Edward Willey

Free the Kink’s “Rope Week” has brought one surprise after another. On Thursday, it was the turn of Edward Willey, the founder of Knot Love. He’s a singular kind of rigger, since he combines bondage with meditation and physical discipline. He’s well versed in Aikido and Zen meditation. And, based on this background, he has developed the philosophy behind Knot Love.

Willey advocates a kind of bondage strongly focused on emotional connection. He believes rope should connect with your heart and with your partner’s heart. Otherwise, he says, “you might as well be tying your shoelaces”. In his own words, “Knot Love isn’t just about rope tying techniques. It’s about learning how to stay deeply connected to your partner, read their desires, learn about their needs, and build a scene together that cultivates trust, passion, and connection.” 

​It’s also about learning how to cultivate and embody relaxation, confidence, and awareness inside yourself.

During his demonstration, Willey put into practice what he preaches. The tying itself was actually quite simple —in the best sense of the word—. However, the emotional dynamic was very intense. It ranged from a certain playfulness to tenderness to intimacy, and a dozen other emotions. 

Willey’s rope games show that you can be intimate without being sexual. It also proved that, just as in any true art, virtuosity for its own sake is actually quite tasteless, whereas simplicity with a purpose can work wonders.

Judging by the comments both during and after the demonstration, Edward Willey’s performance was a success and source of ideas for those who saw it live. Many of them were surprised at how intimate a rope session can become, if you handle the emotional dynamic and the communication between partners correctly.

You can find the complete performance of Edward Willey in the “Free the Kink” Facebook Group.