A Dose of Pleasure Thursday – Sensory Pleasure: Touch

“Art communicates through the senses - a chef through taste and smell, a musician through sound, and a visual artist through sight. But they all have one thing in common - they all lead directly to the heart.” --Andrew Hamilton

Welcome to another Dose of Pleasure! Did you enjoy slowing down your taste experience and adding new tastes? This week we finish our sensory adventures with my very favorite sense – touch.

Touch has such healing power. Just think about how you feel after a massage – like butter, right? And we all know what happens to babies who have been denied touch – they fail to thrive. These are basic examples of the power of touch. Can you think of some in your own life?

Build Your Sense Awareness

Take an awareness break right now and notice what sensations are present for you right now. Don't shift or move – just notice what you're sensing right now. Can you feel your clothes on your body (are they tight or loose?)? Is the seat you're sitting on hard or soft, or are you sticking to the seat? Here are some things to be aware of in terms of sensation: temperature, pressure, and texture.

Expand this awareness out throughout the day and notice the different sensations and how they feel. For example, what does the water feel like hitting your body in the shower? Which clothing material pleases you? How do your sheets feel against your skin? What does it feel like to cuddle with your pet? Notice how your towel yourself off each morning/evening and how varying the pressure feels. Can you feel the wind ruffling your hair when you go outside? How does the warmth of the sun feel on your face? What is the texture of the washcloth that you scrub your face/body with?

As you become more aware of sensation, you'll become more aware of what feels pleasurable to you. And don't forget to introduce new touch sensations into your world – whether it's buying flannel sheets or wearing a silk scarf or wrapping yourself in a soft blanket. Experiment and play – there are so many ways to luxuriate in and indulge your sense of touch.

Heightening Your Sense of Touch

Here are some fun resources to help you explore your sense of touch:

• The Feather Place – if you're looking for an inexpensive way to add a new touch sensation to your life, try this Web site. Notice how it feels to gently drag a feather across your skin. Delicious!
• Sheepskin Town – if you'd like to enhance your décor and your sense of touch, try a soft and cozy sheepskin rug.
• Fleece Pajamas – if you want to stay warm and delight your body with the softness of fleece, try these Snuggle Fleece PJs from Pajamagram.
• Stylish Eco-Friendly clothes – I know you're all familiar with the sassy, stylish, and earth-friendly clothes from TranquiliT, but I must include them here. They offer pleasure on two fronts – the bamboo and organic cotton feel delicious against your skin and you look stylish wearing these fabulous clothes. What can I say – it's a pleasurefest!
• Sock Dreams – if you're looking for a pair of socks that will wrap your feet in glorious pleasure, check out my very favorite source for socks.
• Life is Good Creamy Tees – why wear a plain ole T-shirt, when you can wear one that feels buttery soft to the touch (not to mention the fact that it carries a very cool message – life is good)? I own a few of these and they're the ones I always reach for when the urge to don a t-shirt comes over me.
• Pleasure Butter – just the name of this delightful product gets me smiling. There's nothing more wonderful to wallow in your sense of touch than massage. These pleasure butters from Good Clean Love are perfect for massage. Not only do they feel amazing on your skin, but they smell wonderful too.

Again, experimentation is key here. Have fun with it and enjoy learning what touches delight you. Remember, it's all about expanding your pleasure. I'll see you next time!

Have a pleasure-filled day,

Diane

Diane Cesa is a yoga practitioner and teacher, lover of life, tea drinker, adventurer, eternal optimist, nature fan, blogger, and self-proclaimed pleasure maven.