Amanda Learns about Shibari

Amanda has a body of which any woman would be proud. Her compact, five and a half foot frame is an intriguing study in contrast: simultaneously athletically powerful and succulently feminine. Her body has the sculpted definition of someone who has exercised regularly, but, though visible, her musculature lies under a layer of padding whose texture only a woman's hormones can produce. Her breasts are firm and set high on her chest, but they possess the generous contours which come with maturity and make them far more aesthetically pleasing than the relatively shapeless mounds of a adolescent. Indeed, every portion of her anatomy displays a delectable mix of strength and softness in a combination which most women seek but few achieve.

Like many women whose bodies are the object of admiration, Amanda enjoys the attention which hers attracts. In fact, she the gratification which she derives from the admiration of her body is often as great or greater than that she which finds in conventional sexual activity. The form of admiration from which she gets the most pleasure is that which comes, however begrudgingly, from other women. I suspect that the reason for this is that the admiration of other women is tinged with envy and that their envy appeals to some sadistic streak in Amanda's personality. For whatever the reason, I have often seen Amanda purposefully flaunt her attributes in the presence of her less fortunate members of her sex. She is particularly prone to take of advantage of occasions when her body is scantily clad, and her fitness club affords an ideal venue for this sort of self-indulgence. When I have accompanied Amanda to the club, I have noticed that she has been far more aware of the covert stares of the other women than she is of the blatant ones which the men direct at her, and, among the women, there is one whose gaze she goes out of her way to attract. She is a young woman of Asian extraction. Although she is herself an exquisite example of Oriental beauty, it is clear that she cannot help comparing her slightly boyish figure to Amanda's more luxurious curves, a comparison which she feels favors Amanda.

Having been present several times when she was making this comparison, I became curious and sought an opportunity to satisfy my curiosity. That opportunity came one day when she and I found ourselves waiting for the same piece of exercise equipment. At the time, Amanda was lying some distance away doing sit-ups, and both of us were watching in awe as she, seemingly without effort, raised and lowered her torso. Keeping my eyes directed toward Amanda, I commented that the club was more crowded than usual and expressed some annoyance at having to wait between machines. Somewhat embarrassed to be talking to a male stranger while wearing only a leotard, initially she only nodded her agreement. However, after a minute of silence, she mustered sufficient courage to say that she did not min waiting since it gave her the chance to watch what others were doing. Although her English was fluent, her accent and demeanor left no doubt about her origins: her mother tongue and her up-bring were unmistakably Japanese. In the hope that it would afford me the opportunity to continue our conversation, when our apparatus became available, I urged her to go ahead of me. Seeing that she was having no trouble performing the required exercise, I tried again to draw her out by asking what and whom she most enjoyed watching. To my surprise, this time her response was immediate and graphic.

"I like best to watch that woman over there who is doing sit-ups. I come from Japan, and when I still lived there I used to take lessons in the Japanese art of shibari. In case you do not already know, shibari is the art of tying the female body in various ways for the purpose of displaying it in an aesthetically pleasing manner. At the same time, when done correctly, the bindings are strategically placed so that the knots press against erogenous zones, giving the bound woman pleasure not only from the knowledge that her body is being beautifully presented but also from the incessant stimulation of some of the more sexually arousing portions of her anatomy. The reason why I am telling you all this is that I enjoy thinking about binding that woman. Her body is ideally suited for shibari, and I can tell that she likes putting her body on display. Thus, I believe that I could give her and myself enormous pleasure by introducing her to the joys of displaying it while bound."

Taken aback by her frankness, I struggled to not allow my surprise prevent me from acting on the implications implicit in her revelation. She wanted access to Amanda's body, and, having heard what she intended to do if she obtained it, I was most interested in having her succeed. After explaining that I was an intimate friend of the woman in question, I suggested that she accompany me over to the mat where Amanda was resting after completing her sit-ups. Acknowledging but confused by our presence, Amanda turned to me for an explanation. Confounded myself by the awkward situation which I had created, I was relieved that my companion did not share my inability to cope and rescued me from my embarrassment.

"My name is Yoko, and, as I told your friend, I have been admiring your body for a long time. You are undoubtedly aware of your physical attributes, but I have been wondering whether you would be interested in having those attributes highlighted by techniques with which you are unfamiliar. To be precise, I have been trained in the art of shibari, and I would like to practice that art on your body. I have given your friend a brief account of what shibari is, and you can learn more details by searching the internet. Before agreeing to my proposal, I want you to know enough to make an informed decision. Shibari is not for everyone, but for those who accept its demands, it can be a wonderful and profound experience. I will leave my telephone number for you at the front desk, and you should call me if you decide that you would like to try the experience which I can offer you."

Having said her piece, Yoko departed, leaving Amanda and me in a dumbfounded state of shock. Both of us are open minded and accustomed to frank talk about our bodies and sex. However, neither of us was prepared to ever receive such an unveiled invitation to indulge our sexual fantasies, especially not from someone whose face and figure could be mistaken for those of a child. I was not at all sure how Amanda would react to Yoko's proposal. My own reaction was one of enthusiasm. I had often thought that I would enjoy watching while Amanda's body was being controlled by another woman. The scene which I liked to imagine would be one in which Amanda would be suspended in a state of pure sexual excitement from which she could expect no relief, at least not relief via any of the means to which she is accustomed. My thinking was that another woman would be more likely to induce such a state than I, or any other man. No man knows the female anatomy as well as a woman does, and, when dealing with that anatomy, his own gratification is paramount in every man's mind. Thus, another woman would work with a combination of knowledge and disinterest which a man could not. Added to that, Yoko seemed to be ideally qualified for the job. As she had made clear, she was fascinated by Amanda's body and its possibilities. In addition, she had special training which had taught her how to enhance Amanda's experience with techniques of which most other women would be ignorant.

Of course, it was Amanda's decision to make, and I did not want to interfere in her making up her mind about such a personal matter. Thus, aside from helping her locate some websites where she could learn about shibari, I did not raise the topic. Nonetheless, it was clear to me that she was devoting a great deal of time to thinking about the implications of accepting Yoko's proposal. Her research on the web had taught her that acceptance meant that she have to relinquish control over her own body to someone whose primary interest was in her body as an aesthetic, not sexual, object. Of course, it was obvious from the pictures she had seen on the web that there is a strong sexual component to shibari and that both the practitioner and the person being bound can derive intense sensual pleasure from what they are doing. In addition, Amanda recognized that shibari would afford her the opportunity to have her body displayed in new and different ways, and she had always seized on such opportunities. Thus, the only serious source of her hesitation was her reluctance to allow another person exercise total mastery over her body and, indirectly, over her emotions, and the fact that that other person would be another woman did nothing to assuage her concern. On the contrary, it exacerbated it. Amanda was accustomed to other women being awed by her body, and so having her body dominated by another woman would entail a reversal of roles for which she was not at all sure she was ready.

For more than a week, Amanda grappled with her ambivalence about calling Yoko. However, the frequency with which she returned to the pictures and descriptions which she found on the internet made it obvious to me that she was too intrigued to simply dismiss Yoko's proposal. Therefore, I was not too surprised when, before a second week had passed, she told me that she had called Yoko and that we were scheduled to be at Yoko's house the following evening. Pleased to have been included but uncertain about my role, I readily agreed to go and inquired what I was expected to once I got there. Smiling, Amanda answered,

"You are to be my chaperon."

Yoko's house turned out to be a modest frame building surrounded by similar dwellings in what was once a working class neighborhood which had become popular among the students attending a nearby university. The contrast between the drab housing and the splendor of Yoko in her bright red kimono when she opened the door was stunning. Yoko had obviously paid a lot of attention to her appearance in preparation for our visit. Not only had she chosen her kimono with exquisite taste, but she had taken great care with rest of her toilet. Particularly lovely was the long, thick pigtail into which she had plaited her abundant black hair. The pigtail emerged from the right side of her head and hung like a decorative sash over her shoulder and down her svelte front. With her hair drawn to one side, her oval face, and especially her prominent Asian cheek bones and startlingly black eyes shining beneath dark eyebrows, were presented a striking manner.

After bowing to us, Yoko asked us to first remove our shoes before leading us into her living room, where the only furniture was a low table sitting on a tatami mat. Once we were there, Yoko turned to us and, without further ado, began unbuttoning Amanda's blouse while explaining the program which she had in mind.

"Since this is your first experience of shibari, I thought that I should begin with a relatively mild form of binding that we Japanese call "shinju." Shinju, which means "the pearls" in Japanese, involves the binding of your breasts in what is essentially a rope brassiere which supports the breasts without hiding them. As you will discover, the pressure of the rope around your breasts produces a subtle stimulation which, as time passes, will cause them to swell and become highly sensitive. In response, your nipples, which are "the pearls" referred to in name shinju, will grow fuller and more rigid than they ever have before, causing you a delicious mixture of pleasure and frustration while providing your friend and me the opportunity to enjoy the aesthetic manifestation of your body's excitation. Your frustration will come from your inability to relieve the tantalizing tingling which your breasts and nipples will experience. You will be prevented from doing so because, besides your breasts, your arms will bound. At first you will be annoyed by the loss of your freedom, but I think that you will soon learn to accept and even enjoy it, and when I convinced that you have become reconciled to your state, I will introduce you to more demanding forms of shibari."

By the time that she finished her explanation, Yoko had removed Amanda's blouse and bra, leaving her bare from the waist up. Presumably responding to the description Yoko had given of the fate about to befall them, Amanda's nipples were already erect and became more so when Yoko, clearly impressed by the treasures she had just exposed, ran an appreciative finger over their tips. Impressed Yoko may have been, but not awed. Taking Amanda by the shoulders, Yoko turned her around and instructed her to cross her arms behind her back with each hand clasping the opposite arm at the elbow. Then, with remarkable speed, Yoko wrapped a rope along the entire length of Amanda's forearms, thereby locking them rigidly in place. When Yoko turned Amanda back around so that she was facing us, I was struck by the way in which the position of her arms already thrust her breasts forward into exaggerated prominence. But Yoko was not done. Taking a second piece of rope, she circled Amanda with three tightly spaced loops which ran across her chest just at the level where the upper slope of Amanda's breasts emerge and captured her arms just below her biceps. This piece of rope was immediately followed by a third, which Yoko carefully positioned so that it would lie in the crease just beneath Amanda's breasts. After studying her work with a critical eye, Yoko made a few refinements, all of which were clearly intended to adjust the pressure which the ropes were exerting, paying particular attention to those places where they came in contact with Amanda's breasts.

Once Yoko was satisfied, she stepped back and reverted to her role as a proper Japanese hostess. Bowing, she invited us to sit down and let her serve us in a traditional tea ceremony. Taken aback by her suggestion but seeing no way to refuse, I lowered myself to a cross legged sitting position next to the table. However, with her arms unavailable to her, Amanda could not follow suit and remained standing with a perplexed look on her face. Seeing Amanda's quandary, Yoko immediately came to her rescue, saying

"Please excuse my impoliteness. Of course you cannot seat yourself and, when the tea arrives, you will not be able to drink it without assistance. You are now dependent on me for even the most rudimentary functions, and the scope and depth of your dependence will only increase as the evening progresses. Thus, I will help you seat yourself and, when I bring the tea, will bring the cup to your lips so that you can partake of the tea ceremony. However, before seating you, I think that I should remove the rest of your clothes. They can only impede your limited movements and later would interfere with what I have planned."

Acting as if it were the most conventional service that a hostess could perform for one of her guests, Yoko sank to her knees and divested Amanda of the rest of her clothes: skirt, panties, and finally socks. Rising, she went behind the now naked Amanda, clasped her arms around Amanda's waist, and gently lowered Amanda to the floor. Yoko moved so swiftly that she left Amanda no time to object. However, once she was seated, Amanda looked on the verge of rebellion. For one thing, she was thoroughly humiliated by her own helplessness, a humiliation which was augmented by Yoko condescending manner of dealing with her predicament. Secondly, seated, Amanda was much more acutely aware of her bindings. Although she had made them snug, Yoko had not tied any of the ropes very tight, and so, as long as Amanda was standing, they rested on but did dig into her flesh. However, seated, her body lost some of the tone which it had when erect, with the consequence that the ropes asserted their presence with greater authority, particularly those holding her breasts. Whereas they had grazed against her breasts as long as she was standing, the constriction caused by those ropes now forced her breasts to bulge slightly at their sides and to rest more heavily on the rope beneath them. Thus, her vanity as well as her sense of amour-propre were offended. Conscious of but undeterred by Amanda's obvious anger, Yoko once again knelt before Amanda and delivered another brief lecture.

"Amanda, I know that I have offended you and that you are angry about the state in which you find yourself. You are a proud woman who resents not being in control. On the other hand, of your own free will, you submitted yourself to me. You had plenty of time to consider what you were doing and ample information on which to base your decision. Having made your decision, you should now have sufficient pride to abide by it. Nothing I do to your body will cause any damage. You will experience some mild discomfort, but that discomfort will be more than compensated by the pleasure which I can give you if you allow yourself to accept my mastery over your body. While I am preparing our tea, try to concentrate on the transformations which your breasts will be undergoing. Watch them swell in their confinement, appreciate the ruddy color which they acquire, and see how your aereolae and nipples bloom. You have a beautiful body, and I can make you appreciate it in ways which you have never imagined."

I was afraid that Yoko's words would only inflame Amanda's anger, but I was wrong. Instead, Amanda appeared to be mollified by them. The signs of anger receded from her face, and her body relaxed, at least in so far as the ropes permitted relaxation. Lowering her head, she followed Yoko's advise to watch her breasts respond to their new "brassiere." Even though they had been bound for only a few minutes, her breasts had definitely expanded so that the bands encasing them had started to disappear into her flesh. At the same time, her aereolae had spread so that they looked twice their normal size. But most dramatic was the growth of her nipples, which had become more turgidly erect and grown fuller than I had ever seen them before. As Yoko had predicted, it was obvious that Amanda was intrigued by these changes. In addition, I could tell that she was experiencing the tingling sensation which Yoko had mentioned, and she registered her resulting frustration and excitement by rocking on her pelvis and flexing the muscles in the vicinity of her groin.

When Yoko returned carrying a tray with our tea, she first placed my cup on the table next to me and then she resumed her kneeling position in front of Amanda. Moving with consummate grace, she clasped Amanda's cup in her both hands and lifted it to Amanda's lips. After Amanda had taken a few swallows, Yoko lowered the cup and placed it on the table before placing her hands in her lap. Without altering her servile posture, Yoko examined the orbs whose rampant nipples quivered only inch from her nose. Pleased by their progress, Yoko raised her hands from her lap and cupped them around the lower portion of Amanda's swollen breasts.

"I see that we have both done our work well. I created the catalyst, and your body produced the reaction. Your breasts look like those of a nursing mother who is in need of suckling. Of course, it is not milk with which they are filling, but the sensation caused by my ropes is akin to that which a mother experiences. Not all breasts are beautiful when performing in this way, and you should take pride in the fact that yours are. Keep your eyes on them while I complete the process that my ropes began."

Twisting her hands so that her thumbs rested on the tips of Amanda's nipples, Yoko slowly bent those distended stalks back and forth. I had thought that Amanda's nipples had already reached their maximum size, but under Yoko's tutelage they continued to grow. Amanda endured this insidious teasing in silence. Even when, after several minutes, tears appeared in her eyes, she never attempted to escape Yoko's thumbs, and, in fact, seemed to be shifting her upper body in ways which would give Yoko better access to her target. Finally, when Yoko was convinced that she had given Amanda's breasts the full benefit that this exercise could provide them, she withdrew her hands and sat back on her heels to view her handiwork. Seated in this manner, Yoko looked the ideal of a perfect Japanese hostess whose only concern was the comfort of her guest. Nonetheless, in spite of her composed features and her expressions of admiration for Amanda's breasts, I suspected that her admiration was tinged with jealousy when she compared the body before her to her own.