Rope Podcast

An unusual and somewhat mysterious tie, its origins obscured, the Five Flowers tie was purportedly used for leading Chinese prisoners to execution. Fox and Mya were lucky enough to go to a class on the tie recently and in this episode share their experience and understanding of the tie. As always, if you know more or want to add to the conversation, share your thoughts in the comments! In this episode hear about: • What the Five Flowers tie is • How it can be tied and variations • The pros and cons • How it feels to be tied in • Its risk profile • And more! Ps - Mya used the word ‘terrifying’ quite a few times about this tie in this episode - definitely gives you a clue to her view!

In the second part of our interview with the nylon rope maker, photographer and rigger KnotHead, the focus is more on rope photography. Listen now to hear Fox and Mya ask him about: • How he got into rope photography • How rope photography evolved in the West • Collaborating on rope photography • His photo influences • What he looks out for in a ‘Berry Nize’-worthy bondage photo • Working with the model you have • Great tips for rope photography models to best show off the rope they are in • Model releases and why they are important • The importance of the order of tying in a photoshoot versus play • How rope events have changed over time • The downsides of people teaching too quickly Beginning 30 years ago with a mix of flea market handcuffs, bathrobe belts and neck ties, knot_head has always loved bondage. Although he began with Japanese style rope, he quickly gravitated to the strict, clean, efficient, Western style of riggers like Jay Edwards, Matt Williams, Lew Rubens and Claire Adams. For him it IS about the simple, strict, positional bondage, and “what happens once they're tied”, challenging predicaments being his favorite. About ten years ago he caught the photography bug and loves showing kinksters how easy it can be to get better shots with their gear, even phones, in almost any setting. His schtick is to make bondage (and photography) simple and fun for anyone willing to learn.

Beginning 30 years ago with a mix of flea market handcuffs, bathrobe belts and neck ties, knot_head has always loved bondage. Although he began with Japanese style rope, he quickly gravitated to the strict, clean, efficient, Western style of riggers like Jay Edwards, Matt Williams, Lew Rubens and Claire Adams. For him it IS about the simple, strict, positional bondage, and “what happens once they're tied”, challenging predicaments being his favorite. About ten years ago he caught the photography bug and loves showing kinksters how easy it can be to get better shots with their gear, even phones, in almost any setting. His schtick is to make bondage (and photography) simple and fun for anyone willing to learn. In the episode, Fox and Mya ask him about: • Why he loves Western bondage • Many of his influences in bondage, film, photography, art and more • How he defines Western bondage • Differences between Japanese and Western rope styles • Cool Western positions • Functional rope positions versus positions for photos • His passion for predicaments • Why he started making nylon rope • Pros and cons of different rope materials • Tips on how to tie with nylon • A game-changing knot that changed how he ties

Ceci Ferox is a Berlin based queer, kinky and fat sexologist, kink activist, and rope nerd. They have been teaching Japanese inspired rope bondage since 2014, and are currently working as one of the house teachers at Karada House in Berlin. Ceci is inspired by creativity and understanding the smallest details of tying and communication technique. This has led to Ceci being an expert in tailoring ties for different needs. They are currently stoking a fat rope revolution. In the episode, Fox and Mya ask them about: • What being a House Teacher at Karada House entails • Learning through embodied experience • Why it is important to them to accept failure as part of their learning • How they experience topping, bottoming and self-tying • Why it’s important to use the word fat • Fat as a descriptive word, rather than a moral judgement • Who is fat rope for • The advantages of a fat body in rope • Misconceptions about fat bodies in rope • Rope topping tips as a fat bodied person • Practical suggestions for fat rope bottoms • Different kinds of fat

Anastasia from Voudou Ropes is an international shibari artist. Her 8 years experience in the field includes teaching, exhibitions, events and performances in several countries. Anastasia attracts people who want to feel rope as an art form, and she uses rope as a tool to communicate without words. Voudou Ropes has held three 3 sold out shibari retreats in Mexico, with clients flying in from the US and Europe. Anastasia is also growing a beautiful open-minded community in Playa del Carmen holding classes and events on a weekly basis. In this conversation, Fox and Mya discuss with her: • How she discovered rope bondage and some of the mistakes she made along the way • How she uses learning as a way to connect internationally • Her values in rope • How she has made her rope a business • The importance to her of community and opportunities to learn • Her very active social media presence and how instagram helps her business • Decorative rope and rope for self-love • What she does - and doesn’t post on her rope social media • What makes people share their rope stories with her • What the photoshoot of her dreams would be • Her large collection of rope types and her favourites • The place of rope in her personal life • How she does a couples check in with her husband using rope • Why she sees herself as a ‘rope artist’ rather than a ‘rope kinkster’

The Rope Podcast held a special competition recently, where Patreon subscribers could submit a rope story (describing a real experience) to the podcast with a chance of winning the last copy of Fox’s limited edition rope photo book, “Together In The Dark”. Fox and Mya chose a winner and a runner up (sorry runner up, your prize is just props!), and wanted to share these two stories with you, our listeners, to inspire you in both writing about and doing rope. Rope stories are a way of normalizing the rope experience, and sharing with others the how and most importantly, the why, and so can be very beneficial in helping the acceptance of rope bondage more widely. Our two stories contain self-tying, outdoor bondage, and learning a technique then putting it into play. We love them, and hope you do too! If you have a rope story, share a link in the comments below, and we will give you a signal boost <3 And if you want to become a Patron, for future competitions, sneak peeks, behind the scenes, and a deeper connection with Fox and Mya, find us on www.patreon.com/ropepodcast And look out for Fox and Mya’s rope stories book later this year!

This is the second part of our interview with accomplished Shibari practitioner Anna @Noctuelle. In this episode, Fox and Mya hear more about her depth of experience, as well as some practical tips. Listen to the episode to hear them discuss: • How her experience of rope has changed over the two decades she has been practicing • Aging and the impact of female hormone levels on her rope • How she has dealt with rope injuries • Situations she has discovered are more likely to generate injuries • Ties she doesn’t do any more to reduce her risk level • Signs to know when an injury might be happening • A consideration of Rigger vulnerability • Using rope to distract her from IVF, and the challenges that involved • Hormones and their impact on risk perception • Ways to increase longevity in rope • Practicing surrender in rope • Interdisciplinary approaches to rope Anna @Noctuelle is a highly experienced and versatile Shibari practitioner with over 18 years of experience. Her journey with Shibari began as a personal discovery and has since evolved into a multifaceted practice encompassing teaching, modelling and performing. Her dedication to sharing her passion for Shibari has taken her to various rope communities across Europe, teaching workshops and captivating audiences with performances since 2015. Anna’s artistic journey has been deeply influenced by her diverse background. With a foundation in classical dance, she brings grace, elegance, and a keen sense of body awareness to her Shibari practice. Her exploration of Buddhism, tantra and meditation, as well as her commitment to yoga, have shaped her aesthetic and philosophical approach to Shibari, lending it a spiritual depth and tranquility. A linguist in her other life, she’s constantly exploring the communicative aspects of Shibari. Anna’s blend of skills, knowledge, and experience make her an exceptional practitioner and educator of Shibari who understands what it means create safe and inclusive learning environments which reward inquiry, curiosity, courage, experimentation and playfulness.

Anna Noctuelle is a highly experienced and versatile Shibari practitioner with over 18 years of experience. Her journey with Shibari began as a personal discovery and has since evolved into a multifaceted practice encompassing teaching, modelling and performing. Her dedication to sharing her passion for Shibari has taken her to various rope communities across Europe, teaching workshops and captivating audiences with performances since 2015. Anna’s artistic journey has been deeply influenced by her diverse background. With a foundation in classical dance, she brings grace, elegance, and a keen sense of body awareness to her Shibari practice. Her exploration of Buddhism, tantra and meditation, as well as her commitment to yoga, have shaped her aesthetic and philosophical approach to Shibari, lending it a spiritual depth and tranquility. A linguist in her other life, she’s constantly exploring the communicative aspects of Shibari. Anna Noctuelle’s blend of skills, knowledge, and experience make her an exceptional practitioner and educator of Shibari who understands what it means create safe and inclusive learning environments which reward inquiry, curiosity, courage, experimentation and playfulness. In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss her rope journey and experiences. Listen to hear them talk about: • How she started her two decades of rope • Opportunities for nuanced communication in rope • The richness and depth of Shibari and why she loves it • Exploring living room rope • Marrying a non-rope person • Her links with Anatomie Studio • The place of rope in her life now • How she became a rope educator • Making sure she doesn’t let rope take over her life • The importance of a ‘beginner’s mind’ in rope • The pros and cons of a classical dance background for rope

A note from Fox and Mya: We’re not medical professionals, so this episode doesn’t constitute medical advice. We’re also aware that there are many sensitivities around ASC/ASD that we may overlook. Bear with us, and feel free to gently and kindly provide feedback in the comments if there’s something we didn’t get right. We also aware that [‘Aspergers’][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome] as a term is now outdated, and has now been merged into Autism Spectrum Disorder, but we reference it in the episode as the listener’s email referred to it. A listener reached out to ask about tying with someone with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Fox and Mya aren’t experts in this area, so they reached out to their listeners to ask them to share their experience. In this episode, you can hear from seven listeners who either have themselves, or have a tying partner, with ASC, and were kind enough to record soundbites for us. They share tips, challenges, pros and cons of the condition in the context of rope. The WHO estimates 1 in 100 people is a person with the condition, and so even if you aren’t currently tying with someone in this category (as top or bottom), you might find it interesting to help your rope practice in the future. We hugely appreciate the vulnerability of the listeners who shared thoughts, and are so grateful for such a wonderful community prepared to share their experience.

Ep166: Working as a Rope Bondage Pro and the Place of Social Media - Knotty Devil (pt2) by rope partners Fox and Mya, The Rope Podcast is an adult podcast about rope bondage, Shibari and Kinbaku. Listen for discussions of ties, rope topics and news, interviews, reviews of events and rope gear, and listener questions.

Knotty Devil is a rope switch out of Portland, Oregon, USA who produces a lot of amazing rope content on social media and Only Fans. He aims to tie for connection, purpose and aesthetics, with a primal edge. In addition, he is the House Rigger for the latex company, Reflective Desire. In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss with him his rope journey and rope style. Listen to hear them talk about: • The first Shibari performance he watched and why it hooked him • His incredible drive to learn and how he threw himself into rope • Learning from different sources and how he integrated these • How learning from both sides of the rope helped him grow • What ‘tying with flow’ means to him and how he does it • The hotness of mutual suffering and struggle • How rope and s3x interact for him

Happy New Year dear listeners! Today we continue with our wonderful guests sharing one of their favourite rope scenes. It’s always an inspiring episode for our play - what ideas will you get?! Fox and Mya also share one of their favourite scenes of the year, plus a little bit about their hopes for their rope bondage in 2024. The episode includes scenes from: Thepope Theaccidentalrigger thewickedwren FoxofBangkok MyArms_Bendback We also introduce a competition for our patrons to win a signed copy of Fox’s book - join the Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/ropepodcast now for the opportunity to win!

One of our - and your - favourite episodes of the year is here! Get comfortable and listen to four of our fabulous guests telling us about one of their favourite rope scenes. Understand what matters to them in a scene, and what they remember - and get ideas for your own play. The podcast hosts also include a review of their own rope year, with some personal reflections on what changed in rope for them in 2023. The episode includes scenes from: Midori -Fuoco- Assistant The silence

Rope Podcast hosts Fox and Mya talk to rope podcast host Wicked Wren, in this second part of their interview with her. The conversation also includes an interesting discussion where all three hosts share some ‘hot takes’ on some more nuanced rope topics, like implied power dynamics. While none of us felt like we representing this complex topic perfectly, perhaps it can start some discussion among your rope family and friends to explore the ideas further! Listen to the episode now to hear more about: • How Wren got involved with the @Shibari_Study podcast • How her ideas for the podcast evolved, and why • How she chooses her guests • What she’s learned through the podcast • Her goals for the podcast • Tips on managing implied power dynamics • Types of questions to ask in negotiations • The place of agency in rope consent

Wren (she/her) is a rope switch and artist, as well as being the host of the Shibari Study podcast and The Corn Corner podcast. She joined us from Los Angeles, California, USA. Mya and Fox have a lot of love for the Shibari Study podcast and Wren’s energy and interviewing style, and enjoyed reflecting that back to her and finding out the story behind her journey with rope. Listen to the episode now to hear more about: • How she discovered rope bondage through NRE • The challenges of not joining a scene when she started rope • The benefits of seeing a lot of role models of all shapes, sizes and abilities in rope • Her journey to switching and why these days she is mainly a bottom • What she likes about rope now and its space in her life • Her favorite rope intent and what she gets out of it • What she wants to hear when she’s in rope • Performing and what she gets out of it • Her engagement with rope education (including how she prepares for bottoming for a class)

Ep160: Together in the Dark - Creating an erotic rope bondage book: an interview with Fox The one where Fox makes a book… Fox’s latest creative project is a book of erotic rope bondage, called ‘Together in the Dark’. Here Mya interviews him about the background to this gorgeous artefact, and tries not to blush when talking about the subject matter. Mya and Fox even get to surprise each other with some of their questions and answers! Listen to the episode now to hear more about: • The ‘why’ behind the book • What the exploration of the physical medium brings over digital photos • The focus of the book and what makes it unique • Why those ties? Why those pictures? Why that order? • Which is Fox’s favourite photo? • How the creation process worked • The inspiration behind the erotic art in the book • How to go from no book to a book! • What Fox learned about himself through the rope book’s creation • The beliefs he challenged with the book - of his own, and those he hopes to challenge of others • His learnings and what surprised him when making the book

This is a rope focus episode, chosen by our lovely Patrons! In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss a tie that Fox created, that involves a lot of bamboo, and a sense of entombment…perfect for Halloween! Listen to the episode and discover plenty of information about this innovative tie, and even enter a competition to win a copy of Fox’s new rope erotica photo book, which is in (very) limited run right in its current format. Hear the podcast hosts discuss: • What this tie actually is • Risks and safety considerations to be aware of • Where the bamboo comes in and alternatives you could use • What it feels like to experience as a bottom • Who might enjoy this kind of tie • Thoughts on suspending a Hitsugi

Listener gggwolverine asks on behalf of a friend, what do rope bottoms do while the rope is going on, especially if the person is naturally a little self-conscious. To someone new to rope, the rope top has a more ‘obvious’ role in terms of the scene, but it can be intimidating as the bottom in the scene to know what to do. The most important thing is ‘there is no should’ - it’s very personal as to what works for one rope bottom, one rope top, and also that specific combination of rope bottom and top, on any particular day. However, in this episode the hosts give some suggestions to choose from, and discuss: • The pros and cons of watching others for ideas on how to behave • How what you see outside (‘rope face’!) might differ from what’s happening inside the bottom • The importance of context in terms of influencing behaviour • Intent and scene purpose • Active bottoming and anticipating • Changing your behaviour according to different types of scene or people • Examples of how you *could* behave in rope • Outcome versus process orientated tying • Managing anxiety in rope As ever there are plenty of ideas and practical tips for bottoms and tops, so listen now!

In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss mummification with rope - the Mummy Tie! The podcast hosts discuss what it means to mummify a (live!) person and how you can do it with rope. They offer tips and tricks from their experience. Listen to the episode to hear them discuss: • Body placement • Characteristics and aesthetics of a Mummification Tie • How it feels to be in a Mummy Tie • Safety and risk considerations of this tie • Different positions of the bottom while tying and how these work • Pros and cons of forward versus reverse tension • Likely pain points in the tie and possible adjustments to help • Ways for the top to avoid RSI • What kind of top and bottom might enjoy this kind of tie • How to (or not to) include sexytimes in this tie • Extra considerations if you want to suspend the Mummy Tie

Rope bondage can be thrilling, and part of that thrill comes from the risk. However, we all have different risk profiles, and it’s best to go into a scene really understanding what the risks might be. In this episode, fox and Mya consider some of the risks of rope bondage, and ways one could mitigate these. They also discuss: • Definitions of key terms like Risk, Risk:Reward ratio, mitigation • The two dimensions along which one can classify risk to understand it better • Exploring and understanding risk and how something like the ‘Five Why’s game can help • Key areas of knowledge that help us mitigate risk in rope bondage • Planning for risk, and using ‘if this, then this’ in your plans • The critical role of trusted or validated resources in considering risk • Fox’s big five risks in rope bondage and suggestions on how you might mitigate for them

A ‘value’ is simply something that is important to those within a context - for example, we might have individual values, couple values, organisational values, community values or, in the case of this episode, rope values! So how might we apply this concept of values in rope? How can they be useful to us and how we make decisions or chose our behaviours? The podcast hosts discuss this interesting topic, including: • How many values might be useful to focus on at a time? • What might you use values for? • The Rope Podcast’s values, what they mean and why we chose them • Aspirational values, implicit values, expliciti values, lived values • Practical applications of values in rope • fox and Mya talk through our personal rope values and what they mean to us • How our personal rope values might inform whether someone is a good match to tie together

Mel, known as the Accidental Rigger, is a rope switch with a lot of experience handling and maintaining large amounts of rope. A neurodiverse, queer, rope customisation professional from the Middle East who laid down roots in London, she began by treating ropes for Anatomie’s Shibari Store, modelling for classes, and as a teaching assistant for rope bottoms. In this second part of our interview with her, focusing more on the practicalities of looking after your rope and making sure it’s as safe as possible for as long as possible, she shares: • Her preferences for the types and customisation of rope she uses as a bottom and as a top • How should we store regularly-used-rope v rarely-used-rope • Can you clean rope that’s been in contact with bodily fluids, including blood? • The challenges you need to handle when rope gets wet and risk implications • Keeping an eye on your rope for potential breakages • The secret behind her name, the Accidental Rigger! After dedicating years to learning from a variety of practitioners, Mel has become a teacher for both riggers and bottoms. She has been offering rope customisations services and education, and rigging services for productions and events since 2021. As a teacher, she finds joy in introducing people to rope, working with them to encourage curiosity and to teach them in the best way possible for them as individuals. Mel’s style is often described as ‘meeting bottom’s where they’re at and seeking to give them what they need”. She is committed to her growth in her rope practice and developing her style.

Mel, known as the Accidental Rigger, has a great deal of hands on practice in rope - rigging, bottoming and handling and maintaining large quantities of rope. A neurodiverse, queer, rope customisation professional from the Middle East who laid down roots in London, she began by treating ropes for Anatomie’s Shibari Store, modelling for classes, and as a teaching assistant for rope bottoms. After dedicating years to learning from a variety of practitioners, she has become a teacher for both riggers and bottoms. She has been offering rope customisations services and education, and rigging services for productions and events since 2021. As a teacher, she finds joy in introducing people to rope, working with them to encourage curiosity and to teach them in the best way possible for them as individuals. Mel’s style is often described as ‘meeting bottom’s where they’re at and seeking to give them what they need”. She is committed to her growth in her rope practice and developing her style. In this interview, she shares: • How she discovered rope bondage • Her relationship and connection with Anatomie Studio • What place rope holds in her life now • Her background as a circus performer • Being a House Rigger and other rope activities through which she earns a living • What a House Rigger is and what they do • Pros, cons, risks, discomforts and challenges of House Riggers • What she has learned from being a House Rigger • How being a House Rigger has helped her develop her more subby service side through topping • Her journey into rope maintenance • Why is rope maintenance is an important topic for rope tops and bottoms • Unusual types of customisation/personalisation you can do to your rope kit

Both fox (as a rope top) and Mya (as a rope bottom) live with chronic pain in different ways, and exploring the topic in rope bondage is very important to them. In this episode, they address the idea that the activity of rope bondage can impact physical chronic pain, and some of the ways it might do this. They note they’re not Doctors, and pain is *always* a subjective experience, but however you manage it - with props or processing - pain is something in rope bondage you are almost certain to have to deal with in some sense, both as a top and a bottom. The episode focuses on the importance of a more nuanced conversation about pain in rope bondage, and the hosts would love to hear about your experiences in the area. The team discuss: • The difference between chronic pain and acute pain • Where chronic pain comes from and what is it • ‘Good pain’ versus ‘bad pain’ and when these concepts are and aren’t helpful • Variability in humans of altered headspace in rope and how they might impact on chronic pain • New / different pain in rope and how it can change your experience of chronic pain • Trading off different types of pain in rope • Locus of control and how it affects our experience of pain • How rope bondage can help us change our body’s story and reclaim our pain • Increasing our self-knowledge through the experience of pain in rope bondage • How physical touch and connection can decrease pain • Therapeutic rope, what is it, and what it isn’t • Pressure and compression and pain gate theory • Recovery from rope bondage scenes • Realism about the constant trade offs with chronic pain (spoons)

In our last episode we enjoyed the first part of our lovely interview with JP the Pope (find the first part of the conversation at Ep:150). With 20+ years in professional rope bondage adult videos, he has a wealth of interesting experiences to talk about, plus his shoots are some of the most interesting and creative rope bondage positions for sex the podcast team has seen. In this episode discover: • When he’s gotten it wrong, accidents and injuries he’s been involved with in rope bondage and how he’s dealt with them • Discussing limits and consent before starting to shoot • How ego kills talent • The benefits of working with an empowered, trusted crew • Continuous improvement and learning, and how he does this • How he comes up with positions for his shoots • Aftercare off-camera (and the critical place of hugs!) • Working with his wife on set and the roles they take • Blooper moments over the years The Pope has been practicing bondage professionally since 2004. He is a bondage rigger, but also a director and performer. The Pope recently has been added to the AVN Hall of Fame, which is the first bondage director/performer ever recognized in that capacity.  Hopefully this paves the way for future bondage/fetish performers and directors to be more accepted and recognized by mainstream media.  NB: Apologies, we had some problems with the sound at fox and Mya’s end, so bear with us. Luckily no issue with the Pope’s! Catch episode 150 for the first half of the interview.

The Pope has been practicing bondage professionally since 2004. He is a bondage rigger, but also a director and performer. The Pope recently has been added to the AVN Hall of Fame, which is the first bondage director/performer ever recognized in that capacity.  Hopefully this paves the way for future bondage/fetish performers and directors to be more accepted and recognized by mainstream media.  fox’s rope has been heavily influenced by JP’s work over the years, and the podcast team have watched many of his videos (for research! ;)), so they were thrilled to talk to him here. In this episode discover: • His journey to discovering rope bondage • How he got into the adult entertainment industry • Taking inspiration from other rope practitioners around him • Rope’s place in his life personally and professionally now • His influences from Western freestyle to Shibari (via Midori’s book!) • Using rope bondage in a personal versus a professional context • Sadism versus sustainability • Tips for sustainability in rope bondage (fox has been using one of them since the interview!) • Why JP doesn’t have intercourse on camera • Some of the biggest challenges he has faced on shoots NB: Apologies, we had some problems with the sound at fox and Mya’s end, so bear with us. Luckily no issue with the Pope’s! Catch episode 151 for the second half of the interview.

What is a ritual, and why might it be something we include in our rope? fox and Mya discuss the topic and how it might add magic and sparkle to our rope practice, including some examples of what it might look like. They also discuss: • A definition of what a ritual is, and how we might apply that to our rope • Pros and cons of ritual • The importance of education and accessibility in creating your rituals • Common elements of ritual in rope • Different levers to create more ritual in rope • Why ‘intention’ is critical in creating ritual • Concrete examples of ritual from the rope world • Aspects of ritual and how you might play with them in your scenes **What’s your favourite rope ritual?**

The Silence is a California based photographer who specializes in boudoir and kink photography, including shibari and kinbaku. When he started, everyone was photographing their rope work with flip phones - and the he thought to himself, why not learn to take better pictures. Five years of practice later, he has discovered a deep love of photography, enjoying experimenting with lighting and posing to create striking images. In developing his art and passion he’s shot with people around the world, and here at the podcast we find his work very inspiring, and him talented - yet in person he’s humble and genuine. We loved hearing about his passion for photography and behind the scenes experiences. In this episode he shares: • His rope origin story • How he got into rope photography • His 3Ps in rope • The background to his kink name • The rope he likes for a scene versus a photoshoot • His negotiation process • How he collaborates with models for photoshoots • His postproduction process • Tips he gives rope bottoms when modelling • Great advice for new rope photographers • His current and future focus in rope and photography

There’s no such thing as perfect, there’s always things we can improve, no matter who we are, and what level, type and role in rope we are at. Feedback can help us with that - but it’s a delicate topic that we need to approach with kindness and a gentle touch. The podcast hosts firmly believe in feedback (outside and inside the world of rope!) for us to be better not just in terms of rope, but also as rope partners, people, and just as a life skill in general. In this episode, Mya brings some of her professional experience as a psychologist to the episode, and the podcast hosts discuss: • What feedback is, and why it might be important in rope • A guide to how you might structure feedback • Warm feedback versus cold feedback • Why ego kills talent • The difference between criticism and talent • More and less effective ways to give feedback in rope • Why it’s important to focus on the behaviour not the person when sharing feedback • “I” versus “you” statements • Non-Violent Communication and how it might inspire our feedback • Why you shouldn’t use the ‘sandwich’ approach when giving feedback • Examples of feedback the top and bottom can give each other • Tips on how to receive feedback more easily • The importance of discussing ‘what good looks like’ before your rope, and how that relates to feedback Get ready - this episode goes deep!

Assistant is a large language model trained by OpenAI, and fox and Mya were interested to see how they could help provide information and insights on rope bondage, and how accurate it might be. The results surprised them both… In this episode hear Assistant’s thoughts on: • What rope bondage is, and if shibari and rope bondage are the same thing • How AI can be useful to those interested in rope bondage • The risks of rope bondage, and what people like about it • How we can improve our rope bondage skills • Advice for newcomers in rope bondage • How to find a partner to do rope bondage with • Some creative writing from Assistant - a William-Gibson-style cyberpunk novel with a central theme of rope bondage and a poem about rope bondage in the style of Byron! Finally, we checked with Assistant that they were ok with publishing their answers and this is what they said: You are welcome to use some of my answers as quotes in your podcast episode. However, please be aware that I am a large language model trained by OpenAI, and the answers I provide are not my own thoughts or opinions. My responses are generated based on the data and training materials that I have been given, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any individual or organization. If you do use my answers as quotes in your podcast, I would appreciate it if you would attribute them to me as a large language model trained by OpenAI.

There are a SURPRISING number of labels people use in rope, some of which have leaked over from other aspects of BDSM, and some of which are unique to rope bondage. In this episode, fox and Mya explore - and sometimes disagree on! - what these can mean, sharing some of the different meanings that can be associated with these labels. This discussion provides a starting point for you to have with the people you do rope with about their labels, and is definitely NOT the definitive guide - we know communities, cultures, individuals all bring different perspectives, and we encourage you to talk to others about their labels, why they chose them (if they did!) and making sure you’re both using the label that suits them, and you understand what they mean by chasing it. It’s a helpful way to discover more about each other! Also learn in the episode: • 12+ labels that the podcast hosts can think of that people use in rope • fox and Mya’s preferred labels • Whether you can have more than one label • A little bit of Thai from fox • Some of the more controversial terms, and why that might be the case • Caution around gender and stereotyping in labels • Areas where labels might be lacking • Benefits of labels - and the downsides • Why humans like labels • How might you choose one or more labels in rope, if you want to • A question from Mya about the rope world and their relationship to labels We fully expect (and encourage!) listeners to disagree with our definitions, so tell us in the comments: **What label/s do you use in rope? What does it mean to you?**

Listen for breaking news! Rope Podcast organizing a rope photo contest!

fox and Mya don’t tie TKs, and rarely tie a box tie because of their risk profile - but they understand a lot of listeners do. So when they saw educator fuoco had put out a book about box ties, they were excited to get her perspective. fuoco also shares more about her Zine ‘Cut the Leash’, the audience for that and the notion of kinky community - as well as their issue on ‘Witchiness and rope’. Might you be a contributor? Get in touch with fuoco on her website below. In the meantime, listen to this engaging discussion to hear about: • The origin of the fuoco’s new book, Put Me In A Box • Pros and cons of box tie • What she loves about box tie • How she manages the risks of a box tie as a rope bottom • Ways bottoms and tops can work together to adjust the box tie to different bodies • The concepts of a sustainability and stability and optimising both • What can rope bottoms do to have longevity in rope • Switching up patterns to avoid cumulative nerve damage • Optimising rope fun! • And plenty more <3 fuoco began her rope journey as a bottom in Phoenix ten years ago and shortly thereafter moved to London, where much of her early rope learning happened. Upon moving back to the US, she began presenting at cons and intensives around the country sharing her love of rope. As an educator, she's decidedly non-dogmatic in her approach to teaching. Her classes aim to help bottoms to better understand their bodies in movement, and to offer riggers the knowledge to adapt their tying to the unique needs of their partners. When she’s not doing rope, fuoco is a professional acrobat. Her dedicated study of the mechanics of the body make her especially interested in developing more comprehensive education for bottoms informed by these practices. She's also a leftist who believes that kink is inherently political. She strives to bring her politics, her values, and an accountability for those values into her teaching spaces.

fuoco began her rope journey as a bottom in Phoenix ten years ago and shortly thereafter moved to London, where much of her early rope learning happened. Upon moving back to the US, she began presenting at cons and intensives around the country sharing her love of rope. As an educator, she's decidedly non-dogmatic in her approach to teaching. Her classes aim to help bottoms to better understand their bodies in movement, and to offer riggers the knowledge to adapt their tying to the unique needs of their partners. When she’s not doing rope, fuoco is a professional acrobat. Her dedicated study of the mechanics of the body make her especially interested in developing more comprehensive education for bottoms informed by these practices. She's also a leftist who believes that kink is inherently political. She strives to bring her politics, her values, and an accountability for those values into her teaching spaces. Listen to this engaging discussion to hear about: • How she discovered rope bondage • Her early experiences in London and Berlin • Her contributions to the growth of bottoming education • How her circus arts do - and don’t - influence her rope • How the understanding of what a ‘valuable’ bottoming educator is has changed • The changes that have occurred for her in the kind of rope she enjoys • Active bottoming and how some of the ideas don’t really speak to the lived experience of most bottoms - and why • Challenges she personally has faced as part of the rope scene • The journey of being an unpartnered rope bottoming educator • What possible futures of rope bottoming could look like • How bottoming and rigging education classes might work together more harmoniously • And much more <3

In this episode fox shares some of his experience and knowledge around how rope tops and bottoms might optimize their physical strength for rope. The podcast hosts remind you they’re not medical doctors or trainers and you should get some professional input before starting. Aimed at novices (though those who are more experienced are welcome to listen and share their advice in the comments on Fetlife and Instagram) list now to hear them discuss these areas: • The kinds of movement you might want to improve your strength on as a rigger • Injuries in rope strength training might be able to prevent • What are dead lifts, lateral raises, upward rows, and what muscles do they work? • Where pain and discomfort figures in weight lifting • Different types of physical strength that bottoms might need • The possible cons of strength training for rope bondage • How you might strengthen your back and your core • Compound versus isolation movements • Reps and sets and how best to use them • Explanations of some technical terms like ‘progressive overload’ and ‘the staircase model’

‘Auntie’ Midori has a lot of scenes behind her (and in front of her!) and her depth of experience in play means she has huge resources to draw on for ideas. Her interest in rope developed alongside her experience in other kinks, and in this episode, fox and Mya explore some of her more unusual ideas on ‘how to play’. This is a great episode to help enhance your scenes, beginner or advanced, whatever your level. Listen to the discussion to hear about: • Intent in rope bondage, what it means, and making sure both (all) parties’ intents match • Food as a metaphor for scening • Why she doesn’t start negotiations by discussing the type of tie she wants • How intent can help you if you get stuck progressing your scene • The need to be flexible even when you’ve planned our your intent in advance • Rituals, what they are, from the simplest to the most complicated • Her personal rope rituals • Insights into her rope playlists • How you can draw on mindfulness to create deeper, more intense rope scenes • The kind of help she needs to get present to the right topping headspace • ‘Antagonistic’ versus ‘collaborative’ rope, what it is and how it connects to intent • How listeners can use the idea of verbs and nouns in their rope play • Doing rope bondage with your ass! • And so much more <3 Trailblazing educator, sexologist, artist, and irritant to banality, Midori founded Rope Dojo and ForteFemme: Women's Dominance Intensive. She penned the first English instruction book on Shibari, "Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage" in 2001, paving the way to the popularity of rope. Dan Savage calls her the "Super Nova of Kink," while others affectionately call her Auntie Midori for her cool, tell-it-like-it-is, funny, reality-based teaching.  Midori is the Co-Director of Curriculum for Kink Informed Certification, part of Sexual Health Alliance, training therapists and helping professional to provide safe, compassionate, and inclusive service to their clients. She is the recipient of the 2022 Humanitarian Award from the American Association of Sex Educators Therapists & Counselors (AASECT) and 2022 Effing Foundation Grant, along with having honored with a Sainthood by the Sisters of Perpetual indulgence. She is also the author of "Wild Side Sex," "Master Han's Daughter," and "Silk Threads.”  Learn, laugh, and enjoy her special online classes, events, and art at  www.patreon.com/PlanetMidori (this is where she is working on her next shibari book through this site!)

Midori literally ‘wrote the book’ on rope bondage, with the first English instruction manual on Shibari: ‘Seductive Art of Japanese Rope Bondage’. With her first hand perspectives on both American and Japanese rope culture, fox and Mya were able to discuss with her a depth of understanding of Japanese Rope culture that may be at odds with some of the myths out there. Listen to the discussion to hear about: • Midori’s slow burn entry into rope, and where she learned both the skills of making rope (3rd grade!) and tying (a lot later…) • How not to be a culture vampire in Japanese rope bondage • The sex ways of ordinary people and ensuring we don’t erase these • The extent to which rope bondage is actually practised in Japan • A new perspective on the Tengu tie • The themes in her erotic short story in ‘Silk Threads’ • The connection - or not - between Japanese rope and Japanese rope martial arts Trailblazing educator, sexologist, artist, and irritant to banality, Midori founded Rope Dojo and ForteFemme: Women's Dominance Intensive. She penned the first English instruction book on Shibari, "Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage" in 2001, paving the way to the popularity of rope. Dan Savage calls her the "Super Nova of Kink," while others affectionately call her Auntie Midori for her cool, tell-it-like-it-is, funny, reality-based teaching.  Midori is the Co-Director of Curriculum for Kink Informed Certification, part of Sexual Health Alliance, training therapists and helping professional to provide safe, compassionate, and inclusive service to their clients. She is the recipient of the 2022 Humanitarian Award from the American Association of Sex Educators Therapists & Counselors (AASECT) and 2022 Effing Foundation Grant, along with having honored with a Sainthood by the Sisters of Perpetual indulgence. She is also the author of "Wild Side Sex," "Master Han's Daughter," and "Silk Threads.”  Learn, laugh, and enjoy her special online classes, events, and art at  www.patreon.com/PlanetMidori (this is where she is working on her next shibari book through this site!)

In this episode the rope pair Mya and fox speculate on what rope might look like in the future, given some of the technological advances and futurist predications around. They throw ideas around and have a lot of fun with it! Listen now to hear them discuss what these topics might mean for the future of rope bondage: • Extended reality • Medicine • Datification • The Quantified Human • Software • Privacy • Work • Communication • Sustainability • Sex • Material science There’s no way to predict what the future will bring in terms of technological and social advances, but the podcast hosts explored a great variety in terms of the potential of rope to evolve.

The second part of the well-loved favourite episode of ‘rope memories’ from the podcast interviewees this year. Mya and fox love this episode and are excited to share these funny, poignant, explicit and delightful stories with you. Enjoy! The episode includes stories from: HuaHua Graydancer Ropunawa Lief+Icky

Time for one of our favourite episodes of the year - and one you love. Settle down and listen to four of our wonderful guests telling us about their most memorable rope scenes - what inspiration or ideas does it spark for you in your rope practice? The episode includes memories from: Addie Tifereth Marceline VQ Renee Robyn

In this episode, listener Your_Dapper_Dom asks fox and Mya a question about envy and imposter syndrome - something which the rope duo have interestingly differing views about, but both offer an intimate and vulnerable perspective on the topics. Listen now to hear them talk about: • Discussion of envy versus jealousy and how the same emotion word might be interpreted differently by different people • How fox and Mya do and don’t feel envious • The ways each of them try and manage feelings of envy when they arise • More practical techniques everyone can try • What imposter syndrome is • How it relates to rope • Perfectionsm, self-criticism and imposter syndrome links • Some ways to manage or handle feelings of imposter syndrome

Part 2 of our fabulous interview with Graydancer covers all things Ropecast, his incredibly long-running and early podcast all about rope bondage (can you believe it was one of the first 200 podcasts IN EXISTENCE! For perspective the Rope Podcast is now one of 2.4million out there!). Gray is a vivid and detailed storyteller and it’s fascinating to hear about such a core part of rope history. This episode explores: • The origin story of the Ropecast • Building connections in the rope world • Reflected knowledge and fame • Unexpected kindnesses and benefits his podcast was able to bring to rope people • Creating an oral history of the rope scene • ‘Have you seen these episodes?’ a plea from Gray • Dealing with backlash when you’re visible in the community • Some fascinating reflections on how the rope scene and our understanding of rope have changed over time • What he’s creating these days Graydancer got into rope bondage back at the turn of the millenium, when rope was 10 cents a foot. He started a podcast about bondage in 2005, and taught, performed, and organized events around rope until 2019, traveling throughout North America and Europe. In 2007 he organized the first of over 100 rope open-spaces (aka “GRUE”), and in 2016 with the help of friends put on the first “ROPECRAFT” event. He also worked to improve consent practices throughout the community. He is firmly bi-kinky as he loves polished leather just as much as tight rope. Currently he has retired from teaching and organizing kink, enjoying drawing pinups, lettering dirty words, and cigars, boots, and chocolate.

fox and Mya were thrilled and honoured when Graydancer, whose Rope Podcast (Ropecast) has so far episodes spanning 14 years, accepted their invitation to guest on their younger Rope Podcast. Sadly Mya was sick (so sick!) with Covid on the date of the interview, but fox carried off their questions on his own. Graydancer got into rope bondage back at the turn of the millenium, when rope was 10 cents a foot. He started a podcast about bondage in 2005, and taught, performed, and organized events around rope until 2019, traveling throughout North America and Europe. In 2007 he organized the first of over 100 rope open-spaces (aka “GRUE”), and in 2016 with the help of friends put on the first “ROPECRAFT” event. He also worked to improve consent practices throughout the community. He is firmly bi-kinky as he loves polished leather just as much as tight rope. Currently he has retired from teaching and organizing kink, enjoying drawing pinups, lettering dirty words, and cigars, boots, and chocolate. • Where to find the biggest dildo you’ve ever seen • When and how his rope bondage practice started • Learning through reverse engineering • Western style bondage and starting out with nylon rope • How he got into rope performance • Why he’s called Graydancer • The many creative disciplines that contribute to his rope style • Why he loves rope • All about connection :) • His rope practice these days • Why he stepped back from rope publicly • The impact of Covid on his rope plans and rope relationships • Moving the needle on rope bondage and consent NB Easter egg from Mya - the tie involved in Grey’s first public tie, a dragonfly arm binder and a chest harness, was also part of fox and Mya’s first public rope (which was their first rope together)!

In this second episode with the wonderful HuaHua the podcast hosts go deeper into exploring what the Chinese rope scene is like. Hear all about: ◦ The rope scene in China versus HuaHua’s experiences in other parts of the world ◦ The political, cultural and social context and how it influences Chinese Shibari ◦ How she uses Shibari in performance art ◦ Handling the police interrupting her scenes ◦ Tying with Kinoko ◦ The challenges of taking photos of rope in China ◦ Private life versus public life in rope ◦ Censorship and its impact on events and education ◦ Leaving China to go back to Europe ◦ And more! HuaHua (she/her) is an artist, Shibari practitioner and teacher from the UK, currently based in Shanghai, She is the founder of Borderline Shibari, a platform dedicated to creating a mindful and conscious Shibari community. She believes that rope bondage is a process of exploring authenticity. To her, bondage creates a connection between interior and exterior, between the elevated and the underground. In addition to her Shibari work, her art work also includes, nude photography, physical theatre, installations and private sessions. Her work often derives from her BDSM practice, just as her Shibari teaching involves techniques transferred from other practices. HuaHua's Shibari teaching style is more centered around intention, expression and the emotional process of rope. NB: HuaHua’s connection broke up a few times during the interview, apologies for any missing content.

HuaHua (she/her) is an artist, Shibari practitioner and teacher from the UK, currently based in Shanghai, She is the founder of Borderline Shibari, a platform dedicated to creating a mindful and conscious Shibari community. She believes that rope bondage is a process of exploring authenticity. To her, bondage creates a connection between interior and exterior, between the elevated and the underground. In addition to her Shibari work, her art work also includes, nude photography, physical theatre, installations and private sessions. Her work often derives from her BDSM practice, just as her Shibari teaching involves techniques transferred from other practices. HuaHua's Shibari teaching style is more centered around intention, expression and the emotional process of rope. The podcast hosts love hearing about rope in Asia (as they’re based in Thailand themselves), and were excited to hear more about the large, and growing, Chinese scene, including: ◦ Common Chinese fantasies about rope bondage ◦ Her journey through BDSM and performance art into rope ◦ How her interest in rope developed into a career ◦ The different roles and aspects of Shibari she enjoys ◦ Revealing others and their emotions through intense rope play ◦ How she uses Semenawa as a top ◦ Degradation and humiliation as a bottom ◦ The Chinese BDSM scene and visibility of Shibari ◦ What makes Chinese bondage unique ◦ The Five Flowers tie ◦ Elements of the Chinese rope scene ◦ And as ever, so much more! NB: HuaHua’s connection broke up a few times during the interview, apologies for any missing content.

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the ability of your body to regulate the level of sugar in your blood is compromised. In this episode, listener absinthe-minded asks for any advice or safety precautions to mitigate risks from one partner in rope bondage having diabetes. Fox and Mya explore some of the potential issues that might come up and make suggestions about how you might work with this condition to have a great rope life. They discuss: • Why this episode might be relevant to you even if you don’t have diabetes, or tie with someone with diabetes • How to talk to medical professionals about rope (even if you don’t want to talk about rope) • Tips on including it in your negotiation • Some of the impact of diabetes on the body, and how to mitigate those issues • Handling some of the emotions that can come up around rope when you have a chronic health condition • Places to find more kinky research, as well as kinky researchers. NB: fox and Mya aren’t medical professionals, and always recommend talking to a qualified medical practitioner about any health condition and risks as much as is safe for you. We really welcome comments from listeners on instagram and fetlife if they have further links or resources that might be useful for others with diabetes who want to get the most from rope, in the safest way possible.

RopuNawa first encountered Shibari and Kinbaku in 2008 at a performance in Australia with Arisue Go. This experience stayed with him, and he began his own journey with rope back in his home of Switzerland, first learning Osada Steve’s style with local teachers. Rather than stay with one style, however, he has been inspired by many, as he feels that there is not one way to tie - rather, the heart of his style lies in the needs of his model. Through the diversity within his approach, he can best respond to his partner’s needs and wants, focusing and appreciating the non-verbal connection that he creates with each tying partner. He currently teaches fulltime in his Studio in Basel (Switzerland), while travelling and teaching internationally with his muse @FreyaHellesdim. Fox has had an interest in Ropeunawa’s online classes for a while, and the podcast team were pleased to be able to talk to him about: ◦ His early inspirations from rope-related Manga and Hentai ◦ How he balances his desire to please his bottoms with his own needs and desires as a top ◦ The way in which becoming a full time rope teacher affected his feelings about rope ◦ Visiting Japan for rope connections and education ◦ Some of his thoughts on the Japanese rope scene ◦ The joys and challenges of travelling to different countries for rope ◦ How the Swiss rope scene tries to stay healthy ◦ Ways to create healthier rope communities from his experience ◦ Whether rope is s3x work for him or not ◦ The benefits of his adaptive rope style ◦ And as ever, so much more!

‘Intent’ in rope is mentioned a lot in rope circles, but can feel a bit ethereal and hard to pin down. The podcast hosts think it’s pretty important to be on the same page about your intent in rope when you go into a scene - but what, then, IS intent in rope? And why, exactly, is it important? In this episode, Fox and Mya try to make the topic more practical and explore: * A definition of intent in rope and its possible consequences * Practical implications of not being on the same page about intent * The 12 types of possible intent that we could think of (so far!) * Questions to ask to try and understand each others’ intent better * When/whether you ‘should’ always share your intent with your scene partner * Can you have more than one intent during a scene? * The importance of agreeing not to play if your intents are incompatible (and why) * Ways to get over different intents (assuming you have overlap in your ‘venn diagram of intent’) * When and how intent can vary even between the same two partners

In episode 127, the podcast hosts explored with queer and trans rope educators and performance artists Lief Bound and Icarus how they fell for rope, and each other. In this second part of the interview, they open up about: ◦ How the pair keep their inspiration alive in rope ◦ A great rope dinner party question ◦ Transitioning rope from a passion to a profession ◦ The ups and downs of making a living with rope ◦ Whether being paid for doing rope is s3x work or not ◦ Exploding myths about ‘the perfect rope bottom’ ◦ How Lief sets boundaries with rope clients ◦ Handling mental health challenges in rope ◦ Allowing their rope practice to shift and change Lief Bound and Icarus currently reside in Los Angeles, California. Lief Bound is a rope switch who found their love of rope nine years ago and believes that rope can be the most honest way that we can connect with each other. Icarus is a switchy pain enthusiast who started their rope bottoming exploration nine years ago and is most passionate about exploring intersectionality and positionality in consent. Their teaching styles bring the best of both worlds combining crucial perspectives of the top and the bottom. They value consent and safety in every topic they teach, bringing an inclusive and trauma-informed approach to learning rope bondage. Lief and Icarus are most passionate about using multi-media process art to share their vision with the world and push the boundaries of what defines rope.

Lief Bound and Icarus are queer and trans rope educators and performance artists currently residing in Los Angeles, California. Having enjoyed attending a number of their online classes, and their inclusive but practical style, fox and Mya were excited to explore a wide ranging set of topics with them. In this first episode with them, hear us discuss: ◦ Where Icky fell in love with rope - despite the fact there was no rope ◦ How the pair met each other and fell in rope-love ◦ Their passion for teaching and being educators and how they work together ◦ The delightful chaotic switchiness of their relationship and who does what when how ◦ How they create trauma-informed classrooms (and what that means) ◦ The types of rope they do together, along with other play ◦ Breaking down with exposure and then building your partner back up in rope ◦ Inspiration in rope Lief Bound is a rope switch who found their love of rope nine years ago and believes that rope can be the most honest way that we can connect with each other. Icarus is a switchy pain enthusiast who started their rope bottoming exploration nine years ago and is most passionate about exploring intersectionality and positionality in consent. Their teaching styles bring the best of both worlds combining crucial perspectives of the top and the bottom. They value consent and safety in every topic they teach, bringing an inclusive and trauma-informed approach to learning rope bondage.  Lief and Icarus are most passionate about using multi-media process art to share their vision with the world and push the boundaries of what defines rope.  Continue the aural journey in episode 128!

To music or not to music? Music can be a hot debate in rope bondage - when to use it, what to use - whether to use it at all! Mya and fox love music and often include in in their scenes. In this conversation, they talk about: * Where and when music can be used * When you might not want to use music * At what points during a scene you might change your soundtrack up * How different tops and bottoms might use music * The benefits or effects of music that we can draw on for scenes * Some of the challenges or downsides of using music * Music and ableism * Should you include music in your negotiations? * Pros and cons of lyrically themed playlists * Popular examples that *could* work * Fox and Mya’s seal of approval for the official soundtrack of rope bondage ;)

Renee is a Canadian photographer and digital artist, whose kink journey started in the late 90's. Shibari photography for her became a visual expression of shapes in defiance of gravity, a delicate display of sadomasochism. Working with talented riggers, bottoms and self tying artists, she aims to create strong, clean kink images that respect the community and the artists. Mya and fox are big fans of her striking and distinct imagery, and in this episode, you can hear them discuss a wide range of fascinating topics, including: ◦ Her start as a rope bottom and the motorbike accident that changed her relationship with pain ◦ How she became a photographer of rope and used her experiences to inform her photographs ◦ The kinds of images she loves to create ◦ How she decides what to shoot ◦ The ways she collaborates and the teams she has for photoshoots ◦ Safety measures she uses to mitigate the risk of her shots ◦ What she looks for in rope photos she falls in love with ◦ How she got into composites and digital painting ◦ She talks us through the before, during and after of her ‘Icarus shoot’ ◦ And more!

In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss how you might use rope bondage with water, something they like a lot! Listen to them chat through the joys and challenges including: * All the safety, all the time: This is edge play within edge play! * Many of the risks and how you might mitigate them to some degree * The importance and support of how one (or more) spotters can support * Different types of water from baths to waterfalls and their unique challenges * Some of the gear you can involve * Three of their favourite scenes that have involved water

Tifareth is one of the Rope Podcast hosts’ favourite performers. In this episode, which continues the interview from part one (see Ep.122), we explore this topic with her, and discuss: ◦ How she developed her graceful rope handling style ◦ The drills she does and her attention to detail ◦ How she crafts her (amazing) rope performances ◦ How she works with her rope model during performances ◦ How she memorises her performances ◦ The critical role music plays in her performance and why ◦ Her new rope-photography space (Birdhouse, Toronto, Canada) and how it came to be Tifereth's introduction to rope bondage came in 2011 in the form of a surprisingly enjoyable futomomo tsuri. Since then she's drawn on her dual background in high-performance athletics and figurative arts to push herself physically and aesthetically on both ends of the rope. Known for her dynamic style of sadism, performative rope and creative approach to harness construction, she loves conveying her passion through engaging hands-on methods of instruction. A veteran educator and performer with credits including Prague Shibari Festival, Bondage Expo Dallas, Eurix, Helsinki Shibari, Shibaricon, as well as weekend workshops and performances all over the globe, she is most often found wherever the weird stuff is.

Tifereth's introduction to rope bondage came in 2011 in the form of a surprisingly enjoyable futomomo tsuri. Since then she's drawn on her dual background in high-performance athletics and figurative arts to push herself physically and aesthetically on both ends of the rope. Known for her dynamic style of sadism, performative rope and creative approach to harness construction, she loves conveying her passion through engaging hands-on methods of instruction. A veteran educator and performer with credits including Prague Shibari Festival, Bondage Expo Dallas, Eurix, Helsinki Shibari, Shibaricon, as well as weekend workshops and performances all over the globe, she is most often found wherever the weird stuff is. In this intimate episode, she discusses: ◦ Being banned from entering the USA, and how that changed her rope career ◦ Opening a venue and event space ◦ Her bottoming history and the injuries she was left with ◦ The challenges of being an early female rigger and how she had dealt with that ◦ How the scene has changed for female riggers over time ◦ The unique perspective she brings as a rope educator

The Damsel in Distress trope and fetish is something that can often be seen in rope bondage, particularly Western rope. The trope itself in mainstream media ignited many a kinky person’s desires. Fox and Mya discuss the trope, along with: * The gendered aspect of the term, what this might mean and alternatives * The history of the trope * Examples in the media and how these are already being subverted more recently * What kind of ties might be involved * The feel of this kind of scene * Role plays you might want to try * The importance of team in this kind of rope

Marceline VQ is an internationally recognized shibari artist whose work challenges viewers with aesthetic and technically complex rope work. She engages rope from all perspectives—as a model in her own rope, with other models in her rope, and as a model in others’ rope—allowing for a deeper understanding of the medium as a creative and connective tool. She adores the sensory experience of being in rope, as well as the idea of becoming “human sculpture.” Her work engages in conversation with themes from quantitative disciplines including geometry and physics and with themes from qualitative disciplines including analytic philosophy and universal empathy. She has studied with shibari communities across the globe, and is classically trained in visual fine arts. Marceline is based in New York City, USA, and with her co-creator/model Anya Demure, works to create rope imagery that is surprising and inventive. In this articulate and authentic episode, discover: ◦ Her journey through rope bottoming, self-tying and topping and what these different experiences have brought to her experience ◦ What she loves about rope and where it fits into her sexuality ◦ The difference between art and play ◦ How she collaborates with others ◦ Being pigeonholed for play because of her internet presence ◦ Negotiating for human sculpture play ◦ Installation art, and where her inspiration for these pieces comes from ◦ How her academic background contributes to her rope style and teaching ◦ Her biggest challenges in rope

In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss rope and ties that center on the butt. This topic is a particular favourite of Fox’s and he’s very enthusiastic. No, like really. Really really… Listen to the episode to hear a lively discussion about: * The kind of ties you might use for this rope, such as butt baskets and spreader ties * Special considerations in terms of negotiations and consent around this type of rope * Top and bottom thoughts on this kind of tie * The types of play and scenes where this type of tie might be fun * When you might not want to use these ties * Some examples of the host’s favourite scenes to use them in (spoiler alert: Fox’s favourite = every scene) Fox is also ON FIRE with his jokes in this one y’all - like he’s been saving all his jokes on this topic for this episode…. Click the links below to listen now :)

An early question for most rope enthusiasts is which rope should they use - with hemp, jute, nylon, cotton and even coconut rope available, how do you know which one you should tie with? Before you can decide, you need to think about some key questions to make sure your rope choice works for you. In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss some of the factors you might consider when deciding which rope type to choose. And of course bottoms can buy their own rope kit too, and the hosts discuss why and when. The episode explores: * Limitations on the rope you might buy * How the way the rope looks affects your choice * The importance of touching the rope if you can before you buy, and why * The upkeep and care of different types of rope * Safety implications of different fibers * Transport and storage implications Click the links below to listen now :)

There’s a surprising amount of communication required in rope, and that can be done in a huge number of ways. In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss when and how communication happens before, during and after a rope scene, and make suggestions about how to do this effectively. They also discuss: * Methods of communication and when they might be more or less helpful * Pros and cons of using different methods of expressing yourself * Possible goals of communication at different times * Who and why you might need to communicate with * Drawing on scuba diving and the military to create your own communication methods * Communication about communication!

When Fox and Mya met, they weren’t living in the same city, and so rope getaways - opportunities to go stay somewhere different, usually at least overnight, and do rope there - have been part of their history together from the start. In this episode they discuss what to plan for when thinking about a rope getaway, and some useful tips to think about when you get there. They also discuss: * How you might assess your potential rope get away location * Factors for suspension versus floor rope * Research to do before you get there * Safety and risk * Creative ways to use your new environment * Gear to bring with you - including stuff you really don’t want to forget * Rope-only getaways versus a getaway-with-rope * And a lot more They also share a couple of examples of scenes from their own rope getaways of times that have been especially memorable.

Fox and Mya discuss the Bunny Ears tie in this episode - also sometimes called the Duck Tie or Pillow Tie. This is a tie they use quite a lot in floor rope, and they share their experiences with this tie, including: ◦ What it looks like ◦ How it feels to be in ◦ Potential risks and safety ◦ Hair management issues that go along with the tie! ◦ Versions Fox has tied, and why he is tying his current, perhaps unusual, version ◦ When you might use this tie ◦ Scenes we’ve used the Bunny Ears tie in and how it added to our play

Addie is a rope switch in all the ways - she ties, is tied, self-ties, teaches and performs, some of this with her equally well-known partner rope partner Barkas. There was so much good stuff when talking to Addie we had to split the content split into two episodes! In this episode, part 2, you can find out: ◦ How to create your own narrative in rope ◦ Ways you can investigate your strengths as a rope bottom ◦ How to connect with a rope partner after a scene ◦ The negative physical consequences versus emotional consequences in rope ◦ How Addie discovered her strengths in rope ◦ Her personal definition of ‘good rope’ ◦ The next steps in her rope journey ◦ Teachers, education and community in rope and some of the challenges the field of rope faces

Addie is a rope switch in all the ways - she ties, is tied, self-ties, teaches and performs, some of this with her equally well-known partner rope partner Barkas. A very popular request as an interviewee, Mya and Fox were super excited to interview her for the podcast. In the episode, learn: - How she developed her experiences in the different realms of rope - How she and her partner experimented for a year before they found the right TK she could suspend in - Phases of developing your own style in rope - as a top and bottom - Where bratting fits in rope for her - Metaphors for rope that can help us understand our experiences better - What’s important to her in rope - How rope and her day job as a nurse have influenced each other Mental health conditions and her experiences of their interaction with those in rope

As is now the tradition at end of year festivities time, Fox and Mya revisit all the interviews on the Rope Podcast during the year and ask their guests what their favorite rope scene was. Discover how they do rope in their personal life, what touches them, and what stays with them. Happy New Year!

As is now the tradition at Christmas time, Fox and Mya revisit all the interviews on the Rope Podcast during the year and ask their guests what their favorite rope scene was. Discover how they do rope in their personal life, what touches them, and what stays with them. Merry Christmas!

“My main motivation is to improve the literature. People need to know what we do is okay…. hearing all the ways people experience pleasure in rope, whether it’s athletic, or meditation, or grounding, or that complicated pain-pleasure, I just love that.” @-Ropeology- Fox and Mya love to deepen their understanding of rope. When they came across Zoey (@-Ropeology-), a BDSM researcher who also does rope, they knew they wanted to talk to her. Zoey is keen for rope and BDSM to be understood better by those who do academic research on it, and in this interview, Fox and Mya talk to her about her findings, particularly around rope bondage practice and community, and the sociology of rope, as well as getting to know more about Zoey’s personal rope journey. In the episode, discover: ◦ Zoey’s personal rope practice as a switch ◦ What the current academic literature says about rope ◦ How rope sub-culture is experienced and how people feel about rope ◦ Zoey’s research on community and how rope connects people beyond their local physical city and country ◦ How Fetlife is used by the rope community versus other platforms like Instagram ◦ How members of the rope community often go through a change cycle in their experience of rope ◦ The pros and cons of practicing rope in public community spaces versus private spaces ◦ The way that people talk about the “complicated pleasure of rope” ◦ Her ideas on future research

In this vulnerable episode, Fox and Mya discuss the challenge of chronic pain in rope, inspired by a listener - a rope bottom with fibromyalgia. Both Mya and Fox have some chronic health issues which include the symptom of chronic pain, and they share some of their own challenges as a rope top and rope bottom in this context, as well as some ideas for handling this. In the episode hear them discuss: * The challenge of trying to understand where pain is coming from when in rope * Spoon Theory and how it relates to rope * How chronic pain might impact you as a rope top or rope bottom * How chronic pain impacts your body image * How the dichotomy of ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ pain might not be helpful, and a better question to ask * Practical things to help you do rope when you are handling chronic pain * How the constraints of chronic pain can support creativity * Scene negotiation when you have chronic pain * And a lot more!

“I can’t emphasise enough how good of a learning tool I think self-suspension is. Of course you learn tying techniques, but also skills relating to the experience of being in rope. As a person in rope, self-suspension is an invaluable tool: to lab your preferences, to learn to differentiate between warning signs of damage and sensations that are intense, but not harmful.” Shay Tiziano CW: Mentions self-harm, domestic abuse. Shay is the author of Tying and Flying: Bondage for Self-suspension, BDSM and sexuality educator, medical professional and host and facilitator of many kink events. One of our most-asked for interviews, Mya and Fox are also big fans of her online performances and classes, and were thrilled when Shay agreed to come on the podcast. Though the podcast focuses on self-suspension, as Mya and Fox will attest, there’s plenty of useful ideas for ropes bottoms and tops too In the episode, discover: - How Shay got into self-suspending initially - The role of intention in self-suspending and how it makes a difference to your practice - Flow, self-suspension and different feeling states it can create - How Shay works self-tying into partnered play - The skills self-suspenders might need before going in the air - How to mitigate the risks of self-suspension, especially some that are less well-known - What can rope tops and bottoms learn from self-suspending? - Why she thinks a spotter is critical for self-suspenders, and great practical tips to help spotters - Circus rope - what is it, and how the BDSM scene needs to embrace it more

The 30Q Rope Challenge was created last year to gather and explore a diversity of people in the rope community’s experiences with rope. So many thanks to everyone who completed it so far! This is the second part of a two-episode special Fox and Mya discuss (without sharing any details from any individual respondents) themes and the most popular answers to questions that included: * Rope in the mouth - hot or not? * Favourite music during rope? * Which do you like more: how rope looks or how rope feels? * Do you like rope marks /burns / bruises? * Favourite body part to tie/be tied? * Dyed rope or natural color? If dyed, what color(s)? * Biggest influence in rope? The podcast hosts loved these episodes, and exploring the answers of their wonderful listeners and rope community. There were plenty of surprises - check out the episode at the links below now to listen!

The 30Q Rope Challenge was created last year to gather and explore a diversity of people in the rope community’s experiences with rope. In this, the first part of a two-episode special on the results, Fox and Mya discuss (at an aggregate level, with no one’s experiences shared apart from their own!) themes and what the most popular answers were from the community to questions such as : * What was your first rope experience? * Weirdest rope experience? * Favourite tie? * Sexual or non sexual rope? Why/ when? * Favourite suspension orientation? * Favourite kink to mix with rope? * Indoors or outdoor rope? * Do you like pain with your rope? * What do you like to wear for rope? * Scariest moment in rope?

Fox and Mya both have their own ‘rope user manual’ - a document they share with potential rope partners to share key information about the rope they each do. This episode talks about the concept of a rope user manual, and in it, the Rope Podcast hosts discuss: * Why you might have a rope user manual, and what purpose it can serve * The kind of topics you might address with it * What a rope manual can and can’t do * Their own manuals and what they do - and don’t - include and why * The different purpose and intent of their personal rope manuals * What they’ve seen others include in rope user manuals

Fox and Mya discuss the Ebi position in this episode, and how it can be used. Fox enjoys this tie a lot, while Mya more ’suffers through it’ - which Fox feels is perfect! In the episode hear them discuss (along with a bit of silliness today!): * What it looks like * What to watch out for in terms of safety and risk * Why and when to use the Ebi * How the Ebi builds suffering in Semenawa in different ways, and how to intensify this * Suspending the Ebi versus using it on the floor * How we’ve used an Ebi in scenes

“There are a lot of different variations in terms of human anatomy. Certain nerve pathways are quite set…and a lot of the anatomical studies show the variation in the nerve pathways is very small. But other nerves have large variations, therefore you can’t really tell where, because in 80% of the population the nerve pathway will be in this area +/- 1cm, but then in the other 20% you can have 7 different variations in the same nerve pathways.” WoodenTiger Wooden Tiger is a polyamorous, pansexual relationship anarchist who dabbles in ‘correctional sadism’ using rope bondage, along with a host of other kinks including pressure points, rough body play, knife play and firecupping. He draws on knowledge from experiences teaching physiology and anatomy at collage level, many years of martial arts and his training and practice as a registered acupuncturist. In addition, Tiger is one of the facilitators of Friction Live. Fox and Mya have enjoyed his classes on at @FrictionLive, and wanted to explore the brand of sadism he pairs with rope: In the episode, discover: - The similarities between Hojojutsu as practiced as a modern day martial art and within Shibari - What is ‘Correctional Sadism’ and what techniques does it include - Why he doesn’t let the bottom in this kind of scene go into subspace - How listeners can improve their understanding body mechanics to make their rope better - How he negotiates and then decides on what kinks to pair with rope - The kind of feedback he likes in a scene - How to get started with pressure point play safely - And finally - some of Tiger’s favourite pressure points to use with rope so you can get started!

Not many of us live in a world where we get to do rope all day, so in this episode Fox and Mya discuss: How do we manage rope in our daily lives? In the episode they explore some of the ‘real world’ obstacles that can get in the way of doing rope, and consider ways to work around these so you can fit rope into your life in whatever the way you want it. In the episode they consider challenges such as: * The space you have available to do rope * Money and the costs that can be associated with rope * Health issues and how to manage these * Kids and romantic partners * Family and friends * Finding a rope partners * Time and how to fit rope into your busy life

Fox and Mya watch *a lot* of rope performances as part of their fascination and interest in rope. In this episode they break down what engages them when they watch a performance. This is a subjective topic, this is definitely only their opinions and ideas - and they’d love to hear other views about performances in the comments <3 In the episode they discuss: * Context and atmosphere * How narrative and story interact with performance * Where other types of kinks add or detract from the performance * Emotions and how the connection between the performances can affect our experience * The difference between play and performance * What holds Mya and Fox’s attention in rope performances * Some performance examples they love

It’s a big day for the Rope Podcast! With one episode every two weeks since 2017, Fox and Mya have hit 100 episodes! And somehow haven’t run out of topics yet… The Podcast asked our Patrons what they would like to hear for the 100th episode, and they requested that Fox and Mya interview each other, about how rope fits into our lives and our preferences in rope. They also contributed some of the questions, so thank you patrons. First Fox interviews Mya, and she talks about: * Her origin story in rope * What rope bottoming does for her and the kind of rope she enjoys the most * Challenging ties Mya has done (there’s a lot!) * Rope related injuries she has had and how she handled them * Her evolution in rope and what her rope future holds. Then Mya interviews Fox. He shares: * How he had preconceptions that he couldn’t do rope for a long time * What he likes about rope and how it fits with his other kinks * His rope system and how a tie makes it into his rope system * How he plans his scenes and an example * What ‘range’ in rope means to him and how he is developing it * What his favourite episode/s of the podcast have been so far

Fox and Mya discuss hair ties - one of Fox’s favourite ties. As a bit of a long hair fetishist, they are part of many of Fox’s scenes, and in this episode, the podcast hosts discuss the different ways to use hair ties and how you might incorporate them in your rope. They discuss in the episode: * Reasons for using hair ties * The length of hair you need to do a hair tie * Safety and risks of this style of tie * Types of hair ties * Some examples of where they’ve used hair ties in scenes (so many!) * The most critical skill you need to do this type of rope - it’s not what you think!

With the best rope-origin story we’ve every heard, listener Dropellet sends us a message with a few great questions, centering around her and her husband’s entry into kink. Fox and Mya discuss her message in the episode, covering: * How the way you enter rope affects your rope journey * How kinky rope really is * What the responsibilities of those doing rope to those who are watching - and what they aren’t * Can you even tell whether something is kinky anyway just by watching? * How to get started learning rope * Why the concept of a ‘normal body’ is unhelpful (and how kinky and popular doesn’t represent the kind of people who you’re likely to see at your local event) * Taking back ownership of your kink social media feeds

Fox and Mya discuss a visit to a local fetishwear event on Rope and Latex that they attended a few months ago (when there were no COVID cases in Thailand!). They attended as kinksters who are new to latex, and share their experiences and stories from the night - as well as their learnings. In the episode they discuss: * Watching a performance of fetishwear and rope * The environment of a fetish and latex shop * The kit they take with them * Fox’s experience of tying someone in latex * Fox and Mya’s rope play at the event * Handling miscommunication in a noisy environment * Learnings and tips about playing in this kind of semi-public context

“So far I’ve not come across any condition that we couldn’t adjust things in a way that still made [rope] enjoyable for the other person.” Alexielle. Alexielle is a rope switch active in the UK scene. She has a 24/7 D/s relationship with her collared pet Little-Boy-Blue as his owner and Domme, though Alexielle and Little-Boy-Blue switch in rope regularly. Alexielle is the presenter, along with Little-Boy-Blue of the ‘Diverse Bodies in Rope’ class, and we wanted to catch up with her about what this means, and why it’s important for all of us, riggers and bottoms, to be more aware of this topic. Fox and Mya discuss with Alexielle: ◦ What it means to tie diverse bodies ◦ Practical ideas on how she adapts her style and tying to diverse bodies ◦ Myths about diverse bodies ◦ The range of health conditions she has come across and how she manages these in rope ◦ Tips on how to discuss health conditions with your rope partner ◦ Neurodiversity and how you can adapt rope to suit this ◦ How she and her partner maintain their power exchange when they switch in rope

After a short update on Mya’s health, Mya and Fox talk about escape games with rope. Often a more playful type of rope, the duo discuss: * Examples of rope bondage escape games you can play * Variations in your games and where you can find inspiration * Safety and risk * Who might enjoy this type of rope play * What you can learn from this sort of rope play * How Fox and Mya use it in their rope

Sometimes, you need simple rope to get the job done. In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss the type of tying that isn’t necessarily focused all about the tying itself, but is used restrain someone quickly for another purpose - often sex! Here bondage is a tool, and they talk in this episode about how you might want to use it. They discuss: * When you would and wouldn’t use this type of rope bondage * What rope adds to this type of activity * Specific risk factors to consider * What tops might need to manage when tying * Learnings for bottoms around this type of tying * The types of ties you might include * Toys to use and things to tie to * And finally, some surprising rope and sex interactions!

“Once you master how to tie some thing, you will start tying some one.” @RiggerOdys Odys is a rigger/kinbaku artist and educator who discovered rope bondage six years ago. Initially inspired by the traditional Japanese style bondage of Akira Naka and Yukimura Haruki, he has studied with Naka for four years. In 2017 he created Kinbaku odyssey studio. He describes his style as sensually erotic semenawa. Fox and Mya discuss with Odys: ◦ His inspiration in Japanese bondage and what drew him to it ◦ Attending a Naka performance and the huge impact it had on Odys ◦ Erotic Semenawa and how hard it can be to define ◦ Where power exchange and control fits in rope bondage for him ◦ Sensuality versus sexuality in rope ◦ Rope and how he has developed his photography style ◦ How he connects with bottoms and builds trust both ways ◦ How he channels his own emotions into his rope and the shared experience with his partner

VioletRain is a Thai rope switch with an international background, who now lives in the States. A thoughtful and experienced rope-focused kinkster, she visited Thailand earlier this year and we had the pleasure to sit down with her and talk about rope. Through the discussion, listeners can hear abut how as a more experienced bottom but a newer rope top, she’s developing her skills. We also discuss with her: ◦ How an uninspiring single column as a first tie didn’t put her off a partial suspension for her second tie - which made all the difference ◦ How she started as a rope bottom and then grew as a top - and what has been even more powerful for her than classes ◦ A great tip on how to get the most from your classes ◦ The connection she makes between hiking and Rope! ◦ Her love of impact and whips and how she combines them with rope (Mya can attest to her gleeful sadism, see below!) ◦ Wha she’s attracted to as a bottom in rope versus what she’s attracted to as a top ◦ Her rope touristing and travels, her learnings and her experiences at Beach Bind ◦ Tips for listeners who want to rope tourist themselves Click the links below to listen now!

Fox and Mya discuss face rope - which is essentially - rope on the face! The podcast hosts are big fans of face rope, and use it in a variety of ways, and when the Rope Podcast Patreon community voted this episode as their next suggestion, Mya and Fox were excited. They discuss in the episode: * What it looks like and how you might do it * The kind of scenes face rope can contribute to * Safety and risks of the tie * Mya explains her feels about being in this kind of tie, and aspects she enjoys and dislikes * Scenes they’ve used it in * And as a bonus, find out how many times Fox has broken his nose :)

EbiMcKnotty is a rope lover based in Quebec City, Canada. She has been self-tying since 2006, and started modelling as a tied-up person in 2007. She started tying others and self-suspending in 2011 when she learned with the Ichinawa-Kai and Kazami Ranki in London. She travels all over the world to learn and share her discoveries with her community. Grounded in the Japanese style, her ropes have been described as experimental, sweet, sensual and sadistic; usually all at the same time. She got into rope before fetlife existed, and partly because of this has always been a great energiser, curator and creator of rope communities, as well as visiting communities all over the world. We wanted to talk to her about her personal journey, and how that has linked with the creation of the many rope events and rope learning experiences she has been a part of. Listen to hear about: ◦ Her rope journey, which started before fetlife existed ◦ The pitfalls of the idea that all tops should bottom ◦ What draws her to the idea of rope bondage ◦ How she ties with a range of bodies ◦ The pros and surprising cons of running rope events ◦ Knowing when to step down and how to stay psychologically healthy in the world of running rope events ◦ Rope as a hobby versus rope as a job ◦ Creating the amazing rope365.com website ◦ How her video game design career influenced her design of the site ◦ How YOU can use rope365.com to help you on your journey, whatever your level

Fox and Mya discuss the Teppou/Teppo or Rifle (possibly Musket!) tie, an asymmetrical tie with arms behind the back, one elbow pointing up(ish) one pointing down (ish). They discuss in the episode: * What it looks like * When you would and wouldn’t want to use it * Safety and risks of the tie * How it feels to be in this type of tie * Scenes they’ve used it in Click the links below to listen now!

Subay is a Shibari artist and founder of Kokoro Studio based in Hong Kong. She was first introduced to Shibari eight years ago and spent the first few years exploring and learning the different styles from several well-respected nawashi in Japan.  In 2014, she met and was deeply inspired by Yukimura Haruki, and from then on she dedicated herself to the study of the traditional Japanese style.  In 2015, Subay met Naka Akira and chose to focus her study on his style of semenawa.  She continues to explore her own style of semenawa which she describes as both feminine and inclusive. She teaches and performs internationally. Fox and Mya attended one of Subay’s classes on empathy and rope, and loved her focus on the feelings and emotions in rope, and in this interview explore these topics, along with: ◦ Some of the feelings Shibari brings out in Subay herself ◦ How a challenging experience with a Rigger led her to start tying herself ◦ Body image and stereotypes and generalisations in rope bondage ◦ What drew her to her teacher, @NakaAkira ◦ The signs she looks for to tell her more about the feelings of the person in her rope ◦ How she knows whether her students are ready to move onto the next class ◦ Some of the limits of our ability to explore emotions in rope ◦ How rope bottoms can express and communicate their emotions better ◦ Why rope tops need to be as vulnerable as rope bottoms ◦ Fascinating cultural differences in rope communities around the countries she has visited

As part of our Patreon perks, our wonderful supporters are now able to vote on topics they want to hear (see below for how you can join them!). The first topic our supporters chose was ‘Rope Jam Etiquette’, so in this episode, Fox and Mya discuss the many facets of how you can ensure your first jam in a community goes well. They follow the journey of imaginary rope people, Penelope the rope top and Bradley the rope bottom, and consider the challenges these two might face, and what they might want to consider. Hear: ◦ What is a rope jam anyway…?! ◦ How to prepare for a jam ◦ What to be aware of when you go, including ideas on how not to be creepy! ◦ How to understand what’s okay at a jam and what isn’t ◦ How to find play at a jam - and how not to ◦ What to do when you do find a play partner at a jam ◦ And how to finish a rope jam strong

Marc (akuaku) has been living in Japan for sixteen years. In 2006, he ventured into the underground world and encountered traditional Japanese bondage, and from 2010, he began studying under Hajime Kinoko, one of the the most prolific Japanese rope artists. Marc graduated to become a rope instructor in 2012 and has been practicing, teaching, performing, and helping Kinoko in various projects ever since. Fox and Mya met Marc last year when he and some other Japanese rope visitors came to our Thai BDSM community. When, at the end of 2020, he launched a kickstarter along with two friends for ‘The Japanese Rope Kama Sutra’ we were excited - and impressed when it was funded at three times its goal. We thought he’d be a great person to talk to about how rope and sex interact, and to hear more about his book. Our discussion covers: ◦ How Marc went from visiting Kinoko’s bar, to being an instructor with him ◦ Insights into the Japanese rope scene ◦ Cultural and practical differences between rope in Japan and rope in other places ◦ How communication can differ in English versus Japanese and the implications for rope ◦ Some of the many ways Marc feels rope can enhance sex ◦ How the book came about, and background to the design and content choices ◦ Marc’s view of the three elements that rope can be ◦ How they came up with the lovely names (and the surprising link to Sumo!) ◦ How to use the book ◦ Marc’s favourite position from the book PS from Mya - this is a TWO FRENCH ACCENT episode, so given all the feedback we get about how much people love Fox’s accent, get ready for some aural pleasure <3

Fox and Mya share bonus material from this year’s interviewees, who talk about their favourite rope scenes - a special Christmas present for our listeners! Mya and Fox share thoughts on ideas, learnings, themes and other aspects of the scenes that the rest of us might be able to pull into our own real-life rope play, whatever experience-level we have. Fox and Mya also share one of their own scenes from both top and bottom perspective where they created a new tie, the Hitsugi, an intense and restrictive tie they both loved. The episode includes: @clover talking about one of the most meaningful rope scenes of her rope life @Wykd_Dave reviews a number of his favourite rope scenes - including one with carpet burn for clover @Miranda- describes the scene where her mindset flipped @Zero-Gi - some of the most playful rope we’ve heard about: ‘The floor is lava” @Samjay - Hot sauce Hashira, and introducing your work colleagues to rope! @Hey_LittleOne - a delightfully dirty story with a Game of Thrones surprise @RopeDaddy_AJ - simple yet satisfying bedroom bondage @EbiBex - A sadomasochistic rope scene that was not what she expected at all

@Bravo_Juliet, a rope bottom and listener from the UK, asks the Rope Podcast whether a top can experience some of the feelings and headspace that are more traditionally associated with bottoms as she asks: “Can rope be relaxing for tops too?” Fox and Mya explore this topic, touching on: * What ‘bottom space’ in rope might look like * Cathartic triggers for bottoms * Pros and cons of altered headspace in rope * The importance of not pressuring yourself to feel a certain way in rope * The influence of the bottom’s emotions on the top * Barriers to a top relaxing in rope * How a bottom can support a top to a different headspace in rope * The limited research on altered mindstates in tops and bottoms in BDSM * Fox’s experience of a different headspace as a rigger * Conditions to achieve ‘flow state’

Fox and Mya go to the beach! Living in Thailand, the rope podcast hosts have more opportunity than some to go to the seaside, and when it’s appropriate, they tie there. They share their very practical experiences here on the podcast, so you can get all prepared for your next visit. They discuss: * Why go to the beach to do rope? * Concerns about doing rope in public * Privacy concerns * Taking photos on the beach * Environmental factors (so many!) * Nature to look out for and things Mya is afraid of on the beach (it’s another long list) * Tying at night * Preparation and equipment - a useful list * What they love about tying on the beach * Things that have fallen on Fox’s head And mostly importantly, sand management!

Fox and Mya interview the lovely rope couple, @WykD_Dave and @clover for the second time - these two just have so much amazing rope knowledge and experience to share! In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss with them their experience with Japanese rope, including Ichinawa, Semenawa, and helping to sort out some useful sources for those of us who can’t visit Japan or get relevant in-person teaching. In the episode, hear them discuss: * What is semenawa and how does it feel to the top and bottom * What cherry blossoms have to do with rope! * How Dave and Clover built their education and training in Japanese rope * The importance of learning and development in rope, even when you’re experienced * How they’ve developed their own ties * How to start with Japanese rope and some of the difference between Japanese practitioners * What do people get wrong about Japanese rope bondage in the West * Emotions and rope * Ichinawa and Dave’s seminal influence on the technique

Fox and Mya discuss the concept of ‘failure’ in rope, its origin, and most importantly how we can either mitigate it, or even not create a situation where you might feel it in the first place. They share some of their own vulnerable feelings of failure and how they managed them together. They also discuss: * What do we mean by failure in rope * Where do our feelings of failure come from externally and internally * Comparisonitis * How communication between top and bottom impacts feelings of failure * Injury and safewords and how they relate to feelings of failure * Top and bottom examples of ‘failure’ * Aftercare after ‘failure’ * How to avoid feeling that you’ve failed in rope from the start * The transferable skills from handling failure rope that you can use in the default world They hope this episode is helpful to removing any feelings of failure you’ve experienced while doing wonderful rope. Have fun tying! NB: This isn’t including the sort of failure incited via consensual emotional sado-masochism

@EbiBex is a a queer, masochistic bottom who (along with her partner @DWL), participates and teaches at national and international events. In this discussion that covers edgeplay and some intense BDSM experiences and kinks, Fox and Mya discuss with EbiBex the concept of emotional sadomasochism, and what it might look like when played with in rope. EbiBex really shared so much of herself in personal approach to this vulnerable topic, and Fox and Mya appreciated her contribution a great deal, and hope you enjoy her lively exploration of this sensitive area. The discussion also covers: ◦ EbiBex’s journey into rope ◦ How the wider rope scene has changed, especially for rope bottoms, even in the six or so years she’s been in it ◦ Definitions and examples in rope of terms such as degradation, humiliation, objectification and shame ◦ How to negotiate for this kind of play, and discussion of risk profiles and safety ◦ The idea of ‘rope cuckholding’ ◦ The differences for her between this and Non emo rope scenes ◦ Her views on subspace and the pressure the concept puts on scenes ◦ Her recommendations if you want to start exploring emotional sadomasochism with your rope

Fox and Mya discuss the rope concept of Microbondage - tying up smaller body parts, with small diameter ‘rope’. They discuss in the episode: * What parts of the body you might want to tie * Different reasons that tops and bottoms might be interested in this type of rope * How it feels to be in this type of rope * The kind of bottoms who might NOT enjoy this type of rope and why * Risks to different parts of the body to look out for (or just….weirdnesses bottoms might not like) * How and when you might use it in a scene * General safety considerations Plus find out Mya’s favourite part of her body to be microbondaged… Fox is on fire with his jokes in this episode so be warned ;)

Fox and Mya discuss a listener suggestion from @z4DDy who said he would love to hear a discussion about sensuous rope. He suggested topics included: different means to create sensuousness, rope handling for sensuality, physical connection to enhance sensual connection, suspension types with sensuality and experiences of sensuality in rope. Fox and Mya dig into the area and address his questions as well as: * Sensual versus sexual rope * How tops can use their bodies and physical sensation to create more sensuality * Sensual rope handling * How the bottom can increase the level of sensuality in a rope scene * Non-rope factors to increase the level of sensuality in a scene * The importance of creating a sense of safety with each other to increase sensuality * The pros and cons of music * Creating more sensuality in the different phases of a suspension tie * Micro-expressions and why to pay attention to them in your partner * How different types of bottom’s touch can express different emotions * Mindfulness, presence and headspace This episode was sponsored by FrictionLive.CA Check them out!

Fox and Mya continue their interview with author and educator Andrew James, Ph.D.on building eroticism through power exchange and rope. In the episode, AJ discusses with Fox and Mya his thoughts on: * How a Rope Daddy might express himself differently from a Rope Master and how partners can express different power exchange archetypes with rope * How it might work when a D-type is inside the rope, and the s-type is outside the rope * Practical tips on how to make a rope scene more erotic * Re-affirming consent and desire in a rope scene in a power exchange context * Playing with emotions such as erotic shame and fear in rope * Rituals in rope to enhance the power dynamic * Practical constraints on play in the real world - including doing rope with a disability * His experience with the queer and LGBTQ+ community and how he has seen the rope world change in ways that echo that * The huge variety of diversity in rope now, and what that means Note - If you haven’t already listened to part 1 of this episode, check it out. Author of 6 books on alternative relationships and sexuality, including the wonderful Erotic Slavehood (as Christina Abernathy) and the way of the pleasure slave, AJ is A trans man who identifies as both a Master and a Daddy. Involved in D/s and the kink community since 1992, he has been in a 24/7 authority-transfer dynamic with his wife for 8 years. This episode was sponsored by FrictionLive.CA Check them out!

Fox and Mya go deep into power exchange, erotic slavery and rope with in this interview with Andrew James, Ph.D., an author and educator in the field of alternative sexualities. Author of 6 books on alternative relationships and sexuality, including the wonderful Erotic Slavehood (as Christina Abernathy) and the way of the pleasure slave, AJ is A trans man who identifies as both a Master and a Daddy. Involved in D/s and the kink community since 1992, he has been in a 24/7 authority-transfer dynamic with his wife for 8 years. In the episode, hear Fox and Mya talk to AJ about: * AJ’s entry into the kink scene and how he first encountered rope * Terminology and what power exchange means to him * How to come back to sex and kink after a period without it in a relationship * Using rope to meet different emotional needs * How power dynamics can develop and strengthen intimacy * How to integrate rope into a power exchange relationship * How a D-type can demonstrate strong power exchange in a rope scene * How an s-type can best show their submission when being tied Episode sponsored by FrictionLive.ca who offer live streamed kink-related video classes. Go check them out! Note - once again, our guest was so interesting we’ve had to split it into two episodes - so look out for part two coming next!

Fox and Mya explore the world of cosplay, fetish modelling and the challenges of navigating the kink world as a person of colour with the vibrant and creative MakiRoll. Based in Washington DC, in the USA, she has over twelve years of cosplay and seven years as an entertainer where she has entertained the masses as a panelist, shibari model, burlesque performer, side show performer, and much more. In the episode, hear Fox and Mya talk to MakiRoll about: * Her rocky start in the world of rope bondage, and some of the challenges she had as a new rope bottom * How she developed her bottoming skills and a discussion of the importance of bottom advocacy * How she creates her incredible cosplay looks * The sensations of mixing latex and rope * Discussion of some of her rope shoots, including favourites and the most challenging * How she collaborates on shoots with riggers and photographers on shoots * How rope and cosplay have helped her build a healthier relationship with herself * Her work facilitating the Kink in Color panel at BlerdCon * How being black has affected her journey in rope * Advice for BIPOC listeners on how to navigate kink spaces * Suggestions on how non-BIPOC can support BIPOC in kink

Fox and Mya discuss bamboo in rope - specifically when it’s being used directly within the tie; such as tying limbs to the bamboo, or sliding it into the tie. They also talk about: * Why you might want to use bamboo, and some of its mechanical properties * How might you use bamboo in a tie and what it can do * Ideas to use bamboo really painfully! * Challenges of tying with bamboo and how you might overcome some of these * And of course - safety and risk management with bamboo

In part two of the interview, and Fox and Mya go behind the scenes with Zero-Gi and SamJay about one of their photos, the incredible TK vertical hang from a bridge in Central Park. In the episode, hear them discuss their stunning collaboration further, including: * Walking through how they created their iconic shot against a bridge in Central Park * How SamJay and Zero-Gi’s D/s relationship does - and doesn’t - play out in this project * They answer some of the wilder questions people have about how they create the art (spoiler alert - it doesn’t involve helicopters or cranes!) * The toughest challenges of their shoots from each of their perspectives: rope model; rigger and photographer * How they manage risks and danger * New York city’s unique history and how their project has been the beneficiary of the work of pride and the LGBTQ+ community * Advice on how you can improve your own photos * Their collaborations and what they’ve got coming up with Feterotica * Weather play! The incredible NYC Street Shibari project team consists of rope model Zero-Gi, photographer The Dirty Archangel, and rigger Sam Jay. Their gorgeous project brings shibari to the streets with iconic backdrops from New York city contrasted with Zero-Gi doing incredible feats of rope Note - this is the second of a two-part interview, catch the previous episode for part one!

An interview with SamJay and Zero-Gi of the NYC Street Shibari team Fox and Mya interview two of the team behind the incredible NYC Street Shibari project, which consists of rope model Zero-Gi, photographer The Dirty Archangel, and rigger Sam Jay. Their project brings shibari to the streets with iconic backdrops from New York city contrasted with Zero-Gi doing incredible feats of rope, such as hanging from a vertical chest harness off a bridge in central park. Fox and Mya talk to SamJay and Zero-Gi about the project, its inspiration, and how they work together with The Dirty Archangel to make their art. In the episode, hear them discuss their fascinating collaboration, including: * How they both got into rope, and how the NYC Street Shibari project started * The extent they go to to research the risks of their ties * The unique blend of experiences and talents the team possess between them * The unusual culture, laws and history of New York that enable them to create their art * The reactions from bystanders and law enforcement and how they handle them * What colours of underwear say to those looking at it and the colour that doesn’t sell! * How they distinguish between art and kink in what they do and how they share shibari with others Note - this is the first of a two-part interview, catch the next episode for part two!

Fox and Mya introduce a new type of episode, a Rope Field Report! @-Cad- and @-Miscellany- came to Bangkok and taught two workshops, Freeform Floor Rope and Freeform Suspension Rope. Fox and Mya share their experience of the workshops including: * Some of the exercises included * The differences between the very switchy rope relationship of the teachers and Fox and Mya’s power exchange rope * Pre-requisites that you probably need to have for this type of rope * What skills Fox and Mya developed from the workshops * What a bottom can bring to workshops about tying * Fox and Mya’s different approaches to workshops and face to face learning * The concept of ‘no plan’ in rope and how we found a middle way * Ways to get the most from this kind of workshop * The concept of making things go wrong on purpose, and how that can help your rope practice more generally * The learnings we took from the workshop into our rope Spoiler alert: Fox has dubbed this ‘Chaos Rope’!

Fox and Mya discuss active bottoming in rope - what it does (and doesn’t!) mean to them and the pros and cons of being an active bottom in scenes. They also talk about: * The different things people call active bottoming in Rope, and how Fox and Mya differentiate what they call active bottoming * How bottoms might prepare for active bottoming by knowing their strengths and development areas in rope * Mya gives some examples of what she knows about herself in rope, and how she uses active bottoming to compensate - and where she doesn’t have the skills to do this * What a bottom might be ‘active’ about and how * Why you might active bottom - and why you might not * Safety in active bottoming * How and why you might want to discuss active bottoming with your top in advance, to make sure you don’t accidentally change the dynamic of the scene

Fox and Mya interview Miranda, the person behind Friction Live, who host video conference classes live streamed to the comfort of your own home. They partner with experienced presenters, so individuals can access high-quality educators outside their locality, and educators can reach multiple communities at the same time - brilliant for those of us who don’t live close to more formalized rope education. (Or, you know, in a global pandemic where you can’t leave home.) In the episode, hear Miranda talk about: * How these kind of events work and what’s different from video courses * How to get the most from this style of event when you attend * How the Covid-19 crisis has affected the business * What’s next for Friction Live (check out this week’s question to make suggestions on future classes in the comments)

We know you love these! Fox reads one of his recent pieces of erotic writing, this time writing in advance of a scene he planned for Mya on Valentine’s Day. Read about the wicked delights he had in store for her. Contains rope suspension, sadistic rope, fear play and needles.

Fox and Mya discuss the pleasures and pitfalls of using rope bondage photos as an inspiration for tying. They also talk about: * Why we might want to use rope bondage photos as inspiration * Where to find such photos * The pros and cons of there being so many rope photos out there * The risks of tying from photos * How you might use photos for inspiration in creative ways They also play a quick game where Mya selects three photos from Fetlife in real time, and Fox shares what he might do to recreate them.

Fox and Mya introduce a new type of episode, a Rope Field Report! Most of us are stuck at home right now, and kinks events are (rightfully!) cancelled. Fox and Mya came across a new type of event for them, a live streamed class, and were thrilled to attend from the comfort of their home in Bangkok. The workshop was hosted by @FrictionLive, and presenters @YumYumPanda and @ShaktiBlissBunny did a great job educating through this format. Fox and Mya share their experience of the workshop including: * An overview of the workshop and what to expect if you attend * The things they enjoyed about the workshop and this format * The knowledge and skills Fox and Mya took from the education and where they’ve applied it already * The pros and cons of this kind of workshop versus face-to-face learning

Fox and Mya discuss the aspects of what makes a good rope scene from a top point of view (whilst reminding us that what good looks like might be different for every top!). As a rigger/rope top, Fox shares his experience as a case study, and they explore the factors that make scenes good for him. They also discuss: * Connection for tops * Working successfully with a bottom * The idea of competence and how tops can feel it * The notion of flow and how it applies to tops and rope * How bottoms can support their tops in having a great scene

Fox and Mya discuss the less common topic of rope top health, and how to keep our rope tops (whether we’re the rope top ourselves, or the rope bottom!) in good emotional and physical health. They discuss: * The types of common physical injuries rope tops might sustain * Potential emotional and mental health challenges rope tops might face * Ways to warm up physically before rope * Tools, adjustments and props to help with rope top health * Preparation before a scene to manage potential emotional and mental issues * Some things to do after a scene for rope top health

Fox and Mya interview rope power couple, @WykD_Dave and @clover! The pair have just celebrated their 10th anniversary together and gotten engaged, and this year they also opened their amazing rope space, Studio Kokoro. Fox and Mya discuss with them how they’ve evolved as a rope couple, the changes they’ve been through and their rope journey, and how they’ve seen the scene change. In the episode, hear from them about: * Their couple origin story * Their power exchange relationship and how it’s evolved over time * The shocking news they’re not just into Japanese rope bondage! * The origins of the Rope Bottoming Guide * The journey to get Studio Kokoro up and running * What they see as being necessary to evolve and stay in the scene long-term * How they’ve evolved their own teaching and practice as rope culture has changed and grown See behind the scenes into the relationship and lives of these well-loved but down to earth rope experts.

A listener’s question from Co, who asks: What’s a good way to respond to a bottom asking them to tie them - when the bottom has no idea what they want to do. Fox and Mya discuss the topic, talking both in the abstract and concrete, looking at how rope tops can deal with this very common situation. They explore: * Why different types of rope bottoms (experienced and new) might respond with ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I don’t mind’ when a rigger asks them what they want in the scene * Why this kind of question is important, and why it shouldn’t be treated lightly * The type of negotiation style they’d recommend in this situation * Balancing the risks of this situation * Why every rope top isn’t necessarily a good match for every rope bottom * Reminding both parties of some of their ‘responsibilities’ in rope, as well as the importance and detail of communication and consent (we continue to recommend the FRIES consent model) * What you might need to do after the scene * How rope bottoms can avoid the ‘I don’t know’ response in the future!

Fox and Mya build on their previous episode and go deeper with the minimalist technique of ‘one-rope’ (also sometimes called Ichinawa or Ipponawa) - with one rope, two people. They share: * What’s awesome about it and why they love it * The benefit of preparing some ‘ichinawa forms’ and muscle memory * Why Fox both loves it and dreads it * The risks and the challenges * Rope top Fox’s perspective on this kind of rope * Rope bottom Mya’s perspective on doing one-rope * Some of the scenes they’ve done that involved ichinawa They also get some input from friend long-time rigger @Jake_Wing.

Fox and Mya discuss the minimalist technique of ‘one-rope’ (also sometimes called Ichinawa or Ipponawa) - with one rope, two people. They discuss: * What it is and some definitions * How you do it * How to start * Where music fits * Safety and difficulty levels They also get some input from friends experienced rigger @ChristianRed and the host of the Japanese bondage podcast, ’Kinbakunomicon’, @Faviola_Llervu.

Once again, Fox and Mya have cajoled their interviewees from the year into sharing some bonus materials, in order to bring you a very special Christmas present episode - details of their favourite scenes. The rope couple then share their thoughts on the themes, learnings and ideas that the rest of us might be able to draw from their scenes, whatever our levels of experience. This year, Fox and Mya also share their top and bottoming perspectives on one of their favourite scenes on a holiday in rural Thailand. The episode includes: @GuiltySmile talking about objectification at Eurix @Pyth01 playing with subtle tension, movement and control between rope top and bottom @Kinky_Engineer sharing a scene with playful rope that started with him as the rigger, and ended with him being tied @Jake_Wing recalling a magical scene with fear play, outdoor rope, eroticism and heightened senses @FoxofBangkok (Fox) and @MyArms_BendBack (Mya) share a scene they both loved with impact, sex and exposure

In 2019, a beautiful new Studio opened by veterans of the rope scene, @WykD_Dave and @clover in Mansfield, UK. Mya had the opportunity to visit, and had a wonderful time. Fox questions her about her experience as a visitor, how she approached her touristing, the rope she did, her perspective on the studio itself and the people she met, as well as her tips to get the most from your visit.

Fox and Mya discuss power exchange and how it interacts with rope. As a 24/7 power exchange couple, as well as rope partners, this is a subject dear to their heart, and something they have researched, read about and explored in detail in their own lives. They share their ideas (while noting their ideas are not the only way!) and really welcome thoughts from listeners about their experiences in the comments. They talk about: * Different types of power exchange * Where topping and bottoming and power exchange interact * The challenges of the word ‘bunny’ in rope * Whether there are any truly ‘D-type’ or ’s-type’ activities (Mya and Fox have strong views!) * What their D/s means for their rope * The challenges and potential dangers of combining power exchange and rope * Balancing shared responsibility and encouraging bottoms to be empowered and educate themselves around risks * Abuse, power exchange and rope * Risk profiles and rope * What a rope scene might feel like with and without power exchange * How your rope origin story could impact your links with power exchange

In one of our most popular episode styles, Fox reads one of his recent pieces of erotic writing, inspired by his and Mya’s play. Contains rope, D/s, impact, whipping, exhibitionism and fear play.

Fox and Mya interview podcaster Faviola Llervu about her interest in rope, her podcast (including some of Fox and Mya’s favourite episodes such as Shibari myths), and her aim to get Japanese kinksters more represented in the global rope community. Listen to this interview to hear Faviola’s inspiring thoughts on: *The very unusual reason she started to learn Japanese *How her studies of Japanese SM and rope connect, including the reality of rope versus what she’d initially encountered in comics and stories *What she’s currently exploring in her Japanese SM studies *What her access to Japanese source materials gives her in turns of her approach to rope, and how she translates that into her podcast episodes *The perhaps surprising intersection between rope and Japanese prostitution *How and why modern rope bondage now is a sanitised, fantasised and idealised version of bondage that had been going on in other parts of life for years *The fetishes that go along with rope in Japan that don’t typically get represented in translated English language materials *What English-language Japanese ‘rope purists’ get wrong *The rope anarchy collective The Devil’s Mask Society and how it was formed, and how you might form similar in your area *And Mya and Faviola’s bonding over their perfectionism - while Fox despairs! Faviola Llervu is the creator and narrator of The Kinbakunomicon, an informational podcast about the historical traditions and foundations of kinbaku. She has translated for bondage artist Kasumi Hourai's official website and for Nawapedia, and has presented at Bondage Expo Dallas. She is also a founding member of the Devil Mask Society. Faviola's main interest is in tracing the development of torture, eroticism, sadomasochism and censorship represented in Japanese media from pre-modern times to today, as well as understanding its impact on early SM in Japan.

Fox and Mya discuss Hashira tecniques, which are suspensions to a vertical beam. They discuss: *How you do it, including on different types of beams *The benefits and Fox’s three scene styles he tends to use it for *The risks and the challenges *The perspective on this kind of suspension from the rope top from Fox *The perspective on these ties from the rope bottom from Mya and why she finds it a tougher suspension *Detailed descriptions of a number of scenes they have built around this kind of suspension *Fox’s surprising first Hashira suspension (hint - his bottom wasn’t breathing)

Fox and Mya (in slightly giddy form) discuss the ball tie, which is where you tie your bottom into a ball - or as close equivalent as possible! In the episode they discuss the variations and ways you can do it, the functions, safety and risks and what it feels like. They also share a number of examples of scenes where they’ve used the tie, and how it worked for them. Check it out now and try the tie!

Cats-Pajamas, who is primarily a rope bottom, runs a munch in Malaysia with her partner, KitKatKen, and came to us with a potentially controversial topic. She’s been thinking about the needs of rope tops and whether in the current climate where there is a great deal of focus on rope bottoms, the needs of rope tops are becoming invisible, and whether we’re truly treating our rope tops as humans rather than rope dispensers. Fox and Mya talk with her about * The consequences of bottoms being passive and the expectation being more focused on tops * How we can use negotiation better to cover the needs of both parties * Whether we should focus more on what the bottom can do for the top, as well as the other way round * Making sure the bottom isn’t passive, but takes responsibility engages with the rope and the top * The load on tops and how bottoms can share this * The challenge of giving feedback versus ‘topping from the bottom’ * Fox’s experience of this as a rope top and the question only one new rope bottom has asked him

Mya shares a rope erotica piece inspired by her play with Fox. Contains Ichinawa, D/s, choking and rough body play. (If you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to be choked unconscious* while doing Ichinawa, now’s your chance :) ) . *Don’t try this at home kids without training and experience!

Fox and Mya interview @Jake_Wing about his view on the changing nature of the rope bondage scene, the influences he’s seen come and go, the Austin rope scene, and his most memorable experiences with rope. Listen to this interview to hear Jake’s thoughts on: * Dark rope versus friendly rope * Chinese Rope Bondage and how Jake was influenced by Bruce Lee * Eastern versus Western Rope Bondage and how they’ve mixed over time * Where rope fits in the wider BDSM community * What’s changed the most in rope bondage over time * Accessibility, consent and what the rope community needs to figure out next * The two most important things riggers need to pay attention to And much more! Jake’s been in the scene for many years, and ran a bondage website in the early days of the internet from 2000 with his wife. He’s taught at a number of venues, including Ropecraft, and is one of the team who run the Austin Rope Slingers, Texas, USA.

Fox and Mya had a busy week hosting three rope events in a week. They had a great time, but all wasn’t plain sailing - listen to this week’s episode to hear their discussion of what it’s like to put on rope events, what happened, and their practical suggestions on how you might put on a rope event yourself. In the episode they discuss: * What kinds of rope events are there, and how does the name affect the audience? * Why might you want to run rope events? * What are the benefits/challenges you might encounter? * Practicalities like logistics, cost, risk, liabilities, handling cancellations, legalities etc. * Tips to make your life easier as an event organizer * The fun versus work ratio And discover if it was all worth it for them!

Fox and Mya discuss what makes a good rope scene from the bottom’s point of view, considering the many aspects that could make a scene ‘good’ - whilst acknowledging bottoms are different and the mix that makes up good for one person might be different for another. Mya, as the bottom/bunny in the rope partnership, shares her own experience as a bottom as a practical case study (including what makes good sex in a rope scene), and shares the top few things that make a scene great for her. In addition they discuss: * The difference between process-orientated and outcome-orientated bottoms and why it’s important * Questions for tops to ask their bottoms to help them understand what a good scene might look like for them * How to make sure the scene is good for the bottom before the scene even starts * What a top might ask or look for to make sure the scene is going well for the bottom Click the links below to listen now! Note: We’re not ignoring tops and what makes a scene successful for them, we’ll cover this in a later episode :)

We interview @Pyth01 and GuiltySmile, the founders of Singapore Rope Studio ‘0101 Studio’. The D/s couple studied at Anatomie studio in London for four years, and when they moved to Singapore, decided to open up their own space for rope jams and practice. Listen to this interview to hear about: * The challenges and rewards of setting up a new studio * Integrating into a rope community successfully * Attracting new people to rope * Visiting riggers and rope people * Silly rope! * The differences they’ve seen between European and South-East Asian rope communities And a lot more! If you’re flying through or visiting Singapore, they’d love to see you at Studio 1010. Let us know how it goes.

Fox and Mya often get asked by listeners how to come up with ideas for rope scenes. In this episode, they discuss how to find sources of inspiration for rope scenes, and Fox generates some ideas on the fly to show how you could do it. He discusses his own creative process for rope scenes, and the building blocks that he uses. The rope team share plenty of ideas to get your own creative juices flowing, and to make sure you never run out of new ways to do rope.

Fox and Mya discuss the marks on their bodies bottoms might get when doing rope bondage. They discuss: * Factors that might create marks on different bodies * The various kinds of marks you might get in rope bondage play * Mark envy * How we might cause marks intentionally and by mistake * How the bottom and the top might feel about the marks * How to treat the marks

Fox and Mya discuss the Hip Harness, a fundamental of suspension and usually one of the earliest suspension ties rope tops learn. It’s a very versatile tie that can be used in a large variety of ways. The episode includes discussion of shape, function, variations, difficulty level, safety and risk of the hip harness, what it feels like for the bottom, as well as some ways it can be used in suspensions or even floor work. Fox and Mya also discuss scenes where they have used the tie.

What to wear during your rope scenes might feel frivolous, but it can make a big difference to the tone of your scene. In this episode, Fox and Mya discuss factors both tops and bottoms might consider in their choices for scene clothing, including: * Safety * Comfort * The activities in the scene (including sexy times) * Why and when you might want to (or not want to) be naked * Clothes to enhance how you feel * ‘Dress up’ clothes

Mya and Fox share their philosophy that rope is a journey, not a destination - and you can always keep learning in your rope practice, no matter what your role, or your level of expertise. The rope partners discuss: * Why should we keep growing in our rope practice? * A ton of different areas where you can develop your practice - including several you might not have considered. How many can you tick off so far? * How learning ‘default world’ (or vanilla) skills can also help with your rope * Where you might pick up these skills, even if you’re not based in a big rope community And remember kinkies, Competence is Sexy!

Fox and Mya have built several permanent spaces for rope both together and individually since they started doing rope, with and without hard points. They’ve also created many temporary places to do rope on their travels, and have visited the studios or spaces of many others. In this episode, they discuss the space where you do your rope, and some of the factors you might want to consider when putting your own rope space together. In this episode hear them discuss: * The purpose/s you might want the room to serve * The kind of feel you might want your space to have, and a number of ways you might achieve this * Some things to watch out for, such as hazards * A few practical things to make sure your space has, or doesn’t have * How you might create a temporary space * Some of the rope spaces they’ve visited and the features they had

Fox and Mya discuss a less-commonly explored topic, around the hows, whys and whats of emotions in rope. They share thoughts about: *Why we have emotions in rope, from a psychological and physiological perspective *What happens when these emotions come up - when we do want them, and when we don’t *Examples from their own scenes of the range of emotions rope can explore *The difficult of explaining feelings in rope *The challenge of a mismatch of feelings in rope, and Fox’s interesting and useful idea of how to channel sexual emotions in rope as a top when you’re bottom wants only non-sexual rope *The question they suggest you add to your negotiation to ensure you’re on the same page as your rope partner emotionally during the scene

Fox and Mya discuss single rope suspensions (where a single rope takes all your body weight and you fly from that one rope). They discuss: *Types of single rope suspensions *The benefits and where and when you might want to use them *The risks and the challenges *The perspective on these ties from the rope top from Fox *The perspective on these ties from the rope bottom from Mya *The single rope suspension that Fox loves and Mya is starting to like more…

We interview associate Professor of Sociology and kinkster Dr Julie Fennell shares with us why she thinks people need to care more about rope bottoming, especially given the challenges of some of the issues in the rope community today. Listen to this fascinating interview to hear about: * Rope escape games * Why she shifted her energy from mostly rope bottoming to mostly rope topping   * Skill versus talent in rope bottoming * How she did an unusual (and dangerous?!) quest for a year to gather ideas for a rope bottoming curriculum in * Some of the skills she believes rope bottoms benefit from, and some examples of exercises she can suggest that can help them  * The difference between concrete and soft skills in rope bottoming   And a lot more!

For many bottoms, one top sounds good, but TWO sounds even better - and tops can often feel the same about bottoms (ahem!). In this episode, listener and Patreon supporter @Happy_Tortoise, and his partner Dragon ask Fox and Mya to share some of their favourite multi-player scenes, and they talk through some of their learnings and most fun experiences when they’ve been playing together with another bottom (or two!) Fox and Mya discuss combinations of: • Two bottoms - one top • Two tops - one bottom • A top - a middle - a bottom • A top - a bottom - a switch • And more! They also discuss their learnings from this kind of scene, and the factors that make them more complex that you might need to manage if you decide to play in this sexyfun way.

Another one of our rope erotica pieces. Mya’s turn to read one of her rope stories, which contains rope for restraint, orgasm control and predicament, impact and ass play. So far, the rope erotica pieces are some of our most popular episodes, so we hope you enjoy this sexy story from us!

We interview @Kinky_Engineer, a kinky educator who has been practicing elements of BDSM and kinky play his whole adult life. His personal play style draws on a professional and martial arts background, and is imbued with a strong focus on safety, Risk Aware Consensual Kink and a joy of playing near the edges. We interviewed him about his experience as an engineer designing and creating kink gear and equipment. Essentially, what’s useful for doing rope bondage - besides rope?! He tells us: * How growing up on a farm makes you kinky! * His Western bondage versus Japanese bondage experiences * Why he prefers a suspension ring to carabiners and how that led him to design a better suspension ring * The best cutting tool to buy * His very surprising choice to answer ‘if you could only have one piece of non-rope gear in your kit, what would it be? * Where suspension equipment tends to fail most, and how to prevent this * How best to check hard points in a new venue to you

Fox and Mya rope tourist in their own town! Some highly experienced Japanese and other international rope bondage enthusiasts come to Bangkok, and your podcast hosts were lucky enough to be invited to an event with them run by the Thai community. Fox and Mya attended a public event at a new dungeon opening up who hosted a rope salon, and then a private event with a lot of rope - and they share their personal experiences (whilst noting they really did feel like tourists this time as they had no idea what was happening for most of the time during the events!). (And Mya shares she still has no idea which part of Bangkok Fox actually took her to the event!) Hear from them about: * What they think is the difference between a Rope Salon and a Rope Jam (listener comments invited!) * The incredible new RedRoom Dungeon they visited, with fantastic furniture and other equipment (Mya liked the cages especially, Fox more the giant anal toys) * Which animal the majority of the latex masks in the dungeon were of * The tie that Fox and Mya did at the Rope Salon (and how Fox and Mya got Mya down from the suspension, got 25 coils of rope off her and coiled super fast when suddenly time was up) * A question to riggers: Who coils your rope? How this might connect with D/s * Some of the scenes they watched, with the techniques and skills that inspired them * How Mya vies for the title ‘Most Awkward Rope Bunny Asking For a Scene’ but managed to get tied by a visiting rigger anyway, and what was new and different about that scene

Mya has been both a naughty and a nice bunny and has been working with Fox to bring you a Christmas present - new bonus material from our interviewees this year, where they tell us about some of the favourite scenes. We share our thoughts on the themes that come out, and the lessons and ideas that we can all put into our scenes even if we’re not as experienced as the illustrious interviewees. The episode includes: @Raiju telling us how she tied up, beat and humiliated a germophobe in rope - and the catharsis that experience brought @Belle- telling us about two very different scenes that pushed her to new levels of intensity @ChristianRed telling us about his favourite takedown rope and forced exhibitionism scene (includes neck rope, yay!) @-EM- telling us how one of his rope/drowning scenes might have saved his bottom’s life @IpCookieMonster talks about the most powerful, intense rope scene of her life - one that took several days to decompress from and included sex and rope magic

We interview associate Professor of Sociology and kinkster Dr Julie Fennell exploring her background into rope and kink, and her research on rope subculture, one of her key areas of interest. She tells us about: Her first rope scene * The tie that actually got her into rope (despite her having tied several times before) * Why she doesn’t feel she fits into ‘ropeworld’ * Circus Bondage and how contrarty to many people’s opinions, performance can still be connective * ‘Expectations’ in rope and how she likes to mess with them * What her research has taught her about rope subculture * How sex and rope connect in American shibari Listen now for a fascinating insight into rope subculture!

Fox and Mya discuss the Strappado. Originally a torture method, the rope community adopted the position for a tie. The episode includes discussion of shape, function, variations, difficulty level, safety and risk, what it feels like for the bottom, as well as some ways it can be used in floor work or suspensions. They also discuss two example scenes where they have used the tie.

Trying to develop your edge-play in rope? Fox and Mya talk to experienced edge-player -EM- on the podcast this week in the second part of their interview with him, to understand more about how he has built up his experience in the collection of ‘abnormally horrible’ things that he does to his partners, and the many sadistic activities which he blends with rope. Among the many interview highlights, you can hear: - How he built up his experience to be able to safely (as much as one can) do many high risk activities, from suturing to waterboarding, from cutting to whips, along with his rope. - How he deals with injuries - How he has amazing photos - but doesn’t do photoshoots - How he approaches the first scene with a new partner to make sure they’re a match with him We got so engrossed in chat with -EM- that we had to cut the interview into two parts. Check out the previous episode to hear part 1 of this interview!

Want more ideas on how to be a better sadist in your rope play? Fox and Mya talk to respected edge-player -EM- on the podcast this week, a man whose kink risk profile is pretty out there even compared to the fetlife norm. -EM- considers rope a versatile tool in his BDSM kit, rather than considering himself a ‘rope person’, and yet is definitely a ‘name’ in the world of rope. Among the many interview highlights, you can hear: - How he takes things from the very physical world of whips and sadistic rope to the emotional and mental play space that is his focus - The point at which many Dominants or Tops stop, but which for -EM- signals when play really begins - How he built up his experience with choking his partners to unconsciousness We got so engrossed in chat with -EM- that we had to cut the interview into two parts. Look out for the next one coming soon!

Negotiation and consent is a highly relevant topic in rope bondage, and one of the Rope Podcast’s listeners, @Sensual_Dominant, asks Fox and Mya to share their thoughts on the best way to safely negotiate. Fox and Mya discuss what consent and negotiation is, and the basics of what we’re looking for in the area for a scene, and when it is and isn’t a good idea to negotiate. They share examples of the methods and content of a negotiation, as well as some of their suggestions from their own negotiations as a rope top, and a rope bottom. Also discussed are a number of key points to look out for that might make *you* safer negotiating - remembering that we all have difference preferences, and doing it in the way that suits you is likely to make sure you negotiate in the safest way possible. They also share an important definition about two different forms of consent-based negotiations - and Mya even manages to convince Fox of an even safer approach to negotiation for the future.

Rope bondage is an activity that carries risk. Fox and Mya discuss the different types injuries you can get (including some that Mya doesn’t really mind), how you might get them, how to identify them as early as possible, how to react to injuries, and we how might address and treat these injuries. We also discuss our own experience with injuries during rope scenes, and the learnings we acquired and applied from them, such as the question Fox added to his pre-rope negotiation questionnaire based on one incident.

Fox and Mya discuss the classic rope bondage tie, the Futomomo. The episode includes discussion of the shape and function, variations, the safety and risks, what it feels like, as well as how we can use futos in suspension and floor work. They also share a number of examples of scenes where they’ve used the tie.

Fox and Mya discuss how you know you’re ready for your first rope suspension. They cover: • What are the skills you need for rope suspension as a top, including technical skills, practical non-rope skills, some mechanical principles and safety • What do you need to understand, and what are the things you need to be able to do as a bottom, including around your body in rope, the less-fun possible-consequences so you can accept the risks appropriately, and the concept of active bottoming • The kinds of equipment you might need, from rope to the hard point, and keeping control of the scene • How you might put together a plan for your first suspension

Have you ever been asked to ‘spot’ for someone when they’re doing rope bondage? Here Fox and Mya discuss what it means to spot, what does and doesn’t work well, what can go wrong, and some of their personal experiences. Fox also shares his ‘must-have’ condition he needs to be met if he’s going to be a spotter. In the episode, you can learn the difference between having an audience and having spotters, the one case when you *must* have a spotter, and why it’s not just bottoms who might need spotters.

Fox shares his rope erotica piece on slave Rouge’s first suspension.

*Heads up: This episode contains discussion of CNC elements in rope.* ChristianRed is a rope educator who has led the Nottingham, UK, Rope Group for three years, as well as teaching at various events in Europe. He has a broad rope background, but we chat to him about his expertise in takedown and restraint in rope, an area which isn’t taught by many due to the skills needed for that level of expertise. Christian has studied, competed in and coached martial arts for most of his life. Christian lives with his lovely partner/property EntwinedStar in Nottingham in the UK. In this episode, he shares a bit about his journey into rope, and how he got into takedown rope. He explains what kinds of elements takedown rope contains, and gives some examples of how he integrates it into scenes. We talk about takedown rope practicalities, such as the rope he uses. Fox and Mya share some of their preconceptions about takedown rope, and the team discuss how this style of rope can contradict the usual perception of what a rope bottom’s role is. They also explore the skills needed in take down for both rope tops and rope bottoms, as well as covering some of the risks.

Rope at parties! For some, this might be their first experience of watching rope, and for others, they might want to try it in a public place. In this episode we examine the topic from plenty of angles. Learn why Mya did her first rope scene at a party, hear about a number of the rope scenes Fox and Mya have either done or watched at parties, and learn the type of rope that Fox and Mya do sometimes that clears a room at parties. Fox and Mya also discuss: How you might connect with others at parties Who to tie with Reasons to do rope in public How rope in public might be different from rope at home What you might want to look out for and plenty of tips to make your rope at a party go well. *How do you feel about rope at parties? What do/don’t you do? What rope scenes have you enjoyed as a participant or a watcher?*

Belle is a rope switch and rope bondage instructor who has also produced a range of wonderful instructional videos and writings on topics such as ‘Bottoming for the Body You Have’, ‘How to Connect’ as well as many ties. Fox and Mya talk with her, and Belle shares: her rope journey; how sex and rope connect for her; how she developed her understanding of what connection is, and how varied that is with her different rope partners; how the style of rope she likes as a top is different from the style she loves as a bottom; how she has adjusted the rope she does as a bottom to fit the body she has; how she started creating her own ties and why; and how she decides whether she’s a good match for other tops’ or bottoms’ styles.

Do you have a strategy to manage rope drop? Fox and Mya have both experienced this as a top and bottom in rope respectively, and share their experiences and suggestions on the topic. They also discuss: what rope drop might look like, the ‘science’ of rope drop (such as it is); how a top can tell their rope bottom might be dropping; differences in rope drop for tops and bottoms; how you might want to address rope drop; and Mya gives one piece of advice on drop that surprises Fox!

Listener Sam from Chiang Mai, Thailand, wants to try crotch rope, and asked for some advice in this area. We discuss: what this type of rope consists of; good knot placement and spots to avoid; the fun - and less so fun, according to Mya! - consequences of crotch rope; and a number of ways that you could use it in a scene depending on your scene goal.

Riah is an American presenter and demo bottom for a variety of subjects, including non-monogamy and BDSM subjects, and of course, rope. Fox and Mya picked her brains about some more unusual topics, such as tying yourself to your partner, and building a human playground. She discusses: how rope has helped her to manage her anxiety; accessing her emotions through rope; her first ever scene as a rope top; how she’s used scening to process different events in the past; where power exchange fits in rope for her; and how she helps students to learn through play. She leaves us with some actionable advice for how bottoms can grow in rope bondage.

Do you have a bias around how you think rope is seen by non-ropey people? The last time Mya went back to the UK, she had a bit of cold shower when she shared her rope kink with some friends and family. Learn about the ‘false consensus effect’, and how it applies us in rope - and the perception of others. We talk about several examples of rope out there in the world, including journalism, art and fashion, legal cases, documentaries and music videos (many many links in the Fet writing). We also touch on rope as a community within a community (BDSM) and what the implications of that might be. Learn about Mya’s conflicting feels about the rope potentially becoming mainstream, and the possible pros and cons of that. Do we think it’s going to happen? You’ll have to listen and see.

Your first rope scene can feel like a big deal - you’ve been waiting a long time for this, and you’re finally ready - but where are you going to do it? Fox and Mya discuss the context you might want to do your first rope scene in, and the pros and cons of different situations, such as a semi-public party or rope jam, versus private. They talk about their own first scenes, and you can learn why Mya did her first rope scene at a kink party rather than privately, despite the fact she’s an introvert and it wouldn’t have been her first choice, and how Fox did his first rope scene in a very Fox-way. They also talk about the risks of doing your first scene or suspension from a photo (and why it’s probably not a great idea), and co-created scenes versus rigger-led. And finally they share two simple ideas that you could steal or build on for your own first scene, if you’re feeling a bit blank about it all, one sexual, and one non-sexual. (For the first half of this episode, where we talk about the other things you need to do to prepare for your first scene, from safety to practicalities, listen to episode 14.) ### Let us know in the comments here on Fetlife: What was your first rope scene? Share as much detail as you like below.

Your first rope scene can be one of the most risky points in your rope career. Fox and Mya review what bottoms and tops needs to do in preparation for their first scene, touching on safety, consent, boundaries, contingencies and risks, and some of the practicalities just before you rope (spoiler alert: don’t forget to pee beforehand is one!). We discuss: what you might need to know about your tying partner; what to wear; whether you need sex involved; locations you might want to have your first scene; issues of language differences; why you might not want to do suspension for your first ever scene, plus lots more considerations to keep in mind pre-your first scene. Also find out what Fox thinks is the second most risky time in a rigger’s career and one of the places he’s been asked not to touch by a couple of rope bottoms that you might not consider… NB: When we recorded this episode it went pretty long, so we’ve cut it into two parts. Look out for the next episode in a couple of weeks! ### Let us know in the comments here on Fetlife: What do you think are the 1-3 things that a new rope top or bottom *must do* in preparation for their first scene?

Rope journals can be a great way to record, track, reflect and understand your rope practice. We share why you might want to do this, and the benefits it can bring. We also discuss the quite different style and content we put into our journals, and also (with permission) share ideas from a handful of other rope enthusiasts which come at rope journals from different angles again. Also, hear how Scuba diving inspires Fox’s rope journal, and how Mya tries to get round her limited artistic talents in hers.

Creating a dynamic, powerful rope scene can be challenging when you’re a beginner (or even for some who’ve been doing it a while, coming up with new ways to include rope in scenes can be tough). A listener writes to us to ask for ideas. We discuss: Does what you tie matter? What are bottoms seeking? Is rope an accessory to play, or play in itself? How can you make the tie more meaningful? Fox shares several unusual ways to frame rope practice as a scene, and Mya shares the kind of reactions you can expect from a bottom you’re tying, and how the bottom contribute to the energy of the scene. ### Let us know in the comments here below: How do you practice your tying? Do you make your practice ‘scene-y?’ How do you do this?

After the success of Fox’s rope erotica piece, in episode 6, Mya reads one of her erotica stories from the perspective of a rope bottom. Called ‘Damsel in Distress’, it describes some recent rope bondage play she and Fox did together to create a photo for the Ropepodcast Patreon.

What are your duties and responsibilities in rope to yourself, and you tying partner? A listener writes in with this question, and Fox and Mya discuss four key areas: • Responsibilities of the top to themself • To the bottom • Responsibilities of the bottom to themself • Responsibilities of the bottom to the top They discuss some controversial issues, including aftercare for tops, consent and tops feeling like a ‘rope dispenser’. We ask you: Do you agree with the perspectives discussed? What would you add to these responsibilities in rope? Share them with us in the comments below.

Aftercare is a critical part of a rope scene, but there are a million ways to do it. Fox and Mya explore what it is, why it’s important, different aspects that might be relevant in different situations, and share their preferred ways of experiencing and giving it, as well as plenty of other ideas for what might suit different people. They also share some personality differences they had to work through around their different aftercare preferences to keep them both happy and well after their rope scenes! Remember: *“If you don’t have the time for aftercare, you don’t have the time to play.”* This week, we ask you, our Dear Listeners, to comment below on: *What’s your favorite form of rope aftercare?*

Would Austin, Texas, be a good place to go rope tourist? What’s the scene there like from an outsider’s perspective? Find out in this episode where Mya is a flying bunny, and checks out a couple of local rope groups while she attends a work conference. She shares how she found Riggers to tie with, what the differences were between other communities she’s tied in, and some logistical considerations (oh, and find out what kinky souvenir she brought home for Fox!).

Where does pain fit in terms of rope? Do we want it? Not want it? As edge play, pain can give us some pretty important signals in rope. So are there some types of pain we seek out? How do we know what types of pain to avoid and what are okay to try and bear? We talk about types of pain in rope, how bottoms can more effectively handle pain, some ideas of how to add (the right kind) of pain to scenes, and how rope tops can help their bottoms handle pain and achieve more challenging ties. In the episode we share some techniques for how bottoms handle pain. So we ask our Dear Listeners this week to comment below on: *What do you do as a rope bottom to handle pain in rope? Or, if you’re a rope top, how do you help your bottom handle pain in a scene?*

Heard much rope erotica? No? Us either. We try something a little bit different, and Fox reads some of his rope erotica. We're curious what you will think - would you like to hear from episodes like this? Tell us in the comments!

Want to do rope but have no-one to tie with? Fox and Mya discuss the different ways (at least five!) to find a partner, whether you’re a Rigger or a Bottom. They also discuss the kinds of rope partner you can have, or the contexts in which you might want one, how to think about your requirements (and something important people often forget), as well as what kinds of things you might want to chat to potential partners about.

This weave tie works as well for interesting bedroom bondage as it does for a full inversion suspension. We discuss how to do it (see photos on our fet handle RopePodcast), what it feels like, the risks and safety elements, and we share some scenes that we’ve used it in (including one that made Mya go ‘weeeeee!’).

How to ‘rope tourist’ in the UK - Mya travels a lot, and she shares her recent adventures in the UK where she attended two jams, a workshop and a social as a rope tourist bottom. Rigger Fox asks her questions about what she got up to, how she found a Rigger to tie with for the events, and crucial information you might need to know if you were going to rope tourist in the UK yourself. Links to stuffs we mention can be found on our Fetlife page in the "Writing" for this episode.

Key advice for beginners on rope bondage; suggestions on rope care; negotiation advice; the difference in a tie between too tight and secure; why specific terminology is important, and Rigger Fox and rope bottom Mya’s favourite aspects of rope play. Oda from Michigan had a lot of questions for us, and we answer them all!

Rope bondage gear - what do you need? Rigger Fox and rope bottom Mya discuss the contents of their respective rope bags (yes, bottoms need gear too!), and talk about the reasons for different items and how they use them in their rope bondage play.

No idea what rope bondage is? Intrigued but nervous? Get an understanding of what rope bondage is, the different reasons people do it (it might not be what you think!), some critical safety advice and why consent is vital when you play. Rigger Fox and rope bottom Mya provide perspectives from both sides of the rope in this introductory episode to the Rope Podcast - we suggest all listeners check this out before diving into the rest of the episodes.