.

TANTRA
The Art of Sacred Sensuality and Communication


Discover yourself through tantra:

Discover yourself; discover each other. Learn valuable tools for your couple. Receive support from professional, trained teachers in a safe environment. Learn how tantra can be helpful to you. For more, see Tantra at a Glance.

Next events:
Sunday, February 12th, 1pm-7 pm : Valentine playshop for couples and singles in La Jolla

Saturday, February 25th. 7pm-11pm : Advanced Brazilian Puja in Point Loma
To register, see the Calendar of events.

About us:
Francoise and Mitchell Ginsberg have studied and worked in the fields of psychology, psychotherapy, sex therapy, and tantra for several decades. For more, see About Us.

Classes:
We offer private classes, lessons, and practicas in tantra. For more, see Private Classes. We also offer group classes, workshops, puja days and evenings. For more, see Group Classes (Calendar of Events).








.

TANTRA AT A GLANCE

The name Tantra comes from the Sanskrit, in which tantra is literally an instrument (-tra) for expanding (tan-). Understood psychologically or psychospiritually, a tantra could be a practice for expanding our consciousness, or a text containing such descriptions. Typically, these practices involve guided imagery and various bodily postures and movements. These aim at creating a greater intensity of experience and a profound appreciation of the divine or sacred nature of existence which is other than and beyond our conditioned life and our personal histories. We acknowledge this dimension in the traditional Indic greeting, Namas-te.

A puja is literally (in Sanskrit) a treating with respect or reverence, a mutual honoring, a receiving hospitably, an acknowledging.

Tantra (which could be a solo practice), when in the structure of a puja, is an interactive practice. One form it may take is a circle of practitioners who meet in a directed fashion following clear instructions that maintain full respect and help us to rediscover the divine in all of us. For example, we may follow a series of structured exercises lasting from 3-7 minutes with various partners, including eye gazing, light touch, verbal sharing, and contact dancing... the entire series being designed to have us become more aware of this sacred dimension present in all of us, and in the West, to practice the art of loving.

Return to top of page.




.

ABOUT US



FRANCOISE and MITCHELL GINSBERG
have been married for 30 years. They have raised a daughter and a son who are now young adults in their twenties. Francoise and Mitchell have taught about the principles and practices of tantra to individuals and couples since the early 1990s.



FRANCOISE GINSBERG (tantra.francoise@gmail.com) received her doctorate from the University of Paris, where she worked as a woman's counselor. She has been leading puja rituals ongoingly for different organizations since 1994. Francoise offers private consultations for women and men. She is President of the San Diego Tantra Connection.



MITCHELL GINSBERG (mitchell.ginsberg@gmail.com) received his Ph.D. from the U. of Michigan and has also taught at Yale, the American Institute of Buddhist Studies, IUPS, and elsewhere. As a licensed psychotherapist and expert on the subject of emotional traumas, he offers private consultations for individuals and couples. He has been a teacher in the Thai-Buddhist Vipassana Meditation Tradition since 1975, and is the author of several texts in psychology and psycho-spirituality, such as The Far Shore, The Inner Palace, and Calm, Clear, and Loving.





The Far Shore (1980; 4th edition, 2009) contains many illustrations of the application of mindfulness or self-awareness to the many emotional states that we go through, clarifying this path to clear and compassionate interaction with our world and those most dear to us. For more, see the reviews and other files listed at The Far Shore directory.





The Inner Palace (2002; 6th ed., 2010; eBook, 2011) is an in-depth examination of the roots of the world's major spiritual and religious traditions, in their various understandings of our path to wholeness (or awakening, spirituality, purity, divinity, wisdom-compassion, bodhisattvahood, or by still-other names). For more, see the reviews and other files listed at The Inner Palace directory.






Calm, Clear, and Loving: Soothing the Distressed Mind, Healing the Wounded Heart is now in print in both softcover (paperback) and hardcover (hardback) editions. More information is available at web sites listed at the Calm, Clear, and Loving directory.





Return to top of page.




.

PRIVATE CLASSES WITH FRANCOISE AND MITCHELL

Private Classes with Francoise

Private Puja Tutoring
$150 for the 2 hour-session.

Tantric Consultations for Women
$75 for one-hour session.

Special Private Program for Couples
$160 for the 2-hour session.

Private Puja for your group
$70 per couple, 7 couples minimum.

To contact Francoise directly, e-mail: tantra.francoise@gmail.com.


.

Psychotherapy or Mindfulness Training with Mitchell

Psychotherapy or Mindfulness Training (Self-awareness practice) for individuals and couples
$120 for 60-minute session (longer sessions can be arranged).

For more information on my orientation, inspiration, and focus of work, along with more general discussions about the field of psychotherapy, see Health and the Mind and Professional Links, and the many further links given at those two web pages.

As a preview to this fuller information: I have been strongly influenced by the perspectives of Hellmuth Kaiser, Friedrich Nietzsche, Ronnie (R.D.) Laing, Louis B. Fierman, Loren Mosher, Israel Charney, and Maurizio Andolfi, in the Western psychotherapeutic tradition, and by V.R. Dhiravamsa, formerly Chao Khun (Abbot) Sobhana Dhammasudhi, in the Thai Theravada Buddhist Vipassana Meditation tradition.

To contact Mitchell directly, e-mail: mitchell.ginsberg@gmail.com.


Return to top of page.


.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FEBRUARY

Sunday, February 12th, 1 pm - 7 pm in La Jolla.

Our signature workshop with a special Valentine theme, offered to couples and singles!

First-timers are very welcome.

Not only will you celebrate Valentine's symbol of love and hear the tale of Eros and Psyche...,
but you also will get plenty of valuable information and homework about the philosophy and the practice of tantra.

Couples will stay together, singles will rotate partners.
You will sample a wide range of possibilities Tantra has to offer.
You will share nurturing touch, learn about the 5 modalities of touch, listen to an advanced tantric ritual,
and enter the magic of a tantra puja including the art of kissing such as
the neck kiss, the musical kiss, the butterfly kiss, the hollywood kiss and of course the tantric kiss!
You will practice the 5 langages of love including eye gazing, words of appreciation, the art of gifts, and acts of service,
No sexuality, no nudity in the class.

This well polished workshop has introduced a thousand of people to tantra in the last 19 years...
and it got a new facelift with the theme of Valentine!
$120 per couple
$70 per single includes 3 snacks and hands out

To reserve your space send check to F. G, 6425 La Jolla Scenic Drive South, La Jolla, 92037,
or pay by credit card:
Click on the relevant line below:





Saturday, February 25th, 7 pm - 11 pm in Point Loma.

Brazilian Mardi gras Puja

For advanced tantrikas, not for first-timers, beginners need to interview first

Be ready for a feast of the senses. Wear a mask, feathers, boas...and pasties on your nipples!

We will share nurturing touch, talk, laugh and embrace each other in sensual dances.
We will start with a soft approach, and progress to more erotic expressions.
We will celebrate our erotic innocence playfully emerging.
It is a festive puja with joyful and contagious rythm. You do not need to be a Sambista to attend but you need to know about conscious touch and puja etiquette. You need to gracefully redirect any touch which is not comfortable to you...for instance, if you are dissatisfied with a partner, instead of numbing out or saying "NO", practice moving your body and verbally communicating what you would prefer.

For men and women who started their tantric journey recently, consider a private session before the puja , it will propel you up to the next level and build your confidence. Book your appointment by calling Francoise: 858 531 1028 or email Francoise at: Tantra.Francoise@gmail.com. You will be glad you did!

It is a gender balance event;
save you space now by emailing Jacquie at J@Jlowell.com.
To have your questions answered live, call Jacquie afternoons at 858 581 0050
Cost : $70 per couple
Single man : $50
Single woman : $30
Payable at the door



Return to top of page.

MARCH

Saturday, March 24th, 6 pm - 11 in La Jolla.

Puja for Singles totally experiential open to new participants

Theme : India : cradle of tantric civilisation

India is rich in tales with pearls of wisdom. In this Puja, you will be inspired to awaken qualities seen in Indian Deities through heart-felt, sensual experiences based on tantric principles.

You will practice the art form of touch and Namaste. All exercises are respectful, playful and educational.

They will include dance moves, eye gazing, modalities of touch, story telling, hugging, sharing, and cuddling. No sexual/genital contact.
Everything is orchestrated with refinement and attention to details.

Participants usually gain a renewed sense of self esteem, appreciation for others and hope for humanity.

You will partner up with 15 different participants of the opposite gender.

$45 per person,

This is a gender balance event. Advanced registration is essential.


END OF EVENTS


.

Click here at
The San Diego Tantra Connection for a calendar of events, featuring important tantra events in San Diego.



SDTC



About Tantra About Us Calendar of Events Private Classes Group Classes




This page is best viewed at 1024x768 resolution or higher.

All contents, Copyright Anatole Ginsberg 2003-2010
Web design, Copyright Etienne Jambou and Mitchell Ginsberg 2010