Bondage by itself does not induce a medatative state for me usually. Sometimes it can, but it is not bondage of the limbs that does it but a body harness. I played for the first time in a long time without the harness and I felt naked without it.

In the Radical Ecstasy class there was an exercise where I had a body harness on with a handle in the front and we were sitting in chairs facinf each other and my partner was pulling me forward and back with breathing together and controling my breathing by putting his hand over my mouth. That did put me in a deep trance state but it was the combination of bondage, breath control na dconnection.

Also, for some reason being tied into a sling with rope put me into a trance state. Just being clipped in does not do it.

One aspect of rope bondage is that you get a lot of attention focused on you as your top is doing the bondage on your body.

I know that a lot of people just in regular sex have a lot of trouble lying there and just receiving pleasure and not using their hands. So, for those people, I would think that yes bondage of the limbs does give them permission to just relax and receive without thinking that they have to do something.

I do not have any trouble just lying there and being a do-me-queen. I think it is why I can cum so well because I am not thinking about what I should be doing to my partner. That is not to say that I an a selfish lover by any means. I give as much as I receive but it is more taking turns, it just has always worked better for me.

I think bondage can facilitate helping people "go within" their own body and experience. As we all know it is the intention behind the tool, not the tool itself that produces meditative or altered states in all types of play.

It sure does for me. The position matters too, as mentioned suspension, I find an that a very tight position (i.e. rack, spread eagle) gives me the absolute best headspace.

it's great pleasure because usually I will have my package tied up, but also strangely enough it affirms my power because I can feel the rope against my muscles and I know that I can overcome it if I desire....just as I can tear a rack apart if I want....so, it's a strange space.....maybe I need to be chained to metal with metal...

>> Can only speak for myself: bondage forces me to retain energy. I bleed off a lot of energy through vocalization and movement, including laying hands on my partner and giving some of it back, even if just at a trickle. Being bound or in any way restrained stems that flow out, <<

What a great way of putting it, Amy! That is exactly the concept I was trying to express in my post to Janet, only your way says it much better. It is about retention of that energy, forcing me to find ways to move it around so that I can process it and deal with it, and not let it leak out by my moving around and flinging it elsewhere, as it were.

Wendy

Bondage itself may not be what you are actually speaking of. It is true that being bound can be very liberating for some, and indeed give permission for many things. As a body artist I do not generally bind people while doing body art for exactly that reason. However, for those that are seduced by rope, it may be as much or more about process. And that can definitely enhance or create a Tantric state. Four people come to my mind in considering this, Mark Yu, Senor Jaime, Phil Carson and Master K.

Mark Yu is amazing to watch. He has a superior knowledge of the body and acupressure, which he incorporates in dynamic bondage. If you have ever see still pictures of this you are missing the energy. He is always in motion and definitely puts people into Tantric space. It is the process that is constantly evolving as he ties and moves his subjects. He touches all the right places and stimulates the entire body and mind. They perform a dance.

Mark and Senor Jaime are doing a seminar; I believe the beginning of August in Austin dealing with this same basic subject. Jaime combines hypnosis with bondage and gets great results. I have rigged with Jaime and it is always a wonderful experience. He pays attention to little things and is very adept at trailing wonderful natural fiber ropes he weaves himself. Ther is a connection to his energy as the rope slide across the skin, and this is enhanced in his connection to the rope as its creator. A simple pull across the body to rig can be bliss if you trail it slowly across the nipple. He trances and then touches erogenous zones to achieve a very special space.

Phil Carson also incorporates Hypnosis into his bondage. A few years ago I had the opportunity to co top and rig a scene with him and was quite a skeptic. He converted me and the experience was amazing. He was able to make our subject very receptive using hypnosis and reach an altered state. But it was not a watch being waved, It was the process of tying the rope to create the hypnotic state. He introduced me to a greater potential using hypnosis and rigging to create a meditative state.

Last but not least is Master K. He is such a student and teacher of the art that he not only entrances the person being bound, but the people watching it. His knowledge, like Yu gives him a depth in rigging not many people ever achieve. I am not sure exactly what creates this, but I want to know it. He is truly what they speak of when the say Master.

If you get a chance to see any of these people take it.

Yes, bondage can help, but rope itself is not enough. It is the process. I happen to really enjoy Shibari and it is at best a path. You have to incorporate respect for the masters and learn the history and arts that are part of the way of the rope. The Nawashi were artists of many disciplines, and they brought that to every touch. You have to look deeper.

"3) You have to let go of ego; "

Having witnessed some pretty ego-driven scenes, I'm not sure I agree. I think it helps, but it will depend on the people involved and their intentions.