This is a picture of Satine Phoenix from a couple of years ago.

Punishment

There was a discussion started in FetLife today on Punishment (http://fetlife.com/users/44173). Here's what I wrote:

Every relationship I've been in has been different, so what I do to keep my submissives on their toes and help them perfect their submission vary widely as well. In general, though I see the issue as having two separate facets: I use light physical corrections along with positive feedback when I'm training subs. The punishment is to correct errors and inattention, the positive feedback (a smile and "Good Girl") is to reinforce things done well. Subs in training are trying hard to please me, so when they make mistakes it doesn't irritate me or even displease me, let alone make me mad; the mistakes and corrections are just part of the training process. On the other hand, seeing them improve certainly does please and make me happy. As part of this process, submissives will occasionally lose focus and get distracted, or go into Reactance for a short period as I take their freedom away. These are Discipline issues, and talking to them and arriving at an understanding with them is the first step. Correction is necessary too, though - more on that later. Punishment, for me, are for misbehavior, disobedience, carelessness, neglect, that sort of thing. Serious Discipline issues, in other words. This sort of thing usually comes after the main training phase. Some of this behavior stems simply from the natural tendency of subs to occasionally test their Masters; some of it comes from my getting distracted and not paying enough attention to my sub. And some of it is her letting the Bad Girl side of her get loose and out of control. It's all serious and it all needs to be dealt with immediately and firmly.

For correction and lighter punishments, I've always required them to tell me what they're being punished for, ask me to punish them, and thank me for caring enough for them to discipline them. When in training, or when they're being a good girl but just a little careless, for example, I tried just giving them a few light spanks as the physical part of the correction; but I've found three or five firm whacks with a back scratchier is far more effective. The light form of punishment can easily get to be fun for the submissive, and that's not good at all.

For medium mistakes and misbehavior, I do whatever seems appropriate for the girl and the circumstances. That can range from serving myself to bending her over a chair and giving her five cane strokes as hard as I can to ignoring her. That's in order of severity. Ignoring her, refusing to allow her to sleep in my bed, putting her in a cage in the back bedroom and turning off the lights are for most girls extremely severe, so I don't do them lightly; and I only do them if I think the balance between submissive and Master can be restored. If the circumstances suggest the relationship is too far out of balance, or is going irretrievably wrong, it's just time to release her, not punish her, It's not misbehavior if you've just grown apart or aren't compatible.