Solo Pleasure Retreat
I am just emerging from my mini solo-retreat that I hosted myself last weekend. I feel like reflecting and writing about it, so I thought a blogpost to you would be the perfect way to do that while hopefully being of inspiration to you.
Because it was soo needed and nourishing!
It was the first time since we moved here into our little forest-house, that my partner Tolde was away for the weekend. And so I had the whole weekend to myself, something that was very needed since we work & live together. I realized we are basically partners, lovers, best friends & co-workers (I am totally guilty of using him, unasked as my soundboard sometimes). Way to go of creating co-dependency, hey? And so I wanted to be super intentional about this time alone and make it like a mini-retreat. Because my intention for November and December is: 'I let pleasure lead the way', I intended on putting pleasure first. Now, the fun part is that I spent Friday evening until Saturday afternoon binge watching 'Sex Edcuation' (am I the only one that cries watching that show?) and eating shit food. And oh, of course the electricity went out on Friday night, kinda like my worst nightmare, considering I already felt a bit uncomfortable all by myself in this dark forest. Oh well.. I wanted to face the darkness, this was just the universe answering that call. I realised somewhere on Saturday, after waking up from a nap at 13:30, that I had been numbing myself from the discomfort I felt. The discomfort from being totally alone in the forest as a city-girl. From going off social media. And from the adrenaline-dip I felt after a few busy and fruitful weeks. I did not immediately create space for the emotions that were present. AND THAT'S OK! I needed some time to relax and numb myself a little, to then feel the negative effects of that, to guide me back to my intentions for the weekend, and back to my feelings. The turnaround was when I went for a long walk in nature. From then on I spent lot's of time in ceremony and nourishing practices like lighting the fire, journaling, having a castor oil pack on my womb while meditating, a dip in a cold lake and two self-pleasure sessions. I did all the things that cost a little effort, and come with some resistance, but that I know nourish me and make me experience the pleasures of living inside this body, on this beautiful planet. (It's honestly such a breakthrough moment for me that I am able to share about my self-pleasure practice with you, but that's a story I will safe for another email). What I take from this mini-retreat:
Intention and Ceremony are the initiators for a life with pleasure;
Less is more: less tv, less social media, time away from my love and time being just with myself resensitizes me to the pleasures of life;
That we as women should (and I don't use the word 'should' often) create more space and time to be present with ourselves, especially our yonis because from this tune-in we can turn our (sex)lives on!
I invite you to take a moment to think about, and feel into, how you want to create that time and space for yourself, and what would be your motivator to do so.
To help yourself stick to that, you could write one action (or non-action) that you commit to in helping you create more space for yourself. You can even send it to me in an email! I'd love to hear from you.