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2008 WORLD POLYAMORY CONFERENCE
Celebrate
Sacred Sexuality & Relationship Choice
September 12-14, 2008
Harbin Conference Center
(Click) Sept.
11 PRE-CONFERENCE, with Veronica Monet, Dr. Sasha & Janet Kira Lessin
CONFERENCE
PROGRAM
Locales are abbreviated as follows Conference Center = CC;
Lower Pool = LP; Upper Pool = UP; Back Patio = BP, LL = Lower Lounge
Note: Schedule is tentative, subject to
change.
Friday
September
12 All events in CC today.
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Noon - 2PM |
Registration Janet Kira Lessin
& Kirsten Rose BP
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Orienting
Circle -
Terry Gibbons
&
Dave Doleshal
CC
Terry, Dave and oldtimers gather in a corner of the conference room.
oldtimers and newcomers question each other and share experiences. This
orientation is especially designed for those new to polyamory and/or for
those attending their first polyamory conference, - but all are welcome.
It's a good place to begin getting your burning questions answered, get
your feet wet and begin to get to know your fellow participants at the
conference.
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2 - 2:15PM |
Musical Interlude
- Taber Shadburne
CC
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2:15 - 2:30PM
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Welcome, Logistics,
Schedule -
Janet Kira Lessin,
Dave
Doleshal
CC
Etiquette of contact, nudity, quiet areas in Harbin, areas
where noise and sexuality's ok, no smoking or fires, signup
for cups,
Carolina identified as Conference Angel, available to
consult,
etc. outlined.
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2:30
- 3:45PM
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Icebreakers & Pods
for Intimate Community
(Part 1)-
Sasha and Janet Kira Lessin
CC
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Mill around the big
conference room, shake each others' hands and gaze in
one another's eyes. Feel attractions that arise.
Then, based on attractions sit with six to twelve
other folks.
The group you choose is your POD. It's
the group you tell who you are and what you want. Your
pod's the sacred circle of souls who encourage you to
get what you want at the conference and in life. You
talk now, and will talk Saturday morning and again
Sunday, just before the conference ends. You share
with your pod mates about what you learn about
yourselves as you explore poly loving.
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Pods, then, are small
face-to-face primary groups for conference integration.
Your pod's a safe space to nourish community
consciousness, create intimate, relationships you and
your podners––the people in your pod––-can open-up,
share what you deeply value and, most importantly,
experience loving support for who you are and what you
do.
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4
- 5:30PM |
The
Sacred Intimate: Agent of Love and Light
Sunyata Satchitananda and Kali Devi
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Today's Sacred Intimates bridge the worlds of Spirit and Sex, creating a
safe and sacred space for healing, releasing blocked energies, and opening
to a higher possibility of eros and sensuality in one's life. Join
Sunyata and Kali as they reveal essential aspects of sexual healing,
spiritual-sexual integration, and expanded awareness in love-making. Sunyata
and Kali illuminate common desires for, and benefits of, sessions with a
Sacred Intimate and reveal principles and techniques they share with their
clients. |
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5:30-7PM
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DINNER
Music for the
Dinner Line -
Taber Shadburne
CC
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7 -8PM |
A Filmmaker's Perspective on Polyamory
-
Moses Ma
CC
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In the process of developing and producing an indie film about
the book "The Ethical Slut", realizations about the nature of
relationships, evolution in the lives of the filmmakers and
participants, and even around the art of transformational
filmmaking were enabled. This is about the lessons learned, so
far, in this emerging and ongoing experimental film project. |
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8:00 - 9:30PM |
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Poly-Tantra
Compersion Puja
Dr.
Sasha & Janet Kira Lessin
CC
You, as an individual, pair or moresome
ritually chant, send, receive and blend with seven other individuals, pairs
or moresomes (or do all seven rites with an individual, pair or moresome of
your choice). The rites enhance your empathy for your own inner voices
and also for love others feel for each other (compersion).
Each rite flows from the sounds of the Bija Mantra, where a
sound for each energy center (chakra) awakens it. Vulnerability, sensuality,
power, love, communication, insight and spirituality–the chakras--each
rouses as you perform an activating rite for it. Then you return to your
initial partner(s) and with him/her/them, chant the entire Bija Mantra, now
charged from the seven rites you completed.
Expand your consciousness to one shared with your partner(s),
then expand you self-sense to an awareness of everyone at the conference, so
you experience the whole community as a loving being with you as one its
parts.
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SATURDAY,
September 13
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6:45-7:50AM |
Naked Yoga
- Carolina Fleishman
CC |
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8 - 9AM |
Breakfast
CC |
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9 - 9:30AM |
Declarations (Pods:
Intimate
Community, Part 2)
-
Sasha Lessin,
Janet Kira Lessin
Say your name,
share a motion; whole conference imitates. Rjoin your pod (or shift pods) and review
what you wanted to get out of this
conference, what's happened so far, how
you're doing getting what you said you
wanted, what you want now and what steps you
can take today to get what you want.
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9:30 - 10:30AM
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How We Do Poly
Janet Kira Lessin, Panel & Participants
CC
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This
is a very popular format and often the favorite part of the
conference for many. The panel is led
by World Polyamory Association chief, Janet Kira Lessin.
The Panel includes polys of several varieties and all
participants who share how they get polyamory working for
them. The audience questions and relates, so
everyone's included.
Newbies get valuable answers to begin their poly lives and
those already practicing polyamory expand their
possibilities. |
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10:30- Noon |
Morning
Presenters' Previews
CC
Paul Plamondon, Harold Kornylak, Kirsten Rose, Terry
Gibbons preview the workshops they give this
morning. CC
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Noon - 1:30PM |
What Would You Be: Interactive Role-Playing as a Guide for
Self-Discovery
Paul Plamondon
CC
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"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely
players." ~ Wm. Shakespeare, As You Like It
Actors (which means everyone) welcome! This workshop is
for everyone to play out their hearts. Dozens of real and
imaginary lovestyle scenarios will be offered to the attendees
for role play in a mostly impromptu process. Imagine a
bi-sexual petite woman plays the role of a macho, rugby-playing
poly man! What would happen if a timid shy poly man
suddenly becomes a flamboyant drag queen, even for a few
minutes? See where this is going! Scenarios will
last 5-10 minutes with a debriefing session immediately after
each.
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Loving Beyond The Dyad
Dr. Harold Haridas Kornylak
CC
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An enduring, fulfilling two person partnership is rare
enough. Even most animals tend to pair-bond. It’s totally
impractical to think of expanding beyond the dyad, perhaps
to 3, or 4? In Beyond the Dance of Two, we explore
the unique dynamics when more than 2 relate. We explore how
to keep a triad from being a pair plus one. Gain insight
into your relating style and how compatible it is for going
beyond the dyad. (Discussion and experiential exercises).
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The Myth of Having a Separate Relationship
Kirsten Rose
LL
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Polyamory is often defined as several separate relationships going on
simultaneously. However, an alternative perspective, inspired by shamanism,
tantra and family systems theory, is to view polyamory all as one single
relationship that encompasses multiple persons and multiple points of
responsibility. Viewing relationships this way resolves a number of
practical "problems" often confronting people wishing to create and sustain
non-monogamous lifestyles. |
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1:30 -2:40PM |
Lunch CC |
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2:40 - 3PM |
Afternoon Presenters' Previews
CC
Gabriella Shannon, Danielle Harel, Celeste Hirschman, Harold
Kornylak, Amber Seitz, Janet Kira & Sasha Lessin preview their offerings for
this afternoon
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3-
4:30PM
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Tantra
Polyamorously: See the Beloved in Everyone ,
Dance to Unveil the Goddess Within
Gabriella Shannon
CC
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We discuss the
value of seeing the beloved in every person
and how to use sexuality as the most
effective love delivery system.
We explore the discrepancy between values we
hold in our lives regarding freedom,
inclusivity, sharing, generosity and
diversity and the way we do relationships.
We bridge the gap between neo tantra and
ancient Eastern tantrism and benefit from
both. We develop our own Goddess and God
dance. |
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Triads Dr.
Danielle Harel, Ph.D & Celeste Hirschman, M.A.
LL
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Bringing a third person to the relationship
is one thing, but bringing them into your
bed is a different story. The option of
finding another partner and having a
threesome often comes up as a fun and
exciting option. The truth is, lots of
people fantasize about having one, but
making it sexy, safe and satisfying for
everyone can seem a bit challenging. If
you've ever thought about a ménage à trios
or tried it and it didn't quite work out,
this workshop with Sex and Intimacy Coaches
Danielle Harel, Ph.D. and Celeste Hirschman,
M.A the creators of the Become an
Extraordinary Lover Workshops, is for
you. |
You'll learn ways to make sure everyone gets what they
want, and, of course, hot threesome sex tips. With these
tools in hand, you'll be able to turn your fantasies
into amazing real-life experiences. This workshop
focuses on m/f couples, with either male or female
thirds.
Polyamorous
HypnoFanta-HypnoMassage
Terry Gibbons
LL
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Slay the green eyed monster. Release
sexual inhibitions which are no longer
serving you. Learn how you can
experience the delights of sexualove
combined with intense spiritual connection.
Grow Closer through verbal and non verbal
exercises. Finally, bring your senses
alive through guided fantasy–-orchestrated
Hypnomassage for dyads, triads and
loving groups. Romantic music
heightens the intimacy. Mmmm...
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4:30-6
PM
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Ritually Evoking Female Ejaculation in a Poly Pod
Ceremony
Dr. Sasha & Janet Kira Lessin
CC
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Janet and Sasha explain, demonstrate, and invite
participants to just watch or to join in
ritually celebrating female lovers to open them
to heal psychic wounds and achieve divine union
with their inner voices, rearers, past lovers,
polymates and the cosmos. The session
begins with verbal intimacy exercises,
progresses to disrobing, full-body massaging,
invoking the Goddess of each chakra, yoni
kissing and emotional trauma release touching,
followed by sensual stroking and ecstatic
ejaculation. Bring a couple of towels. |
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Tansu with Those
We Hold Close
Amber Seitz
UP
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Tansu's a bodywork experience to share with partners with whom
you can be close to in an intimate but noninvasive whole-body
holds. On the rug, wearing loose clothing, partners cuddle
each other between their legs and share deep connected breathing
which leads to multipersonal, a whole-body energetic activation |
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6-7:15 |
Dinner CC
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6:15
- 6:30PM
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Music for the Dinner Line-
Taber Shadburne
CC |
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7:30-8:30PM
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Keynote:
The Polyamory Movement in the U.S.
Past, Present & Future
Gary Shubach,
Ph.D.
CC
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What is this thing we call "poly?" What does it
mean and where does it come from? What are its historical roots
in American culture? How many people engage in it and who are
they? What might the future look like? To answer these
questions, Dr. Schubach has been exploring the nature and
meaning of his own sensuality within the context of his
relationships with others for the last 34 years. One of his
major areas of interest has been the question of openly
maintaining more than one sensual relationship at a time. This
included study at the original Sandstone in the 1970s,
co-creation of the Harrod Community in Sacramento in 1975;
formation of PRIMAL (People Relating in Many Alternative
Lifestyles) in 1978; and 12 years of being a featured speaker at
the LifeStyles Conventions. In 1994, he performed a statistical
study of the "swinger" community that was a follow-up to two
earlier studies of the same group.
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8:30 -10:30PM
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God & Goddess Party:
A Tantric/Erotic Celebration for Polys
Christophe Ceri
CC |
The fun will start with a
playful introductory process. Then we will use various
ancient Chinese Qi Gong (internal energy)
exercises to stimulate our vital chi energy and
fully ground us in our bodies. From there we will engage
in partnered exercises to stimulate our spiritual &
heart centers and connect sensually with the group. This
is followed by a variety of games & exercises that will
gradually move us from sensuality to eroticism and,
ultimately, to free-flow play with an emphasis on
light-hearted, joyful play!
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SUNDAY,
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6:45-7:50AM |
Naked Yoga
- Amber Seitz
CC |
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8-9AM |
Breakfast
CC |
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9-9:15AM
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Presenters' Previews
- Taber Shadburne,
Master Rex,
Miss Jane,
Dave Doleshal,
David Spero, Aisha Kassahoun,
Sonda Beal,
Christophe
Ceri,
Sasha Lessin,
Janet Kira
Lessin,
Keith Brown, Shaun Shields and Paul Glassco
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9:15-10:45AM
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Soulful Communication: The
Tantra of Telling the Truth
Taber
Shadburne
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World Polyamory Association 
