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blueridgebaby
HAI has 7 levels of workshops with a few couples workshops as well. As no time, in any of the levels, is any instruction given to have sex, have oral sex, or to have intercourse. There is, at least on one occasion, the instruction not to have sex however.

There are no exercises where condoms are handed out prior to the exercise. There are no excercises where condoms are passed out at all.

This is the type of deception which bothers me. The first paragraph tries to imply something which is not reality. It seems that many people in HAI want to create an image which is just not true for some reason. The last paragraph tries to imply something, but the real questions is whether condoms are made available, not whether condoms are passed out. For example, placing a bowl of condoms in the room is not passing them out.

I also must take exception to the claim that there is no instruction given to have sex. While, based on what I have seen, this is technically correct, it is again deceptive. People are encouraged to do what they want and to push things. Also, sexual contact is not prohibited, quite the contrary.

I love the statement that on one occasion people are told to not have sex, as if that applies throughout. To be accurate, that statement occurs in the first workshop and the opposite occurs in the second workshop, with people being told to make love, even if it is just with themself.

Why is it that many people who push HAI that they also try to give a false impression? That is not honest and people will realize this should they take the workshops, but is there a hope that people will be converted so that they will ignore the deception?

I would not say that I said except that I think that it is important to correct the false impression that are given.

I've specifically been told that intercourse DOES occur at the higher levels. And you're right, they never tell you to actually have sexual contact with anyone in the workshop setting.

However, when you're caressing the nude body of another person... the touch can be and often IS sexual.

This is the very reason I'm convinced that people who are in HAI are being groomed for group sexual activity. Monogamy is disparaged and poly activities are subtly pushed as being a positive thing. Granted, some interns and/or assistants may not feel that way... but the general consensus seems to be that sharing yourself sexually with many others is perfectly fine and wonderful and should be celebrated. To do otherwise is to shun love or some such crap.

Actually, to do otherwise is to have some self respect. I choose to share my body with ONE man... and if that means I'm some repressed anti-love freak by their standards, so be it.

Plus it is such a big fat lie that HAI is the only nudie sex workshop on the planet. What tantra teacher *doesn't* offer workshops in the nude? Try it outside of the US, it's not going to fly here anymore.

Should I take my own trusted condoms on a level 1 weekend? What about levels 2 / 3 et al?

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karenb
Plus it is such a big fat lie that HAI is the only nudie sex workshop on the planet. What tantra teacher *doesn't* offer workshops in the nude? Try it outside of the US, it's not going to fly here anymore.

The singles 'tantra' workshops I've been following state : "no sex" but do NOT state "no nudity." However at the higher levels sex is bound to rear its head. But then they are based on the perverted teachings of Rajneesh / Osho (paedophilia, free love, fee sex, non-commital, etc.) rather that accepted tantra from thousands of years ago.

I have been reading this thread from the beginning and am really amazed at the near hysterical usage of innuendo, indignation, exaggeration, etc. to what I see as reasonable responses/explanations about HAI by blueridgebaby and Siofra. I assume everyone who has contributed to this thread is an adult. What is so strange about an organization (HAI) that explores human sexuality using nudity, sexual and/or sensual exercises, and even sex itself in various levels of it's workshops??

Given what has been said and reported about various opportunistic and predatory types that do cruise such workshops, various local statutes governing sexual behavior and the exchange of money and perceptions about such, and protecting the confidentiality of the participants......I'd say that Siofra and blueridgebaby have been as honest and revealing as they can. And that is more than what has been given by one of the other players in this "drama" (Ciruela). She exercised a considerable amount of selective memory when "detailing" her woes and complaints....along with mentioning "accidentally" that HAI was mentioned on the same page in some publication along with the People's Temple, come on!!

OK, so the HAI people here haven't been 100% forthcoming - they have more that adequately stated why. On the other hand, we have Ciruela, Ghost, and S_Byers throwing innuendo, insinuations, and as far as I'm concerned very unfair and misleading impressions about this organization! This is supposed to be a cult education forum, not a cult witchhunt.....or am I mistaken?? Have we suddenly returned to the Salem, Massachussetts of the 1700's?? Lighten up a bit!

Sex for most people is a hot and confronting topic. HAI does not advertise that it is only for inhibited, heterosexual, and monogamous people. As they say, it is open to anyone of any preference or interest as long as it doesn't involve hurting others. What happened with Ciruela and her boyfriend and Hai_bye_boyfriend was not the responsibility of HAI. Culpability lies with the individuals involved, that's it.

As stated, what gets explored at HAI workshops is not for everyone. That's where and how you learn what you like and what you don't like, that's largely why groups like HAI exist. Where else can you explore these issues outside of a psychiatric professional specializing in sexual surrogacy?? High School, College, Church??? I don't think so.

Daydreamer decided that the Level 1 workshop was useful, but that Level 2 was not. But in that process she found her sense of self worth and how to set up her boundaries...she sounds very clear about that. I'd say her experience helped her. dbvanhorn loves it and will continue to go to various workshops, great for him and his spouse!

I don't see a harmful organization here. What I do see are a number of individuals who have felt confronted by their experiences when their naivete and personal expectations were triggered or not met.....and they are trying to blame HAI instead of looking at themselves and asking themselves pertinent questions about what they thought they would experience in a Human Sexuality Workshop.

I'm sorry, but I would expect a Human Sexuality Workshop to involve nudity, sexual touching, and forms of sex or sexual behavior at some stage or another. This is like bitching that the French restaurant you went to had snails on the menu but not hot dogs!

Sametanner

Here are some interesting reports:

Pro:

[www.libchrist.com]

[www.libchrist.com]

[tromberg.dyndns.org]

Anti:

[www.kemasa.com]

Also see this report from a gay guys point of view:

[www.donshewey.com]

Interesting. I read through the sites posted, the one anti opinion is voiced by an obviously opinionated, stubborn, demanding, and possibly unbalanced, and unhappy customer. The responding HAI emails he /she printed on the site sound like reasonable concerned responses to try and genuinely resolve this customer's issues with HAI. Unfortunately, said customer would have none of it without getting his/her way. IMO, childish and unreasonable. So much for objective criticism.