Wholeness: How do you choose a Sex Worker/Erotic Practitioner?
Most openly (or even closeted) queer/gay men will use the services of some kind of sex worker as a part of his wholeness process sometime during his life.
Sex Worker includes Sex Researchers, Tantric Educators, Sex Therapists/Counselors, Sexual Shamans, Erotic Bodyworkers, Sexological Bodyworkers, Kundalini and Taoist Erotic Practitioners, Sexual Surrogates, Sacred Intimates, Sexual Healers, Intentional Touch Workers, Intentional Sex Workers to name a few roles an erotic practitioner might label himself. Some of these roles never touch the physical body, some forms are clothed, most are unclothed and include variety levels of intimacy to support wholeness. Choosing a form/approach and a practitioner that supports your goals safely is central to having an experience of healing, transformation, support or pleasure that directs you to freedom.
The role of sex workers has helped to break taboos involving sex, eroticism, bodies, gender and spiritualities that have been used to oppress rather than free. Sex worker who work consciously to create safe and sacred space come from a long lineage of queer folk who have been sacred prostitutes (as healers in the temple), berdache (keepers of sacred rituals) and gatekeepers (giving guidance to the tribe). Sex workers are in these roles providers of wholeness.
Stories of wholeness from both sex workers and clients need to be told.
Discovering the role and how that role might be expressed in sex work may be an emerging journey.
My own story started with a mystical experience of physical healing that happened while having sex as a teenager. Then later in graduate school I became a Sex Therapist in my psychotherapy practice. Next I met James Broughton who affirmed I was a sexual healer in the tribe. Becoming a massage therapist and sacred intimate was the next expression of providing sexual healing. My current incarnation is as a Body Story Expert who does sexual healing.
On Feb 18th we’re continuing this heartfull conversation at our potluck themed “Meet the Sex Workers/Erotic Practitioners” http://www.fleshandspirit.org/potluck.html If you live in San Francisco join us. Wherever you live we would love to hear from you about how sex work has been apart of your wholeness.
We would love to hear from you.