Who We Are

We are a group of people in Virginia, Maryland, and DC, who have come together in a variety of ways, from a variety of paths, because we needed each other.  We are a community of sorts; there is not much in the way of formal organization, but many people come to many gatherings, and many relationships of various intensities have formed from the sharing, the intimacy, the hard times, the support, and the fun we have had.

Originally, we started as a group called CuddleBuddies, dedicated to finding ways of meeting our need for nurturing and caring through safe, non-sexual touch.  We found the power of hugs, holding, cuddling, and generally feeling comfortable in our bodies with each other, to be very bonding.

After some time, we inevitably began to deal with boundaries, relationship issues, triggers, and the tendency to isolate or control.  We eventually formed a new organization called Aliantha, where we worked at creating a community that retained the closeness we wanted while working on the issues that kept us separate.  I started bringing in many workshop and support skills I had learned over the years.  The group bonded in many ways.

Eventually, we found that we had a variety of differences in vision that we were unable to resolve, and yet another group was formed - "Intimate Community".  This was a group whose purpose was to pursue a vision of healthy relationships, meeting each other's needs emotionally, working on our issues in a group setting, and continuing the good times we had had.

Today, the structures continue to shift, but there is a group of people who have continued to come and have been changed through their participation.  There are many close friendships, and much has been learned.  We continue to make our way into areas that are new for many of us.

So, Who am I? I am Gene Long, also known as Freeheart. The name Freeheart was given to me in a spiritual setting. For me, it symbolizes not only what I choose as my path, but what I see as the true nature of every person.  We do not always act free, nor always act from our hearts.  But it is what we all ultimately strive for.  I accepted the name to be continually reminded of my goals. I started on my own journey of healing and growth after the failure of my marriage in 1989.  As I worked at understanding the confusing person that was me, I sought and received help from many different sources - therapy, 12-step, books, workshops, and people who cared.  I had spent much of my life trying to heal in secret, so that I could emerge into the world a whole person, and not show my weaknesses.  Instead, I found the path to healing through revealing my secret world to others.

My experience is that we heal through relationship with each other, through community of like-minded souls who are willing to open who they really are to each other, without shame or judgment.  I started giving what I had received, and started forming communities - not physical communities, but groups of people who got to know each other intimately, who cared about each other, and who had a common vision of hope and healing for all of us Today, I owe much of who I have become to this community of people who have opened to each other, to reveal the true wisdom inside of each of us.