Friday, January 29, 2016

Searching for tantra community tour

Hello lovely people. 
Tomorrow we are leaving for a tour to find a home where we could not only find a roof above our heads but also the place where we could realize our potentials. We are tantra teachers and we would like at this tour through different communities find experience, connections and who knows maybe a place where we could realize our dreams. 
This could be great opportunity for you to organize the workshops by us for your community or even for wider public. If we would have profit we are willing to share to already support the community. Of course our workshop would be beneficial for connection,energy flow etc.
But also without the workshop If you could give us directions we would love to visit you, your friends, get to know each other and see how we could support each others.We are starting from frankfurt in to direction of Pyrnees,then south of Spain. We don't have presise map yet so if you could give us some tips of places this would be very handy. 
Thanks and hopefully see you soon 
Michal Marek Griks and Roxana Cioaza



--

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Tantra Teachers Manual Introduction

Why I'm writing this book ?
Out of love to myself, to others, animals, nature etc... We are living in the times of big changes. Times what require from us big transformations. From one side many crisis's: ecological, economical, social, mental, in relationships... etc.
Especially during the last century man kind brought the planet and the humanity in to the edge that we are starting to ask ourselves: "Would our children have a future ?" Doe to our ignorance and destruction would we witness the biggest extinction of life in all its forms ? Is it happening already ?
 Misleading in the mass media are turning us in to unaware blind consumers, disconnected even from our own nature. Hardly anyone may see what is actually happening. We need most efficient solutions to bring the humanity back to love and back to nature.
Tantra as path of transformation may help us to change those challenges in to the opportunity to grow. It can make us rising up in love instead falling down in to addictions, what very often we are even not aware about.
When I walk over amazing beautiful Transylvania mountains, full of forests and wild nature . When I snorkel in Maldivian Coral reefs full of colors, full of so diverse, so beautiful and so many fishes. When I sit here, under coconut palms in the nature,   observing wild life and when I'm writing it, do I want it to end it ? When I have great conversations with my daughter, proud of her, feeling happy from how wonderful she is. Do I want to, that one day it would be over ? When I go deeper in to the love making with my beloved, when again we are discovering new ways of blissings - do I want that this would be finished by some atomic bomb, tsunami, earth shake or any other catastrophic scenario prepared by unconscious way of living in our modern times ? No I don't. Nobody does.
I love my life. I love my family, people, animals, nature. I feel they're part of my life,  maybe even part of me.
It feels good to take care for them, love them truly, stay connected etc...
For me, for them, for everyone and everything I feel that each of us could use their full potential to do everything what the situation is requiring us to do. Here and now, for better future, for all of us. For conscious world full of unconditional love, sacred sexuality and respect for mother nature.
Since I'm 14 years old ( maybe earlier ) I'm activist on all different ways and directions . I experience tantra since more than 9 years already. About 4 years ago I started to teach. I did it because I experienced one of the biggest transformation in my life and I though that everyone should be able to have a chance to achieve it either.
I was addicted from sex. Like with all addictions, you need stronger and stronger stimulation ( dose ) to get the same effect. There is no end on the path down. I started to do things against my own ethics. I was dishonest to myself , my wife and others. 
I was falling deeper in to desires, unsatisfactions, frustrations, filling guilt and shame about things I did but was unable to stop them. I was driven by sex.
I was blessed to experience tantra on my way of life. Thankful to my beloved ex, who introduced me to that I started step by step healing my self. As someone said: "Sex could be your way to hell or to heaven. You choose. " In the moment I meet tantra I got choice but so many, majority of people, they don't even know that they may have a choice.

[ Quote leaflet: http://tantramovement.blogspot.nl/2014/01/tantra-movement-theory-leaflet.html ]
    "...Love is the most important experience in life for all of us. Unfortunately there lacks knowledge about the steps that one can take to amplify the love experience. The painful paradox is that while there are many other disciplines that one may learn while at school, this type of knowledge does not have a place in the conventional education system. One is rather fortunate if they have experienced unconditional love from their parents. To fill this gap we wrote these words, we shall read them, and that's why I teach in Tantra Movement School... "

During my tantric practice I meet a lot of sexually abused people. During their healing i felt their pain and I was happy to support them. In the times that watching porn is easier than ever before, in the next generations, abuse rate, disrespect ( especially but not only ) towards women may increase like never before. That's why promoting lovely and healthy approach to sexuality is very crucial in those times. That's why healing aspect of tantra would be more and more important. There is many books about tantra but no one about teaching. There are more and more tantric teachers everywhere. We need them like never before. This book I hope will support this process and in the future would become example of sharing and a kind of platform where also others would share their experiences.  To be continued...

If your English is better than my and you wanna help with correction I ( and others ) would be very happy about it.
You may already support project financially, what would help me to find more time for it.
NL92TRIO0390212989 in Triodos ethical bank

Michal Marek Griks
27.1.2016

Omadhoo Maldives
http://tantramovement.blogspot.nl


Saturday, January 23, 2016

[Doorbraak Info] Charlie Hebdo voedt wel degelijk racisme

Nieuwe artikelen

Antwoord van een 'huichelaar' op Charb's 'brief'

n het onlangs verschenen essay "Brief aan de huichelaars die het racisme voeden" geeft de in 2015 vermoorde cartoonist Charb felle kritiek op mensen die de cartoons van Charlie Hebdo als islamofoob en racistisch bestempelen. Het boekje werd kort geleden lovend besproken bij De Wereld Draait Door. Dat kwam neer op een tamelijk hersenloos herhalen van de inmiddels welbekende mantra die stelt dat de vrijheid van meningsuiting ongelimiteerd moet zijn in een moderne, liberale samenleving. Van een kritische beschouwing van wat Charb in zijn boekje te zeggen had, was echter nauwelijks sprake. In dit artikel daarom alsnog een meer kritische bespreking ervan. Lees meer: http://www.doorbraak.eu/antwoord-van-een-huichelaar-op-charbs-brief/

--
Lege winkelstraten en omvallende winkelketens, hoe komt dat?

Iedereen heeft waarschijnlijk wel in het nieuws vernomen dat Vroom & Dreesmann, een gerenommeerde winkelketen met beeldbepalende grote panden in de koopgoten van vele steden, op instorten staat. Het blijkt dat de vermogensbeheerder (1) die in 2005 eigenaar was van V&D, dat bedrijf heeft leeggezogen door al de grote winkelpanden waar V&D in zat, te verkopen en daarna terug te verhuren aan het bedrijf. De vermogensbeheerder maakte daarmee miljarden winsten en zadelde V&D op met torenhoge huurlasten, die het bedrijf nu niet meer kan betalen. Dergelijke ontwikkelingen deden zich ook voor bij andere winkelketens. Lees meer: http://www.doorbraak.eu/lege-winkelstraten-en-omvallende-winkelketens-hoe-komt-dat/

--
Wilders wil concentratiekampen

Geert Wilders wil mannelijke vluchtelingen in concentratiekampen opsluiten. Daar komt het voorstel dat hij vandaag in een videobericht deed op neer. Het voorstel is het zoveelste symptoom van Wilders' voornemen om Nederland de fascistische kant op te duwen, met knokploegen voorop en grote kiezerssteun in de rug. Hij zal dit voornemen doorzetten, tenzij we hem, zijn plannen en zijn beweging frontaal tegenhouden, met woorden en met daden. De reactie op zijn voorstel is tot nu toe lauw. Dat kan maar beter heel rap veranderen. Lees meer: http://www.doorbraak.eu/wilders-wil-concentratiekampen/

--
Links en intersectionaliteit, deel 2: Het kasteel van de vampieren

Dit is het tweede van een vijftal uit het Engels vertaalde artikelen over de linkse beweging en intersectionaliteit. De laatste jaren zien we dat begrip "intersectionaliteit" steeds vaker opduiken in teksten en analyses afkomstig van universiteiten en allerlei sociale bewegingen. Centraal bij intersectionaliteit staat, volgens Hodan Warsame en Ramona Sno (zie kader), "dat verschillende vormen van onderdrukking niet van elkaar los kunnen worden gezien en op elkaar inwerken". Lees meer: http://www.doorbraak.eu/links-en-intersectionaliteit-deel-2-het-kasteel-van-de-vampieren/

--
Agenda

24 januari, Amsterdam: demonstratie tegen de oorlog van de Turkse staat tegen de Koerden

Het platform Democratische Organisaties Nederland organiseert op 24 januari een landelijke demonstratie tegen de oorlog van de Turkse staat tegen de Koerden. Ondertussen zijn op woensdag 13 januari Nederlandse Koerden in hongerstaking gegaan in Amsterdam om aandacht te vragen voor de moordpartijen en de oorlog. "Na de verkiezingsnederlaag op 7 juni 2015 door Erdoğan en zijn AKP-regering hebben zij de Koerden vogelvrij verklaard en zijn sindsdien honderden Koerdische burgers vermoord door het Turkse leger, is in meerdere Koerdische steden een avondklok ingesteld en worden burgemeesters opgesloten", aldus een verklaring op de site van Fedkom. Demonstratie. Zondag 24 januari 2016. Vanaf 12:00 uur. Beursplein, Amsterdam. Lees meer: http://www.doorbraak.eu/24-januari-amsterdam-demonstratie-tegen-de-oorlog-van-de-turkse-staat-tegen-de-koerden/

--
6 februari, Amsterdam: actie tegen het extreem-rechtse Pegida

Op 6 februari wil het extreem-rechtse Pegida een nieuwe poging wagen om zijn racistische gedachtegoed te verspreiden. Deze keer willen de racisten van Pegida samenkomen op de Dam in Amsterdam. De actiegroep Laat Ze Niet Lopen roept op om ook naar de Dam te komen en een tegengeluid te laten horen bij deze extreem-rechtse bijeenkomst. Laat ze niet lopen! Tegenactie. Zaterdag 6 februari. Vanaf 13:00 uur. De Dam, Amsterdam. Lees meer: http://www.doorbraak.eu/6-februari-amsterdam-actie-tegen-het-extreem-rechtse-pegida/

--
Nieuws elders

Feministische activisten zijn opgepakt tijdens racistisch evenement Wilders in Spijkenisse
http://www.doorbraak.eu/feministische-activisten-zijn-opgepakt-tijdens-racistisch-evenement-wilders-in-spijkenisse/

Heesch en elders: nieuwe 'incidenten' onderstrepen fascistische dreiging
http://www.doorbraak.eu/heesch-en-elders-nieuwe-incidenten-onderstrepen-fascistische-dreiging/

Veel sympathie voor het protest van Marokkaanse onderwijzers na politiegeweld
http://www.doorbraak.eu/veel-sympathie-voor-het-protest-van-marokkaanse-onderwijzers-na-politiegeweld/

Wilders: geweld tegen vrouwen geen probleem, zolang vluchtelingen het maar niet doen
http://www.doorbraak.eu/wilders-geweld-tegen-vrouwen-geen-probleem-zolang-vluchtelingen-het-maar-niet-doen/

Weer een succesje voor Boycott Workfare
http://www.doorbraak.eu/weer-een-succesje-voor-boycott-workfare/

Apeldoorn in actie tegen Pegida
http://www.doorbraak.eu/apeldoorn-in-actie-tegen-pegida/

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

9 Days Tantra Massage Retreat in Maldivian nature again very soon

... so this is also your test for spontaneity ;)

Don't hesitate to ask the questions mgriks@gmail.com
[ Nederlandse vertaling van de cursus: http://tantramovement.blogspot.nl/2015/04/tantra-massage-course.html ]
[ Traducerea in limba romana a cursului: http://tantraromania.blogspot.nl/2015/06/curs-de-masaj-tantric_8.html ]

9 Days Tantra Massage Retreat in Maldivian nature.


School Of Tantra introduces You to the path of tantric practice and lifestyle. It is the way of deep experience, abandoning all concepts, exchange of energy and entering intimate relation not only with yourself. It is expanding you to the deepest and the highest levels of love and ecstasy through working on all dimensions possible to You...
Price:
Couple only 1699USD, Single 1030USD
Early bird till 24 January : Couple 1499USD, Single 830USD
You could transfer the amount to Michal Grygoruk NL92TRIO0390212989 in Triodos ethical bank.
Package Include:
Transfer & Return from Male' to Guest house
9 Nights Accommodations
3 vegan meals daily
water, juice and coffee available
All taxes included

Where:
Kuri Inn Omadhoo, Maldives




When: 
from 5th February to 14th February

This Tantric Massage course is for couples or people who are willing to work together, so if you´re single you may still join.
After completion of the course you will be honored with School of Tantra Movement Tantric Massage Certificate. 

Tantra Massage generates a deep flow of energy, promoting connection on many levels, between sexuality, love and spirituality as well as between the giver and receiver.
The Tantric Massage course in the School Of Tantra Movement has 13 chapters:

1 The Mystery of Tantric Magic. Introduction to Tantric Massage course
2 Kashmiri Dance Massage workshop
3 Tantric Massage within a relationship
4
Breathing in Shiva Shakti position
5 De-armouring, De-blocking Massage
6 Neo Tantric Massage - Introduction
7 Neo Tantric Massage - Worshipping the Yoni
8 Neo Tantric Massage - Worshipping the Lingam
9 Tantra Movement Fusion Massage - Introduction
10 Tantra Movement Fusion Massage - Worshipping the Yoni11 Tantra Movement Fusion Massage - Worshipping the Lingam
12 Full Body Orgasm Massage without touching
13 Closing Ritual
... but be aware - Tantra is like never ending story :)

More detailed description of these workshops you may read below

There would be breaks in the program for going in to the nature or watching some interesting tantric movies

Time schedule of the days:
10.00 - 11.00
Time schedule of the days:
7.30 - 8.30
Chakra breathing by Roxana Rainbow Cioaza, Tantra Kriya yoga, Kundalini Yoga or Osho active meditation
8.30 - 9.30 Breakfast
10.00 - 13.00 workshop
13.30 - 15.30 Lunch break
15.30 - 19.00 workshop
19.30 - Evening meal and sharing of the day


You may check updates and invite your friends also here: https://www.facebook.com/events/762923203840898/

Just before we do
9 Days Tantra course what you can read about here: http://tantramovement.blogspot.nl/2016/01/9-days-tantra-retreat-in-maldivian.html

This course is designed for either couples and singles (who are willing to work together) either for beginners and advanced. You do not need to have any previous experience in massage or tantra, to take part in the activities.
We expect and teach respect of the limits of the participants, but at the same time, we want to make you aware, that the progress is happening outside of the comfort zone. Just as we are flexible and open to spontaneous change, in the same way we welcome any willingness and openness for taking a step into the unknown.

...Most important is connection. Bringing you and partner in to the state of energetic merging. If you are able to achieve that, everything will flow how it suppose to...
Deep healing may appear. Healing of your past, your presence, your future, healing of your body, your heart and your spirit, healing of your femininity and masculinity, healing of all other aspect of your life.
Deep sexual pleasure may occur too. In tantra we welcome sexual energy. Yes, we transform it in to sacred and creative power, by keeping it in, instead of releasing and loosing it. We bring that energy, called ecstasy in to the higher levels of our beings like to:
the heart, that you will become more loving...
or to the throat that your communication will improve...
or to the head that you will become more creative or more spiritual...
... Its all up to us and energy flow.
Thankful that, you may experience ecstasy not only in your genitals but also in all other parts of your body. Your life may never be the same ;)

Tantra Massage is a tool for :
1 Deepening love to each other and to ourselves
2 Increasing intimacy
3 Building up the energy
4 Deblocking, de-armouring
5 Balancing energy in each chakra
6 Spreading the energy
7 Foreplay and after play
8 Healing
9 Growing spiritually
10 Developing awareness
11 Opening to trust
12 Entering the bliss and ecstasy
13 Learning to feel the ecstasy without the energy release (ejaculation, peak orgasm)
14 To have fun without necessity for intercourse
15 Experiencing full body orgasms
16 Relaxing while being fully aware
17 Enhancing pleasure

18 Many more... the sky is the limit :)

A more detailed description of these workshops:

AD 1:
"Magic of Tantric Massage" Introduction to tantric massage

This workshop is composed in such a way that you can learn and feel what sacred touch is, so that you can allow healing energy of love into your body and life.

Mastering the art of giving and receiving tantric massage is opening us on many levels:

- It helps to recover energy

- Teaches us sacred touch

- Raise awareness of the body

- Is an Introduction to tantric sex

- Develops our potential for love.



It is not possible to mention all the benefits of tantric massage but first of all it is an experience of deep inner joy, bliss, cleansing, peace and ecstasy. It is the experience of being whole. We will mainly focus on the feelings in the body and not only on the techniques . First of all, we want to ensure that participants will experience touch, that they open up for receiving and giving on the body level, that they open up for feeling the pleasure of being a giver and receiver of a massage.

We want to go deep into the levels of feeling pleasure, bliss, and flow of the love energy. We want to free all the tension from our bodies, let them go away to make more space in the body, to make in the place of the blockages space for the flow of life energy.




AD 2:
Kashmiric Dance Massage workshop

Like from all my invitations, especially from this one you may already learn something very useful.

Breath in and out. In and out. Become aware of your breath. How it passes through nostrils, how is filling up your lungs, chest, belly, even ho it reaches your toes and top of your head. Notice how with awareness to your breath you become very calm but energised and more alive at the same time .

Notice how by observing your breath, you entered the bridge to here and now. By being focus on your breath you created the inner space of awareness what is leaving behind all your thoughts, all your worries, fears...

Now become aware of the movement created by your breath. Your chest, your belly is expanding. Observe that movement for a while then begin to follow the breath with your body. Extend that movement. Let your spine bend following the belly. Let your pelvic tilt. Then slowly gradually involve the rest of your body: the neck, shoulders, knees, elbows...

Now you begin the dance of your breath. There could be music in the background but this time you dance to your breath. Let your body follow the breath. Do all the movements what would come without thinking. Breath in. Breath out.

Then after that preparation we would go for Kashmiric dance massage what would also follow your breath with deep, floating, intuitive movement. Long, energetic and fluent strokes coming from the breath would bring us in very meditative but dynamic atmosphere, where receiver would surrender in to the moment and to the love itself.
It will make you feel safe in the ultimate dimension. It will bring you closer to yourself in deep connection.


AD 3:
Tantric Massage within a relationship


Even i was the same, now is hard for me to imagine that i could live the way that the massage wouldn't be part of our sexual life and love making. Unfortunately most of the couples life doesn't include massage in it. Even when they use the massage, usually is completely separated from beautiful love making and there is hardly any intimacy in it. It doesn't have to be that way. Massage could be great for play, after play, middle play to love making. Even better, it could be love making itself. Tantric massage may bring you to much higher ecstasy than avarage 5 minute intercourse ended with loosing energy and to often frustration....
Many couples are saying that they're ok they don't need tantra. In our School Of Tantra Movement we don't wanna that your relationship would be just ok. We would like that you would become supreme lovers and your passion to each other would grow constantly :)
At this workshop I would also introduce you new language, how you may communicate with each other. Its ¨5 minut tantra¨ - method from Diana Diakova and Martin Heese from TantraZone (C.H.A.I) from Copenhagen. This body language may bring you deep understanding to each other , what would help you to connect better and sort out many problems in your relationship and in your life in general.

swedish massage orange county Swedish Massage from Sweden? or Created by a Swede? 

AD 4:
Breathing in Shiva Shakti position


In this workshop we will share with you the magic essence of Tantra. We will demonstrate different ways of breathing together, including the way we breathe in Tantra Kriya Yoga, Kashmiric Massage and the Maithuna ritual.

We will do these breathing techniques in the most tantric position: Shiva Shakti, (also called Open Lotus or Yab Yum), in which the partners' bodies are fully connected on all levels (chakras).

This close connection harmonizes our energies and it will become even more wonderful through breathing together. By doing so, we will awake in us the energy of different elements and different chakras: earth, water, fire, air, ether… and again earth, water...

Instead of losing sexual energy downwards we will bring it to higher parts of ourselves: to the heart, we become more loving; to the throat, we become more communicative, while raising the energy as far as the head will enable us to become more creative and spiritual.

Through this exercise we will also balance our male and female energies, not only in ourselves but also in our relationship. We will create great union between partners and also with nature and the whole universe.

Join us to transform those words into the real experience! This is wisdom you can use not just in your massage or love making but in your entire life.



AD 5:
De-armouring workshop


What we are going to experience during this workshop is a massage, where by your partner pressing particular points you are brought to your limits of pain and then stay there. In this way we are getting rid of our emotional pain, our energetic pain, what we have been carrying sometimes all our life.
From our upbringing, society, parents, teachers, religion, through life we created protection - Armour - which was supposed to save us from the things that may hurt us. There's nothing bad in having that armour, but unfortunately we have it all the time.
For example, some of us are still ashamed to be naked during lovemaking, or to express our passion or even our voice. We are holding back our behaviours, our emotions in the areas of life where it would be most appropriate to use them.
The process of 'de-armouring' can give us back the freedom of using or not using our armour, to use our protection when we when we want to. As with all tantric healings, it may heal us from emotional pain, liberate us from conditioning, and from bad past memories mainly connected to our sexuality, etc.
"I felt so light after, like on some LSD or ayahuasca trip, only this time I had everything under control because I felt being here and now like never before. I could feel much stronger all my senses but also energies around me, what before I was not even aware that they exist. It was painful to my limits, but it gave me sense of liberation and expanding my consciousness. I feel much more myself and free now. Amazing. - Salin ¨


AD 6,7 & 8
Neo Tantric Massage


Neo Tantric Massage was the first massage introduced to the West with inherent tantric principles. It was in the 1960s that Kenneth Ray Stubbs first started to add massage of intimate parts of the body in his massage practice.

My other great inspirations have been Margo Anand and Marjanne Hurks.

Other important principles included in Neo Tantric Massage are:
- no goal
- awareness; being here and now
- using sexual energy and moving it upwards, transforming it instead of releasing it (and losing it, as would be the goal in erotic massage)
- the presence of love

The Neo Tantric Massage workshop is conducted in two parts, where the second part is differs according to gender.

1. First sunday: Intro - full body massage when we prepare the energy for the things to come...
2. Second sunday: Yoni massage
Third sunday: Lingam massage

Yoni and lingam massages are used in different ways in other types of tantric massage.
There many important reasons for massaging the genitals.
Thankful yoni and lingam massage you may explore much higher types of orgasm and ecstasy than typical peak orgasm, what you may compare as kindergarten to university :)

Beside being a great source of pleasure, yoni massage can be a great source of healing for woman. There are many points where past memories are stored, along with emotional pain, conditioning, prejudices, anxieties, fears, angers, etc. Most of them are highly connected to our sexuality.

Lingam massage, especially when done in the neo tantric way, gives men a great opportunity to learn, exercise and experience the receiving part of his being. This, together with bringing upward energy and ecstasy, can open his heart – something very much needed in today's world not only by men but by women (as well as for more beautiful lovemaking).

It's not common known that the yoni and lingam are the most reflexologically active zones in the human body. By stimulating its different parts we are bringing health to all
parts of the body.

This is why for me, one of the most important aspects of Neo Tantric Massage is to do it from the heart.



AD 9,10,11 :
Tantra Movement Massage


...Most important is connection. Bringing myself and you in to the state of energetic merging. If we are able to achieve that, everything will flow how it suppose to.
Deep healing may appear. Healing of your past, your presence, your future, healing of your body, your heart and your spirit, healing of your femininity and masculinity, healing of all other aspect of your life.
Deep sexual pleasure may occur too. In tantra we welcome sexual energy. Yes, we worship this sacred and creative power by keeping it in, instead of releasing and loosing it. We bring that energy called ecstasy in to the higher levels of your being like to the heart, that you will become more loving, or to the throat that your communication will improve, or to the head that you will become more creative and more spiritual. Its all up to us and energy flow.
Thankful that you may experience ecstasy not only in your genitals but also in all other parts of your body. Your life may never be the same ;)

This massage is a fusion of years of my own practice and study at The Rasayana Tantra Academy.
It is a mixture of techniques that I found are very powerful when used together.

This development is based on Neo Tantric massage, inspired in me mainly by
Margot Anand and Marjanne Hurks.
It has elements of Kum Nye - Tibetan tantric massage - that have been taught to me by Tara Long.
I use breath and energy techniques from Tantra Kriya Yoga which I learned mainly from Anand Rudra.
Then, when energy is fully awakened, I use energetic touch a la Andrew Barnes , which I learned the basics of from Flaviu Pop.
Finally, in Tantra Movement Massage I must also credit the influence of my ex, the great masseuse, tantrika and teacher Edyta Baghira Weber

These techniques used together create a 'dance' with 5 elements and energies between the bodies of the giver and receiver, together creating a sacred space for healing, pleasure, bliss, unblocking, liberation, full body orgasms and everything we allow to happen.


Other important principles included in Tantra Movement Massage are:
- no goal
- awareness; being here and now
- using sexual energy and moving it upwards, transforming it instead of releasing it (and losing it, as would be the goal in erotic massage)
- the presence of love

The Tantra Movement Massage workshop is conducted in two parts, where the second part is differs according to gender.

1.Intro - full body massage when we prepare the energy for the things to come...
2. a) Yoni massage
b) Lingam massage

Yoni and lingam massages are used in different ways in other types of tantric massage.
There many important reasons for massaging the genitals.
Thankful yoni and lingam massage you may explore much higher types of orgasm and ecstasy than typical peak orgasm, what you may compare as kindergarten to university :)

Beside being a great source of pleasure, yoni massage can be a great source of healing for woman. There are many points where past memories are stored, along with emotional pain, conditioning, prejudices, anxieties, fears, angers, etc. Most of them are highly connected to our sexuality.

Lingam massage, especially when done in the neo tantric way, gives men a great opportunity to learn, exercise and experience the receiving part of his being. This, together with bringing upward energy and ecstasy, can open his heart – something very much needed in today's world not only by men but by women (as well as for more beautiful lovemaking).

It's not commonly known that the yoni and lingam are the most reflexologically active zones in the human body. By stimulating its different parts we are bringing health to all parts of the body.

This is why for me, one of the most important aspects of Tantra Movement Massage is to do it from the heart.




AD 12:
Full Body Orgasm Massage without touching

This massage is based on energetic touch what doesn't require physical touch. Still you may be able to bring the person to very deep full body energetic orgasm or if the body choose to deep energetic healing. This technique is also very useful in the cases when people are blocked for touch. I feel that nothing explain better than video with me as model of my teacher and student Flaviu Pop:




AD 13:
Closing Ritual

 

About us - Michal Marek Griks and Roxana Rainbow Cioaza





Michal Marek Griks

I´m a Kundalini Yoga teacher, tantric masseur and teacher, and a relationship and life coach. I began my Tantric journey over eight years ago and continue to study at the Rasayana Tantra Academy. Tantra has become a way of life for me and three years ago I began sharing my knowledge and journey as a teacher of Tantra. While Tantra has several paths, I recognized that sexuality is the most effective way for me to improve:

my self esteem,
my physical
and mental health,
my intimate relationship,
my love ( also to myself ),
my energy and all other aspects of life...

For me, sexuality is the most beautiful, intimate, and powerful expression of love. When I recognized how important this is in my life, I asked "If love is the most important need in the majority of humanity, why is there no place for the energy of love and sexuality in peoples education?" So, I hope that in establishing Tantra Movement School I can help fill this great need. In my life I experienced sex as way to hell but have been very fortunate to also experience it as way to heaven. Now I´m bringing sexuality out of guilt and shame to it´s rightful place sacredness and honor.

I´m a tantric, who's destiny is to share tantra and love.

As tantra movement page is more to promote the events, to avoid to much information here, I also have blog where I share much more: http://aktywnatantra.blogspot.nl/




Roxana Cioaza

Coach and Tantra Assistant and Masseur

During my studies and my work I have gained experience in the field of efficient communication and working skills and also intercultural communication. It is a beautiful challenge to continuously connect to beautiful inspiring people and communities. I am glad to share my perspectives for a better world and I am so grateful for the opportunity of being part of the Tantra Movement Community.

The experience as a Tantra Assistant improved my inner balance, energy and constantly enriching my perspective upon life. I am honored to be part of Tantra Movement and my intention is to share beautiful insights about the miracle of human beings, about the world and inner world. My other intentions are to create beautiful experiences and inspire people to connect to their own deepest truth, to their mature and responsible freedom and wealth.

Thank you,

E. Roxana Cioaza
mobil: 0751 096 638
roxana.cioaza@gmail.com



9 Days Tantra Retreat in Maldivian nature again very soon

... so this is also your test for spontaneity ;)

Don't hesitate to ask the questions mgriks@gmail.com
[ Nederlandse vertaling van de cursus: http://tantramovement.blogspot.nl/2015/04/course-for-all.html ]
[ Traducere română: http://tantraromania.blogspot.nl/2015/09/curs-initiere-tantra-lasi-23-25.html  ]
[Czesciowe polskie tlumaczenie kursu: http://tantrapolska.blogspot.nl/2015/11/tantryczny-retreat-na-litwie-1-modu-1_8.html]
[Dalinis Lietuvių vertimas: http://tantralietuva.blogspot.lt/2015/11/tantrinio-mokymo-1-lygio-kursas-1.html]

9 Days Tantra Retreat in Maldivian nature.


School Of Tantra introduces You to the path of tantric practice and lifestyle. It is the way of deep experience, abandoning all concepts, exchange of energy and entering intimate relation not only with yourself. It is expanding you to the deepest and the highest levels of love and ecstasy through working on all dimensions possible to You...
Price:
Couple only 1699USD, Single 1030USD
Early bird till 24 January : Couple 1499USD, Single 830USD
You could transfer the amount to Michal Grygoruk NL92TRIO0390212989 in Triodos ethical bank.
Package Include:
Transfer & Return from Male' to Guest house
9 Nights Accommodations
3 vegan meals daily
water, juice and coffee available
All taxes included

Where: 
Kuri Inn Omadhoo, Maldives



When: 
from 28th January to 5th February

This Course as a whole is created to help you go deep in to your inner ecstasy, bliss and healing. Are you ready for the biggest change in your life? Go for an intensive transformation of sexuality and love to the higher levels in one of the most beautiful place in the world.

Here is a list of the workshops that would be included in the course. Whole course would contain 14 workshops which each would have different subjects and would take around 3,5 hours. The choice would depend on the needs and energy of the group.
Finishing whole course could be honored by receiving the certificate of finishing first level in School Of Tantra Movement

Subjects of the course:
A more detailed description of these workshops is below:

1. Taste of Tantra. Introduction to the practise. (open evening )
2. Connection3. Expanding the consciousness. Being here and now.
4. Love yourself - recognising your inner lover

5.
Theory about practise. Tips for improving your relationship with yourself, with your partner, with others, with animals, the whole of nature and the entire universe. (open evening )
6. Sacred energy - worshipping your holy body, recognising your wild soul
7. Male and female energy

8. Sacred Sexuality
9. Dance with tantra
10. Communication of Love.
(open evening )11. Preparing for awakening the Kundalini energy
12. Journey to Awaken the Senses ceremony
13. Secrets of tantric touch. Introduction to tantric massage
14. Closing and sharing of the whole course
There would be breaks in the program for going in to the nature or watching some interesting tantric movies

Time schedule of the days:
10.00 - 11.00
Time schedule of the days:
7.30 - 8.30
Chakra breathing by Roxana Rainbow Cioaza, Tantra Kriya yoga, Kundalini Yoga or Osho active meditation
8.30 - 9.30 Breakfast
10.00 - 13.00 workshop
13.30 - 15.30 Lunch break
15.30 - 19.00 workshop
19.30 - Evening meal and sharing of the day


You may check updates and invite your friends also here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1674811532795470/

[ Just after this retreat we continue  with 9 days Tantra Massage course what you may read about here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/762923203840898/
 
A more detailed description of these workshops:

Ad 1: "Taste of Tantra" - Introduction to practise

In this introductory workshop we give small examples of simple safe exercises which you can continue practising later with your partner or on your own. Anyone following the instructions from this introduction may rapidly and dramatically improve her/his life. We let you have a taste of what tantra is, and what we teach as a whole course at the School of Tantra Movement.
 A little bit of everything:

- Theory; what tantra means to us and our practical use of it

- sexual meditation

- recognising and training the PC muscle

- open communication

- recognising your Inner Man and Inner Woman

- Awakening the senses meditation

- Breathing together in Shiva Shakti position

Ad 2: Connection


Nowadays, in modern times thankful technology we could contact each other even when we are thousands kilometres away. In the cities we are living so close to each other. Communication was never so fast. But still we are alienated like never before in human history. We never felt so lonely like now. Did we lost something on the way ?
This workshop is
to connect beyond capacity of mobile phones,
to build Friendship with big "F", deeper than making hundreds friends on facebook,
to feel Love with big "L" deeper than sending <3 through internet
to connect with real
nature beyond the discovery channel
To found what we lost, to find our deep nature, to connect with ourselves and other participants maybe deeper that you ever did even with your friends, with your family.
Tantra gives us tools to connect with all parts of you, connect with yourself, then connect with your partner, group, family, other people, animals, nature and whole universe. Beautiful slogan "We are one!" tantra is transforming from believe in to real experience. If you allow yourself to feel it, you would never be the same. You would never love in the same way.
That's why we choose this workshop in the beginning.


Ad 3: Expanding Consciousness.


We invite you to create space for expanding consciousness.

You will discover:

What consciousness is, and how to get ready to open yourself for full consciousness.
How to dissolve blockages in a conscious way and open yourself to a flow of love energy.
How in daily life we can develop and cultivate our inner consciousness.

Expanding consciousness is one of the main purposes of tantra. In this workshop we are going to awake, discover, explore and expand consciousness of here and now, consciousness of female and male energy, consciousness of the witness, consciousness of energy... This workshop may open your eyes, heart and mind in a way that you will never be the same again.

Ad 4: Love Yourself!

Loving ourselves is the foundation of real love, when we love ourselves we can truly love others. When we feel good about our self we will have the self-esteem needed to act in love towards another being. To truly love ourselves may increase the chance of amplifying the love shared
with our partners, family, animals, nature, the planet and the universe.

It has nothing to do with selfishness but rather with expanding love in a healthy way...


Ad 5: Theory about practise. Tips for improving relationship with yourself, with your partner, with others, with animals, the whole of nature and the entire universe.

This is more of a lecture than a workshop. If you're new to tantra and would you like to find out more, to feel and see what is there for you, this would be good for you to participate in. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers


Ad 6: Sacred energy. - worshipping your holy body, recognising your wild soul

Together we create at the workshops a safe space in which we can experience transformational processes. Remember, however, that real change happens outside the comfort zone. We work in a group, in pairs and individually. This day we will focus on the flow of energy through the body, how we experience it and how to inspire and cultivate that.

What is blocking us and how can we be consciously permeable to those blocking energies?

The tantric path opens us to experience our own, our partner's and group's deep energy levels. With thankful Tantric and sexual Tao techniques, we become aware of subtle energies which link the apparent opposites: spirit and matter, sexuality and spirituality, light and darkness, consciousness and unconscious, masculinity and femininity.

By using the keys to the door of connections, to regain our inner strength, we are giving right direction to the flow of energy.

Ad 7: Male and Female energy

Nowadays not so many people are aware that within each of us exists male and female energy. It doesn't matter what sex we are, the balance of those energies determines our health, our contentment, our happiness and fulfilment in our relationships.
 In this workshop we meet the inner woman and man within us, and recognise their energies. We will hear from them how is to live with us, what are their needs, their concerns. How we can improve their (our) life...


We will get to know the differences between male and female bodies and learn how to approach them in a way that allows beautiful sexual energy of love to flow freely, not be forced or imposed on someone or be blocked by some wrong behaviour.

Ad 8: Sacred Sexuality



In this workshop we will go on a journey to the past to heal our memories mainly connected to our sexuality. We live in a society where very often sex is considered as something bad, dirty, that develops guilt and shame in us. We're going to heal our wounds with the intention to bring sacredness and pride to not only the genital parts of our bodies but to the whole concept of sex in our life. We're going to free ourselves from stereotypes what are stopping our love.



According to tantra, human sexuality is located in the centre of spirituality. Over the millennia, it was pushed only to have the role of procreating. The wider truth was available only to a few.
At the present time the consciousness of humanity is mature enough that the truth of the sacred sexuality is revealed to all.
The consciousness of humanity at the present moment goes beyond the circle of material activities and experiences. It rises together with the energy of the Earth. Old Masters are now revealing ancient mysteries that were previously available only for the elites.
Using those secrets could be the solution for all sort of crisis that humanity and individuals are facing today.
 On the other hand, we have at the present time wide availability of pornography, which massively distorts the image of human sexuality. On a large scale, we are bombarded with sexuality stripped of beauty, holiness , power, and intimacy....

At the workshop you will have the chance to deeply answer to yourself questions such as:
how sacred sexuality is different from regular sexuality?
 How can I have access to sacred sexuality in my life?
 In what way, based on sacred sexuality, I can shape reactions with myself , with a partner, with other people, with nature and the whole universe?


These and other questions will not get ready answers , but in a series of our workshops we offer the opportunity to experience the methods which can help you to expand your consciousness in the field of sacred sexuality. 

In this workshop we will focus on the dissolution of the concepts and blockages that accumulate around the topic of sexuality.
We will recognise patterns which we adopted from family, school, society, Hollywood movies, etc. To recognise the sacred sexuality, we will unfold the veil of ignorance.
 To achieve that we will use: 
movement, 
meditation,
 touch, massage, 
breath, 
play
 and communication. 

You may establish an intimate relationship with yourself .
You may enrich and raise to a higher level the relationship with your partner. 
You may attract into your life the partner/lover of your dreams.
You may heal the wounds from your sexual life and those passed to you from generation to generation.

Ad 9: Dance with Tantra


Like all my invitations, you may already learn and experience something very useful from them. But only when you read it with your heart and follow with your body... only when you use it, not lose it :)

There are a few passions in my life. One of course is tantra, so being love, making love, giving and receiving love. The other passion is dancing, which is very connected to tantra. Like making love, massage (my other passion ) and dancing are best if I let my mind go. This is not a time for thinking; it is time for feeling. To fall into dance, to follow the sound or even become a sound, to unite with the music. Being tuned like an instrument, fully harmonised with the music. Here and now. Letting go all your thoughts. When we are able to be in that state there is more space for our heart, for our body. Then it is easier to make the connection. Deepening into ourselves... into others.

This is my journey that I would like to share at this workshop with you.
To get more connected we will use some tantric methods like shaking off stress, dancing with blindfolds, different music and movements activating different glands, hormones and different chakras. We will use various touches and approaches. We will awake ecstatic dance in you :)

Ad 10:
Communication of Love.

Heart-Love-Sky-Hands-Silhouette__1920x1200

Do you know the tantric way of communicating? Do you know your and your partner's 'love language'? Do you know that when bodies are talking to each other they can easier find solutions, even in the areas of our life where there weren't any? Do you know body intelligence? Do you use it ? Do you know that we often 'talk' via emotions? Do you know that we often do not understand each other because we talk in different love languages and we're not even aware of it ?
Can you imagine how much you could improve your life and your relationship if you knew the answers to these questions?
In this workshop we will explore the answers to those and other questions. We will do exercises in tantric and body communication. We will do things to find out what your and your partner's love languages are, and then exercise using them.
Your life could become more understandable than ever before!
As always, just a few things that everyone should learn but unfortunately very few do :/

Ad 11: Preparing for Awakening Kundalini energy.


Kundalini Energy, serpent power, is the strongest energy available to experience by the human body. In some cultures, awakening the Kundalini energy is recognised as enlightenment, a blessing, the goal of life, and biggest liberation...
Suddenly all your senses are 1000% awake. You may see, feel, experience things what you were never before aware of. Your ecstasy may shift to another, higher level. Intensity of life at that state may increase to the point that it may scare you.
 Be prepared. Be aware. Observe and accept.... or even better - permit yourself to be. To be who you really are. Recognise the god/goddess within - feel it and become one. Life will never be the same. You're not alone.

Ad 12: Journey to Awaken the Senses.




Listen to the quiet whispers of your own body.
Shhhh.....


When we fully experience our senses, we enter into the heart, into love with existence. And instead of thinking about and analysing the world, we love it, we feel it, we become a part of it. We experience the bliss, ecstasy and deep fulfilment that can come to us through our senses.

To practise this, we do a ritual that awakens each sense in turn and allow ourselves to absorb this bliss in our hearts. This is a totally yummy, delicious and deep meditation that touches the body, heart and soul. For anyone who wants to expand the experience of their senses or use the body as a gateway to the self. Done to each other it is a great way to connect and feel gratitude and more love and sympathy for your partner. It awakens the child in us, a child who is playing the adult games of love...

Ad 13: "Magic of Tantric Massage" Introduction to tantric massage



This workshop is composed in such a way that you can learn and feel what sacred touch is, so that you can allow healing energy of love into your body and life.

Mastering the art of giving and receiving tantric massage is opening us on many levels:

- It helps to recover energy

- Teaches us sacred touch

- Raise awareness of the body

- Is an Introduction to tantric sex

- Develops our potential for love.



It is not possible to mention all the benefits of tantric massage but first of all it is an experience of deep inner joy, bliss, cleansing, peace and ecstasy. It is the experience of being whole. We will mainly focus on the feelings in the body and not only on the techniques . First of all, we want to ensure that participants will experience touch, that they open up for receiving and giving on the body level, that they open up for feeling the pleasure of being a giver and receiver of a massage.

We want to go deep into the levels of feeling pleasure, bliss, and flow of the love energy. We want to free all the tension from our bodies, let them go away to make more space in the body, to make in the place of the blockages space for the flow of life energy.

Ad 14: Closing and sharing of the whole course

About us - Michal Marek Griks and Roxana Rainbow Cioaza





Michal Marek Griks

I´m a Kundalini Yoga teacher, tantric masseur and teacher, and a relationship and life coach. I began my Tantric journey over eight years ago and continue to study at the Rasayana Tantra Academy. Tantra has become a way of life for me and three years ago I began sharing my knowledge and journey as a teacher of Tantra. While Tantra has several paths, I recognized that sexuality is the most effective way for me to improve:

my self esteem,
my physical
and mental health,
my intimate relationship,
my love ( also to myself ),
my energy and all other aspects of life...

For me, sexuality is the most beautiful, intimate, and powerful expression of love. When I recognized how important this is in my life, I asked "If love is the most important need in the majority of humanity, why is there no place for the energy of love and sexuality in peoples education?" So, I hope that in establishing Tantra Movement School I can help fill this great need. In my life I experienced sex as way to hell but have been very fortunate to also experience it as way to heaven. Now I´m bringing sexuality out of guilt and shame to it´s rightful place sacredness and honor.

I´m a tantric, who's destiny is to share tantra and love.

As tantra movement page is more to promote the events, to avoid to much information here, I also have blog where I share much more: http://aktywnatantra.blogspot.nl/

Michal Marek Griks
http://tantramovement.blogspot.nl




Roxana Cioaza

Coach and Tantra Assistant and Masseur

During my studies and my work I have gained experience in the field of efficient communication and working skills and also intercultural communication. It is a beautiful challenge to continuously connect to beautiful inspiring people and communities. I am glad to share my perspectives for a better world and I am so grateful for the opportunity of being part of the Tantra Movement Community.

The experience as a Tantra Assistant improved my inner balance, energy and constantly enriching my perspective upon life. I am honored to be part of Tantra Movement and my intention is to share beautiful insights about the miracle of human beings, about the world and inner world. My other intentions are to create beautiful experiences and inspire people to connect to their own deepest truth, to their mature and responsible freedom and wealth.

Thank you,

E. Roxana Cioaza
mobil: 0751 096 638
roxana.cioaza@gmail.com



Monday, January 18, 2016

Eyfa Winter Newsletter 2015/6: on Network Building and the Anti-extractivism/Anti-Fracking Struggles


**Winter Newsletter 2015/6**


.on Network Building and the Anti-extractivism/Anti-Fracking Struggles

Just to remind you about our new newsletter schedule, although not as regular as some years ago, we will have 2 newsletters each year. One in the spring that shares announced days of action for the summer; and one in the winter that shares a bit more content. We hope you enjoy the updates and feel free to send us ideas and content for upcoming newsletters. We've been reflecting a lot on what it means to be a network and how we can harness our collective power in exciting ways. So there's an input from the Network Working Group here to help us all start visioning:) In 2015, Eyfa has been active in anti-fracking and therefore this newsletter will go a bit deeper into this content and how it connects to the wider antiextractivist movement. Thus, we'll also share a report from Ende Gelände, this year's big action of civil disobedience that shed light on hypocritical German greenwashing, and one from Rosia Montana, which gives us (maybe) cause to celebrate.

Content
1 –> What's Eyfa up to?

  • Network Working Group

  • No-Fly

  • Vegan

    2 –> Anti-Extraction Struggles

  • Basque Country

  • UK

  • Kurdistan

  • Ukraine

3 –> Anti-Coal Mining Struggle Report: Ende Gelände in Germany

4 –> Anti-Gold Mining Struggle Report: Update from Rosia Montana



What's Eyfa up to?

Greetings from the dark and stormy underbelly of hipster paradise. We have a new phone number, so change your address books/contacts: +4915218178934

Eyfa is just back from an annual network/strategy meeting – coinciding with COP21 mobilizations in Paris. There was so much to be discussed – particularly how the changing political landscapes in fortress europe demand our solidarity to be expressed somehow wider and clearer. Clearly, we also emerged from the meeting with an articulated desire to clarify what we can be for each other as a network.


Eyfa Network Working Group


Some of us involved in the EYFA 'network' met in early December to exchange, strategize, and come up with plans for the future. One of the things that came out of the meeting was a feeling that although a lot of amazing relationships and collaborations have already grown out of EYFA projects, we want to further strengthen our abilities to work together in ways that don't always have to rely on the EYFA office as a central hub.

A few people invited felt the process by which it had been decided they were a part of the EYFA network and invited to the meeting, while others were not, was a bit mysterious to them. By defining the network more clearly and creating the possibility for people to actively choose if they want to be a part of it, some people suggested they would feel more investment in collaborations and that this might also help break down some of the internal hierarchies in the network. So some of us at the meeting proposed trying to more actively define the so-called 'network' in order to get a bit more clarity on who is or wants to be a part of it. There are a lot of groups that have worked with EYFA over the years and we see this as an opportunity to strengthen our resistance by finding new ways of collaborating and mutually supporting each other.

During the meeting a network working group was formed which suggested that in order to decentralize our work and define more clearly our network, there was a need to define the shared principles that make us want to work together, and to get a better picture of which groups feel excited to work together, what our strategic visions are and to think organizationally about how we can imagine working together and better coordinating our resistance. For that reason we wrote down a few questions we wanted to pose to groups who have been involved with EYFA in some way over the years (or who the network sees a possibility of working with) in order to gauge whether the idea of defining more transparently as a network or at least of finding new ways of collaborating with each other is something other people are into, too.

Do you consider having a broader network as something politically useful to you?

Do you have a wish for more clarity in terms of what the EYFA network is or could be?

What would be your vision of a network?

**Contact us so we can put you in touch with the Working Group, in case you're up for offering some feedback. Your opinion and input would be really helpful at this stage.

Also, It would be really cool if we found a way to utilize this very newsletter as a part of this network building/strengthening. So please write to us using this contact form (http://eyfa.org/contact/) or via email if you'd like to take part in the newsletter process, whether it be writing or just coming up with content proposals.


Until then, we want to take this moment to assess and express two important (not new) project practices (in order to work towards wider network consensus on them):


No-Fly

As a network, we stand in solidarity with many grassroots groups against the expansion of the aviation industry. Short-haul flying is the most environmentally detrimental form of transport, yet enjoys many excessive government subsidies. The 'cheap' prices for airline tickets continue to hurt other ground transportation alternatives and surely fail to take into account the environmental impact of inordinate noise pollution or of the millions of liters of jetfuel used daily. Not only is the marketing of the aviation industry all too often expressing exotifying and neocolonialist messages, but they feed into a disturbing pro-capitalist logic linking consumerism and escapism. The reappropriation of the people's land for the use of the 'developers' represents further the destructive neoliberal logic of infinite growth, with the ongoing resistance in La ZAD showing how we can alternatively go about seeding and building a future without an aeroport with diversity and cohesion.

While we cannot practically support an all-out boycott, as we do not want to exclude comrades located greater distances away, for eyfa projects, short-haul flights inside europe are to be avoided when at all possible.

Compare environmental impacts of different modes of transport with this online toy: http://www.ecopassenger.org/


Vegan

**veganism means… an intersectional struggle for justice. Because as long as cages exist, none of us will ever be free**

As activists concerned with environmental and social justice, we want to destroy all the cages for multiple reasons. Western meat-based diets are taking up too much space. Because of the demand for animal feed and the large amount of fresh water required in the industrial production of animal products, meat-based diets in the West use four and half times more land than what is necessary for a vegan diet. This land is often deforested or reappropriated from land that produced grains for human consumption in the global South. Let's demand climate justic - now. Furthermore, we stand in solidarity with animal liberation and refuse to accept the commodification and abuse of animal's bodies by corporate exploitation. Let's smash speciesism - now!

Therefore, cooking vegan meals together or consuming plant-based snacks at an action training together are such simple and exciting ways to express a clear anti-oppressive and liberatory stance. And, yes, there are of course many ways that elements of vegan diets can also be problematic. But we want to continue to orient ourselves towards autonomy, and to work towards liberating ourselves from the misogynist-capitalist paradigm that animals exist merely for human consumption. For this reason, please note that EYFA chooses to support vegan kitchen projects and to offer only vegan food at our events.


************************************


Anti-Extraction Struggles

Yeah, it seems that 'fracking' is a sexy word that can garner quite a bit of media attention. And maybe that was a key factor that aided in the mobilization this summer for the anti-fracking international camp "Frackanpada" in the Basque Country. And it was also evident that the anti-extractivist movement feels confident in utilizing this buzzword to strengthen its wider resistance movement. We certainly felt the momentum of several recent victories, sending shockwaves through Europe's fracking industry, at the week-long Frackanpada in July. For example, while we were putting up the tents, preparing for the camp to begin, we received word that the government in the Netherlands declared that they will not renew drilling permits - effectively stopping all fracking activity for the next five years. A few more updates to follow:


  • Basque Country

Just one week before we were set to mobilize for an action camp on an important proposed drilling site, the Basque Country passed their fracking ban. The legislation was originally drafted as a citizen's legislative initiative with the support of 103,000 signatures and is, thus, a collective victory to be celebrated. However, the timing was likely intentional and somehow disrupted the way in which the camp could have served as a rallying point for radical land occupations and such resistance struggles.

Yet as the slogan of the camp was 'No fracking, here or anywhere' local activists are moving on in solidarity to support the anti-fracking struggles in the nearby regions of Burgos and Cantabria. "Taking collective action is the only way we can confront the fossil fuel industry to protect our water, air, communities and climate from this destructive technology." - according to Fracking Ez, whom you can contact for more information about the anti-fracking movement in the region ( http://frackingez.org/contacto/). You can also see a map of locations where permission for drilling or exploration has been granted here: http://www6.mityc.es/aplicaciones/energia/hidrocarburos/petroleo/exploracion2014/mapas/inicio.html


  • UK

Frackanpada hosted several activists from Reclaim the Power, who shared a bunch of battle stories. Through persistant direct action and thorough grassroots mobilizations, they've been able to push back against some of the more prominent fracking endeavors in the region. On 29 June 2015, Lancashire denied permission for the most important fracking test drills to date in the UK. But keep an eye out for Cuadrilla Resources, the oil and gas extraction company that suffered this denial and much recent controversy, as they might very well seek more permissions outside the UK.

Journalists keep the frackers in check in the UK via this platform: http://drillordrop.com/

Reclaim the Power posts about the latest actions and mobilizations against the frackers and other oppressive corporate landgrabs here: http://www.nodashforgas.org.uk/updates/

  • Kurdistan

In recent decades, the Turkish government has taken to wielding water management as a form of political control in the areas of Kurdistan that it attempts to keep under oppressive state rule. Through several large dam projects on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Turkish government has been flooding villages, supporting the imposition of large-scale, industrial agriculture, and pushing hundreds of thousands of Kurdish people out of their villages and into overcrowded cities. More recently, Kurdish ecology activists have discovered that these dam projects are linked to the marketization of fracking in the region. Further land dispossession and contamination will undoubtedly ensue, and in anticipation of Kurdish resistance, the Turkish government has set up large, military-style fortresses near the dams. Activists believe these sites would likely also serve as "secure" facilities for fracking refineries and for storing trucks and equipment. For more information, check out this article ( http://kurdishquestion.com/index.php/kurdistan/north-kurdistan/amed-diyarbakir-against-shale-gas-extraction/106-amed-diyarbakir-against-shale-gas-extraction.html ) and/or contact the Mesopotamia Ecology Movement: http://ercanayboga.blogspot.de/


  • Ukraine

Any localized attempts at finding responsible or sustainable energy solutions in Ukraine are inevitably thwarted by the neo-colonial interference of international banks, mainly with their investments into dirty energy monopolies owned by Ukrainian oligarchs. And one particular oligarch, Rinat Akhmetov, continues to buy up state-owned coal mines, with the support of his corporate friends, Deutsche Bank, Uni Credit Bank, and ING Bank. With over 300,000 hectares of forests and fields destroyed during the War in Donbass and the wider Russian invasion, this Western bank-sponsored Coaligarchy has become only a tiny blip in the wider destruction. Exploitative companies like Shell greedily brush aside the rubble and are currently seeking permissions to frack in Kharkiv oblast, which neighbors war-torn Donbass.

EndCoal Factsheets: http://endcoal.org/resources/end-coal-fact-sheets/

************************************


Anti-Coal Extraction Struggle Report: Successful Mass Action in the Rhineland's Browncoal Fields (germany)

In an announced mass action this August, 1500 people entered the Coalmine „Garzweiler" in germany. In the heart of europe's biggest CO²-Emitting area, climate justice activists from all over europe prevented the energy corporation RWE from carrying on with its mining for a whole day.


Friday evening, more than a thousand people sat in their affinity groups, spread all over the Climate Camp to make final preperations for the mass action the upcoming day. For almost half a year, the alliance „Ende Gelände!", consisting of a large number of grassroot groups, different NGO's, and leftist networks, had announced entering one of the three active opencast mines of the Rhineland's browncoal (aka lignite) fields on the 15th of August in order to stop the company RWE from carrying on their destructive work. Declared as a form of civil disobedience, the action's aim was to promote direct action as an legitimate and necessary form of resistance against the causes of climate change.

At 6:00am the next morning, 1500 people formed four big groups. As the police blocked the four bridges and tunnels that pass the highway running between the Camp and the opencast-mine a few kilometers away, the activists decided to split up, in so called fingers, trying each different ways to enter the mine. The plan was to spread the force of the police which came in large numbers to hinder the people from entering the mine.

Soon after, the people that stayed in the camp, involved in the extensive background work as press, medics, activist trauma support, activist kitchen and many more heard the first good news of the day: The green finger, the international one, managed to pass the three police lines that were trying to block the tunel under the highway. After passing numerous further lines of police, private security and mine-workers, the green finger managed to be the first group to enter the mine.

At same time several people came back to the camp, (some severely) injured by the massive use of pepperspray and batons by the police. Medical and emotional firstaid was provided.

The early media-reports on the radio describe not only the violence that the police used against the activists, but also that the traffic on the highway had been blocked by climbing activists abseiling from a bridge. Then the other three fingers also manage to pass the highway and to enter the mine.

One of them climbed an excavator. Spread in numerous groups, more than 1000 people explored the huge area of the mine, and successfully haulted the workers from carrying on their work in the whole mine for the rest of the day.

The big media-echo reports mostly quite positively about the action and criticizes openly the massive use of violence that police and private security had used against the activists – and the journalists. The use of embeded journalism worked out well. Not only that from beginning, there were several journalists reporting, filming and taking pictures of violent cops and private security, but in numerous cases the journalists themselves (even the ones from state media) got peppersprayed, handcuffed and told to leave the area by police.

Even the ARD, germanys biggest state-owned media, reported that day about „ police officers in corporate SUVs chasing down protesters together with members of RWE's own security service" and critized „the attempt to criminalize some 800 activists and journalists by filing proceedings" as „disproportionate and utterly absurd".

Even so, more than 700 activists had succsesfully left their passports at home and refused to declair their personal data to the police, RWE has since filed proceedings against the remaining 800 people, accussing them of trespassing.

Which is indeed „utterly absurd" as it is the company itself that is since decades trespassing on the peace of the whole region: Already more than 20.000 people were forced to leave their homes, and 52 villages and the largest forest of the region (Hambacher Forst) has been essentially destroyed. RWE polutes the whole region with its mines and 5 gigantic coal-power plants, dumping poison and radio-active fine dust.

But not only are the local impacts immense: Known as the „biggest climate killer of europe" the excavation of the Rhineland's browncoal fields contributes massively to climate change by which mostly people from the global south are affected. Already by now millions of „climate refugees" have lost their means of existense due to climate change and have had to leave their region.

Thats why the anti-coal/climate justice movement is first of all not an environmental, but a social movement, highly driven by the aim of „system change – not climate change!"


Links und Upcoming events:

http://www.buko.info/fileadmin/user_upload/gesnat/no-COP-en.pdf

Text about the social aspects of the 'climate crisis'.

https://ende-gelände.org/en/press_review

Press Review and videos of the action Ende Gelände!

http://hambachforest.blogsport.de/

For more than three years, there has been an ongoing occupation of the hambach forest, which has hosted numerous digger and railway-blockades. Three activists of the hambach forest occupation are currently being held in prison.

http://www.klimacamp-im-rheinland.de/en/

Climate-Camp that prompted the described Mass Action in 2015, and had been going on for the past six years in a row.



************************************


Anti-Gold Mining Struggle Report: Update from Rosia Montana

After more than 15 years of civil resistance, direct action, legal action and worldwide networking, the struggle to save Rosia Montana seems to have come, if not to an end, at least to a point from which the community can start building a better future.

An important event in the battle for Rosia Montana was the occupation of the former Conti hotel (#OccupyConti) in Cluj-Napoca in November 2011. This direct action tried - and succeeded - to break the mainstream media silence on the subject of Rosia Montana gold mining project. More demonstrations followed and, in 2012, the Save Rosia Montana campaign used the anti-presidential protests to underline the problems of Rosia Montana and to put them in the public political agenda. August 2013 saw the biggest civic protest in Romania ever, for an environmental cause, as the government tried to pass a special law for the gold mining project and tens of thousands took to the streets all over Romania and Europe. The law was subsequently rejected by Parliament. In 2014 and 2015, the company left the village, firing most of the employees (almost 400 people). In the second half of 2015, the company decided to give up on the lawsuits in which it was involved against the state in the Romanian courts. The only lawsuit it remains involved in is the process for financial damage against the Romanian state at the Washington International Court Of Arbitration. In November 2015, a court in Alba county gave an irrevocable solution to a lawsuit between the activists and the local authorities, stating that Rosia Montana will no longer be considered a "mono-industrial zone"; therefore, allowing any type of economic activity to take place there, tourism and agriculture included. In the last day of 2015, the Ministry of Culture signed a directive reinstating Rosia Montana as a "class A" type of historical monument (the highest) and widening the area protected from the central square to 2 km around it - basically, the entire village. That means that Rosia Montana is considered "of national importance" and no mining activities can take place there. Moreover, the minister made several penal complaints to the DNA (Anti-corruption National Office), as he said many irregularities were found regarding the past processes of downgrading the historical and cultural site of Rosia Montana by the authorities. A legal investigation has been opened. The last notable act is the firing of the National Institute Of Patrimony's director by the Ministry of Culture and his replacement with a historical and archaeological restoration professor who is actually part of the resistance movement against the gold mining project.

Now is the best moment to start the social and economic reconstruction of Rosia Montana on the principles of solidarity, equality, respect towards nature and self organizing. There are people who fought for Rosia Montana and who feel that the struggle would not be complete without the effort to secure the future of the community - a clean, meaningful and sustainable future. Also, the environmental movement in Romania feels that now is the moment to push for a permanent ban on the cyanide use in mining, as other gold mining projects are emerging in Certej, Rovina and other areas.


************************************

For donations: http://eyfa.org/

For more info or if you want to spread a callout in the next newsletter for a mobilisation for action in summer 2016, let us know on eyfa-AT-eyfa.org

Well, looking forward to hearing from you again soon!

EYFA