Ever dream of being so wholly focused and present, so in-the-moment that facebook, google, instagram, cleaning your house, getting another coffee, that half-eaten bag or blue corn chips, or your entire damn phone hold no attraction over you AT ALL?
Or to be so connected, alive, vital and creative that you’re totally attuned to your values and actively designing your life around them? Thus making the world a better place?
Nope?
Well, then we’re less alike than I thought. :-/
But if you’re a big ol’ YES, MA’AM, then here’s a totally (unexpected) way to get there.
And it’s not a new fangled time management app, examination of your deepest fears*, or meditation technique, or another do-hickey to buy. It’s something you can do at any moment of the day no matter where you are.
What is this psychic power tool you ask?
Well, it’s simple really…it’s sensuality.
Yes, you heard me right. Sensuality. So, the internet says:
sen·su·al·i·ty /ˌsen(t)SHəˈwalədē/ noun
1 : the enjoyment, expression, or pursuit of physical, especially sexual, pleasure.
2 : the condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses.
While one is fun**, we’re gonna focus on the second definition, “the condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses.”
When’s the last time you…
- saw something beautiful (it’s Spring, that shouldn’t be too hard),
- tasted something utterly delicious,
- heard birds singing a sweet song or a great piece of music (I sure do miss me a good subway musician)
- felt something nice on your body (a soft sweater, warm tea, a gentle touch from a loved one)?
Think about it for a sec and notice if in that moment you were a million other places.
When you were noticing the breathtaking, blossoming tree in your neighborhood, were you mentally writing your grocery list? Or were you just focused on the tree…even if just momentarily?
Probably not.
When you’re engaged sensually, you are more present. You are more focused. You’ve been called BACK into your body. And the sensual experience keeps you present, grounded, and focused on REALITY AS IT IS.
This is why being in nature is such a radical, soothing and enlightening experience for so many of us. Our senses are engaged and we feel our own aliveness.
“All negativity is caused by an accumulation of psychological time and denial of the present. Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry – all forms of fear – are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.” – Eckhart Tolle
Sensual engagement creates the opportunity for presence, which can ultimately correct the imbalance of too much past/future and give you room for heightened creativity, a bigger vision for your life, and deep presence.
Sensuality ➝ present and in your body ➝ ultimately slowing down + getting turned on = Lit up! Synapses firing! Energy flowing!
And all that allows you access to more creative thinking and engagement (remember, like attracts like) and to zoom out and see your life from a perspective of bigger, juicier vision (ie “Hey, I want more of this, how can I design my life to make room for more deeply sensual and satisfying moments just like this?”).
See what I did there? By you focusing on sensual experiences — even tiny ones like putting lotion on your face in the AM, being more attentive to drinking a glass of water, noticing the green buds on a tree BECAUSE SPRINGTIME BABY — you’re getting
more alive,
more aware,
more attentive to what’s happening now, not last week, not next year,
more focused on what’s most important…
Who doesn’t want/need/desire more of all that?
[YOUR HOMEWORK] for this gorgeous Spring weekend is to get sensual! Intend on having sensual experiences! This may just mean being more attentive to the moments in what you already have planned.
- A hang in the park?
- A walk in the neighborhood?
- Some planting in your garden (fire escape gardens count!)?
- A meal with friends?
- Rubbing some coconut oil on your body after a shower…
- Anything can be sensual if you let it be. SURPRISE! You’re welcome.
Whatever you do this weekend, find ways to bring sensually pleasing things/experiences into your life. Or pay more attention to the sensually pleasing things/experiences that are already there. Squeeze every drop of life from each moment.
Sensual engagement with life (thus all the benefits) is available to us all day long, every single day.
I want the very best for you. Go get turned on.
* Though I do love me a good fear exploration…
** Unfortunately, in our culture, sensuality is often paired off with sexuality. While it’s an aspect of sexuality, it’s so much more. And frankly, sexuality is SO MUCH MORE than the mechanics of sexual activity — which is what we’re taught too.