Embracing Somatic Sovereignty and Somatic Self-Love Through Pleasure

Somatic Sovereignty: Reclaiming Your Body

Somatic sovereignty is about embracing your body as it is right now and making decisions based on personal intuition and knowledge, without the influence of external pressures, societal norms, or expectations[^1^].

This practice goes beyond the realm of physical health and wellness; it involves understanding, respecting, and honoring our body’s needs, desires, and boundaries in every aspect of life.

Somatic Self-Love: A Deeper Connection with Your Physical Self

Somatic self-love focuses on nurturing the felt sense of love for ourselves alive in our bodies. This form of self-love goes beyond intellectual understanding or affirming positive thoughts about yourself. Instead, it involves experiencing and embodying self-love on a deep, visceral level.

Somatic self-love encourages a genuine connection with your physical self and an appreciation for your body’s unique qualities, abilities, and wisdom. It fosters acceptance and celebration of the body as it is, acknowledging its inherent beauty and capabilities. [^2^]

The Empowering Role of Pleasure

Pleasure and Somatic Sovereignty

Creating our own pleasure allows us to discover what our bodies enjoy and desire. This understanding is a fundamental aspect of somatic sovereignty. As we learn to prioritize our pleasure, we exercise autonomy, making choices that honor our bodies’ needs and desires[^4^]. We begin to set boundaries based on what brings us pleasure and satisfaction not what we want to avoid. Not in response to trauma. It is a creative experience rooted in our body moving toward something instead of away.

Pleasure and Somatic Self-Love

Pleasure also contributes significantly to fostering somatic self-love. When we feel pleasure, we are practicing self-love alive in our bodies – acknowledging our bodies’ capacity for joy, and affirming our bodies’ worthiness of experiencing joy[^5^].

This visceral experience of pleasure promotes a genuine, compassionate connection with the physical self.

Pleasure is not just a sensory experience; it’s a potent tool for self-empowerment. It helps individuals assert their somatic sovereignty and cultivate somatic self-love, leading to a healthier relationship with their bodies.

A Somatic Self-Love Pleasure Ritual

Let’s explore a simple somatic self-love pleasure ritual that you can incorporate into your routine to help cultivate somatic sovereignty and self-love.

1. Create a safe and comfortable space: Find a quiet, private space where you feel safe and comfortable. You might want to include comforting elements like soft lighting, favorite scents, or calming music.
2. Practice mindfulness: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Bring your awareness to your body, noticing how it feels in the present moment without judgment or expectation.
3. Tune into pleasure: Think about an activity or sensation that brings you pleasure. It could be the feel of a soft fabric against your skin, the taste of a favorite food, or the warmth of a bath. Engage in this activity, focusing on the pleasure it brings to your body.
4. Acknowledge and appreciate: As you experience pleasure, take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate your body’s capacity for joy. Affirm your body’s worthiness of experiencing this joy.
5. Reflect and set intentions: After the ritual, reflect on the experience. How did it make you feel? Can you bring these feelings of pleasure and appreciation into your daily life? Set an intention to honor your body’s desires and needs, thus asserting your somatic sovereignty.

Remember, this is your journey, and there’s no right or wrong way to cultivate somatic sovereignty or somatic self-love. The key is to listen to your body, honor its needs and desires, and allow yourself to experience and enjoy pleasure. By doing so, you’re not only investing in your physical well-being but also empowering yourself and enhancing your quality of life.

The Research

[^1^]: Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research and Clinical Practice ↗

[^2^]: Gendlin, E.T. (1981). Focusing. Bantam. ↗ In this seminal work on Focusing, Eugene Gendlin explores the concept of the “felt sense,” a bodily awareness of our feelings and life situations. By tapping into this felt sense, individuals can access a deeper understanding and connection to their emotions and experiences, allowing for profound personal growth and healing.

[^3^]: Barsalou, L. W. (2008). Grounded cognition. ↗ Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 617-645.This review emphasizes how our bodily states can shape our cognition, including our emotions and sense of self.

[^4^]: Nagoski, E., & Nagoski, A. (2019). Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science that Will Transform Your Sex Life. ↗ Simon and Schuster.In this book, Emily Nagoski presents evidence about the science of sexual well-being, emphasizing the importance of understanding one’s body and the unique factors that contribute to pleasure. The work emphasizes that by knowing what brings pleasure, individuals can have a better understanding of their desires, thus leading to better overall well-being.

[^5^]: Berridge, K. C., & Kringelbach, M. L. (2015). Pleasure systems in the brain. Neuron, 86(3), 646-664.

This paper delves into the neural mechanisms associated with pleasure. The authors explore how pleasure is not just about hedonic experiences but is deeply rooted in promoting well-being, emphasizing the body’s natural inclination to seek pleasure as a way to support overall health.