TklDuo-Ann
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We've had a few threads again lately discussing tickling as a sexual thing or as a purely platonic fun thing. But, what about as a "spiritual" thing?
Now, before people get all nuts on me, please hear me out. I'm not talking about anything crazy here. First of all, allow me to give a bit of background of where I'm coming from and then to define what I'm refering to as a spiritual aid. We all know that people exist on many different levels. Those levels all interact and play off of one another to varying degrees. This will also be the case within this discussion. This is often refered to as being a holistic way of approaching things. (For more info. on this, you can check this site, among others.)
I'll take a quick look at the physical and emotional before getting into the spiritual.
There is, of course, the physical level, which seems to be what most of us concentrate on when we think about tickling. Whether it be sexual or platonic fun, we (as a lee) generally enjoy the sensations of being tickled. As lers, we may also enjoy the sensations of touching the other person. Let's face it. Human beings tend to be very tactile. It's a part of our makeup that I don't think anyone would argue with. For those who are into this as a sexual thing to some degree or other, that goes yet another step as we become physically aroused. Arousal or not, tickling just plain feels good to us from some angle.
There is also the emotional/psychological level, which is also a popular topic to discuss. Depending on our personality, we could be talking about the Dom/sub relationship that can take place between a ler and lee. The many non-con stories we see in our story forum tend to illustrate this, esp. from the ler side. Or, we can simply be refering to the sense of euphoria a lee may feel during a tickle session. Or, we can be talking about the joy that's brought about by the sense of affection shared with the other person. Whatever the specific angle, there is very definately an emotional involvement in it.
The part of this whole thing that is least often considered, the one I wish to discuss here, is the "spiritual" side of it. First of all, by "spiritual" I do NOT mean religious. For many of us, the spiritual side of us leads us to religious practices. But, what I'm talking about here is not that. What I'm talking about is that part of us which goes beyond the purely physical and emotional level to something else...something that can't really be defined properly because it goes beyond words. Because of this, some meaning may be lost. So, please feel free to ask for clarification and I'll do my best to respond in a way that can be understood. (It may well prove to be that we find more meaning in the identification of what we do NOT mean in some of this.) Defined as such, a "spiritual aid" is anything that helps us find a deeper sense of completion in this area.
Now, I know that there will be some who simply don't see us as being spiritual beings. That's cool. But, for those who do, I'd like to explore this side of things. How can tickling be an aid to this part of who we are?
Those who have taken part in organized religious practice of some form likely are familiar with various ways of quieting or centering ourselves. It may be through mantras, repetative prayer, meditation, etc. But, the goal is generally to get our conscious physical and emotional side out of the way so that we may get in touch with that part of us that rests on an often less conscious level. For some it is simply to rest there. For others, it's focused on an entity outside of ourselves...whether you call it God, the Great Spirit, Allah, Yahweh, the positive energy of being or whatever. We recognize that there is more than the here and now, that someone or something is out there to guide us and aid us. How we get in touch with that part of us is a matter of much debate. Everyone has their own way of seeing what's out there (or in here). So, we all have our own ways of getting in touch with it.
Have you ever considered that tickling/being tickled can be an aid to this? I never did until I actually experienced it.
In considering the spiritual aspects of this, one of the things that occurred to me was that those who are lees can benefit greatly on a spiritual level by learning to let go of control and learn to trust. The helplessness that one can feel during a good tickle session can actually lead that person to a greater strength in facing other situations simply because they've overcome, to whatever degree, that natural fear that most people have of being helpless. That's a very empowering thing.
A good tickle session can also take us to a place where everything around us seems to disappear. All we're aware of is a sense of being. We may even lose touch with the tickling sensations themselves. It is at this point where we can find something more. We can finally let go of our conscious self and either simply be or get in touch with whatever else we find out there. In either case, we find a deep sense of being alive, a sense of well-being that is often elusive when our consccious mind is in control of things.
(I'm primarily a lee. So, for lers who've experienced this, I invite you to weigh in here.) On the flip side, those who are lers can grow considerably by learning to focus on the other person and not themself. They can learn empathy and compassion, among other things. Again, this can carry over into everyday life and make them a better person. On a more spiritual level, the ler can get in touch with the positive force of being in control of another person and aiding them in their journey.
Of course, either side of this (as with anything else) can be used for good or evil. So, caution is always highly recommended. Lees should slowly build a sense of trust with their ler before moving into this area. If you aren't sure of the lers intentions, I would not recommend trying this. The ler must be open to this area and have enough experience to know when to ease up or stop a session completely. They should not be someone for whom their own edification is the primary goal. That person would be more likely to abuse the position. But, for those who focus on a more positive light/force/energy/spirit, it can be a source of much good.
Before closing, I'd also like to point out that this does not necessarily negate or contradict any other spiritual practices/belief systems. Used in the means I refer to, it can actually go hand in hand with what we already believe.
There is more I'd like to explore with this. But, I'll leave it at this for the moment. It's already a bit more verbose than I'd originally intended. All opinions are welcome. But, I ask that they be shared with respect and openness. I'd also ask that those for whom this is seen and used as a means towards "negative" control and manupulation respect the fact that this is not the point of this thread. So, while it's good to look at that side, I hope that it will not take over this thread.
Ann
Now, before people get all nuts on me, please hear me out. I'm not talking about anything crazy here. First of all, allow me to give a bit of background of where I'm coming from and then to define what I'm refering to as a spiritual aid. We all know that people exist on many different levels. Those levels all interact and play off of one another to varying degrees. This will also be the case within this discussion. This is often refered to as being a holistic way of approaching things. (For more info. on this, you can check this site, among others.)
I'll take a quick look at the physical and emotional before getting into the spiritual.
There is, of course, the physical level, which seems to be what most of us concentrate on when we think about tickling. Whether it be sexual or platonic fun, we (as a lee) generally enjoy the sensations of being tickled. As lers, we may also enjoy the sensations of touching the other person. Let's face it. Human beings tend to be very tactile. It's a part of our makeup that I don't think anyone would argue with. For those who are into this as a sexual thing to some degree or other, that goes yet another step as we become physically aroused. Arousal or not, tickling just plain feels good to us from some angle.
There is also the emotional/psychological level, which is also a popular topic to discuss. Depending on our personality, we could be talking about the Dom/sub relationship that can take place between a ler and lee. The many non-con stories we see in our story forum tend to illustrate this, esp. from the ler side. Or, we can simply be refering to the sense of euphoria a lee may feel during a tickle session. Or, we can be talking about the joy that's brought about by the sense of affection shared with the other person. Whatever the specific angle, there is very definately an emotional involvement in it.
The part of this whole thing that is least often considered, the one I wish to discuss here, is the "spiritual" side of it. First of all, by "spiritual" I do NOT mean religious. For many of us, the spiritual side of us leads us to religious practices. But, what I'm talking about here is not that. What I'm talking about is that part of us which goes beyond the purely physical and emotional level to something else...something that can't really be defined properly because it goes beyond words. Because of this, some meaning may be lost. So, please feel free to ask for clarification and I'll do my best to respond in a way that can be understood. (It may well prove to be that we find more meaning in the identification of what we do NOT mean in some of this.) Defined as such, a "spiritual aid" is anything that helps us find a deeper sense of completion in this area.
Now, I know that there will be some who simply don't see us as being spiritual beings. That's cool. But, for those who do, I'd like to explore this side of things. How can tickling be an aid to this part of who we are?
Those who have taken part in organized religious practice of some form likely are familiar with various ways of quieting or centering ourselves. It may be through mantras, repetative prayer, meditation, etc. But, the goal is generally to get our conscious physical and emotional side out of the way so that we may get in touch with that part of us that rests on an often less conscious level. For some it is simply to rest there. For others, it's focused on an entity outside of ourselves...whether you call it God, the Great Spirit, Allah, Yahweh, the positive energy of being or whatever. We recognize that there is more than the here and now, that someone or something is out there to guide us and aid us. How we get in touch with that part of us is a matter of much debate. Everyone has their own way of seeing what's out there (or in here). So, we all have our own ways of getting in touch with it.
Have you ever considered that tickling/being tickled can be an aid to this? I never did until I actually experienced it.
In considering the spiritual aspects of this, one of the things that occurred to me was that those who are lees can benefit greatly on a spiritual level by learning to let go of control and learn to trust. The helplessness that one can feel during a good tickle session can actually lead that person to a greater strength in facing other situations simply because they've overcome, to whatever degree, that natural fear that most people have of being helpless. That's a very empowering thing.
A good tickle session can also take us to a place where everything around us seems to disappear. All we're aware of is a sense of being. We may even lose touch with the tickling sensations themselves. It is at this point where we can find something more. We can finally let go of our conscious self and either simply be or get in touch with whatever else we find out there. In either case, we find a deep sense of being alive, a sense of well-being that is often elusive when our consccious mind is in control of things.
(I'm primarily a lee. So, for lers who've experienced this, I invite you to weigh in here.) On the flip side, those who are lers can grow considerably by learning to focus on the other person and not themself. They can learn empathy and compassion, among other things. Again, this can carry over into everyday life and make them a better person. On a more spiritual level, the ler can get in touch with the positive force of being in control of another person and aiding them in their journey.
Of course, either side of this (as with anything else) can be used for good or evil. So, caution is always highly recommended. Lees should slowly build a sense of trust with their ler before moving into this area. If you aren't sure of the lers intentions, I would not recommend trying this. The ler must be open to this area and have enough experience to know when to ease up or stop a session completely. They should not be someone for whom their own edification is the primary goal. That person would be more likely to abuse the position. But, for those who focus on a more positive light/force/energy/spirit, it can be a source of much good.
Before closing, I'd also like to point out that this does not necessarily negate or contradict any other spiritual practices/belief systems. Used in the means I refer to, it can actually go hand in hand with what we already believe.
There is more I'd like to explore with this. But, I'll leave it at this for the moment. It's already a bit more verbose than I'd originally intended. All opinions are welcome. But, I ask that they be shared with respect and openness. I'd also ask that those for whom this is seen and used as a means towards "negative" control and manupulation respect the fact that this is not the point of this thread. So, while it's good to look at that side, I hope that it will not take over this thread.
Ann
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But, those for whom spirituality is a central part of who we are and what we desire in life will likely find that this is one of many things that give us opportunities for exploring that.
