic yoga practice is “gently holding genitals”. It is about accepting ones' genitals as an organ in itself, without using it for urinating, pleasure or orgasm. Just holding them, breathing through them and being present . It sounds very pedestrian but it is actually a solid awareness foundation for building a sky high tower of conscious pleasure .
Interested in trying out Lev's Orgasmic Yoga class? Learn more and register here.
Author: Suzanne Godard