The Boudoir Bible (37 page)

Those lovers who enjoyed being spanked can look forward to the possibility of being cropped, flogged, or carefully whipped; all such sensations are quite different from a spank.

The bottom can be in a few positions that are conducive to such pleasures: lying face down, on all fours, standing in a stable position, or safely restrained. These positions permit the top to move around the body freely in a natural, harmonious manner; a top can think of leading a three-way dance between the bottom, the tool in hand, and himself or herself. The top may administer brisk taps, moderate strokes, and at the maximum a few harder strikes, unless the bottom actually prefers more intense sensations.

Genteel Seduction

Lovers have probably appreciated the powers of the riding crop, beyond its equestrian function, ever since it was invented. Traditionally made of cane covered with woven leather strips, crops are now usually composed of a flexible shaft made of fiberglass covered with woven leather strips or a synthetic fabric mesh. The riding crop terminates in a leather tongue called a popper, lash, or quirt, depending on its form.

In the context of the Paradise Found Sexual Ceremony, the more genteel nature of those crops that terminate with a flat leather tongue, or popper, finds their place. If, when shopping for your crop, you are seduced by one made in pastel leather, or with a handle encrusted with rhinestones rather than a more menacing, studded, black leather model—go for it! But keep in mind that these fashionable crops, as feminine and glamorous as they seem to be, are as potent as those with a more hardcore aesthetic.

Crops are used to sensitize very precise areas of the body with very targeted strikes, charging the bottom’s body with tingling delight. Unless tops are skilled at the art of erotic cropping, attentions should be confined to the buttocks, the upper thighs, and the sides of the hips. These areas may be stimulated with the popper as well as with the shaft of the crop, but in the latter case, the top must exercise greater self–control. The shaft of the crop is capable of inflicting extreme sensations (and welts), similar to those evoked by canes. Because of the cane’s “extreme” potential to provide sensations as well as painful bruises and marks, I have excluded the cane from the Paradise Found repertoire—with all due respect for those who need pain in order to experience pleasure.

The muscular areas of the upper arms, the shoulders, and the muscles that support the spinal column, like the backs of the legs, will all respond ecstatically to the crop’s leather tongue. The soles of the feet can also be carefully cropped, but the delicate skin in the crook of the knees ought never be struck.

The Sacred Charge

While cropping the waistline is strictly forbidden, skilled tops may tantalize the sacrum, which lies at the base of the spine. The sciatic nerve and other sacral nerves, some of which terminate in the genitals, pass through the bone’s triangular structure. This connectivity helps explain why it responds well to stimulation, and how this “sacred” bone was so named.

We have the bone’s description first from the Greeks,
hieron osteon
, meaning “holy bone.” Translated into the Latin
sacer
, or “holy”, our sacred sacrum has since been assumed by many cultures to be the source of humankind’s procreative powers. Shamans from Mesoamerica to Siberia considered the sacrum to be a cosmic portal to and from the spiritual dimension. The sacrum is formed by the fusion of six vertebrae—a developmental process that does not reach completion until adults are approximately twenty-six years of age. While stimulating the sacrum ever so carefully with the crop, avoid striking the fragile tailbone. The sacrum may also be deeply massaged. This charges the genitals with an ecstatic pulse of energy.

The only other bone that may be the object of flagellatory stimulation is the sternum, the flat bone that lies at the center of the chest. The sternum acts as the heart’s protective shield and braces the ribcage. The
Kama Sutra
suggests that lovers tap the sternum to elicit sexual energy. Within the Paradise Found Sexual Ceremony, it can be approached, not by striking, but with very soft, light taps of the crop’s leather tongue. If the bottom is not comfortable with this sensation, similarly positive effects may be obtained, as with the sacrum, by massaging the area with the fingertips.

Specialists in Indian Ayurvedic medicine consider the sternum to be the location of the heart chakra. To open this center of human compassion, they practice specific disciplines. The result is a putting aside of the ego, allowing love to enter the spirit, and feeling the
desire to be of service to others. If the top might effect this response in the bottom, it is an ideal state for both of them to be in!

Yet it must be understood that striking the sternum is dangerous. The soft tip of the riding crop is the only instrument of erotic flagellation that will provide a skilled top with enough precision to safely stimulate this area. Though crops permit for a greater degree of control than other whips, their use on the front of the body should be limited to the sternum, the inner and outer thighs, and the muscular zones of the upper torso. Cropping the neck or face, the ribs, breasts, or collarbone verges on punishment and is dangerous. The nipples may be teased to attention with the very tip of the crop, but as with the genitals, these vulnerable zones should not be struck. Tickle and tease only; these delights will more than suffice.

Good Medicine

No matter the genre of whip, the longer its lashes, the more difficult it will be to control. The lashes of long whips, floggers, and cats range in length from approximately 12 inches to 20 inches (30 to 50 centimeters), excluding the handle. If the lashes correspond more or less to the length of the forearm of the person using it, he or she will feel more in control of the tool. To determine the length best for you, measure from the crease of the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. Long whips are best for back stimulation, while shorter whips, which range from 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters), excluding the handle, work well for frontal stimulation. Short floggers make a slighter impact and provide the degree of control necessary to avoid striking the neck, face, or eyes with its lashes. Novice tops should train with the shorter version, which are less likely to “wrap,” strike off the target, or “come back,” giving the novice a taste of the good medicine they are dosing out!

The horsetail whip is the most versatile of the instruments of erotic flagellation (see
plate XV
). In the context of the tickle
ritual, its use makes for a wonderfully smooth transition from a bout of erotic tickling to one of flagellation, or vice versa. When used to its full potential, it provides for a distinctly pleasant and invigorating sting that flushes fresh, oxygenated blood throughout the bottom’s system. Such sensations heighten the bottom’s overall sensory awareness, enhance his or receptivity, and, as with any flagellation performed skillfully, leave the bottom feeling both physically and mentally purified.

The horsetail whip is an excellent prelude to any other form of contact. As it may be used to stimulate large surfaces areas of the body without provoking sensory overload, it is particularly adapted to lengthy sessions. The sound that the horsetail whip makes is also low impact, more of a
swish
or
swoosh
than the
slap, crack
, and
clap
of other flagellators, making it a discreet travel accessory.

Like any long whip or flogger, the horsetail whip may be used while the bottom is lying down, in a relaxed position. If the bottom is lying on his or her back, the eyes should be protected with a blindfold or, for example, the edge of the bedsheet. When the bottom is lying on his or her stomach, he or she should likewise cover the eyes or keep the head in a frontal position, with eyes closed, while the upper area of the back is being flagellated.

Using the horsetail whip with forceful strikes is the most common mistake the inexperienced top makes. Graceful sweeps (much like those that horses make with their tails) suffice. Do not attempt to strike with greater impact with the horsetail whip—the ends of the hairs can break off and become embedded in the bottom’s skin. Removing them one by one, with tweezers, from your now highly sensitized bottom’s skin is tedious and anything but erotic.

The horsetail whip is unique in that there is no area of the body, other than the face and neck, that it cannot tantalize to a warm, tingling glow. If your bottom consents, you can use the horsetail whip to softly stroke the genitals, nipples, and breasts. You may also stroke the area of the waistline, otherwise off-limits during other erotic
flagellations, but note that this area of the body does not usually incite an erotic response. The longer horsetail whip is best used to stimulate the back of the body; other lengths are more all-purpose.

Sweet Sensations

Once a warm, tingling glow envelops the bottom’s body, he or she may crave more direct and intense forms of contact. The rhythm of the session can be gradually intensified through the implementation of soft floggers (see
plate XV
). In contradiction to their menacing appearance, soft floggers are unable to inflict sensations that can be described as seriously painful, even when used to their full potential. Imagine what it would feel like to have one hundred soft, minuscule hands slapping your backside, in rhythmic unison, with all their tiny might, and you have a pretty good idea of the impact that soft floggers make. Were it not for the vicious slapping sound that each strike makes when the soft lashes come into contact with bare skin, professional masseurs would probably adopt soft floggers. The flogger’s skillful use is an excellent alternative to the erotic massage, but its effects are more invigorating.

The softer the flogger, the sweeter the sensations it will provide. Those composed of flat, thin strips of supple leather, rubber, suede, or deer hide of approximately ⅜ inch (1 centimeter) in width provide for deep, invigorating sensations. Floggers made of stiff hide or other rough materials provide extreme sensations and can even break the skin if wielded with force; their use is therefore not in alignment with the philosophy of
The Boudoir Bible
.

Areas with more muscle mass, like the buttocks, are best suited to experience the sensations that arise from erotic flagellation. The front of the body,
excluding the waistline
, can be approached, but only with short floggers and in moderation. Drag the flogger sweetly over the “no” zones, and even the entire body from time to time. Though floggers may be used while the bottom is lying down, positions that
allow the bottom to brace his or her body and respond more effectively to the deep thud that each stroke will make is best, especially if the tool is going to be used to its full potential.

Some men and women appreciate the effects of their genitals being gently flogged. When the bottom is a man, strokes must be made with light, downward sweeps. Flogging the testicles with upward strokes, no matter how gently, is likely to make him very nervous. But some men very much enjoy the “edge play” of this stimulation. Use instruments that do not lash the skin, and lay it on very lightly. Otherwise the top may inflict one of the greatest pains known to mankind! The same rule applies to the flogging of the female genitals—go gently. If you are not skilled in the use of the flogger, concentrate your attention only upon the backside of your partner’s body.

A Gentler Breed

Unlike the cat-o’-nine-tails (familiar to many from depictions of BDSM flagellation), erotically charged cats are cats of a gentler breed, composed of multiple lashes of supple, non-braided leather, suede, rubber, or cotton. They can inflict pain if used without control, but in the context of the Sexual Ceremony, they are used with restraint and with the aim to gradually charge the body with the sexual vibration. Cats made of cotton are capable of provoking sensations as intense as those made by leather or rubber, so do not be fooled by their seeming flaccidity. Suede cats may be harder to come by, but they are by far the sweetest race of all of the cats. Be aware, however, that if these are used without a degree of restraint, they may leave telltale signs behind, as with any other thin-lashed variety of whip.

When used with moderation, cats raise a radiant glow on the bottom’s skin. The distinct stinging sensations that the cat can evoke will lead to heightened states of sensory arousal. Compare these sensations to those inspired by the instrument called “the birch,” or
vihta
, of Finland.
It is composed of bundles of young, soft, leafy birch branches, with a handle created by tying the ends together with twine. Birches can also be made from the relatively soft branches of other trees, such as cedar or poplar. The vihta is traditionally used in steam saunas to excite a pleasant “smart” that enhances circulation, opens the pores, and helps the body expel toxins. The association of birching with health and hygiene renders the technique probably the most openly accepted form of flagellation, especially in Scandinavian countries, where the steam sauna is essentially a cultural affair. The vihta must not be confused with the birching rod, used for corporal punishment in nineteenth-century England. Unlike the softer, leafy twigs of the vihta, the twigs of the birching rod are stripped of their leaves with the intent to inflict harsh pain and leave enduring and anything but endearing marks.

When trying out the impact of any new cat, novice bottoms may wish to keep their “knickers” on to protect against undue pain. Safe words, the gauge of “good strikes,” and lovers’ checking in with each other frequently are all pertinent to the positive outcome of cat rituals. Refer to the chapter “
Honor Each Other: Safety
” to review the conditions for the proper use and reception of the instruments of desire.

As with all instruments of erotic flagellation, the dance of the cat demands controlled and concise flicks of the wrist. Cats may be used to sensitize not only the buttocks but also the back of the thighs, the sides of the hips, the upper back, and the muscles that support the spine. The feet may also be whipped, but only very mildly. Cats may also be used to tickle the nipples and the genitals to attention. Don’t forget to drag the fine lashes of the cat over the bottom’s skin from time to time, as a caressing reminder that you care.