Somatic Integration for the Male Experience:
A Half Day Symposium for Male-Identified Folks
March 19th, 2022
Southwest Love Fest's first half day symposium is on Somatic Integration for the Male Experience in our hometown Tucson, AZ. Our three practitioners will lead workshops to create openness, vulnerability, connection and emotional processing of the male experience through various somatic practices for men folx (non-binary & trans-inclusive).
Heart Opening & Abhyanga Practice
Bill Price (he/him)
Bill will begin with grounding and heart chakra opening exercises to allow for security, openness and connection. After this he will guide attendees through experiential self-massage known as the Abhyanga. The benefits range from nourishing and replenishing the skin, tone of the muscles, meanwhile; a great side effect of feeling revitalized and rejuvenated after we are done. Lymphatic drainage, energy connections, and a guided meditation that allows the participant an opportunity to connect to their mind, body and spirit. A short review of holistic tools will be offered prior to our introspection.
Bill Price is a Certified Panchakarma Therapist (2013) and has worked as a Certified Surgical Assistant for more than 20 years. Working in the Women’s Health field and Robotic Surgery for the last he was known for his stress relieving instructions with birthing mothers during their epidural procedures, anxious patients pre- and post-surgical, and has proctored staff members in the ancient Indian art of Pranayama. These breathing techniques coupled with tapping into the energy centers (Marma Points) of the hands is a technique that were performed on most patients in his daily practice, just at the introduction and salutations.
​
The book “Perfect Health” by Dr. Deepak Chopra; stands as the inspiration to his blending of Western medical skills and Holistic Vedic knowledge. Bill’s advanced anatomy and physiology experience allows him as a Licensed Massage Therapist to immediately connect to his client’s physical needs… His kind heart and open approach, allows him to connect to the client’s energy, which ultimately yields to balance their mind and spirit. Bill always remarks about keeping his treatments traditional, just as his Guru's and Teachers had taught at The Kanyakumari School of Ayurveda and Yoga, Milwaukee, WI. Bill has been married to his wife Tanja Bungardt--Price, Ayurvedic Practioneer for 20 years. Together they see clients seeking balance in the mind, body, and spirit, utilizing an Ayurvedic lens.
Image Description:
Bill is a large Black man with a closely shaved heard, dark brown eyes and a salt and pepper goatee. He is smiling at the camera and wearing a African print tunic with a green background and bold print designs on it. There is a rough textured brown wall in the background with a purple circular wall tapestry with large black Asian lettering on it.
Qi Gong Self-Massage for Healthy Relationship Boundaries
Frank Harris (he/him)
The paradigm of Traditional East Asian Medicine views the body, psyche, and spirit holistically. This workshop focuses on certain aspects of that paradigm, such as Wei Qi and Ying Qi, that aid in navigating relationships via their roles in interpersonal relationships and self-knowledge. A self-massage Qi Gong routine that strengthens and increases sensitivity to one's Wei Qi will be taught in the latter half of the workshop.
Frank Harris (he/him) is a Licensed Acupuncturist who uses Traditional East Asian Medicine to help bring his patients' lives into a state of ease and joy. He obtained his Master's from Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, where he learned to use acupuncture, herbal medicine, and tuina manual therapy to address the many aspects of each patient's individual whole. He has also trained in tantric and classical yoga in Chiang Mai and Tucson, and is on the provider lists for Southern Arizona Gender Alliance and Kink Aware Professionals. Frank has been involved in polyamory locally and abroad for eight years, and has a passion for bettering his community in whatever way he can. You can find him at www.hibiscusacupuncture.com.
Image Description:
Frank is a white man with short brown curly hair. He is pictured with a grey background smiling wearing a black t-shirt and colorful tatoos are visible on both biceps.
Vulnerability, Connection and Openness
Jonathan Faxas Gutierrez (he/him)
In this workshop we will explore why vulnerability and openness with other men is so difficult and important for us to foster. We will work together to create a container using consent, confidentiality, and comfort zones. Then, we will be answering questions to explore what it feels like to share and listen deeply to each other. Being vulnerable and open with other men is a powerful tool that can lead to more connection in all areas of life. During this process, Jonathan will also be guiding us into the body Somatically to support the discovery process. Somatics can help folx get in touch with themselves and what is alive in them. He will also provide a few simple Somatic exercises that folx can continue to practice.
Jonathan Faxas Gutierrez is a Filipino, Cuban, Queer, Male, Meditator, movement and flow enthusiast. He is a Somatic Life Coach and trained with the Mindfulness Coaching School. His mission is to support people in connecting somatically to their body’s wisdom, to be present with whatever arises, creating flow and clarity in their lives. His own transformation through work with men has led me to have a passion for helping men connect vulnerability to each other and eventually open up in all aspects of their lives. His intention is to bring this presence, compassion and openness to the spaces he is a part of.
Image Description:
Jonathan is a Filipino and Cuban man with with dark brown eyes, black hair and closely trimmed mustache and goatee. He is pictured smiling at the camera with a dark red v-neck t-shirt on with cacti of the Sonoran Desert and mountains blurred in the background.
We have a self-selecting sliding scale ticket option in registration (look for the #Sliding-Scale) and limited lower sliding scale availability upon request. Sliding scale tickets are geared towards financial accessibility for those who need it, particularly folks that are institutionally disadvantaged (e.g. people of color, transgender folx, etc). Email us to work out a financially feasible ticket price if you need alternative sliding scale options than available.
COVID Info: **Proof of vaccination or negative covid test required at check-in.** The space is large for folks to spread out. Masking will be optional during workshop exercises.