Pleasure & Presence: A Potent Pair

What are your simple pleasures in life?

Sometimes, I just want comfort food. And, what’s better than eating delicious food on a vacation? I mean, look at this mouth watering vegan chik’n mac and cheese wrap slathered in bbq sauce. 😋

OMG it was SO GOOD. 🥰

Except, I only felt the pleasure of the first few bites.

You see, comfort food is far more complicated for me when I am on a long drive thanks to a complex history of childhood trauma. As Ikenna and I hungrily downed our sandwiches, I felt that old familiar creep of anxiety rising. 😟

What if… What if I got sick on the road? What if this food doesn’t agree with me? My mind began to spiral, completely unbeknownst to my wife. 🤢

Completely unrelated memories began to surface of terrible roadtrips as a child, my history with chronic illness, and so so so much bodily shame. 😰

Ripples of anxiety rolled through me and I tightened my hands on the steering wheel, focusing on the road ahead.

But, after a moment, I found myself again.

I took a deep breath and looked at where I was, reminding myself that if nothing else, I’ve mastered the skill of being present.

Fully present once more, I was stunned by the sunrise withing me: awe at the beautiful land of Arizona all around me. By this point, we were driving through a national forest on our way into Sedona. ✨

Through my self-work, I’ve come to recognize anxiety and excitement feel the same in my body. I looked over at my wife and took their hand, feeling into that sense of felt safety of having found someone I can express myself with fully. I smiled at them, and remembered. 😃

Remembered I have the power to return to my presence and find pleasure no matter where I am and when I am.

That’s the good, juicy stuff in life. The balance. The shadow and the light dancing, but the light shining SO MUCH BRIGHTER all for having allowed ourselves to feel those shadowy feelings.

Sometimes a simple moment like eating a cheezy wrap can be that light and dark – a strange, seemingly unrelated thing that brings up something to be healed in us. And oh how delicious those healing moments can be.

But other times, we just want some comfort food and that’s all it is. 😂

What would be possible for you if you accepted and deeply felt your own pleasure? If you CELEBRATED it?🎉

Do you desire to heal your relationship with pleasure or simply deepen it?

If you’d like to become more present and drop into the felt sense and energy of pleasure, I invite you to join me for the Portal of Pleasure, a complimentary event in my portal series.

You can get your complimentary ticket here: https://offers.livinglunas.com/offers/xd8UzKT3