An experiential exploration of discovering the consensual touch we'd truly love to give and receive.
The Human Forest is a consensual, devotional touch experience that invites you to embody your boundaries, stay present, root into your heart, and embrace the essence of oneness through touch. This is a space where time slows, hearts soften, boundaries are honoured, and through the art of deep embodied listening within community, something ancient awakens.
Together, we’ll explore the alchemy of touch as a pathway to presence, where every gesture becomes an offering and every body is honoured. This is a container of sacred play and restorative contact, free from ongoing expectation. A space to explore boundary work, lean into the art of receiving, and be witnessed.
Who this is for:
The Human Forest is for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or background. Whether you're an individual seeking deeper connection, a couple exploring the art of non-sexual touch, or a community member curious about the healing power of shared experiences, this space welcomes all who are open to honouring their boundaries and cultivating a sense of oneness.
Whether you're young or young at heart, and whether you identify as male, female, non-binary, or anywhere along the gender spectrum, you’ll find a nurturing environment where your presence is honoured and your heart is safe to open.
Join us for this sacred journey of connection and self-discovery, where every person is celebrated and valued for their unique contribution to the collective experience.
What to expect:
We begin with a grounding circle, connection exercises, and an explanation of the Human Forest framework to create shared language and agreements.
In the Human Forest, we become the ecology, connected through consensual, symbiotic, loving touch. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be gently guided into a world where consent is sacred and boundaries are celebrated.
Half of the room will begin as trees, blindfolded, whose role is to receive loving, devotional touch from the other half of the room – the critters. Everyone will have the opportunity to experience both roles, twice. Communication within the Forest container will be non-verbal.
These events can be powerful, healing experiences. When the heart opens – through touch, connection, beauty, or presence – the emotional landscape can become vast and deeply personal. Participants may experience love, joy, tenderness, grief, trust, sadness, playfulness, and empowerment.
Our priority is supporting everyone to leave feeling open, cared for, and deeply held in their belonging.
Are you open to trusting yourself?
To being part of a community awakening to the heart-opening, honest, restorative power of non-expectational touch?
Let yourself be held.
Let yourself give.
Let yourself soften into something beautifully human.
What others have said:
“Can we please do this every day!?”
“I just feel like honey melting down a warm stove.”
“I can actually feel my body, myself, and other people. I feel so connected.”
“I’ve never felt so supported in my life.”
“It’s MIND BLOWING to share this much intimacy with so much reverence.”
What to bring:
Comfortable, soft clothing for lounging and movement
A snack or drink to share afterward in our community time, this is our aftercare
An open heart and a curious mind
Water
A friend or two who might just need this more than they know
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IMPORTANT:
In this event, we focus on devotional, loving, and non-sexually oriented touch. Sensual, not sexual. Please note: there is no genital touch at this event, and underwear remains on at all times.
There is no kissing or fluid exchange at any time.
Participants who know each other - especially those in romantic relationships - are asked to follow the same agreements, rules, and etiquette of the space as everyone else while the event is running (e.g. no kissing your lover in the Forest). This helps avoid confusion about what is and isn’t appropriate and supports the integrity of the container.
All of our events have been remarkably healing and heart-opening for many participants, as seen in the testimonials above. That said, this is a touch-focused experience. If you have a history of trauma related to giving or receiving touch, we encourage you to reach out to us directly to thoughtfully consider whether this offering is right for you.
Participants are required to arrive on time to ensure they receive the full explanation of how to communicate boundaries with clarity and respect during the consent and boundaries section at the beginning of the event.
About your facilitators:
Matthew - @matthews.labs
Matthew has an interest in self and relational exploration. Curious about how play can be harnessed to find more integrity he has used the experiences of overcoming his struggles as fuel to be in service to others. In the mid 2010s he became a certified massage therapist and yoga teacher. Over the past few years he has deepened and embodied a more expressive relationship with himself and others through exploring workshops and trainings such as Ecstatic Dance, Authentic Relating, ISTA, Breathwork, Process work and the Human Forest, a consensual touch group experience.
Matthew values creating and holding spaces that are kind, clear, expressive, and exploratory. He brings his own unique flavour of play and exploration to his facilitation. He loves holding spaces where people feel safe enough to show up as the beautifully messy humans that we all are. He believes strongly in meeting everyone at their level and that finding coherence as a group involves everyone’s input.
Shlomit
As a truth seeker, dancer, rebel and purveyor of pleasure, Shlomit developed a deep connection to her rich internal world from an early age. For the past 8 years, somatic practices inducing flow states and travel to 49 countries has been Shlomit's strongest medicine and companion in cultivating internal safety, self love and trust.
Open hearted, open minded, Shlomit brings an embodied sensual playfulness that gives others permission to soften and let their full expression be welcomed and seen. Shlomit is passionate about curating spaces where people can access their inner world, safely explore their edges and honour their boundaries as a means of deepening self trust and internal safety, expanding their capacity to receive the fullness of love that is their natural state of being.
Shlomit offers 1:1 devotional body work to restore, worship and provide loving touch and presence to your body and soul.
Things to note:
Personal responsibility: Please make an assessment on whether you are feeling stable and resourced enough to explore the practices on offer in this event.
No Photo/Video Content Will Be Captured: We recognise that being at an event where content is being captured can impact the personal comfort and nervous system regulation of our community. As such, it should be known upfront that this event is a photo and video free space. No content will be captured. We ask all participants to honor this agreement in respect of the shared experience by placing any recording devices away on arrival.
Arrival: Endeavour to arrive between 6:30pm - 6:45pm. To preserve the experience for all involved, doors will close at 7:00pm. Truly, it breaks our heart to have to turn latecomers away yet the disruption to the whole group experience by virtue of lateness does require management. We ask that you find understanding and consideration for the timebound nature of the container and make every effort to arrive on time.
Driving: Know Centre of You is on Chapel St and ample time to find a car spot is best to be factored into your plans. Park direct on Chapel St (spots unmetered after 5pm) or in Anchor Place, the open-air parking lot in the side street that runs opposite Centre of You (unmetered after 4pm).
Public transport - tram: Both the number 6 tram & 78 tram stop on the corner of High St/Chapel St. This is stop 31 on the number 6 tram (Moreland/Glen Iris) & stop 45 on the number 78 tram (North Richmond/Balaclava).
Public transport - train: Both Prahran & Windsor stations along the Sandringham Line will get you walking distance to Centre of You.
Finding Centre of You: Centre of You is nestled within the arcade that Chapel St Bazaar is in (217 Chapel St). It is up a flight of stairs with a wide landing at the half-way-point. Unfortunately, this current version of Centre of You does not have a wheelchair accessible lift. If you could use support in getting up the stairs or would like to discuss ways to make your experience at Centre of You more comfortable, please reach out via hello@centreofyou.com.au or via DM over on Centre of You Instagram.
Accessibility: At COY we aim to ensure our community and events are inclusive and accessible while alongside upholding the needs and responsibilities of our business and the businesses of our collaborating facilitators. Should you be in a time of financial challenge and unable to pay the full ticket price comfortably, please reach out via hello@centreofyou.com.au or via DM over on Centre of You Instagram
Ticketing T&Cs: We get it, life happens, therefore we will gladly refund you up until 24hrs before the event start time. After that, we have a strict no refund/no transfer to future events policy.
If you are no longer able to attend and wish to pay forward your ticket to someone within the community, be in touch via hello@centreofyou.com.au or via DM over on Centre of You Instagram.
Questions? Email hello@centreofyou.com.au or reach out via Instagram DM.
Tickets: $45.00 early bird, $60.00 general exchange.