Years ago, when I walked into my first Turn On event in New York, the sense of warmth and connection was palpable in the air. I physically felt a difference between the atmosphere of “out there” and the one “in there,” and although I sensed it, I couldn’t have imagined just how much my life was about to change. For me, Orgasmic Meditation has never been only about the practice - it was entering the field of unconditional regard and attention that night that even made my journey possible.
As a woman in my seventies, it hasn’t been easy to continue to allow my large appetite for life! But being a part of the OM community has helped me embrace ageing and sexuality with a gusto that makes me proud to be alive! That’s why when the guys who are working to keep the London community alive asked me to write this blogpost, I said a wholehearted yes and decided to emerge from the shadows.
You see, I was talking to Paddy and he was telling me about hosting a community Christmas party. God love the Irish, Paddy is one of those guys who, like me, credits the community with opening him up to the truth of himself and his desire. He said he has been texting people and they were asking him why the party wasn’t free like it used to be and that they would think about coming! That blew me away. I asked, “don’t they know that you guys are doing this by the seat of your pants and on the strength of your desire?” “Doesn’t seem that way,” he said a little sadly, “I think people think we work for some corporate OM organisation or something, not that we are just some community members coming together to make sure that the thing that made the biggest difference to us, continues to be there for others, especially for new people.”
That made me real sad too and after a few more conversations with the men and women hosting ‘I OM’ calls, and creating all sorts of new events to keep OM communities around the world vibrant, I knew I had to say something. You know, it takes a lot to build community. I have been around long enough to have seen OM practitioner houses come and go, to see the form of this community change from one shape to another, with many of the swiftest changes happening this year. It is hard to imagine OneTaste being online and we are all waiting on the new Internet platform where the courses we have all known and loved will now be offered virtually and many of our stories will be available for the entire world to read. But there is also something new on the ground, at the level of community. If we are to continue to have the community that has supported our journey and for some of us, given us the closest friends we have had since secondary school, we are going to have to do it ourselves!
And that will take something - it will take showing up, it will take contribution, it will take willingness - the willingness to lean into connection and tell the truth about what’s really there, just like in an OM.
This is a new peak and it requires everyone’s attention. Instead of sitting back and waiting for someone else to bring community to you, are you willing to share yourself enough to help create the kind of community you want - so that you continue to feel supported and you can be there for others too? If so, you know what you got to do right? - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-om-christmas-to-remember-tickets-53388937750