Light Dark Foundations
Level 2 Workshop
– POWER –
Explore your relationship to power and discover the embodied truth of the power you hold
In-person Workshop in Berkeley, CA
February 27 - March 1, 2026
5:30pm to 8pm on Friday
10am to 7pm on Saturday & Sunday
$895 - early bird price until December 31st
$995 after December 31st
Power and Powerlessness
There is no avoiding the experience of powerlessness. Sometimes it rises from deep pain or trauma; other times it’s sparked simply by not getting what we want. And whenever that feeling moves through us, it leaves an imprint, often solidifying into a belief that we truly are powerless. From that place, our view of the world narrows. We start to see life as something happening to us, rather than something we can meet, influence, or shape. We believe that we have no choice.
But the truth is we each hold inherent power, and it doesn’t disappear just because we feel disconnected from it. Instead, it hides under the illusion of powerlessness. But it can be found again. Through a willingness to look, through finding pleasure in embracing those parts of you that feel powerless, through playful connection with yourself and others, you can reconnect with the power you never lost. And when you feel that power again, new possibilities start to open.
That’s what this workshop offers: a reintroduction to the power that’s already alive within you. A chance to feel it in your bones and reclaim your capacity to make a difference – to influence in ways that matter, to create what you’re here to create, and to meet your life with intention, agency, and presence.
Finding power through your Darketypes™
In Light Dark Foundations Level 1, you explored the shadows, learned to love your Darketypes™, and began touching the edges of power. Level 2 invites you deeper into intentional BDSM scene play, where you’ll actively engage with power dynamics and expand your understanding of the gifts your Darketypes™ hold.
You’ll be guided to lean into the edges of your inherent power, safely exploring the embodied energies of dominance and submission so you can feel the full landscape of power in your body. As you reconnect with your true power, your Darketypes™ begin to shift – moving away from old strategies and unconscious grabs for control, toward expressions that bring connection, clarity, and play into your inner world and relationships.
This experience will change how you understand yourself and your life. You’ll feel, not just conceptually but somatically, that you do have the power to influence your world – and the capacity to choose, with intention, when to take power, when to offer it, and how to move with it in ways that serve you and those around you. The world needs embodied people who can stand in their power and move with it consciously; if you feel that call, come join us.
Join us for a weekend of pleasure, power, and play
Friday - Sunday, February 27 - March 1, 2026
In-person in Berkeley, CA
Friday 5:30pm-8pm • Saturday & Sunday 10am-7pm
$895 - early bird price till December 31st
Who this is for:
This workshop is application only
Prerequisites – must have taken at least 1 of the following workshops: Light Dark Foundations Level 1, Advanced Dark Play, or Embracing the Darkness
Someone who is ready for BDSM scene play as a way of working with the Darketypes™
Someone who is ready to explore the edges of power dynamics as a way to bring about change in their life
What you will experience in the workshop:
Explore transformational BDSM on psychological, energetic, and physical levels
Dive deep into powerful, edgy “Dominance and Submission” scenes held in a strong and dynamic container
Go further in your explorations of Darketypes as you weave them into your BDSM play
Move past places of fear and shame to tap into a deeper sense of purpose for how you show up in your life as a leader with agency
Connect with and step into your dominant side
Connect with and step into your submissive side
Experiment with surrender and discover the profound power that comes with realizing that we actually don't need to be in control
“If you truly want to create impact in this world then I consider this workshop a requirement rather than a luxury.”
About your guides:
This course is taught by our powerful lead facilitators Leslie Rogers and Kimberly Han, who bring decades of experience exploring the depths of the human psyche with compassion and authenticity.
Leslie is a co-founder of the Light Dark Institute, and has dedicated his life to helping people integrate, learn from, and find the incredible gifts in their shadows. Kim has spent decades guiding people onto the edge of their discomfort, and bringing forth their courage to help them bravely walk toward what they’ve been holding back.
Kim and Leslie’s approach is playful, non-judgmental, and grounded in real-world experience — combining big-hearted love with irreverent humor, and emotional precision with creative spark. Together, they invite participants to explore the parts of themselves they’ve long exiled and to reclaim a fuller, wilder, and more connected way of being.
Ready to Dive In?
This is a journey for those who feel called to lean into the edges of their inherent power, try on different expressions of power through dominance and submission, and connect with their own power in fresh and surprising ways.
“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.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do this workshop if I’ve done Embracing the Darkness/Advanced Dark Play?
Yes! While you may have already done many of the exercises, we take more time to focus on themes around power specifically. Every time you do a scene, it reveals new levels of insights and reaches further within, illuminating more unexplored spaces inside.
Why is this workshop so much more expensive than Level 1?
This workshop is longer than Level 1, and the group size is significantly smaller and more intimate. The deep BDSM play involved in Level 2 requires greater physical spaciousness, which means we have to limit the number of participants (this workshop is limited to just 22 participants) even while our costs remain the same. So in addition to having a longer workshop than Level 1, you will also have a more intimate setting with a smaller group, and more focused attention from facilitators.
Is there sex or nudity at this workshop?
At this workshop, like at all Light Dark Institute workshops, we have a no-genital-contact policy, and everyone keeps their underwear (bottoms) on. This means that no one will be having intercourse or physically stimulating genitals. However, we do very much invite and work with erotic energy in this workshop, and there is often nudity, physical touch and other expressions of sexuality. There is a higher level of eroticism invited in this workshop than in Foundations Level 1. That being said, consent is always a keystone of our work, and if you have any personal boundaries you want to bring in beyond the boundaries we hold for the workshop as a whole, you are always welcome to do so.
I already have experience with shadow work or BDSM but haven’t done your work before, can I skip Level 1 and join Level 2?
No, because Level 1 lays the foundations for our unique approach and practices - the Light Dark Institute’s specific ways of working with these concepts. Level 1 involves getting to know and working with the Darketypes, which is an essential component for doing our work. However, if you’re a facilitator/space-holder with extensive shadow work or BDSM experience already and you’re looking for a faster-paced/deeper-dive introduction to our work, you may want to consider applying to our Advanced Dark Play workshop series instead.
I did the Darketypes™ Online Course, can I skip Foundations Level 1 and go straight to Level 2?
Generally, we recommend starting with Foundations Level 1 even if you’ve already studied the Darketypes in depth. But in certain circumstances, we may make exceptions for people who have __________. You can apply here.
Can I miss the first night or miss a day or if I have another commitment?
No. Because this workshop goes deep, it is important that all participants be there the whole time. The first night is particularly important for setting context and establishing the container.
Does the workshop include meals?
No, you are responsible for providing your own lunch.
Is the workshop ADA accessible?
Yes! You are welcome to join us and will be able to participate in all activities.
Where does the workshop take place?
The workshop will be hosted at an event venue in Berkeley, CA. 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. They 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
The world is ready for people who are fully connected to their authentic power and motivated by love and compassion.
Deepen your journey of transformational shadow work through connecting with your power and see how your world changes.