#Pervember 6: Sensory Deprivation
There is so much to enjoy about sensory deprivation. For myself, as a submissive; the element of handing over control to someone else and making myself vulnerable, is all kinds of delicious.
It was with great enthusiasm then, that I participated in the sensory deprivation workshop at Kinkfest, earlier this year which was led by the wise and experienced Phoenix Flight. The Mr was willing and eager, (although I suspect he was only half-joking when he let out a sigh of relief and declared “this is why I really came along” after fastening a gag firmly in place around my head)
We started with blindfolds, which I’ve always been a huge fan of. Having my eyes covered removes distractions, diminishes my self-consciousness and focuses my mind on the moment, as well as being severely horn-inducing. Touch and sound and smell are heightened and the knowledge that I couldn’t just get up and walk off without assistance (although I could simply have pushed off the blindfold, of course) added a definite frisson.
Then came the earplugs. Subtract sight and sound, and what is left is mostly about touch. I’ve never much been into the delicate end of sense play, mainly because I’m impatient and greedy, and want to get to the harder-core part of things as quickly as possible, but I realised as the feathers were brushed lightly and the ice cubes were allowed to drip slowly onto my skin, that by disdaining this kind of play I had been missing out on the wonderful sense of connection and intimacy it builds – every bit as much as the pain play and rough fucking that I’d usually be hoping for. The Mr did indulge his mischievous – and my masochistic – side a few times with sharp pinches and the occasional bite, made all the more thrilling by their occurrence among the delicate tenderness of his other ministrations.
We also looked at (fondled and tried out) sensory deprivation hoods and discussed various types of white noise (apparently there are apps for that!). Phoenix had a wealth of useful tips and advice on purchasing which he shared generously with us.
Gags aren’t technically a sense-dep thing but restraint goes hand-in-mitt with sensory play for many people and I’m certainly one of them. To be blindfolded, earplugged and gagged is an intense position to be in and one which made my knickers pretty damp. I like a gag to fill my mouth rather than just covering it, although I didn’t quite have the bravery to try any of the inflatable gags just then.
At the end of the workshop, I wasn’t as insanely randy as I thought I’d be, although I was definitely above my normal baseline, however the comforting and adoring sense of close connection that the Mr had engineered between us throughout our play lasted for a long time (enough for me to manage a long tiring journey home without getting all horrid and snappy with him, which was an unexpected bonus from his perspective!) leaving me feeling very relaxed and happy
We’ve since played with sensory deprivation using blindfold and music through earbuds but got carried away and escalated pretty quickly to wild, animal fucking – whether we can maintain the same level of focus and slow exploration that we built in the workshop without giving in to wanton carnality remains to be seen. I’d like to try.