Workshop: Tantra meets kinbaku (2016)
Andy encourages more crossover between Tantra and rope art / bondage by focusing on the intimate communication forged between two people. For Andy, the ropes represent a tool to explore power and surrender, yin and yang, the essence and aesthetics of being human.
You sign up in couples. Gender or relationship to your partner does not matter. This is a clothed workshop. No previous knowledge is required. Ropes to buy or borrow.
In this workshop, you will learn how to use the ropes safely and successfully, to create a magic place where emotions can flow and a conscious play with power. You will learn to use ritualization to create your own magical place and negotiation of a consensual power dynamic.
People’s first reaction to Kinbaku is usually a surprisingly pleasurable encounter. They describe the ropes as extended arms in an embracing and bounding hug rather than restrictive. The communication between the person who ties and the person who gets tied is intimate and caring.
However, under this pleasurable surface there is an array of emotional and physical experiences that can be explored in depth – pleasure, pain, power, surrender, playfulness, stillness and intimacy.
In society today there is an imbalance that values power higher than surrender. The results are conflict and exhaustion in a non-consensual power dynamic. When done consensually letting go into surrender is peaceful and holding power is empowering, and together they create an intimate connection between two or more people.
To responsibly hold power and letting go into surrender are skills that can be taught and practiced. Experience how power dynamics can temporarily help you let go of perfectionism, control freakishness and decisiveness, and feel the empowerment and sensuality of surrender.
Details of the workshop
Introduction
[3-4 hours, morning day one]
First we will create a safe space together, warm up and learn about fundamental safety, some rope techniques and practical ties. We focus on finding out what you like about the ropes – tying or being tied, and with which feeling and intention?
We will explore the pleasure and playfulness of Kinbaku through many small meetings with different people which embodies the understanding and gives us a chance to increase our sensitivity, since every person and every meeting is different.
The ropes as language
[3-4 hours, afternoon day one]
From now on we work in depth with one partner. You can change roles between the exercises, or stay in the same roles.
Tying and being tied is to communicate without words, to create a dialogue where bodies and senses meet. The ropes are the language and during these hours, you learn to communicate more clearly. You get more words and expressions that help you create the magical place you are seeking together.
Practically as a tier, you get some new knots and patterns, but most important, you learn to control the impact of your ropes through conscious strategies and a goodie bag of tips and tricks. As the person being tied, you learn to respond to impulses to either encourage or change directions in the communication.
Open rope space and breakfast
[2 hours, morning day two]
Open space where you can hang out, practice tying or chat with your new friends, reed some Kinbaku books, buy ropes, ask questions to Andy or just have a nice brunch and hang out in a peaceful space.
The biochemical body and meditative pain
[3-4 hours, morning day two]
Experience how pain and pleasure blends together in deep meditation and bliss.
Tieing and being tied affects the body purely biochemically through neurotransmittors in body and brain, which always has a strong influence on our experience, and the very reason why we want to tie and be tied.
By becoming conscious of how you and your partner responds biochemically, you can adjust your rope meetings. Theoretically, you will learn about the biochemical functions of oxytocin, endorphin, serotonine, dopamine and adrenalin.
We also take a deeper look at what masochism is and you will get the chance to explore how pain and sensual sensations melt and merge into a meditative calm.
Power and surrender
[3-4 hours, afternoon day two]
Power dynamics can temporarily help you let go of perfectionism, control freakishness and decisiveness, and feel the empowerment and sensuality of surrender.
The Japanese rope art has a tradition of so called invisible techniques that helps the person being tied to go deep within her/himself with the tier as a guide, and you will take part in these invisible techniques.
We all have an individual and constantly changing way towards power and surrender. This is why I believe in providing experiences and holding space that includes everything from physical sensations such as rope, pain and pleasure, to emotional sensations such as vulnerability, trust, pride and shame.