Shibari and tantra in Ghent
Where shibari and tantra meet. Letting go becomes possible when you know you are held.
Your body knows things your head cannot explain. Rope takes you there. It holds you in a way your nervous system understands, and in that hold something falls quiet that is otherwise always switched on.
I am Michael. I guide shibari and tantra in Eke near Ghent, Belgium. In workshops, in group classes and in one to one sessions. What I do is called tantric shibari: rope in which the connection comes first and the knot is the means.
You need no skill to start. Most people who walk in here have never held a rope. What you do need is the willingness to feel what happens.
Where do you want to start?
Six ways in, depending on where you are right now.
What is shibari?
Where it comes from, what it does to you and why it is more than tying knots. Start here if the word is new to you.
Learning shibari
From your first knot to tantric connection. The free course for at home, and the group classes in Ghent where you practise it with guidance.
Shibari-Tantra workshops
The crossing point of rope, breath and presence. You play with control and surrender, with safety as the foundation.
One to one session
A session for you alone, built around what you need. Slowing down, letting go and coming home in your body again.
Shibari for couples
What happens when you really dare to surrender to your partner. A ritual that deepens your intimacy.
Buying shibari rope
In the buying guide you can read the difference between jute, hemp and POSH. The shop has them handmade.
How I work
I work trauma-informed. That means I assume your body has a history and that this history is allowed to join in. We go slowly. I check in along the way. You may stop at any moment without having to explain anything.
Every workshop and every session has an intensity that is set beforehand, shown with a chili system from level zero to level three. That way you know what you are starting before you book, and you choose for yourself how deep you go. Read how the chili system works.
There is no pain, no pressure and no BDSM. There is rope, attention and the time to notice what happens inside you. Read how safety and consent are built in.
Upcoming workshops and classes
Come and have a look first
The free shibari workshop in Ghent is the easiest way to walk in. You practise, you watch, you ask questions, and you are under no obligation whatsoever.
If you would rather first know who I am and where this comes from, read the story behind Shibari-Tantra, or get in touch directly.
What participants write about it
My first shibari experience with Michael felt like a journey inward. From the intake onwards there was safety and trust. I felt seen, held and healed in body, mind and soul.
The session with Michael was a dream come true. It flows so smoothly and in such a very safe setting. I felt deeply held and caught, a very healing journey.
An intense journey in the ropes, full of surrender and connection with myself. Michael created a safe space in the difficult moments. Today I feel trust, and I feel a good deal closer to myself again.
Frequently asked questions
Shibari is the Japanese art of binding with rope. In the form I guide, the emphasis is on connection and presence: the rope is the means to slow down, surrender and feel what happens in your body. There is more about that on the page about shibari.
No. Most people who come to a workshop or a first session have never held a rope. I build everything up from zero and you work at your own pace.
In my work there is no sexual act and no intercourse. Life force and sometimes sexual energy do come free, and that is allowed to be there. What we do with it is let it flow consciously instead of pushing it away.
Yes. Solos are welcome in almost everything I offer. We start with short exercises to get to know each other, so you do not have to bring anyone to do deep work. Only shibari for couples is meant for two people together.
Safety is the basis of everything I do. I work with continuous check-ins, with knowledge of anatomy and nerve pathways, and with rope that is suited to it. You may stop at any moment. The page about safety explains exactly how that works.
In Eke near Ghent, in East Flanders, Belgium. You receive the exact address with your booking. Participants come from all over Flanders and regularly from the Netherlands too.
Every workshop and every class has its own page with the date, the price and a booking button. For a one to one session you get in touch first, and we plan a short conversation so we both know whether it fits.
In Dutch. If you prefer English you can let me know beforehand, and I will guide in English or bilingually.