POWER PLAY
MAR. 29TH | 4-7pm | penha de frança, lisbon | with SIMON
WHAT IS POWER PLAY?
Power Play is an embodied exploration of how we relate to power: where we are drawn to it, where we are repelled from it, where we hand it away.
Power dynamics and hence discrepancies exist in all relationships, even romantic or erotic ones. In the erotic realm especially, power is not a side note but it is the current running underneath desire. When we become conscious of it, something shifts. Not only does being conscious of the power dynamics increase the pleasure of being in consent but increases the hotness we can experience when we are in a power dynamic.
In this workshop, we will focus precisely on "dark" forms of power. These are not "bad" forms of power but forms of power that we often neglect or deny. These aspects of power are frequently suppressed. Yet when we repress them, they don’t disappear, they leak out sideways.
The journey to empowerment is often difficult because it requires that we face inconvenient truths about ourselves. It asks us to acknowledge the parts of ourselves that want to lead, to dominate, to withdraw, to hold authority, to take space. When we stop denying these impulses, we stop being secretly ruled by them. We actually reclaim those powerful parts of ourselves and become able to express them out in the light.
why it matters
- why it matters -
why it matters - why it matters -
What we will be most interested in are the kinds of power that are typically shunned by society. There are beautiful forms of power that we hope we can live in most of the time: the power of love, the power of community, bringing our gifts to the world, the power of supporting and being supported, etc.
But often when we refer to “power” we are being vaguely critical and usually mean something else: The powers that control. The hierarchies that dominate. The structures that silence.
Because many of us fear misusing power, many of us try to distance ourselves from it altogether. We avoid taking authority. We downplay our influence. We reject leadership. Or we unconsciously seek it in partners while pretending we don’t.
This workshop invites a more nuanced relationship with power. Power does not disappear because we dislike or avoid it. So, what if the forms of power that we criticize are also the qualities we need to learn to love?
What if learning to consciously inhabit authority, distance, leadership and sovereignty actually makes us more grounded humans and safer lovers/partners?
WHAT WE DO HERE.
In the workshop, we will discuss three forms of power and then embody them. This embodiment component is the most important because when we just conceptualize, define and talk about challenging ideas, we are never really confronting their effects. We need to feel them.
The three forms of power we will cover are:
1) Meta Power: being able to zoom out of situations and see them from a detached position
2) Role Power: using the authority of our status in life, or in groups of people, to influence how things go
3) Sovereign Power: realizing and leveraging the fact that we are independent and autonomous beings capable of making decisions for ourselves.
In our exploration, we will dive into three separate exercises in groups, one for each form of power. The exercises will be related specifically to sexuality. Because, of course, sexuality is all about power and the better we can handle these more challenging aspects of power, the greater capacity we will have for sexual engagement, pleasure, connection and even love.
There may be opportunities for touch but, as always, boundaries and consent will be foregrounded and you will only go as deeply as you feel comfortable.
This workshop is especially rich for those curious about BDSM or kink but you do not need to identify with those worlds to benefit. You only need curiosity about how power lives inside you.
meet your facilitator
SIMON MARVELL (HE/HIM)
Simon is from Melbourne, Australia and has lived in Lisbon since 2022. He is on the faculty of the International School of Temple Arts, where he has been practicing since 2014.
He has facilitated workshops and retreats in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and all over Europe, and holds private sessions in-person and online for people wanting to explore their sexuality, emotional and somatic landscape, and personal growth
Schedule.
3.45PM Doors open (please don't arrive earlier)
4.05PM We start (doors close - don't be late, no exceptions!)
4.05 - 7PM Workshop
Venue.
IMPACT HALL in Penha de França, Lisbon
R. Neves Ferreira 13B, 1170-273 Lisboa
What to bring.
You and your body (please avoid heavy perfumes/scents)
A full water bottle
Dress Code.
This is a fully dressed workshop. Come in clothes that make you feel comfy and you can move well in. If you want to feel the presence of others more closely, especially in touch exercises, we suggest bringing something that gives you the option to show some skin. Bring layers to take off and put on if the temperature shifts.
Refund policy.
You can request a refund through eventbrite up to five days before the event. There are no refunds available afterwards but you can transfer your ticket to someone up to 24 hours before the workshop begins. Send an eMail to hello@lisbontemplenights.com (we only answer until 24 hours before the workshop begins).
