It has become common to talk about creating safer spaces for healing work. And this is a good thing. Everyone in the field of conscious sensuality, embodiment, and healing work should be looking to improve their practice and rise to higher standards of care, support, awareness, and sensitivity. At the same time, it has also become common to resist …

Over the last couple of years, Dave Boda has been really critical of ISTA. He’s composed blog-posts and spoken openly about how some of the people involved need to improve, and how some of the ways ISTA approaches its work need to fall away. In this episode, he talks with ISTA facilitator, the podcast founder, and his old friend, Ria Yoshida, about…

There’s a lot of hot debate about the ethics of transformational spaces right now, driven by questions of how power should be held in these spaces. Who should be responsible if something goes wrong? Just what are the limits of what gets taught? Maybe it would be easier not to create spaces for transformational work, for looking at shadows and how p…

In this episode, Ria talks with Dr. Jen Howk about the collision of science and mysticism in the field of evolutionary psychology. With her feet planted firmly in both worlds, Dr. Jen delves into the how and why of our psychological quirks, revealing some of the mysteries of our development as a species. In particular, she tackles the intriguing ph…

Do you ever feel like you’re being held back in life by events and circumstances that are out of your control? Maybe you find yourself in uncomfortable, even terrible, circumstances thinking to yourself: how did I even get here? And, how do I get out? These are questions that arrived powerfully in the life of Carolyn Elliot, transformational guide …

In this, his third episode with the Spiritual, Sexual, Shamanic Podcast, ISTA Lead Facilitator and member of ISTA’s governing council, Raffaello Manacorda, speaks about shamanic leadership. What is shamanic leadership? Raffa explains that it’s an essential component of taking responsibility within groups of people. Instead of competing for powerful…

ISTA Facilitator Nimai Sun Ra grew up without a father. As a result, he has felt, perhaps more urgently than most, the need to become his own father figure. To provide himself stability, guidance, and the strength that a biological father might often provide. In recent years, he has been on a journey of extending that experience of fatherhood from …

Growing up in rural Austria, ISTA facilitator Ashisha Arpana’s favorite toy was her imagination. She gleefully played with it, eventually turning what happened in her mind's eye into a career in film and media. The imagination, she tells us in this deep and exploratory episode, is one of the most important keys for us in letting go of the old, dise…

In this episode, Usha talks with ISTA Facilitator Aya Kamānakai about reclaiming sexuality as a pathway to personal empowerment and spiritual connection. Growing up in the Christian church, Aya was taught to shut down her sexuality. As she moved into adulthood, she found herself unable to access pleasure in her body and had resigned herself to a li…

Picture this: you’re in a long, long-term relationship with another person. You both have dynamic, ‘larger-than-life’ personalities. You have four kids together, and busy schedules full of big projects. It seems almost impossible to fit in time for each other. Life is interesting, but you’re realizing how easy it is to put off moments of deeper con…

If you've ever been to a spiritual retreat, you might know that they can be totally blissful places. Dancing, good food, vibrant people, deep teaching. Paradise! Yes, they can involve difficult emotions, and sometimes the teachings can be complex, but that's often part of the experience. So, what happens when it all comes to an end and you have to …

In this episode of the Spiritual, Sexual, Shamanic Podcast, ISTA facilitator Aaron Kleinerman delves into the topic of men's work and the importance of creating safe spaces for men to explore their vulnerability and receptivity. Through many years of holding these kinds of spaces, Aaron has found that there is great benefit in men embracing both th…

In this episode, Usha talks with s*x engineer, Elisa Caro. An Apprentice Facilitator with ISTA, Elisa dives into one of her favorite topics: the many different kinds of orgasm that people in femme bodies can experience. Elisa covers some of these juicy and, some may consider, controversial areas of discovery: how femme bodies are wired for pleasure…

Dos conceptos que suelen encontrarse separados, pero ¿Cuál es la relacion entre ellos? En esta conversación con Luis, KamalaDevi McClure nos habla sobre: El uso del Eros como medicina sagrada, su experiencia como figura poliamorosa, coach y madre, y el potencial del chamanismo para sanar heridas sexuales. El matrimonio Interior, y cómo el cosmos es…

Initiation is an unavoidable part of life. We’re constantly being initiated into new experiences, whether we like it or not. Sometimes we thrive in these experiences, but sometimes they can be traumatic. Sometimes we get stuck in a loop in the process. What a dedicated space for initiation can provide is a way to go through important rites of passa…

When ISTA Apprentice Dane Tomas got started in spirituality, his focus was on ascension. "It was 'go up to the higher realms'; it was Buddhism, it was psychedelics, it was meditation, and it was all so wonderful," he says. But he started to realize that, although the people he was hanging out with there "in Rainbow Dolphin Land," were mentally and,…

What does my soul really want, and how do I dream it? Then, how do I make it a reality? In this episode, ISTA faculty member and CEO of the conscious dating app, Lua, Makatu Roni, guides us through some answers to these questions. For him, they hold the key to what is missing in the world right now. He tells his story of manifesting his soul-callin…

In this episode, Simon talks with ISTA faculty Stephanie Phillips, who happens to be his biological mother! They dive into issues of inter-generational healing and what it can really look like to address family relationships head-on. Simon explores with Stephanie her signature teaching: “being in the body brings us home.” By coming back to the body…

"When you know, you know," an old sage once said. And the power of sexual shamanism is one of those things. You can't forget it once you've experienced it. In this episode, ISTA Level 1 and 2 facilitator, Michal Mayan Don, marvels at the rapidly emerging culture of people who now carry this knowledge. As she explains, what we are doing when we trai…

The midwest region of the USA is not famous for its radical attitudes towards sexuality. You might usually associate that area of the world with conservative values, fields of wheat, unpredictable weather (hello cyclone season!), sports, and very nice folks. In today’s episode we hear from ISTA facilitator Briana Cribeyer who grew up in the Midwest…

A life full of creativity, sensuality, beauty, and connection… How to cultivate it? In this episode, we talk with ISTA Lead Faculty member Raffaello Manacorda about what it means to bring the culture of conscious sexuality into your life, and how to share it with those around you. And it's not just about sex. We can do this through delicious meals,…

​​Coming from his experience as a soldier in the Israeli military, and from studying Kung Fu in a Chinese temple, ISTA Facilitator, Or Koren, speaks about how you can integrate ALL parts of yourself into your life on this planet. The body is central. "If we choose to walk this path of embodiment and integration in the attempt to heal our trauma," h…

The word "Tantra" gets used a lot these days, sometimes in ways that challenge what the word really refers to. ISTA Facilitator, Bynoi D'Souza, has tracked Tantra from the root, growing up in India, reading and speaking Sanskrit, travelling the world, and teaching what could be called the path's ever-erupting LIFE. In this episode, Bynoi explores s…

על ידי International School of Temple Arts

על ידי International School of Temple Arts

Do you struggle with navigating multiple relationships while staying committed, to yourself and to your partner? Do you want to explore surrendering to the essence of love while staying authentically true to yourself? In this episode of The Spiritual Sexual Shamanic Podcast, Ria Yoshida (who usually asks the questions!) answers on leaning into part…

In this fascinating episode, Javi Martinez shares about her journey as a shapeshifter, not falling into any of the conventions. Javi is a bridge between the worlds, and embodies a direct transmission of what it means to transcend massive barriers, courageously exploring gender with full guidance from Spirit. Javi is a LGBTQI Educator and Trainer, a…

Most of us have been brought up in a culture that is traumatized around sex... Ellie Wilde is deeply interested in redefining sexuality so that being in the experience and enjoying is more important than performing. In this episode, Ellie shares about her exploration of how relaxed states of arousal can foster profound restorative Eros, and bring a…

Do you sometimes feel yourself accelerating in ways that aren't the most supportive to your authentic being? Do you long for respecting the pace of your heart, of your body, of all your emotions and hidden places where your true power and beauty reside? Avishag aims deep, and shares here with us her research on slowing down in order to feel more. L…

Are you interested in increasing your focus, energy and motivation by tapping into the immense possibilities of your sexual energy? Do you want to live in a way that you can embody your full potential and manifest your deepest desires? Buddhi Dana is welcoming you to come closer and explore... Buddhi is a man of the heart who is walking the Tantric…

Regardless of your sex, you embody masculine and feminine energy. The question is, how are these energies showing up? Are they in harmony or dominating each other? Are they in service to your life, or sabotaging it? Clara Gomez Santos, ISTA facilitator, shares with Ria how females can bring forward ‘The Man Within’. Listen in to dive into… Cultivat…

Jasmeen Hana, ISTA Faculty and shamanic guide between worlds, our guest in this delightful episode, takes us on a journey of sex & spirit, soul & animal, dark & light, to remember our primal and innocent nature, through the ancient and recorded wisdom of the Egyptian Temple Arts. In this episode, dive with Jasmeen into… Finding our place in the Tre…

Have you ever felt like you’ve been pressed into a mould, and asked yourself if you can live a bigger life than this? Patrik Oltermann, a radical Christian pastor, ISTA facilitator, Bhakti Yogi and queer pirate, shares wisdom from a lifetime of not fitting in, happy and humorously following the path of Freedom. Hear Patrik on... Navigating the tens…

Rituals can be small or elaborate, but when done with intentionality, they all hold creative and spiritual power. But what makes something a ritual vs a habit? How does one 'do' ritual? What are the keys for deep and transformative group rituals? Dawn Cherie Ezrahi, Lead ISTA Facilitator and initiatress of SSSTar (Spiritual Sexual Shamanic Ritual T…

Falling in love can bring up intense emotions and ecstatic experiences. With tsunamis of neurochemicals and exhilarating heart-opening, we can meet our own soul, taste unconditional love, and experience wholeness in deep ways. It's big stuff for our spiritual evolution. But what happens when the 'love potion' runs out? Lead Facilitator Aramina Barb…

Tune in to hear Bruce Lyon (ISTA Pioneer/Wisdom Circle and Highden Founder) share truth bombs about... Living beyond instinctual herd life and finding your authentic core How to burst into flame and radiate who you really are regardless of what others think Liberating your sexual energy and your emotional energy to find your power How to go beyond …

Trauma processing and trauma awareness has risen a lot in the healing fields. While trauma has been primarily boxed in a psychological model, shamanic perspectives can offer a wider lense. Janine Ma-Ree, ISTA Lead Facilitator, speaks with us about how an earth-based shamanic understanding of the body and trauma can support deep personal and collect…

"A daring life means following what's real for you. Sometimes it's crazy, sometimes it's boring, but it's real." In this episode, Komala Lyra, Lead ISTA Facilitator, shares wisdom gems from a daring life spent listening to her truth. Sharing deeply about how to surrender, listening and authenticity, Komala offers a potent transmission of how to be …

In this episode, Elaine Yonge, ISTA Lead Facilitator, explains sexual styles and discusses the four erotic themes: 1. Longing and anticipation, 2. Violating prohibitions, 3. Searching for power, and 4. Overcoming ambivalence. Referring to the brilliant book The Erotic Mind by psychologist Jack Morin, Elaine says understanding our erotic themes supp…

Raffaello Manacorda, Lead ISTA Facilitator, shares how sex and the shadow (repressed parts of ourselves) are parts of life but are both hidden. To live and express ourselves fully, we need to dive into these parts with full transparency and radical honesty. Because of the cultural and societal nature of this repression, unravelling the hiddenness n…

If we are in a relationship and don't have strong self-love or we haven't done our healing work, we look to others to fulfil the lack within and to validate our worth. Often, what we understand as love has more to do with fear and insecurity than with actual love (it can be mired with neediness, expectations and attachments). So, what is love, real…

Laurie Handlers, ISTA Lead, shares how great sex is really not just a transaction between people, but a portal to discovering who we really are. In terms of healing, empowerment, joy, vitality, self-actualisation, and awakening, "sex has everything to do with it!" Listen to hear Laurie share more on... How the first and second chakra relates to our…

Shachar Caspi, ISTA Lead Facilitator and Organiser, has been in non-monogamous relationships for a decade. As a husband, lover and father to young children, he's the 'go to person' for support if you're curious about exploring open-relating (or better said, 'choice-relating'). If you're totally new to this path or you've been exploring it for some …

We have ISTA Lead Facilitator Triambika Ma Vive on the show, sharing how sound can powerfully support release, healing and activation. Sound is medicine and sound is an avenue to claiming space. Hear Tri share her wisdom on... Specific steps for using toning to create space in the body and open contracted parts The power of vibration, specific soun…

How do we open, surrender, and show up fully in life? And what does it mean to be spiritually awake? Despite common misperceptions, it doesn't require a perpetually ecstatic state! In this conversation, our guest, Crystal Dawn Morris, Lead ISTA Facilitator, shares how being fully open, and in a state of loving acceptance with what is is key. Crysta…

We find ourselves in a time where civilization is shifting. Lead facilitator Ohad Pele shares how this means that everything we do is political even if it seems removed from 'politics'. From the way we relate to each other, how we see gender, how we share power, and most importantly how we care for the heart. Hear Pele talk about... The 'golden cag…

Ria invites Baba Dez, ISTA Pioneer, onto the show to talk about embodied awakening. Dez has a wealth of wisdom and experience and shares how embodied awakening means deeply knowing you are a soul, and you manifested this body to bring awareness to consciousness into every cell. You are an energetic being having a human experience. Dez elaborates on…

In our debut episode, we have lead facilitator KamalaDevi on the show! In this conversation, KD goes deep on how "when we heal the wound within, we heal the wounds in our external relationships. If you're suffering in any area of your relating, the healing of your inner marriage will produce instantaneous effects in your outer relationships." Liste…