With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

“With great power comes great responsibility.” We all remember that quote from Spider-Man. And most people will agree with such a statement. Each of us has a specific set of capabilities, and we must bring them to fruition, ideally for our own benefit and the benefit of others.

So, how does this premise apply to Shibari? Well, we have to remember that in any Shibari scene, there’s a power dynamic involved. Most people think that it is the rigger who holds the power. But, as any true bondage practitioner will tell you, this is not the case. Both top and bottom share the power during a scene.

In the case of the rigger, they are the ones who tie. Therefore, they have power over the structure of the scene and its shape. How about their responsibility? Well, their first and main responsibility is for the safety and wellbeing of their bottom. They are also responsible for having all the necessary equipment for the scene. Finally, they are responsible for listening to the bottom’s needs and ideas, especially if they’re asking for help.

As for the bottom, their power lies in the fact that they are the true center of the scene. Since they are the ones who get tied, the scene is, essentially, all about them. This means that their emotions and thoughts have a great deal of power over the rigger. They are, in no way, helpless bulks waiting to be tied. Quite the opposite; they are on equal terms with their rigger.

As you can see, there is power in a Shibari scene. And participants better handle it responsibly if they want everyone involved in the scene to end up satisfied and happy. 

Now, I don’t think Uncle Ben, the original source of the “with great power comes great responsibility” quote, was much into rope games, but I’m sure he would approve of the advice offered in this article.