Rope Podcast

Vahavta has created some amazing resources, in particular, the Risk Evaluation Database, which curates possible risks for various BDSM activities (like rope bondage!) we might engage in - from the common (bruising) to the ones you’re unlikely to think of (retina detachment), even the very rare ones.  In this second part of Fox and Mya’s interview with her, they discuss: • Why she put together the Risk Evaluation Database (RED) • What is a risk profile and why might you need one for rope bondage • How to use RED to create your own risk profile • Tips for kinkies with chronic health issues • What skills can chronic health issues bring • How she processed the impact of her health condition on her choices • The impact of fitness on rope bondage • How we can make the conversation about fitness and rope bottoming more useful • Tips for rope bottoms on pain processing • And more! Vahavta writes, teaches, and speaks on CNC, emotional S/m, kink + chronic illness/disability, pain processing, and negotiation and communication on the edge. Feel free to share your thoughts on the topic in the comments <3

Vahavta writes, teaches, and speaks on CNC, emotional S/m, kink + chronic illness/disability, pain processing, and negotiation and communication on the edge. She is also a creator of some wonderful resources, such as the Risk Evaluation Database, and the ‘Kink Beyond Limits’ power exchange workbooks. We wanted to talk to her about all these, along with her choice to give up being a rope bottom, as this is a story that often happens, but is rarely talked about. Listen to this episode to hear about: • Her rope journey • Her health background and why she gave up rope • Reasons for the rope scene skewing young • EDS and why it might be more common in the rope scene • How being flexible in rope might not always be a good thing • Why many people with hyper-mobile EDS are drawn to rope • How rope bottoms can build longevity in rope • Balancing strength and flexibility • How the Beighton Score might help you know if you might have EDS • Why active bottoming is critical for those with EDS • How she views her time in rope bondage with the benefit of hindsight • And more! Feel free to share your thoughts on the topic in the comments <3

In part 2 of this listener question episode, Mya and Fox discuss the challenge of making rope sustainable. Whether you want to have s3xy times in rope, are taking photos, or just want to stay up longer, the podcast hosts have plenty of ideas on how both tops and bottoms can help rope be more sustainable. Hear them talk about: • Change over time • Acceptance of what our body needs • Vulnerable parts of the body in rope for most people • The importance of discussing how to communicate what is and isn’t sustainable up front • Why how you communicate about sustainability is so critical • How some active bottoming can help • Ideas on how you can increase sustainability • Why self-care outside rope is critical to staying up longer, more comfortably • The importance of labbing • How distraction can play its part • Individuality in pain and sustainability • And more! As always, if you know more or want to add to the conversation, share your thoughts in the comments!

A listener recently wrote in to ask us to discuss sustainability in rope bondage. As “Sustainable” is literally one of Fox’s rope values, we were more than happy to explore this topic. In the episode they discuss: • When might you want more sustainability in rope • Things that haven’t worked for them • Ties that might be more sustainable • A great question to ask to build sustainability • What makes Mya tap out, and how they manage this • Factors to play with to make your rope more sustainable • And more! As always, if you know more or want to add to the conversation, share your thoughts in the comments! Next up in the podcast stream will be part 2 of this great episode, make sure you follow us so you don’t miss it :)

Earlier this year, Mya ran a rope bottoming workshop for the local community. We’ve had many requests from listeners to share more about rope bottoming education, so in this episode, Fox and Mya discuss the event. Listen to hear them explore: • Why Mya decided to run the workshop • Topics the workshop covered • Why we need more rope bottoming education • What was important to Mya in the session • Fox’s rope as a demo rope top • The format of the workshop • Sharing tips between bottoms • How Mya prepared • How the workshop went • Forming a rope bottoming peer discussion group • And more! As always, if you know more or want to add to the conversation, share your thoughts in the comments!

In this second part of our interview with the very accomplished rope switch Gorgone, Fox and May delve into many of her learnings from her teaching practice. Listen to this episode to hear them discuss: • What is ‘conscious rope’, and how can we do it? • Questions to ask ourselves in rope • Ego and rope • Kink as theatre • How our expectations impact our rope • Bringing authenticity to rope partnerships • The most important question in rope • Common rope intentions • How styles of rope partnerships bring different dynamics and pitfalls • Using rescue horses as a practical metaphor for rope bondage • The origins of Shibari Study • Why Shibari Study has so much variety • What she’s currently doing with Shibari Study • How they are improving the usability of Shibari Study • And much more! As always, if you want to add to the conversation, share your thoughts in the comments!

Gorgone (Marika Leila Roux) is one of the OGs of the European rope scene, a French rope switch who co-founded Shibari Study. Fox and Mya were excited to discuss rope bondage with her, and in this episode, discuss her journey. Highly self-aware, they share how they threw themselves into rope, up to where they are today - a very different place. Gogone discovered rope 13 years ago, and dove into the underground world of traditional Japanese rope bondage. They have been a professional Shibari model and rigger since then, performing world wide. They bring this experience, along with their personal practice of yoga and conscious movement, to their approach to teaching. Listen to this episode to hear them discuss: • Her first experience of rope and its powerful impact on her • How she upended her life for rope • Turning a passion into a job • Can bottoms make money in rope? • What she gets from shibari now • The last time she was tied (and why it might be her last time) • Her journey through bottoming, topping and self-tying • The incredible environment in which she learned • Why her teaching of rope is bottom-centric • The downside of intense D/s rope partnerships • Her advice for new bottoms, and how they can learn from her mistakes • How she became the first foreign bottom photographed by Norio Sugiura and what it was like to work with him (and Naka!) • And much more! As always, if you want to add to the conversation, share your thoughts in the comments!

Fox and Mya have been experimenting with performing with rope, and in this episode, share their experiences. Listen to this episode to hear them discuss: • How they decided their theme and approach • Translating the theme into narrative • How rope can be used in a performance • Developing characters • Costumes, props, music • Preparing and rehearsing • Giving the performance • Getting feedback • And more! As always, if you know more or want to add to the conversation, share your thoughts in the comments!

Anna Bones runs the Shibari educational space Anatomie with her husband Fred Hatt. As well as her full-time rope job, she has a toddler. In this episode, she shares openly and vulnerably about her experience of pregnancy and bringing up a child whilst keeping Anatomie running. Mya, Fox and Anna discuss in this episode: • Bringing up a toddler while running a full-time rope business • Balancing rope in work and play • How pregnancy affected the way she did rope • The reason she did more self-tying while pregnant • Venturing into other kink education at Anatomie • The London kink scene and where rope fits in • And much more… Anna Bones discovered rope with her now-husband Fred Hatt, in 2013 and has been in love with it ever since. Rope quickly escalated from a side hobby to a full-time job, culminating in the opening of Anatomie Studio (a sex positive venue and the UK's largest and first full-time Shibari space) which she runs with Fred Hatt. Anna, who has learned from a wide range of teachers, has taught and performed with her partner all over the world. From self-tying, bottoming to rigging, Anna loves it all, although her greatest joy is being tied. Click links or find us on your favourite pod player to listen now! PS - Don’t forget to listen to part 1 of this interview if you haven’t managed to catch it yet, check back to episode 176.

Anna Bones discovered rope with her now-husband Fred Hatt, in 2013 and has been in love with it ever since. Rope quickly escalated from a side hobby to a full-time job, culminating in the opening of Anatomie Studio (a sex positive venue and the UK's largest and first full-time Shibari space) which she runs with Fred Hatt. Anna, who has learned from a wide range of teachers, has taught and performed with her partner all over the world. From self-tying, bottoming to rigging, Anna loves it all, although her greatest joy is being tied. In this episode hear about: • Why rope felt like the ‘safest’ kink to start with for her as a solo female • How she went from a rope jam to running a successful Shibari educational space • Attending her first rope workshop (which happened to be by Naka) • Falling in love with rope (and her husband!) • Developing her career and experience in rope • The early days of the rope scene in Europe • Anatomie Studio and its aesthetic, values and aims • The origin story of the studio’s name • The challenges of success and the expansion of the studio • Balancing being authentically kinky and also public • The influence of her academic career on her rope life and insights • The very down-to-earth nature of her ‘typical day’! • And more! Click links or find us on your favourite pod player to listen now! Part 2 will be the next episode up, so keep an eye on your podcast feed <3