Chapter 5 Practice Makes Perfect

Ever since my first Peer Rope event, i've been looking forward to the next one, as i'm always hungry to experience new ties, and to learn new ones along the way.

So, there i was in the parking lot, getting myself hyped for it!

i donned a comfy pink sweater and black pants, and touched up my lip tint before grabbing Shorky, a tumbler, and headed up.

We had a few new faces in the studio today, and after changing into my short shorts and washing my feet, i placed my belongings aside and got ready for Lin's tutorial.

It was back to basics today with a Somerville Bowline single column tie; a basic yet popular and important knot in shibari, and a refresher was exactly what i needed, as i had lacked practice from the previous Peer Rope, and forgotten how to tie it.

We were shown how to do it on our ankle, and after a few practice ties, i gained more confidence to perform the tie on my own.

i initially picked out a cotton rope from the shared rope basket, and i quickly learned that the rope is a bit soft to work with, and switched out to the jute rope that i felt more comfortable with handling.

It's to no surprise that jute happens to be the rope of choice for most riggers, as it's slightly stiff yet malleable, grips well and most importantly for me, leaves a much more desirable rope mark on my delicate skin.

We learned how to incorporate the tie into a spiral futomomo, which attaches the ankle to the thigh, and wrapping it a few times along the leg to achieve a frogtie.

To prevent the wraps from slipping around, we learned how to apply the nodome, aka a crossing/munter hitch.

It was a bit confusing at first to figure out where and how the finger needs to slip through to grab the loose end of the rope; a few practice runs were needed to be familiar with it.

As my tying confidence grew, so was my compulsion in making sure the ties were a bit more tighter, neater, and evenly spaced out to make it look more appealing to the eye!

The act of pushing yourself to make the ties better than before is what made me fall in love with self ties, and did i mention it has such a therapeutic effect on my brain? Yeah.

We also learned how to attach the tie to our waist, using the same principles as the futomomo we did earlier, and after some practice runs, the tutorial session ended, and we were left to practice more by ourselves.

i went to my belongings to take a sip of water, and to give you a bit of a backstory, in the car earlier i told myself i'd muster the courage to ask for at least 2 ties today!

After psyching myself up a little, i approached the friendly couple from Chapter 1 and asked for a tie.

Pat was a little occupied planning a tie for his spouse Rose, and graciously told me to see what will happen after they've done.

i did an imaginary fist pump, thanked Pat and went back to sit and tie the column tie a few more times to improve my efficiency and quality of the tie, tied another futomomo on my right leg, this time much tighter than before, and left it there while admiring the tightness.

Observing the session today, there weren't many riggers in attendance, some were switches and one of them was about to be tied by Lin.

So i started watching, whilst slowly undoing the tie on my leg. Halfway untying i was grinning from ear to ear at the deep rope marks i've inflicted upon myself, and after the untying is complete, i resumed watching the tie happening in front of me.

i repositioned myself to get a closer look whilst still being a good distance away to not interrupt Lin, and even invited a newcomer couple to come closer if they'd like to take a better look.

It was amazing.

With the skill and grace of a master rigger, Lin easily manipulated her bottom whilst seemingly not breaking a sweat, taking her time to ensure her wraps and knots were neat and good for suspension.

i sauntered back to the rope basket to grab a rope, as i decided to not just idle around and continue practicing what Lin taught me earlier.

Went back to my seat, and one half of the newcomer couple joined beside me, and i went about tying myself again while watching.

i had also observed the other newcomers, who were fixated at watching what was going on, with their faces filled with a slight tinge of awe, and i let out a gentle smile as it reminded me of what i experienced during my first rope meet, watching JT do his thing.

It didn't take long for my practice futomomo to complete, and by that time, Lin was ready for liftoff.

Using principles i had barely remembered from physics during my schooldays, Lin used her own bodyweight as a fulcrum, together with a pulley system of sorts to levitate her bottom up in the air, while everyone else stopped what they were doing to observe the magic that's happening.

Hermione ain't got shit with her "Leviosa" on this, i guarantee you!

Lin's bottom stayed airborne for a bit, and i started to loosen my ropes to take a break.

Self tying is quite an exhausting process for me, as i'm always trying to remember the various ways to properly wrap and secure the rope, making sure the knots are in the right place to minimize discomfort, pulling over and then under, and vice versa, etc etc.

It can be both mentally and physically exhausting, but with that, comes a huge appreciation for the riggers who do what they love most; tying. It's not easy!

As Lin started to slowly bring down her bottom from her levitated state, i stretched my legs, went to return the rope and saw another rope bottom tie the futomomo on both her legs.

Ooohhhhh that got my brain juices flowing!

I complimented her tie, and instead of returning the rope, i grabbed another from the basket, and took a seat at the wall nearby to tie.

i was about to complete the first part of the column tie before stopping and remembering that my phone was all the way at the other side of the room!

i'd be remiss to not take a few photos of my tie and the rope marks which will inevitably come, and so i took my phone and came back, and started tying.

With my right leg completed, i felt a sense of achievement as it looked and felt waay better and tighter than the one i made in the beginning of the tutorial, and i took a quick breather before resuming on the left leg, taking care to mirror the process to make it look symmetrical for both sides.

It took a bit of time, but finally i was done and exhausted!

i just leaned back on the wall and pulled the beanie bag next to me to get comfy, and i just sat there scrolling my phone, occasionally taking pictures of my work, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

i started to slowly untie my knots and wraps, with the intention of taking a good rest after, and it felt like an eternity after the last bit of rope peeled off my skin.

Hoooo boy were the rope marks gorgeous!

i made sure to take lots of photos documenting the beauty, sat down and chill for a bit, and the timing was just fantastic when Rose came over to let me know Pat's done, and will call me shortly.

i'm starting to feel giddy all over already!

Just a few minutes later, Pat motioned me over, in a way that's akin to a father lovingly calling his daughter over.

And so i grinned and shuffled over like one, and took a seat in front of Pat, still grinning!

Pat then went over the tie that he had planned to perform on me - the ebi tie.

i know enough japanese to know ebi means shrimp, and the tie involves contorting you to look like one; basically putting you in a cross-legged seating position, and bringing your forehead down as close as it can to your leg, the end result making you look like a cooked shrimp. It was originally used as a form of torture in medieval Japan.

To date, i've only been contorted the opposite way by ropes, and Pat mentions this is gonna be something different for me, and asks if i'm fine with that, to which i nodded my head about as enthusiastically as a 5-year old about to get her favorite ice cream.

And so i took my sweater off, revealing my maroon sports bra and sat near Pat, and he asked if i had any preference to the way i sit, which admittedly stumped me a little, to which i responded by asking back the same question to him (yeah, very genius of me), and Pat just motioned me to sit facing the studio, with my back facing him as Pat set off on my tie.

Rose then joined in and let me know to hand her my phone if i wanted pictures/videos taken, and i immediately did just that!

Pat started off with constructing a sort of TK, but one that's slightly different and not so taxing on my arms, yet Pat tells me the particular tie he's using enhances, or rather showcases the breasts much more prominently, which made me blush because it didn't take me long to see the results!

My breasts, covered in my bra were there for all to see, and thankfully this sports bra had pads in them, lest everyone will be able to see my nipples, which were embarrassingly rock hard (it was cold, okay? I-i promise they were not because i'm turned on by being tied!).

Rose enthusiastically snapped away at my phone, taking as much as possible to document this tie for me, for which i was eternally thankful for.

It didn't take long for me to start paying attention to my breathing, as the world around me starts to quiet down as more layers of rope began to caress my body, instilling a sense of calm over my otherwise noisy head.

It's truly one of the reasons why i love being tied; you learn to let go and just embrace the rope, come what may.

After what seemed to be like a multitude of rope layers, Pat took the time to check if everything was to his satisfaction, and proceeded to retrieve another length of rope, and tied a single column tie over my crossed legs.

Once that's done, Pat then wrapped a few rounds around the back of my neck!

To my surprise, this length of rope is not connected to the tie on my body; it exists as a separate section, and i'd later find out why..

Pat then used the rope to start contorting my body into itself, pulling my chin closer and closer to my legs. i knew i could go much further, but instead chose the distance i felt gave sufficient amount of stress, yet is still borderline comfortable.

At this point, the rope connecting my legs and chin were taut, and was restricting my jaw movement a little, and i could only slur a confirmation and slightly nod my head when Pat asked if i was okay and if the pressure is good.

With that, Pat took another length of rope and proceeded to neatly wrap the rope column that was running between my neck and legs, and that added another dimension of tightness and pressure around my neck and shoulders, and i couldn't help but to moan softly and gape my mouth slightly, spreading my tinted lips apart and enhancing the lewd look i had on my face.

That gape stayed open until the session ended, and now the ebi tie is complete, and i find myself in an all-familiar place - subspace.

my moaning/breathing combo got a little louder, and it was clear to both Pat and Rose i was enjoying the session!

Pat then sauntered behind me, and without warning, i felt the rope column on my back being pulled..

And now i understood why the two sets of ties were separate.

As Pat was pulling on the column on my back, the one on the front resisted my movement, and is essentially fighting each other for control!

i felt the tightness and pressure on my body from the pull, and my neck and legs were also in pressure from the counteracting ropes, and really, all i could do was just let out a long moan until Pat decided to let go.

It was honestly an intense feeling, being pulled on at both sides just like that!

Pat pulled once more, this time harder and a little longer from before.

There's no limb or large movements i could make as a result of the ebi tie, and so the only thing left for me to do is to endure the pressure on my chest and neck that steadily mounts, as Pat slowly pulls harder, applying a bit more of his bodyweight as leverage, and my now incoherent moans are just getting louder for everyone to hear.

And then Rose had the idea to remove my hair clip, to which Pat gladly obliged, and set my long, flowing hair to the side of my face, completely exposing the nape of my neck, much to my humiliation!

i learned long ago that in Japanese culture, the nape of a woman's neck is an erotic attribute (it is an erogenous zone after all), and having it exposed much like what i'm currently experiencing only serves to show my shameful side, and added with the tie i'm bound in, showcases the entire back of my neck fully, and that plunged me even deeper into subspace.

Pat then moved to the front of me, grabbed a length of rope and folded it into four, and intentionally took his time, as though telling me about what's to come next, and used that as a tool to pull upon the column that holds both my neck and legs together!

It was a much different sensation than what i felt with the rear column pull; now different parts of the body -- my shoulders, the lower arms, the back of my neck, waist, thighs and legs were given stress, and of course the only thing i'm really able to do is moan.

Pat did this a few more times, and it felt like he was the conductor in my symphony of moans and discomfort, and after what seemed like an eternity, Pat let go of the ropes, granting me a short reprieve as he stood up and moved behind me.

My eyes were barely open when i felt the rustling of my hair and some movement on my head, when i found out that Pat had tied my hair to a length of rope, and had placed the other end of the rope to the bamboo pole above me, and shortly after that Pat pulled on the other end, causing my head to lift up a bit, and OH GOOODDDD that amplified my helplessness and shamefulness, kinda like in the movies and tv shows where the villain yanks up the weakened heroine's long hair, to force them to reveal a secret!

Truth be told, i would have revealed anything in that moment, seeing that my whole body was already so crumpled up and immobile from the tie, my breathing more difficult and laborious as a result, and now a new source of stress is being introduced, causing me to moan in tempo with my shallowed breathing.

And as my head was lifted up, i saw Rose in the corner of my eye holding the rope attached to my neck column, and is pulling on it too, while snapping photos!

i was just too helpless to provide a response, and if i were to be left in this state any longer, i might have just drooled uncontrollably as a result.

Before that could happen, Rose had finished taking photos, and both Pat and Rose released the tension enveloping me, and i crumpled back to my safe spot, left to my own devices.

Pat came to check on me to see if i was doing okay, which i replied with a slight nod and a weak moan.

With that out of the way, Pat began untying me slowly, first undoing the wraps which had served to tighten the gap of the column that ran vertically down my body.

Even though i didn't feel the friction directly on my skin, but i did definitely feel the vibrations running through my spine via my neck, and that served to tingle my senses a fair bit, making me moan gently everytime i felt the vibrations.

Obviously, this caught both Pat and Rose's attention, and Pat sought to prolong the experience as much as possible before finally removing the main column.

With the rope linked to the nape of my neck, my sharp inhale and moans were involuntary as the rope starts rubbing over the exposed erogenous zone, and Pat took advantage of this by trying to keep the rope on my skin as much as possible while friction is being applied over it.

It's such a euphoric feeling, and it's one of the main reasons why i love the untying process so much, yet the masochistic side in me doesn't want me to be untied, preferring to stay bound in rope for as much time as possible!

Finally the wraps that held my neck down had come undone, and honestly i was a bit relieved to be able to stretch a little, while the single column tie binding both my ankles together were loosened and removed.

There's mostly bone, and not much of nerve endings for me to feel much there, but i still enjoyed how it feels when the rope rubs over my delicate skin.

With that undone, i'm now able to stretch my legs out and patiently wait for the rope column on my body to be loosened and unwrapped.

Just off to the side, Rose is focused on trying out the same single column tie we were taught earlier, and the mix of joy, slight confusion and focus on her face reminded me of why we love, and are addicted to rope!

Pat now headed behind me to navigate the final column, and again took his time to unwrap and to ensure that i'm feeling as much of the rope on my skin as possible!

i absolutely love it when the rigger and bunny communicate with each other this way -- the rigger paying attention to the sensations that the bunny is experiencing, and makes adjustments on the fly to accommodate it.

It's typically non-verbal and just shows the level of awareness that the rigger has during the session, and it always makes this girl so smitten..

Pat took care to manage my long hair by moving it out of the way, to not get it tangled with the ropes during the unwrapping process, and as the ropes slowly loosen from my body, a catharsis overcomes me as the ribcage is freed from the binds of rope, and is able to regain its regular breathing pattern and movement, yet my heart continues to beat in a slightly elevated pace from the wonderful feeling of rope rubbing against my skin.

When it came to loosening the arms from behind my back, Pat took it slow, and once the ropes are off, he immediately held my wrists and very slowly and carefully moved them to the sides of my body, and slowly set the palms of my hands to the floor, and gave my shoulders a quick rub; a detail that simply screamed the level of aftercare and TLC that some riggers incorporate into their sessions.

With the last piece of rope hitting the floor, i was still in a daze when Pat went in front of me to ask if i was okay, with a gentle smile on his face.

i reciprocated with a gentle smile of my own, and in my stupor i replied with a meek thank you, and Pat asked if i'd like a hug, to which of course i said yes!

Rose joined in as well, and the combination of the love, care, concern and support both have shown to me ever since i started my journey with RTT, made me feel so loved in the almost familial embrace -- and in the back of my mind, a singular thought emerges -- "please be my adoptive shibari parents!"

After the embrace, the three of us settled down. Rose continued working on her self-tie, Pat was prepping his ropes and gear for storage, and i laid on the floor with Shorky and we all had a lively chat about the session that just transpired, the things we loved about it, who was responsible for planning what, their observations of me during the tie, etc etc.

And then Rose reminded me to check out the photos they took of the tie -- they were all on my phone, and to my surprise Rose took a lot of media!

i spent a few good minutes blushing at what they took -- Rose was so good at highlighting certain areas of my tie; it's no surprise as Rose is a rope bottom herself, she'd know what looks best.

A little while later, Lin asked if any of us would like to grab a meal, to which we all responded with a yes, and we packed up, had some laughs, headed to supper and had a fun and lovely chat with everyone over a warm meal, and just like that, the night came to an end.

We bade our farewells, and i sat in the car for a bit with a gentle warmth in my heart and a smile on my face, thinking about the wonderful family i've found, and made in RTT, and drove off home, looking forward to the next meetup.

EPILOGUE

i'd like to take this opportunity to give my sincerest thanks to the RTT family, with Lin spearheading the efforts that make the community the wonderful place that it is; organizing events, meetups and learning opportunities, working hard to ensure everything goes smoothly.