I
have not been hesitant to write and talk about sexuality topics such as
self-pleasuring or the concept of healing the entire body, including the genitals.
But I also believe that our pleasure has many sources, not just the genitals,
and it is important to emphasize pleasure beyond the genitals.
I
respect and honor many simple pleasures, and I love to connect with professionals
who work on the multifaceted aspects of healing, not necessarily having
anything to do with sexuality. It is incredibly important to have knowledge and
awareness of our minds, bodies and emotions. Any time we do something that
allows us to be present in the moment and in our bodies and minds, we support
sexual healing, even if what we do is not directly related to sexuality. Some of
the healing options I personally use and respect are yoga, meditation,
exercise, bodywork, massage and relaxation. And I believe in embracing the
simple pleasures in life such as movement, the warmth from the sun or a sauna,
sensations of all kinds and the pleasure of food.
There
is a saying that we teach what we need to learn. I have been healing from and
learning about a whole range of experiences over the course of my adult life. I’ve
been a recovering alcoholic since 1984 and hope to continue that journey one
day at a time for the rest of my life. My life journey has been about healing
all aspects of myself, including my mind, emotions, body, sexuality and relationship
with food.
I
am as careful and conscious about sharing food with someone as I am about any other
intimacy I may share with someone. I value all the forms of intimacy I
encounter each and every day; I don’t take them for granted even if they are
small or brief. I am conscious of the interactions and sharing of intimacy I
have with people whether friends or family, in the workplace or at one-time
meetings with people on the bus, in the street or at a conference or event. Some
of these seemingly less significant forms of intimacy may be conversation, eye
contact, silence, humor and sharing food. However, I consider all of these just
as important and intimate as physical or sexual intimacy and possibly even if
with a stranger or very brief.
To
really embrace our full sexuality, then, means doing more than being sexual or engaging
in self-pleasure. It means being present in our minds, bodies and hearts. It
means experiencing full embodiment. It means healthy self-esteem and a sense of
being worthy. All of these important elements can be found in all the other
forms of intimacy I have mentioned as well as in sharing our experiences with
food.
Embracing
sexuality means self-love and trust and letting go in order to feel pleasure in
every moment. It means nourishing ourselves in every way, with sleep,
enjoyment, relaxation, hopeful thoughts and food. Healing
our connection with food and bringing awareness about food into our lives are
just as important as opening up to our self-love in other ways, including
through sexual pleasure with another person or ourselves.
Copyright 2013 by
Susan Miranda. All
rights reserved. No part of this writing may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the copyright holder. For reprint
permission, email miranda_susan@yahoo.com.
