Central Coast, NSW · 15–17 January 2027
Temple of Embodied Pleasure
Switch off and turn yourself back on. A Shaking Medicine, Tantra and Temple Night retreat with Scarlett Rachel and Dr Keith Motes. A weekend to shake off the everyday, come alive in your body, explore your sexuality and remember just how good it feels to be fully yourself.
What it is
For people with an adventurous spirit.
For those who are curious about sexuality, embodiment and personal growth. For those who want to feel more comfortable in their body, more confident in their sexuality, more energised by life, and who love the idea of exploring all of this alongside a supportive community of like-minded humans.
Over the weekend we move through Shaking Medicine, Neo-Tantric practices, embodied connection, play and a Temple Night. A space to let go of some of the tension and inhibition we carry in everyday life, and to discover what becomes possible when we feel more relaxed, present and alive in our bodies.
Shaking Medicine is woven through the whole retreat as a practice you take home: movement, breath, sound and the body's natural capacity to shake and tremor as a way of releasing tension, dropping out of the busy mind and reconnecting with yourself. Through Neo-Tantric practice we explore presence, sensation, connection, communication and sexuality in ways that invite greater confidence and freedom of expression.
And then there is Temple Night. A playful evening devoted to exploration, creativity, sensuality and connection. A space to dress up, express yourself, experiment, connect, dance, play and discover different sides of yourself. Always within a culture of choice, boundaries and consent.
Most retreats teach either nervous-system work or Tantra. This one weaves therapeutic tremoring with Tantric embodiment, so you can release what no longer serves you while expanding your capacity for presence, connection and pleasure.
What you'll learn
Four practices, one weekend.
- i
Shaking Medicine
The science and practice of therapeutic tremoring, and why shaking is a natural human mechanism for releasing tension, stress and excess activation from the body. You will learn to work with neurogenic tremoring, nervous-system regulation, pandiculation and therapeutic Qi Gong.
More importantly, you will learn a practice you can actually take home and use in everyday life to shift out of stress, reconnect with your body and return to calm, balance and flow, again and again.
- ii
Tantra
Neo-Tantric practices designed to bring more presence, connection, pleasure and authenticity into the way you relate to yourself and to others. Becoming more sensitive to sensation, and discovering what becomes possible when pleasure is no longer something you have to perform or achieve.
Learn to recognise what you genuinely want, communicate it clearly, listen to your body, and feel confident expressing both your desires and your limits. Practices for your sex life, your relationships and your everyday connections.
- iii
Temple Night
A beautifully facilitated Saturday evening of ritual, play and embodied sensual exploration, where the practices of the weekend come together through music, movement, guided experiences and conscious connection.
You are welcome to explore your sensuality and sexuality as much or as little as feels genuinely right for you. Everything is invitational, with choice, boundaries and consent at the heart of the evening. Come dressed in something that makes you feel sensual, expressive and playful. And if what your body asks for that night is rest, Temple Night is completely optional.
- iv
Somatic Bodywork & Tantra Massage
The art of giving and receiving deeply nourishing bodywork through a fusion of zen Thai somatic bodywork and Tantric touch: flowing movement, conscious touch, breath, presence and body awareness. Learning to listen through your hands and trust your intuition.
You will leave with practical skills to share with a partner or loved one, and greater confidence giving, receiving and communicating around touch. Expect to finish feeling melted, grounded, connected and very well looked after.
The journey
Shake · Open · Give
- I
Friday
Arrive & Shake
Come in the afternoon, pitch your tent, walk the land, swim in the creek. An opening circle and introductions, then dinner together, cooked for you. Then a deep dive into Shaking Medicine: the foundations, two or three powerful ways into the shake, easing and relaxing into it. Foundational Tantra practices, reflection, and bed under the trees.
- II
Saturday
Open & Temple
A morning shake, yoga into Shaking Medicine, then embodied Tantra partner practices. Lunch. Fusion practices through the early afternoon, then free time for the creek, a nap or nothing at all. Dinner together, and as the light goes, Temple Night. Integration, and sleep.
- III
Sunday
Ground & Give
Deep, expansive Qi Gong to start. Grounding Tantra practices. Lunch. Then the Somatic Bodywork and Tantra Massage playshop, a fusion of zen Thai and Tantra massage. Integration, closing circle, and home in daylight, or stay a third night if you would rather not drive yet.
Is this retreat for you?
If you want to feel more alive, and more yourself.
No previous experience is necessary. Just bring an open mind, an adventurous spirit and a willingness to explore. This retreat is for you if:
- You feel disconnected from your body and your sexual energy
- You are holding physical or emotional stress and tension
- You want to deepen intimacy with yourself or your partner
- You want to feel more alive, energetic and full of vitality
- You want more freedom of expression, in life and in your intimate experiences
- You enjoy personal growth in a supportive community and want practical tools to use every day
You'll leave feeling more relaxed, more present, more emotionally open, more connected to your body, more confident expressing yourself, more grounded and more alive. Sensitive without feeling fragile. Grounded without feeling shut down. Confident without needing to perform. Sexual without needing to be anything other than yourself.
It may not be suitable if you are experiencing acute psychosis, have untreated severe PTSD where group work may be overwhelming, or are currently dependent on alcohol or drugs. If you are pregnant or have a major medical or mental health condition, contact us first and we will talk it through with you.
Keeping the room balanced. For harmony and an even flow we hold the space balanced in masculine and feminine energy. Single tickets are open to women; men are warmly welcome to come with a partner or a friend on a pair ticket. If you are a single man and would like to attend, join the waitlist and we will be in touch as places open, after a short conversation with Scarlett so she can make sure the space is the right fit for you.
Eighteen and over. Please tell us about injuries, pregnancy or anything a facilitator should know when you book. There is a field for it, and it stays private.
The land
A private bush property, and nobody else on it.
Ninety minutes north of Sydney on the Central Coast, entirely surrounded by state forest and national park and bordered by two creeks, with a secret swimming hole. We have it to ourselves for the weekend. Phone reception is very limited, which is rather the point. The exact address is sent to you after you book.
Open paddocks
Bring your own tent, or park your van, under the trees
Two creeks
Easy access, and a swimming hole
Communal shelter
Large and undercover, with lounges and a firepit
Hot showers
Four hot, one cold, and compost toilets
Bell tents
Eight furnished glamping tents, if you would rather not pitch
Off grid
Unpowered, rainwater, birdsong, very little signal and no internet
Your place
One ticket, everything in it. Add a bed if you like.
Every ticket includes the full programme, six vegetarian meals and two nights camping on the land. This is a camping retreat: bring your own tent or van, or add a glamping bell tent at checkout. A third night is also an add-on.
Early bird
Book before Sunday 30 November and take $55 off a single ticket, bringing it to $520. Pairs already have their discount built in. One or the other, not both.
Single ticket
For women booking alone. Programme, all six meals and two nights camping
before 30 Nov$520$575
BuyPair ticket
A man and a woman booking together, couples or friends. Everything above, for two
per pair$499.50 each$999
BuySingle man · waitlist
Free to join. Leave your details and Scarlett will be in touch as places open, after a short conversation
when released$520 / $575$0
Join
$450
Glamping bell tent
Per tent for the weekend, sleeps up to four, fully made up. Share it however you like. The only way to come without your own tent or van.
$35
Sunday night
Stay a third night and drive home Monday. No catering on Sunday evening.
All prices in AUD. Full payment at booking. Afterpay and Zip are available at checkout, and the booking fee is shown there. You sign a short waiver as part of booking.
The detail
What's in it, what isn't, what to bring.
Included
- The full programme, Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon
- Shaking Medicine, Tantra and Qi Gong sessions
- Temple Night
- The Somatic Bodywork & Tantra Massage playshop
- Six vegetarian meals: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast and lunch
- Tea and coffee throughout
- Two nights camping on the land
Not included
- Travel to and from the property; car-pooling is encouraged
- Camping gear and bedding: bring your own tent or van, unless you add a glamping bell tent
- Your own plates, cups and cutlery
- Glamping tents and the Sunday night, sold as add-ons
Bring
- Tent, bedding and camping gear, unless you are glamping
- Your own plate, bowl, cup and cutlery, to reuse through the weekend
- Drinking water if you would rather not drink the land's unfiltered rainwater
- Comfortable clothes you can move in, and a warm jumper for the evenings
- Swimmers, and towels and a sarong for the massage playshop
- Yoga mat, blanket, pillow, water bottle, journal
- Something that makes you feel sensual and playful for Temple Night
- Earth-friendly toiletries only; nothing goes in the creek
- A torch or headlamp; the campsite is unpowered
- Any medication you need
Your facilitators
Two practitioners, one temple.
If you have any questions about the modalities either of us teaches, you are welcome to reach out to us directly on social media.
Scarlett Rachel
Scarlett Rachel is a Tantra and Sacred Sexuality teacher, tantric bodyworker and facilitator devoted to helping people experience deeper intimacy, embodied pleasure and more freedom in their sexual expression.
Based in Sydney, Australia, Scarlett works with individuals and couples through private sessions, workshops and retreats, weaving together Tantric philosophy and practices, conscious tantric touch, breath, movement, nervous system awareness, authentic relating and embodied exploration.
Her work supports people in moving beyond shame, performance, disconnection and limiting beliefs around sexuality, and into presence, confidence, sensitivity and connection with their bodies. At the heart of her approach is the belief that sexuality can be far more than an act or performance, it can become a pathway into self-awareness, vitality, creativity, intimacy and connection.
Scarlett is particularly passionate about creating spaces where people can explore sexuality without pressure or expectation. Her teaching emphasises relaxation, communication, curiosity and pleasure, allowing participants to meet themselves exactly where they are while discovering new possibilities for connection and expression.
Through Tantra, conscious bodywork and experiential practices, Scarlett invites people out of the thinking mind and back into the intelligence of the body, cultivating the capacity to feel more, communicate more authentically, receive more deeply and experience intimacy with greater presence.
Her passion is helping people reclaim sexuality as something natural, playful and deeply human, and supporting them to expand into their fullest, most authentic expression.
Dr Keith R. Motes
Dr. Keith R. Motes (PhD) is the founder of the Shaking Medicine Foundation, a Zenthai Shiatsu Therapist and bodyworker, Yoga & Qi Gong teacher, and Quantum Physicist. Originally from Louisiana, he blends rigorous scientific insight with somatic wisdom to support people in awakening their innate healing capacity and accessing their fullest potential.
During his Quantum Physics PhD in Sydney, Australia, Keith published 14 peer-reviewed papers, completed Yoga Teacher Training, and became a dual Australian-US citizen. Near the end of his doctorate, a profound spontaneous therapeutic tremoring experience arose unexpectedly — his body instinctively shook, pandiculated, and released long-held childhood trauma he had not consciously known was present. This direct encounter with the body's primal, autogenic healing intelligence sparked a deep awakening and inspired him to establish the Shaking Medicine Foundation.
Shaking Medicine is now an internationally accredited somatic modality that Keith has been developing full-time ever since. Its mission is to help people safely access and navigate this animalistic autogenic movement for nervous system regulation, trauma release, emotional integration, resilience, and vibrant embodied living.
Keith's passions include sharing and evolving Shaking Medicine, offering Zenthai Shiatsu bodywork, teaching Yoga and Qigong, Acro Yoga, snowboarding, Contact Dragon-Staff, and more.
Consent and boundaries
Always your choice, always your pace.
- Participation is always optional and you set your own pace
- Consent is ongoing and can be withdrawn at any time
- Touch only ever happens with consent
- No nudity is required. Nudity is welcome, and you will see it
- Confidentiality is respected, for everyone in the room
Good to know
Questions, gently answered
- Do I need experience?
- No. No experience is necessary. Bring an open mind, an adventurous spirit and a willingness to explore.
- Is this sexual?
- The retreat is centred around sexuality, in a grounded, integrated and respectful way. Everything is invitational, and you choose your own level of participation at every step.
- Will there be nudity?
- Nudity is welcome but never required. Come with the understanding that you will see nudity, particularly on Temple Night.
- What if I'm nervous?
- It is very normal to feel nervous, and it is welcome. Many people arrive feeling exactly the same. There are dedicated support people on the team through the whole weekend, there to help you with whatever comes up.
- Can I come on my own?
- Yes. Most people do. Single tickets are open to women. If you are a single man, join the waitlist; leave your details and Scarlett will be in touch as places open, after a short conversation.
- What should I wear?
- Clothes that are comfortable and easy to move in. Something sexy and sensual for Temple Night.
- Where will I sleep?
- This is a camping retreat, so camping is included in every ticket: bring your own tent and bedding, or park a van. If you have neither, a glamping bell tent is the way to come — add one at checkout: five metres across, raised off the ground, made up with proper mattresses, linen, pillows, blankets, rugs and solar lanterns, sleeping up to four as a queen, a queen with singles, or three singles. Tell us your bed set-up and who you are sharing with when you book.
- Can I stay Sunday night?
- Yes, for $35, without catering. Add it at checkout and drive home on Monday.
- What about food? I have dietary needs.
- All food is provided and completely vegetarian: dinner on Friday, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and breakfast and lunch on Sunday, with tea and coffee throughout. Six meals in all. Please tell us about any dietary requirements when you book, and bring your own plate, cup and cutlery to reuse through the weekend.
- How do I get there, and is there phone signal?
- It is a ninety-minute drive north of Sydney. The exact address, gate instructions and directions come by email in the week before the retreat. The last stretch of road is unsealed but fine for a normal car driven slowly. There is very little phone signal on the land and no internet, and that is part of it.
- Can I swim? Can I use my own soap and sunscreen?
- Swim, yes. The creeks are pristine and the owners ask that nothing goes into them, not even earth-friendly soap, sunscreen or insect repellent. Bring earth-friendly products for the showers, and apply sunscreen well away from the water.
- Water, power, dogs?
- The property runs on unfiltered rainwater. Plenty of people drink it happily; bring your own drinking water if you would rather not. There are hot showers and compost toilets. The campsite itself is unpowered, so bring a torch and a charged phone. No dogs and no children.
- What if I have an injury, or I'm pregnant?
- Tell us when you book. Most things can be worked around, and a facilitator will talk it through with you beforehand.
Paid in full at booking. Your place is confirmed when payment clears, and the address and arrival details come by email in the week before the retreat. You sign a short waiver as part of the booking.
Transfers. You can pass your place to someone else of the same ticket type with our approval, up to three days before the retreat. We need to know who is in the room.
Cancellations. Until 5 January 2027: a full refund, less the booking fee. From 6 January: no refund, because the land, the food and everything else are paid for by then. Serious illness or bereavement is handled case by case, with kindness — talk to us.
Weather. The property can flood in very heavy rain and is in bushfire country. If the owners call a postponement for safety, usually three to four days out, every ticket rolls to the new date or is refunded in full. If we cancel the retreat, you get everything back.
Single men · waitlist
Leave your details, and Scarlett will be in touch.
Places for single men open as the room balances. Leave your name, a way to reach you and a few words about what draws you to the weekend. Scarlett reads every message herself and will reach out for a short conversation as places open. Nothing here is shared.
An invitation
One weekend. Mid January.
Come for the adventure. Come because you are curious. Come because a weekend of shaking, Tantra, connection, laughter, exploration and Temple sounds like exactly the kind of reset you need.
Central Coast, NSW · 15–17 January 2027 · exact address shared on booking