A Riesen For Sensual Consumption

Chewy Chocolate Caramel covered in Rich European Chocolate is the golden caption on the front panel of a bag of Riesen. This candy which has a history dating back to the 1930s has somehow escaped the familiarity of my taste buds until recently. The caption on the back panel states: For double chocolate indulgence that lasts and lasts, all you need is one good RIESEN. Because under its rich European chocolate is delicious, long-lasting chewy chocolate caramel.

This candy delivers what it promises and then some. It begins where a MilkyWay bar is at its best in taste and texture and evolves along a continuum of indescribable deliciousness. The outer chocolate is of heavenly quality. The rich caramel core is firm and long lasting. The absence of nougat makes this mouthwatering morsel more dense than fluffy. I challenge myself to a game of blissfully sensual consumption in which I creatively dissolve a Riesen without it ever sticking to my teeth. My adorable husband finds this game amusing; he is so Riesenable.

I get out my Weight Watchers Points Finder after having already enjoyed a Riesen. I line up the Dietary Fiber Grams, Calories, and Total Fat Grams. I’m ecstatic to see that four pieces is considered a serving size. I quickly do the math; four pieces are four points. Most of the time, I have only one piece; more than that feels excessive. Besides, I generally have at least one point or more left over at the end of the day. The leader of my Tuesday meeting, Michelle, always says, “eat less, move more;” and I do. I accumulate activity points by doing my daily 20 laps at the local track. I love Weight Watchers. I’m so close to goal; I can taste it.

Eaten as a snack or positioned for pleasure on and around a penis (with whom you are well acquainted), Riesen is a noteworthy treat. A single serving that’s as little as one measly Weight Watchers point yields long-lasting sensory pleasure. As with all candy, caution must be exercised to prevent choking. Death by Chocolate is best served as a flavor concept and not an actual cause of death.

Pachamama

My BFF and I went for a hike at Flat Rock Brook in northern New Jersey. We finally had a day off from work at the same time. Flat Rock (as we call it) is a magical place we visit as often as we can. We’ve invited like-minded, spiritual, yoga, and shaman friends to join us. We believe the area is inhabited by fairies and sprites. We’ve brought our Native American instruments. We’ve sung. We’ve meditated. We’ve dipped out bare feet and hands in the flowing brook. We’ve even brought our husbands along for a taste of our soul-nourishing adventures.

The photo above is of an old turtle that lives in the lakelet at Flat Rock. We always hope we’ll get to see her, even when we know she’s hibernating. She is magnificent. We call her Pachamama in honor of the Earth Goddess who is revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. There’s a smaller turtle that we call Pachatata; and there’s been a new addition since the winter we call Pachatatala.

It was my BFF who dared to sit in a half Lotus pose at the edge of the rocks overhanging the water. She did Reiki (energy work) to call the turtles to us. They came. They peeked their heads out of the water and looked straight at us. Their picture was snapped again and again. They stayed like that for what seemed a long time for turtles. We talked to them (me from a less daring position away from the edge). They listened. They winked. They were as into us as we were into them.

The turtles swam off and my friend and I headed for home where more of our everyday lives awaited us.

Sexual Yoga Practice

The age-old practice of Tantric Yoga utilizes the sexual energy of lovers to raise spiritual consciousness. The sacred union between loving partners, when performed luminously, integrates yoga and meditation resulting in heightened sensory awareness and pleasure.

The practice of yoga, by individuals, stretches muscles, releases tension, promotes deep relaxation, and nourishes one’s overall health and self-esteem. Tantric yoga, practiced by couples, accomplishes all of the aforementioned benefits, deepens the sexual experience, and is something different and fun.

A tantric yoga practice reflects the physical abilities and sensual preferences of loving partners. It’s not about how flexible participants are or how intense the yoga pose is; it’s exclusively about intention and concentration in the moment. Tantric union may be achieved in simple postures as well as more complicated ones.

Practiced simply, a peniled partner receives oral perks from of his yoga companion who is performing a simple yoga posture such as Downward Facing Dog. Proper positioning of the desired body parts is required for success.

Yoga, performed by couples, as foreplay to lovemaking is both energizing and sensual. Postures can be done together, in the nude (without sex) to set the tone for the sexual union of body, mind, and spirit which follows.

Tantric yoga postures in which lovers are fully engaged in intercourse may be done effortlessly with little movement or with more strenuous activity. Breath, intention, and focus define the practice more fully than the poses. So… if you can breathe and focus, you can do this.

Yoga students and practitioners can embrace a tantric mindset even when their partner isn’t doing the same. Focusing one’s Kundalini (sexual-spiritual) energy during sex is often a joyfully contagious experience.

Lower Manhattan: Part Two (An Aerial View)

Lower Manhattan: A Realtor’s Wet Dream

One of my exceptionally favorite goddess friends is Esther Muller. Her glowing professional credentials as a New York City Real Estate Mogul, Master Teacher, Professional Coach, and Brilliant Consultant demonstrate her expertise in an assortment of venues. Add to that charm, wit, beauty, compassion, and generosity of spirit and it’s obvious that Esther is a goddess of the highest order... That being said, it was on Esther’s desk that I first saw it… a map of Lower Manhattan. I wondered… is it just me… or… does this premier, cosmopolitan, geographical location look like the head of a penis?

My modern psychoanalytic orientation kicked in immediately. Lower Manhattan is, of course, a phallic symbol. As the business capital of the world, it’s a male dominated, power zone, second to none. Aerial views of the area look like a conglomeration of massive erections made of concrete, glass, and steel.

Scores of office buildings that were abandoned after September 11^th have been renovated for residential occupancy. Battery Park City, for example, located in the crown of Manhattan, is the hot seat for primo waterfront urban dwellers. With amazing views of the Hudson River and its proximity to Tribeca, Little Italy, Chinatown, SoHo, and Greenwich Village, there isn’t another up and coming neighborhood on the planet that’s more impressive.

Newly remodeled apartment buildings in Lower Manhattan give new meaning to the word opulence. Buzz words that refer to apartment features and amenities shout luxury, luxury, luxury! Earmarks such as high ceilings, panoramic windows, harbor views, state-of-the art health clubs, and sundecks express the extent of high-tech everything that’s available.

New York City realtors, who dominate the high-end luxury residences surrounding the World Financial Center, are in a unique position. They can provide a distinctly specialized service to affluent clients who are seeking magnificent homes in the power center of the world… and… they can make bundles of money while they’re doing what they love. If that’s not a realtor’s wet dream, I don’t know what is.

Obstruction Of Sex (For Married People Only)

Is the fading of conjugal bliss, in an otherwise happy marriage, inevitable? There are, for sure, numerous impediments to having great marital sex. Even the happiest, libidinous couple in the world has had their desires doused by unanticipated circumstances.

The greatest obstacle to a hearty sex life is having children. As much as we cherish our offspring, they require oodles of time and energy. Although, I was blessed with two wonderful babies (three years apart), they were nursed leisurely, often, and on demand. That put a damper on the carnal activities of the era. Toddlerhood was next; and though it was an awesome period, there was still little opportunity for erotic recreation. The school years (pre-K included) were demanding with two kids worth of homework, projects, an array of non academic classes, and plentiful seasonal suburban sports. My young adult progeny continue to hinder my alone time with my husband. I’m unable (or unwilling) to enjoy my sensual self when potential eavesdroppers with highly sensitive hearing are in the building. Happily, there’s more private time now than ever before; and my formerly feeble libido has been resuscitated.

The second greatest hindrance to having unencumbered sex is work. Having a job takes precious time and energetic resources away from everything else. Sometimes there’s not even enough oomph to have quick, unimaginative sex. Balancing work, home, family, friends and all of the fun things that belong in the mix, is easier said than done; but it’s certainly something to strive for.

Classic matrimonial stresses that interfere with natural urges include medications that effect physical performance, hormones (too many or too few), and a myriad of other scenarios that may involve verbal combat or transient ill will. There are many solutions to many problems; they just have to be identified and dealt with… always with sensitivity.

If you’re not having New-York-Times-Best-Seller-List quality sex with your spouse due to the intricacies of life, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. The good news is that it doesn’t take much to get the ball rolling… and once you’re in the right groove, it can be easier than you might think to put the zing back in your marriage.