What a weekend–at the Planet Zen!

What a weekend

at the »Salon Planet Zen« in Liège!

A week and a half ago I was with Nicolas Deru and »La Voie Du Plaisir« at the »Planet Zen« trade fair in Liège, Belgium. After months of preparation, planning, designing and discussing how we could present our centre for tantric massage and personal development.

It is not so easy to publicise the topics that Nicolas is dedicated to. They are often seen as sensitive in our society and can be characterised by shame and insecurity, as they are about holistic personal development–means the inclusion of physicality and sexuality. In order to be able to accept oneself in it´s wholeness and grow within it, an absolutely safe space is needed in which it is possible to open up unconditionally and trust. With everything that makes one human. Nicolas offers precisely this support in his daily life. What kind of concept could be in service to present a work like this, which can be so enriching for each individual–at a public exhibition? A space in which many people come who have not had much contact with tantra or Tao techniques before. A space that is not at all a »safe space« where you can open up, expose your deepest hurts and triggers and work on them.

How do you summarise this profound approach to being human in words or visually at an exhibition stand?

It quickly became clear that in order to give visitors at least a small impression, this safe space, which Nicolas opens and holds individually for each person in his own centre, must be represented 1:1. Not in a sterile white box with partitions and two chairs inside. Instead, we bring the centre, the cosiness in which the rooms are designed, outside in the exhibition space.

So the first official act we did when we arrived on Friday lunchtime to set up was to dismantle the off-the-peg partition walls and replace them with our Berber tent. We furnished nine square metres of time out with flowing drapes that described the space, candlelight (albeit electric for safety’s sake), a massage set-up, incense sticks, dimmed lampshades, sensual pictures, plants and antique furniture on Persian carpets. 1001 nights in the Congress Palace in Liège. It didn’t take long for us to receive smiling faces and approving nods while we were setting up the tent.

According to the exhibitor from the past years, the trade fair was not very a lot attended compared to the years before–but there were still a few minutes of downtime for us. In many in-depth conversations, we were able to report on what Nicolas offers in his centre, why this work is relevant and why there is actually far too little of it. We received many nods of approval, lots of hugs and even a tear or two. There were spontaneous cuddles, lively conversations about how consensus and maintaining boundaries can be expressed in relationships, discussions about how communication can work in a couple’s relationship, about self-acceptance, self-love, empowerment, sisterhood and simply being human.