The hellish pain of bastinado or foot spanking

“The hellish pain of bastinado or foot spanking“ was written for BDSMforyou.nl by Mistress Moriah.

I get a message by email: "Mistress, do you do bastinado too?" Even though I've never done it myself, I know exactly what he means. Years ago I heard another Mistress talking about it; she was going to get a client who wanted to experience this. Even then it sounded extremely interesting to me and it fired up my imagination. And now, perhaps that very same client rang my doorbell! Yessss! Of course I want to do that. Fun!

What is bastinado?

Bastinado might sound like an exotic dance style or a rare culinary technique, but it is far from that. Bastinado is a form of corporal punishment in which the soles of the feet are struck with a stick, cane or other hard object. Sounds painful? It is. The technique is surprisingly simple but effective at causing intense pain without lasting damage. It was a favoured method in various cultures because of its combination of simplicity and effectiveness.

Historical background

The history of bastinado goes back thousands of years and has many variations all over the world. In ancient Egypt it was used as a punishment for slaves and criminals. The Romans, never too proud to adopt an effective method of punishment, eagerly took over bastinado and even refined it. In ancient China, known for its strict and often cruel punishments, bastinado was a widely used technique to extract confessions or simply to maintain order.

In the Middle East, where the term 'bastinado' originates (from the Spanish 'bastón', meaning stick), this punishment was applied frequently. People believed that the feet, as bearers of the body's weight and a symbol of movement, were a fitting place to remind someone of their missteps – literally and figuratively.

In some countries it is still used as a means of extracting confessions or punishing political opponents.

How does it work?

The sub is tied up, or placed in a position where the soles of the feet are easily accessible. The soles are then struck rhythmically, or in a specific pattern, with a cane. The pain is intense and immediate, because the soles are full of nerve endings, but the damage is usually temporary.

Within the world of BDSM this activity is not that popular. Perhaps partly because the soles of the feet are not seen as one of the erogenous zones. But it is asked about every now and then, as it was by my client, and then it's handy to know what it involves, at the very least.

And me? I thought it was great fun to do! Exactly as I had imagined it years ago. As far as I'm concerned, this question can be asked more often!

Mistress Moriah

Source

Text: Mistress Moriah
Photography: BDSMforyou