Newbie Tuesday: Bondage

Editor Note:  We are away on vacation.  Comments are being moderated so please be patient as it might take several days to publish them all.  These posts were written well in advance and scheduled on Blogger, unless otherwise noted.  

Bondage isn't just about ropes or restraints, it can be mental bondage. Sometimes mouse considers the way she speaks and especially writes to be a form of continual bondage.  Other forms of bondage come to mind when mouse looks back on her time with Omega.  At one point diapers were introduced, which was a definite form of bondage that was mental and physical.  Some Dominants employ the use of chastity devices on their submissive partner and that can be another form of bondage.  How well each work, largely depends on the submissive in question.  

Temporary Bondage is often a restraint of some sort.  Sometimes Omega will bind mouse's wrists together in front of her, rarely behind, and make her sleep that way.  Now, mouse knows that she can free herself in the matter of moments if she truly needed to and that's an important thing.  if the submissive can't be directly supervised while restrained, they need to have a way to free themselves. 

Depending on the physical shape the submissive is in will determine how long they can be restrained and any discoloration should be tended to by the Dom.  Some areas are fine, like breast binding but other areas like arms and legs can be problematic.  The bottom should tell the Dominant if she experiences discomfort or tingling/numbing sensations.  Again depending on the physical shape of the bottom, it might be fine or even subside.  Still it's important to understand nerve damage can occur.  These usually aren't permanent but can be bothersome and even painful.

Clamps and similar items can be worn for a while, although long term use is probably not a good idea.  Different clamps also have different strengths, so finding a pair that's somewhat comfortable, while providing that nice out is worth looking around.  Also, many clamps as they age loose some of their spring.  We have a pair of clover clamps that are around 15 years old that are quite comfortable to wear for a few hours even.  The newer pairs have mouse whimpering after just a few minutes.  Other clamps like forceps never rarely their spring because they're supposed to pinch the skin.  Most clamps shouldn't be worn all day or for very long periods of time, but again that depends on the clamp employed.  Once the clamp is put on, the pain can be intense but also tends to drop off -- if the person wearing them doesn't move around much.  Movement, weights and other things (size of breast) can affect the sensation of pain.  Sometimes a Dominant will employ two different styles of clamps on the nipples, which tends to make the bottom feel off balance.

Mummification, weighted blankets and other types of restraints can also be fun to experiment with, but all require care.  While mild restriction of breathing (called breath play) can be exciting and fun, care needs to be taken that the bottom can actually breath relatively comfortably. With mummification play, the danger is overheating, same could be said for weighted blankets.  Keeping the room cool helps but don't discount the effects hyperthermia can have.  The bottom needs to watched carefully for signs of dehydration, confusion, and a host of of things that go along with it.  Some fabrics hold heat more than others will, so care must be taken when using latex or leather which doesn't allow the skin to breathe.

Even a corset on a hot day and low activity can cause a spike in body temperature.  This is why back in the olden days, women would loosen their corsets on days of heavy work and tighten them for Sunday services.  Well to-do women would often rest during the day, and remove the corset all together -- lets also not forget women wore a lot of clothing then too.

Mental Bondage  This can be anything that restricts thought or actions.  Like speaking or writing in the third person, is a form of mental bondage for mouse.  It's not so much about objectification (although it can be). It can take many forms, like being told to only speak when spoken to, or being still for a period of time -- while waiting to be useful.  Sometimes referred to as a well-diciplinced mind, where the subject is in a high protocol environment and must adhere to strict observances.

Humiliation can be part of mental bondage, where the bottom or subject knows something that other's aren't privy to.  Like bruises on the bottom that smart when they sit, or being made to wear a butt plug.  Omega will often whisper into mouse's ear that she has that "just fucked look and she can't hide it." It controls her actions in a mental way when physical chains are impossible.