First Ties - Rope Bondage for Beginners

First Ties - An intro to Shibari 

Ready to take your first steps into learning rope bondage? This workshop will offer you the fundamentals needed to start your journey exploring with a focus on care, awareness and creativity

What will you learn?

• Short history and context of shibari (Japanese style rope bondage)
• Consent, negotiation and boundaries - understanding our needs and desire in rope
• Anatomical considerations for safety
• Creating solid and safe anchor points
• Frictions for building structure
• Wrapping and rope flow – developing fluidity with rope handling
• How to create simple solid ties which offer compression, restriction, and sensation to the body
• Getting creative with your new skills

There will be time for open practice towards the end of the workshop, as well as space and time throughout for discussion, questions and sharing.

There will be short breaks throughout the day as well as a longer break for some food and lunch halfway through. 

What will happen in this workshop?

After opening the space with introductions and group agreements, we will start the day with some contextual historical sharing about Shibari and Japanese rope bondage. This will lead into some discussion and space for reflection around our needs and desires from this practice. We will think about consent, communication, power and boundaries - we will explore what negotiation can look like and what we need to know to negotiate with awareness and understanding. We will then move on to exploring the fundamentals of getting started with rope - safe anchor points, playing with tension, and tying with intention and fluidity. From there we will explore basic frictions which will support us to start to build ties which are more structural and supportive to the body. There will be time for exploring creatively, getting inspiration for free-styling, and finding adaptations for different bodies and needs. We will take time to close the space with sharing, reflections and questions.

Who can come to this workshop?

This workshop is open to absolute beginners. You will learn the fundamentals as well as being encouraged to tap into your intuition to find inspiration and confidence at your fingertips. If you are also looking for a solid refresher of the basics - this workshops is for you!

*Tickets are sold on an individual basis*

Do I need a partner to come?

No - all constellations are welcome - partnerships and solo folks - all exercises will be offered and can be practiced as self tying as well as partnered tying. There will not be any partnering of people for this workshop - please come prepared to solo tie!

For those coming in a pair - switching is encouraged and welcome! All forms of partnership are welcome - lovers, friends, long term, very new, platonic relationships etc. - rope is not always inherently sexual in its dynamic but there of course is an element of physical closeness and emotional intimacy when tying which requires a level of trust between those taking part, please bare this in mind when booking.

What else do I need to know?

This workshop is limited to 9 spaces to give lots of time and focus to each individual who attends.

We will meet in the beautiful and peaceful space of the Mat Sanctuary studio which is located very close to Norbury or Streatham Station.

Ropes will be provided for this session - if you would like to purchase a set of ropes to take home and continue practicing please let Sophia know. 

This class could be a good fit for you if…

• You prefer learning in smaller groups (each class is capped 9 people)
• You’re curious about rope and wanting to gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals
• You need to refresh and solidify your basic skills
• You’re seeking an experiential, person-centred approach to learning
• You want to learn to tie with a focus on awareness, intention, creativity, and pleasure.

A note on money and finances

There are three different tiers for tickets - please consider your capacity and what feels right for you in the moment when selecting this option. Please also consider that when you are able and have capacity to pay the supporter amount, you make it possible that I can offer the regular and solidarity spaces. Offering financial flexibility as well as respecting the need for my energy and sustainability to be acknowledged is an important balance for me. 

If none of these options are accessible to you - please be in touch. We can arrange a payment plan or try to figure out alternatives.

- £40 Solidarity - if you need the financial flexibility and can contribute this amount
- £50 Regular - if you have some disposable income or can contribute this amount
- £60 Supporter - if you have disposable income, can contribute this amount and pay it forward to support financial flexibility

These classes are facilitated by me, Sophia - you can find out more about me and how I work here - https://www.venushour.co.uk/