
The Somatic Playground
Moving at the Rhythm of Connection and Trust!
Praise about The Somatic Playground!
"Oh my goodness, I have so much fun attending these events!! Now Monday nights are one of my fave nights of the week. 🤣
The Somatic Playground is a friendly and supportive place to explore many fun, body- and awareness-based connection activities. So often I noticed myself contemplating things I learned or connections that moved me during the event. It’s such a nourishing and community connected way to grow and develop in really playful and empowering ways! I’m grateful and will keep coming back." ~ Carley
"Facilitated exercises have created a comfortable space to explore ourselves and engage in deeper interactions with others. The building of the Somatic Playground community, and its varied range of teachers, has given us a path into exploring other communities in the Bay Area. As a couple, it’s been a wonderful place to learn about ourselves and our relationship" ~ Kai & Eric
"I had high expectations because of my experience with the work of the producers of Somatic Playground and I was NOT disappointed. I wanted to go deeper into what's possible within the realms of sensation, creativite expression, and attunement to myself and others. Relatable facilitation, great models for conscious relating and body presence. I comenoutbof the classes totally alive with an amazing experience of soft and juicy self intimacy and awakend connection to myself and others." ~Katharine
"I love Somatic Playground because it enables me to try out different skillsets in a group of likeminded individuals and hosts week after week building a community and learning while we do it. Every week is different but hinge upon similar goals to connect more deeply with people through targeted exercises, games, and frameworks created by the diverse array of highly skilled facilitators. // There is something for everyone through Somatic Playground, whether you’ve been immersed in somatic workshop spaces before, are comfortable with sensual, or you’re brand new, nervous, or are wanting a beginner space, different classes offer different levels and interests making it accessible to a diverse array of folks. There really is space for everyone no matter how you identify or what other types of events you attend. // My favorite part is often being able to discuss and debrief, which happens in each class in between exercises and time for open play. It’s a really incredible space and I’ve made some deep friendships through it, learned skills, and healed parts of myself and am excited to continue on in this wonderful community." ~ Elle
"I've really got a lot out of this series, appreciating the variety of approaches from the facilitators. They've brought me movement, stillness, breath, depth. I've found better connection with my own inner experience, and I'm enjoying the company of a community of somatic fellow travelers!" ~ Joseph
"I attended a class at The Somatic Playground to get out of my comfort zone and meet positive people. I was scared because it was the first time exploring a more emotional side of me and I was doing it in front of strangers. I couldn’t have chose a better place. Every one was so open minded and accepting of me, I felt safe and comfortable the whole time. It was an unforgettable experience!" ~ Brian
"The Somatic Playground hosts workshops that create a safe and welcoming environment where participants can dive deep into introspection while having embodied connections. From the beautiful rope workshop to the "Play Your Way to Authenticity" workshop, each experience is a testament to the care and creativity of the facilitators. The combination of trust-building activities, guided meditations, and interactive games create a sensory based journey and camaraderie among attendees, leading to the feeling of genuine community." ~ Heather
"Thank you so much for organizing the Somatic Playground a second time. When I started attending last fall my partner and I were just beginning to explore more movement and somatic awareness activities. I came to the workshops initially intending to connect with others in ways that I was not yet conversant. As each workshop is different, with a full-fledged teacher sharing their passions and skills, I have left each one filled with a broadened sense of community and support in finding out together just how deep and full and mysterious living can be. The work here is important as it brings together many teachers and students to explore the beauty of being fully alive." ~Kent
What is the Somatic Playground?
✨ Weekly Monday classes with some of your favorite FireLight & SoulPlay teachers, and more!
✨ A place for you to learn, embody, and grow somatic, primal, emotional, and energetic intelligence!
✨ A space to co-create community with a common language around relating & intimacy!
✨ An opportunity to slow down, connect, and move at the pace of connection and trust!
✨ A time to play, move, and dance together!
Join us for a series of collaborative exploration at The Somatic Playground!
These in-person events take place on Mondays 7-10pm
Get ready to immerse yourself in a unique experience of connecting with yourself and others in a playful, expressive, & intimate way. Through various somatic exercises and activities, you'll discover new ways to move, connect, let go, and build trust with those around you.
Whether you're a seasoned dancer or have never stepped foot on a dance floor before, this event welcomes everyone. We're cultivating a thoughtful space to explore your body's language, express yourself freely, and connect with like-minded individuals.
In the Somatic Playground, we will cultivate a community of somatic attunement and relational intelligence. Each week, a different facilitator will guide you on a journey of research, play, and practice, honing your abilities to dive into your somatic, emotional, primal, energetic, and relational bodies - learning to listen through touch and taste the pathway of motion. An open jam will follow as a way to continue exploring together sparks and curiosities from class.
So, mark your calendars and come join us at The Somatic Playground for an evening filled with exploration, movement, touch, and connection. Don't miss out on this opportunity to let loose, meet new people, and discover the joy of moving at the rhythm of connection and trust.
Our Community Agreements
As teachers, facilitators, and participants, while we support everyone engaging with sovereignty (making good choices for themselves and others), we also understand that trauma has a huge influence on people's behavior and experience, so we are trauma informed in the ways we teach, engage, and/or participate in these classes. We also recognize and continue to learn to be aware of the power dynamics that exist or might arise as we engage, and seek to level the playing field of power whenever possible, and engage with utmost attunement, care, and consideration for each other.
Erotic energy may emerge but is not the goal. Sensual touch is welcome - we are exploring all that is possible in terms of how we relate to each other through sensing. Sexual touch and intoxication are not a part of this container.
Diversity and Inclusion
For each class series, we seek to include a diverse group of facilitators to express the full range of humanness, bodies, and experience around race, age, gender, identity, sex, sexual orientation, and more. Some series may appear at first glance to favor some subgroups, and while may be accurate that this is what was available at the time, we continue to include facilitators who fit all of these subgroups.
Similarly, and in collaboration with the Plura App/Community, we seek to include a diverse group of humans and celebrate all experiences, bodies, and identities, especially of those who have historically been less favored or appreciated.
Please reach out with any questions.
Refunds or Transfer
If it ever turns out that a class isn't for you or that you missed a class for any reason, we'll be happy to refund you! 🫶
No one turned away for lack of funds, text/whatsapp (+14155050786) or email us (thesomaticplayground@exquisite.love) to chat!
Tickets
Apr 28 🌟 Michael
Sacred Touch
[Euclid Manor]
$30 prepaid | $40 at the door
FireLight 🔥 Spotlight
May 5 🌟 Glory Moonfire
Sweet Surrender in Rope
[Alchemy House]
(address sent to participants)
$30 prepaid | $40 at the door
Free for FireLight 2025 attendees!
FireLight 🔥 Spotlight
May 12 🌟 Chris Taylor:
Spicy Speed Friending
[Alchemy House]
(address sent to participants)
$30 prepaid | $40 at the door
Free for FireLight 2025 attendees!
FireLight 🔥 Spotlight
May 19 🌟 Lucid Dawn
The Phoenix of the Heart
[Alchemy House]
(address sent to participants)
$30 prepaid | $40 at the door
Free for FireLight 2025 attendees!
FireLight 🔥 Spotlight
May 26 🌟 Alyssa Anaya
Reverence Tantra
[Alchemy House]
(address sent to participants)
$30 prepaid | $40 at the door
Free for FireLight 2025 attendees!
Classes
Apr 28 🌟 Michael McDonald: Sacred Touch: The Art of Subtle Sensual Touch [Euclid Manor]
A quick indraw of breath, a shiver, a purr, a writhing somatic uncoiling of delight. Wherever you make contact with the world, you can bring your whole being into that point of contact! Sacred Touch is a journey into deepening the deliciousness of sensual touch, moment to moment to moment… Rather than trying to get somewhere or get it right, making touch sacred means layering awareness and intention into everything you’re doing.
Sacred Touch is a different kind of sensual touch training, with a focus on energy and intention rather than technique. We’re inviting the energetic, intentional, and intuitive to come out and play. Within this light-hearted, safe container we’ll learn to move subtle energy, deepen presence, and follow intuition rather than agenda (treasure hunting), to play with listening and feedback, and to explore the 4 dimensions of touch: Grounding, Bonding, Energetic, and Erotic. Healing and intimacy is just as much a part of the ride as pleasure and arousal.
This is a clear consent, high touch, slow build workshop great for both individuals and couples – most of the workshop is done in pairs with frequently switching partners.Michael McDonald is a lover of subtle sexuality, embodiment, energy, consent, consciousness, and healing. He is a transformational coach and creator of Relational Alchemy, relational practices and metaskills for creating an unusual amount of intimacy between people. With a style described as part Mr Rogerts, part Inception he brings 14+yrs of experience in facilitation, Luminous energy healing, neo-tantra, process work, and spiritual clarity into his subtle sexuality work.
authenticintegrity.com
https://www.facebook.com/kelek
FireLight 🔥 Spotlight: May 5 🌟 Glory Moonfire: Sweet Surrender in Rope [Alchemy House]
Taste the sweet flavor of surrender through the magic of rope bondage. In this foundational rope class, we’ll learn how to apply sensation, compression, breath, touch, and rope to create a container for surrender.
Through gentle, embodied partner exercises, you’ll practice tying and receiving, holding and relaxing. We’ll tie it all together with a guided sensory exploration to connect with your partner through rope. Come nourish and be nourished through containment and surrender.
(Join Glory and many more amazing teachers at FireLight 🔥 June 6-9 www.firelight.love)
Glory Moonfire (they/she) is a multidisciplinary artist, creative vulnerability facilitator, and rope switch. They believe that authentic expression is the key that can help people unlock wholeness and freedom from within. Their practice is founded on a background in contact improvisation, fusion partner dance, internal family systems (IFS) therapy, Somatic Experiencing, Andean shamanism, and a variety of energy work and meditation practices. In 2023, they co-founded Bound to Rise, a monthly community event that centers rope as a tool for connection. You can find them hosting rope jams and creative, transformational events throughout Santa Cruz, Oakland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
About Bound to Rise
Bound to Rise is a rope workshop and jam that blends presence, connection, and rope bondage into one delightful evening. Rooted in community, learning, and respect, it offers a container where people can engage in experiential learning at a gentle pace. By practicing presence and attunement, people are encouraged to be active, conscious participants in their exploration of self and other in rope.
FireLight 🔥 Spotlight: May 12 🌟 Chris Taylor: Spicy Speed Friending [Alchemy House]
Where real connections spark to life. Meet fellow FireLight 🔥 adventurers for a journey through thought-provoking games that'll make you laugh, feel, and maybe even blush. Ready to transform strangers into conspirators? Welcoming both social butterflies and introverts. Practice your confident "No" and your flirty "hell yes". A combination of Tantra style dyad questions that allow us to meet multiple participants and authentic relating games to go deep and practice interoception and attunement.
What is this speed friending thing? Well… we will play games and join in exercises that lend themselves to making connections, getting to know each other and dropping in. It’s all by choice, you can sit out on any exercises you wish. My goal is to create spaces where there is nuance and flow and in that you really get to dial in the spice level YOU want. 🌶
The workshop will have a faster pace than a tantra style event, more depth than a bar mixer, more variety than an authentic relating games night, and the best part will be all of us spicy humans to play with! 😸 Some people may have played one or two of these games before yet when taken on this journey as a whole we will get in the carpool lane to connection!🚗
- A combination of spoken and somatic exercises.
- Be brave and get the tools to make requests.
- Practice interoception
- Learn to attune to another
- Practice saying NO
- Get to ask for you want and lean into edges
- Learn about each other in small groups and really dive in deep. 💦
(Join Chris and many more amazing teachers at FireLight 🔥 June 6-9 www.firelight.love)
Chris blends the precision of a seasoned leader with the spirit of a play. Through a spicy mix of authentic relating, tantra, consent, AcroYoga, power exchange, and deep listening, he guides people to explore their edges and deepen trust.
He draws from a rich background of teaching at festivals worldwide, community building, flowstate consciousness, and counseling skills. Chris crafts experiences that transform strangers into friends and hesitation into action.FireLight 🔥 Spotlight: May 19 🌟 Lucid Dawn: The Phoenix of the Heart [Alchemy House]
The Phoenix of the Heart - a Ritual of Renewal - a musical movement container to engage with pleasure & connection as medicine for renewal, personally & collectively
A ritual of self-renewal and community connection using breath, meditation, sound, movement, self-touch, partner yoga/ Thai massage, and connection/ self-expression games
This event acknowledges our current position in time and space, as we contend with numerous challenges and changes personally and collectively. When our nervous systems are dysregulated, we will be challenged in attuning to others and in expressing ourselves clearly. So we pause and listen to ourselves. We open to new expressions of life that want to shine through us.
Our bodies and minds can suffer or heal based on the stories we hold about ourselves and others. In this ritual container, we will use the phoenix story to guide us on our journey from pain to power, from fear to freedom. We begin by forming a deep connection with ourselves and understanding what has brought us to our current state. We take time to attend to the art of slowing down - our breath, touch, and movement… We ground our nervous systems and find power and strength in our expansive center. Once we feel centered and whole in our own right, the phoenix of the heart rises again, and we begin to reach out to one another.
We reach out to one another to see reflections of the divine, reflections of ourselves, and meet them with grace, curiosity, and honoring. We become mirrors for each other's radiance. We practice inquiry, consent, stating our boundaries, and making requests as we move into partner-supported stretches, massage exchanges, and counter-balancing poses. We share our intentions and desires in words, sounds, and mindful touch. We pause often to check in with ourselves and each other. Ultimately, we will check in as a group and be guided in a breathful meditation to digest and integrate our experience.
(Join Lucid and many more amazing teachers at FireLight 🔥 June 6-9 www.firelight.love)
Lucid Dawn is trauma informed & experienced, non-dual Tantrik yoga witch/therapist/teacher & teacher of teachers. She has been leading ritual & workshops for playful events for over 20 years. lucid is also a performance artist & activist who has been creating community connection & healing events for decades. Living life fully with a bright open heart is her dedication & practice. lucid lives to love out loud and help others to find the power and flow in their bodies to do so. Practices with lucid dawn are deep, spiritual, playful, silly, sacred profane, and have been described as the sweetest ass-kicking ever.
FireLight 🔥 Spotlight: May 26 🌟 Alyssa Anaya: Reverence Tantra Evening [Alchemy House]
The Reverence Tantra evening is a special experience of coming home to ourselves and one another. In partner exercises, Alyssa will guide you through heart centered practices that awaken your senses and enliven your spirit. Neo tantric practices to open your kundalini energy with breath work, eye-gazing, and consensual touch are shared. Clothes on. Boundaries honored and celebrated.
Come solo or with a friend or partner, all are welcome. Your full presence is requested, no mind-altering substances please. Participants across the gender spectrum and of all sexual preferences welcome.
Wear something comfortable that you feel beautiful or great in.
For more info on Reverence: www.reverenceoftheheart.com(Join Alyssa and many more amazing teachers at FireLight 🔥 June 6-9 www.firelight.love)
Alyssa has studied spiritualities and traditions from around the globe, earning a Masters in Divinity in spiritual counseling. She has been studying, practicing, and teaching Sacred Sexuality and Tantra internationally for over 20 years, including being passed the teachings and lineage from her mentor Evalena Rose. Her career has included extensive counseling, working with clients in the fields of addiction, death and dying, trauma, and sacred sexuality. She’s certified in Reiki and Sacred Sexuality Bodywork, and has studied several modalities of healing touch and counseling.
Alyssa’s Tantra teachers include Evalena Rose, Sofia Sundari, Lindy James, and Steve and Lokita Carter. She facilitates Tantra events in the SF Bay Area under the name Reverence, and has a private practice, where she works with individuals and couples in strengthening their relationships by finding their spiritual fulfillment and transcendental levels of ecstasy.You're awesome. Let's talk!
FireLight 🔥 SpotLight
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