About

My approach to rope bondage

Rope bondage is a journey – there is no destination. As you evolve, so does your approach to the medium.

My name is Astrid, and I am a bondage practitioner living in Lisbon, Portugal. My journey with tying began in 2016, when I spent some time abroad for my studies. During this time, I encountered a community of Shibari practitioners and enthusiasts, and found my ‘thing’. When I returned to Cape Town, I founded RopeyThings (a local bondage collective) with some other eager riggers. Over time, we started teaching rope bondage together around the city. Each time I travelled abroad for my studies, I would attend lessons with rope educators wherever I found myself and bring the skills that I had acquired back to my community. My rope expertise has developed slowly over time, and with the trust and input of my beloved chosen rope family. Eventually, I opened a studio with my community, Embodiment Rope Space, which I established before immigrating to Lisbon in 2023.

I see tying as an opportunity to hold space for a human being to experience their physicality and emotional world in a different way. When I tie, I am interested in holding that space with care and intention. When I teach, I seek to impart not only technical skills, but empathy to both those tying and being tied.

For me, bondage is not always about dominating someone. It is about stillness, breathing, power exchange, vulnerability, honestly, communication and humanity. The who and the why is as important as the how.

I have been educated in various forms of rope bondage by certified instructors (Kanna style, Kinoko style, Kazami style) and non-certified instructors. My rope is highly adaptive to the body I am tying, blending all of my experiences and influences. I love rope that is creative, silly, intense and erotic.

Please note: rope bondage is a high risk activity and should never be performed without explicit consent, risk awareness and clear communication.