2 weeks into learning Shibari
I’ve been learning Shibari for the past two weeks and have been really enjoying it. So far I’ve learned:
-Single column tie (Somerville method), Lark’s head, Box knot , A few frictions (Munter,half hitch)
-How to finish knots cleanly and extend ropes
I’ve mostly been practicing on myself to get comfortable with rope handling, tension, and flow.
I have a few questions for those with more experience:
What ties can I start experimenting with next based on the skills I already have? I’d like to build good fundamentals before jumping too far ahead.
How different is tying another person compared to self-tying? What are the biggest things I should keep in mind regarding communication, safety, tension, comfort, and overall experience?
When is it appropriate to start learning suspension? What skills should be second nature before even considering it?
One thing that surprised me is that I’ve always lived a pretty heteronormative life and have almost always been the one in a more dominant or topping role, both in relationships and sexually. But while tying myself I noticed I really enjoyed the feeling of being restrained. It felt strangely freeing, almost like letting go of responsibility for a while. It made me curious about being a rope switch.
So I have a couple of more personal questions:
As a heterosexual man, is it realistic to find people in the community who would be interested in tying me? I live around the Frankfurt/Mainz area.
If you’re a heterosexual man who’s been tied before, what was the experience like for you? Did it change how you viewed rope or power dynamics?
And finally…
Does anyone have any good playlist recommendations for rope sessions? I’m open to anything .
Thanks! Looking forward to hearing your experiences.