fortheloveofasubmissive: Slave Positions - A Personal Perspective Much is made of slave positions in
fortheloveofasubmissive: Slave Positions - A Personal Perspective Much is made of slave positions in written and pictorial depictions of BDSM. They are indeed wonderful portrayals of the consensual nature of the power exchange. But I wonder how many people actually give thought to why these slave positions exist and what purposes they serve in the Dominant/submissive or Master/slave dynamic? Are they simply there for the amusement and convenience of the Dominant or do they serve a deeper purpose? As you might expect, I have some thoughts on this. The use of slave positions can be broken down into three primary purposes in my view; training, convenience, control. When a submissive or slave gives themselves to their Dominant or Master, they are in effect turning over their will and their bodies to be guided, molded and used in a time, place and manner of the Dominant’s choosing within the boundaries of pre-arranged limits. But even for the most submissive slave, the transition from the vanilla life they have known to the mindset and soul of a submissive does not always come naturally, consistently, or certainly overnight. There is a period of training that helps establish the roles in the power exchange as well as teaching and reinforcing patterns of behavior and interaction that are required between the particular Dom and sub, often known as protocol. Slave positions play an important role in this transition period and after. The mere act of learning and carrying out the various slave positions at the command of a Dominant in the course of training is in itself a submissive act. It is an early acknowledgement by a submissive or slave that they are committed to their Master or Dominant and intend to serve them to the best of their ability. Each and every time a submissive assumes a position at the behest of their Dominant or in response to a standing protocol, something in the mind snaps and the physical act becomes a mental act of submission as well. Through practice and repetition, the slave positions become an automatic physical response and the effect on the mind can become equally spontaneous. It is difficult not to feel humble and submissive when on one’s knees. Religions the world over recognize the effect of kneeling as an act of humility and submission to a higher power. It is something of an automatic human response. Kneeling equals submission. In training a submissive, we use slave positions to reinforce and cement the power exchange between Dominant and submissive. Naturally, once the slave positions have all been learned and can be carried out without hesitation or fumbling, their use becomes a matter of convenience to the Dominant. It is far easier and more elegant to simply say “Nadu,” “Bara,” or “Present” while pointing at a spot on the floor than to go through the entire exercise of saying, “I want you to kneel here before me, knees apart, eyes cast down, hands upraised on your thighs,” or similar complicated explanations. If a Dominant wants a submissive on their knees, ass in the air, arms stretched out over their head, it is a whole lot more convenient, elegant and less time consuming to simply say, “Karta.” It is worth mentioning that there are a number of naming conventions for slave positions stemming from different sources. Some of the names mentioned here originate with the John Norman “Gor” series of books and have become popular but there are a number of other less foreign sounding naming conventions used in various segments of the BDSM and leather community. They are simply a matter of community preference or personal choice. Finally, there is the matter of control. When a Dominant commands a submissive into a position or a standing protocol dictates a particular stance or presentation for a given situation, there is control involved. It is an assertion of Dominance and the compliance (eventually even automatic response) of a submissive to the command or protocol serves as a continual and ongoing cementing of the power exchange. Sometimes a position is used for respectful presentation, other times it is for sexual service, scene play, or even punishment. A position can also be assumed as a prelude or convenience for the application of bondage of one sort or another. But no matter the purpose, the fact that a submissive will adopt the commanded position without coercion or manipulation is an exchange of not only power but also control. It is an expression of devotion and trust on the part of the submissive to their Dominant. And to the Dom, it is one of the expressions of submission most cherished. It is a physical manifestation of the mental submission we enjoy from a submissive and indeed one of the most rewarding outpourings of their submission. I fear that many people fixate on the overt symbolism of slave positions for their imagery of oppression or subservience. In a healthy and loving D/s relationship, nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that when a submissive meets the right Dominant, the desire to kneel or otherwise present themselves becomes nearly overpowering. It becomes not only something that is desirable but indeed can be an outright craving. For someone who has not experienced this sort of exchange it is difficult to fathom the profoundly deep need of a submissive to kneel or otherwise preset to their Master. But rest assured that it is indeed real and not some trick, oppression or manipulated sleight of hand. The need is real and palpable. Positions play an important role in developing, cementing and carrying out a D/s relationship. They assert Dominance and garner not only compliance but outright submission; a sense of absolutely letting go to another. Suffice to say that as a Dominant I never tire of the sight of my Muse kneeling, presenting, or obeying a command with a perfectly and timely performed position. My heart stirs each and every time, followed by a few other things as well. When she kneels I become every bit as much hers as she is mine. We forge our bond still further. Originally posted on June 16, 2013 Caption © For The Love of a Submissive, 2013 Image © Donatien de Dase -- source link
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