With over 300 episodes in the archive, it is easy to get overwhelmed when you become a new listener of the Speaking of Sex podcast! While you binge listen to the full archive, here is a collection of our “Best Of” Episodes – listener favorites that spotlight core Pleasure Mechanics ideas. Enjoy!

Chris first met Chester on the set of a video production for Joseph Kramer’s The New School of Erotic Touch. Joseph, founder of the Body Electric School, had met Chester in the 1990s and invited him into teaching massage and erotic touch. Joseph and Chris discuss the founding of the Body Electric School and Chester’s legacy in our two-part interview.

Chester Mainard was one of the great teachers in the Body Electric School lineage of erotic touch and queer sex wisdom. He taught at Body Electric from the 1990s until his death in 2007.

Chester Mainard was the primary teacher of massage and touch for the Body Electric School for many years. He was also the primary innovator of the anal massage techniques, bringing his love and reverence for the body to this most sensitive of areas.

Chester Mainard was also a fearless explorer of breath work, developing what he called “The Anal Breath” to draw our attention to the pelvic floor’s involvement in human breathing.

For three years, from 2003 – 2006 Chris studied and worked with Chester with the urgency of new love. Chris trained with Chester in the modalities of massage, breathwork, erotic touch and Sexological Bodywork.

Working under Joseph Kramer, Ph.D., Chris directed and edited Chester Mainard’s four hour long video teaching on anal massage that was released as a 2 DVD set, Anal Massage for Relaxation & Pleasure and Anal Massage For Lovers. Just after production, Chester was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

Chester was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, an invasive brain cancer in 2006. The night before surgery, at his request, Chris sat with Chester in the Berkeley hills and read him Walt Whitman’s poetry for hours.

Chester woke up from his brain surgery unable to speak, swallow and with no movement down his right side – but he woke with an urgency to live. He sang before he spoke, learning to use his half-paralyzed tongue to once again share his sharp wit and boundless wisdom.

For the next 9 months, Chester lived with brain cancer. Chris lived with him, offering him daily care and support, wheelchair dance parties and lots of gentle touch.

Chester Mainard died on his family land in the arms of loved ones.

We are forever grateful for the life and teachings of Chester Mainard.

A collection of our most popular podcast episodes about male orgasm and arousal. These episodes focus on the erotic experience of bodies with penises who have been socialized as male. We honor and cherish all human bodies, and strive to create inclusive and accessible resources.

A collection of our most popular episodes about female orgasm and arousal. These episodes focus on the erotic experience of people with vulvas who have been socialized as women. We honor and cherish all human bodies, and strive to create inclusive affirming resources for all.