The letter 'B' in the bdsm abbreviation stands for bondage.
In fact, bondage is an essential part of bdsm practice that involves restraining a person's freedom of movement or speech by tying up, etc., aimed at receiving (sexual) pleasure from the feeling of helplessness and dependence on the one hand and power and dominance - on the other hand. Though being widely associated with sex, bondage does not always go that far. Bdsm bondage in its true sense can often end in masturbation only, but sometimes partners won't even get undressed or touch each other's genitalia. Bdsm bondage evokes specific sexual arousal called vincilagnia, from vincio, to bind or fetter, and lagneia, lust.
Main types of bdsm bondage include pulling parts of the body together or apart (with the help of ropes, chains, tapes, straps or spreader bars, etc.), restricting movement (by using handcuffs, strait-jackets and the like), tying/suspending the body to/from some object, mummification; and some other practices.
Here, some of the devices adjusted for bdsm bondage can include things commonly used in everyday life like ropes, scarfs or adhesive tape; specially-made gadgets like spread eagle, sleep-sacks, bdsm bondage hooks, hogties and more), or even no outside object at all (verbal bdsm bondage). Extreme bdsm bondage has some more complex techniques as well, but these should be used with great care as the subject can easily be traumatized.
Research shows that bdsm bondage is a frequent erotic fantasy of both men and women regardless of their orientations. So why is it so popular?
Psychologists believe, the piquancy of bdsm bondage lies in the fact that though being physically restricted, the person gets relieved from all social inhibitions and hands over the responsibility to the partner, thus obtaining great mental freedom. Moreover, human physiology is such that when any of the five senses is blocked, the others get more acute, for example, if one can't see, they'll try to compensate lack of visual information by tactile sensations. At the same time the unrestrained partner enjoys the feeling of control, power and trust, so bdsm bondage can even strengthen people's relationship. In this way both physical and mental sexual stimulation is greater and can result in a more intense orgasm. Bdsm bondage is also favored by people who like role play in sexual relationships and, thus prefer to be dominant, submissive, or switch; with bdsm bondage, partners can play out their sexual fantasies real-life fulfillment of which is dangerous and undesirable, like imitation of raping, slavery or torturing. As the above described carries certain risks, it is important to have bdsm safety rules set before applying bdsm bondage. For example, partners should always remain sober, avoid positions that impair breathing, get some previously negotiated "safe-word" immediately stopping the play, provide for emergency release of the subject tied up, etc. The generally recognized credo of people who engage in bdsm bondage is being SSC: safe, sane and consensual.
The process of arranging bdsm bondage can attract (fetishistic) interest in itself, too, as demonstrated in the art of Shibari, various works of photographers, bdsm drawings, movies (9 1/2 Weeks) and contemporary writings (Pauline Reage's Story of O). |