In the Tshiluba language of Central Africa, the word ku manya means both “to know” and “to make love.” Not as a metaphor, but as a reflection of a worldview where connection, awareness, and intimacy are not separate. This talk introduces a Central African lens on the body, presence, and relating, one that sees the body not as something to fix or transcend, but as inherently whole and alive. This perspective offers a different orientation to intimacy, one that moves beyond performance, expectation, or striving, and instead opens into recognition, presence, and connection. This isn’t about learning techniques. It’s about noticing what shifts when you relate to yourself and others in a more natural, grounded way. Whether this perspective is new to you or resonates with something you’ve always felt, you’re invited to engage with it in your own way.
