We are wired to seek pleasure.
We are wired to avoid pain.

Everything we are and everything we do is based on these two principles — the decisions we make, the thoughts we think, the actions we take.

Freud, one of my fathers, said we may lay it down that pleasure is a movement, a movement by which the soul as a whole is consciously brought into its normal state of being.

Trauma, abuse, conflict & neglect take us out of pleasure by causing pain.

For those of us who have experienced a hefty dose of darkness we can design our lives based purely on avoiding pain. Our pain will cast a shadow on our pleasure if we allow it to.

In therapy, the pursuit of pleasure is often neglected. But, on the journey to healing, one of the most important principles is pleasure.

Pleasure is essential to healing.

Pleasure nourishes us, opens us & strengthens us.

How might you surrender to pleasure?
What does living in the heart of pleasure feel like to you?
 

Try crafting a pleasure list that you can turn to on dark days. Here’s mine ::

  1. Walking barefoot in grass
  2. Taking a long, relaxing shower
  3. Coffee with a foam heart
  4. A trip to the Farmer’s Market
  5. Rolling my mala beads through my fingers
  6. A good novel
  7. Cherries … mmmm
  8. The smell of fresh-cut grass
  9. Watching the sunrise
  10. A gentle morning run
  11. Yoga
  12. Green juice
  13. A handmade gift
  14. Watching the sunset
  15. Hugging my boys tightly
  16. Dark chocolate
  17. Dancing
  18. Laughing till my sides ache
  19. A long conversation with a good friend
  20. Having a lazy day
  21. A clean house
  22. Conscious conversation
  23. My Pinterest boards
  24. Pillow fights
  25. Singing, loudly
  26. Stomping in puddles
  27. Watching my boys use their imagination
  28. Helping someone in need
  29. Making a gorgeous meal for loved ones.
  30. Camping
  31. Sandcastles
  32. Floating in the water
  33. Savasana
  34. Taking an afternoon nap
  35. Laying back and looking up at clouds
  36. Watching the ocean
  37. A hot stone massage
  38. Lilacs in the spring
  39. Organic peanut butter cups
  40. Taking a hot bath with sacred salts
  41. Blowing bubbles
  42. A gentle breeze
  43. The feeling after a good workout
  44. Listening to Adele
  45. Or Nora
  46. Reading David Whyte
  47. Or Rumi
  48. Shooting hoops
  49. The feel of a new Rhodia notepad
  50. The scratchy flow of my fountain pen
  51. A clear desk
  52. Truffle popcorn
  53. Swinging on a swing
  54. Homemade brownies
  55. Watching animals in nature
  56. An empty email inbox {a rarity}
  57. Bliss balls
  58. Having a picnic in the park
  59. Playing in water
  60. Listening to the chorus of birds singing as I run through the trails
  61. Exchanging a smile
  62. Bubble wrap
  63. Skinny dipping in the moon light.
  64. Climbing trees
  65. Snail mail
  66. Shooting a ball of paper into the recycling bin – and making the shot
  67. Skipping stones
  68. Building a cairne
  69. Stargazing
  70. Unexpected gifts
  71. The perfect cup of tea
  72. Live music
  73. Plum wine
  74. The wind messing up my hair
  75. Butterflies
  76. Rain on a tin roof
  77. A great story
  78. Lace
  79. Fireplaces
  80. Thunderstorms
  81. The first snowfall of the season
  82. My toes being kissed by the waves
  83. Smelling the top of my boys heads
  84. A cold glass of sparkling rose water.
  85. A beautiful view
  86. The perfect parking spot
  87. Listening to music on the highway
  88. Cuddle time
  89. Tutus
  90. Laying in a forest
  91. Sipping a warm drink on a cold day
  92. Making first tracks on the slopes
  93. A beautifully crafted playlist
  94. Wrapping my boys in a warm blanket from the dryer
  95. People watching
  96. Fresh flowers
  97. My golden mug
  98. Street performers
  99. A thousand gems
  100. Writing poetry for you

What does your pleasure list include? And, how can you play in pleasure daily?