Rope Podcast

BondageOtter (he/they) is a queer leatherman and rope switch who maintains a private S/M practice while organizing public education and play programs for the community of people who want to tie masc-of-center bodies. His education seeks to fuse Japanese aesthetics with the erotics of gay leather culture. The podcast hosts talked to him about how his rope experience in that culture is different from the cis-het/pansexual community, and the unique perspective that, along with hie experience living in Japan and running events, gives him. He also shares some of the implications for tops and bottoms when you primarily tie men. With huge energy, a refreshingly direct and open perspective on rope and sexuality, and strong self-reflection, Bondage Otter is a delight to listen to. In the episode you can hear more about: • His rope journey • A great tip to break into the kink community • Three things he loves about rope • How shame and embarrassment figure in his play • What he does to blend Japanese aesthetics and gay leather culture • How he adapts Eastern aesthetic principles to be sustainable for larger body types • How he ‘reads' a new partner for pick-up play • Tips for tying cut versus uncut penises • Suggestions for tying men from the perspective of both bottom and top • How to broaden your sources of inspiration for tying • Making the experience of suspending male bodies better for all parties • And plenty more. BondageOtter is the founder of Rope Burn SF, the USA's first ongoing masc-of-center, rope-specific play party + skill share, with his remaining energy spent volunteering for numerous gay organizations. Listen now on all podcast platforms, and look out for Episode 202 to hear part 2 of the interview.

It's hard for us to believe, but this episode is number 200 of the Rope Podcast. That's a lot of ropey goodness! Starting back in 2017, we've somehow managed to produce episodes every two weeks on a regular basis. This fun episode celebrates our story so far - a story that in many ways echoes the growth of rope bondage in society at large. We hear updates from some of our guests, including Shay Tizano, Wooden Tiger, Faviola Llervu, RopuNawa, Violet Rain, MistressJ, Chrisian Red, Voudou Ropes, Ebi McKnotty and MarcyVQ, on how the podcast has impacted them personally and their communities. We also share some behind the scenes glimpses that will draw back the curtain on some of our ways of working (think, a lot of blushing for Mya, mostly!). Sit back and enjoy this jam-packed episode now, and use our reminiscences to find new angles on the topic of Rope Bondage once more.

Mistress J is an Australian switch known internationally for her gorgeous decorative rope. In our last episode we explored some fundamentals of the art, as well as getting to know Mistress J and her rope practice. In this episode, we go deeper, and talk to her about: • Pros and cons of mixing decorative rope with other forms of rope • Her inner sadist! • A top tip for performances (that Fox and Mya also implement) • Skills and qualities that a bottom can bring to decorative rope • What she needs to know from her bottom when tying this kind of rope • How tying artistic rope differs from other forms of rope • The starter kit you might need for trying out this rope • The rope gear she started with • Her go-to rope for decorative rope • Practical tips for people who want to tie in this style • What's challenging about this type of rope • How she engages her creativity in artistic rope • Which ties are her favourite and why • Her fabulous ‘Tie July Challenge' and why you want to join!

Mistress J, best known internationally for the decorative rope designs she creates, particularly beautiful, wearable rope art has been part of her local scene in Melbourne, Australia, for eleven years. She has been teaching skillshares in her community for nine years, drawing on her background in design and education, and she facilitates a group called ‘The Art of Rope'. Identifying as a Sensualist, she loves touch, and always tries to incorporate it in her scenes. She also enjoys learning, most recently focusing on chaos rope and more strenuous and torturous types of tie, continually expanding her skills. Fox and Mya enjoyed hearing her thoughts about decorative rope and authentic perspective, along with her very thorough approach to whatever she's doing. Listen to the episode to hear the hosts explore with her: • How she was first introduced to rope bondage • What attracted her to rope even though initially it didn't make se • How she initially fit in rope around looking after her two kids • What is decorative rope or ‘wearable art' • How she integrates other crafting techniques into her ropework • Her collection of mannequins (including their names - we love this so hard!) • How a variety types of mannequins help with practicing different ties • Examples of some of her decorative ties • Complimentary skills that support her abilities in rope • How her neurodivergence is an asset in rope • How she enjoys a broad skillset - including other rope practices such as circus rope • Why decorative rope is so appealing to a wide variety of people • Tying her suitcase when travelling • And more… Listen now on all podcast platforms! Ps - Fun crossover: Mistress J talks about devouring the excellent book Shibari you can use by Lee Harrington (@passionandsoul) - who was our last interviewee in episodes 193-4

Having lived in a number of condos and had a number of rope spaces, the podcast hosts have a lot of empathy for this question! The episode looks at what hard points are used for, what that means in terms of which hard points might work or not, and how those hard points do - or don't - work in terms of a suspended ceiling (and why). In this episode, hear more about: • What actually is a suspended ceiling • Why you can't use it for your hardpoint • Why we might want hard points for our rope • What the hosts *don't* recommend (but is done a lot) • Some examples of free-standing frames and their pros and cons • Fox's bespoke chain system attached to the condo walls • Lots of safety and risk discussion, and the need for rope bottoms to educate themselves in this area • And more! PS - Mya can't remember who asked this Listener Question, so if it was you, let us know! She apologises profusely!

Last year, Fox and Mya learned the gorgeous Marquise harnesses from the one of the creators, @HwG-Paris. Fox was thrilled to learn a ‘French' tie and the hosts of the podcast have experimented with it a number of times since. Fox has also had great positive feedback from some of the other rope bottoms who he's tied it on, so this episode shares the harness more widely with listeners! In this episode, hear about: • What these decorative harnesses (chest and butt) look like • A rough idea of how the ties work • Pros/cons of learning a tie online 1:1 versus in-person • Safety pros, cons and cautions of the ties • What the harnesses feel like to wear • The importance of discussing your bottom's gender identity or preferences in relation to how they want this to be tied on them • Examples of how using this in photoshoots and scenes • When you might/might not want to wear clothes under these harnesses • How the tie works with s3xy times • And more!

This is a new type of episode for the Rope Podcast, where Fox and Mya discuss how you might combine rope with other forms of play! Here they start with a classic pairing, ‘impact play', which is very common for kinksters to integrate into rope scenes. In this episode they talk about using everything from pevertables to body parts to items made-for-play, as well as: • Why people like this kind of play • What kinds of toys you might use • The benefits of combining rope and impact • The psychological consequences of being tied for impact play • Aesthetics of this kind of scene • Safety concerns and suggestions • Practicalities of how you might combine these two types of play • Toys we especially like to combine with rope and why • Creating impact toys FROM rope! • Important things to know when bottoming for impact in rope • How rope influences the marks made during impact • Some examples from Fox and Mya's own play • Ideas for positions you might use • And more!

As well as writing the extremely influential “Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé”, Lee Harrington has taught over 1100 classes. Fox and Mya asked him about his experiences as a rope educator, focusing particularly on on classes that explore tying non-cisgender men and women. In this interview, hear them discuss: • How he got into education - reluctantly! • Education and tips on being a better rope educator • His best and worst education moments • How he avoids rope educator burn out • Modelling vulnerability as a teacher • How he keeps his (extensive!) class list fresh for him and his students • Using rope to emphasise (and deemphasise) different parts of the body • How the rope community can do better for transgender people • What makes a good genderqueer tie • Ideas on how to use rope to masculinise and feminise • And more!

You wouldn't believe the number of times our guests and listeners share that their introduction to Shibari was the book “Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé”. We are thus thrilled to share the first of two episodes with the author, another OG of US rope, Lee Harrington. Lee Harrington (he/they) is a spiritual and erotic authenticity educator, gender explorer, eclectic artist, and award-winning author and editor on erotic and sacred experience. As a rigger, self-binder, and rope bottom he has been teaching ropework and other topics since 2001 across 50 states and 6 other countries. In this super interview with him Fox and Mya discuss: • His jam-packed rope journey • Types of rope fibers he uses (and why) • Pros and cons of established partners versus new partners in rope • The challenges of working in the adult film industry • The impact of surgery, including top surgery, on how you get tied • Useful language to ensure we're inclusive when tying • Tips on navigating the rope community when you're new • How the rope community has evolved over time • Thoughts on ‘one-true-wayism' in rope • How Lee integrates rope with all the many other gifts and interests he brings to the world • And more!

This episode was recorded in July 2024. The second part of our interview with the lovely Kink Name Pending and Petite Pretzel focuses on tying male bodies, as well as bodies with ‘out-y' bits (which are sometimes the same, sometimes not!). The two rope switches share wise advice (and they, and the podcast, note that some of this will apply to tying genders of all types), including: • Risks you might not have thought of • P3nis predicaments • Handling size differences • Body hair • And plenty more. NB: The alternative title for this episode would be ‘How to wrestle an octopus' (IYKYK) Pen (KinkNamePending) is a UK-based rope switch who loves the connections that shibari inspires and the wide range of experiences with vulnerability and trust it has brought him. Outside of rope, he is keenly interested in anatomy and physiology and has studied these topics extensively; he brings his perspective and understanding of the human body into rope. He has performed in the UK and abroad. Petite Pretzel is a rope switch from New York City. She has been teaching shibari since 2019 at Anatomie Studio, London, as well as teaching and performing elsewhere in the UK and internationally. Her commercial rigging includes music video credits (Charli XCX, Christine + the Queens), art gallery installation (Elizabeth Xi Bauer gallery), fashion photography and full-length film. She lives in Bethnal Green with her cat, who loves ropes just as much as she does. Tune in to Episode 191 to hear part 1 of the episode.

This episode was recorded in July 2024 Two guests for the price of one! After enjoying very much a performance by rope switches Petite Pretzel and Kink Name Pending in Thailand last year, we invited them on the podcast to talk about their perspectives on rope. In this first part of the interview, hear about how they enjoy inverting some of the normal rope tropes, their love of predicaments, and the positive side of being set up to fail as a rope bottom! Petite Pretzel is a rope switch from New York City. She has been teaching shibari since 2019 at Anatomie Studio, London, as well as teaching and performing elsewhere in the UK and internationally. Her commercial rigging includes music video credits (Charli XCX, Christine + the Queens), art gallery installation (Elizabeth Xi Bauer gallery), fashion photography and full-length film. She lives in Bethnal Green with her cat, who loves ropes just as much as she does. Pen (KinkNamePending) is a UK-based rope switch who loves the connections that shibari inspires and the wide range of experiences with vulnerability and trust it has brought him. Outside of rope, he is keenly interested in anatomy and physiology and has studied these topics extensively; he brings his perspective and understanding of the human body into rope. He has performed in the UK and abroad.

Happy New Year dear listeners! Our second end of year episode where we pull together favorite rope experiences from our guests across the year. We find it super inspiring for our own play, and hope your imagination (and maybe more!) is also stimulated. The episode includes scenes from • Gorgone • Knotty Devil • vahavta • Anna Noctuelle • FoxofBangkok Click to listen now!

Woo hoo! It's one of our most popular episodes of the year - where our amazing guests from throughout 2024 share the details of one of their favourite rope scenes. In this episode, you can hear about one of the favourite rope bondage scenes of these rope susperstars: • Anna Bones • Knothead • Voudou Ropes • Ceci Ferox • and Mya! As well as providing a diversity of fascinating insights into others' play, the episode can inspire you to new types of rope and creativity.

Mya shares her new erotica shorts book- which may or may not be inspired by some of her earlier adventures with Fox. In the episode Fox asks her what the book is about and why she chose to write BDSM erotica. They also discuss some of the constraints on writing this kind of work. Mya then reads a short excerpt from one of the stories in the collection. Finally listen to Fox announce the next book he's working on!

Stuck for a Christmas, Hanukah or Thanksgiving gift idea? The Rope Podcast has you covered! Listen to the episode to hear Fox and Mya talk through 50 - yes, 50! - different present ideas for all occasions that you can buy your play partner, lover, polycule member, friend, or local rope studio. They cover the range from a few dollars to a thousand so plenty of range for a variety of budgets. They own many items themselves and share stories of how they use them, and make suggestions for how you should choose the item that will suit your giftee. They discuss where you might get some of these products, and also introduce their new rope merch in case you want to share with someone a Rope Podcast gift! Finally they discuss why you might want a rope-related gift, and the sorts of reasons items that telegraph your interests might be useful.

Fox and Mya, the hosts of the podcast, met doing rope, and so when it came to planning their wedding, it seemed a no-brainer to include it. In this episode, they discuss their recent rope wedding, choices they made, and the creative compromise they made to enable them to tie their harnesses before the ceremony whilst also keeping the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the ceremony! Listen to hear them discuss: • What it means to have a rope wedding • Why they chose the venue • How they catered to vanilla and kinky friends • What the ceremony looked like • Content they wrote for their vows • How they incorporated rope into their clothing • Balancing tradition and kink • Deciding what kind of rope to include in the ceremony • Considerations for tying over a wedding dress • Honeymoon rope Would you/have you included rope in a wedding? We'd love to hear your experiences in the comments below!

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

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

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

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

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.