Intimacy without sex

Sensual friendship & skinship ~ the often unexplored textures of love & connection

"Can you hold my hand? I'm scared."

I felt my fear soften with my friend's embrace.

His presence helped me land in my body.

I'm not alone. I'm okay.

A simple touch can speak so much safety into the body.

Skinship ~ sensual friendships where agreements of touch are co-created.

Snuggling on the couch with a friend between teary-eyed shares and laughter.

Sensual dance with a sister as you feel the gift of her touch on your skin.

Naked beach days with soul family, sharing snacks and massages.

As a deeply sensual being, I feel my soul come alive in these kinds of connections.

I love touching my friends and being affectionate towards them.

I love receiving touch and being sensually met.

Sensual relationships with the men in my life have helped me recode safety in my body as I’ve healed from past experiences of sexual assault.

Intimacy comes in different forms, but many textures of intimacy are overlooked or are considered reserved for romantic partnership.

The idea that intimacy revolves around sex closes so many doors of connection.

What I see in my ceremonial spaces again and again is that people are starved for intimacy.

For touch.

For safe spaces where they feel held, safe, and loved.

People healing from breakups or the death of a partner. People healing from sexual trauma. People in shame around their body or sexuality who crave to be celebrated in their authentic expression. People for whom hookups make them feel more lonely. People who need to feel nurturing intimacy. People craving connection and a place to soften.

Platonic touch can offer a kind of nourishment that heals.

I meet a lot of souls through my work who feel the need to hide their longing to be touched, to be held, to be seen.

But all hearts need spaces to surrender and soften.

There is power and beauty in cultivating a sensual relationship with self, and we were never meant to walk through life alone.

Our sensuality lets us know we’re alive.

And when shared from a sincere place, we co-create a realm of magic ⚕︎

In love and warmth,

Sookah