I owe it all to my friend Samantha Hess from Cuddle Up to Me in Portland. Sam was deep into her professional cuddling business when we met. At this point Cuddle Sanctuary was really experienced at leading events. Rather than be competitive – true to the spirit of what cuddling is all about – we collaborated.

First, Sam came to Los Angeles and took our event leader training course. Then Fei and I (and some Cuddle Sanctuary students) went to Portland to immerse ourselves in Sam’s class for one-on-one professional cuddling.

Cuddle Positions? But Why?

Sam was passionate about cuddle positions. She was adamant that we know lots of them and transition from one to the next seamlessly. I didn’t understand why she was so into it. I figured that what mattered most was creating a peaceful, safe environment for clients. I also thought that being generous, warm and “touch positive” were the most important elements to being a good professional.

The Training

I wasn’t wrong, but I also didn’t know what I didn’t know. Sam set up a series of sheet-covered cushions on the floor and freshly laundered pillows. We practiced so many cuddle positions – it was dizzying. Here’s a poem I just wrote to describe it:

On our sides, legs intertwined

Make sure your arm’s not in a bind

On your back or on your tummy

What’s this called? It sure looks funny

Putting Theory Into Practice

When I returned to Los Angeles, I started incorporating more cuddle positions into my one-on-one practice and events. I was impressed by how much more value I could offer my clients and how useful and fun they would be to our groups:

Do you want closeness with no eye contact? There’s a position for that!

Do you like to feel grounded with lots of body contact? There’s a position for that!

We Started Getting Creative

Soon we started naming positions and creating a shared language at our events: 

Want to share an Oxytocin Hug?

Let’s companion!

(Don’t worry Los Angeles event newcomers! We demonstrate our favorite cuddle positions every week. But if you want a “primer,” you’re in luck. Read on.)

Sharing is Caring

Why should Cuddle Sanctuary have all the fun? On October 12th, we’re sharing our love of cuddle positions with you and the world with our new online class: Cuddle Positions for Fun and Stress Relief. 

You’re Invited

To celebrate, we’d like to invite you to our online launch party on October 12th from 4:00-5:00pm PST. It’s free, and you just need access to Facebook. Join me, Fei, Louis, Suz, Fahad and Steph for cuddle position demonstrations, sparkling discussions, a contest and the modeling of some rather adorable onesies.

There’s no purchase required – we would simply love to see you. There’s no need to even RSVP – just show up. To attend, please “like” the Cuddle Sanctuary Facebook Page and then go to the page on Saturday, October 12th:

• 4:00pm Pacific Standard Time (Los Angeles)
• 5:00pm Mountain Daylight Time (Denver)
• 6:00pm Central (Chicago)
• 7:00pm Eastern (New York)
• time zone converter

You can pop in for a few minutes anytime to say “hello” or stay for the whole hour. Either way, it will be fun to see you there!

Want a sneak preview?

Here’s our video for the position called Two Peas in a Pod.