Changing The Way We Touch
Sensate Focus
Changing the way we touch requires learning how to reside fully in our bodies. "Sensate focus" is the name for a specific body-based touch technique that helps people to learn how to place their attention within their physical bodies. This practice was developed and named by erotic pioneers Masters and Johnson in the 1960s. The essence of sensate focus is learning to place one's attention of giving and receiving touch. This placement of attention on touch seems so obvious to us today, but fifty years ago, sensate focus was considered astonishing and even magical. This can be practiced while giving or receiving any kind of touch.
Often, lovers begin practicing sensate focus while exchanging hand massages, foot rubs, or shoulder massage. Once they are comfortable with staying present to these kinds of touches, they may choose to use sensate focus during an erotic massage or another sexual exchange. Regular practice of this simple technique can lead to profound results and a heightened sense of pleasure. In other words, the skill of being able to focus on the sensate develops with regular practice. This can also be called "becoming mindful of touch."
