Michaela Riedl - Yoni Massage

Dedicated to my mother, Roswitha Riedl, and my father,Friedrich Riedl, in gratitude for their love and respect;

My friend Gitta Arntzen, with whom I lead AnandaWave,in gratitude for the realization of a shared vision;

My teacher Maraya, in gratitude for lightingthe spiritual spark in my life.

Acknowledgments

I spent more than four years working on this book, with great engagement and a lot of effort, through highs and lows. This would not have been possible for me without the many people who supported, accompanied, and encouraged me in so many ways. My special thanks go to:

My mother, Roswitha Riedl, who loves me unconditionally, accepts me as I am, and supports me wherever and however she can, and who is probably happier even than I that this book is finally finished.

My father, Friedrich Riedl, who always respects my own ways, even if he is most often of a different opinion, and who through this shows me his love.

My teacher and friend Maraya Haenen, who taught me to pray and gave me experiential answers to many of my lifes questions. I learned so much from her that without her, I would be a different woman.

My business partner and friend Gitta Arntzen, who is far more than an incredible support. I am thankful for every moment we have together, and for the fact that we are following a shared path and pursuing a shared vision through AnandaWave.

My friend and first lecturer Constance Rinck, for her friendly presence and support despite too little time for this on my part, for the spontaneous walks, and for the idea first and champagne after.

My friend Karin Schell, for the sentence Michaela, you definitely need an outline, for her cuddly friendship, for her humor, and for always being able to correct me.

Monika Neumann, for her engagement and presence for AnandaWave and for the new opportunity of our encounter in a completely different way, for which I am very grateful.

Susanne Dicken, of whom I thought often while writing this book.

Dieter Grasbon, for his valuable corrections, for the eagles mouse and the doctors view.

Ella Gluck, for the drawings and the beautiful encounters over a Koelsch.

Andreas Skott, for the photos, for the cover of Vaginam Tango, and for the many interesting conversations.

Marion Schemann, for the statistics, even if they didnt fit into the book, for the interesting stories, and for olive oil and Francois Villon.

Martina Weiser, Ananda (Art of Touch), Frankfurter Str. 40, 51065 Cologne, tel: +49-221-6086585, www.tantramassage.de, for the long path that we have walked together.

Frank Fleuchaus and Bernd Eidenmueller, for the particularly sensual, focused, and professional twelve-hour photo session for this book, and for the idea to produce a DVD together with us.

All the women who took part in my very intimate questionnaires and interviews, for their valuable statements and input and for the courage to open and show themselves.

Tara-Maya Schmidt, Marion Usha Ajwani, Andrea, and Gitta Arntzen, for their work as photo models.

Anna Raab, for joining me in ringing Joseph Kramer out of bed and for helping numerous times with the translations.

Marion Usha Ajwani, for several suggestions for the subtitles, especially for female lust to love.

Antonia Alaris, for the wonderful poems that she allowed me to publish in the book, and for the poetry reading during the AnandaWave basic training, after I had received a yoni massage.

Dr. Schmale, my primary care doctor, for his valuable interview, despite my being late.

All dragons of the womens research group Dragon Trail: Bettina, Dorothee, Kali, Iris, Laura, Birgit, and Jutta, for the traces they left in this book.

Annie Sprinkle, for the funny interview and her support.

Hans Nietsch, my publisher, for the beautiful walks through Freiburg, and for having spent an entire weekend explaining to me the difference between preface and introduction, and for ensuring that the book turned out as well and beautifully as it did.

All people, in particular the team of AnandaWave, who help Gitta and myself to realize the vision of AnandaWave.

All readersmale and femalewho let themselves be inspired by this book, and through that perhaps contribute to more understanding of our sexuality.

Preface

The female mystery has beguiled us since time began. Because a large part of female sexuality takes place hidden from view, it leaves much room for fear and speculation. It also leaves room, however, for fantasies, desires, and hopes. Many women and men that I encounter have a serious wish to learn more about female sexualityholistically and in depthbut they often feel helpless and inadequate to do so.

Early in my own life, I felt an impulse to learn more about my yoni, and a desire to get in touch with the feelings that were associated with it. I was curious about my desire and joy, and about the emotions and moods that sometimes blocked the realization of that joy. However, it soon became painfully clear to me that our society hardly offers opportunities to approach this topic in a respectful and appropriate way. Yet how are we to be in touch with the beauty and essence of our sexuality when we have such a limited space in which to experience it? A yoni cannot reveal its secrets or its overwhelming joy by following narrow norms; it can reach full bloom only when we experience all its depths.

Female sexuality is an indefinite space that becomes bigger, more intense, and more pleasurable the more we experience it in a protected space. Respect and attention are keys to appreciating the many facets of the yoni and receiving its gifts of fulfillment and joy.

My many questions and hunger for experience led me to take part in a tantric yoga course from 1995 to 1997. It was there that I learned for the first time about yoni massage, an extensive and intensive massage of the female genital area. The yoni massage work had lasting effects on my sexual experiences and also taught me much about true sexuality. I became aware of how closely my yoni was linked to my whole beingto my inner growth, my happiness, and my desire for life. I have encountered nothing since then that has affected me on so many levels: on a physical level as a source of health and vitality, on an emotional level through intensive dealings with my feelings, and on a spiritual level through the experience of my spiritual breadth, which is part of the heart-opening effects of yoni massage.

While I had been searching up until then for meaningful work, this experience immediately made clear to me what my calling was. Since then, I have explored the yoni in many waysby myself, and together with other people who share my urge to learn more about the healing dimensions and strength of our sexuality. In 1997, I met the shaman teacher Maraya Haenen, who deeply affected my life and thinking. With Marayas guidance I immersed myself in the spiritual aspects of sexuality and tantra, which became the foundations of this book.

Since 1997, I have offered seminars and massages for people who want to learn more about themselves, about sensual touch, and about the power of sexuality. Along with my business partner Gitta Arntzen and many others, I created a healing center called AnandaWaveSpace for Spiritual Experience. AnandaWave offers massages, seminars, and counseling that provide women and men with opportunities to encounter sexuality in a healing way. For me, sexuality is the most fundamental source of spiritual and physical well-being, which in turn lead to growth and health. My vision is for all people on this earth to recognize the yoni for what it is: the universal lap of woman, from which we all come, and which we should all remember to honor.