Find a Shibari Artist in Los Angeles

Shibari is a form of Japanese rope bondage using rope to create physical structures that hold both aesthetic and emotional meaning. More often than not, shibari involves two people - one, professional shibari practitioner tying up and sometimes suspending another person with intricate rope patterns.

Often misunderstood as simply bondage, shibari is less about restraint for its own sake and more about the relationship between the person tying, the rope bunny, and the rope itself.

Shibari is associated with BDSM but also the world of sensual embodiment and mindfulness, as well as being regarded as a skillful creative practice. The associations depend on each individual's connection with shibari.

The practice places strong emphasis on intention, communication, and responsiveness, with each tie shaped by breath, posture, sensation, and nervous system awareness. Shibari can be experienced as artistic, meditative, sensual, or deeply intimate, depending on the context and the people involved.

Rather than focusing on intensity or performance, it often unfolds slowly, allowing sensation and emotion to build over time. Many people describe shibari as a way of exploring vulnerability, surrender, and trust within clear, consensual boundaries, where the rope becomes a tool for grounding and connection rather than control.

Whether practised privately, performed as visual art, or taught within community spaces, shibari exists at the intersection of craftsmanship, mindfulness, and connection.

In a private shibari session where you are being tied, the experience usually begins long before any rope touches your body. There is time taken to talk through boundaries, intentions, physical considerations, and emotional expectations.

You may discuss what draws you to shibari, how your body responds to stress or stillness, and any limits around touch, positions, or intensity. Once this groundwork is set, the session shifts gradually from conversation into embodied presence.

You might be guided to stand, kneel, or sit while the shibari artist begins working with the rope slowly, often allowing you to feel its texture, weight, and warmth before anything is tied. As the rope is placed, it is adjusted carefully, layer by layer, with attention to breath, posture, circulation, and your responses.

The process is usually unhurried, and periods of stillness are common, where the rope holds you in place and sensation settles through your body. You may become more aware of your breathing, the pressure of the rope against your skin, and the way your body feels supported or contained.

Throughout the session, the artist remains attentive, checking in verbally or nonverbally, making small adjustments, and responding to shifts in your nervous system. As the tie develops, you might experience a deep sense of grounding, vulnerability, or quiet intensity, sometimes accompanied by emotional release or a feeling of being fully held in the moment. It's common to feel a connection to the person tying you, as this can be an intimate co-creation, and usually the rigger also finds a lot of joy from the process and observing your reactions.

When the session comes to a close, the untying is treated with as much care as the tying itself, allowing sensation to return gradually. Afterward, there is usually space for rest and aftercare, helping your body and mind transition back from the focused, altered state that shibari can create.