Saturday, August 7, 2010

SINful Saturday---Get your Goddess on!

I read a wonderful book awhile ago that I think should be required reading for all women: Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts: Using the Power of Pleasure to Have Your Way with the World  by Regena Thomashauer, otherwise known as, you guessed it, “Mama Gena.”

 

Mama Gena teaches a philosophy for women—whom she loving terms “Sister Goddesses”—of using “the power of pleasure” to obtain happiness and fulfillment. By indulging in sensuality, pleasure, and joy, we radiate true satisfaction that seduces all those around us, and can actually help us reach our goals.

 

With such topics as befriending your inner bitch, flirting (in a way that makes your day, not just his), owning your unique beauty and sexuality, Mama Gena shows women it’s okay to have fun and put bliss first. In fact, put bliss first, and everything naturally falls in to place.

 

Here’s an example of Mama Gena philosophy, about the art of flirting:

 

"It’s something that is in a woman’s DNA. We were born to flirt.

You know how it is. You’re at a supermarket and you’re standing in line behind a woman who has a nine-month-old baby girl in her shopping cart. That little girl catches your eye and suddenly you’re going, “Goo, goo, goo, goo . . . you’re so cute, little sweetie.” And you’re captivated; you’re entranced. You don’t even care about your groceries—all you want to do is make that little girl smile. There’s no reason behind it, there’s no goal. It’s just such a pleasure.

Women are fantastic. They’ll flirt with dogs, you know? You see something fluffy on a leash and you go, “Oh my God, how adorable. What kind of dog is that?” And there you are, flirting with the doggy. We’ll flirt with babies. We’ll flirt with men. We’ll flirt with our girlfriends. You’re at a party and you see a girlfriend and you go, “You look so hot,” and she’ll go, “Oh, no no, you look so hot,” and you say “No, no, YOU . . .” Suddenly, what’s happening? You’re having fun. You’re cutting loose all this joy, all this enthusiasm, and it’s such a great pleasure.

Most women are taught to flirt in a way that’s really not flirtation. We’re taught: You go to a bar and you smile at a guy because you’re hoping that he’s going to buy you a drink or that he’ll take you out on a date or he’ll marry you someday. And that’s not the point. That’s really not the point.

The point of flirting is this—and actually this is the recipe for a perfect flirtation—it’s simply enjoying yourself in the presence of another person. And that’s a choice, you know? You don’t always have to choose to enjoy yourself in the presence of another person. But when you do, it’s a way of taking care of the world. It’s actually a spiritual practice.

If I go into my corner deli and I decide, “You know what? I’m gonna flirt with all these guys.” And I say, “Hey guys. Good morning! You make the best coffee on 88th Street.” Suddenly, everybody’s having fun. They think, “Ah, wow, who is this breath of fresh air and springtime that just rolled into our deli?” And everyone is awakened to the privilege of this day. That’s the power that a woman has when she is enjoying herself in the presence of others.

And incredible things do happen. Sometimes you do get a free coffee. Sometimes you don’t. But the miracle is the delicious feeling that your delicious feelings inspire in other people. There’s no goal except your good time. And I promise you this: If you flirt your way through that deli in the morning, you are setting up your day to be a lot more fun and a lot more filled with joy and adventure than if you make the decision not to flirt. So, it’s your decision. It’s your day, it’s your life, your choice. Now go out there and flirt!"

 

Isn’t Mama Gena a national treasure? I think so! So come on, SINfully indulge in yourself, and see what magic happens!

 

Mama Gena’s Site: http://www.mamagenas.com/home/index.php

 

4 comments:

Savanna Kougar said...

Chloe, Mama Gena is a very wise woman. It is the best when you're simply enjoying yourself in the presence of others, friends, family, acquaintances, strangers... though, I'm not nearly as flirting-spontaneous as Mama Gena.

Becca Simone said...

What a great post. I'd never heard of Mama Gena, but now her book is on my To Buy list. ASAP. Thanks for sharing.

Kayelle Allen said...

I've been doing this for a long time but thought of it as encouraging rather than flirting. It's likely two sides of the same coin. Who doesn't want to be appreciated? A sincere comment like the one about coffee is "catching." When you let a car into traffic ahead of you, they often let one in ahead of them a little further down the road. Rather than think of it as now having two cars in front of you, think of it as having two more encouraged people. Happiness is contagious. Whether you call it flirting, sharing the joy, being friendly, or just encouraging, it really does make a difference in others lives. I'm all for that.

Savanna Kougar said...

Kayelle, encouraging is a good way to look at it. I've always thought of it as an act of caring.