Figging is a topic which has graced these pages several times lately. While we here at LCSB have enjoyed it many times, to others it may be unfamiliar–it is, after all, a bit of an esoteric practice. I thought it might be worthwhile to post some tips for those who might be interested in trying it for the first time.
Do’s:
- Purchase a ginger root of the right size and shape that you can carve it into a do-it-yourself, vegetable version of an anal plug. Many pieces found in the local grocery are too small or too segmented to be shaped in this way. Sort through the selection until you find something that will work, and if nothing appears suitable, visit another grocery.
- Anal plugs are shaped with a wider base to prevent them from being completely inserted into the anus and enable you to get them out again. Make sure you carve your ginger root to have a similar base! As a side note, I understand (though it has not happened to us) that if the base should break off and the ginger disappear inside and be un-retrievable, it will be naturally eliminated by the body in the next day or so.
- Make sure the ginger is fresh. Older pieces have dried out and have less natural oils in them, leading to a less eventful experience. Unpeeled ginger will usually keep for a week or two in your cupboard with little deterioration, but after that it will start to get dry.
- Peel the ginger root and shape it immediately prior to use. Peeling too far in advance will allow the ginger to dry out, reducing both its natural lubrication and the intense sensation it provides. I often do some preliminary shaping of the root in advance, then set it in a bowl with the vegetable peeler and place them under a towel on the nightstand so that they are not visible. When it’s time to begin, I bring Joy into the room, cuff her hands behind her back, and take her over my knee for some spanking. After her bottom is nicely reddened, I bring out the bowl and ginger and, using her back as a table, finish peeling and shaping it right there while she remains over my knee. I then insert the ginger (about as freshly-peeled as you can get!) and proceed to another round of spanking. The indignity of being used as a table plus the anticipation of knowing what she is about to experience provides a nice thrill to Joy.
- Use your fingers to “warm up” your partner’s anus before inserting the ginger. Insert your finger first (moisten your finger in your mouth or your partner’s vagina first to enable easier penetration), then after a few seconds, remove it and insert your thumb. After a few more seconds, remove your thumb and insert the root.
- Use some sort of harness, if possible, to keep the ginger root in place. Joy and I have a dildo-keeper specifically designed to hold an anal dildo where it belongs, and this works well for us. In a pinch, a pair of thong panties might provide some help in keeping the root inserted. Carving the root into a plug shape helps somewhat, but I’ve found that it’s not possible for me to shape it so that it will remain in place on its own when Joy is under stress (or under me).
- Consider combining bondage with figging. It only serves to intensify the experience when your partner is bound and helpless to remove the ginger root.
- Consider combining intercourse with figging. Few things make Joy feel more submissive than having her vagina used while the ginger remains in her ass.
Don’ts:
- Do not use unpeeled ginger. Not only is it potentially dirty, but the skin of the root will prevent the natural oils from making skin contact with your partner, eliminating the sensation of heat and spiciness you are looking for.
- When shaping, don’t leave rough patches, unpeeled surface or sharp protuberances on the portion of the ginger that will be inserted into your partner.
- Unlike with other anal toys, do not use lubrication when figging. Freshly peeled ginger should have enough natural oil to serve as its own lubricant. More than that, lubricants will interfere with the sensation that ginger provides.
- Do not rinse the ginger after peeling. This will wash away some of the natural oils that make figging fun.
- Do not make the “neck” of your ginger plug too thin or it will be prone to break. While breaking may not be a disaster, it will bring your figging adventure to a halt.
- Do not try figging without a safe word in place. The experience is intense, and your partner may become intimidated. The sensation dies away quickly after the ginger is removed, so pulling the plug out will give your partner relief.
Miscellaneous:
- The “spiciness” of ginger seems to vary from one root to another in much the same way (and probably for the same reason) that the hotness of jalapenos seems to vary from one pepper to another.
- If you wish to increase the intensity of your partner’s figging experience, you can try:
- Buying the freshest ginger you can find.
- Making the “neck” of the plug larger—more surface area equals more intensity.
- Giving your partner a sound spanking. The natural reaction to being spanked is to tighten one’s muscles, which will clench upon the ginger, thereby increasing the sensation. Joy tells me that the result is that she is forced to relax, which helps her to more easily submit.
- Though we have not (yet) attempted this, reportedly if you age an unpeeled ginger root in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a few days until moisture forms in the bag and a bit of mold begins to form on the ginger, it greatly increases the potency of the oils. The aged ginger may be peeled (thereby removing the mold as well) and used as described above, but will be considerably spicier than normal. Joy will be trying this shortly and I’m certain she’ll have some comments she wants to share with me afterwards.
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- Ginger reputedly also works when applied to the clitoris. However, when we have tried this, Joy’s natural lubrication quickly gets in the way and dilutes the effect.
Hopefully that will help get those who are curious started! If you are new to this topic and want more information on what figging is, here’s a link to previous posts on the topic.
Enjoy yourself,
Jake
