Latexistentialism

What is “Living in Rubber”?
“Living in Rubber” probably means different things to different people. However, there are probably some elements we all pretty much hold in common.
Mostly, Living in Rubber (“LIR”) is an attitude (rather than a specific act) that you define for yourself. It’s like living a mantra of “I will wear as much rubber as possible, as long as possible and as often as possible“. The key word here, of course, is “possible”. It is a lifestyle choice in which we deliberately and consciously decide to celebrate our fetish to the greatest extent within our means.
LIR is based in an almost pathological compulsion shared by most deeper Rubberists to be totally enclosed in rubber 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is the special dream that much of the Rubberist Tribe shares. Of course, very few people can actually fulfill this dream. Reality gets in the way. Most people also need to live “regular” lives in which wearing rubber 24/7 is significantly interrupted by family, jobs and society in general. The high cost of latex garments is another significant factor. There are also issues related to body overheating, skin problems, etc.
Consequently, the act of “living in rubber” is, of necessity, a symbolic, ritualized gesture toward the higher ideal of being total enclosure all of the time. It’s really more about not only accepting one’s fetish but also fully recognizing it as our primary identity and being joyful in that. LIR is a celebration of who we are. We make our fetish sacred. We give it meaning.
We make it special… deliberately!
Just like everyone has their own definition of spirituality, no two people will agree entirely on what RubberSpace is.
Part of the problem probably stems from the inherent ineffability of RubberSpace — it’s similarities to shamanic trances, journeys and mystical experiences tend to make it defy explanation or description. The English language simply does not have the words which can be used to adequately explain it.
It’s also quite probable that different Rubberists have different experiences of RubberSpace at different times. There are no standards by which to evaluate these experiences for continunity.
For the purposes of attempting to establish a reasonable definition of RubberSpace we can, however, observe some common elements:
It tends to be trance-like. Most of one’s consciousness is heavily focused on tactile sensation and/or fantasies.
it is something that can only be experienced by people who have a fairly pronounced fetish for rubber. (Rubberists) The sensation of latex against the skin produces a psychological and, usually, erotic stimulus that defies explanation and which, in theory, non-fetish people are probably incapble of experiencing.
RubberSpace is an Altered State of Consciousness (ASC). That is, it is not “normal”, every day reality. It is something different.
It is significantly focused on sensation and, more specifically, the tactile feel of latex against the skin. This is often to the exclusion of the other senses (as in Total Enclosure) and may result in a kind of sensory overload which ultimately produces the effect.
Time and space are either distorted or not perceived. If fantasies are present, they may not be linear or the result of cause and effect.
A trance-like meditation or medibation* may be experienced.
It is usually accompanied by strong eroticism though this may be of a purely mental nature. It often leads to orgasm.
Physiological factors resulting from a “session” in rubber may also induce the RubberSpace ASC. Many of these are also found in shamanic practices. Examples may include
mild dehydration (the “sweat lodge effect”)
sensory deprivation (usually hearing and/or vision)
sensory overload (all emphaisis on tactile)
immobility and discomfort (from bondage)
body temperature irregularities (mild heat exhaustion)
oxygen deficiencies from the use of breathing control paraphenalia,
*”medibation” = masturbatory meditation
Your fetish is a gift. Celebrate it!
One way to do celebrate it by wearing rubber mind fully and with a sense of purpose and devotion to yourself. Let it add new levels of richness, passion and depth to your life well beyond the sexual side of it. Make it “sacred” in your mind. Ritualize it. Wear your rubber as a “symbolic action with style” which speaks to your mind and heart but does not need to make sense in a literal context. Cultivate a sensitivity to symbolism and metaphors. Use your rubber rituals to provoke your imagination and creativity in the mundane acts of everyday life. In a life animated by rituals there are no insignificant things. Think of your garments as a “shrine” to your inner being. Try doing simple rubber acts every day, solely and deliberately, for the purpose of doing those acts as an end in themselves. They do not need to be grandiose or lengthy or involved. Doing them with regularity is much more important. Focus your attention on the “now” of the rubber on your body. Practice rubber mindfulness. Keep in mind that rituals are symbolic acts. Wear rubber for the sake of wearing rubber.
(Note that a “ritual” is an act or symbolic gesture deliberately intended to mark an event as special or sacred. It need not be logically connected to nature of the event itself. Shaking hands when you meet someone is a classic example of a ritual to symbolically mark the occasion as being special. It can be totally spontaneous, unrehearsed, unscripted and it need not be repeated. It is the intent of the ritual that matters. It is very different from a “habit” which is mindless repetition of a mundane act. A “habit” lacks the deliberate intent of a ritual.)
This does NOT mean that you have to wear several layers of rubber for hours and hours, totally enclosed, etc. Certainly, these more demanding, intense activities can be rituals, but there are also many, many much simpler, much less demanding rituals as well. For example, you might keep a box of disposable latex gloves in your car and create a daily ritual of deliberately wearing a rubber glove only on your left hand during your commute to work. This simple act, done regularly and with a sense of purpose and ritual symbolism, becomes an act of devotion. It is a way to “seize the rubber day” and express your life more creatively as an “art”, which makes it more worth living.
Research the concept of “mindfulness”. This is a very simple meditative technique that anyone can do virtually any time, any where and for very short bursts of time — even just a few seconds at a time.. It can be readily adapted to your rubber rituals and will add significant depth to them and, ultimately, richness to your life.
Be an explorer of your soul — a pioneer. Look for possible pathways to spirituality through your fetish. Think of yourself as a kind of “Priest/ess” of your own temple. Seek value, virtue and substance well beyond mere sexuality in your fetish. Use your fetish energy to create a personal culture to improve the quality of your life and, perhaps, enhancing it’s spirituality whilst not disturbing or conflicting with your real “religion”. Think of it more like an “art of living” concept much like Yoga or meditation.
For whatever reason, your fetish is part of you — it runs deeply within you. It’s a fundamental part of your identity. Do something positive with it! Make it a creative expression of your soul.
Make your fetish your “art”! Celebrate rubber!
Seize the Rubber Day! Carpe Rubber Diem!
Seize the Rubber Day! Carpe Rubber Diem!