Aristippus Ch. 03 - Monday Digital

Chapter 3

Monday -- Digital Therapy

Lacey experiences new concepts, new adventures, and yes, new tastes.

NOTE TO READERS: This is Chapter Three of a novel in nine chapters. It is the story of a young woman attending a training retreat for the world's oldest profession. We respectfully request that you read the chapters in order, as this is an actual novel, with thirty seven characters, seventeen of them having sex with each other. So, reading the chapters in order is important in experiencing the complete story. Following the nine chapters of the novel, will be nine or more appendices. Each of the appendices tells the back story of one of the women in the novel. The appendices are written in the first person, as they are all told in the women's own voices. And they can be read in any order. Please enjoy, and we look forward to your comments.

* * *

Lacey walked into the dining room a few minutes after eight. The tables had been rearranged from the last night's banquet setup to individual tables of four each. Angie was already seated and obviously saving a seat for Lacey. Still feeling a little weird about the activities of the night before, Lacey tried to avoid eye contact, but after getting a fruit cup, a muffin, and a cup of coffee, she did join Angie at her table.

"Good morning, lover," Angie whispered as Lacey sat down and placed her hand on Lacey's leg. Lacey immediately pushed her hand away but didn't say anything or get up to move. Accepting the gesture as a momentary fear of a public display of affection, Angie just smiled and placed her hand back in plain view. Two other girls soon joined them, and the ensuing conversation moved toward getting to know them.

Shortly before nine, Nina stood and called the room to order. "Ladies," she announced. "As we mentioned last night, the daily schedule will remain basically the same for each of the next five days." Behind her on a pair of large flat-screen TVs, the daily schedule flashed up:

• Buffet Breakfast 8:00 -- 9:00
• Morning Program 9:00 -- 11:30
  • Yoga 9:00 -- 10:00
  • Meditation 10:00 -- 10:30
  • Massage 10:30 -- 11:30
• Free time 11:30 -- noon
• Lunch Noon -- 1:00
• Afternoon Program 1:00 -- 4:30
  • 1^st Lecture 1:00 -- 2:00
  • 2^nd Lecture 2:00 -- 3:00
  • Lab (hands-on) 3:00 -- 4:30
• Free time 4:30 -- 6:00; a chance to get a quick nap, shower & dress for dinner.
• Happy Hour 6:00 -- 7:00; meet your date for the evening.
• Dinner 7:00 -- 8:00
• Evening Program 8:00 until ...

"The morning sessions consist of ninety minutes of yoga and meditation. Yoga will begin at nine, either here in the lodge, or outside on the patio. Lucinda will lead the yoga and meditation sessions each morning until about ten-thirty. Lucinda and I will lead the massage sessions for the first three days. We are both Certified Massage Therapists by the California Massage Therapy Council. And as Lucinda has a degree in Kinesiology, she is also certified to teach -- so you are in good hands," Nina said with a slight chuckle. "Thursday is a self-defense course taught by a certified martial arts instructor. Then Friday is a crash course on personal fitness, with an emphasis on sexual activity."

"How do the massage sessions work?" Jenny asked with a naughty smile.

"On nice days, like today, we'll set up the massage tables outside near the pool. You'll all be allowed a quick dip in the pool after yoga if you wish, or there is an outdoor shower if you prefer. After the first day, the massage sessions are done topless or fully nude, so you might as well get over any undue modesty," Nina said with a smile.

"I mean, who massages whom?" Jenny clarified.

"Oh," Nina exclaimed, realizing she had forgotten a key element. "You massage the men, of course -- under our guidance. You will have a different male subject every day. They'll be assigned randomly, and you won't get the same gentleman more than once."

"I think she means is there a Happy Ending?" Robin asks.

"Oh, good question," Nina quickly responded. "Not the first day. But after that -- well, things could get a lot happier," Nina said with a devilish grin. However, as was mentioned last night, here at the Aristippus, we teach the Tantric approach to sex as much as possible. True tantric sex is generally practiced between committed partners, which is sometimes challenging to duplicate here. Tantra, or Tantric sex, is about intimacy, connection, and playful possibilities rather than a race to orgasm or checking a box. When you let go of goals like getting someone off or achieving anything in particular, there are literally endless opportunities for discovery and new adventures.

Nina surveyed the room to see if there were any further questions, and when there weren't, she took another sip of her coffee and continued. "Free time is very precious here at the Aristippus, but you will get a half-hour each day to freshen up before lunch. I should mention that you will be given a card every morning at breakfast. If you would like a hot entrée for lunch, be sure to mark your choice and leave it with your server -- otherwise, you are welcome to make yourself a salad or a sandwich from the buffet." A light chatter filtered through the room as the girls still weren't sure how serious Nina was in her announcements.

Lucinda then stepped forward to make the remaining announcements of the morning. "The first lecture today is The World's Oldest Profession -- A History Lesson. It will be given by Dr. Robert Hansen, or Doctor Bob as we refer to him. He is a professor of history and anthropology at UC Irvine and one of the founding members of the Aristippus Retreat. He is very humorous, and I'm sure you will find his discussion very entertaining as well as informative. The second lecturer this afternoon is Dr. Renée Balford. She is an Associate Professor of physiology at The University of San Francisco and is an all-time favorite. Her topic will be What is it that Men Want? As if that was ever in doubt," Lucinda added with a laugh.

This time everyone in the room laughed, and several girls whispered a comment to each other as the mood in the room was obviously loosening up.

As the chatter died down, Lucinda continued, "Now, this afternoon's lab is one I think you will all enjoy -- The Hand Job. We'll have a couple of the guys up front for you to practice on. We'll go over the basics, and then we'll add a few twists that you may or may not be familiar with. It should be a fun and enlightening afternoon."

As she stepped back to the side, Lucinda pumped a loosely closed hand several times up and down, simulating a hand job. "Now, let's go over the evening schedule quickly," she said. "After the lab, you'll be given an hour and a half to return to your cabin and freshen up before dinner. Each evening has a different theme, so please dress appropriately. Tonight is movie night," she added with a flourish.

"Happy hour starts at six, and shortly after that, you will learn who your date for the evening will be. The dates are randomly assigned, and you won't get the same date twice. Each date will be an opportunity to put into practice that day's lessons. Remember, the emphasis here at Aristippus is the Girl Friend Experience. So happy hours are an opportunity to get to know your date. Then dinner and a movie, just like a traditional date. Then it's off to your cabin to see how well you paid attention in today's lab."

The room again erupted in laughter and giggles confirming to Nina and Lucinda that they were all on the same page.

"Oh, and the movie tonight is Dangerous Beauty, the story of Veronica Franco, a brilliant, gifted, and beautiful sixteenth-century Venetian courtesan," Nina said and then added. "If you haven't seen it, it ties in nicely with today's lessons."

* * *

Yoga that first day was held in the big room of the lodge, with the furniture pushed to the walls. And as the girls all claimed a yoga mat and took a seat, Lucinda stepped forward. "Ladies," she started slowly. "As Nina mentioned last night, the Aristippus experience is based on the principles of Tantric Sex. For those of you that are not familiar with it, Tantric Sex is a sexual practice that's part of the ancient spiritual path known as Tantra. A Sanskrit term that translates loosely into 'weave' or 'to weave.' That is to weave together or unite the masculine and feminine forces within all of us. The purpose of Tantra is to discover an ecstatic union with all life beyond the separate sense of self."

Lucinda paused for a moment as she studied each girl's reaction. "The simplest explanation of tantric intimacy that I can give is that it's about bringing the fire of your sexual energy, passion, and desires into alignment with your heart, your spirit, and a sense of goodness in your life. And once you have found this energy in yourself, transferring this passion to your lover -- whoever they may be."

The girls all sat silently staring at their instructors, not quite sure what they had gotten themselves into. But as there were no questions, Lucinda asked them all the stand and face her. For the next fifty minutes, Lucinda put the girls through what would generally be considered an introductory yoga session. It was their first day, after all. However, they all realized that the morning sessions would likely be getting more intense over the next four days. Then as the girls sat cooling down, with their legs crossed in the classic lotus pose, Lucinda tapped a strange-looking brass bowl that gave off the most mellow harmonic tone that Lacey felt she had ever heard. This phase of the morning program was new to Lacey, as it probably was to most of the other girls. But as the soft new age music began, and Lucinda started a slow rhythmic chant, Lacey soon closed her eyes and began to relax in a way she had never known before.

Twenty minutes later, Lucinda sounded the brass bowl for the last time, and the girls all slowly opened their eyes. For something Lacey thought would be stupid, she was quickly becoming a convert. As the girl's eyes readjusted to the morning light, they could see the men out by the pool setting up eight massage tables in a semicircle. Lacey would have much preferred to receive a massage then give one. But in any event, all eight of these guys looked pretty hot, and she silently couldn't help but fantasize about which one she would soon have her hands on.

As the girls were released from their lotus pose, Nina led them out to the patio and reminded them that they could use the outdoor shower if they wanted or take a quick dip in the pool if they preferred. She then informed them that this session was tops optional; several girls immediately yanked off their tops and jumped into the pool. Lacey didn't want to get her hair soaking wet, so she tied it in a knot the best she could, pulled her top off, and rinsed off quickly under the cold shower. Her hair didn't stay knotted for long -- but long enough for her to get cooled off and rinse her pits which were beginning to produce a noticeable odor.

As she stepped to the center of the patio, Nina pointed her to a tall, tanned male standing near a massage table wearing nothing but a towel and a smile. He was probably six-five or six, with wavy dark hair and flashing dark eyes. As Lacey approached him, he extended his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Lucas."

"Lucas," Lacey said, extending her hand to greet him. "I'm Lacey. I've never given a massage before -- I hope I don't rub you the wrong way."

Holding her hand lightly, he laughed and said, "I don't think that is even possible, Lacey." And dropping his hand -- he dropped his towel as well before lying face down on the massage table.

Lucinda immediately came by, applied a big squirt of massage oil to Lucas' back, and motioned for Lacey to spread it around. As soon as each back was well lubed, Lucinda stepped to the center of the semicircle and announced, "Today, we are concentrating on the gentlemen's backs, shoulders, legs, and of course, butts." There was a murmur of excitement on the word butt, to which Lucinda said, "Patience girls -- don't get too excited. There is much more to come."

Lucinda would give one instruction at a time and then walk between the girls as she carefully observed each one practice the directive given before moving on to the next set of instructions. Lacey initially thought sixty minutes was way too long to give a massage -- especially one just to the backside. But the time passed quickly, and before she knew it, they were only given a few precious minutes on their subjects' butt before Lucinda announced that was it for the day.

Nina, who had been assisting Lucinda the entire time, slapped the ass of the guy nearest her, signaling each girl to do the same to their patient models. As Lucas moved to get off the table, Lacey couldn't help but notice he had built up quite an erection, and as she glanced down below his waist, she smiled, which Lucas quickly responded, "Nice job Lacey -- very nice job."

He kissed her lightly on the cheek, to which she blushed and lightly brushed her hand across his raising show of appreciation. "Thank you," he whispered. To which she only blushed harder.

As the men picked up their towels and walked back into the lodge, Nina broke the magic of the moment with, "Okay girls, personal time is very precious here. And you now have thirty minutes to yourself before lunch. You can return to your cabins, shower, and freshen up before lunch in the dining room. Lunch is served starting at noon, and the first afternoon session begins promptly at one.

Lacey was still wearing her Lululemon pants and sandals, but she had been topless for the last hour. In a hurry to get to her room, she grabbed her top, turned, and headed for her cabin. She had been so busy massaging Lucas' backside that she had completely forgotten about Angie, until halfway to her cabin, she heard Angie call out, "Hey Lacey -- what did you think of this morning's session?"

Lacey glanced over her shoulder and saw Angie almost at a run to catch up to her. "It was great," she quickly responded, trying to avoid a complete conversation.

As Lacey reached the door of her cabin, Angie had caught up with her and standing just inches away, said, "I wish it had been me massaging you instead of you massaging some guy's back."

"Look Angie," Lacey said as she stepped into her cabin and partially closed the door to keep Angie from following her in. "I need a little personal time here -- okay?" she said before fully closing the door and leaving Angie alone on the front steps.

Sitting naked on the toilet, Lacey began contemplating the situation with Angie. She liked her and honestly enjoyed the night they spent together, but she wasn't looking for that kind of girlfriend, and Angie seemed to be getting more and more needy of her attention.

At lunch, Lacey intentionally sat with three other girls in an attempt to avoid Angie. And as Angie sat alone on a nearby couch drinking a smoothie, Lacey could feel Angie's sulking eyes on her back.

The first afternoon lecture was entitled, The World's Oldest Profession -- A History Lesson by Dr. Robert Hansen, or Doctor Bob as he suggested the girls call him. Lacey and probably all of the girls sat down thinking this session would be a big waste of time -- but actually, he was hilarious, and the lesson was quite a hoot.

"Why do women have sex for money?" Dr. Bob asked as he began his talk. "Because men will pay it," was the answer, and this started an hour-long stand-up comedy act as Dr. Bob went through some of history's most intriguing examples of women manipulating men with their feminine charms. He began with Adam and Eve, then on to Cleopatra, Veronica Franco, Mata Hari, and the Yellow Rose of Texas. All of it with humor and a fascinating PowerPoint presentation.

The following speaker was Dr. Renée Balford, an Associate Professor of Physiology at The University of San Francisco. She was not the natural comedian Dr. Bob was, but she was still informative and a fascinating speaker. As Dr. Balford described it, physiology is the study of how the human body works. It describes the chemistry and physics behind essential body functions, from how molecules behave in cells to how systems of organs work together. And in particular, how sexual stimulation triggers the chemical and physical response, our bodies undergo to create sexual desire. She explained that in Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, the pleasure principle is the driving force of the id that seeks immediate gratification of all needs, wants and urges. In other words, the pleasure principle strives to fulfill our most basic and primitive urges, including hunger, thirst, anger, and the need for sex.

According to Dr. Balford, "Freud believed that the id operates on the pleasure principle, that is, the idea that every wishful impulse should be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences. When the id achieves its demands, we experience pleasure; when it is denied, we experience unpleasure or tension."

From there, her talk morphed to the sexual evolution of humans and why we developed into a monogamist society only to battle our natural instinct to be polyamorous. "This isn't to say we all eventually find our romantic partners boring. It is just that our brains are wired to crave novelty, variety, and new stimuli," Dr. Balford explained. "This newness triggers the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain in the same way that drugs do. Sexual exclusivity means that we are actively fighting these biological urges of novelty."

She further explained that this natural biological battle is every bit as common in women as it is in men, but that due to social conditioning, it normally expresses itself differently. As Dr. Balford finished her lecture, the girls all responded with a warm round of applause. Lacey thought to herself, 'If I had only had classes like this when I was in school -- boy, I would have made straight A's.'

The group was quickly snapped back to reality as two of the men started setting up massage tables at the front of the room. As Dr. Balford packed up her laptop and moved to the side, Nina stepped to the front and called the room back to order. "Ladies, we are about to start our first lab. Today's lesson is the Hand Job -- pleasing your man digitally," she added with a smile and a recognizable hand gesture.

Several girls took the opportunity to visit the ladies' room while the tables were being set up, and as the chair next to Lacey was now available, Angie moved to sit next to her. Lacey didn't look over, but Angie quickly said, "I love giving hand jobs -- don't you?"