I. VAMA MARGA Foundations Of The Left-Hand Path - staticfly.net

the powers of a dominant as an abstraction – an impersonal form of shakti –
removed from the actual identity of the individual wielding the whip, while
women are far more inclined to require a solid empathy and trust with her
dominant.
With both men and women, however, it seems to be true that the
ability of submissives to endure extreme levels of pain that would normally
be unendurable depends largely on the degree of erotic bond felt for the
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dominant. Most submissives will not respond favorably to just any pain; it
must be pain meted out within the aegis of strong sexual excitement for the
dominant.
Tools Of The Trade
Although illuminated libertines will doubtlessly discover methods of
applying pain to the body that are unique to them alone, there are a few basic
mediums that should be familiar to all experimenters in this realm. One of the
most common is immobilizing the submissive through bondage, which can
be simply realized by a pair of handcuffs and a four-poster bed, or can be
developed into an elaborate art form of its own, replete with complicated
knots and contorted body positions.
One facet of bondage is suspension, a method of hanging and
securing the body which allows the submissive to be approached from all
sides for maximum manipulation. The use of any kind of squeezing
appliance, ranging from common household clothes pins to specialized metal
clamps applied to sensitive areas of the flesh, is one of the dominant's most
important tools. Flagellation can be accomplished with the bare hand, the
riding crop, the cane, the paddle, the cat o' nine tails, or any number of
variations of striking instruments.
Piercing the flesh is another delicate operation that should only be
attempted after training and always requires the use of sterile equipment. The
application of melting candle wax to the flesh and other uses of extreme heat
or extreme cold can produce desirable effects with less risk of permanent
injury.
The advanced practitioner will learn that every sense can become a
source of pain. Blindfolding the submissive properly can obliterate all light
and be extremely disorienting but bright light directed in the eyes can be just
as effective. Creating a disturbing sound pattern during the working can be
quite unendurable but this method can sometimes be just as painful to the
dominant as to the submissive.
Due to the endless variety of erotic aesthetics, such accouterments as
vinyl or leather uniforms designating the dominant or submissive role are
entirely a matter of choice. There is certainly no pragmatic reason for the sex
magician to arbitrarily adopt the entire wardrobe associated. with the
traditional S&M lifestyle. Just as the effective performance of magic in
general does not require the antiquated robes and ceremonial gear of
yesteryear, powerful left-hand path magic does not necessitate any special
costume unless your personal taste so dictates. As a rule, the left hand path
sex magician should always be careful not to appropriate the ready-made
fetishes of others but should take the extra effort to discover one's own.
These may or may not have anything to do with the stereotyped regalia of the
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S&M subculture.
There are only three reasons to consider wearing special clothing
during rites of dominance and submission: either the outfit provides an extra
level of erotic arousal that can be drawn on to increase the sexual power of
the working; the act of donning this clothing signals to your mind that the
ritual space has been entered; or as a means of confirming the magical/sexual
roles of the celebrants, when such symbolism is necessary. Harnessing the
erotic energies of the dominant/submissive bond to magical aims is always