I thought something about me was broken. I would drink, watch TV, take pills, and do anything that might give me a peaceful, calm feeling. I didn’t feel good in my body; I didn’t want to be in it. I would use some sensory distraction to remove myself from being present with my body. I didn’t know how to ask for what I wanted. But I did know how to go numb.
I was used to doing things based on obligation rather than desire. I felt like I needed to be in a committed partnership if I was going to be having pleasure. Anything outside of that made me feel guilty and shameful. My relationships felt formulaic and routine. I didn't feel close to my partners. It was mostly in my head and mostly about the guy. I didn't let my needs and desires be important. I was caught in a cycle of deprivation, both inside and outside of the relationship. I didn’t think I could have enjoyment just for enjoyment's sake.
A friend invited me to an Orgasmic Meditation event and said it might help. I got to hear some experiences from people, and I related to the stories they shared. I especially liked this one story a woman told about how she had suppressed her desire to the point that she couldn’t even hear it anymore. She had become numb to it. The numbness, the numbing out, really resonated with me. I did a lot of things not to feel.
My first Orgasmic Meditation was incredibly profound. It took a long time for me to get into the nest, but I was moved once I got in there. The practice just took me over. I could actually feel the sensations. I remember my whole body felt like it was being oxygenated. Like I hadn't been breathing somehow, and oxygen was entering my body. I felt tingling across my forehead. I felt like I was melting; sometimes, my body would stiffen, and then I would feel a softening.
The part of Orgasmic Meditation (OM) that is most significant for me is the container. It helps me drop into the present moment, feel, and connect with my partner. I feel safe knowing that the practice is goalless, that the container is non-negotiable, and that I don’t have to give anything in return besides my presence.
I’ve made a commitment to practice OM regularly, and the principles of OM (Orgasmic Meditation) have carried over into other parts of my life. It has been an experience of learning how to soften and how to live from desire rather than obligation. I started learning how to ask for things that I actually wanted. And learning how to explain how I want them. For example, I can ask for my tea just the way I like it now, and I can ask for just the stroke I want in the nest.
If I feel someone pushing too hard towards a goal in an interaction, I can say something about it. I feel like I have a backbone. The parts of me that were frozen or hard have softened, and I’m no longer leading my life based on obligation. I’m being led by desire. It turns out that’s a much more pleasurable way to live.
