Testimonials

What's it like at our event? Well, it's hard to describe, but these folks gave it a good try:

I kissed a girl - and I liked it!!!
by slavette

Yup, that's right. I kissed a girl and I liked it, but there is much more to the story than that simple line from the song (which I love).

Last weekend, I attended a new event called "Fires of Venus". It was produced by the same group that does Sacred Sexuality Beltane and Mythical Journeys. I had attended the Beltane event for the past two years but since this was a new event I wasn't quite sure what to expect.

While I practice and advocate polyamory and sacred sexuality, I am not the "orgy" kind of girl and some people make incorrect assumptions about me because of that. In fact, one of the workshops Master Todd and I gave during the weekend was "Sacred Sexuality for the Inhibited". The point of the workshop was to offer a safe, non-threatening environment for people who wanted to learn more without having to actually do any "hands-on" work. The other goals we had for the workshop were to discuss why we have boundaries and offer validation that a need for privacy does not necessarily mean that we feel shame or make it less sacred. From the workshop discussion, we all agreed that the very special sacred nature of our sexuality drives us to be a bit more protective of it.

Anyway, the weekend was FABULOUS! Kudos, applause, laurels and heart-felt gratitude go to the people who put together the event and especially to those who designed the nightly fire circle rituals. The sacred space created around the fire circle and the rituals provided a space for the rest of us to feel comfortable taking some personal risks and gaining the benefits of opening ourselves up to the unconditional love from the Divine.

Master Todd and I are both people who feel a need to give back the blessings we are given. We deeply appreciated the energy put into the circle rituals and wanted to help those providing that energy. We knew that the plan from those organizing the circle was to "dance the fire" until dawn on Saturday night. So, after an interlude in our room, we returned to the circle around 2:30am to offer ourselves and our energy in order to ease the burden on those remaining. As usually happens, we were given much more than we gave.

When we returned, the number of people in the circle had dwindled to a couple dozen people - some drumming, some tending the fire, some dancing, and some holding space or taking a break from physical activities. The sacred space had been designated a tobacco and alcohol-free zone, but a few people were being treated to the delights of home-brewed mead just outside the circle. We were fortunate enough to be invited to sample the delights of that ambrosia. Many blessings upon the man who brought a wide selection of his home-brewed mead and copious amounts of chocolate to share with the rest of us. He is a master craftsman. One particular brew was named "Spruce" and the description given by many was that drinking it was like eating out a dryad - I offered that for me it was like sucking off Yggdrasil. Amazing stuff, all of it. I had just enough to enjoy and appreciate his efforts and allow a light intoxication without dulling any of my senses. While I would very much like to give full credit where it is due, I am being deliberately vague about names and identities to protect the privacy of those involved since I did not ask their permission to record the activities. However, I will say that if you ever get the opportunity to spend time with anyone who practices Asatru, treat them with respect and honor and you will be well rewarded for it. Eventually, those running the circle made an executive decision and determined that the sacred space was now ready to accept and include alcohol so everyone who wished to partake of the horn of plenty could participate.

As I said, we were there to offer our energies. I'm not a great dancer (for those who game, I have a personal -2 to all my dexterity rolls), but the Divine doesn't require us to have skill in order to acknowledge the effort and intent so I did a bit of dancing around the fire. At one point, one of the people who had played a major role in organizing and running the rituals offered me a "kiss from the fire" as he danced past me. Before I consented, I got clarification of what that meant. He was the fire, and he was asking if I wished to kiss him. Normally, I would politely decline, but this man had given me much during the weekend, the offer was made with sacred purpose, and I wished to give him something in return. I did not need the encouragement of the people around the fire who shouted that I would not regret the experience before I turned to get a quick consent from Master Todd. It was a fantastic, hot, passionate, sexy, kiss. When he broke it off and said he needed to keep dancing, I yelled across the fire in response "I thought we were!" I then had the opportunity to enjoy watching him kiss a number of people of both sexes and that was almost as hot as kissing him myself. I also became part of the chorus that would yell the encouragement of "you won't regret it" whenever anyone hesitated.

A little while later, the woman who had embodied Venus during the weekend offered kisses from Venus. Again, she had done a spectacular job undertaking that responsibility. I had already verbally expressed my appreciation to her, but I still wanted to give more. I should also mention that part of why she was so wonderful in the role of Venus is that she is a physically beautiful woman - as well as a very lovely and loving person.

While I am heterosexual, I find most woman ascetically pleasing - if I were oriented differently, she would be high on my list of people I wish to seduce. I have had extremely intimate encounters with women prior to this - some spiritual, some emotional, some physical in the form of SM, but I had never initiated sexual intimacy with a woman. After I saw that she was willing to kiss anyone regardless of gender, I asked permission from my Master to kiss her. OK, aside from every other reason to kiss her, I also had the added benefit of knowing the visual would please him greatly. I want to make sure that I state clearly that the alcohol in the mead played no part in my decision-making process - the sharing of the mead played a part in the general atmosphere and energy within the circle, but my inhibitions were not lower due to alcohol.

When I stepped forward, she started slowly. She lightly cupped my face in her hands and then touched my forehead as a gesture of blessing. Our kiss started slow and soft and then our lips parted and the kiss deepened. It was sensual, sweet, uplifting, and very hot. When we stopped, I was filled with ecstatic joy. I skipped back to the other side of the fire where Master Todd stood and happily announced, "I kissed a girl and I liked it!"

Before anyone starts getting too far in their fantasies or seduction plans, the experience did not change my sexual orientation. I am still heterosexual in my physical intimacies. A lovely woman and I shared a moment worshiping Venus and acknowledging the Goddess within each of us. The kiss was appropriate to the moment and the intent. Another moment, another intent, and the action required would be different. I may or may not ever kiss another woman, but I will always cherish that moment and that kiss. Besides, you never forget your first wink.

I'm still not an orgy kind of girl, and I'm still not really open to the idea of kissing people I don't know - whether it is within the context of sacred space or not. However, I know that I can do so under the right circumstances and feel uplifted rather than diminished by the experience. If it feels right, then I will do it. If it doesn't feel right, then I won't. I'm not going to go looking to repeat the experience, but if circumstances present themselves, I will not hesitate to accept the opportunity to publicly worship and celebrate the Divine through sexual interaction with another person.

We did not stay at the fire until dawn, we left around 5AM so we could get some sleep since we had volunteered to help pack up the circle the next day. Even though we left, others stayed and the fire was danced until dawn. Mission accomplished - on many levels.

Hello Lovely People,

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you all what an amazing weekend I had at Fires of Venus. This summer I vended and experienced 5 different festivals, all of them Pagan except Michigan Womyn's Music festival and Fires of Venus was my absolute favorite. You all did such a wonderful job creating the comfortable and open energy that ran through every aspect and every person there. I met so many great people (not just womyn either, because the men at this event had so much love for the feminine, wow!) The ritual each night was focused and creative, the drums great (go Conrad & Owen!), Oriens Venus statuary, wow! I loved the alternative space too, Sexperience, the additional area created a space where people could explore in comfort and of course swing on the pole, (which is always good for me) with the most hospitable couple hosting the space that truly love the work they do! Beth & Steve are also amazing presenters and I aspire to there level of openness and love.

Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you

Your work and love showed.

Goddess Bless,

Denise Cumor
The Red Tent

This weekend...

My fear of my art being accepted went up in flames, kindled with
Love & sparked by passon

Someone saw me clearly

New connections were made and old ones strenghtend

Someone found a Sacred space in Sexual place

We gave away what was not Venus and were gifted each other.

Someone lost the reason not to Love again

I pulled a glowing red barbed wire rose from the Fire of Venus,
Showed it to many but kept it for my wife,
She told me to give it to anothe, she knew what I was feeling,
It ended up in the right place...
So did we.

Thanks to all who asked me to be there. Thanks to all who push me to
the place where I can see the beauty in a larger group than I have
been comfortable in. And especally thanks to Venus for the Gift of
letting go.

Blessings
O