What to Expect at Your First Shibari Workshop

Written By Iris Trombas

If you have booked your first Shibari workshop — or you are thinking about it but something is holding you back — this post is for you.

I have taught a lot of beginners. And the one thing they almost all have in common is this: they walked in nervous and walked out wishing they had come sooner. So let me tell you exactly what is going to happen. Because the unknown is almost always scarier than the reality.


Before You Arrive

You have booked. That is already the hardest part done.

In the days before the workshop you might notice a few things happening. A flutter of excitement. A quiet voice wondering if you made the right decision. Questions you did not know you had until the workshop became real. All of that is completely normal. It means you are about to do something that matters.


Here is what to do before you arrive:

Wear comfortable clothing. Something you can sit on the floor in, move in and feel relaxed in. You do not need to wear anything special or revealing — just come as you are.

Eat something beforehand. You would be surprised how many people forget this. A grounded body learns better than a hungry one.

Come with questions. Write them down if that helps. There are no stupid questions in a Shibari workshop — only curious ones.

And most importantly — give yourself permission to be a complete beginner. You are not expected to know anything. That is the entire point.

Walking Through the Door

The first thing most people notice when they walk into a Shibari workshop is that it does not feel like what they expected.

It is not intimidating. It is not clinical. It is not a room full of people who all know each other and know exactly what they are doing.

It is a room full of curious humans — most of whom are feeling exactly the same way you are.


At The Rope Temple our workshops are intentionally small — a maximum of 12 - 15 people. This is not accidental. It means everyone gets personal attention. It means the space feels intimate rather than overwhelming. It means you can ask questions without an audience.

We begin every workshop the same way — with a proper introduction. Not just names, but intentions. Why you are here. What you are hoping to explore. What would make today feel like a success for you.

This is not a therapy session. It is simply a way of honouring the fact that everyone in the room arrived for their own reasons — and all of those reasons are valid.

The Safety Conversation

Before we ever touch a piece of rope, we talk about safety.

I know that might not sound like the most exciting way to start. But I promise you — this conversation is one of the most valuable things you will take home.

We cover consent and how to communicate clearly with a partner. We talk about the nervous system — where the high risk zones are in the body and why certain ties need particular care. We discuss what to do if something does not feel right mid-session. We go through aftercare — what it is, why it matters and how to do it well.

None of this is scary. All of it is empowering.

The people who understand rope safety are the people who practice rope for years. Safety is not the opposite of freedom in Shibari — it is what makes freedom possible.

Picking Up Rope for the First Time

And then — finally — the rope.

There is something that happens when a person picks up rope for the very first time. Something shifts. It is difficult to describe and I have watched it happen hundreds of times. The hands take over. The mind quiets. The body starts to understand something that words have been circling around.

We start simple. Always. The first ties in a Shibari workshop are not elaborate or impressive — they are foundational. A basic wrist tie. A simple wrap. The beginning of a vocabulary.

We go slowly. We repeat. We check in constantly — how does that feel? Too tight? Too loose? Can you feel your fingers? Is your shoulder comfortable?

This is not a performance. Nobody is watching you and judging. Everyone in the room is doing exactly what you are doing — figuring it out, one knot at a time.

Working With a Partner

Shibari is a practice that involves two people — the person tying and the person being tied. In our workshops everyone gets to experience both.

If you come alone we will pair you with someone. If you come with a partner you will practice together.

Either way you will spend time on both sides of the rope — tying and being tied. And most people are surprised by which side they connect with more deeply.

Some people discover they love the meditative focus of tying — the problem solving, the creativity, the responsibility of holding someone safely.

Some people discover they love the profound vulnerability of being tied — the letting go, the trust, the physical sensation of rope against skin.

Some people discover they love both equally. None of these experiences is more valid than the others. They are all part of the same practice.

What the Room Feels Like

I want to be honest with you about something.

Shibari workshops can be emotionally surprising. Not in a difficult way — but in a deeper way than people sometimes expect. Being tied, or tying someone, asks something of you. It asks you to be present. To communicate. To trust. To be trusted.

For some people that is straightforward and fun from the very beginning. For others it touches something they were not expecting — a moment of emotion, a feeling of being seen, a quiet recognition of something they have been looking for without knowing it.

Both experiences are completely valid. Both happen regularly in my workshops. And I hold space for both. Nobody is ever pushed beyond their comfort zone. You are allowed to feel whatever you feel.

Aftercare — The Part People Forget To Tell You About

At the end of the workshop — after the rope comes off — we do something that most beginners do not know to expect.

We slow down.

Aftercare in Shibari is the practice of taking care of yourself and your partner after an experience that has asked something of your body and your nervous system. It looks different for different people — some need warmth, some need water, some need a moment of quiet, some need to talk.

In our workshops we build aftercare into the structure of the day because it is not optional. It is part of the practice. You will leave knowing not just how to tie — but how to look after yourself and someone else after the tying is done.

What You Will Leave With

By the end of your first Shibari workshop you will have:

  • A genuine foundation of safety knowledge that will serve you for as long as you practice

  • Your first basic ties — enough to begin practicing at home

  • An understanding of consent and communication within rope practice

  • Experience on both sides of the rope

  • An introduction to aftercare

  • A feeling that something has opened that you did not know was closed

A Final Note Before You Book

If you are still on the fence — let me say this simply.

The people who come to my workshops and wish they had not are extraordinarily rare. The people who come and wish they had come sooner are the majority.

Curiosity brought you here. That curiosity is worth following.

Our beginner Shibari workshops in Bristol and Wiltshire are designed exactly for the person reading this post right now. Small groups. A safe space. Personal attention. And a genuine love for this practice that I pour into every single session.


Come and find out what all the fuss is about.

With love, Iris x

The Rope Temple — Bristol & Wiltshire UK

Ready to experience it for yourself? Our beginner Shibari workshops are open for booking now — small groups, all rope provided, no experience needed.

Iris Trombas
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