The Breathplay Post

In spite of my efforts to the contrary, the previous post, which was about hyperbole, seems to have inspired much talk about Breath Play instead. It’s very interesting, from a social media/sociological/psychological point of view, to see the ways people interpret my writing, my conclusions, and my stance on breath play. I accept entire responsibility for that; the failure to communicate lies in the writer, not the reader.

In an effort to clarify and directly address the subject, I present for you my four part Official Position on Breath Play:

  1. I disapprove of every abstinence-only educational policy I have ever encountered.
  2. I have engaged in and continue to engage in “breathplay”, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness with several different play partners with their full consent and knowledge of the current opinions regarding the risks involved. The following list is intended to be inclusive, not exclusive, of the various techniques used as either the top, bottom, or both:
    1. Aggressive Hugging
    2. Deep Kissing
    3. Throat-filling fellatio
    4. Queening/Kinging
    5. Smothering
    6. Crushing
    7. Blood chokes (with a tip o’ the hat to RiggerJay)
    8. Water bondage
    9. Punching
    10. Trampling
    11. Telling puns so bad they gasp
    12. Tightlacing
    13. Constrictive rope harnesses
    14. Hard fall aikido throws
    15. Forced orgasm to the point of forgetting to breathe
    16. Telling jokes so funny they laugh themselves to hypoxia
    17. Leaving play parties into weather so cold it freezes the lungs
    18. Running
    19. P90X
    20. Contact Improvisation
    21. Swing Dancing
    22. Ball-gags combined with making the pretty girl cry
  3. I do not, nor am I interested in, teaching breath play, debating its safety, or taking any side in the ongoing dispute. I do enjoy watching* both sides go at it, as debate and rhetoric are passions of mine.** I am only interested in discussing breath play with potential play partners, and like any hard limit, respect their views completely regardless of whether I agree with them personally.
  4. There is no Number Four.***

There we have it. Comments are welcome, however any attempt to draw me into a discussion about breath play that is not intended for potential play will be met with the aforementioned Number Four.

*Preferably while eating popcorn and/or Junior Mints

**Along with the occasional academic specializing in those subjects

**Well, I thought about making Four “I like boobies,”
just to get it out there, but I figured that kind of levity
might detract from the serious tenor
that I try to maintain in this post
and, really, throughout my blog/podcast/kink.

9 thoughts on “The Breathplay Post

  • Breath play is edge play and should never even be talked about or done in public. Someone new to the scene may hear about it and try it. We should also get the mainstream porn industry to stop choking girls while they are having sex. Or…. Maybe it should be openly discussed so that there are recources out there for people to learn from. I take the same view on breath play as I do suspensions. There needs to be good recources and learning opportunities for people to do it safely. Otherwise people are going to learn the good old fashioned way of trial and error and error and error and oops.

  • I want to take the time to thank you for addressing what is see as probably the most overlooked and potentially dangerous aspect of BDSM play: the use of puns.

    Recently I was at a presentation where the person in front of the room (I hesitate to call him an educator) starts talking and not five minutes into the presentation he makes a pun. Now you have to understand, this guy has been punning for maybe 3 months and he gets up in front of an audience and starts doing word play. No disclaimer. No warnings. What if someone in the audience HAD gasped? Would he even know what to do? We will never know because basic gasping aftercare was never even discussed.

    I consider myself Old Guard when it comes to puns. I learned from Spider Robinsons Callahans novels. I participated in alt.callahans back in the heyday of usenet.

    I will teach puns (and litotes, sarcasm and irony from time to time) on a one to one basis.

    Word play requires careful private instruction. The can be laughter, giggling, and even occasional eye rolling.

    Just because you can come up with a pun, doesnt make it a good pun or one that is safely told.

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