Conscious Power Exchange, Queer Magic, and Voting
Hello beautiful beings,
This Tuesday, I woke up early and walked to the nearest voting location. The sun was rising as I reached the Shriners temple that had been converted for the occasion, getting the first place in line outside 45 minutes before the door was set to open. When a staff woman came out to check the distances for campaign signs from the entry way, I was sitting on the ground reading. She said she did the same thing usually – first one in usually means first one out. True, but that was not my entire logic.
I had spent the night before and that morning debating if I would even go vote. In the time of Covid-19, going to an enclosed space of any sort, especially in a state like Texas where the numbers are still growing, is a decision with many factors. Being the first in line meant not just less time spent inside, but also no one in front of me in line, cleaner machines when I got there, and less time exposed to the air inside with fewer people inside too. But the flip side of the equation was the run-off primaries for senate and house of representative and votes being cast towards who might have a fighting chance of putting different voices in the Texas State Supreme Court. I voted.
These are the same kinds of decisions being made all the time by people in the current times, and fighting for a better future is a powerful reason to modify our equation concerning immediate health and safety. Just as we discussed two weeks ago in the discussion on destigmatizing STIs (both sexually transmitted and socially transmitted), we cannot always know the math used by the person who is making a choice around potential exposure as we were not in their head. We can however provide information to make different choices in the future… and occasionally laugh at the issue as a way to not let our fear take us into depression and anxiety.
This weekend I am excited for something new – taking my 3-day Delving Into Power Intensive online. I have been leading this experience since 2009 when Kona in Vancouver, BC took a chance on me. Since then I have offered this experience in a variety of locations across Canada and the United States, but on the 24th, 20 attendees, myself, and two assistants will be diving into our desires concerning power exchange and authority exchange dynamics, sharing our experiences, and learning tools for further success. It *SOLD OUT* before it was announced publicly, first shared with people over on Patreon, then with those subscribed to my free newsletter and finally with folks who attend my classes. If this one goes well the hope is to offer it again (as well as an intensive on Sacred Sensuality/Sexuality with Meredith Muse) later this year, so keep your ears tuned.
This week, come join me at:
- Power Exchange, Power Dynamics: Conscious Inequality, Dominance, and Submission
July 19, 2020 (6-8pm Pacific, 8-10p Central, 9-11p Eastern)
Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/971213073312510/
Share on Fetlife: https://fetlife.com/events/923141
Purchase Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4636181
Power permeates our every interpersonal interaction, from how we interact with the grocery clerk to our kink in the bedroom, and there is a difference between unconscious and conscious power use. However, in a variety of alternative sexuality and BDSM populations, these concepts are eroticized, often glossing over the context where these consensual erotic power plays come from. Let’s examine where power arises unconsciously or through oppression in culture, various types of power exchange dynamics, and why people would want to engage in them (for an evening, a long-term connection or between lifetimes). This will include conscious and unconscious roles, bonding within relationships, and even destructive behaviors. Power is power, but inequality is not inequity, so let us look at this together with eyes wide open. - The Queerness of Magic, the Magic of Queerness
July 22, 2020 (1-2:30p Pacific, 3-4:30p Central, 4-5:30p Eastern)
Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/276863293638930/
Share on Fetlife: https://fetlife.com/events/925629
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2439294154?pwd=Yk1IdFVTWTUvZXJZOHR1RDhwdDg0dz09
Meeting ID: 243 929 4154
Password: 136777love
Many pagan and magic-based paths are not LGBTQ+ focused, and yet magic in and of itself has a queer nature. In this class we will discuss queer deities throughout history, as well as the ancestors that can be drawn upon outside of bloodlines, while acknowledging the power of ourselves being outside of, between, or embracing multiple layers of orientation, identity, and experience. We will explore queering and queered magics, from turning rituals that already exist into ones that center queer experience to creating or embracing rituals and paths specifically for those of us who walk these paths. This class is open to anyone drawn to learn more about these topics, share their own personal experiences, be around peers, or become an ally through looking at the expansive nature of magic beyond boundaries.
To check out other classes I have coming up in July and beyond (including another date for Power Exchange, Power Dynamics on July 28th if you can’t make it to this Sunday), visit my Upcoming Appearances page to learn more… including multiple courses with Wicked Grounds to be announced soon. From there you can sign up for my free newsletter as well. To enjoy further free material from me, consider joining me over on Patreon as well :)
Much love to you all and see you soon!
Cheers,
Lee Harrington