Shibari or Kinbaku, as an embodied craft, is about creating a shared experience between two people – it is not about techniques. Hence, mastering technique is essential to let go of it and create an emotional scene. For the technique – and non-technique concepts – Alexander developed a specific didactics for riggers: the Elements system, accompanying students from the very first steps as absolute beginners to free and creative adaptations in advanced applications, according to their intentions and desires.

Kinbaku can only be lived through our soma, it must be an embodied practice. It is our body that allows us to relax under the impact of a rope, it is the craft of execution of a tie that makes it impactful, safe and beautiful – not the mere knowing of a concept. Tying is a somatic skill, such as woodcarving, painting, drawing, etc. No matter which craft or somatic skill one wants to acquire, the process is always the same and goes through practice that allows our bodies to build the fundaments for the new skills.

Shu-ha-ri (守破離) is a Japanese concept that describes the stages of learning a somatic skill, a craft to mastery. It roughly translates to “obey the rules, break the rules, transcend the rules”. We learn the forms (Kata, 型 or 形) to truly embody them. Once integrated the forms, we learn to “forget” them. We can call upon them without thinking. Forgetting the forms allows us to find ourselves.

It is important to go through these stages, not matter wich cultural background one has, not matter which name you give them. In my personal point of view – based on observation, in. many crafts, not only in Kinbaku – it doesn’t make sense to jump over the first two stages and enter immediately the freedom of the third one. Yes, there is a beginners mind, but true mastery comes from knowledge and experience.

The elements system breaks down these three phases on a students path to mastery into four stages. These stages are named according to the alchemistic, platonic elements – just as a reference to both Alexander’s background as a chemist and to remind us that Kinbaku is a transformative practice, as much as true alchemic practice was. t’s about initiating inner processes, developing oneself, and changing something to the positive. The rope becomes a kind of a philosopher’s stone. In the rope, with the rope, you cannot hide. It might change you and your relationship forever.

In this intercultural borderland, where we as Europeans learning something that ripened in a different cultural context, the elements system is an expression of that “Chimera”, a more square and therefore digestible guide through the amorphous, organic path of  Shu-ha-ri (守破離). It allowed me to curate the complex and often confusing content into a structured system of “Elements”to learn the necessary technical and non-technical principles quickly and consecutively building on each other and therefore guiding my students on their path to achieve their goals.

SHU (守):  It is hard for us impatient modern people, but at the beginning of the journey it is useful to obey the traditional wisdom of people who acquired the mastery before. We need to trust the process and follow their guidance. Our minds and bodies might reb el against it, but actually that’s the feeling of embodying something not known before – also called: “learning”. With discipline, patience, and persistence the students conform to the fundamental concepts and techniques of the art. There is not yet any place for their own creativity. But without the basis – there is no creation.

In the elements system, the complex patterns, figures and transitions get decomposed to their basic elements and principles. Patterns and structures are build from the basics, and the students learn to understand the building principles of them.

Absolute beginners start with the fundamentals, learning the basic technique (Kihon, 基本), such as how to construct effective, aesthetic and safe bondage, including first harnesses for the upper body and legs, as well as important non-technical fundamentals right away: connection, communication, and body handling.

Many people never surpass this absolute beginner stage. That’s absolutely ok. They got interested, tried out, learned some fun&safe ties to take home – and never come back. After getting introduced to the fundamentals you don’t master them – you just know what to practice!

For the ones who stay, the next step is laying out the form (Kata, 型 or 形). The element is Earth: square, solid, grounded. You will learn how to create safe and aesthetic harnesses based on the fundamentals introduced before and adapted to their bottom’s body. You will also start creating impactful positions and get practices to get better in first semi- and later full suspensions.

When a feeling of security is gained in the Earth element and first routines are established, we can slowly raise up. In the element Water we are adding gravity and dealing with more complex suspensions and progressions. Both partners in ropes need to become more flexible and adaptable. Also, we starting to introduce the the aesthetic principles of our style.

Technically we will deepen the understanding of the pivotal points and body mechanic in torsions as well as vertical upright positions. Riggers learn how to manage their ropes and the body of their partner safely and effectively, even in challenging situations. Rope-bottoms learn feeling and communicating their limits, staying connected to themselves and their Riggers whilst relaxing into the impact and the force of gravity without giving up the sense of their boundaries. 

Ultimately the goal is to tie effectively and execute the standard figures in semi- or full suspensions safely and sustainable for their partner. Only now the students understand – and embody – the basics. Congratulations: your time to obey is over. You left the stage of SHU (守) and are ready for HA (破).

In the Japanese Martial Arts, earning the first black belt (SHO-DAN) is by no means an expression of mastery. In the opposite, a SHO-DAN means one understood the basic forms, techniques and principles (Kata, 型 or 形) of a style. Only now the student enters a phase of deeper learning. In an traditional European crafts framework one could say: you are not an apprentice anymore but become a journeyman, still learning.

That’s HA (破)! In this stage of the journey we learn to apply the basics in ever refined ways and adapt them to new situations. This helps us to truly inhabit the forms. On this level, we start to deconstruct and allow to experiment. Only through adaptation and experimentation we gain clarity and understanding. This is the stage of technical mastery, of optimal effectiveness and application of the forms. Over time, we become an embodiment of the art. 

In the elements system, FIRE is the stage of application and deconstruction. Technically, I start to address more complex patterns and challenging positions to create an impact on the somatic body of the person in ropes. We put the body (of our models) under pressure! We deal with rope intense bondage, waist-ropes, tension- and seme-lines, armbinder and strappado, as well as with more complex torsions and different forms of Gyaku-ebi, techniques that have a greater effect on the somatic body of the person in ropes.

Whilst Riggers start to use their intention to create a scene and gain routine in technically more difficult suspensions with complex line management, Rope-bottoms learn to grow stamina in challenging positions as well as understand how to distinguish between „good“ and „bad“ pain and how to deal with it.

In Fire – or HA (破), both partners becoming more aware of their intentions in Seme-nawa whilst adding intensity but also creativity to their play with power and surrender.

Only when the techniques and non-technical principles are completely internalized or embodied, we can detach and break with the traditional forms or approaches. Now it is time to to unleash our creative impulse and found a more individual expression. This is the stage where the we are living the art from the inside out, and any expression of the art is natural and refined.

I personally think that there only a few people on that level. And most of the people I would think of would probably deny it. “I’m still practicing” they might say…

Learning a craft is a journey that never ends. That’s the beauty of it!

But sure, after a certain amount of practice, in certain peak moments, we can reach out. In the element Air, as the last level in the elements system, we mainly address non-technique. Gently and without dogma I will guide you through advanced tools. We will deal with questions like how to develop a scene, how to create individual aesthetics, and how to lab with concepts like MUGA, MA, MA-Ai and MUSUBI.

The aim is for both partners to becoming free from the taught patterns or concepts and start exploring their personal learning edge. When new freedom is gained, your bondage and your expression in ropes can become truly creative.

There is a fifth element – the ether, the void, the quintessence of all. It is in the essentials, the basic forms, pattern or principles, the stuff we get introduced to in the very first – fundamental – course, where the spirit of the style is conveyed. This is the substance from which everything is made: Rope application and flow, friction, tension, counter tension, a knot, etc. These essentials are for all levels from beginners to very advanced. We shall not forget to practice these all along the path. Even when you are very advanced, I will find ways to challenge you and give you new inspiration. And thus, I will challenge myself to learn…