Step Into the Fullest Capacity of Your Heart

Light Dark Foundations
Level 1 Workshop

Awaken the Power of Love by Embracing the Shadows

In-person Workshop in Oakland, CA 
Saturday & Sunday, December 7-8, 2024
10 am to 7 pm each day

Explore the shadows within to find a love that holds it all

If you’ve been feeling like you’re too much—or maybe not enough—or if the weight of the world’s challenges feels heavy, this workshop offers a new path forward. Through embracing the parts of yourself you’ve hidden or judged, you’ll uncover a deeper, more resilient connection to your heart and the world around you.

Our approach goes beyond self-improvement; it’s about welcoming the fullness of who you are. Instead of needing to “fix” what feels broken, you’ll discover the strength that comes from accepting, even loving, the parts of yourself and the world that are hardest to embrace.

Turning towards what we resist

At the Light Dark Institute, we believe that what’s needed most in our world right now is the ability to bring love to the unloved places, both in ourselves and in the world. This workshop provides a safe, supportive space to lean towards the things you’ve been turning away from—those hidden fears, judgments, and patterns that quietly limit your capacity for impact and connection.

When we bring love to the parts of ourselves and the world we’ve been resisting, we unlock profound gifts that strengthen our connection to ourselves and to all of life. In learning to embrace the shadows, we find the resilience and clarity needed to move through life with an open, courageous heart.

Join us for a weekend of exploration, embracing, and empowerment

Saturday & Sunday, December 7-8, 2024
10 am to 7 pm each day • In-person in Oakland, CA 

Enrollment price for Light Dark Foundations Level 1
$495 early bird by November 20 / $595 full price

What you will experience in the workshop:

• Discover the Beauty in the Shadows: Learn why exploring the darkness in yourself and the world is essential to deepening self-understanding and creating meaningful change.

• Embody Darketypes™:  Uncover hidden gifts as you play with and learn from dark archetypes such as the Arrogant Disdainer, the Needy Wretch, the Violent Destroyer, and more.

• Engage in Power Play: Explore different aspects of power, letting go of fear around dominance and submission in a safe, supported setting.

• Uncover Your Authentic Desires: Discover desires hiding under your complaints, and gain confidence in claiming and moving towards what you truly want.

• Expand Self-Love: Find deeper love and acceptance for yourself — even the parts you’ve been pushing away, trying to hide, or afraid to acknowledge.

• Cultivate Stronger Boundaries: Practice identifying and communicating your clear, embodied Yes and No, empowering you to show up fully in all areas of life.

• Transformative Play: Bring a sense of discovery into spots where you feel tight and fearful. Learn how to reframe everything you normally think of as “bad” or “wrong” in yourself and others, and find the gifts hiding in the dark.

• Become the Change You Want to See in the World: Release conflict, division, and abuse within yourself, to help create a world with greater peace and compassion.

What that will bring you:

• Ignite a deeper sense of meaning and connection in all that you do

• Fall in love with your whole self

• Build resilience to rise with grace through life’s challenges

• Experience the freedom to show up fully, as you truly are

• Foster deeper, more heartfelt connections and intimacy with others

• Embody more impactful and authentic leadership for the world you want to create

• Access the wisdom and gifts within all of your parts

• Expand your vision of what’s possible for you and the world around you

• Feel a greater sense of belonging and connection to all of life

“If you are nervous, scared and still curious, just do this. Leslie and Tani bring a style of work that is utterly unique. From my work with them, I find it far easier to express what I want clearly and cleanly. It makes setting boundaries simple. The highlight has been eradicating elements of shame and embracing the darkness.”

-Jennifer Pennell, San Diego, CA

About your guides:

“Tani and Leslie have changed my life irreversibly. I didn't even realize how much of myself was unknown to me until I started doing this work. And I especially did not know that I could step into my WHOLE self and also be loved.”

-E. Barrett Venice, CA 

Ready to Dive In?

This is a journey for those ready to move beyond conventional self-development and embrace the beauty and power within the shadows. Join us to awaken your whole heart, find the gifts in the darkness, and step into your full capacity to bring more love into our world.

“While not for the faint of heart, this work is transformational at the deepest level. When you're ready to release shame and step fully into your power, get yourself to an experience with the Light Dark Institute. Highly recommended.”  

-Dr. Jane Guyn, Bend, OR

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a lot of repetition between this workshop and the online Darketypes course?

There is definitely some overlap between Foundations Level 1 and our 8-week online course, Playing with Darketypes™. However, the focus of each course is different, and they cover a lot of different territory from each other.

In the Foundations in-person workshop, we definitely do work with Darketypes, but the online course offers a much deeper and more intimate study of the 10 Core Darketypes. The Foundations workshop, on the other hand, includes explorations of power exchange and other foundational tools of Light Dark work which are not present in the online course. And due to the nature of in-person vs. online work, the Foundations workshop includes more embodiment and relational activities, whereas the online course is more about the individual journey.

It is definitely possible to take both courses (many people do). Although you will go through some repeat content you will also get a lot of fresh and new material through each course, to help you deepen into your relationship with the shadows in yourself and the world.


How is this workshop different from other in-person Light Dark Institute workshops?

Some of you may have heard of our Advanced Dark Play workshop (also known as Embracing the Darkness), which we offered frequently from 2015-2020 and revived again in 2023. 

Advanced Dark Play is part of our advanced workshop series. It is a fast-paced deep dive into shadow work and BDSM. It is designed specifically for workshop facilitators and is only accessible via invitation or application.

Light Dark Foundations, on the other hand, is a gentler yet still very potent on-ramp to Light Dark work. It’s suitable for anyone who is willing to play and feels called. This Light Dark Foundations Level 1 workshop is the first of a 3-part series of new workshops. We’ll be placing a particular emphasis on how to stand in your full power and lead from love in these changing times.


Can I sign up if I’ve done Embracing the Darkness, or is this just for people new to your work?

We’d love to have you back, even if you’ve worked with us before. While quite a bit of the content will be similar to what you learned in Embracing the Darkness, no two workshops are ever the same, and this is deep work that benefits from repetition. And even if you’re familiar with our maps and exercises, this Foundations course will include more time and more setup, likely leaving you with a better understanding of the deeper Why behind specific practices.


Will this workshop involve kink or BDSM?

While we’re well-known for using conscious BDSM and kink techniques as an entryway to power and liberation, this particular workshop will only dip a toe in that water. We will have some activities that play with power exchange in a safe and accessible way, even if kink isn’t your thing. Subsequent workshops in this series will wade farther into this territory.


Why would I want to put attention on these dark parts?

By learning to understand and play with the dark parts of yourself, you can transform them into sources of wisdom, creativity and connection. We’ve found this journey helps people cultivate a more profound love for themselves and those around them, empowering them to live with the tremendous power of a courageously open heart. Whether you are an individual wanting to find more self-love, to a partner wanting to improve your relationship, or a leader looking to have a big impact on the world, this work offers the possibility of potent transformation, empowerment, and greater love.


What Are Darketypes™?

Darketypes™ (Dark Archetypes) are specific aspects of our inner selves that we usually avoid. While confronting them may seem daunting, it can also be incredibly liberating.

In this workshop, you’ll meet the Light Dark Institute’s 10 Core Dark Archetypes, such as:

• The Arrogant Disdainer

• The Violent Destroyer

• The Covert Manipulator

• The Needy Wretch

You’ll also be introduced to the map that explains how the Darketypes™ relate to each other.


What is your refund policy?

The registration fee is refundable minus a $35 processing fee up until one week before the workshop. If cancelling within one week before the start of the workshop, 50% of the ticket price is refundable.


Is the workshop ADA accessible?

Yes! We will be on the fourth floor of a building but there is an elevator and an ADA accessible curb outside. You are welcome to join us and will be able to participate in all activities.


Does the workshop include meals?

No, you are responsible for providing your own lunch.


Where does the workshop take place?

The workshop will be hosted at a private location in Oakland, California. You will be sent the address after registering, shortly before the event.

“The Light Dark Institute offers some of the most powerful personal transformation work out in the world right now. Tani Thole and Leslie Rogers have created some of the most genuine, powerful and deep methods to pierce through the layers of shame and artificiality that keep us from truly connecting with ourselves and with each other. I've never felt more seen or more held in all my parts.”  

-L. Campbell, Oakland, CA

There is profound beauty and connection waiting right in the places you’ve been afraid to explore.

Learn to embrace every part of yourself, and step into your heart’s power to courageously bring more love to the world. The time is now.