We started our website with writing about Thai Massage and Thai Yoga, but gradually we also dived into other massage and bodywork topics which included genital, sensual, and erotic treatment modalities.
It’s funny, because the majority of our families, friends, and acquaintances reacted a bit “jumpy” and considered it “borderline” and a sort of sleazy or not-done. Having said that, I admit that when I started learning Thai Massage in Thailand and for the first time saw Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal and Internal Organs Massage I myself found even that “going quite far” in the intimacy sphere. Now, Chi Nei Tsang is very harmless when it comes to direct genital touch (which is absent in the modality) but indeed works deep into the abdominal and pelvic area.
Yet, when it comes to Tantra massages, for instance, you will see explicit work with the genital and erogenous zones and many people have the idea of it being “sex work,” which it is not. Well, it is “sex work” but not in the common sense of the phrase. It’s rather “sexuality work,” but that’s another topic.
Interesting enough, here on TraditionalBodywork.com our approach to massage and bodywork has become rather “Tantric,” which means that we embrace everything (in the massage and bodywork realm) and don’t leave things out just because we may think it’s morally rejectable. Genital and erotic massage and bodywork have many applications, and one of those is inducing sexual pleasure, but that’s just a small part of it. And even sexual arousal and pleasure often have a serious therapeutic goal, even if that — one first sight — sounds farfetched.
In my opinion — and that’s only because the years past by and I’ve gotten a broader understanding of the topic — genital, erotic, and sexual massage and bodywork practices are incredibly import activities to alleviate or cure suffering in both the physical and emotional-psychological sphere.
Helissa and I have learned a lot about it through extensive research of many modalities, and I think it deserves our full attention as part of healing work. We always try to write about genital and sexual work in an objective and truthful manner, even if some modalities are misused as a cover for sometimes indeed “sleazy practices.” We try to point this out and “uncover” myths and misuse, while bringing the original aims in the spotlight.
Anyway, we can do little about the thoughts of our families and friends because they usually don’t even want to listen to the arguments we bring about with respect to writing about the “genital domain.” That’s how it is, and we need to accept and respect that, likewise in a “Tantric way,” meaning that we also do our best to fully embrace their puritan views 🙂
