What Actually Happens at a Tantric Workshop for Gay Men

If you have never attended a tantric workshop, especially one designed specifically for gay men, it is natural to wonder what you are walking into. The word tantra carries a lot of associations, not all of them accurate. Here is an honest account of what a day at Erotic Gateway actually looks like.

Arriving

You arrive at Soma Home in Stoke Newington around 9:30am. The space is warm, clean, and intentionally set up: low lighting, comfortable surfaces, no clinical fluorescence. You will be welcomed by Armand and Sam, offered tea, and given time to settle. There is no rush.

Most people are a little nervous. That is completely normal. You will notice quickly that the atmosphere is calm rather than charged, more retreat centre than nightclub.

The Morning: Workshop

The first half of the day is structured workshop time. This is not sitting in a circle talking about your feelings, though there is some of that. It is physical, somatic work: breathwork, movement, partner exercises, and guided practices designed to bring you into your body.

You will practise asking for what you want. You will practise saying no. You will explore touch with clear boundaries and conscious intention. The exercises build gradually, and nothing is compulsory. If you want to sit something out and observe, that is always welcome.

The Afternoon: Erotic Space

After lunch, the space transitions. The structure loosens, and the erotic space opens. This is where the morning practice becomes real. You can explore connection, touch, and erotic energy with other men, at your own pace, following your own desire.

Some men are very active. Some prefer to watch. Some move between the two. There is no hierarchy of participation, no expectation to perform. The consent framework from the morning holds throughout: every interaction is negotiated, and your boundaries are respected absolutely.

Who Comes?

The men who attend are diverse in age, body type, experience, and reason for being there. Some are exploring tantra for the first time. Some are experienced practitioners. Some are working through something specific. Some just want to be in a space where sex and presence can coexist.

What they tend to share is a desire for something more intentional than what is typically available. A space where erotic energy is treated with respect and awareness, rather than consumed and discarded.

After

The day ends around 6pm. There is a closing circle, a chance to share what came up, or simply to sit in the company of men who have held space together. Most people leave feeling quieter, more settled, and more connected to themselves than when they arrived.