Shibari - Body, Mind, Spirit by Aeowen Tene Serwaa

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Shibari (.a.k.a. "Japanese bondage" is an ancient, Japanese, integrated concept of body, mind and spirit.

The objective is to unlock erotic energy through trance or trance-like experiences.

Trance (a different level of awareness) is being achieved through a refined mix of atmosphere, ritual, meditation, love, techniques and intensity of
the situation.

Most forms of oriental lovemaking are hardly ever straightforward sexuality, but an intriquing game of exploration and challenges and a delicate combination of subtlety and expliciteness.

Shibari is no different.

What is trance?

Trance is a situation where one is so dedicated to and concentrated on one specific goal or situation, that - through blocking out everything else - the
spiritual capacities of the mind are eniterly dedicated to that specific
activity. This opens the mind to be able to experience - and use -
things it never could under "normal" circumstances, since the brain will
be too distracted and too busy.

Certain hormones - endorphins especially - play an important role in trance. Endorphins (morfine-like amino acids produced by the body) are the key factor here. Endorphins
are known as the "mood chemicals" in your body. They create your moods,
all of them. They come in complex cocktails and also serve other
purposes. For example, they are a natural painkiller. Experiencing high
doses of endorphins release is called an endorphins rush. This is known
as the "runners' high" in athletics and as "subspace" in power exchange
activities.

A combination of endorphins, dopamine (known as "the lover's feel good hormone"), enkapheline and adrenaline releases creates "super awareness" and this is the key factor in creating trance. Since
experiences such as fear, anxiety, stress and physical impulses such as
pain all cause the release of high doses of adrenaline and subsequently
endorphins - these impulses are being used to allow you to climb the
first steps of the trance ladder. Endorphins have a "sister-hormone"
called enkephaline, which works on the spinal cord in the same way
enderphines work on the brain.

Since mood is important atmosphere is important, which is why - in Shibari body mind spirit terms - a lot of emphasys is being placed on preparation and the physical area. For
this, such things as candle light, aroma therapy (incense or evaporating
essential oils), bathing and other rituals and techniques are used to
create "makama" - the "circle" (area), the physical area where both
partners will experience their intens lovemaking. Meditation helps to
focus the mind and eventually Ki energy exchange is being used to
further enhance the bonding between partners and the forces of gravity
and sensory deprivation techniques are being used to create full trance.

Erogenous zones

There is a widespread misunderstanding: "erogenous zones are directly connected to the genital area and other primary sex-identifying features (such as the breasts)". Fact of the matter is
that some 25 percent of the body surface (slightly more on the male
body) can be identified as an erogenous zone. And the brain no doubt is
the largest sex-organ. Erogenous zones are usually best stimulated
through gentle massage, but they are also very receptive to other forms
of stimuation, for example pain (if you are into that), or bondage.

The seven patterns of passionate lovemaking

By gently - or more strongly, in order to introduce the element of mild pain - pressing your finger nails into the fleshy parts of your partners' body you can not
only leave temporary marks but doing this can also be an erotic game by
itself. To do so, even and symmetric patterns are your best choice. This
will not only indulge her lust, but it will also leave something to
remember for a few hours a maybe a day or two, an effect that - more
intensly - usually is also the result of whipping and caning.

Ropemarks are often an essential part of bondage. In a Shibari body mind spirit context they play a role, similar to other ways of leaving lovemarks.

In its original form these patterns should follow specific designs and all serve specific purposes. The idea is to leave physical marks that will
function as a "tell tale", which - for example in ancient India - forced
the "marked woman" to hide these marks since they indicated lustful,
wild love. The more intens the temporary mark, the more intens the
lovemaking had been. Complicated, repeated combinations of the seven
patterns would indicate that the woman had really suffered during the
lovemaking and the complicated patterns make it clear that she had to
remain still during a long foreplay, while pain-impulses and excitement
increased her lust.

The bite of love

Teeth tenderly or not, sinking into the tender female flesh, is not just a scene taken from a Dracula movie. Many novels and poems tell stories about
lovebites. And in fact, like whip marks, bruises and others, bite marks
serve as something to remember, to be proud of, to relive the passionate
night before - the pain, the extacy, the lust, the love and the
intimacy.

The Kama Sutra again is one of the very few sources that describes the combination of marking and pain impulses during lovemaking. Unfortunately, although various other patterns are
mentioned, they are not described in sufficient detail to reconstruct
them. Various different flower patterns are mentioned for example. These
must be combinations of teeth and nail imprints.

The magic of knots

The magical power of the knot is as old as mankind. You will find references to the magical power of the knot in almost any ancient culture, be it Babylonic, Celtic, Oriental, Hermetic, Wicca,
Voodoo or other.

Love magic - and there are many forms of that - almost always involves the use of knots and, of course, rope. Actually, we still have some of that left in modern times. Tie a knot in your
handkerchief so you will remember something really important

How does it work?

Magic is all about manipulating the energy of life. This energy is called Ki in Japanese, Chi in Chinese or Prana in Sanskrit (the ancient language of India, still used in yoga for
example). Conciously tieing one or more knots in a rope is a way to
bundle this energy and store it there. Of course this energy will not
make your car run. Neither will it make the lights go on. But it will be
more than enough to have its influence on the subtle network of Ki
energy exchange, that is everywhere.

In Shibari these "energy loaded" knots and ropes will replace the heart and hands of the giver and as such will contribute to the entire physical and spiritual
experience. They enable the giver to "still be close to the recipient",
even when physically not around. The interaction between the giver's
energy - temporarily stored in the knots - and the pressure points on
the Ki meridians in the recipients' body is what will release very
powerful sexual and spiritual experiences.

Sexual energy is one of the most powerful manifestations of Ki energy. This is the reason why we still refer to whatever happens between love partners as "the magic",
"the spark" or "the energy".

Universal love magic

The use of rope and knots, when working with sexual energy, is universal. In ancient Babylon (in the Middle East) seven knots were tied in a rope
to invoke love. Wicca has a similar tradition of making three knots in a
rope for the same purpose (sometimes with an almond - the "love nut" -
inside each knot). African Voodoo works with either seven knots in a
rope or with dolls, tied to each other, to invoke love, the Kama Sutra
speaks of female love partners, suspended in rope to enhance their
sexual energy. These are just a few of many examples.

Is all this strange? Actually not. There are over 50 erotic pressure points (Tsubo) on the human body, each as powerful as the clitoris or the nipples. And
there are another 60 hormone-releasing pressure points along the spine,
many of which have an erotic/sexual function. Ropes and knots will
stimulate all these directly and energy, bundled in a knot, will only
enhance their effect.

Shibari Fumo Ryo

by

Hans Meijer