Mine was the ideal American life. I had a wife and three kids, a big house, and a high-level position in a bustling start-up. I went mountain biking, played ice hockey, golf, tennis, and racquetball, played violin, guitar, piano, and trumpet, built tech projects, wrote a blog and a book on software development, participated in hackathons, church events, backpacking, and traveling. I tried to find fulfillment and purpose by filling my life with activities.
But I felt extremely disconnected at my core. The more things I collected and tried to do, the more I felt like I was living a lie. I was supposed to be happy and grateful, but actually, I was miserable and depressed. One day in my office, I broke down in tears and cried out, “Dear God, if there is a God, please tell me what to do. If this is all life is, it's not worth continuing.”
A few weeks later, I traveled to New York City for work. I remember being in my hotel, just going from the hotel room to the job every day and thinking to myself, Man, I'm right here next to New York City; I should try to find something interesting to do. I searched online and found an event about Orgasmic Meditation (OM), highlighting connection, communication, desire, and intimacy. Yes, that’s what I was looking for.
At the event, I met a group of people who practiced Orgasmic Meditation (OM). They had authenticity, genuine joy, a sense of connection—everything I was missing. Instead of trying to fill an inner void, they were happy just being. The electricity in the air touched a chord deep inside me that said, “Yes, this is what I need.” I took a class to learn the basics of the practice. When I asked for my first OM, I felt incredibly awkward. At the same time, I was moved by the level of simplicity and honesty involved in the act of asking. While stroking, I was nervous and stuck in my head, trying hard to do it right.
As I continued practicing, I realized I couldn't stay on the spot – the point of highest sensation – unless I was absolutely present in my physical sensations. I learned to focus on the stroking to slow down and feel more with each stroke, in all its flavors. The clitoris is so tiny, and it contains so much sensation. As a guy, I suspect women feel a hundred times more than we do. With attention concentrated on that small spot, the feeling is amplified so high that it actually gets through to me, and I can feel it. I can plug into a powerhouse of energy.
I kept practicing, sometimes several times a day. I was like a balloon being filled up, expanding as I connected to the intense sensations and emotions I felt inside instead of trying to avoid my feelings. I started noticing many patterns holding me back in my life. It was clear that I was keeping myself endlessly busy to avoid the uncomfortable emotions under the surface. The more I OMed, the more I could stay present with what I felt at other times. I learned to relish each thought or interaction, even if it was painful.
My wife and I had a really honest conversation that made us see we wanted different things in life, and we decided to separate. Meanwhile, my relationship with my kids totally changed. I began to treasure the depth of feeling I can experience with my children. I've learned how to be present with them and soak up the time I spend with them. I'm a software development manager in a high-stress environment, working on core technologies that drive the Internet. My team pointed out how the teams around us were burning out, with people leaving right and left, but our group was actually having fun. Even though it's intense, we feel it's manageable. They said I was setting the tone for the team to take that approach and stay empowered and lively. So, the effects of Orgasmic Meditation ripple out.
When I was growing up, I witnessed people at church experiencing a sense of power and connection to something bigger. They reached that state through prayer and devotion, but the church practices didn't align with me. Now, through Orgasmic Meditation (OM), stroking, feeling, staying present, and curious, I've found my sense of connection to something bigger. It's what I've always longed for.
