Miss Abernathy's Concise Slave Training Manual

Part I: The Training Program In which we examine the specifics of training an erotic slave Ok, apparently the 1st run of this was too long. At the request of RJ... ATTITUDE While the actual training of a slave encompasses the total person, the sine qua non of a service-oriented submissive is the correct attitude. Different roles may dictate different training techniques, but all slaves-and dominants too for that matter-should cultivate an attitude of mindfulness. For our purposes, mindfulness may be defined as an over-arching awareness of one's person, surroundings, and circumstances. It is a gentle attention, focused but not forced. Many spiritual traditions recommend sitting, chanting, or other forms of meditation to awaken a mindful state. For the slave, it is dharma yoga, the pursuit of one's true vocation, that is the path to mindfulness. A slave's mindfulness should encompass her physical body, her mental awareness, her emotional state and, insofar as it is possible, the physical, mental, and emotional state of the dominant and any other person in the environment. This is not to say that a slave must be clairvoyant or an empath; she must first cultivate self-awareness, and under tutelage, awareness of the dominant's needs and wishes. Experienced slaves do often develop a sort of sixth sense, the ability to anticipate the dominant's needs before she verbalizes them. THE SLAVE JOURNAL Slaves-in-training should be encouraged to keep a written record of their thoughts, fantasies, and experiences. The journal is usually the property of the submissive but is meant to be read by the dominant. Thus, the dominant may requite that the slave address the journal directly to her and that special written forms be followed. For example, it is common for slaves to use the lower case when referring to themselves and to capitalize all references to the dominant: "Mistress, i am writing this journals as You requested. i hope it meets with Your approval." Or, they may be required to omit the first person pronoun all together: "this slave is writing a journal as You requested." Some dominants find the use of the possessive in reference to themselves highly offensive, as the Mistress does not belong to the slave. The feel it is more appropriate for the slave to speak of "the Mistress" than of "my Mistress." Holding on to this pattern can result in some interesting linguistic difficulties, but greatly encourages mindfulness. It is to me used at the dominant's discretion. Entries should me made in the journal on a regular basis (anywhere from once a day to once a week has proved useful). The dominant may wish to respond, verbally or in written form, to the entries. PUNISHMENT It is inevitable that at some point in her training, even the most accomplished slave will make a mistake. The dominant should set clear guidelines for correction of errors. If the point of the punishments is correction, then the rule is, "Let the punishment fit the crime." In general, errors that indicate lack of consideration of the dominant or behavior that runs counter to the agreed-upon code of ethics for the slave should be punished more severely than simple physical mistakes. Errors of the former sort include the following: neglecting proper forms of address, disobeying direct commands, gossiping, arrogance, tardiness, failure to complete a training assignment, disrespect in any form. Punishments should also suit the slave. A slave who is very attached to a token may have that token taken away for a period of time. A slave who consistently forgets honorifics may be put under a discipline of total silence; this technique is also useful for gossips. Arrogant slave may be denied use of furniture or eating utensils. A slave who is unduly proud of her appearance may be dressed in unfashionable or ill-fitting clothes or denied access to the bath. In extreme cases, the dominant may choose to send the slave away for a period of time. In more simple cases, repetition is the key. If a slave cannot remember how to fold the dominant's socks, it may be time for her to empty the entire sock drawer and refold every pair correctly. If a slave forgets to use the lover-case "i" in written assignments, she may be required to write "i must be humble,' one hundred times. Slaves who lose keys, or bus passes may be made to wear them around their necks on a string, like schoolchildren do. Never underestimate the power of humiliation. Physical discipline may prove useful for slaves who are physically and psychically able to withstand it. Often the mere threat of a beating is enough to whip the slave into shape. A petulant, whining slave should be taken over the dominant's knee and spanked like the child she is. A slave who is negligent in the use of her honorifics can be required to count each stroke, thanking the dominant in the appropriate respectful form. Lazy slaves who are caught sitting around may be paddled so that when the next sit down, their bruises will remind them of their obligations. Dominants sometimes find themselves at a loss about how to punish masochistic slaves, for whom physical beatings are the purest pleasure. One method is to deny the slave a beating or administer one with a tool that the slave does not enjoy. Another tactic is to use some other form of punishment, such as memorizing a humiliatingly silly poem, or performing some seemingly endless task, like scrubbing the bathroom grout with bleach and a toothbrush. The slave might also be asked to perform a particularly challenging task, as a chance to turn the punishment into an occasion for reward.