I will best try to explain my adventure by acknowledging that I was always inspired by Anthony Bourdain. His love of all cultures, all foods, and all people was evident in his explorations, his show and his writing. And his "Take no shit" attitude was, for me, quite refreshing.
It's sad to hear that he succumbed to his demons...Such a loss.
But he would always say something that struck a cord deeply with me.
He said, "Your body is not a temple... It's a fucking amusement park. Enjoy the ride!"
Well, I am now at a wonderful point in the journey of my life where I am trying every God-damn ride in the park!
But first and foremost, I am exploring and learning all aspects of my current obsession, which is the ancient art of Shibari, or rope bondage.
Shibari is actually not quite the right word for my obsession, though... A better word is Kinbaku, or "tight binding", which better describes what I do. But what I am truly fascinated by is something I couldn't exactly describe until recently.
You see, I was taught in college that vocabulary and language are critical to learning and self-discovery, because you are not capable of forming a creative or intuitive thought if you have no words to formulate it.
And then, some time ago, a few of my new friends were discussing something with me, mostly about my love of rope, and I was bold and crazy enough to express how I feel about it.
It isn't just tying up a lovely woman, or covering her in lovely designs... Although that is a most enjoyable endeavor. I explained that the kink for me, was the helplessness. The torment to the point of torture.
The dark attraction to a woman bound in such a way that she is not only totally vulnerable and can be taken at my will, but is suffering from her bondage in the process.
And by subjecting her to such torment, you liberate both her, and yourself.
She is liberated by giving to you the total surrender of all she is, allowing her to disconnect from everything - Every decision, every ounce of control. She becomes free in her helpless, total surrender.
You, in the act of tying her, are liberated by the rush of the moment; Knowing you have absolute power, and the ability to force your will upon her however you choose... But instead of abusing her situation, you choose instead to honor her, by earning her trust, pushing her to her limits, but always respecting her needs and keeping her safe.
Well, as dark as that is... I just recently learned that there is, in fact, a word for it. And once having learned the word, it unlocked the door to the part of me that I wish to explore the most.
It is Semenawa. And I now know I have the name for the craft I wish to study, and the journey I want to take.
This website is to be a journal of my journey in Kinbaku and Semenawa, and a guide for others that wish to follow that path.
I don't pretend that I am an expert in this area in any way, but I do have a penchant for gathering and sharing information. And that is what I wish to do here.
This website is to be a source of information, ideas, and personal philosophies regarding the Rope and BDSM lifestyles as I explore them.
Consider it a repository and clearinghouse of articles, insights, and tutorials geared towards educating our community.
If you are curious about any of this, and wish to follow me as I learn, please do.
I promise to share everything I can about all the rides in the amusement park, especially the ropey ones!
You see, it has always been a joy for me to educate others. However, up until recently, this has all been acomplished only online.
However, I will soon be building a small studio in which my friends and I may practice and develop our rope skills. I also hope to be able to provide a small, safe and intimate play space for my friends to use and enjoy.
That is the true vision of Wolfrik's Retreat. Lessons learned and experiences shared at the Retreat will be posted here to benefit those in the community.
Also, I am pleased to say that since moving to the Columbia, SC area, I have been fortunate enough to make many friends online who share my interests, and from whom I have learned as much as I have taught.
These friends are part of an amazing group of people that are bringing the rope scene back to our area with a vengeance, and they are the members of Columbia Rope.
I hope that one day soon, the Retreat will be a place for us to gather and explore our interests. It's something I very much look forward to.
When will this happen? Soon, I hope... But only time will tell!
So, grab your jute and your partner, and let's play! Our only limits are what we can imagine!
Wolfrik
It is my hope that this website has been helpful and informative. I welcome any suggestions to improve it, and hope you will visit often!