Cuddle Workshop with Audrė Galėckė and Rokas Černauskis

Cuddle Workshop on November 22nd, 8:00 PM, at the Workshop space in Hall 4, we invite you to a playful and experimental setting where you can slow down, reconnect with your body, shift your energy from the mind to sensations and emotions, and open your heart more fully. Through simple and gentle exercises, we’ll encourage you to connect with yourself through another person, to see in others the parts of yourself you may hide, reject, or only recognize in others. We’ll help you recognize your boundaries, express them, and become aware of them in your body. The evening will be spent in silence, focusing on the body and the emotions that arise. Ultimately, we will hug, caress, lie down together, touch, and be touched by others.

We will experiment strictly with platonic touch.

By the end of the evening, participants often feel uplifted, smiles appear on faces, self-worth increases, and people feel needed. This happens because hugging increases serotonin, the happiness hormone.

So, forget celery juice and vitamin C—it might turn out that hugging is one of the best vitamins for your emotional and physical health.

Throughout the evening, these rules will ensure a safe environment:

• We remain fully clothed at all times.
• No sexual interaction (no kissing, no hands under clothes, no intentional touching of the genital area).
• You never have to hug or touch anyone if you don’t want to.
• Always ask for permission before touching anyone, and wait until you hear a clear “YES.”
• If you want something, say “YES.” If you don’t, say “NO.”
• If you’re unsure, say “NO.” “MAYBE” or “I DON’T KNOW” means “NO.”
• You can always change your mind during an exercise and express it.
• You can do exercises with whomever you choose.
• Respect the agreements you have in your relationships, and talk with your partner before attending.
• All emotions are welcome and accepted.
• If you need support, ask the facilitator for help.
• Confidentiality: Speak only about your own experience. Do not mention names or other people’s experiences to keep the space safe.

About Audrė:
Twelve years ago, after the birth of my third child, I went through an existential crisis that led me to begin my spiritual search. I traveled the world for many years, attending various workshops for inspiration and learning. During this time, I completed 500 hours of “Tantra Soul Mate” couples training with Ma Ananda Sarita (USA), completed an Emotional Intelligence Development course, learned Ayurvedic relaxation body rituals, finished “Wheel of Consent” training, became a certified OSHO Active Meditation instructor, completed two levels (L1 and L2) at the International School of Temple Arts (ISTA), and brought the international Cuddle Workshops to Lithuania, where I started leading Hugging Evenings.

We all have desires, but we also have inner blocks that prevent us from expressing and pursuing them. The simple process of identifying and asking for what we want is very vulnerable and delicate, yet it is incredibly freeing and educational. This is the foundation of the Hugging Evening: to ask for what we want within the boundaries of platonic touch. My mission is to bring platonic touch back as a healing tool and an expression of self-love into everyday life, while encouraging deeper self-discovery, ultimately leading to the realization that love comes from within.

About Rokas:
I am Rokas, a coach, tribe facilitator and mentor, and children’s camp leader who left a well-paid job to pursue heart-centered activities. Through my work, I help people recognize their feelings, desires, and find clarity in creating the life they want.

Vipassana meditation courses have had a profound impact on my sensitivity and awareness. Since 2020, I have attended a 10-day silent meditation retreat every year. These experiences strengthened my connection to my body, and I continue to explore movement-based communication through dance and contact improvisation.

I’ve been participating in Audrė’s Hugging Events since 2020, which has greatly expanded my confidence and comfort in expressing my needs, setting boundaries, and engaging in touch. I believe that the need for nurturing touch is fundamental for each of us.