Sharing Sensuality in Circle with Henika Patel

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In this episode, Julia and Henika https://schoolofsensualarts.co.uk/ talked about:

How she transformed from a lawyer into a facilitator of sensual arts after realising she was disconnected from her body
Circle time was a catalyst for the journey: it created a space to talk about taboo topics without shame
Her ‘Shakti Circle’ focuses on the cultivation of power in the body (any body)
Safety in a circle is objective and subjective so it’s important to clearly specify who the circle is for (including in the marketing) and she spends an hour of a 2-hour circle on practices for the self before moving into sharing ie “I” to “we”
One practice she shares is Yang and Yin vision: Yang vision is how you see someone passing by (the colour of their clothes or hair) and Yin vision is looking to connect beyond the surface level
She will talk for 5/6 minutes about the container of the circle, including about any gender being welcome, looking beyond the surface level etc
Circle is a template for the rest of the world and your life: taking time to cultivate listening skills, how to express yourself in a way that feels safe in your body, develop empathy will ripple out into the rest of your day
Circle is an opportunity to educate on these skills
Social media can be a lonely experience – just you and a phone – where you can be left with shame from the gap between reality and expectations, but circle enables those experiences to be shared
Shakti circles address unrealistic expectations from porn that’s not covered by sex ed
Generally we are not taught what ‘No’ feels like in your body to then be able to communicate your ‘No’
She is a first generation Indian woman who grew up with rituals at home
The association of tantra with sex is a neo-tantra ie a new form, traditionally it is about a whole range of practices focusing on goddesses as a reaction to Hinduism where focus was on men practising and particular castes. Tantra is not a religion, but a counter culture.
A practice she likes to include in circle is a simplified version of Nyasa - infusion divinity into the body by repeating a phrase such as “This is the beautiful hair of Julia” as you touch the hair, working around the body, with permission not to touch or giving other options
It is important when sharing a practice to name the tradition or teacher to honour the teaching and steer towards cultural appreciation rather than cultural appropriation

Henika is author of 'SENSUAL:connect deeply, express freely, lovely intimately' and the founder of the School of Sensual Arts which invites you to uplift blocks to deeper sensuality, creativity and intimacy so that you can experience more connection, aliveness and joy in yourself, your relationships and your life! She does this by creating experiences, community and education based on authentic tantra and yoga philosophy along with a unique blend of art, embodiment and psychology to offer expression to all the unspoken parts of ourselves which long to be known, heard and accepted.

Henika is a first generation Indian Woman born in England and grew up in a household abundant in the ancient Indian arts and spirtuality, with an ex-monk artist father. After studying English and French law and experiencing numbness and depression following a series of grief and losses, she left the corporate world and returned to her roots where she spent several years living and studying tools for deeper connection in Asia, learning from incredible guides in India and the Far East.

Upon returning to England, she began her studies in arts therapy and clinical psychotherapy for individuals and couples, and now combines tantra and yoga with western therapeutic guidelines to create safe spaces for transforming numbness and turning the body back online through Tantra Yoga, bodywork, embodiment and art. As an indigenous practitioner, she is also a thought leader on the topic of cultural appropriation of tantra and yoga and provides education on driving more cultural appreciation in the wellness world through her workshops, programmes and social media. Her book SENSUAL: connect deeply, express freely, love intimately is out now

Order a copy of Henika's book SENSUAL: https://schoolofsensualarts.co.uk/sensualbook Visit School of Sensual Arts: https://schoolofsensualarts.co.uk/ Follow Henika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henika.x/ Follow Henika on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@henika.x Follow Henika on tiktok: www.tiktok.com/henika.x

Get your free Start Your Circle Guide HERE You can order our book Circle Holding: A Practical Guide to Facilitating Talking Circles on Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circle-Holding-Practical-Facilitating-Talking/dp/1805013157/) Support our podcast. If you love the conversations and would love for us to create a third series you can support our podcast by donating £5, £10 or any other amount: https://www.gofundme.com/f/spread-stories-of-communities-building-circles-of-hope/

To learn more about facilitating circles you can join one of our trainings: https://www.circleholding.org Circle Holding Fundamentals - introductory 3 hour workshop https://www.circleholding.org/circle-fundamentals USE CODE POD10 to get your exclusive 10% discount on Circle Holding Fundamentals Circle Holding Facilitator Training - 3 month training https://www.circleholding.org/circle-holders-journey Yoga Nidra & Circle Holding https://www.circleholding.org/yoga-nidra-circle-holding Circle Holding Self Study Programme https://www.circleholding.org/self-study Circle Holding Non-Residential Retreat - London https://www.circleholding.org/weekend-retreat Circle Holding Residential Retreat https://www.circleholding.org/autumn-residential Free Events and mini trainings - meet Julia & Tessa and get a taste of circle holding https://www.circleholding.org/free-resources We love to hear from circle facilitators and circle goers so please email us at info@circleholding.org

Music credit: Fabio Venuti

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