The pace is building on sensation, piling on more sensation, erasing the demands of the ego with sensation, sensation so intense one dare not call it pain and get away with it, yet the sensation towers and presses further. The spiritual power of a leather scene is strongest at this point. It is a glimpse of visionary ecstasy, the mind in communion with the body consciousness, a threshold of catharsis and emotional release. The wearing of leather does not bring spirituality in itself, it is the person who brings spirit to the leather. No matter the range of sexual diversity the leather lifestyle encompasses, leather bonds us together.
Newcomers visit a leather bar, dip their toe in, and at some point decide to go all the way.
They become initiates to the mysteries, not yet leather people but acolytes in search of a teacher. If the more experienced ones are willing to train, they go through a rite of passage into the leather world and grow from children into leather men and women. That first step seems the most difficult and painful, but with time and experience, much more is coped with. Each successful scene is a descent into one's personal underworld, where powerful feelings and visions are encountered. The leather lifestyle is intimate, functioning at its best in small groups or pairs.