Love = Pleasure ~ Pleasure = Love

Feb 13, 2017

Love = Pleasure ~ Pleasure = Love

Love is in the air on February 14th. Draw your attention to the simple pleasure of love. This day of celebration is an opening for pleasure in many different ways. 

Whether it’s certain aspects of your life that you love and commit to that brings you pleasure, or the pleasure of just loving someone or something, love opens you up, energizes you, allows you to do and be things you could never stretch into without its energy.  And it’s the same with pleasure. 

Here are some common conditions that allow love and pleasure to blossom.  They both require a degree of maturity so that you can hold your own needs with those of others.  They both ask you to consider what’s most satisfying in the long run – immediate gratification or the best for all, the big picture. 

Sometimes pleasure is equated with hedonism – getting exactly what you want, how and when you want it. But this is more indulgence than true pleasure.  True pleasure, like love, never comes at the expense of your integrity or that of another.  True pleasure stretches you like love does. 

Recently with a new friend, we talked about the incredible healing power of unconditional love and the times we had experienced it in our lives. Such love is not contingent on perfection, but encompasses all the failings, weaknesses, idiosyncrasies – one’s wholeness.

We’re blessed when someone can receive us in this way, or when we can give this to another person.  Since we’re human, it’s hard to sustain this kind of love 24-7, but if in moments of need you can be touched in this way, love has the potential to heal the deepest wounds.  And when you’re in this state either giving or receiving this kind of love, you’ll notice it’s a deeply pleasurable experience. 

I chaff at the Hallmark greeting card version of Valentine’s Day.  I want to find a deeper significance.  By dwelling on the intersection of love and pleasure and realigning my commitment to both, I land there. 
When I focus on truly loving, I find it a direct link to pleasure, and when I allow myself true pleasure, it nourishes my capacity to love more honestly. 

If you feel cynical or weary of a watered down version of love or pleasure, I invite you to read the Pathwork lecture that offers guidance for a deeper understanding of the marriage between love and pleasure.

http://pathwork.org/lectures/pleasure-the-full-pulsation-of-life/

Let me know what you think.  Where have you experienced the synonymous nature of love and pleasure in your life? 

Next entry: Spring Wake Up Call – Follow your Body’s Lead!

Previous entry: Get Out of your Comfort Zone in Service of Pleasure

“Forefront Psychotherapy ​had Madeline ​p​resent a morning workshop called ​​ Unlock ​Pleasure for our counselling centre’s open house. Her presentation was innovative and captivating. She brought forward the information in a way that appealed to new and seasoned therapists alike. Her presentation style put the audience at ease and she ​kept each one of us captivated for the duration of her talk. We would highly recommend Madeline to any group looking for a speaker.”

Forefront Psychotherapy, Ottawa, Canada - Fall 2014