In this episode, Kimberly and Devi discuss healing trauma, embodiment, and various sexual and non-sexual healing spiritual traditions. Devi describes her background from stripping in Detroit to a spiritual journey of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism as well as various other spiritual practices and her current work of holistic sexual healing. Together, they discuss how some spiritual traditions are needed in various life stages but actually dissociate us from our bodies and pain. They discuss how trauma can be processed, healed, and repaired through Tantra practices and ultimately serve others through that wisdom and healing.
Bio
Devi Ward Erickson is the Founder of The Institute of Authentic Tantra Education – the first and only government accredited professional training institute using the Tibetan Five Element Tantric practices for holistic sexual healing. She is also an ACS Certified Sexologist, Certified Tantric Healer, Certified Reiki Practitioner, Certified Meditation Instructor, and accomplished practitioner of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. She specializes in using Authentic Tantra® and "pleasure as medicine" to awaken more joy, more pleasure, more connection, more love in every area of life.
What She Shares:
—Growing up as a biracial woman
—Journey from stripping to becoming a monk
—Tibetan Tantra practices
—Sexual and non-sexual practices for healing trauma
—Repairing trauma cellularly through Tantra
What You'll Hear:
–Neo-tantra, adaptation and appropriation ancient spiritual science from India thousands of years ago
–Tantra originally a system of healing rooted in Africa then travelled to India
–Devi shares her background as a biracial woman experiencing racial trauma and violence
–Survivor of childhood domestic violence and other traumas
–Tantra as path of healing and reclamation of humanity
–Authentic tantra vs. neo-tantra
–Regulate nervous systems through tantra, meditation, breath, and awareness
–Tantra tool-kit for healing trauma with benefits of sexual pleasure
–First practice of tantra is mindfulness, creating presence of body
–Stigma and glorification of sex work
–Serious suicide attempt as rock bottom
–Devoted self to spiritual studies, herbal medicine, reiki, meditation, crystal healing, etc.
–Moved to NC, took vows to become monk in Ishaya Order
–Observing celibacy as part of vows
–Sexuality during spiritual and yoga trainings
–Describes addiction to dissociative form of meditation
–Turned to Tibetan five element tantra after experiencing health issue
–"Running the elements" meditation practice as a powerful experience
–Non-sexual and sexual Tibetan five element tantra
–Had to confront trauma directly for first time
–Healing trauma through meditative sexual practices
–Genital healing massage techniques
–Boundaries in sexological body work and sexual healing traditions
–Couples to be sexual healers for each other- sex with intention, focus and purpose
–Intergenerational trauma, collective trauma
–Creating spaciousness in body and mind to repair cells and trauma
–Holding multiple truths with nervous system awareness and tantra practices
–Greater capacity to hold apparent, contradictory opposites and serving others
Resources
Website: https://deviwardtantra.com/
IG: @deviwardtantra
Sex Birth Trauma with Kimberly Ann Johnson