Basic Principles

based on Jay Wiseman's SM 101

TEN BASIC BDSM PRINCIPLES

1. BDSM play should be safe, sane and consensual.
2. Know your SM player(s). Do not have BDSM play with strangers.
3. Always inform a friend that you are having BDSM play: where, when and with whom. Use safe calls.
4. Always use safe words, i.e., 911 or red (STOP), yellow (slow down) and/or safe gestures (tap foot three times).
5. Negotiate the scene before you start. Communicate your limits, medical conditions, medications, experience and desires.
6. "No limits" is fantasy. Every sane player has limits. Do not be embarrassed to express them to the dominant player(s).
7. Do not have BDSM play while intoxicated or seriously stoned.
8. Expect the unexpected (fire, power failure, medical emergency, etc.) and be prepared. Another man’s life is in your hands.
9. Always have a first aid kit nearby.
10. Don’t play with a person unless you feel absolutely safe!

TEN BASIC BONDAGE PRINCIPLES

1. NEVER let yourself be tied up if you don't feel absolutely safe.
2. NEVER let a stranger restrain you the first time you play.
3. NEVER tie up a body part so tight that it begins to tingle, feels cold, or "goes to sleep".
4. No bondage involving the front of the neck or pressure points, i.e., armpits, groin).
5. NEVER restrain or gag a person and leave them unattended.
6. Always have safety paramedic scissors nearby.
7. Watch out for rope burns, particularly with coarse rope.
8. Do not gag a person suffering with respiratory ailments.
9. When gagging a person, always have an audible, bodily signal in lieu of a safe word (i.e., stomp feet three times, tap fingers, etc.)
10. Do not blindfold a person wearing contacts.

TEN BASIC MUMMIFICATION PRINCIPLES

1. Always determine if the masochist has experienced mummification before; claustrophobic tendencies; longest period in bondage and/or hood; and if the masochist has ever experienced panic during a scene. If the masochist is a novice, consider covering the face last.
2. Always determine if the masochist has any medical conditions, particularly allergies, asthma, congestion, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. as well as any alcohol, drug or medication usage within 24 hours of the mummification. If the masochist wears contacts, they should be removed.
3. Be sure to have the following items nearby for the scene: safety scissors for emergency removal of the wrappings; electric fan and ice to keep the body cool; and towels to remove sweat.
4. Monitor the masochist’s body temperature and pulse. Take a baseline pulse before you begin. Use ice and a fan to cool the body if necessary.
5. NEVER leave the mummy unattended.
6. Use a towel or foam splints to place between the legs, arms and torso, or wherever two body parts come into contact.
7. Do not wrap any body part so tightly that it begins to tingle, feels cold or "goes to sleep". Check the fingers for signs of blueness.
8. When wrapping the chest, be sure the mummy expands the chest cavity, so the wrappings do not constrict breathing. When wrapping the neck, apply the pieces vertically (up and down) to avoid strangulation.
9. Provide cool water (with a straw) often to prevent dehydration.
10. Provide appropriate aftercare for the masochist. If overheated, apply ice.

TEN BASIC PADDLING PRINCIPLES

1. BDSM play should be safe, sane and consensual.
2. Know your paddler or spanker and inquire as to his or her experience.
3. Always use safe words, i.e., 911 or red (STOP), yellow (slow down) and/or safe gestures (tap foot three times).
4. Be careful with the force of your stroke. Paddles cause a sharper, more intense pain than a spanking hand.
5. Sharp edges or rough areas on the paddle may break the skin.
6. The narrower the paddle, the less noise it will make and the more likely it is to leave marks.
7. Begin the paddling with a spanking session first to warm up and prepare the bottom for the paddle.
8. Direct the paddle to strike the lower half of the buttocks.
9. The best position when using a heavy paddle is for the bottom to be prone or standing upright with hands braced against the wall and legs spread about shoulder width.
10. When spanking, remove your rings first - they leave marks.

TEN BASIC TEMPORARY PIERCING PRINCIPLES

1. Do not attempt to temporarily pierce a person without proper training and education.
2. The piercer(s) should always wear latex or vinyl exam gloves and change them frequently. Always wear new gloves for each person pierced in a group scene to avoid cross-infection.
3. Use antibacterial soap to prepare the skin before play, and use antiseptics immediately before and after piercing.
4. Always use brand new sterile needles, usually 18-25 gauge, one inch or longer is recommended.
5. All the bio-hazardous waste (needles, gloves, swabs or alcohol preps) should be disposed of in a biohazard container.
6. Prep the area to be pierced with alcohol or (clear) Betadine.
7. The needle should travel just underneath the surface (the subcutaneous layers) of ordinary skin, to emerge through the skin a short distance from where it was inserted.
8. Don't pierce wrists, hands, internal organs, bones, eyes or the spine. Avoid the armpit, sternum and areas with many veins.
9. Check-in with the masochist often. Is she/he faint, going pale or shaking? These are common reactions to the flood of hormones and neurotransmitters circulating throughout the body. Have water, a first aid kit and blankets nearby.
10. Aspirin and alcohol enhances bleeding and should be avoided if blood flow is not desired.