Actually we only need one line: bondage is restraining your partner by means of rope, straps, cuffs, belts, tape, scarf’s or anything similar. But then …. that would be too simple, wouldn’t it?

First this. Those into bondage may be very picky about it. Much like “spanking” bondage has its purists. They would argue only rope bondage qualifies as bondage. Some Japanese bondage adepts will claim only bondage, done in traditional style using hemp rope, qualifies as Japanese bondage.

Such “truism”, although maybe relevant for the individual involved, are not very helpful. The only valid “truism” is: bondage is about what YOU want.

So, we won’t enter into this discussion, but the emphasis in the world of bondage indeed is on rope, although we will take some detours and we don’t mind fusion of techniques and materials. It is only about what YOU want, like and what turns YOU on. Nothing more, nothing less.

There is a variety of different techniques and positions and there is a variety of goals and effects to achieve.

Bondage can be done just for the fun of it, because it is erotic and exciting. But it can also be uncomfortable, painful, humiliating and stressful. It can be about exposure, about endurance, about fear.

And it can be done because it is artistic. It can even be about finding higher, different, levels of erotic experience and awareness and about spirituality. Again, it is all about what turns you on.

As opposed to Japanese bondage, western style bondage doesn’t have that many specific techniques, rules and objectives. And it is certainly less complicated, not as multi layered as oriental bondage is and in fact much more straight forward. “Tie the bitch and get it over with” might very well be an accurate description for most of the situations, where bondage is being used in the west. The objective usually being to restrain in order to facilitate other play forms. But that again is not true for everyone.

Mental Bondage

There even is such a thing as “mental bondage”. This is a situation where the submissive partner is ordered to hold a position, without being tied, strapped, cuffed or chained. Some would say, this is the ultimate in bondage domination. While this certainly is a challenge to both, the vast majority of BDSM people will want to go for the real thing: i.e. experience the feeling of being helpless and unable to escape whatever comes next.

The above article is a reprint from our information/educational site Kink Culture.
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Copyright © Hans Meyer