Scaling Breathwork in Bolivia: The Razor-Thin Line Between Passion and Obsession
Last week, I found myself at Rina Trevis‘s book launch for “Shibari as a Ritual,” participating in a hands-on experience that rekindled a curiosity I’d previously explored but never fully understood from a nervous system perspective.
If you’re unfamiliar, Shibari is the ancient Japanese art of rope bondage—yes, you read that right. But before you click away, hear me out: this practice might be one of the most underrated tools for nervous system co-regulation and accessing controlled altered states of consciousness.
Rina, one of Austin’s top Shibari artists and facilitators, guided us through the fundamentals with remarkable precision. What struck me wasn’t just the technical skill involved, but the profound neurobiological shifts happening in real-time. As someone who’s dedicated years to understanding human optimization, I couldn’t ignore what my nervous system was telling me.
Here’s what’s fascinating from a performance standpoint: Shibari creates what the Flow Genome Project calls a “rich environment” for accessing flow states. Jamie Wheal, who I trained with since 2018, explores this concept extensively in “Recapture the Rapture,” discussing what he terms “Hedonic Engineering“—the intentional use of controlled altered states to access peak performance and expanded consciousness.
The mechanism is elegant: strategic rope pressure creates proprioceptive feedback (your body’s awareness of itself in space), while the act of surrender or control—depending on your role—demands complete presence. You literally cannot be anywhere else mentally. Your nervous system downregulates the default mode network, that chattering mind that’s usually running your life, and you drop into the present moment.
Sound familiar? It’s the same neurobiological pathway we activate in breathwork.
What’s really intriguing is the historical pattern here. Float tanks were originally developed as sensory deprivation torture devices. Now they’re wellness tools available at your local spa. Breathwork techniques have roots in practices that were intentionally disorienting. Even ice baths—Wim Hof didn’t invent cold exposure; he repackaged an ancient stressor into an optimization protocol.
The pattern? Controlled stress + intentional framing = growth.
Shibari follows this same arc. What was once associated purely with BDSM culture is increasingly recognized in somatic therapy, trauma work, and performance optimization circles. The key is the word “controlled“, in other words “facilitated.” When you combine physical sensation with psychological safety, presence, and intentionality, you create conditions for profound nervous system recalibration.
During the session, I noticed distinct shifts: initial sympathetic activation (that’s your fight-or-flight), followed by a parasympathetic response once safety was established. The result? A state of relaxed alertness—what researchers identify as optimal for learning, healing, and accessing Flow State.
I’m not saying everyone should run out and try Shibari (though Rina’s work is exceptional if you’re curious to browse her website). I am saying we should stay curious about unconventional modalities that create measurable nervous system shifts.
My previous explorations with Shibari opened doors I didn’t know existed, but I didn’t have the framework then to understand what was happening beneath the surface. Now, with years of studying nervous system regulation, breathwork, and flow state science, I’m approaching it differently. 🤓
This is one of my next personal experiments: documenting the neurobiological effects of Shibari practice through the lens of human optimization. Very likely, I’ll be tracking HRV, subjective flow state markers, and lasting effects on nervous system resilience.
If you want to go deeper into the philosophy and practice, I’d recommend grabbing Rina’s book in this link. She approaches Shibari as ritual, which aligns perfectly with the intentionality required for any optimization practice.
The bigger question this raises: What other practices are we dismissing because of cultural framing, when they might hold legitimate keys to nervous system mastery and expanded human capacity?
Let me know what you think. Share with me your experiences with unconventional optimization tools—I’m genuinely curious what’s working for others. 😺
(Image Credits: The Guardian)
Until we meet next time,
Keep Learning. Keep Optimizing 
JJ Ruescas
Human Optimization Strategist