Audacia Ray

I am easily wooed into the gimme gimme now now world of Web 2.0. As such, my usual internet haunts include my blog Waking Vixen (which celebrates its 5th birthday in 2009); Twitter, where naturally I am @audaciaray; and the loathesome Facebook.

I’ve been busy and will give you a run down in just a sec – first though, a few events that if you’re in NYC you’ll be excited about but might be mad about if you don’t live nearby.

First up, a panel I’m part of on Tuesday, April 14 at Brooklyn Law School entitled, Porn, the 1st Amendment and the State of Obscenity Law in an Online Society.

The Internet has changed the face of pornography by allowing for unprecedented participation in the creation of explicit media. In addition, the internet has provided means for Web proprietors to promote sex-oriented services that have enabled people with HIV, minorities, and others to connect and explore their sexuality in a way that was once impossible. Within this framework, speakers will explore the current obscenity law, and its chilling effects on this new discourse.

And the details:

Brooklyn Law School
250 Joralemon Street
Student Lounge
Brooklyn, New York 11201
From 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Speaker(s): Featuring Prof. Derek Bambauer (BLS), Prof. Elizabeth Glazer (Hofstra) and activist and former sex worker Audacia Ray.

This weekend I’m teaching a full day workshop called Speak Up! Media Training for the Empowered Sex Worker to a small group of sex workers here in New York. The workshop is being planned by Sex Work Awareness, the small non-profit that I co-founded last year. Speak up is made possible by a fundraiser we did last fall – the NYC Sex Blogger Calendar: http://sexbloggercalendar.wordpress.com. I’m pretty proud of the work we’ve done to make this media training happen, and we’ll be turning out 10 women thoroughly prepared to do activist battle, media-assault style. To celebrate, we’re having a bit of a cocktail hour after the conclusion of the workshop – and though the workshop is open to participants only, the cocktail hour is open to all. Come gawk at super-smart hookers, strippers, dommes, and porn stars – or just buy us drinks. We’ll be at XES, 157 West 24th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, starting at 5.30 pm on Saturday, April 18.

In other news, I’ll be attending Sex 2.0 for the second year – this time around it will be in DC on Saturday, May 9. I’m leading two sessions, “Revisiting Naked on the Internet” (my book is turning 2!) and the other is “Sex Work 2.0 in the Time of Obama” More info here: http://www.wakingvixen.com/blog/2009/04/09/sex-20-in-dc-may-9th/

Other big changes in my life:
I’m working in the non-profit world as an online strategist at the International Women’s Health Coalition, where among other things I’m running a blog called Akimbo at http://blog.iwhc.org, plus making videos about sexual health and rights: http://youtube.com/intlwomenshealth. I’ll also be doing my third semester as an Adjunct Professor of Human Sexuality at Rutgers University this summer (see, I told you I’d gone legit).

I’ve got lots of other stuff up my sleeves, which hopefully I’ll remember to tell you about. Feel free to look me up around these here Internets in the meantime!

xo
Dacia
Audacia Ray
Waking Vixen, Personal Projects and Blog: http://wakingvixen.com
International Women’s Health Coalition: http://iwhc.org
IWHC Blog, Akimbo: http://blog.iwhc.org
Sex Work 101: http://sexwork101.com
Speak Up! media training: http://speakup.sexworkawareness.org

SAN DIEGO, CA – On December 4, San Diego women will have a unique opportunity to learn a whole new way to gather and nourish their feminine body, mind and spirit. Amara Charles, a renowned spiritual sexuality instructor, author and poet will provide an introduction to the Taoist practices and exercises that women have used for hundreds of years to restore their spiritual, energetic and sexual chi.

“There are many paths one can take to evolve spiritually and I realized that using sexual energy with understanding and discipline can open one’s heart into a more compassionate way of living,” explains Amara. “Jade Maiden reflects my passion for the teachings of female Taoists who have inspired methods for achieving health, tranquility, and longevity by their example. Jade Moon is feminine alchemy, focused on timeless theories and practices of internal restoration and spiritual refinement for women.”

Amara Charles will be accompanied by Shyena Venice in presenting a one-evening, introductory workshop on the Jade Maiden teachings from 6:30 – 9 pm at a private residence in the Carlsbad area of San Diego.

“Jade Maiden has gifted me my juicy femininity. The teachings unlocked fears that have held me back from living my life as a woman, a mother, and a lover,” says Helen Heatly, a New Zealand participant. “Jade Maiden gave me the tools I need to maintain my youth, beauty and vibrancy and they are shared in the most moving way.”

The cost for the December 4 Jade Maiden Introductory Workshop in San Diego is $20 before December 1 and $35 per person thereafter.

Space is limited, so interested individuals are encouraged to ask questions or arrange an alternative means of registering by phone at 760-729-1102 or by e-mailing amara@NourishingArts.com.

Nourishing Arts, has scheduled its first Los Angeles event, a two-day Jade Maiden Workshop, scheduled for December 6 – 7, 2008, designed to restore and cultivate sexual vitality. It will be a nourishing weekend of learning, sharing and adventure in a luxurious place full of laughter, warmth and great women.

Amara and Shyena

INSTRUCTORS:
Amara Charles
Delivering workshops and presentations throughout the United States, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Amara provocatively inspires men and women to cultivate passionate, authentic lives. She is a co-founder of Nourishing Arts, a learning center in Phoenix Arizona providing training that enables people to experience the beauty of spiritual sexuality. Amara is trained in both the Taoist White Tigress and Quodoushka traditions and has been practicing and teaching since 1987. Amara has been featured as a special guest on HBO Real Sex, BBC and ABC Radio shows. She is the author of Sexual Agreements: A Guide for Reawakening Sexual Passion, Aching to Open and Erotic Touch for Two. She currently lives in Phoenix, AZ.

Shyena Venice
Trained in the Taoist White Tigress tradition and co-founder of Nourishing Arts, Shyena specializes in devotional music and has performed worldwide for over 15 years. Teaching people how to connect with their inner rhythms, she teaches throughout the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Shyena is a master masseuse with over 25 years experience and is an international entrepreneur for natural women’s products. She is also a studio and performing artist as well as a healer. Shyena playfully offers her inspirational gifts in devotion to spirit.

Jade Maiden Workshops by Amara

Nourishing Arts, a developer of workshops featuring practices and teachings from the Taoist and Shamanic traditions, has scheduled its first Los Angeles event. The two-day Jade Maiden Workshop, scheduled for December 6 – 7, 2008, is designed to restore and cultivate sexual vitality. It will be a nourishing weekend of learning, sharing and adventure in a luxurious place full of laughter, warmth and great women.

The workshop will be taught by Amara Hsien Ku, Shyena Hsien Shen and Fay McGrew.

What is the Jade Maiden?
The Jade Maiden is the part of every woman that is full of juicy vitality. She’s the part of a woman that is in touch with her natural feminine softness and grace. She’s clear about who she is, what she needs, and what she wants, and wise about how she finds it. There is an easier way for women to attract what they desire in life – the young Maiden inside holds the secret.

This workshop will share healing stories among a community of women who are inspired to awaken the Jade Maiden. They will find out what actually makes them feel dull and drained – especially with regard to men and sex. Most importantly, women will learn how to use their feminine passion to turn it around softly. (Life becomes a lot more fun when you are not trying so hard.)

Where Do These Teachings Come From?
Originating from an ancient lineage of female Taoists called White Tigresses, who were renowned for their alluring beauty, charm and youthfulness. The Jade Maiden Workshop will teach their secrets of staying healthy, young and full of vitality – especially what they knew about men and sex. Guess what; it hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. No matter what your age, or what kind of relationship you are seeking, these teachings will give you a whole new way of looking at health, sex and men.

What Will We Do?
Over the course of two days workshop attendees will learn the once secret exercises that were used to restore and strengthen feminine vitality. These include easy-to-do Healing Tigress and Tao Yin Exercises that will calm the mind, strengthen the body, and refresh the spirit. We will share, laugh, learn, eat and celebrate our feminine radiance together.

Through the workshop, women will learn new ways of looking at health, sex and men. For women who do not have a man in their lives, this retreat will gently nourish the spirit, and may get them thinking about men in a whole new way. For those in relationships, the workshop will clear up blocks to intimacy and get them back in touch with their sexy selves again.

Jade Maiden teaches women to let go of feelings of anger and disappointment related to the men in their lives. They will learn ways to turn around those frustrations and stop the leaks of energy.

The Jade Maiden workshop includes an introduction to the following:

• Philosophy and practices of the White Tigress teachings
• Understanding causes for loss of libido
• The Three Treasures and the Three Poisons
• Exercises for Increasing sexual energy
• Exercises for restoring breasts and ovaries
• Tranquility Practices for calming the mind and healing our spirit
• Feminine empowerment for longevity and health
• The Arts of Seduction (tips from Chinese Courtesans)

Dates, Times, and Location
The Jade Maiden Workshop will take place Saturday and Sunday, December 6 & 7, 2008 from 10 am – 5 pm. It will be located in a private home in the mid-Wilshire/Hancock Park area of Los Angeles.

On Saturday night, attendees may return home to absorb the beauty of the day, or attend the Jade Maiden Soiree, to which they may also invite male friends. This will be a casual evening of wine and cheese. The group will relax and put into practice what they shared on Saturday, and tell stories on Sunday.

Quantum Sexuality Magazine readers and subscribers are encouraged to benefit from an advanced registration fee of $189 for the weekend event, including breakfast and lunch both days if secured before December 1 and $250 per person thereafter,

Space is limited to approximately 30 individuals… Contact Amara to register.

On December 4, Southern California women will have a unique opportunity to learn a whole new way to gather and nourish their feminine body, mind and spirit. at a one-evening, introductory Jade Maiden Workshop from 6:30 – 9 pm at a private residence in the Carlsbad area of San Diego. Cost for this evening event is $35, but QS Magazine subscribers may attend for $20 if you register before December 1st.

Phone: 602.765.9551
amara@nourishingarts.com

Nourishing Arts
3741 East Shangri La Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85028

Profiles of the seminars leaders:

	Amara Charles is the founder of Nourishing Arts, a healing center providing training courses in the spiritual sexual arts. Author of Sexual Agreements, Aching to Open and Erotic Touch for Two, Amara has been teaching spiritual sexuality workshops throughout the US, Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand since 1987. Her programs include Taoist White Tigress, Shamanic Quodoushka Sexuality and the Yin Yang of Sexual Restoration. She also hosts Men’s Sex Forums promoting better, healthier sex. She has been a special guest on BBC and ABC Radio shows and a guest lecturer at Arizona State University. She writes articles on sexuality for a variety of publications.Offering Retreats and Private Sexuality Training for Women, Men and Couples.
	Trained in the Taoist White Tigress tradition, co-founder of Nourishing Arts, Shyena Hsien Shen specializes in devotional music and has performed worldwide for over 15 years. She has taught people how to connect with their inner rhythms throughout the United States, New Zealand and Australia. Shyena has been a master masseuse for over 25 years and is also an international entrepreneur for natural women’s products. As a studio artist, live performer, businesswoman and healer Shyena playfully offers her inspirational gifts in devotion to spirit.
	With over 38 years experience studying various ancient mind body & meditation practices including Women’s Qigong, Tai Chi, & Zen Meditation, Fay McGrew has studied with Qigong Masters in China & effectively conveys modern meaning of these ancient practices to Westerners. Teaching in San Diego for over 13 years, she initiated classes at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine; UCSD, & San Diego Cancer Center Research Institute. She is currently contributing to the development of a women’s health program at Deepak Chopra Center in San Diego. Fay’s teaching style is accessible and personal. www.QigongWithFayMcGrew.com 760.729.1102 info@QigongWithFayMcgrew.com