Australian man behind a four-day ‘orgasm retreat’ in Bali is taken in for questioning by Indonesian police
- Australian man interrogated by police on immigration issue following outrage
- Balinese outraged by ‘orgasm retreat’ for holiday island: event now cancelled
- ‘Sexual healer’ questioned for three hours, released without charge
An ‘orgasm retreat’ to be run in Bali by an Australian man has been canned after he was taken in by Indonesian police for questioning.
The man faced three hours of interrogation about potential immigration breaches on Friday night after a local uproar at a sex retreat he planned for the holiday island.
A Facebook page advertising the orgasm retreat says the spiritual guru facilitates tantric sexuality and relationship retreats worldwide.
The Australian guru (pictured) was interrogated in Bali by Indonesian police for three hours on immigration rules after outraged locals complained about a sex workshop he had planned
The man (pictured) had been ‘exploring Tantric and Taoist practices for 28 years’ his Facebook advertisement said. The retreat was planned for March 6 but has been cancelled
‘He has been exploring Tantric and Taoist practices for 28 years and has a Masters in Health Science – Sexual Health,’ it said.
‘He’s the creator of Tantric Body De-Armouring and Tantric Full Body Energy Orgasm Retreats, which guide people in cultivating a profound depth of vibrancy and intimacy in their daily lives, relationships, sexuality and careers.’
The retreat was supposed to begin on March 6 and run to March 9 in Ubud, a place rich in spiritually minded ex-pats.
It promised more than 40 intended participants would experience ‘heightened states of sexual ecstatic full-bodied orgasmic bliss,’ according to the Facebook advertisement, which has since disappeared.
Balinese locals, however, were outraged about the sex retreat and dobbed the event in to police.
The man says on his website that he has five diplomas in different styles of ‘bodywork and energy healing’, and is a member of the International School of Temple Arts – an organisation of ‘sexual sorcery’.
A screenshot of the event page for the planned sex retreat which has now been deleted
He was also a previous professional partner of alleged sex-cult leader Shantam Nityama, also known as ‘The Divine Madman’, a Los Angeles-based guru who conducted workshops in Byron Bay.
The pair parted ways after the Australian guru, an animal rights advocate, reportedly became enraged at Nityama’s eating of animal hearts during spiritual training.
Indonesian police did not charge the Australian man and he has since been released.
The workshop that he was to facilitate – which he told police was yoga – has since been cancelled.
The 51-year-old man first came to the attention of Immigration officials, who were questioning him on Friday when police turned up and took him in.
The Australian guru (pictured left) being questioned by Indonesian authorities in Bali on immigration matters after locals complained about a sex workshop he had planned
Officials say the Aussie guru, described online as a facilitator of tantric sexuality and relationship retreats around the world, was due to run a four-day ‘Tantric full body energy orgasm retreat’ at Ubud from Saturday.
It is understood he came to the notice of officials after a local politician and activist publicly questioned Immigration for allowing the man to run the class.
Balinese designer and politician Niluh Djelantik described the event as a ‘modern-day sex business’ on her Instagram account on Thursday, regional news organisation Coconuts reported.
‘Where are officials and the people’s representatives when Bali’s dignity is being rummaged like this?’ Niluh wrote on a follow-up Instagram post today.
The guru (pictured) has previously run workshops in Byron Bay
Bali’s Law and Human Rights office chief, Jamaruli Manihuruk, said Immigration had been informed the retreat participants were paying $US500 or about $800 per person.
Officials met the Australian man on Friday afternoon and seized his passport.
Foreigners are not allowed to work in Bali without a work visa called a KITAS.
‘After we met him we were willing to take him to the Immigration office. However, around two minutes later police officers from Gianyar police station came to pick him up,’ Jamaruli told AAP.
‘So he has been taken by police officers from Gianyar police for examination.’
Gianyar police confirmed to AAP on Saturday that the Australian man was not arrested or detained and has been returned to his villa.