I saw this sign last week during my sensual Pleasure Walk. Its message resonated with me and inspired some self-reflection:
“Foliage and Grass Left Uncut for Dunes Restoration and Wildlife”
I literally thought of my pubic hair when I first read this sign. I had a vision of my pubic hair, all wild and free. I’ve been grooming my pubic hair for a long time. I can remember the long, thick, lush, softness of my untamed bush in my teens and twenties. That was back in the late 70’s/early 80’s when a full bush was “in.” Somewhere along the way, I started shaving and trimming, probably because Cosmopolitan magazine told me that I should. In my late thirties, I actually shaved off all of my pubic hair when a boyfriend told me that was his preference. I kept my vulva bare for years. How often have I changed myself to seek approval or give pleasure to others? So often, it became the norm.
I’ve been taught by society to behave a certain way. The real me has been cut back and groomed, so much that there are times that it’s hard to recognize my own truth. Over time, I’ve learned to embrace my thoughts, feelings, and desires without me shutting myself down with shame. To restore myself as I am meant to be, I need to allow myself to flourish without trimming myself back. Only then, am I able to see myself as I really am in full bloom.
How do I get back to myself, to who I really am deep inside?
How do I become mindful of my own preferences for how my body looks?
How do I put my focus back on me?
I need to let myself grow, uncensored, to be restored to my truest self. Without limits, I can find the wild, untamed, and authentic me. Yes! Just like the dunes and the wildlife, my natural self needs to be whole in order to thrive.
It’s a slow and steady process of letting myself grow without judgement. It’s about accepting who I truly am without shame: physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
Old patterns are hard to break. That’s why I sometimes need a sign like this to remind myself. Growth is an ongoing journey.
I trust my inner wisdom.
I give myself permission to flourish.
I accept my body, just as it is.
I honor my feelings.
I respect my thoughts.
I listen to what my heart and my gut are telling me.
I embrace connection with something greater than myself.