Whether you’ve seen the circular marks on an athlete’s back or glimpsed them in an erotic scene, cupping always sparks curiosity. Originating in traditional medicine, cupping’s journey from healing rooms to kink dungeons shows how versatile—and intense—a simple glass cup can be. In this post, let’s explore cupping in two very different worlds: therapeutic practice and BDSM impact play.
Cold caning involves striking a submissive or bottom with a cane without any physical warm-up. This means the very first stroke is hard, sharp, and often shocking.
Cold caning refers to the practice of delivering cane strokes without any prior warm-up to the area being struck—usually the buttocks or thighs. It’s a more intense and potentially more painful form of caning, as the skin and muscles haven’t been gradually desensitized or prepared through lighter impact play beforehand.
In the world of BDSM, caning is a form of impact play where a cane—typically made of rattan, bamboo, or synthetic materials—is used to strike the body. Unlike broader implements like paddles or floggers, canes create a sharp, stinging sensation that can be deeply erotic and intensely psychological.
Caning usually targets the buttocks, thighs, or occasionally the soles of the feet (a practice known as bastinado). While it has historical roots in corporal punishment, today’s caning in kink is rooted in consent, trust, and power exchange.
What Is a St. Andrew’s Cross?
The St. Andrew’s Cross, also known as an X-cross or bondage cross, is a staple piece of BDSM furniture designed to facilitate restraint-based play. Its name comes from the diagonal X-shape, resembling the cross on which Saint Andrew was martyred, but its purpose in the BDSM world is entirely consensual and centered around power exchange, sensation play, and erotic exploration.
Flogging—a practice rooted in ancient discipline, religious rites, and military punishment—has undergone a radical transformation in the modern era. Today, it exists largely within consensual BDSM and kink communities, where it is practiced not as punishment, but as an intimate art form, often aimed at providing both physical sensation and emotional connection.
Flogging involves striking the body with a multi-tailed whip, typically called a flogger. The sensation can range from light and thuddy to sharp and stingy, depending on the flogger’s material, construction, and the wielder’s technique.
Flogging, the act of striking the body with a whip, rod, or similar implement, has a long and multifaceted history. From its origins as a form of punishment to its modern reinterpretation as a consensual practice in BDSM communities, flogging is a subject that intertwines pain, pleasure, discipline, and ritual.
Flogging has been used throughout history as a form of corporal punishment. Ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used whipping to discipline slaves, criminals, and soldiers. In the military, it was a tool of order and obedience, with harsh floggings meted out for insubordination. In religious settings, self-flagellation became a form of penance and spiritual purification.
The world of BDSM offers a rich and diverse landscape of experiences, emotions, and connections. For many submissives, especially those new to the lifestyle, the excitement of exploring submission can lead to a state known as “sub-frenzy.” This phenomenon is common but can pose risks if not properly understood and managed.
Sub-frenzy is an overwhelming eagerness to engage in BDSM dynamics, often leading a submissive to rush into experiences without adequate consideration for safety, boundaries, or personal well-being. It can happen to both new and experienced submissives, particularly after a period of little or no BDSM engagement.
Inclusivity in kink is about fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of their identities, orientations, abilities, and backgrounds, feel welcomed, respected, and valued. While kink communities have often been more accepting than mainstream society in some respects, they are not immune to issues of exclusion, discrimination, and bias. Creating a truly inclusive space requires ongoing, intentional efforts in education, advocacy, and accountability.
In the realm of BDSM and kink, furniture and specialized apparatuses play a significant role in heightening experiences of power exchange, dominance, submission, and sensual play. Among these devices, the Smother Box and Queening Chair stand out due to their unique design and distinct role in power dynamics and sensory exploration. While both pieces are often used in similar contexts, they carry their own set of associations, symbolism, and practical considerations in BDSM scenes.