Beginner's Guide To Sensation Play

By Ksenia Sobchak

Sensory manipulation makes for great foreplay or even entire sessions. With the body’s sensitivity to various stimuli, getting your partner in a state of orgasmic is as simple as making sure that the setting encourages increased sensitivity. When it comes to sensation play, the game is designed to ensure that every sensation is felt on a greater scale either through sensory deprivation or sensory modification.

Sensory Deprivation

This powerful technique manipulates the body’s survival instinct to give the recipient the wildest time of their life. One or more senses are temporarily limited, automatically increasing the sensitivity of the other senses. The most common senses that are covered include sight and hearing. This increases the sensitivity to touch, making the whole body highly reactive to the slightest stimuli. From temperature play to sensory play, each sensation is highly magnified.

However, sensory deprivation play spans a whole lot of techniques, the most extreme one being mummification. For this reason, it is always advised that the sensory play be taken slow to avoid causing the submissive unintended pain or injury. For the play that may involve a bit of blood like needle play, always take the necessary precautions to guard against blood borne diseases.
Some of the common sensory deprivation tools include; blindfolds, hoods, gas masks, ball gags, restraints, ear muff/plugs and vacuum beds. With each tool, always ensure that you read the guides so that you familiarize yourself with the safety precautions beforehand.
 

Sensory Modification

Sensory modification is the use of specific tools to increase the sensitivity of a particular body part. Application of intense pressure is usually the common technique, with the removal of the tool resulting in an increased sensitivity in the affected area.
Sensory modification is a bit more risky, and usually has more precautions compared with sensory deprivation. However, they are both just as effective in delivering the intended sensations. Sensory modification is particularly common in the BDSM scene as the tools are known to pack quite a punch when it comes to delivering pain.

Some of the sensory modification tools include; clamps, ring/spider gags, Wartenberg Pinwheels, pervertibles, balms, floggers, paddles, spanking tools, ticklers, electro sex toys, temperature play tools and, rough and smooth tools. Always ensure that you have the necessary experience to indulge in some of the toys as they can be quite complicated to use and mishandling is likely to cause irreparable damage.

Safety

• Start slow, only advancing to more complicated techniques when you and your partner are physically and psychologically ready.
• Never leave your restrained, bound, gagged or hooded partner unattended at any point in time.
• Always ensure that you check for circulation and any signs of distress periodically throughout the session.
• Never spank areas near the neck, face, spine, tail bone or other major and vital organs.
• When it comes to wax play always use candle especially designed for this purpose.
• Never leave clamps on for more than 10 minutes at a time. You can gradually increase the time as you become more experienced in the play.
• Always decide on a safe word or gesture beforehand. Stop immediately the words are uttered or if they are gagged, constantly check the body language so that you do not miss the sign.
• Most of all never practice complicated techniques if you are not sufficiently trained on the same.

Aftercare

Sensation play is effective because of its psychological aspect, and the submissive may be a little out of it when the play ends. For this reason, always make sure that you slowly and gradually bring them back to the present moment.

Whether it is a glass of water, a cuddle or a box of treats, it is imperative that you have their best interest in mind. Never rush them and always provide the soothing products needed to tend to the sore areas like aloe vera gel or even an ice pack.

Sensation play may seem so simple but the game has so many different variations that may require extensive preparation and extra cautionary measures. Before indulging, always ensure that you fully understand what is expected and how to deliver. To be on the safe side, always ensure that you have all the tools necessary to get the submissive out of their binds in as little time as possible.