Living a Sensual Lifestyle by Tracy Morrow Certified Life Coach and Reiki Master Teacher When we were young, we experienced the world through our senses. Having a connection to "All That Is" and everything magical was a given, not something that we needed to work hard to achieve. Our life was "right now", not in past regrets or worrying about tomorrow's successes and failures. The sound of our loved one's laughter would leave us belly laughing even if we didn't know what was being laughed about, and we would cry just as easily. Shiny objects maintained a fascination that would often distract us from anything else going on. Everything in our world was in the immediate presence with no worries about tomorrow, or regrets of yesterday. As we age, we begin to think. We think about what our parents tell us, what we should or shouldn't do. We think about what we want and don't have and what our friends think we should be. Our minds become our biggest world and our egos take over us to the point where often times we forget who are. We become quite surprised when some happenstance occurs and shows us we have indeed strayed very far away from our true inner self. The butterfly that would fly by and bring a sense of joyful delight to us is now insignificant as we rush through another overly busy day. The national stress levels are on the rise and many more people suffer from anxiety driven illnesses than ever before. Crime rates and prices go up, and compassion and happiness seem to go down. Even so, life is beautiful and we are surrounded by joy. Learning to re-develop our senses as our primary mode of awareness can put us back in connection with ourselves and the world around us. It can remind us to stay in the present moment and to really pay attention to how many wonderful things are available for us to experience right now, if only our mind would quit monkeying around and keeping us so wrapped up in its cerebral chaos. Our heart can learn to once again feel heard and our intuition can begin to return to us in abundance. I invite you, Dear Readers, to take just one moment out of your day. Look around, as if for the first time. What do you see? Listen hard to the sounds of your world. What do you hear? Step away from the computer, the TV and the novel you are reading at lunch and breakfast and really taste your food. Caress your skin and wake up to the physical body that is undernourished of your attention and pleasure, yet still serves you with such dedication that you are alive and well enough to read this newsletter. Just for a moment, can you hear your heart’s message to you? One great suggestion to help in returning to a more sensual lifestyle is to set an alarm to ring once each hour and then take some time, at least one full minute, to experience your environment through your physical senses. Breathe deeply and allow yourself to become present to the world around you. Meditation, walking meditation, and yoga, are all excellent tools to help you strengthen your sense of connection to the outer world as well. I challenge you to return to a sensual way of life. Look at your loved one, friends, and coworkers as if for the very first time. Step back into the world of awareness and leave your mind to chatter to itself while you begin a new life of feeling with your heart and senses. Even if for one moment each day, your life will improve greatly. Tracy Morrow lives in Cleveland, OH with her husband and children. She is a certified Life Coach and Reiki Master Teacher who focuses on relationships and sexuality. If you would like more tips, she invites you to sign up for her free series of email lessons "Seven Steps to Living a More Sensual Lifestyle". You can find out more information at: this website RETURN TO OMPLACE HOME