New experiments in bed can bring incredible pleasure and revive relationships that have begun to fade. But what if your partner's fantasies scare or puzzle you? And how do you dare to voice your own secret desires if they seem "too weird"?
Psychologists assert: normality in sex is anything that happens with the voluntary consent of adults and brings them pleasure. If someone feels uncomfortable, or agrees only to avoid offending the other, this is a signal that the scenario needs to be reviewed.
But how do you start this conversation without falling into shame? This is where modern self-discovery tools come to the rescue.
Tool for Dialogue: MriyaRun
Often we lack the words to describe our feelings and fantasies. This is exactly why the MriyaRun project was created.
The "My Myth" Author's Deck of Metaphorical Cards is a key to deep self-knowledge and honest conversation. It is ideal for working with themes of relationships, crises, sexuality, and finding oneself.
Included in the set:
- 50 unique cards with deep imagery;
- A detailed workbook with instructions and techniques;
- A stylish pouch for storage.
This is an ecological way to explore your desires and discuss them with your partner without tension.
Metaphorical Cards My Myth: DREAM.DESIRE.FEEL.
https://mriya.run/metaphoric-cards/mrij-bazaj-vidcuvaj
Metaphorical Cards My Myth: DREAM.DESIRE.FANTASIZE.
https://mriya.run/product/mak/mij-mif-mrij-bazaj-fantazuj
Healthy Relationship Checklist
Before diving into experiments, check the foundation. MriyaRun experts remind us of "red flags" that are unacceptable in a healthy partnership:
- Any actions without clear consent ("no" means "no").
- Mocking your fantasies or body.
- Labeling ("you're frigid," "you're a pervert").
- Demanding sex as a "marital duty" or blackmail.
- Comparing you to ex-partners to humiliate you.
If the foundation is safe, you can explore desires. We have collected several stories (names changed) to analyze common scenarios.
Story 1. "Power and Submission"
Characters: Andrew (32) and Elena (29).
Situation:
The couple has been together for 5 years. Sex has always been gentle, but recently Andrew suggested trying bondage. He admitted that the thought of restraining Elena, slight dominance, and control arouses him. Elena is confused: she trusts her husband but fears this will change their emotional intimacy into something aggressive.
Psychological Analysis:
The desire to dominate (or submit) is a classic scenario that often has nothing to do with real aggression. For many, it is a way to channel energy, feel the partner's complete trust, or conversely, relieve oneself of responsibility and just "be." Andrew wants to feel extreme closeness through control, not to hurt.
Recommendation:
Try a technique with MriyaRun cards. Draw a card blindly answering the questions: "How do I see our intimacy in this experiment?" and "What am I really afraid of?". This will help Elena understand if it is a fear of pain or a fear of losing emotional contact. Agree on a safe word and start small (e.g., blindfolds instead of restraints).
Story 2. "Escaping Attachment"
Character: Marina (26).
Situation:
Marina loves her live-in partner very much but insists on an "open relationship." She feels that sex with a permanent partner becomes bland and "familial." She needs other men for drive and play, where she can be a "bad girl," which (in her opinion) she cannot be at home.
Psychological Analysis:
This is a classic example of splitting, known as the "Madonna-Whore" complex (but from the woman's side). The permanent partner is perceived as a safe figure (almost parental) with whom it is "dirty" to fantasize. Passion is externalized. This is a defense mechanism against deep vulnerability and fear of engulfment.
Recommendation:
Acting out this scenario often leads to the collapse of relationships because the chasm between "love" and "sex" only grows. It is worth working on uniting these parts. Exercises from the MriyaRun workbook on accepting your Shadow will help integrate the "promiscuous" part into a safe relationship with a loved one.
Story 3. "Roleplay and the Fear of Being Ridiculous"
Characters: Igor (35) and Tatiana (34).
Situation:
Tatiana wants to try role-playing games: changing personas, acting out meeting in a bar, or a doctor scene. Igor refuses, arguing that he will feel like a "clown" and cannot take it seriously. Because of this, Tatiana feels rejected in her playfulness.
Psychological Analysis:
Igor likely has a strong block on expressing his "Inner Child" or a rigid belief that "sex is serious business." The fear of seeming ridiculous blocks spontaneity. For Tatiana, play is a way to safely try on different archetypes.
Recommendation:
Don't start with complex costumes. Try using "My Myth" cards. Choose a card that symbolizes "Passion" or "Mystery," and try to simply describe a story from the perspective of the character on the card. This removes Igor's personal barrier since he will be talking about the image, not himself.
Story 4. "Inherited Shame"
Character: Victoria (24).
Situation:
Victoria grew up in a religious family where the topic of physicality was taboo. Now, even married to a loving husband, she feels guilty after sex and cannot relax. She is ashamed to initiate because her grandmother's voice rings in her head: "A decent woman doesn't do that."
Psychological Analysis:
These are introjects—others' beliefs that we have "swallowed" whole without processing. Victoria's sexual scenario is blocked by ancestral attitudes. She is not living her own life but acting out the "good girl" script.
Recommendation:
Separation from parental figures in the mind is needed. It is important to allow yourself to be "inconvenient." Working with metaphorical cards can be very effective here: find a card symbolizing "Prohibition" and a card symbolizing "Freedom." The dialogue between these images will help legalize your own pleasure.
Story 5. "Public Risk"
Character: Oleg (30).
Situation:
Oleg is only aroused by sex with the risk of being caught: in the woods, in a store fitting room, in a car on a busy street. At home, in bed, he often loses his erection. His girlfriend is tired of the constant stress and fear of the police.
Psychological Analysis:
This is a fixation on adrenaline. Perhaps there was an experience in the past where fear and arousal mixed. Now, the sexual system needs "doping" in the form of danger to launch.
Recommendation:
This is a habit that can be changed by forming new neural pathways. It is necessary to look for safer ways to get adrenaline or learn to find arousal in relaxation. Incorporating game elements or sensory practices can replace danger.

Веб Метафоричні карти Мій Міф: МРІЙ.БАЖАЙ.ВІДЧУВАЙ.
Create Your Own Norm
There is no universal "normality." The world is changing, and we are moving from reproductive sex to hedonistic and communicative sex. Sex is a language spoken by a couple.
To understand which "language" suits you, you need to try and, most importantly, talk.
If words get stuck in your throat, pick up the MriyaRun deck.
- Draw a card blindly.
- Tell your partner what emotions it evokes.
- Ask: "If this card were about our desire, what would it be?"
This is a simple step toward big changes in your intimate life.
Order tools for deep dialogue on the website:
https://mriya.run/metaphoric-cards/mrij-bazaj-vidcuvaj
- Mriya.run: Space for Conscious Change. Learning, Practice & Tools
- Tools & Resources
- Norm or sexual disorder: where is the line, the sexologist explains

