I've been to two Tantra speed dating events in the St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Sarasota area, and here's my quick review. If you're single, I'd suggest everyone try at least one — search "Tantra speed date" through the Tantra Institute to see if there's one near you.
How it felt
I went to one in St. Petersburg and one in Sarasota, and while I didn't make a lasting connection, I left both feeling really good — seen by women, genuinely connected, and lighter afterward. One woman shared that she felt so good after a Tantra speed date that she met her partner at the very next event she attended.
The format
You sit in a circle with the women on the inside and the men on the outside, then rotate through a series of PG exercises — eye gazing, hugging, giving and receiving a little shoulder or neck massage, sharing "things I don't want you to know about me," and affirming mantras. The facilitator made it very comfortable, and you can always use namaste hands to opt out of any exercise or person. The matchmaking uses beads: women carry a pouch and drop a bead into a man's pouch (his eyes closed) if they want to match, and the next day the event emails you your matches to exchange contact info. After the first event I emailed one match, and we had a beautiful sunset beach walk and a great conversation.
The mindset that matters
What made the first event harder was going in with an over-the-top expectation that I had to meet someone or it wasn't worth my time. Going to the second, I went simply to feel good, be seen, and get more comfortable around the opposite sex — and that's the real value. People there talked about how rarely they get safe, comfortable physical touch, and how easily they could open up. It's a guaranteed win on those terms, so I'm planning to keep going. If you want more, watch my dating playlist here.