Body as Sanctuary: Delighting the Senses Self Care Ritual

“Don’t worry. Don’t hurry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way”.

This timeless phrase embodies what folks have always known- the pure human joy that comes from allowing oneself to witness their senses.

The key to embodiment is through the senses. Bringing attention to the way we experience sensation will create vital tools for connecting to body and pleasure, and the effect is twofold. First, it creates a celebratory perspective when being in tune with your body. Pleasure rituals offer space for self-connection and exploration in a way that feels safe. Secondly, it enhances our ability to experience sensuality. Sensuality is about our body’s capacity to sense. To feel, experience, to express. How would it feel to know you could activate your senses and your sensuality with a snap of a finger?

A Ritual for Delighting the Senses

You will need:

• A blanket, pillows (anything that allows you to be cozy)
• A consumable item that you feel curious about (Some shop favorites are Pleasure Activist and Into the Light). You could also explore a flower, a snack, anything that sparks joy. We’ll call this your sensory tool.
• Time. Plan a sweet intentional date for yourself, perhaps a picnic.

Set yourself up somewhere that feels cozy and safe.Take a moment to settle and ground into your body. Create an intention for this exercise, such as “I am in tune with my senses and navigate them with clarity”. When ready, grab your sensory tool and lay down.

Close your eyes and inhale, feeling your stomach expand. Exhale and allow a sense of calm to course through you. Inhale again, noticing any discomfort your body feels. Exhale slowly, gently releasing this discomfort along with any tension your body is carrying. Inhale once more and listen to the world around you. As you exhale a third time, slowly open your eyes. Pause here for a moment and rest for as long as feels good. Notice the way your body settles into the ground. The way your hands are resting. When you’re feeling settled and grounded, sit up and look at your sensory tool and follow these steps for sensory exploration.

Sight. Find three things and revel in the details. Are you holding a flower? Paint the petals in your mind, the way the leaves curve, the way it looks in your hand. The colors and the way the light dances around. Gaze at your sensory tool for so long that your brain can recreate every exquisite detail if your eyes are closed, an imprinted shadow in your mind. 

Scent. Now bring your sensory tool up to your nose and inhale. Is the scent sweet? Sharp? Take three slow breaths again and uncover new words to describe it. 

Touch. Hold this item between your hands. Gently trace the lines and shape, moving softly from the outside in. What is the texture like? How does this feel? Notice any lingering sensations. Trace the item against the back of your hand, moving slowly up your arm. How does it feel to engage with different body parts?

Taste. A drop of a tincture, a single petal, a bite. Take a sample of your sensory tool and place gently on your tongue. What is the first impression your tongue has to this flavor? How do the flavors interact? Is it a lingering taste that lasts after being washed down or a light flavor that leaves only a hint?

Intuition. A witch’s greatest gift to self is leaning into their intuition and allowing that feeling to guide any given moment. Think back to your intention and visit this sensory exploration again with an intuitive lens, allowing your body to engage. 

Do you feel called to close your eyes and inhale while pictures dance in your head? Where does your body want to be touched by this object? Do you feel called to linger in a certain spot? To hold the flavor on your tongue before finishing your bite? 

Take some to reflect on how that felt. How can you adapt to make this moment more pleasurable, to make space for your intuition to be heard? Adjust as needed. This is your practice, your time, your sanctuary.