Transformation of Pain

So, in BDSM circles, people often ask what the difference is between cutting (a person using a sharp implement on themselves) and being cut.

On the surface, they seem identical, and they have identical physical results--the skin is broken, blood flows.

However, the motivations could not be more different. In my experience, cutting is all about release: when the pain inside becomes so great that NOTHING else is possible. At that point, it isn't a choice, it's a requirement. The trick is not getting to that point. It isn't about causing pain, or the blood, or anything. It's almost like the idea of humors--that the body has a buildup of something that has to be released for healing.

Being cut is very different. It's an understanding between two people who are committed to one another (at least for the duration of the scene), and CANNOT be frantic or desperate. The person doing the cutting must be in control, and the person being cut must be aware enough to monitor how much damage is being done to them, and how much more they can take. It's the difference between a ballet and headbanging in your bedroom. Being cut is also a release, but a different one.