Whether we are writers, painters, potters, quilters, musicians, or any other type of artist, our creativity will always be enhanced and flowing in full force when we discover the connection between our art and sensual pleasure. Over the years I have discovered that it is the art of sensuality that can teach us how to live a creative life. This sensual pleasure directly involves our senses with things like a delicious meal, the earthy scent of patchouli, how it feels to slip naked into silk sheets, a warm ocean breeze against our skin, the splendor of a sunrise or sunset, making love under the stars, or the sound of a familiar and loving voice.
Sensual Living And The Modern World
Unfortunately, it seems like these days we have to truly fight for the right to create this kind of sensuality in our lives. For many of us, it’s a long journey back to the passion and ecstasy we were naturally born to express, having grown up in a world that would have us trade all sensual pleasure to become practical, productive, and profitable. While the latter is part of living in this world, to my writer’s heart, it cannot come at the expense of the former. Always, it’s about that fine dance of balance.
What We’ve Been Taught As Normal
Somewhere along the way as we learn to reclaim our inner artist, we discover the pain of what we had been taught to deprive ourselves of; things like taking the time for a luxurious bath with candles or our favorite essential oils, paying attention to the birdsong at dawn, smoking a stellar cigar, stopping to gaze and drink in the smell of a summer rose, sipping on a much loved whiskey or craft beer, or even noticing the flavors of the foods we are eating. How many times have we told ourselves we can’t afford the good food, or the clothes that will feel sensual against our skin, or the fine wine that we know does something blissful to our lips as we drink it? We don’t have to buy a case of wine, or a shopping cart full of our favorite foods, or a total wardrobe of fabrics that feel divine on our body. A little reminder of the sensual beings that we are goes a long, long, way in expanding our creative selves and making us feel open and alive.
Begin With A Small Indulgence, Then Feel The Ripples
There are many pleasurable indulgences that take time and money, there’s no denying that, but there are so many more that are easily and readily available at little or no cost like some mentioned above. We can give ourselves one hour, or one entire day to walk among the trees, one beautiful silk scarf, one bottle of fine wine, or one decadent piece of dark chocolate every now and then. You get my drift. Sadly, we can get so used to living without this kind of pleasure that we intentionally keep away from them so we can avoid feeling the utter sadness and piercing grief of realizing how long we have denied ourselves the true joy of sensual pleasure. However, once we begin to really indulge in practicing the art of sensual pleasure we will find ourselves, and our lives, opening up in many waves of synchronistic, creative, and abundant ripples.
Sensual Pleasure Is The Gateway To Creativity And Self-Love
Learning to say ‘yes’ to ourselves first, and really making an honest practice of it, can feel challenging at the start, especially when we may have spent years, and even decades, giving to others and denying our own longings and creativity. When we honor ourselves and tap into our sensuality and sensual pleasure, we find that it will naturally extend into our sexuality too, regardless if we are on our own or with a partner. And if you are on your own, please remember that we weren’t born with a pleasure center just to sit around and wait for the ideal ‘other’ to show up! Being intimate with our self is a supreme act of self-love and sensual pleasure. Sexuality is a very simplistic, natural, and potentially cathartic mode for expressing the ecstatic love we are all made of, while at the same time, being a powerful gateway to accessing our creative, intuitive energy as artists.
How To Get Your Groove Back If It’s Gone MIA
In one of my favorite books for creative types, The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron, she discusses the importance of taking yourself on a weekly ‘artist’s date.’ This date can be an excursion into any place that makes you come alive, for example your favorite fabric store, art supply store, museum, foodie store, art gallery, concert hall, restaurant, antique store, heritage building, etc…The key is that it has to bring you pleasure, it makes you smile, maybe it’s something you used to love as a kid, it brings on the warm fuzzies, and you have to do this alone. You are also under no obligation to spend any money on these dates…you don’t have to go shopping, but rather just place yourself in the ‘vibe’ of whatever relaxed and nourishing pleasure means to you. I’ve done this many times, from dining at an upscale bistro, trying on fabulous clothes with no intention of buying any, going to the movies, lingering through an art gallery, trailing through my favorite farmer’s market, and browsing in old and musty bookstores. Do not discount the power this has on your subconscious as a vital and powerful message of self-love.
Sensuality and Pleasure Is A Call To Surrender
We are human beings living on a blue planet and that makes us all a part of existence. We can’t be separate from any of it, and when we really can learn to take this in and surrender to it, our dark angel, or shadow side, becomes naturally unified and we become so much more than our paralyzing fears. To experience the sensual pleasures of life in whatever way they show up, is to teach us surrender. Why? Because it feels sooooo good! When we allow ourselves to feel good, we automatically can sense the absolute goodness in the universe and that we can never be separate from it, because we are it. This frees us to live our lives in such a way that there is no longer any doubt that how to live a creative life is intricately and deeply tied to the art of sensual pleasure.
I Love Hearing From You
If you have any questions or just want to say hi, connect with me in the footer below or in the comment section.
Wishing you much creative & sensual living,
Heather xo
In my opinion, the main problem with people nowadays is they fail to appreciate themselves as a human and they fail to enjoy the time that they have now.
People are always thinking what should they do next and what will the future be.
The consequences are that they actually fail to live their life.
Hi Fadhil,
Yes, what you say is true for many people, and I think a big part of that is the fact that we tend to put productivity and profit over creativity and the sensuousness of the soul.
How much more beautiful and alive would people feel if they lived their lives in the moment, in full appreciation of the senses and all the pleasure and passion that our senses can offer us?
I can tell you….it would be a very different world!
Thank you for taking the time to stop by, Fadhil.
Warmly, Heather 🙂
What a beautiful article..You are so, so right. There is absolutely nothing more pleasant for me than taking a peaceful walk through a cool forest or mountain path. I’m really sorry to say that I currently live in Louisiana (Gross..), and cannot enjoy that feeling quite as much anymore.
Mosquitos make it a bit difficult 🙂 As you mentioned in your article, however, there are other ways to enjoy things like that in life, and they often don’t cost much at all!
Thank you for this post, brightened up my day.
Hi Cohen,
Many thanks for stopping by. I’m so glad you enjoyed the article.
Like you said, there are a myriad of ways to enjoy the pleasure of sensual living…and I’m pretty sure mosquitoes aren’t one of them! :-)…..though there must be other awesome pleasures for the senses in Louisiana…what about chicken gumbo and all that great cajun music?!
Happy this brightened your day.
Warmly, Heather 🙂
Hi Heather,
Your post made me think…a lot.
I always love to be alone, the silence of my thoughts, nature under my feet, cooking while listening to an inspiring audio-book, playing and reading close to the stove.
Then sometimes I find myself alone doing things that just fill my time, they do not fulfill my inner being…too much internet, too much going here and there.
Now I will post this comment and shut my laptop, I will take my book and lie close to the fire, maybe I will hear the breathing of my 5 month old sleeping daughter.
Thank you, and bless you.
Hi Andrea,
Just loved your comment. Sometimes just the right words at the right time can hit us in the place that needs some attention.
I hope that laying by the fire with your book and your sleeping daughter filled you with peace and pleasure. Such a perfect example of surrendering to the sensual need of our inner-being. Well done!
Many blessings your way.
Warmly, Heather 🙂
Hi Heather,
Very well said in your article! But how many of us in this world still remember these words “indulgence”, “sensual living” and its meaning? Most of us are chasing the materialistic world, as they are made to believe, you either “Work to Live” or “Live to Work”! I prefer to choose “Live for Life”!
Thanks for your enlightenment here, anyway! 🙂
Vic – Live for life
Hi Vic,
Yes, these words – indulgence and sensual living – are deeply beautiful and meaningful to our inner being.
Sadly, like you say, many ignore the inner being and miss out on living life.
I love your slogan, “Live for Life!.” Would make a great bumper sticker!
Blessings, Heather 🙂
What a beautiful web site I have wandered into.
And I do feel as if I have been wandering, calmly and serenely into something I can feel, and it feels good.
Maybe the ability to give oneself sensuality and pleasure are a lost art that badly needs to be rekindled to overcome all the chaos in this world. Beauty is all around us and contentment is inside us.
Thank you Heather!
Hi Karilee,
Thank you for your kind and insightful comment.
You’ve hit the nail on the head by wondering if the ability to give oneself sensuality and pleasure is a lost art that the world badly needs to remember and rekindle.
I believe nothing would put the world back into a state of peace, balance, and harmony than this.
Just imagine the deep joy and contentment we all could feel on a daily basis if we took the time to feed our soul in this way.
The collective soul of the world is sadly starving….
Many blessings,
Heather
It’s never too late to begin! My motto.
Love that motto, Tracy! So true.
I think our creative well is deeper, the later we start in life to drink from it, don’t you?
All that living and longing and anguish beforehand serves us well in the end.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Warmly,
Heather 🙂
Four years late reading this. How can you surrender? This article is probably for those people who have most of the things in life, have comforts of life but still want more, but try having nothing, no job, no income, no partner, no roof over your head, zero friends, the only thing you want to surrender to is the feeling of not wanting to live.
The tide will turn. I was able to write about surrender and sensuality because I have been where you are. When we are left with seemingly nothing..at ground zero..we can let go and fall with deep humility at the feet of a higher power who will begin to build us back up again..stronger and full of thanks. I have never met a person in your situation who hung on (and I’ve known many), whose life did not become a beacon of light and support for others later on. If you could only see what awaits you on the other side of this my friend..let go..ask for all manner of tender mercies to show up for you now.
Many blessings your way,
Heather