The Hands-Free Orgasm

Is it possible to have an orgasm without sex or masturbation? Tantra says you can.

It’s a Wednesday evening on the Wesleyan campus, and I’m cutting art history class to attend a workshop lead by Barbara Carellas, author of Urban Tantra, called “How to Have a Genderless Orgasm.” There’s another way to climax? Van Dyck can wait!

When I and about 40 other students enter the open space, we’re instructed to “leave our genitals at the door,” since they won’t be needed in the following exercises. I’m a little disappointed.

We all lie down on our backs with our knees bent as if we’re fully dilated and about to give birth. Then we begin the exercise (and it IS exercise): Breathe in. Tighten abs. Suck some red energy thing into our chakra. Breathe out. Repeat. Again. And again. And again. It’s intense. “Remember those squeezes!” shouts Carellas over the Enya-esque music as I tighten my abs and squeeze my pelvic muscles as if I were suddenly stopping a flow if urine. Read more