Space Shibari

Many of us, bondage enthusiasts, would like to do Shibari in space. Imagine that! Rope bondage in a zero-gravity environment. However, until some astronaut embraces his kinkiness and openly discuss the possibility, that’s just a dream. What is true, however, is that, as a bondage model, I once had the opportunity to participate in a very special performance.

You know that there are more and more Shibari exhibitions every time. Bondage, which was once underground and barely legal, is now an acceptable kink practice. And one recognized for its beauty and its emotional power.

I’m a bondage model. And in one occasion I got a job for a performance in which eight of us got suspended in a gallery as a way to represent the planets of the solar system (minus Earth, that is). The artist’s idea —I forgot her name— was to show the multiple suspension as Holst’s orchestral piece, “The Planets”, sounded in the background. At the center of the installation, a big sphere made of orange, red, and yellow ropes tied together represented the sun.

Now, it might sound silly when you read about it. But, believe me, it was a wonderful experience. I played Venus. And the music is soft and mysterious. It lasts almost ten minutes. So, I had time to really get into character. You see, we all think of Venus as the sensual goddess of passion. But that’s not what the music is about. So, I wondered why the composer had done such a counterintuitive music. Then, I realized that, even though passion is the first impulse of love, there is serenity beyond it. And when I was suspended six feet above the ground, surrounded by blue lights, and embraced by this wonderfully soft, silky music, I truly felt like I was Venus herself.

This was my space Shibari.