Shibari and the Pandemic

The pandemic was a difficult time for everyone. Fear, uncertainty, and despair took their toll on all of us. However, not everything is bad news. Two years of pandemic, and especially, of lockdowns, opened unexpected perspectives for Shibari and other bondage practices. Shibari and the pandemic are not opposites.

First of all, fear led to stronger relationships between couples. The need to communicate and express problematic emotions increased. Shibari is all about communication, intimacy, and interaction. So, many people found it to be the perfect vehicle to fulfill their affective needs.

The long periods of lockdown and the insistent recommendation from authorities of staying at home forced people to reduce their outdoor activities and nightlife. This meant that they had to look for alternatives to substitute their activities outside home. Shibari and bondage are indoor activities. Therefore, they proved attractive in this context.

The pandemic was also a period of anxiety. We lost many certainties we had taken for granted. Rope bondage calls for an extreme trust between participants, and so it served as a sort of domestic therapy, in which couples rediscovered they could trust each other.

For many people, the pandemic offered the final push they needed to go ahead and strive for their dreams. When it seemed that we had lost the whole world, many people decided to face risks they had avoided for a long time. In many cases, this meant experimenting with artistic and sexual practices previously unknown. Although rope bondage has steadily gained recognition and following, many people who had not practiced it previously, decided to take their first steps into it. 

In many cases, more time was available than before. This gave to many people the opportunity to learn and perfect the art of rope bondage, which, as any seasoned practitioner knows, requires plenty of time and cannot be rushed. 

So, for a growing community developed around bondage, the pandemic offered unexpected opportunities.