A potential space: Foreplay as a spiritual experience
How do you prefer to bend time? We choose foreplay, every time.
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This is the next chapter of an evolving story. Our CEO, Ana Kirova, writes about how Feeld’s new era reflects the experiences of Feeld members.
Every time I hear a story about a transformative experience on Feeld, it’s magical. And that happens a lot. The magic feeling never fades, and in reflecting on it now, I wonder if I can hold on to that feeling precisely because of how common a story it is.
This idea of what Feeld is or Feeld does, and the effect it has, is one that will be familiar to many people already. To me, being on Feeld is about the ongoing, evolving process of discovering what’s possible when you let go. People tell us about how they signed up thinking they were looking for one kind of experience, and then over time, they would realize that another experience was possible, or that they wanted something they hadn’t previously considered. As soon as I feel like I’ve heard it all, I’ll hear a story that surprises me so completely because of how unique and universal our community is, all at the same time.
Isn’t that incredible? No matter who you’re talking to, they could share exactly what you’re thinking and feeling, and they could do it in a way that’s totally unlike yours. It’s a grounding element. The human experience is universal, and completely singular, all at once.
If you’re totally new to Feeld, you may come across some surprises. That’s ok; that’s more than ok, actually. If we’re always comfortable, nothing changes. That feeling of confusion and novelty and discovery is the first step of growth. I’ve always found that there’s such a sweetness to the way people on Feeld relate to each other, because everyone has some way of being a novice; everyone has something to learn.
Likewise, everyone has some way of knowing themselves so completely, and a way of teaching a person how to know them. No matter where you’re starting from, this is your chance to step in, look around, and take in what everyone is sharing.
It’s also our chance, as a company, to deliberately begin a new era. We want to keep offering the kind of ideas that make our members join, stay, return, and repeat; we also want to continue challenging ourselves to elevate our standards in how we operate that meet and surpass members’ needs and desires.
I realized very early in Feeld’s history that this was not a traditional app for connecting people in a traditional way. People—myself included—were finding something profound on Feeld, whether it was about who they wanted or who they wanted to be.
As the CEO, I can say that I’ve experienced that transformative effect that we’re describing just by working here—that being a part of our community of members and the employees who make these experiences possible has deepened my curiosity for people in a way I can only describe as awe-inspiring. I’m in awe of how much we are all capable of evolving, and how much Feeld members show and become that change to themselves and to the world.
So it’s all the more necessary for us to celebrate it now, at this moment, when we’re finding a new way to express ourselves to and with our members. No two Feeld members are ever the same, but I see in all Feeld members a commitment to a set of behaviors and beliefs: a deliberate choice in how we offer life, humanity, and care to each other as we are. I want us to be a part of a personal and collective journey towards the acceptance of transformation.
That’s what really marks the inspiring personal experiences on Feeld. It’s like a surrender to what could happen without the illusion of control, guided by a sense of curiosity—curiosity about people, life, connection, and serendipity. Feeld is designed in that spirit of freedom and pure openness; letting yourself grow and change, and being celebrated and welcomed by others for doing so. On Feeld, life exists beyond the binary in a way that encourages surprises, play, pure joy, sometimes questioning, sometimes discovery. There are different types of experience, such as discovering your own pleasure and the pleasure of others, but at its heart it’s all about curiosity.
How do you prefer to bend time? We choose foreplay, every time.
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