WEEK 4: ENVIRONMENT
Sustainability is not just about the planet. Maintaining a healthy and stimulating environment is also important for a relationship’s sustainability. Paying attention to the environment that we receive our pleasure in is a very important way to enhance our sexual experiences and mood.
The environment is about what you need to feel comfortable in your physical environment. Furthermore, it is also what you need emotionally and mentally to feel safe and present. This could mean that enhancing your environment may involve being rested, exercised, and well-fed.
Fostering a sensual environment is also another way to personalise your relationship and create a safe space that allows for sex to be comfortable, focused, relaxing, trust-filled, pleasurable, cooperative and emotionally intimate.
Watch
Tori runs the show down in our Melbourne store and has some great tips to set the mood for you and your partner.
Exercises
Comfort checklist
The environments that we live and work in are very important, but what things do you need when you’re having sex or being intimate? For this exercise, your goal is to make a list of all the things you need to be comfortable when you are exploring relaxation, intimacy and sexuality. This could include things like temperature, lighting, music, scents, pillows, positions. You can then make sure that you have your environment set up to be as comfortable as possible so that you can focus on being in the moment, instead of the things that will distract you.
Soundscapes
There is a lot of power in sound. It can create or stir emotions and quickly set a mood. The sounds in your intimate environment are a very important part of your sensual experience. For this exercise, you will join forces to create an intimate soundtrack. If you already have favourites that you like to play, then think of a different mood you would like to set and select songs that would be appropriate. You could even use a different song for a different stage of your intimate process. Alternatively, you could tap into sound effects, nature sounds, ASMR, or you can even record your own intimate sounds and see what it’s like playing it back.
Support yourself
Sexual activity can be gentle and passive or vigorous and athletic. Just like yoga, you can use certain accessories to help support you in certain positions. For this exercise, you will experiment with using different pieces of furniture and cushions around the house to help support yourself in different sexual positions. Try supporting your pelvis with a cushion in front of or behind you. Put a pillow under you while giving or receiving oral. See how many positions you can do using a chair. For added adventure try using straps and harnesses or purpose-made sex wedges.
