Seducing the Muse | a tantric artists retreat

Unlock creative expression and inspiration through pleasure, play, and connection to the mysteries of the creative process.

October 10-13, 2025

Temple in the Trees, Northern Virginia

Includes:

-Lunch and snacks daily plus final group dinner

-Art supplies

-Four days of instruction, practice, ritual, and guided exploration

Does not include lodging; please plan to stay somewhere nearby and join us for the following times:

October 10th: 7pm-10pm

October 11th: 10am-6pm

October 12th: 10am-10pm

October 13th: 10am-5pm

Over four days you will:

-Discover how pleasure and turn-on can bring more creativity into your life

-Turn on your senses and access artistry available all around you

-Connect to and channel creative ideas from other realms

-Uncover your creative archetype and ways to embody it

-Learn new flow state techniques

-Fill up with all sorts of inspiration — and inspire others with your gifts

Cost:

$777 until 2/22

$888 until 5/5

$999 if tickets remain after 5/5

$333 Deposit reserves your space. Remaining payments in toyal of $999 due by 9/9/25.

Space for 20 . Open to All.

Together we will delve into explorations that include:

Source activation/energy activation

Working with tarot to uncover your path

Sound meditation with free drawing

Sacred oracle practice — becoming oracles for one another

Round robin: learning new techniques/art from one another in an inspiration smorgasbord

Free writing/automatic writing with a sensual series of abundant prompts

Aspecting with your creative project

Altar creation and ritual invocation of the Muse

Learning about different creative deities, picking one to work with while creating your personal erotic creative archetype— who do you want to be when you create right now? (ex: I’m a silk draped chain smoker with a typewriter)

Collage/vision boards/create your own oracle card

Hypnogogic brainstorming techniques

The Bold and Brave open mic jam

Creative midwifing modeling (demo of how to be a midwife for each other, how to ask questions to draw out the core of what you’re exploring)

Embodying the Muse for one another — a ritual seduction and inspiration

Embodying the Muse for Yourself

Erotic eating— making art and ritual out of the ordinary

Inspiration walks— go out and collect photos, objects, sounds and then build an immersive nest/installation of what you experienced

Creating from pure pleasure and delight—What does that look like/feel like?

Gift creations— making art for one another, to satisfy each other’s desires

YOUR GUIDES:

Joanna Garner is an award-winning writer, immersive experience designer, and creativity guide who crafts shared experiences that ignite sexual freedom, wildness, and transformation. As former Senior Story Creative Director for Meow Wolf, Joanna spearheaded story development for the mega-hit exhibitions Omega Mart and Convergence Station and led creative brainstorms for artists across the company. Now she teaches and facilitates experiences worldwide including for Virgin Voyages, Immersive World Adventure (Tulum), and the Temple of the Dark (Seattle). She has an MFA in Playwriting from University of Texas-Austin and nearly four years of training in sexual shamanism from the International School of Temple Arts, as well as training in Kundalini activation, Reiki, and a variety of other techniques that she applies to helping artists find healing and super-charged creativity through erotic energy.

Learn more about Joanna here: https://www.joannagarner.com/

Lara Blackin

Lara is a Tantric Educator, Sacred Intimacy Practitioner and Visual Artist specializing in therapeutic, sensual & energetic touch bringing aliveness to the art of living + loving. A creative leader & guide who brings multidimensional vision to her offerings, she facilitates the ignition of personal transformation in others & community.

Supporting the curious on their journey toward mindfulness and connection with conscious communication tools, intimacy practices, tantric embodiment exercises, and acclaimed artistry, Lara is a leader in the field of sacred embodiment with over 25 years of professional experience as a 1000 e-ryt Kundalini Yoga Educator & Sacred Sexual Somatic Arts Practitioner.

Lara has a BA in Theatre Arts and creates artistry with ritual, theatric event design, and is know for creating alchemic spaces for authentic self expression. Weaving art, tantra and mindfulness practices, teaching individuals and partners the art of intimacy is Lara’s greatest mission in life.

An herbal alchemist and ceramics artist, she calls upon the elements of nature to create pleasure and harmony. Lara is the owner of Tendrils of Green Tantric Arts and writes beautifully poetic essays and creates erotic art at tendrilsofgreen.com.

Creating alongside her partner Michael, they are co-proprietors of Temple in the Trees, a sacred space for community tucked away in the forests of Northern Virginia, facilitating tantric learning experiences where all beings can express themselves in a safe, nonjudgmental environment.

Learn more about Lara and Temple in the Trees at https://ourtempleinthetrees.com

October is peak golden light season in our sanctuary in the woods of northern Virginia.

WHERE :

The Temple in the Trees, Leesburg Virginia is our home.

We welcome you here as a space for you too to come home to yourself in.

An oasis of tantric learning tucked in the woods of Northern Virginia, we are 30 minutes from DC & Frederick MD, an hour from Baltimore and 15 minutes from Dulles Airport.

Surrounded by wineries, nature, magnificent mountain view’s and historic rivers, we are a destination of peace and prosperity.

~ Lara & Michael Blackin

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is this retreat for singles or partners? All are welcome. This class is intended for individuals but partnered pairs can choose whether to stay together for all exercises.

Where should we park? This is a residential community and to be as considerate of our neighbors as possible, please do not park on our street, Calvary Ct. There is a free parking lot nearby and we will happily shuttle you to and from there to our front door. Instructions will be given the week of the event.

Will people be disrobed? This a personal preference at your discretion. While nothing is a “have to”, and everything is an invitation not a requirement, there will be practices where attendees may be disrobed. Agreements will be discussed at opening.

Will there be confidentiality? Yes, and all agreements will be discussed at opening circle.

When do I need to arrive? Please arrive on time so we can get started promptly. doora open at 6 on Friday with opening circle at 7, 10am on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

What should I bring? Bring your curiosity, any comfort items to aide in creating a comfortable place to nest. maybe a notebook, a closed top water bottle, and an open heart and mind.

What about food? We will supply you with lunches on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, snacks throughout, water, tea. We will not serve breakfast or dinner but rather we have breaks in the schedule for you to go out or have meals delivered. Special Sunday Evening Sensory & Sumptuous dinner included!

What should I wear? Dress in comfortable clothing that allows movement and engagement. We welcome sexy fun clothing that makes you feel good. For art projects wear items over your clothes that you can get messy in. Details provided in welcome letter.

What about housing? This is not a residential retreat. If you’re not local, we will be happy to give you recommended hotels. There are also a lot of gorgeous airbnb’s in the area.

Recent Testimonials:

Temple in the Trees is a delightfully safe haven for exploration and connection, and the exploration OF connection. Michael and Lara deftly lead us through a series of exercises designed to put us more in touch with ourselves and others as we explore our own boundaries and challenge ourselves to come right to our edges with confidence and curiosity. I cannot recommend this space and these facilitators more fervently. I often imagine what the world at large could be like if only everyone would take the time to walk this path with themselves and their fellow humans.

~ B. Miranda

A classroom unlike any you may have experienced. Instantly our senses of sight, fragrance, and sound were stimulated. A very calming serene place. After the “new experience” anticipation and jitters were behind us It didn’t long to enter a new calm place, with chimes and movement.The experience was all that we hoped it would be, but knowing that this was only the beginning. The ride home and pillow talk this morning were filled with open communication and reflection on the evening’s events. Thank you once again for leading us on this journey.

~ K&R Talach

What I have received in my life as a direct result of the practices at the Temple in the Trees is almost impossible to communicate with words. I have learned a level of self-expression and understanding of my energetic nature that I never even knew existed or even fathomed was within my grasp. Michael and Lara create a sacred and protected space, a circle, that allows me and all of the others that are participating to transcend the immediate recognition of what “is” to safely explore the possibility of what “can be.” Through these enlightening sessions, my partner and I have been able to connect with and understand each other in ways that defy the social and cultural programming that defined our lives for so many years. To discover that I can specifically sense my Lover’s presence in a room full of other people was absolutely mind-blowing and exhilarating. This has also given us the ability to embrace the love and compassion of others on a different level. While I am not a particularly religious person, I have experienced an existence of something on a very spiritual plane and I have felt an incredibly powerful transformation of my connection with “being” human.

~ R. Grimes

They are both gifted and poignant facilitators with a calming effect on hundreds of participants.

~ Gordon McCracken

Welcome To The Magic of your Muse!

HUZZAH!
xoxo-Lara & Joanna

Ohhh how we love to create…especially together! xoxo ~ Lara & Joanna in Tulum 2022 when we fell in love with our mutual muse, tantra