When: Sunday, October 15th @ 6pm - 7:30pm 

Where: Refresh Wellness Collective: 1011 King St, Alexandria, VA

What: Workshop tickets are sold individually and each person attending will need a ticket. This workshop is taught in pairs. Please buy tickets in 2's and plan to bring a partner, date, or friend!

Have you ever wanted to connect with a partner through touch that wasn’t specifically sexual but still fostered intimacy? Have you thought about giving the gift of massage but didn’t because you had no idea how to ‘do it right’? Grab (consensually of course!) a partner and join us for our massage workshop designed to teach you how to both give and receive a massage that engages all senses and puts you into a state of relaxed bliss.

Our educator, Jay, is a DC-licensed massage therapist and a Lotus Blooms educator and combines both these foundations to bring you this hands-on workshop. Designed to help people find new ways to draw closer together through the use of touch and massage, this workshop will address the following:

• Experiment with different tools (palms, soft fists, knuckles, etc) to create a range of sensations on your partner
• Practice helpful positioning to maintain comfort and flow while giving a massage
• Slowing down to notice & heighten the experience of sensations in all five senses
• Learn ways to ‘listen’ to your partner’s body by paying attention to their responses to touch

Massage Workshop Medical disclaimer:

By joining this class, you are assuming all medical responsibility. This class assumes any attendee would have clearance from a doctor and that massage is not contraindicated for any condition. Lotus Blooms and J Sheffield are exempt from all liability, past, present and future.

Meet your Educator!

Jay Sheffield (they/them pronouns) is a white, queer, non-binary DC-licensed massage therapist offering consent and body-based sessions for individuals and workshops for groups, with a sliding scale prioritizing QTBIPOC. Their practice focuses on anxiety, depression, trauma, touch aversion, gender-affirming physical transitions, and encouraging choice and pleasure. At Lotus Blooms, Jay is passionate about helping visitors feel more educated and connected to their bodies and desires.

Check out their work at: https://www.patreon.com/bodyworkwithj

What to expect from this workshop:

This is a sensual massage class, but it is not a sexual massage class. Everyone will remain clothed and we will not be touching nipples or genitals when practicing these techniques during the workshop. That gets saved for homework ;) The focus of the content will be on learning and improving massage skills to use sensually; rather than focusing on how to touch genitals in a massage-like way. You will get a chance to practice on the person you came with & can opt in and out as you choose.

The tone of class will be taught with couples & romantic partners in mind, since body massage tends to be (at least) a two person activity. All relationship dynamics and configurations are welcome- come with your triad or part of it, your date, or best friend! 

Who is this workshop for:

You will need a partner for this workshop, please buy tickets in at least 2’s! Your workshop partner can be a life partner, a date, or even a friend. You’ll just need someone who you are comfortable touching and being touched. Our workshops are not play spaces, nor are they meetups. If you are looking for local groups that host such events, we are happy to recommend them!

What to bring:

Per couple, please bring a pillow and one yoga mat (or something comparable to sit on) so that techniques can be practiced comfortably. Attendees are welcome to wear whatever they like, but gym/yoga clothes will be the most comfortable/work the best for giving and receiving massages. If you’d like to practice with oil/lotion, please bring that as well. Since we will be in a yoga studio, shoes will need to be taken off at the door - bring some cozy, comfy socks if you tend to get chilly!

Lotus Blooms’ workshops are open to people of all genders and sexual orientations, individuals, couples, or groups. Due to state law, attendees must be over 18 to come to the workshops or shop in the store. Workshops are currently held at Refresh Wellness Collective - 1011 King St (just a few doors down from the Lotus Blooms). Workshops generally run about 90 minutes with a 5 minute break in the middle. Afterwards, attendees are welcome to shop Lotus Blooms with a 15% discount. 

If you are running late:

Because the topics of sex, sexuality, intimacy, etc are so personal and often taboo in our society, our staff and educators work very hard to create events that make people feel comfortable learning and sharing. Much of the working agreements and standards of behavior tend to take place at the beginning of our short workshops. As such, if you arrive more than 15 minutes after the workshop is scheduled to begin, we will not be able to allow you to join this time around and your tickets will be forfeited. We hope that this helps to encourage people to come on time and enjoy the entirety of the event, and create a comfortable space for everyone attending!

Cancellation Policy
If you must cancel, please notify Lotus Blooms at least 48 hours prior to the workshop and you will receive a store credit, less a $10 cancellation fee per ticket.  Cancellations made with less than 48 hours’ notice are not eligible to receive the store credit.  A full refund will be issued only in the event that Lotus Blooms cancels the workshop.