Skip to Content
shibari-tantra workshop

Shibari-Tantra: the art of connection through rope


I combine Japanese rope art with tantric principles into a connected, therapeutic shibari.

I give shibari workshops and tantra retreats in which the rope becomes a conversation without words, held with the hands, the breath and the body. It is about connection, far more than about a technique you master.
This is a practice in its own right, in which rope and conscious intimacy strengthen each other. It goes far beyond shibari with a tantric touch. The rigger binds, the bunny is bound, and both are fully present.

What arises, I call bedding: a safe space in which you may release control without losing yourself. It is an invitation to sink into surrender, while pain is carefully avoided.

The essence: what is tantric shibari?

Tantric shibari is the merging of Japanese rope art, with its roots in kinbaku and hojojutsu, and the philosophy of conscious connection. The focus reaches beyond the aesthetics of the knot to the inner experience of both the giver and the receiver.

The soft, constant pressure of the ropes invites you to drop out of your head and descend into your body. It is an invitation to feel, to experience, and to be. In that controlled, safe environment, you get the chance to explore vulnerability in a way that is healing. 

Surrender is the core of the experience and is woven as a guiding principle in all the workshops I give. Surrender is often still associated with something that is taken from you. And I know this form well: I come from a world of martial arts where surrender is taken by being pinned down and restrained. But here, surrender is a gift you receive that rests on trust, a puzzle that requires you to learn where you need to earn trust to get a conscious yes.

The many faces of shibari

Shibari is broader than the image you find through Google. I work mainly with four layers: shibari for couples, meditative shibari, the darker sides and kink, and therapeutic shibari. Each face is real. What they share is the rope, and the invitation to be present with what is happening. If you first want to understand the basics, read my guide on what shibari is.

Shibari for couples

Sometimes touch becomes functional and a silence creeps in between you, often through the grind of everyday life. Rope can then be a surprisingly powerful path back to connection, because it invites you to return to the body, to conscious touch and presence. Many couples discover a new layer in their intimacy this way. Read more about increasing intimacy with shibari or book a session for couples.

Meditative shibari

The body has its own access to the now, sometimes more direct than sitting still. When I apply the ropes slowly, the nervous system responds to the touch: pressure on the skin activates the parasympathetic system, the part that brings rest and recovery. The breath slows, the shoulders drop, the jaw relaxes. The form here always stays in service of feeling. Read more about meditative shibari.

Kink and the darker sides

Desires that do not fit the standard story are a natural expression of life force. In a safe, conscious setting you get to know them instead of hiding them away. That way the energy you put into suppression returns as rest and connection. Read more about kink and the darker sides of tantra and shadow work.

Bind Mij Los: my tantra retreat

The Bind Mij Los weekend is a full tantra retreat with surrender as its central theme, in which shibari is one of the paths from shame to the unashamed body. It is a journey through three ritual gates, with breath, touch, voice, play and rope, deliberately built as an experience rather than a course. The rope provides structure so that you can let go. Discover the Bind Me Loose tantra retreat weekend.

Why I combine shibari and tantra

Tantra and shibari share a core: presence in the body, attention to the connection with the other, and the willingness to go beyond the known. In the tantric tradition, surrender is a conscious choice to release control, a form of strength. The rope makes that tangible. It gives, literally, a framework within which that surrender can grow. In my work, shibari and tantra flow into each other and continuously strengthen one another.

Safety and consent: the foundation

Safety is the basis on which all my work rests. It carries everything we do. We work with continuous check-ins: I keep asking what feels good and what feels painful, and I adjust the ropes immediately. We never work towards positions that cause pain. These are not BDSM workshops. In workshops I use POSH ropes, which are easy to clean; for private sessions I work with jute and hemp. Read more about safety and which rope to choose.

Who you learn this from

Since I began jiujitsu more than 20 years ago, I have been fascinated by surrender. I came to see it as a gift, as a form of strength and freedom. Through BJJ and grappling I built up knowledge of the body, anatomy and safety. In 2019 I fell in love with shibari and deepened my practice through Ligatio, Duchy and a lot of self-study. Get to know me on the page about us.

Do you first want to understand what shibari precisely is, apart from the tantric layer? Then read my extensive guide on what shibari is.

Ready to experience it? You learn shibari above all with your hands and your body, in the practice itself. Every month I give a free introduction workshop at Freefall in Ghent, where you only pay a contribution for the room costs. For those who want to learn more specifically, there are private sessions and lessons in Eke across three levels. Check the agenda with workshops, discover learning shibari or a private session, and find your own rope in the shop.

Frequently asked questions

Shibari-tantra is the combination of shibari, the Japanese rope art, with tantric principles such as presence, conscious touch and surrender. The attention goes above all to the connection between two people, beyond the technique of the knot. The rope becomes an instrument to come out of your head and into your body, in a safe bedding.

Shibari has historical links with BDSM, but the way I practice and guide it is about connection, trust and conscious touch. There is no pain, no punishment and no power play. Surrender does have its place, always from a foundation of safety.

No. The introduction workshops are specifically for beginners. You do not need to know anything or be able to do anything, and you do not need to be flexible or in a relationship.

No. In group workshops you switch rope partners, or you work alone. For couple sessions you naturally come together.

Any work with rope requires attention to safety. In my workshops you learn from the start to work safely: where the rope must not lie, how to check circulation and how to release quickly. We never work towards unsafe or painful positions.

Every month I give a free shibari introduction workshop at Freefall in Ghent, where you only pay a contribution for the room costs. In Eke I give private sessions and technical lessons across three levels (L1, L2 and L3).

Kinbaku refers specifically to the Japanese art form with its aesthetic principles of tension, line and asymmetry. Shibari is the broader, internationally used term. I use shibari because it is more accessible, but the intention behind my work is that of kinbaku: conscious and with an eye for beauty and connection.

In workshops I use POSH ropes, because they are easy to clean after each session. For private sessions and deeper work I use jute and hemp, the more traditional ropes. I never use cotton, because it absorbs moisture and odours.

That is exactly what I do. Shibari and tantra strengthen each other: the rope makes tantric principles such as presence and surrender tangible and concrete, and the tantra gives the rope practice depth and direction.

Yes. Many couples discover a new layer in their intimacy through shibari. I offer specific sessions for couples who want to start together, focused on connection, trust and conscious touch.