I’ve been doing yoga with an instructor over the last couple of months. I’d like to say it was all about getting in shape, but it’s really more about maintaining flexibility and not degenerating any further. In middle age you sometimes have to work just to stand still.
There are some obvious similarities between a yoga session and a BDSM session. They both feature physical discomfort, awkward positions, pushing at limits and having a woman firmly tell me “Now we’re going to do 6 more of those.” However, the slightly less obvious similarity that struck me today was about symmetry. Dommes and yoga instructors are always obsessed by it. You just know when start a yoga position or stretch on one side, you’re going to have to repeat it on the other. And any tortuous beating, piecing or pinching from a domme always has to be mirrored equally on both sides of the body. I’ve even had dommes comment on how annoying it is if they can’t get things like marks and needles lined up neatly and symmetrically.
If there are any dommes reading this, then can I suggest occasionally trying asymmetric play? It might annoy your inner neat freak, but it will blow your submissive’s mind. Particularly if there’s no warning beforehand. We’re so trained to expect particular patterns that being random and uneven will inject a real element of surprise and uncertainty into a scene.
This image was shot by the photographer Henrieta Haniskova and is entitled ‘Yoga Dominatrix’. Yoga fans may recognize the pose. I think it’s ‘Upward Facing Dog’ but I’m far from an expert. There’s a description and fun video on the making of the image available here (also on Vimeo). Both of the models are actually yoga instructors. It’s a shame there aren’t more images from the shoot available, as it looks like they tried a lot of different positions before settling on this one.
I have also been practicing yoga and I agree with all of your comments, especially to do with maintaining flexibility.
There is, by the way, another vanilla situation which comes very close to a BDSM experience:
working with a Personal Trainer in the gym. You sweat, you strain, you heave and all the while, the trainer stands by and says sweetly, ‘you know? I think you could take more! Lets add another 10 kilos to each side of the bar and you will give me another eight reps. I’m not going to let you off till you have completed!
You’re absolutely right on the personal trainer. I haven’t done that very often – as I really dislike the experience – but definitely has the similarities you mention. In fact that even triggered a follow-up post on that very topic. Thanks for the idea!
-paltego
I like my pain symmetric, but asymmetrical bondage really keeps me off balance for the things the Mistress does to me. Now I’ve got three things to divide my concentration – the Mistress, the pain, and the bondage. It’s an interesting dilemma.
Predicament bondage is definitely one of those less usual scenarios where asymmetry comes into play and works well. For me I find it kind of operates in a similar way to unpredictable pain – keeping me off balance and uncertain. Not always my favorite thing, but fun to mix in now and again!
Thanks for stopping by to comment!
-paltego