Nicola Ranaldi (F/lthy Gorgeous Th/ngs)

“Other cultures have used the body to experiences states of existence and have used transsexuality to have mythic voyages. That I found to be a very powerful thing! A lot of the bondage and flagellation techniques that people… use have been practiced for centuries. Convening people and having a focused and centered ceremony with the sole intent of gathering and capturing that essential sexual and spiritual energy – and working on it, writing all over it, actually heightening everybody’s awareness – is something that’s made its way deeply into my concept of myself and my sexuality. Along with D and S and bondage, there’s magic that I have a higher respect for now. There are a lot of primal places you can go. You need to take care in visiting those places, but the people I’ve been meeting and the activities I enjoy are transforming my concept of myself as a spiritual being.”

- Robin Young, in an interview from the Bondage chapter of quite possibly the deepest and most informative book on BDSM play: Different Loving by Gloria Brame, William Brame and Jon Jacobs.

May 18, 2009, 3:40am