I've been thinking about the beginning of my journey into emotional wellness + spiritual connection. It started with intentional masturbation! I was coming out of a repressive childhood + difficult marriage, and felt such a strong craving to experience pleasure in my body. This foundation has served me so far beyond my sexuality though. Getting acquainted with and prioritizing my pleasure & desires from a self-love and self-care lens has been a powerful building block of trauma recovery, connecting deeply to the energy of my body, and learning to navigate life with a happiness and acceptance that serves me + those I love.
If you're interested in leaning into this part of yourself, I recommend finding a teacher to follow who approaches sexuality from a non-shaming, self-love perspective.
here are some resources i've used
Layla Martin (I took her jade egg class)
OMGYes (findings from the largest-ever research study into women's pleasure)
(these resources are geared toward women - if you know of similar teachers / courses for men + non-binary folks, send over & I'll add to the list!)