Sensuality vs Sexuality
Today I’d like to share some of my thoughts on the topic of sensuality and sexuality, and how you can use this understanding to enhance your enjoyment of life.
Let’s start with sensuality...
Sensuality is defined in the dictionary as:
noun:
the enjoyment, expression, or pursuit of physical, especially sexual, pleasure
: he ate the grapes with surprising sensuality.
• the condition of being pleasing or fulfilling to the senses: life can dazzle with its sensuality, its colour.
Sensuality comes from the word sensual, which is defined as:
adjective:
relating to or involving gratification of the senses and physical, especially sexual, pleasure
: the production of the ballet is sensual and passionate.
So part of sensuality is the enjoyment of your sexual pleasure, but not limited to. It's an experience of being connected to your senses. So when you're connected to your senses, your sensory experience, you can have a sensual experience.
For example:
the sense of hearing: listening to amazing music, hearing the breeze through threes
the sense of sight: watching something beautiful, like art, beautiful people, a dance
the sense of touch: the feeling of silk against your body, soft touch, hugging your children, breastfeeding, eating
the sense of smell: inhaling scents that make you feel good, smelling skin of people you love or the genitals of your lover
the sense of taste: eating something delicious
Your sensuality is an embodiment of your senses, of feeling your sensations and the experience that gives you.
Sensuality can be how you choose to speak, eat, dress and move through life. This extends your sexuality into everyday experiences.
You can use your sensuality to be deeply connected to your human experience in a sensual and pleasurable way.
Everything can be a pleasurable experience, accessed through your senses, through your sensuality.
The key is perception, focus and intention.
Life doesn’t have to be dull, it can be dazzling with its sensuality.
So what about sexuality?
sexuality | sɛkʃʊˈaləti |
noun
capacity for sexual feelings
: she began to understand the power of her sexuality.
• [count noun] a person's sexual orientation or preference: people with proscribed sexualities.
• sexual activity: sexuality within holy matrimony was only justified as a necessary part of reproduction.
Human sexuality is vast, diverse and filled with potential and possibilities to be expressed and enjoyed in so many ways.
Thankfully, today we have a cultural climate in the West where sexuality doesn’t have to mean reproduction, limited to heterosexual encounters or in a committed relationship.
Your sexual energy is your life force energy. The Taoist tradition calls it “jing chi”.
It’s created in the sexual organs by being sexually active. Through intentional Taoist practices, you can use this energy to create physical, emotional and spiritual health and well-being.
Isn’t that great to know?! Your sexuality at its core is a certain energy that you can actually create and then harness throughout your body.
Does being sensual and sexual automatically mean that you’re sexy?
The dictionary definition of sexy is:
adjective
1
sexually attractive or exciting
: sexy French underwear.
• sexually aroused: neither of them was feeling sexy.
2
informal
very exciting or appealing
: business magazines might not seem like the sexiest career choice.
Sexy is of course subjective.
You might feel that you are being neutral, sensual or sexual, while another person might interpret you as sexy.
This has to do with cultural definitions, which are always moving and shifting.
For example, in very traditional cultures showing your ankles could be seen as sexy (and inappropriate) while you see it as a neutral part of the body.
It also has to do with context. In a non-sexual context, it could be neutral or sensual, but in a sexualized situation, it's interpreted as sexy.
I think “being sexy” boils down to:
Your own intention
The level of excitation it evokes in you and the beholder
***
Lastly, I want to emphasize that as long as there is consent, there is literally no wrong way to be sensual or sexual.
In my own day-to-day life, thinking about these things inspires me to show up differently – in a positive way.
I feel happier when I’m connecting to my sensuality in small ways every day.
I feel sexier when I’m connecting to my seuxality regularly.
I feel permission to be sexy, in my own unique way, because I am embodying my sensuality and sexuality in a way that feels like it’s for ME.
What do you think? Have you ever thought about this?
What steps/action do you take to embody this?
Did this inspire you?
I’d be so happy to hear from you, feel free to head to the contact page on my site and reach out!
Love,
Erika
PS. Have you joined my newly opened Facebook group Pleasure Rebels yet? If not, do it NOW (click here) if you want to be in a community with bad-ass women who love to talk about sex in a shameless, positive and REAL way.
