Shifts of Consciousness in Consensual S/M, Bondage, and Fetish Play

摘要: The literature on sado-masochism (S/M) and dominance submission (D/S) tends to focus either the psychodynamics of perversion or, in more magnanimous moments, rites reversal power relations participants. This paper shifts analysis altered states consciousness achieved consensual S/M, bondage fetish play demonstrates self-conscious affinity between S/M ecstatic religious practices like those well documented anthropological literature. will explore sensory other used produce what one informant called "that transformative experience." It is posited that "dominance/ submission" "top/bottom" are not simply asymmetrical terms relations, but they evoke fundamentally different consciousness. Further, differ significantly hetero- homosexual play. reasons for this appear have both historical political implications which explored briefly paper.