Artmoney

I met Celestine at a local café for a talk about her work as a tantra therapist. Celestine has decided to accept up to 25% in artmoney. She hopes it can attract creative people to her business, Edens Have. Here is what she had to say.

Lars Kraemmer (L) interviews Celestine Andersen (C):

L:

What can you do with your work?

C:

I can see people. I can look into them. Both as a photographer, as a therapist and as a tantra teacher. These are the three fields in which I operate. Whatever I do, it's about seeing people. It fascinates me. And help them see themselves. And see each other.

L:

Do people find it difficult to see themselves?

C:

Yes. Especially when they are in a relationship. Then they roam around in confusion, feeling misunderstood and needing to defend themselves. There are many who do not feel seen and heard, and then they begin to argue and fight to get their needs covered or pointing out the faults in each other.

When I have couples in therapy or on a course, I help them to see and understand themselves and each other. It brings on a feeling of release. They fall in love with each other again and go home happy with a renewed insight and some tools for how to communicate better and be intimate with each other in the future. It generates a nice openness and excitement when they understand what each other want. If they really love each other, but are just drifted a little apart, then they would like to make an effort to give each other that, which they now understand what it is really about.

L:

When you have had them in therapy, can you see that they behave differently?

C:

Yes. I can easily see that. They become more loving with each other. And they get closer. Maybe they put a hand on each other's arm or leg. They tell me when we sit in a session, “that's what I've been trying to tell my partner for years! Now I can finally see that it has been understood!” They just failed to communicate clearly to their partner before, what they really needed. For me, I see it super clearly when I sit with a couple, in what they say and in the way they move. Then I can see that this is where the man or woman tries to convey. There are also quite a few things that seem quite classic in what we are looking for as a man or woman. It is not always that we understand it because men and women can be quite different in their basic needs and conditions.

L:

Is it your point of departure that you regard men and women as different?

C:

On a certain level, yes. Alone in the fact that men have genitals that go out of the body and the genitals of women go into the body. I see that can make a big difference in how we act sexually, biologically and psychologically.

Of course there are different kinds of people. There are women who are very energetic and men who are extremely sensitive. So it's not black and white, but there are some things that make us different. Most couples I sit with agree when they understand my angle. I am always open to things being different. I'm not trying to stuff people into a box. I'm trying to ask more. Being curious about how are you really? I am very curious. And then I think I have a nature that is naturally loving and appreciative. And that makes people feel safe.

L:

Are you a trained therapist?

C:

I am a trained psychotherapist, and of course you learn some tools to read people's signals. But I feel it has always been a big part of my personality to take a keen interest in people. I was a very observant child who just loved to sit and look and was curious about what lay behind and what peole thought and felt. So I have probably always had the ability to see into people, but I just got better over the years. 18 years with tantra has also given me some tools to better understand the principles of the masculine and the feminine. I am also trained as a tantra teacher and a tantra massage therapist, so I combine therapy and tantra.

L:

Can you explain to me a little about your tantra background and how it helps in the therapy?

C:

Tantra basically is about finding a balance as a human being. And to acknowledge that we both have a body and a spirit. Finding a balance between something material and something spiritual. We cannot ignore the fact that we have a body and that we live in a world with a home, a job, and perhaps a family life that must also be looked after. But seen through the tantra's glasses, there is also a soul and a spirit and a connection to something higher. So it's about finding a balance between the higher inside ourselves and at the same time connecting us with other people in a physical world.

L:

It might sound religious. Is it something religious?

C:

No. It is very pragmatic. Tantra is more like a science. It is not a religion or a philosophy. It is not based on conviction but more on testing a lot of things to see what works better. In this way, it is closer to a science than anything else. Tantra means "tool." It's both a way of life, but it's also a means of achieving something. The "something" is about setting a more conscious goal in life. To want to develop and live more presently. It could be a desire to live a more intense life, to experience a greater love, or to become more conscious in life and wake up more like a human being. We all have a huge potential to be a fully awakened person who feels great. But most people go around enough. But most of them live in their own limitations without realizing their great potential. Tantra is for those who are curious and feel that there must be something more to life.

L:

What could be some major challenges in a relationship?

C:

The two biggest challenges I encounter with couples are communication and sex. The challenge of maintaining a regular and intimate sex life. Is it frequent enough and intense enough? Can you meet your needs? It can also be the communication where people misunderstand each other and talk to each other in a way that you do not understand or where it does not feel nice. And then you close yourself  because you feel attacked. It is the two biggest pillars that nearly always appear.

L:

From where do you run your business?

C:

I work from two addresses. When I have a couple in progress, it is from my home in “Østerbro” in the eastern part of Copenhagen. When I teach tantra massage or hold courses or teach larger groups, it is in Soul Fitness at Skindergade, down town Copenhagen, where you can rent a treatment room. Both places take place in Copenhagen.

L:

Do you accept part payment in artmoney?

C:

Yes. As it is now, I have set it to 25% so you can pay up to a quarter in artmoney. I myself am creatively thinking, and I think it is a super fun idea to make it possible for different kinds of people to spend artmoney. What one can basically buy for artmoney is couple consultations. Either as part of a course in tantra training or as a couple therapy. It is not a crisis aid, but more of a course where you get some tools with you to get closer to each other.

It makes me really happy to work with couples. To see them open up and get a better love life with each other.

www.edenshave.com

Phone: +45 31218288

Tantra training for couples: http://www.edenshave.com/tantra-trning-for-par

Tantra terapi for couples: http://www.edenshave.com/par-terapi