When we found out that Amanda Palmer was performing in Austin, we asked her to come try a Karuna Session. Karuna is the Sanskrit word for compassion, and a Karuna Session is designed to nurture body, mind and heart. It’s cutting-edge self-care, something people desperately need in an increasingly stressful, fast-paced world.

We figured that since Amanda was on tour, pregnant and likely exhausted, she would be a perfect candidate for receiving compassionate touch. We also figured that her intimate relationship with her fans meant that she encounters many folks who need our services, but either didn’t know about them, or – like so many people – they might be afraid to ask for mothering and nurturing from someone they knew.

Turns out Amanda’s dance card was already full, but as she often does, she decided to take our offer and make it all about the fans.

Because, yeah, she IS that awesome.

Amanda invited us to come set up a sanctuary at her Austin show on Tuesday night for fans who were feeling lonely and vulnerable, and literally needed a shoulder to cry on (or fans whose hearts were bursting with joy and wanted to connect with others). Of course we said HELL YES!

If you’re at the Paramount on Tuesday night, please visit our Karuna Lounge for a heaping helping of hand-generated, organic, artisinal oxytocin. We’ll be happy to provide you with the kind of support, connection, comfort and warmth that drew you to Amanda’s music and message in the first place and send you back out with a big-ass smile on your face.

While we love creating public spaces* to provide compassionate touch and spread the gospel of how oxytocin can improve our health and our world, it’s not our main jam. Our passion is providing private compassionate touch sessions and giving clients an experience of deep peacefulness, relaxation and satisfaction. We would like to give three of Amanda’s fans a chance to get the initiatory session we originally offered to her.

There are two ways to enter this contest:

If you are at the Paramount on Tuesday night, please stop by the Karuna Lounge (located in the VIP bar on the mezzanine) and answer one – or both – of the following questions:

  • Q #1: What do you desire most, but are afraid to ask for?
  • Q #2: What is your greatest fear about being vulnerable?

We will pick the best answer for each question after the show, and the two winners will receive a gift certificate for a free Karuna Session.

If you can’t attend the show, you can still enter to win by clicking here. We will randomly choose one of you to receive the third Karuna Session.

The fine print is as follows:

  • You must be over 18
  • You must be able to redeem your gift certificate by June 15, 2015 at our East Austin studio
  • Yes, you really can enter three times if you come to the show!
    Best of luck to all who enter! We look forward to reading your responses, learning about your dreams, and hugging you in person.

And thank YOU, Ms. Palmer, for letting us take care of your fans. If you need anything from us on Tuesday, please don’t hesitate to ask. Seems like you’re pretty good at doing that….

* I knew all those years of building Burning Man theme camps would come in handy at some point!