In a world that relentlessly demands our attention and energy, most of us understand how crucial it is to prioritize self-care to ensure a well-balanced and fulfilling life. In today’s exploration, we'll delve into the art of sensual self-care, an important and often-overlooked piece of the self-care pie.
We’ll see how sensual self-care can lead to a more enriched and satisfying life, including and especially our sex life, - and why it’s such a crucial way to fill our own cup through our senses. We’ll also explore how cannabis and yoga practices can help us to develop our sensual selves. Let’s dive in!
Why Sensual Self-Care Makes Us Better Lovers
Putting your self-care first is not only wonderful, it’s essential to becoming a better lover. The degree to which you prioritize your health and pleasure directly correlates with the quality of your intimate experiences, and the sexy loving you can provide to others. By giving yourself the gift of presence and self-love, you amplify these vibrations, creating a positive ripple effect in your relationships.
Below are ways you can start to cultivate your sensual self-care today. These experiences are designed to bring you into the present moment and your body. Being embodied is key to enjoying sex and being a good lover.
So, while it might not seem like slowing down to savor the fettucini alfredo on your plate ups your sex game, believe me, it does. It all starts with awakening the senses.
Awakening The Senses
The process of awakening the senses involves a deliberate decision to awaken the sense of touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste, - fostering a deeper connection with oneself and the surrounding world. Amidst the chaos of modern life, it's easy to lose touch with our senses. Sensual homework assignments encourage us to be sensual more often, even in challenging times or with our busy schedules.
Ready to do some sensual homework? Throughout the rest of today, wake up each sense, one at a time, and give it your full attention and awareness. Notice as you read through the list of the sensual practices, which ideas inspire you, and start with those!
Wake Up to Sight
Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of colors, patterns, clothing, flowers, and other beautiful things you can see. Notice how lighting can influence your mood. Gaze at yourself in the mirror, finding something you love to look at. Gaze at your partner, child, or pet, and really see them. Taking a moment each day to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, whether it's the hues of a sunset or the lush greenery of nature, might not seem to have anything to do with sex, but when we wake up one dimension of consciousness, the others follow. Meaning, the ability to be present, grateful, and connected to things you are seeing in your day-to-day life will make you even more present, grateful, and connected in the bedroom.
Add Cannabis
Really slow down and look at those gorgeous crystal trichomes on your bud. Appreciate that perfect joint you rolled. Savor the beauty of your bong.
Wake Up to Smell
Engage your sense of smell by exploring different scents throughout your day. Start with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee or your favorite body wash. Inhale the garlic butter on your pasta at lunch, and then later on burn some essential oils or scented candles while you take a bath. Notice how paying attention to smell (our oldest and deepest sense) helps to remind you that you are also an animal, with instincts, drives, and sensuality.
Add Cannabis
After grinding your bud, dump it out on your rolling tray and inhale deeply. They don’t call it “God’s Vagina” for nothing.;)
Wake Up To Touch
Be conscious of how tight clothing affects your breathing. Opt for comfortable attire that allows you to breathe deeply and move freely, promoting a sense of relaxation and ease. Choose to wear only luxurious fabrics that you love the feel of, - soft cotton, hemp, silk, linen, and cashmere are my personal favorites.
Notice the air on your skin, the feel of the massage as you get a pedicure, or the softness as you pet your dog or cat. Slow down and breathe into the sense of touch, putting your full awareness into it. This practice helps us feel more pleasure in sex, quite naturally.
Add Cannabis
It’s preferably to touch our buds minimally, to keep the cannabinoid-laden trichome crystals intact. However, we can enjoy the feel of our joint on our lips, the smoothness of the pipe, or the superb hand-feel of our mini-dab rig. Find pleasure in the senses in as many ways as you can!
Wake Up To Taste
Here you slow down and savor what you eat, chewing carefully, tasting fully, (and, probably, over-consuming less…). Swirl that oat latte around in your mouth a few times, slurp that yummy soup, let that chocolate melt on your tongue, suck on that peach with fever. Find yourself in situations where you can moan and savor delicious foods without shame, and bring that sensuality to everything you devour…
Add Cannabis
This one is easy, just slow down and savor the smoke. Notice any change between the flavor on the inhale versus on the exhale. Notice different strains, and the way the terpenes taste different when you vape compared to when you smoke. Try dabs for the juiciest taste ever, but stay away from added-terps!
Wake Up to Sound
Play your favorite music during your self-care and throughout the day. Be intentional with what background noise and advertisements you allow into your sensual field. Moan when you eat (and make love), and really let loose, even exaggerating the sound of pleasure at first until it becomes second-nature. There’s sometimes a degree of “take it til you make it” with cultivating enough courage to really enjoy the senses, so push yourself to go a little past your comfort zone if you’re shy. Even loud exhales and yawns when you first wake up are a good place to start.
Add Cannabis
Notice the sounds involved in rolling a joint, or the way your bong bubbles with the ice cubes in it, or the amazing music playing as you toke.
By incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you not only enhance your sensory experience but also expand your perception of the world around you, positively impacting various aspects of your life, including your sex life.
Bonus Practice : Wake Up To Want
Desire is not a sense per say, but while we cultivate the senses, let’s also wake up to what it is that we want. What felt good as you took on these sensual homework assignments? Notice, so you can enjoy more of those.
Allow a sense of desire in your life, a sense of wanting, a sense of liking and wanting more. It doesn’t make us less spiritual to want, to go after, to savor pleasure.
Acknowledge your wants and needs, both in and out of the bedroom. Give yourself permission to pursue them, without attachment.
Why? Because carving out extended periods of unstructured time solely for understanding our desires and what brings us pleasure is a crucial aspect of sensual self-care and satisfying sex.
Take time to reflect on what sensual activities bring you the most joy, and indulge in these pleasures without guilt or reservation. It might be that you discover music, food, fabrics, colors, or ways of dressing, eating, or moving that make you feel really good.
As you lean into what you want instead of what your mind has been telling you to do, notice how your sexual and life satisfaction both increase. Sensual self-care is an Investment in our sexuality and our wellbeing. And of course, incorporating cannabis into your sensual self-care routine can add an extra layer of depth and relaxation, enhancing your sensual appreciation and overall well-being.
As you embark on this journey of sensual self-discovery and self-care, remember that the smallest acts can lead to profound shifts in your connection with yourself and others. Remember, it’s supposed to feel good and be enjoyable, so have fun as you cultivate sensual pleasure, and feel free send us a DM @ganjayoga to report-back with your findings!
