In honor of National Nude Day, we are sharing part one of a three-part series put together by Featured Writer Jenna Borrelli that explores cannabis, intimacy, and the naked body.
Cannabis and Self-Pleasure
I haven’t always been open about my relationship with self-pleasure, particularly masturbation. There are many facets of self-pleasure that are important, and I love exploring how weed can help me connect with myself. I use cannabis in tandem with pleasure as a ritual, treating my body as an altar to worship and desire. I have spent many years looking at my stretch marks and cellulite as undesirable components of my body. But through consistent ritual work, I am slowly reimaging the relationship and learning to fall back in love with myself. And I am grateful for weed to be an amplifier in that experience.
The perfect naked ritual for pleasure:
I like to start by smoking my favorite herb. When I’m doing bodywork I prefer the high that herb provides versus edibles or other methods of consumption. I take my time, coupling breath work with the inhalation of THC/smoke. I use this time to also check in with myself, letting heightened sensations flood all throughout my body. Because I’m going to use this time to physically pamper and make love to my own body, I also make sure to care for my mind by telling myself how special and deserving I am of pleasure. Sometimes I even like to tease myself as I begin to feel pulsations in intimate parts of my body.
Once I’m done smoking, I remind myself I have infinite time and there is no rush. I then do other self-care acts like dance around my apartment or make myself a delicious mocktail. These acts are before I begin to explore my nakedness with my high.
I then undress myself to prepare for my bath. I believe baths are wonderful tools for naked exploration (as well as relaxation and care of course!). I like to use special CBD-infused bath bombs or essential oil-infused Epsom salt soaks. I will also light a candle and turn the lights off, letting the glow of the candle illuminate my body as the bathtub fills. I like my baths extremely hot as part of the naked body amplification of sensation. The steaminess helps me relax and open up. Once the tub is filled, I take this time to rub and love on my body. I like to look at my stretch marks, my curves and remind myself how beautiful and sexy my body is. (I didn’t always think I was sexy but this ritual has helped and I will expand on later in the article).
When I’m done with my bath I get ready to begin the final stage of this ritual, which is using massage and a vibrator for self-pleasure. After the bath, I will smoke a little more herb. I like to do this naked. Once I’m done, I bring myself back to my bedroom for a very intimate exploration of my naked body. When I masturbate, I like to use my hands and a vibrator, depending on my mood or how I would like to climax. The weed helps with the heightened sensation and pleasure. As I pleasure myself, I take extra care to rub on and love the parts of my body I was very insecure about for many, many years. When I switch my primary focus to using my vibrator, I like to close my eyes and use visualization to help guide myself to climax. Once I’m complete, I revel in the delicious, all-encompassing vibration that pulses throughout my whole body. The bliss I create for myself always pleasantly surprises and delights me. I also feel a sense of pride knowing I spent this time loving on and making love to my body.
Using cannabis as an amplifier of pleasure
When I used alcohol as a primary tool for pleasure, I thought it would make me more confident, sexy, and open. In reality, I was inhibiting myself from my true expression. And often I had a hard time managing the right dose or amount to make myself feel good - to the point where I wouldn’t feel (or remember) anything. I examined this relationship and decided to re-examine my use of any sort of drug and pleasure. Whether it was sex with someone or moments of solo intimacy, I learned I could create the perfect environment and state based on my own needs and desires. I wanted to amplify the sensations I was experiencing. Whether it was a bite, a lick, a gentle rub, or a pulsation - I wanted that feeling to flood throughout me.
Jenna Borrelli is a writer and creative coach from Chicago, Illinois. She has seen firsthand the transformative benefits of incorporating cannabis into her life. She loves supporting others as they learn to lean into their natural ebb and flow, all while practicing radical self-acceptance.