
THE CLEARING WITH KATHERINE MAY
Barbara Carrellas’ enchanted theatre
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Hello,
Barbara Carrellas believes we can find the truest rest in moments of awe. The author of The Book of Ecstasy says that even in life’s darkest moments, ecstasy is possible. It’s something seeded in her practice of Urban Tantra - a non-touch sexual practice rooted in her experience of working with the people and communities affected by New York’s AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

As Katherine and Barbara delve more deeply into this concept of ecstasy, they marvel at the capacity of human lives for surprise and why sometimes we just need to step out of our own way. Barbara also explains why Tantra isn’t what we think it is and we get to hear the most beautifully unique vision of rest as Barbara transports us to a flamboyant theatre, replete with horses, Hollywood legends and an ever-changing array of favourite theatrical shows.
A deeply joyous and uplifting episode where Barbara’s bottomless well of compassion, love and yes, ecstasy, is deeply present.
Links from the episode:
Barbara’s book The Book of Ecstasy
Barbara’s website
Production Credits
Guest Booker and Admin Support - Meghan Hutchins
Substack Manager - Rebecca Armstrong
Producer - Alice Lloyd
Music - The Leaf Library theleaflibrary
Click here to listen in your favourite app, or paid subscribers can listen to an ad-free version here in this post.
Transcript:
The Colophon
Listen to The Clearing podcast
Find out about my online retreats
Visit my website
Gift a subscription to The Clearing on Substack
Switch to an annual paid subscription and receive a digital copy of Notes & Fragments, a commonplace book.
Sign up for The Way Through Winter course - use your paid subscriber code WINTER30 at checkout to receive £30 off.
Read:
Weekend Journaling prompts
Collected Newsletters
More about my books:
Pre-order Tending: How Care Binds the World
Credits:
Editor: Rebecca Armstrong
Admin & Support: Meghan Hutchins and Chris Allison
Podcast producer: Alice Lloyd
The Clearing commits 1% of its revenue to schemes that remove carbon from the atmosphere.

