Feeling stuck or just not in the mood?
Here is how to nurture your creative and sensual energy...
“Put on some music, close your eyes and allow your body to move — without a script or without any pressure to look graceful!”
This is what Florence called getting out of your head. A go to ritual every time she sensed that her team was feeling stuck, out of ideas or just not in the mood to focus…
Five years ago, I was was working at a design firm in Paris and Florence was our project manager. She always had her pulse on how her team was doing through the ups and downs of the design process. Her 5 minute dance parties were not always welcome. I’m guilty of rolling my eyes at the suggestion…but 9 out of 10 times, it worked!
Florence calls it getting out of your head. A mystic calls it transcending the intellect. Neuroscience calls it activating the parasympathetic nervous system (aka stress release). What they are all saying is this — engaging with your body in a way that is playful and pleasurable is one way to unblock your subtle creative energy.
What is true to a designer’s block is true also to our sexuality — another expression of our creative energy…our creative life force in action.
Ayurveda encourages us to explore our sensual nature and to approach intimacy as a form of nourishment and connection.
Autumn through to Spring is a period rather favourable to nurturing our sexual energy. Why this season? That is a separate conversation. For now, let’s look at how we may go about it.
While reasons for sexual dysfunction or a low sex drive could be many — a sluggish metabolism, lack of sleep, a sense of depletion, hormonal imbalance, past trauma… stress (even subliminal) is the most common!
We tend to think of sex as stress release but being wired up might make arousal, feeling present and imaginative with a partner rather difficult.
Here are some things you may consider bringing into your lifestyle to make sure stress does not get in your way…
Interoceptive movement: This is all about letting the body move without a script — stretch, dance, shake. This will allow you to become more present, rooted and sensitive to your own body.
Belly breathing, stretching or gentle Yoga: Just 20-30 minutes of this will help release muscular tension and take your brain from a state of high alert to a state of rest. Making this state of rest a regular practice will help arousal and libido.
An Ayurvedic oil massage: Snehana, the Sanskrit word for oil may also be translated as love. So according to Ayurveda, application of oil is also a practice of self-love. I love it when language surprises you like this! A full body Ayurvedic massage is a 3000 years old technique to lower anxiety, stress and create a sense of grounding. Lie back and let a certified therapist do the hard work. What more could you ask for?
PS: If you feel indulgent, follow this up with a steam. Sweating it our in a steam room is cleansing, will boost blood circulation and amplify the relaxing effect. All of which work very well together!
Wellbeing is a balancing act between how we eat, work, play and rest. It is all connected. Yoga and it’s sister sciences show us how to navigate this balancing act.
Healthy Hedonism is me making this ancestral wisdom relevant and pleasurable to you!
If you missed last week’s note catch up here : Philosophy and food choices