RE: Spirituality in BDSM

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RE: Spirituality in BDSM - 7/31/2007 11:05:49 AM

sleazybutterfly

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quote:

ORIGINAL: sapphirepleasure

I've been thinking a lot about this lately and how submission (specifically, trust and surrender) is for me a very spiritual thing. (I do mean spiritual as opposed to religious, and that is also how I define myself.) I am not seeking a Master who is just into the 'kink' of things, but who will come to know me as a person and connect with me on not just a physical level, but in a way that touches my very soul and guides me to a place of trust and surrender and yes, devotion. It's so much more than a 'play partner', and though that can be enjoyable from time to time, I long for more, for a deeper connection to someone I can admire and be fully devoted and entrusted to.

So my question is this--are there others who are aware of a spiritual aspect to this lifestyle for you, either as a submissive/slave or as a Master/dominant? How does this play itself out for you? Does it lead to deeper levels of connection and growth?

And just a caveat--I am not implying that wiitwd is devoid of sexuality in any way--I just want to know if others also seek 'more'.

I always seek more out relationships, be they with a dom, or with other humans in general. I don't think my connection with Master is anymore spiritual than it would be with any other man I chose to make this type of a commitment with. I have always looked for those that I connect with on different levels. That is probably why I don't have a million friends, but a few close ones that I share everything with.

There is something wonderful in giving myself to him, but I would give myself to him just the same if I were with someone vanilla. I don't see it as any deeper than anyone else that loves the person they are with and whom they choose as their lifemate.

_____________________________

~Flutterby
~Curvylicious
Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly.
Life is not a popularity contest, it's better to be hated for what you believe, than loved for a lie.

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RE: Spirituality in BDSM - 7/31/2007 1:56:44 PM

onestandingstill

Posts: 1335
Joined: 8/3/2006
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I also view differences in playing from a spiritual perspective nad playing from Ego or Kink instead.
While to play to fill an Ego or kink is fun, to play where you and the Top go on a journey of your two spirits uniting on the one path, well, that's like the difference between a hot dog and a T-Bone steak to me.
Both can fill you belly, but only one nourishes you and gives you what you wanted, the other just fills the void.
When a Dom plays from kink or ego it's like he goes on a journey, and I go on one of my own, but we don't connect and go together.
When it's from a spiritual place I can bond with them and they can lead me on the journey that we can fly on to our nirvana together.
I've found I process higher levels of pain , and even the marks left on my body are very different when I play from a spiritual apporach.

It's rare, but entirely possible to find others who view their play from spiritual perspectives.
We've actually just formed a Spirituality Special Interest Group here
in the DC area as we too want to focus ourselves more in the spiritual avenues of play rather than kink.
suzanne

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RE: Spirituality in BDSM - 8/1/2007 7:48:30 PM

Gwynvyd

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Great question

I find that I try to surround myself with like minded spiritual people. Esp. those I am close with.

My subs, and those whom I share myself with I form very spiritual bonds with and close personal bonds with first.

My Spirituality and sexuality are both so personal to me that how could I share them with some one who did not feel the same, or at least honor my path, or how I feel about them?

I have studied Taoist and Tantric sex for some time and the connection between your partner and yourself is amazing in and out of D/s. I wish it were a bit more well known in the community. It could be a really good teaching tool for both sides. *smiles*

As one person said with out the spiritual it just isnt as fulfilling.. and equated it to a hotdog.. that pretty much sums it up for me. Eventualy you look for more and realize you *need* more. I think this is why some couples grow apart. The lack of that connection. It was one of the reasons why I seperated from my long term realtionship. We grew at different paces.

Gwyn

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RE: Spirituality in BDSM - 8/2/2007 9:49:29 PM

Aswad

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quote:

ORIGINAL: NefertariReborn

I'm overly fond of watersports. To Me it is baptism and doesn't hold that "humiliation" aspect that some see or crave.

Very interesting. I'm also quite fond of watersports, but have never considered this angle as such. Are you thinking in the traditional sense of baptism to "wash away original sin and be welcomed into the faith" (this sense probably being why I haven't considered that angle, as I do not subscribe to the notion of original sin, nor to the idea that an intermediate is necessary to approach G*d), or is there some other sense to it?

I can certainly imagine it as viable in the context of discipline/punishment (as a symbolic act of "washing away" the offense), or as an element of things that result in catharsis (again as a symbolic act, but rather one of rebirth in the sense of being "washed clean" of the previous stage of development), or even used as a prelude to collaring (being "washed clean" of the old life). For that matter, one can see it in terms similar to traditional baptism, but on a more mundane level, as being welcomed into the relationship.

I'm sure others can think of other ways to use it.

_____________________________

"If God saw what any of us did that night, he didn't seem to mind.
From then on I knew: God doesn't make the world this way.
We do." -- Rorschack, Watchmen.

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RE: Spirituality in BDSM - 8/2/2007 10:15:12 PM

Aswad

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~fast reply~

Addressing the topic more generally, I've expressed this elsewhere, but I might as well repeat it here.

For me, as a follower of a personal path derived from Abrahamic religion, Shinto, pre-Meiji era Bushido, Gnostic and Zoroastric beliefs, it is my belief that free will is the ultimate gift we have been given. In this sense, there is no higher gesture than to subordinate one's own will to that of another, and no greater support than aligning one's own will with that of another. Submission and slavery both become sacred institutions, the unequivocal relationship becomes something divine, and the acts that reaffirm this subordination are sacraments in their own right.

Without dragging a lot of quotes into the matter, it is also possible to introduce a proxy element, but I am not comfortable with that for some reason, at least not beyond the point made that "by serving your master, you are serving me". Of course, in a Gnostic sense, one can take it as a matter of freeing the spirit by enslaving the flesh, but that isn't quite in line with my thinking at the moment.

The trappings can also be put in a context of this sort, with the mortification of the flesh coming to mind as an example.

In any case, I also wrote something on the analogy to animism and related nature religions.

I will repeat it here, with minimal redaction:

We are the Shamans.

The ones who, by those means we choose, delve into things others dare not.
The ones who embrace the ecstacies one can lose oneself in yet still retain control.
The ones who touch our primal side to bring forth experiences that transcend the mundane.

And we come out unscathed, indeed born anew, each time we stride deeper into the unknown halls of our minds.

There's a lot to be said about this topic, and it seems sad to leave it at this, but I'm afraid there are too many thoughts to gather and form into a coherent post on the subject for me, so I've confined myself to scratching the surface, although I'm happy to address specific subtopics. And I hope others will continue to add more about their own views. It's one of the most interesting elements for me, at least.

< Message edited by Aswad -- 8/2/2007 10:16:30 PM >

_____________________________

"If God saw what any of us did that night, he didn't seem to mind.
From then on I knew: God doesn't make the world this way.
We do." -- Rorschack, Watchmen.

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