Since the beginning of September when Belle changed the rules and clarified that my default state is to be locked in a device unless she specifically says I should not be, I’ve been in one about 97% of the time. That includes a couple of multi-week stints of uninterrupted chastity. And I don’t know, but I’ve been feeling different lately. Or maybe not different. That’s probably not right. “Different” suggests something new and how I’m feeling is not new. If anything, I feel the same, just…more.
I think I’ve used the analogy in the past that the longer I go locked up or without orgasm it’s like when a lake dries up and the terrain of the land underneath is exposed. It was always there, just hidden. That’s what it feels like to me lately.
If you’ve been visiting this site for more than 72 hours, you know I identify as bisexual, heteromantic, and submissive (plus, I’m a baseball fan according to Twitter). But even that isn’t enough for me. And I really think being locked and denied has given me more insight into all this. The same way hallucinogens are supposed to allow us to see truths we can’t normally, being under the influence of an easy ever-present sexual craving really allowed me to dig around in all the dark, hard to reach corners. To see the submerged terrain.
I am willing to concede that how I’m feeling and what I think about myself now would be different if I was having a normal amount of sexual release. I know for a fact that if I had easy and persistent access to the penis, I wouldn’t have the same sense of self I have now. Which makes a lot of this kind of introspection interesting because, in a way, it’s built on shifting sands. Somehow, the things we do and do not combine to alter us or accentuate certain attributes. So what are we really? Could I, in a different relationship and with a different partner, be totally different myself? That’s some existential shit.
All I can say is how it feels now. And now feels like the truth. It feels like how I’m supposed to be. When I’m bottoming, when I’m subbing, when I’m being used for their pleasure, I’m home. Like I said recently, being a bottom and a sub is not what I do, it’s who I am. So yes, if I were in a relationship or living a life that allowed frequent release and easy access to the penis, I wouldn’t feel this way. Maybe I wouldn’t feel as good about myself. Maybe I wouldn’t even know the difference. But this is who I am. I went down a tunnel not knowing where it led, following instincts, and it came out where I was supposed to be. And Belle went there with me, which I’ll forever be grateful for.
Moral of the story is twofold. One, don’t live your life according to how someone told you it should go. To how culture tells you you’re supposed to be. Find your path and follow those tunnels. Two, don’t be afraid of the dark in that tunnel. Of the things that are “weird” or what would shock your mom. Because nothing’s weird and I’m sure what’s in your mom’s head would freak you the fuck out right back. We are essentially brains with genitals. Sex for us is by definition cerebral. If you’re not thinking about it, you’re just going through the motions. The point is emotional satisfaction, not just physical release.
So tease those threads. Scratch those itches. Drain those lakes. There’s no telling what you’ll find. I did and I found me.
This sounds very familiar! I think chastity does change – or facilitate – things.
Orgasm denial definitely changes the energy levels and mind set of men. One of my favorite things is that I become more energetic. Exercise becomes a release for me. Cleaning and yard work gets done because I need an energetic release. I enjoy this. I feel like something is getting done. I love cuddling and showing affection as well. Knowing your’re not going to “got some” makes you search for that release in other places. That’s where she gets the benefit!
Having read your blog since you began, gave me a really big advantage of missing a few pitfalls on the path. One being release dates. I saw how you and Belle struggled with the expectations, even some resentments that arose from one or both wanting or expecting a release to happen or not happen(damn it you didn’t lock me long enough!).
So when we integrated a device into our relationship 7 months ago, it was with an understanding that it will always be on unless told to remove it. Thanks for all the help over the years, your trial and error was my gain.
The two biggest pitfalls newbies fall into are around how often/for what duration the guy is locked up and how often he comes. Accepting from the outset that both have to be the the sole discretion of the keyholder is essential, though of course communication and feedback are also heathy.