[ExilesAnnounce] Next Friday in SF: Saburau ~ The Warrior's Path of Service with Toshi

[Ann Tea Sweetie]

Saburau ~ The Warrior's Path of Service with Toshi (“Ronin” / T”)

Friday, May 13, 2011
8-10 pm, doors open at 7:30 pm

$4 Exiles members, $10 non-members
at the Women's Building, 3543 18th St. @ Valencia, SF
Programs are open to women and those whose gender self-identification is
other than male.
ASL interpretation is available.
For more details, please visit The Exiles' site <http://goo.gl/toh3P>.
Fetlife event listing here <http://fetlife.com/events/52742>.
For information about volunteering & an earned free entrance, please email
ExilesVolunteer at yahoo.com.

*Program Description*
The samurai rose to power as the elite ruling caste of Japan, yet their
title is derived from the word saburau, meaning to attend or to serve.
Whether you identify as dominant or submissive, top or bottom, master or
slave, this workshop is designed to introduce you to various aspects of
deeply interconnected and service-oriented interpersonal relationships as
they have been successfully practiced for centuries.
Starting with a simple overview of the social and cultural constructs and
aesthetics in which Japanese interpersonal relationships and practices of
service are based, we will then look at the concept of the ideal of service
as a fundamental core value and as a living practice of mindfulness that
extends to and can greatly benefit every aspect of one’s waking existence.
We will discuss ways of maintaining a positive and harmonious balance in
power-exchange relationships by exploring and addressing the basic and
practical needs of those in the relationship, and some of the external
factors that can affect how those relationships function.
We will cover the concept of Omotenashi and some basic strategies on how to
develop and implement varying levels of anticipatory service, and ways in
which the right mindset and effort can lead to acts of service both
fulfilling and sublime.
We will explore elements of a code of ethics designed to teach warriors how
to live a virtuous life of honor and dutiful service while paying attention
to the practical considerations, decisions, and responsibilities they faced
in everyday life.
We will also take a look at the living practice of being an uchideshi, or
in-house apprentice. This will include their responsibilities and duties but
we’ll also look at ideally what they are gaining through the experience.
Ultimately we will be discussing the benefits and challenges of applying all
of these aspects to contemporary D/s relationships and how these practices
might be of value on a much larger scale within the Leather/BDSM/Kink
communities..

*About the Presenter*
Toshi (“Ronin” / T”) is a professional educator and performing artist with
decades of training in traditional Japanese arts. With this background, T is
able to speak to and share insights from a lifelong path to mastery replete
with disciplined service and strict protocols – and that’s not even the
kinky stuff! Never knowing there were events to go to and communities of
people who shared similar interests until stumbling into an online chat
room, T finally came out as a leatherdyke in the Southern California
community in 1995. Yearning for a familiar path, T initially sought out
training as a bottom and service submissive, earning leathers through acts
of devoted service and occasionally assisting with event planning and
production!. During that time T also sought out and found Elders and mentors
within the community in L.A., and from members of the online community
(seriously!), which basically meant from real leatherfolk scattered all over
the country.
Collared for a time until an amicable parting of ways in 1998, T planned to
leave all things Leather behind, except chatting with leatherfolk online,
until finding the Vancouver Leatherdyke community (again, via the internet)
in 2002. This opened up a whole new world of possibilities and T came out
again as a genderqueer boigrrl polyamorous leatherdyke switch shortly
thereafter. Before long, T was occasionally helping with event planning and
production again, but also performing more at events, and occasionally
stunt-bottoming for friends who were presenters. After some serious
consideration, T decided to offer what would become a very popular workshop
designed around the ergonomics of Impact Play. This led to an opportunity to
develop more workshops which then led to an exploration of how all the
different aspects of T’s cultural background and artistic path occasionally
clashed with and otherwise synergistically integrated with T’s Leather life
in beautiful, gratifying, and compelling ways.
Balancing passion, spirituality, and a mellow sense of humor, T has done
workshops and performances for smaller community groups and organizations,
and has more recently performed and/or presented at a number of venues and
larger events. This includes Pacific Friction, Wicked Womyn, KinkFest,
Desire, Lupercalia, Leather Life NM, and Venus’ Playground @ Folsom. T has
also been invited to perform and present at IMsL this year and to drum for
Fakir & Cleo’s Spirit+Flesh 2011 Ritual.

*Program Meeting Info*
♥ Programs are at the Women's Building in San Francisco (3543 - 18th Street
at Valencia) map<http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=200184630227379776668.00049da34611a6c4186df&ll=37.76393,-122.420998&spn=0.016285,0.027466&z=15&iwloc=00049da34ed6bc1bf003e&>
♥ All women (and those whose gender self-identity is other than male) who
are over 18 are welcome.
♥ We have sign language interpreters at all of our meetings.
♥ Door fees are $4 for members and $10 for non-members. Please have your
membership card or ID ready to speed entry.
♥ The program runs from 8:00 - 10:00pm and the doors open at 7:30pm.
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