ven in our progressive, forward-thinking 21st-century Western society, topics around sexuality and sexual pleasure are still considered taboo by most.
If the ultimate primitive nature in humans is to connect and belong, why are conversations around intimacy not prioritized? It is essential to get curious about our bodies and sexuality to create a thriving community. The Sacred Art of Therapeutic Yoni Massage is a pathway to uncover your most holy erotic essence.
My name is Erin Ryan, the creator of The Intimacy Artist, where we explore our bodies, pleasure, unique sexual expression, and embody the most authentic versions of ourselves.
I am a trauma-informed certified somatic sex coach and therapeutic yoni massage practitioner. After years of disempowering sexual experiences, disconnect from my body, and numbing through life, I began a quest to feel again. I embarked on a journey of self-love, facing my traumas, and dismantling the barriers around my heart. I discovered sacred sexuality, getting to know my erotic self and tapping into the deep mysteries of being a woman. Since then, it has been my mission to create safe spaces for you to peel back the layers of conditioning and feel more at home in your body and expression, to stand in the world open-hearted and turned on by life.
First things first, what is a yoni? Yoni is the Sanskrit term for the entirety of the female genitalia, directly translating to "source or origin of life." It encompasses the womb, vulva, vagina, and cervix—the single term for the female reproductive system and anatomy.
Therapeutic Yoni Massage is an ancient healing modality that supports women and vulva-havers in deepening their sensations in and around their yoni, understanding their anatomy comprehensively, and releasing any tension or discomfort present. This practice involves massage of the breasts, womb (or where their womb would be), vulva (external), and vagina (internal). It's a ceremony for women and vulva-havers to reconnect with their divine nature.
In a culture where we automatically assume any touch or stimulation to the genitals is sexual, you can imagine the kind of assumptions there are about this unconventional modality. I have found that what is often so healing about a therapeutic yoni massage is that individuals receive touch in a completely non-sexual context. This facilitates space to open and soften the body to even greater capacities because of the environment that is being created in these sessions. The ultimate intention of therapeutic yoni massage is to promote healing, increase more blood flow in areas that may be unfelt, and connect on a different level with your sacred portal. In a ceremony, we are mainly looking for different sensations that can be present including pleasure, pressure, pain, or numbness. This gives us a roadmap to better understand what areas get more tending and nourishment to.
If you are not quite ready to work with a professional practitioner in The Art of Therapeutic Yoni Massage, there are a few places to start for your own personal journey.
There are 3 key steps I recommend when desiring to nourish and care for your yoni through self yoni massage.
First, set up your space. This sounds simple but your environment plays a huge role in allowing yourself to fully surrender. Make sure you have privacy, have some pillows or blankets around to lay or sit on, maybe light some candles or incense to create a ceremonious space where all your senses come alive as well as bring anything to the space that supports you (maybe some crystals, special photos or artwork). Please also have your favorite body oil present. I recommend all natural coconut oil, but whatever oil suits you best. I also recommend setting up in front of a mirror or having a hand held mirror close by so you are able to witness your yoni while you massage yourself (THIS CAN BE SO EMPOWERING!) If that feels too much for the time being, it is not essential. Take care of yourself and check in with what truly feels right for you. Setting up your space to be comfortable, sacred, and safe is of the utmost importance.
Second step, when fully set up, close down your eyes and begin to breathe into your body and yoni, allowing yourself to witness what is happening in your world right now. As you deepen your breath an invitation to set your intention here. That could be to activate and feel pleasure, to explore your yoni more, or to feel more connected to this part of your body more, whatever it is fully allow it to be here and CLAIM it. Take all the time you need here.
Final step is to use oil and begin to massage your breasts and womb to drop you more into presence and into your body! I recommend massaging your breast and womb for a minimum of 30 min to fully allow your yoni to be ready to be massaged. Then check in with your yoni ALWAYS to see if and when your yoni is ready to be touched. I invite you to place your hand on top of your yoni, really checking in to see if your yoni is available to be massaged. If it is a YES, begin by oiling up your fingers and start to explore your external anatomy. Stroking your outer labia on both sides, bottom to top slowing and seeing what kind of sensations are present here and taking note. Maybe there is sensitivity, pain, pleasure, numbness, pressure... whatever it is just breathing as you massage. Taking as much time you need here and moving on to other places when it feels right. You can explore your glans clitoris as well as begin to go internally when you are ready, again always waiting for a full body YES from your yoni. When you begin to explore internally slowly, use your fingers to stroke in a “come hither” motion moving slowly and with presence throughout the entire internal walls of the vagina. Here you may also want to pause and apply some pressure in certain areas if you feel any tension. As you explore I invite you to honor whatever emotions come up for you. Making lots of space for yourself to move whatever is alive in you through this practice. Maybe you will want to dance or yell or cry. All of it is insight and medicine for what is being alchemized. When this all feels complete, thank your yoni and sit in meditation for at least 10-15 min to integrate everything that has moved. You may want to lay down or cuddle up in bed as well, this is encouraged.
After your self-yoni massage, journaling about your experience can be really helpful to process and integrate even more. Please drink lots of water and ground yourself after your practice!
I would like to reiterate that these are only suggestions, please use your discernment on what is most supportive for you. Self-yoni massage can be soft and blissful and other times can bring up lots of stored emotions, it is always a mystery as to what will come up. This is only an invitation to explore your yoni more, you know what is best for you so please listen to that :)
With therapeutic yoni massage, one has the opportunity to gain knowledge about their yoni to better be able to communicate needs and desires to partners as well as feel liberated in their divine temple of a body! Anyone can benefit from receiving a yoni massage. Whether you desire to experience more orgasms or move any unwanted stagnation you may be holding onto; the medicine of therapeutic yoni massage is unique to each individual and there are many different kinds of experiences that one can have. From full-body releases to slow and subtle shifts, it all brings a sense of “coming home to self,” not one being better than the other.
The Sacred Art of Therapeutic Yoni Massage is the radical reclamation of one’s personal intimate relationship with self. As we individually seek out ways to better connect ourselves back to our true nature, which is to be free, messy, soft, silly, expressed, wild, mysterious, and ever-changing, we then begin to relate to the world around us from an empowered and grounded place. Let’s continue to celebrate the diversity of vulvas, bodies, and expressions!
If you would like to work with a professional to receive a therapeutic yoni massage or are curious to learn more about it! Reach out to me @theintimacyartist // www.the-intimacyartist.com
This is also another resource I recommend when looking for a practitioner near you:
https://yonipleasurepalace.com/en-us/pages/yoni-massage-therapist-directory
Big love to you all, Erin Ryan xx
