The Rhythm of Shibari

Shibari is not just tying. Life is rhythm. it is not always the same. Sometimes you’re happy, sometimes you’re sad. Sometimes it rains, sometimes it’s hot. You get the idea. And that variation, that alternation, is what I call rhythm. And now, I’ve found the rhythm of Shibari.

That’s what I mean when I say Shibari isn’t just tying. The untying is as important as the tying, just as the preparation of the scene is as important as the aftercare. I’ve been a professional performer for some years now, and now I realize that I focused excessively on the tying, while I didn’t care enough about the untying. For example, in a show, I would do all the tying, but then I would ask my assistants to do the untying. Now I can tell that’s not how it should be done.

So, for my next show, I’m preparing a program which alternates between the most spectacular suspensions, and the most intimate ties, between the excitement of tying and the relaxation of the untying. And I’m sure this improves the whole performance. I want people in the audience to understand that life is not all of one color, one flavor, or one shape. I want to make rhythm visible.

And I can tell I’m on the right path because my models and my assistants seem happier with this show than with all the previous ones. They have a better understanding of their part in the complete performance. And we all feel that this is not so much a job, but a shared vision and a common taste for bondage.

Shibari is a mirror of many aspects of life. And rhythm is one of them. Once you understand rhythm, you can dance through life.

That’s the rhythm of Shibari.