EMBODIMENT PRACTICE 2 - Conscious Self Touch ✨ (Patreon)

Hi lovelies! 

Now that we've done some mirror work and journeyed into our perception of self...it's time to become reacquainted with our own touch again...through the sacred ritual of 'conscious self touch' ✨

THE INTENTION:

The intention behind this ritual is to become familiar with your own body again. To cultivate gratitude for your body. To know your body...not just with your eyes, but with your hands. 

This form of self touch and massage is not sexual in nature. The end goal is not orgasm. The intention is to be comfortable touching yourself without shame. Without the awkwardness. To know your body, for all its curves, bumps, scars and all. To foster a deeper sense of self-acceptance. To appreciate every part of your body. To truly know how your body feels, and where it years for your attention and affection. To touch yourself with compassion and tenderness. 

To also know your own touch outside of sex and self pleasure is essential for fostering better self esteem and confidence. It's time to become reacquainted with our own touch again. 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• You, you and you
• Paper and pen to journal 

WHAT TO DO:

• Find somewhere comfortable to sit (or you can also do this exercise standing or laying down) (do whatever feels right for you). Make yourself a scared little sanctuary which feels safe, nurturing and sacred. You could always put on some soft, sensuous music, light some incense, light some candles etc. 
• Shut down your eyes and connect with your breath 
• Rub your palms together vigorously to create warmth between the hands and then place one hand on your belly and one hand on your heart. Take this moment to connect with your hands before journeying into self touch. Perhaps take a moment to create an agreement with yourself, giving yourself permission to touch yourself without judgement or shame. Create safety within yourself so that you are better able to hold space for yourself during this practice. 
• You can start at your head and slowly and gently make your way down to your feet. Allow this to be more intuitive rather than robotic and mechanical. There may be different parts of your body that call for more attention than others. 
• I would recommend touching EVERY part of your body that you can reach, every nook and cranny, every fold and roll.
• Journal what comes up for you after the exercise. 

For some visual guidance and some more in-depth conversation on the exercise, I would recommend re-watching my livestream 'Conscious Self Touch Session' via https://www.crowdcast.io/e/6cdfgwbw

JOURNALLING QUESTIONS: 

(these are just some examples of self-inquiry questions you could ask yourself if you're stuck for what and how to journal...allow these to act as prompts to better help you to self inquire and bring awareness to your self talk when you look at yourself and your body) 

• How did it feel to touch myself in this way? 
• Are there certain parts of my body around which I hold shame? 
• Are there parts of my body that I struggle to love and accept as is? 
• Are there parts of my body that I absolutely adore? What are they? 
• Are there different parts of my body that turn me on? 
• Where were the sensitive areas? 
• Are there areas that feel numb? Desensitised? 
• What areas of my body do I need to show more attention? 
• Have there been parts of my body that I have neglected? What are they? 
• How can I integrate this ritual into my daily routine? 

WHY JOURNAL? 

It is easy to get stuck in our heads and have a million thoughts racing around. These exercises are most effective when we can get those thoughts out of our heads and use them as a reference point to reflect upon. They assist us in better integrating what we have uncovered and learned during the exercise.

TIPS: 

• If there are any parts of your body that you are struggling to accept, I invite you to spend a few extra moments touching yourself there...showing yourself tender, loving care. Touching and caressing this part of your body with compassion. Try to understand WHY you are having trouble accepting and loving this part of your body. HOW can you work on accepting and learning to love this part of yourself? 
• Try to do this exercise without judging yourself...and if you are currently inclined to judge yourself, don't judge yourself for judging yourself! You haven't failed because you judged yourself...this is all a part of the self-awareness journey. 
• Remember, be kind to yourself. Be gentle. Be compassionate. Remind yourself that it is all welcome and accepted. Despite how uncomfortable some of this may be, acceptance allows us to transmute. We are all alchemists in this regard.  
• Try your best to allow this exercise be intuitive. Be transparent and honest with yourself. Commit to the practice! Doing this exercise is a form of showing up for yourself...and your body will thank you for it (even if it feels uncomfortable at first). 
• You could also integrate this with the mirror work and do this exercise in front of a mirror. 
• If you're short on time, you can always do this exercise as you moisturise yourself, or when you're bathing or having a shower. This practice is great to integrate into these parts of your rituals anyhow. It's amazing how conscious self touch can transform the way in which we rub on some lotion or oil...let's aim to touch ourselves with mindfulness and compassion whenever and wherever we can...in everyday life! 

Let's learn to touch ourselves lovingly, without shame. Let's learn to nurture our bodies through conscious self touch and massage. To touch ourselves with tenderness and compassion, with adoration and admiration. 

Let's cultivate awe for our own individual bodies again. 

If, at all, you feel comfortable enough to embrace your vulnerability and share some of your progress and experiences below, I would love to hear 💕

With love and respect, 

Jessa

Xx

💋