W
hat is the connection
between mindfulness
and pleasure? Can
pleasure be mindful?
Learning to be present
and mindful, even in the heart of the most
pleasurable experiences, will not only
enhance your experience of pleasure, but
it will also increase your levels of fulfilment,
happiness and overall wellbeing.
We often associate mindfulness with
sitting in silent meditation and learning to
focus, but the practice of mindfulness can
be applied to every aspect of life - even the
most enjoyable. In fact, the experience of
pleasure can help us to enter the present
moment and to experience deep inner
peace, delight and fulfilment.
When we have a pleasurable experience,
we relax and open up – to life and to others.
This state, which appears when we are
fulfilled, gives rise to a profound feeling of
joy and happiness that shines through in all
our daily tasks. Lack of fulfilment leads to
stress and inner tension and is the recipe for
a life that becomes a struggle. It eventually
leads to deep imbalances – mentally,
emotionally and physically.
It is important to have deeply fulfilling,
pleasurable experiences every day.When pleasure
meets mindfulness
Maria Porsfelt explains how we can upgrade our
lives and bring in more pleasurable experiences
through simple mindful appreciation
Sometimes we deny ourselves this, because
we do not consider it important, or even
if we do many things that are supposed
to bring us pleasure, often this pleasure
pursuit does not bring us the fulfilment and
happiness we are searching for.How to experience deeply
fulfilling, mindful pleasure
We can do many things to experience
pleasure with its wonderful effects: eating
something we really like, enjoying a massage
or hot bath, listening to music or giving time
for delicious erotic intimacy.
The difference between ecstatically
fulfilling pleasure and pleasure that is
nice, but leaves us relatively unaffected
afterwards, is ultimately how present we are
in the experience.Discover this for yourself
with a small exercise:
Take a few pieces of fruit or chocolate.
First take a few pieces and eat them as you
would normally, then observe your level of
fulfilment.
Now take one piece and first smell it. Feel
the anticipation of eating it, then slowly
place it in your mouth. Just feel it there for
a moment before you start chewing, and asyou chew, do so more slowly than usual and
feel all the nuances of taste that are gradually
released. Take your time before swallowing
and notice again your level of fulfilment and
the difference between the two experiences.
Try the same kind of awareness when
having a bath (the sensation of water against
your skin, the sensual smell of the bath oil) or
when being caressed by your beloved.
Practicing mindfulness in pleasurable
experiences brings increased intensity and
leaves us feeling fulfilled, with a lingering
sensation of inner joy of living. Having a
greater awareness on sensual experiences
constantly brings us into the present moment
and in touch with ourselves.
It also solves the problem represented by
the other face of pleasure – when our hunt for
pleasure becomes destructive, addictive and
even damaging for our health. Cravings are
generated by a lack of fulfilment, which always
makes us search for more.
It is awareness – or mindfulness – that
makes the difference between pleasure as
a trigger of frustration, and pleasure as a
happiness-bringer and tool for growth.Maria Porsfelt has been a tantra yoga teacher
since 2006 and is director of Tara Yoga Centre
(tarayogacentre.co.uk)Yoga & mindfulness special