The art of fire cupping began in many ancient cultures as a traditional therapy to treat various ailments by creating a vacuum next to the skin.  “The earliest use of cupping that is recorded is from the famous Taoist alchemist and herbalist, Ge Hong (281-341 A.D.).  The method was described in his book A Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergencies, in which the cups were actually animal horns, used for draining pustules.  As a result of using horns, cupping has been known as jiaofa, or the horn technique.”-Cupping by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D.  In China, it was used as a type of acupressure to relieve respiratory diseases such as the common cold, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Cupping is also said to be good for treatment of back, neck and shoulder pain.

It does, however, have another purpose.  It is used in bdsm as a type fire / sensation play, and can be used for other sexual purposes as well by applying the heated cups to the genitals or breasts.  It also falls under the heading of Medical Fetish.  Unless overheated or left on too long, fire cupping is usually not painful.  The sensation the cups make when applied is like a soft vacuum sucking the skin, much like someone giving you a hickey that builds in intensity the longer the cups are left on.  In traditional fire cupping for treatment, the cups are left on for about one minute, but during bdsm, they can be left on much longer, until the sensation becomes too intense (max 30 minutes).  Often, the cups will leave circular red bruises or hickey marks when removed which slowly fade away.

I have wanted to experiment with cupping sets for a long time and have always been fascinated by them.  This 3 Piece Fire Cupping Set (3 pieces: small, medium and large) is compliments of Extreme Restraints who indulged my desire to learn and play.

Word of Caution:  Fire Cupping can be extremely dangerous because you are playing with fire (obviously).  I burned myself several times trying different methods, until I figured the safest way to do it.  The alcohol method is the most dangerous, but also the most effective.

Rubbing Alcohol Method

As mentioned, this method is the most dangerous, but does create an effective vacuum if you don’t burn yourself first or splash flaming alcohol on yourself or your play partner.  Not fun, and really scary.  So be very careful and play safe!

What You Will Need

• Glass Fire Cupping Set
• Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol
• Cotton Balls
• Forceps
• Barbecue Lighter
• Silicone Lubricant
• A Pail of Water for Safety

Massage lubricant into the area of the skin you will be cupping to get a better seal against your partner’s flesh.  This will also make the cups easier to remove and move around on the surface of the skin.

Hold a cotton ball with the forceps and soak it with alcohol.  Try not to soak it too much as you don’t want excess or dripping.  Next, use a barbecue lighter to light the cotton ball and hold it inside the cup to warm the inside air (not the cup itself) and then quickly place on the skin, open face down.  You will immediately see the skin pulling inside the cup.  The more the cup cools, the more the skin will be sucked up inside and the more intense the sensation.  Be careful not to get the alcohol on the cup itself, especially the top rim or the outside as this may cause the whole cup to catch on fire and burn you or your partner.

Candle Method

What You Will Need

• Everything Above except for the Rubbing Alcohol and Cotton Balls
• A Tall Candle

With this method you just light the candle and hold it under the open cups until the air inside heats up (10 seconds).  I didn’t find that this method created as much suction, but it was much less dangerous.  It also tended to blacken the tops of the cups, or heat the glass too much, rather than just the air.

Leave cups on the skin for the desired amount of time (until sensation becomes too intense), but no more than 30 minutes.  Once on, you can leave the cups in place or slowly move them around the skin if you have put on sufficient lubricant.  Silicone lubricant works best for this purpose because it stays very slippery.  Remove cups by pressing the skin near the rim to allow air to enter the cup and break the seal.  Gently remove.

I did this to my mother actually, as she volunteered to be my guinea pig.  She has fibromyalgia and often experiences muscle pain.  She loved the warmth and the sensation of the cupping on her back.  We left the cups on for about 15 minutes and she had slightly red circles on her back which didn’t hurt.  She also said it made her back muscles feel much better afterwards.  I also tried one on my breast over the nipple and really enjoyed the suction that was created, very erotic.  There seems to be many possibilities of how you could use these cups for various types of sensation and arousal, as much as your perverted mind can think up.

Thank you to Extreme Restraints for allowing me to review their 3 Piece Cupping Set.  It was definitely a learning experience and something I will enjoy doing again and again.  Practice makes perfect!

I’m a bit of a candle whore.  I love having lots of candles around, especially when the candle wax turns into massage oil.  Babeland Massage Candle Gift Pack is packaged in a rectangular box with five 1oz candles in assorted scents, a tiny box of matches and a packet of Babeland’s Entice lube.  Each candle comes in a little lidded tin with enough soy wax for one use (or back massage).  The scents are really luscious and are the highlight of this product.  They include Mojito Peppermint, Chocolate Hazelnut, Mango Vanilla, Rice Flower and Jasmine Ginger.  All of them smell exactly as they are described and my favorites were the peppermint, chocolate hazelnut and the mango vanilla which were magically delicious.  The rice flower and jasmine ginger were a bit too flowery for me, but people who like those scents will enjoy the fragrance.

The candle wax is low-melt soy, which means it has a low melting point and is safe to use on skin right from the tin once melted.  The temperate is warm, but never hot.  I have used other soy candles including JimmyJane’s Afterglow Candle which was magnificent [my review], Shunga massage candles and the Lava Lotion candle [my review].  I found Babeland’s wax to be much thicker than other types I have tried, which made it harder to rub in and you had to use more.  It was also kind of sticky, almost like liquid candy and it didn’t absorb into the skin as well as it should have.  JimmyJane’s candle had a silky texture that just melted into the skin and left it feeling supple and moisturized, whereas these candles left a sticky residue that was not so pleasant.  I had to wash my hands after wards and my partner’s back for him.

So, while the packaging and scents of the Babeland candles are wonderful, I didn’t enjoy the wax as much.  I would recommend JimmyJane’s Afterglow Candles instead, but then they are more expensive and you get what you pay for.

Shop Babeland for lots of sexy Valentine’s Day Gifts!

Save 20-40% on their products in their Inauguration Sale Jan 21st only!

I have several Kama Sutra products including many of their massage and bath products and have always been happy with them.  The Massage Therapy Kit is a nice little introduction kit that allows you to try out all Kama Sutra’s various scented oils.  The kit comes in a little plastic zipper pouch which makes it great for storage or travel.  It contains five, two ounce plastic squeeze bottles, designed to be spill resistant and each bottle is large enough to get a few massages out of each.

Inspired by the ancient Hindu guide to lovemaking, these oils were developed to promote intimacy between couples.  Each oil has its own unique aromatherapy blend designed to compliment or enhance various moods and to promote psychological and physical well-being.

The Scents

Sweet Almond- This is the most neutral of all the scents and the most popular.  It smells like almonds, but is not overpowering so can be mixed with various essence oils to make your own scent if you wish.

Healing Blend- This oil has a spicy scent and is known for its healing properties, making it perfect for massaging tension out of tired muscles and relieving stress.  Essential oils include: lavender, cardamom, rosemary, marjoram, elemi, clary sage, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, juniper and pine.

Serenity- This oil is lightly scented with a subtle hint of citrus.  It has a calming, soothing quality that promotes relaxation.  Essential oils include: cedar, sweet marjoram, neroli, orange, tangerine and lavender.

Pleasure Garden- This oil is flowery, with a blended fragrance of lavender, jasmine and rose, all of which have sensual qualities. Essential oils include: Italian jasmine, rose, lavender and sandalwood.

Soaring Spirit- This oil has a mint scent and is refreshing and uplifting. Essential oils include: orange, lemon, peppermint, spearmint, geranium, ginger and fennel.

The oils themselves contain a combination of various natural oils including almond, grape seed, and pistacia vera seed oil, all known for their skin-softening properties.  Sweet almond oil is especially rich in vitamins and minerals that revitalize sooth and nourish dry skin and also contains fatty acids which aid sore, aching muscles. The oils have a light, silken texture that glides easily over the skin and eventually absorbs when massaged in, leaving the skin soft, supple and glowing.

It use, you need an amount about the size of a quarter which you warm up in your hands first before applying to the body.  If you have cold hands (like I do) it may be a good idea to warm the oils slightly by placing the bottle in a pot of boiled water for a minute or so, and then test the temperature on your wrist.

Apart from their mood enhancing, therapeutic qualities, these massage oils are great for sensual foreplay as you take turns with your lover rubbing the oils into each others skin.  Using a bit too much is good, which allows you both to slide over each other during sex which is a very sexy, sensual feeling and much nicer than Crisco.  These oils are not to be used as sexual lubricants however, and you should avoid getting them in the vagina.

These oils are also great to use after a bath or shower, as they will nourish your skin and the various scents put you a good mood for the rest of the day.  Makes a lovely gift for yourself, a lover or a friend.

If you are interested in purchasing this product or any other sexuality products like sex toys, please consider doing it through my affiliate account at VibeReview, where all proceeds for the month of November will go to support the Butterfly Tempress Cancer Fund (read about it here).  VibeReview will double the amount donated through affiliate accounts.  Thanks for your support!

If you were at Dark Odyssey Summer Camp, then perhaps you were lucky enough to take a workshop with Barbara Carrellas, who won the Best Instructor award that weekend.

She will be teaching her Erotic Awakening Massage in Manassas, VA, Jan 19-20. The early bird discount has been extended through Tuesday, January 8th. I watched her demonstrate this massage at camp. The energy in the room was electric – Rascal sat next to me, vibrating in rhythm, and Barbara had to periodically remind us to breathe. Here’s more about the weekend:

The Erotic Awakening Massage is a completely new kind of sexual experience. In this unique workshop you’ll learn how the combination of conscious breathing, sensual massage, specific genital massage strokes and energy orgasm techniques can:

*take you to new heights and lengths of pleasure
*help men learn to orgasm without ejaculation
*help women become multi-orgasmic
*create greater intimacy between you and a partner
*release toxins and heal past sexual traumas
*take you deeper into yourself while stretching the limits of who you think you are
*unite your sexuality and your spirituality

There are two styles of Erotic Awakening Massage: one for people with pussies and one for people with penises. In the course of the workshop, everyone will be taught how to give and receive both styles. You will then have the opportunity to give a massage and to receive a massage. Not only will you learn the secrets for giving and receiving a body-melting, mind-altering sensual and erotic massage, you will also learn how the use of conscious breath and energy work can transform the massage experience into a completely new sexual and spiritual experience.

This workshop is appropriate for people at all stages of their sexual evolution. The only requirement is a commitment to growth, awareness and the discovery of your unlimited potential as a sexual/spiritual being. All genders, sexual orientations and preferences are welcome. We will be working in pairs, so you may wish to attend with someone you want to work with. Solo attendees will be paired up (consensually, of course) at the workshop. Safer sex practices will be strictly adhered to.

To register contact: Beth Lynch at luvstouch at hotmail dot com. Registration Fee: Only $225 per person. Registration includes lunch on both days.

The city is filled with spas, salons, and massage parlors, but it isn’t always easy to tell which are legitimate businesses and which are mainly in business for hand jobs and tit fucking breast sex. Most massage parlors in the dirty sense stay in business through word of mouth, though a tip off is if a place advertises table showers, hot oil body work, sensual massage, or the big giveaway– hand release. Another good sign is if the massage parlor is open later than reasonable. Who really gets shiatsu at 2 in the morning in midtown? (more…)