Someone wrote me asking for some basic advice on spanking. I started writing about it and a little more came out than perhaps was asked for but I thought it would be of benefit to some folks to see a fairly basic intro to flagellation arts essay that had a few added elements to it on the spiritual side of things.
*******************8
Captain, my Captain-
>
> I've got a Goddess on my hands, and the last few
> weeks have been the hottest in...well, years.
>
> She wants me to restrain her, flog her (a
> little). I've never been in to what I call pain
> games, but I certainly like to play and have
> fun, and understand the essence of role-playing
> and D/s.
>
> What I hope you might offer is a quick & dirty
> lesson in Flogging Technique 101: Basic Spanking
> for the Beginner.
>
> Any online references? Words of wisdom or
> insight? I've always done my best sexually when
> I've followed my instincts, and the last few
> weeks have proved that to be as effective as
> ever. But this is new territory, so I'm
> consulting the guru.

With love
******

Information on Spanking and Flogging (aka Flagellation Arts):
Basics For Beginners and New Context (perhaps) For Veterans
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~Contexts~

~Physical Contexts~
Spanking and Flogging are both defined by the transference of energy between two parties using the hand or some other implement held in the hand. In the case of flogging there is a huge variety of types and styles of implements, which fall under this definition.

~Spiritual Contexts~
A- Chakras – Both Spanking and Flogging are stimulating to the Chakra energy centers and act as both a cleansing and a stimulating agent. Spanking or flogging on the ass sends waves of energy through all the major 7 chakras up the spine and out the crown of the head. Flogging on the back stimulates the Heart Chakra and the waves emulate outward though the other chakras in both directions.
B- In accordance with energy work the INTENTION of the giver and receiver in how this energy is given and received is of great import. Thus the THOUGHTS you have and the FEELINGS you have can have an impact (pardon the pun) on the energetic influences of the spanking or flogging.

~Psychological Contexts~
A- Past- Spanking -Many people have been spanked as part of corporal punishment by their parents or some authority. Some people have had situations that involved spanking that were abusive in nature or involved molestation by an adult or peer. It is important to check in with someone about these things to ensure that you do not bring up past emotional echoes without being prepared for such an occurrence. Not all past emotions around spanking are negative however, for many people their spankings were part of a wonderful loving relationship with their guardians that they remember fondly. Some people were never disciplined corporally in their past. Each of these situations to whatever their degree have their attendant charges.

B- Present – If Flagellation Arts are employed as part of a corporal punishment between two consenting adults, they can have a great deal of psychological weight for both parties involved. Using Spanking or Flogging as a form Consequence can be either erotic or non-erotic. Also it is possible to do ROLE PLAY Discipline such that the two parties PRETEND that the spanking or flogging is being received for some made up transgression. Any of these elements tap into the psychological aspects of spanking and flogging as discipline.

~Good Old Fashioned Erotic Fun~

Neither Flogging nor Spanking need not delve into the consciousness of psychology or energy work all the time, they are both surely a very widespread and wonderful augmentation of sensual play of all kinds. Flogging or Spanking of the butt sends many waves of energy into the genitals. The ass has been highly sexualized by most cultures and thus merely touching this part of the body has a great effect on most people’s sexual energy.

For some people Flagellation Arts are part of foreplay. For others they are part of sex and of course for some enthusiasts they is part of BOTH and perhaps even as part of the “warm-down”. Some people can ONLY be spanked or flogged prior to or after having an orgasm. Some can only have flogging or spanking be present if it is part of sex. Still others prefer there to be PURELY spanking or flogging with no genital or erotic interaction between the two parties

~Dominance Submission Context~

Some people play with Flagellation Arts in the context of Dominant and Submissive roles that they take on either for the time of the role play or in some cases for many years or even the rest of their lives. Distinctive from but also often including Discipline spankings and floggings, Dominance and Submission (aka D/S) need not have a Transgression to warrant either. However D/S style does differ from non D/S flogging and spanking in that the person in the Submissive role agrees in advance to accept either of them from the Dominant person with the exception of certain circumstances that are outlined in advance. D/S relationship can vary greatly in their Degree. Many of them employ what is commonly known as a “Safe Word(s)” The safe word allows the submissive person to release into the guidance of the dominant person whereby they are “required” to accept what is done to them. If anything becomes untenable to the submissive they may employ the safe word to step outside of the D/S paradigm and communicate with the Dominant party. Some D/S situations use a coding system such as Red means “Stop”~~ Yellow Means “Don’t Stop” but do it softer & Green Means “Go” or “Harder if you so Desire.”
Any two or more people playing together can decide this among themselves in advance of playing.

In some cases the submissive person gives up ALL their rights to the dominant person and relinquishes the right to have or implement a safe word. While this extreme form of this paradigm is a proven positive experience for many people, it is not recommended to those who are new to Flagellation and D/S arts.
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~SPANKING : The Art form~

There are many Elements that make up a spanking. They may be considered singularly but also in a dynamic fashion. For example the shape of the hand combined with the strength of the impact will act together to create the sensation received by the spankee.

In each case the concepts of the Elements are not complex. Each Element may be experimented with in order to discover the nuances that lay beneath the information below. In all cases it is important for beginners or persons using unfamiliar techniques to practice them SOFTLY first and then build up to stronger strikes. In this way both the spanker and the spankee may ease into the situation in a comfortable manner. The time to experiment with more wild spanking energy will come soon enough once the skills have been mastered.

SAFETY FIRST – Two quick tips!

TIP 1- Do not spank an area over an unprotected organ such as the kidney or any of the abdominal areas. This can cause internal damage and ruin all your fun.

TIP 2- At all times, remain aware of your spankee. It is the spankers job to make sure that nobody gets hurt and that the spankee is having a positive experience. The spankee need not ENJOY the actual pain to have a positive experience of the spanking as discussed above, however it is the spankers job to make sure that they are aware of what is going on with the spankee.

~ELEMENTS of A SPANKING~

~I~ Shape of Hand – The way that one holds one’s hand is an important element to spanking. The flat method will deliver more of the energy directly to the flesh. The cupped method will place the same energy into a smaller area, thus intensifying the strike. Experiment with how you shape your hand to see what the results are.

~II~ Strength of Arm- From slightest tease to full force slap how hard you swing your arm is one of the most central aspects of a spanking Thinking of one’s arm as having different Gears to shift between is an apt metaphor for the strength element of spanking.
How strongly one strikes is an important thing to be aware of during spanking. Moderating your strength when spanking someone who is new is an important practice. Sussing out what is hard for the spankee is a process known as “Calibration”. Once one has Calibrated the strength of their strike to the desires or limitations of the spankee it can be fun to work between the varying levels of strength in the course of a spanking.

~III~ Angle of Strike – OK so far we have how you hold your hand and how hard you swing your hand into the spankee. Next we have how you ANGLE your strike. There are two basic styles of angle to be explored:

Hitting straight on is a THUD energy. The hand pushes it’s way INTO the flesh, striking not only the surface skin but the tissues and muscles beneath. This style of strike can lead to bruising. It gives a deep hard impact and transfers all the energy from the arm.

Hitting at an angle is more of a SLAP energy. This is more about striking the surface skin and tissue of the spankee. This energy is hotter and sharper and is more prone to reddening the surface skin that it is to bruising.

Again this is a fairly simple concept that can be experimented with to discover nuance. Be playful when mixing up the first three elements discussed so far.

~IV~ Location of Strike - The ass and thighs and breasts and back (never near organs) are all viable locations for spanking... The ass alone has many zones or areas to work - depending upon the style of ass in question...Different people like to be spanked in different places. Some are very exclusive and specific, others like it anywhere.

Take a tour of your partners body and lightly slap and spank them to see how they react.
As always, start slow and soft to see what their reaction is. Sometimes a person will LOVE to be spanked on their breasts or legs but NOT on their ass or some other combination therein. In the use of spanking as discipline of in a D/S context it is possible to single out certain areas as Punishment areas and others as places of pleasure spanking.

~V~ Rhythm of Strike(s) – The final element to consider in your spanking is the RHYTHM baby! As with the other elements Rhythm also has a few styles:
~V~a – congruent rhythm – keeping the same rhythm as you spank
~V~b – elusive rhythm – varying the rhythm as you spank

Combining Shape of Hand, Angle, Strength, Location and Rhythm of Strike together in one’s consciousness as you explore the art of spanking will help you to quickly master the form. Practice each simply at first and then in greater elaborate combination and you will find that you may give all levels of spanking to all manner of persons.

~6~ Aftercare
Showing respect and consideration for those whom you practice on is a paramount element to any worthy spanking artist. This applies to both how you engage someone prior to, during and after a spanking.

Aftercare is a concept that allows for a certain connection between the two persons after the spanking has concluded. While aftercare is not applicable or even desired by both parties in certain circumstances or specific fantasies, it is a wonderful ending to a spanking when possible.

The forms of aftercare are manifold. From simply holding the spankee with no words, through elaborate consolation with words and soothing actions.

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~FLOGGING: THE ARTFORM –

There are many Elements that make up a flogging. Many of the elements are the same as with spanking only there are additional elements to consider. As with spanking, the elements may be considered singularly or in a dynamic fashion

In each case the concepts of the Elements are not complex. Each Element may be experimented with in order to discover the nuances that lay beneath the information below. In all cases it is important for beginners or persons using unfamiliar techniques to practice them SOFTLY first and then build up to stronger strikes. In this way both the flogger and the flogee may ease into the situation in a comfortable manner. The time to experiment with more wild flogging energy will come soon enough once the skills have been mastered.

SAFETY FIRST – Two quick tips!

TIP 1- Do not flog an area over an unprotected organ such as the kidney or any of the abdominal areas. This can cause internal damage and ruin all your fun. Do not flog the face near the eyes.

TIP 2- At all times, remain aware of your flogee. It is the Floggers job to make sure that nobody gets hurt and that the flogee is having a positive experience. The person being flogged need not ENJOY the actual pain to have a positive experience of the flogging as discussed above, however it is the Floggers job to make sure that they are aware of what is going on with the spankee.

TIP 3 – One of the most important things NOT TO DO with a flogger is to “wrap” the ends around the side of someone’s flesh. As the flogger tips curve around any part of the body they gain speed and intensity, which can result in, unlooked for pain and marks.

~ELEMENTS of A FLOGGING~

~I~ Choice of Flogger – There are many things which shape what a flogger does and how to pick one. For the purpose of brevity I am not going to delve too deeply into that now. However it is easy for anyone to tell what a flogger is going to feel like for someone else. Hit your own hand with it!

Floggers that feel soft to the touch and are thick will tend to hurt less than flogger that are thin, or coated and hard to the touch. Practice gently on your playmate and see what their reaction is to the flogger in question. Learn to know what a floggers range is by slowly exploring how it feels to your partner.

~II~ Strength of Arm- From slightest tease to full force blow, how hard you swing your arm is one of the most central aspects of a flogging Thinking of one’s arm as having different Gears to shift between is an apt metaphor for the strength element of spanking.
How strongly one strikes is an important thing to be aware of during flogging. Moderating your strength when flogging someone who is new is an important practice. Sussing out what is hard for the flogee is a process known as “Calibration”. Once one has Calibrated the strength of their strike to the desires or limitations of the person being flogged, it can be fun to work between the varying levels of strength in the course of a flogging.

~III~ Angle of Strike –Next we have how you ANGLE your strike. There are two basic styles of angle to be explored:

Hitting straight on is a THUDDING energy. The flogger’s ends pushes their way INTO the flesh, striking not only the surface skin but the tissues and muscles beneath. This style of strike can lead to bruising. It gives a deep hard impact and transfers all the energy from the arm. It is most like massage, especially when you have a thick flogger.

Hitting at an angle is more of a SLAPPING energy. This is more about striking the surface skin and tissue of the flogee. This energy is hotter and sharper and is more prone to reddening the surface skin that it is to bruising. You can really TEASE with the tips of a flogger. A good way to do this is to lean in and out from the person being flogged, moving on the balls of your feet, holding your arm steady as you swing the flogger. You will notice you can easily find the right range so that just the tips of the flogger touch the persons skin.

Again this is a fairly simple concept that can be experimented with to discover nuance. Be playful when mixing up the first three elements discussed so far.

~IV~ Location of Strike - The ass and thighs and breasts and back (never near organs) are all viable locations for flogging... The ass alone has many zones or areas to work - depending upon the style of ass in question...Different people like to be flogged in different places. Some are very exclusive and specific, others like it anywhere.

Take a tour of your partner’s body and lightly stroke them with the flogger to see how they react. As always, start slow and soft to see what their reaction is. Sometimes a person will LOVE to be flogged on their breasts or legs but NOT on their ass or some other combination therein. In the use of flogging as discipline of in a D/S context it is possible to single out certain areas as Punishment areas and others as places of pleasure flogging.

~V~ Rhythm of Strike(s) – The final element to consider in your flogging is the RHYTHM baby! As with the other elements Rhythm also has a few styles:
~V~a – congruent rhythm – keeping the same rhythm as you flog
~V~b – elusive rhythm – varying the rhythm as you flog

Combining Shape of Hand, Angle, Strength, Location and Rhythm of Strike together in one’s consciousness as you explore the art of flogging will help you to quickly master the form. Practice each simply at first and then in greater elaborate combination and you will find that you may give all levels of flogging to all manner of persons.

~6~ Aftecare
Showing respect and consideration for those whom you practice on is a paramount element to any worthy Flagellist.. This applies to both how you engage someone prior to, during and after a Flogging.

Aftercare is a concept that allows for a certain connection between the two persons after the flogging has concluded. While aftercare is not applicable or even desired by both parties in certain circumstances or specific fantasies, it is a wonderful ending to a flogging when possible.

The forms of aftercare are manifold. From simply holding your partner/lover/playmate with no words, through elaborate consolation with words and soothing actions.

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The Erotic Arts are an Improvisational Medium… the Dynamic Artistry of it all is the core central element…How do you Dance on someone’s body when you spank them? How are you a conductor of the symphony of their body? They are a palate and your hands are the brushes~~ What will you paint upon them?