Being Present

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Amy Leigh Mercree, author of the new Joyful Living.

Affirmation: “I am present in my body and I am filled with pleasure and bliss.”

So, how can you feel truly present? This question is asked by people from all walks of life, of every age, and in all kinds of ways, like: “How can I feel more alive?”

Start simple. With the palms of your hands, start at the soles of your feet and rub briskly moving up your legs and body and repeat aloud or in your mind, “I am here now. I am present.” And just feel what it is like to be fully in your body. Really bring your awareness to that experience.

Now try to bring your conscious awareness to your feet, really inhabit them. Then do this with your feet and legs. Then be present your feet up through your torso, bringing your awareness all the way to the tips of your fingers. And then from your feet all the way to the top of your head—your entire body. Can you feel your entire body simultaneously? You might feel this awareness like a pulsing or a tingling.

What if you got into that deeply present place and then explored the sensual, whether solo or with a loving partner in the same state of awareness? Would everything be richer and more intense? Would you experience sensations and pleasure in a new way? Would your soul feel fed to know you are seeing your sacredness and if a partner is involved he or she is too? Give it a try and find out!

How would it feel to be present while experiencing glorious sensory pleasure?

Exercise: Activate Your Senses by Being Present

List at least 20 sensory pleasures in your journal. Some ideas are: Bubble baths, eating cool and flavorful Sno-Cones, clean, soft sheets in the middle of the afternoon for a sun-drenched cat nap.

When you are finished, say the following affirmation aloud: “I am a sensual being of light. I am fully present in my body and I’m full of bliss.”

Experience at least one of these sensual pleasures per day for the next twenty days. Your life will be so much more pleasurable, you will probably want to make another list and experience more pleasure to awaken your senses every day. Learn to be present to the ever-flowing bliss in your heart and soul by being present to your senses.

The joy derived from healthy, sensory pleasures enriches the intricate tapestry of the human experience. #joyfulliving101

Our thanks to Amy for her guest post! For more from Amy Leigh Mercree, read her article, “Four Powerful Ways to Live a Joyful Life Today.”