Join us for an afternoon of connection, relaxation, and empowerment through consensual, platonic cuddling!
Cuddle Sanctuary is a collective healing space for meeting our basic human need for physical connection. It’s one small part of building a culture in which consensual touch is accessible and abundant beyond sexual and romantic relationships.
Doors open at 3pm. In order to participate in cuddling, attendees must be here by 3:10 (at the latest!) for the opening circle.
The event will be facilitated by Juno Aventurine (they/them), a workshop organizer who focuses on consent, authentic relating, connection, and conflict skills. They’re also a former professional cuddlier who was trained to offer therapeutic platonic cuddle sessions to people in need of touch.
More about the event…
Cuddle Sanctuary is all about self-care, community care, and healing the pain of touch deprivation.
We all need touch for our well-being. It’s well documented that cuddling releases the stress-reducing and pain-relieving hormone oxytocin (“the love drug”), creating feelings of relaxation and even bliss. When done in alignment with our genuine desires, cuddling is a form of co-regulating our nervous systems with other people, and a natural way to cultivate wellness through human connection.
Cuddle Sanctuary is also an empowering workshop where we practice consent by asking for the kind of cuddling we authentically want, saying “no” to what we don’t want, accepting rejection with gratitude, and negotiating our boundaries.
Everyone is at choice in this space. This means you’re encouraged to tune in to your body and ask for what you truly want without shame, because there is nothing shameful about your needs and desires. It also means that no one has to cuddle with anyone else who asks them to, or cuddle in any particular way. You get to decide what you want to do with your own body, and you have the right to change your mind about cuddling at any point in the process.
To facilitate this, there will be an opening circle at the beginning of the event in which we’ll practice rejection (both giving and receiving). We’ll also spend some time getting in touch with what our specific cuddle desires are, communicating them, and seeing where our desires might overlap with each other.
During the opening circle, we will go over the community guidelines for the space, which you can read beforehand here: Community Agreements for Cuddle Sanctuary.
After the opening circle, participants are welcome to ask for and engage in platonic cuddling in any way they’d like. All forms of platonic cuddling are legitimate here! Cuddling can be holding hands, spooning, sitting against each others’ backs, laying your head on someone’s stomach, touching palms, interweaving arms, and so much more.
Finally, Cuddle Sanctuary is an opportunity to experiment with going outside of your comfort zone when it comes to who you cuddle with and how you cuddle. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, you’re encouraged to try out a form of cuddling that you don’t know if you’ll like, challenge your expectations, and experience something new.
Near the end of the event, there will be a brief closing circle where attendees can share a little about their experience and their desires for the next time they attend Cuddle Sanctuary.
Accessibility Info and COVID Precautions:
In order to make Cuddle Sanctuary more accessible to people with disabilities that make COVID particularly dangerous for them, I’m asking those who are able to please wear a mask in public indoor places and in large crowds outside for a couple of weeks prior to attending the event.
Masks are NOT required to be worn during the event itself.
Please don’t attend this event if you suspect you have a contagious respiratory infection of any kind or if you have a fever.
If you have a high likelihood of being exposed to people with COVID, such as in large crowds and healthcare settings, please take an at-home COVID test the day of this event and don’t attend if the test is positive.
There will be an air purifier with a HEPA filter running in the event space.
Please refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, or other scented things to the event, because many people have debilitating scent sensitivities.
The main entrance to the building is wheelchair accessible, as well as the bathroom and the room where Cuddle Sanctuary will take place.
The space is designed for cuddling on the floor, which is newly carpeted (very fluffy and soft). There will also be blankets on top of the carpet and big cushions available for use.
If there’s anything you need to make Cuddle Sanctuary more accessible, please reach out to Juno before the event to see if we can come up with a solution.
*You must register for this event.
*Tickets are $15 for those who can pay. However, no one will be turned away for lack of funds. If the cost is a barrier, please either email CenterPeace directly or email Juno to register.
Juno’s email: junowayward@gmail.com