PrimeTime Magazine PrimeTime Spring 2019

Mindfulness and Sexuality Christina Campbell, MSW, RSW, Sexologist Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. Mindfulness is a state of active attention on what you are doing in the moment and an awareness to the current experience, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future. According to Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is an internal resource that all of us have within. The idea is to direct this resource to help transform a relationship which may currently suffer from stress, physical or emotional pain and to help us experience greater joy in our daily activities including in our sex life. greater our ability to tap into the body’s innate sensitivity which allows us to be more aware of our own feelings and desires and those of our partner’s. When we relax and slow down during sexual intimacy, we are creating and building the foundation for a deeper connection. When we make the choice to consciously awake from the autopilot of our lives it amplifies our own self- connection, and strengthens our capacity to connect with the people we love. Resources https://www.thestar.com/life/2018/04/23/can-better-sex- be-achieved-with-a-bit-of-mindfulness.html Can better sex be achieved with a bit of mindfulness? Canada Past-President of the Canadian Sex Research Forum, Lori A. Brotto, said that incorporating mindfulness and meditation practices into daily life can help us have a happier and more fulfilling sex life. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/ definition Much like meditation, mindful sex is about focusing in on the details of what you are doing at the particular moment in time: zoning in on the here and now as opposed to the before and after. “It is about allowing and giving yourself the time and space to enjoy and experience the sex you are having,” explains Kate Moyle, psychosexual and relationship psychotherapist. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/ mindful-sex-meaning-explained-meditation-relationships- ted-talk-diana-richardson-a8514926.html https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment- any-age/201212/your-sex-life-can-improve-some- mindfulness https://aboutmeditation.com/mindful-sex/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful- self-express/201202/nine-essential-qualities-mindfulness The more present, embodied, and connected we are, the La pleine conscience et la sexualité Christina Campbell, MSW, RSW, Sexologue La pleine conscience consiste à se concentrer sur le moment présent, ses pensées, ses émotions, ses sensations physiques et son environnement de façon délibérée et sans porter de jugement. Dans cet état d’esprit, une personne vit pleinement le présent; elle ne pense ni au passé ni à l’avenir. Selon le docteur Jon Kabat-Zinn, nous avons tous la capacité d’exploiter cette ressource interne. Il s’agit d’en profiter pour faire évoluer une relation qui peut causer du 28 PrimeTime SPRING/PRINTEMPS 2019 stress ou provoquer des douleurs physiques ou émotives, et pour nous aider à prendre plaisir à poursuivre nos activités de tous les jours, y compris notre vie sexuelle. Peut-on améliorer sa vie sexuelle en pratiquant un peu de pleine conscience? Selon la présidente sortante du Forum canadien de recherche sur la sexualité, Lori A. Brotto, la pleine conscience et la méditation quotidiennes enrichissent bel et bien nos relations sexuelles. Faire l’amour en pleine conscience signifie, tout comme

PrimeTime Magazine PrimeTime Spring 2019 | Page 28