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by Slakker Table of Contents
Mummification is a specialized kind of bondage in which the whole body is secured under layers of restraining fabric, latex, leather, tape, or even saran wrap (clingfilm). The aim is to completely immobilize the subject, or mummy.
Mummification has always been a favorite activity of mine. I was mummified at a friend's party, and I loved it. And bondage isn't even my thing (at least not being bound ). It isn't really like most other types of bondage. It provides the immobility and feeling of submission that other bondage techniques do, but there are added physical and emotional elements that are hard to duplicate any other way. While mummified, you will experience sensory deprivation, as you would in a sensory deprivation tank, although on a somewhat lower level. You feel not restrained, but taken completely out of your body, as though you are floating in some astral plane free from weight, feeling, sight, and sound. Only your essence remains, and you become intensely focused on the few small sensations that still remain -- your heartbeat, your breathing, your thoughts.
Mummification can be performed many ways, but the principle is the same. Instead of saran wrap, you can use cloth or latex bandages or even leather strips, or even pieces of cloth secured with duct (gaffer) tape or other tapes. You can also get something of the same effect by using sleep sacks and hoods. But since anyone can obtain saran wrap inexpensively, I will describe that technique here. You'll want to have plenty of wrap available, because it takes more than you might think. It works out to somewhere around 75-100m (yards), which is three or four regular sized rolls of wrap. You may have to experiment to find an appropriate brand. I find that of all the varieties available in the US, only the genuine branded Saran Wrap sticks to itself well enough to hold without any other binding agents like duct tape. Placing a blindfold first will ensure complete darkness under the wrap, and will prevent the eyes from opening. If you don't have a blindfold, place a few cotton balls on top of each closed eye, and secure with a little medical tape if you wish. Remember throughout that absolute comfort is important in creating the headspace which is required to maximize the experience. If you are looking for a sexually oriented adventure this probably won't do it for you. As part of a scene, however, it can be extremely effective, so don't rule it out until you've experimented. A bottom's headspace is not quite the same after being released from a good mummification as it was going in, and a good top will use this fact to his or her advantage -- and of course to create an intense experience for the bottom. You must also have at least one helper, who could be another top or a bottom. The assistant will be responsible for maintaining the bottom in an upright position while you work with the wrapping material. The assistant must also maintain close communication with the bottom, to make sure the experience remains an enjoyable one for all concerned. The emotional high that this form of bondage produces can become scary if the environment is not comforting and safe. Another good reason not to attempt mummification alone is that you may need the assistant to help steady the bottom. One very basic (but still very real) danger is that the bottom will fall over. The process of wrapping will cause disorientation, and the loss of all sense of direction; they will often attempt to push themselves over, wrongly thinking that they are already falling, so you must be prepared to hold them upright, especially if the bottom is not experienced in this area. In order to minimize the danger of this happening, make sure the bottom understands the potential for this phenomenon, and will trust you enough to allow the falsely detected fall to happen -- which ironically will prevent a real fall from happening. You must also provide ahead of time for safety precautions in case of emergency - whether it is physical danger or emotional overload. Surgical (bandage) scissors are ideal for cutting off the wrap quickly, since they are rounded on the bottom so they will not cut the skin. If you want to wrap the head too, you will need to have a system to facilitate breathing. One useful piece of apparatus is a piss gag, either with a firmly attached tube at least 25mm (1") wide that extends out in front or with a hole to which you can attach such a tube. The tubing will extend beyond the mummifying layers, allowing complete bondage while maintaining safety. Most people also prefer to wrap the head in muslin or some other form of light cloth before adding the saran wrap. If you are experienced in the technique required, you might also consider catheterizing the bottom first, since there will be nowhere to piss once he or she is wrapped.
The bottom should stand in a location that allows plenty of room for free movement all around. Start applying the wrap by wrapping the arms. The bottom should hold them perpendicular to the body in order to allow this. Wrap from the armpit all the way down to the hand, and allow the wrap to extend beyond the ends of the fingers. This will be neatened up later, so just lay the wrap on liberally. When the arms are well wrapped, wrap the chest. Do not simply wrap around the chest itself, but rather, crisscross the chest and shoulders. Wrap over one shoulder, down across the chest and under the armpit, straight across the back and under the other armpit, up across the chest, over the other shoulder, etc. Occasionally you should overlap the wrappings that were previously laid around the arms. There should be no gaps. Continue until you have laid several complete layers. Proceed to wrap the rest of the body in the same manner. Wrap the legs separately before binding them together. As the wrappings go on, the subject will begin to look very much like an Egyptian mummy, hence the term mummification. Holes can be left (or cut) in the wrapping at strategic points -- you figure them out. How long should you leave the bottom in mummification? It is a very intense experience so with a novice as short a time as 10-15 minutes may be enough. Some experienced players like to be left for hours on end but remember anyone so heavily restrained must be supervised at all times. In any case the subjective passing of time for the bottom will be very different from normal.
Follow the same rules as with any heavy bondage: see under Safety in the Bondage Practical. Watch for circulation problems as with rope, but be especially careful to keep all bonding materials away from the subject's face unless you have arranged a breathing mechanism. Materials such as saran wrap can easily cause suffocation if not used with extreme caution.
Slightly adapted and expanded from a piece that appeared on Slakker's original ABC of BDSM. |
