Spanking, Submission, and the Path to Enlightenment

A slightly longer-than-comment-sized answer to a brunch question Bonnie posed a while back.

I’ve learned many things since I first started lurking on spanking blogs. At first there were a lot of words to get used to- and of course the many nuances between the different ways in which people incorporate these practices into their lives.

And then there was the more vanilla stuff- the cultural exchanges with people around the world. The little glimpses into how daily live works for those on a different path. And vocabulary words (of which “apricity” is a favorite). And tidbits of history.

And religion. For some reason this topic seems to come up every time I get together with those who share this particular interest. I don’t quite know why this is. Some of the discussions started with CDD, but not all. I’d like to think that people open to discussing spanking in a non-judgmental way may be more inclined to be open-minded about other things as well, opening the way for topics typically seen as too sensitive for casual conversation. But that may be overly optimistic or naïve.

Or maybe it is because the quest for a deeper understanding of this thing that we do is intimately tied with questioning of our place in the world, of what is morally right and wrong and what the reason for it all may be. This is just another vehicle to examine the nature of existence- to bring up the fundamental questions. Who am I? What is my role in life? Why am I this way?

I remember a fellow student remarking to me after a lesson on meditation while lying down that this class had been enlightening for him. It was much easier for him to clear his mind while not worrying what his body was doing in the meantime. “It seems almost like cheating.” I remember him saying.

For me at least, the same concept applies here. It’s much easier to think deeply about the nature of the universe and my place within it when prompted by an enticing story that taps into a very core part of my being- albeit a part that is also tied up with my sexuality- than by the more traditional ancient stories I grew up listening to in religious contexts. (I realize some of these also contain similar elements, but the context in which they were first presented in my case was rather dry and uninspiring- not a great recipe for deep reflection.)

Or maybe I’m just brainwashed and this is all just an elaborate excuse I need make to myself to justify reading erotic literature and looking at nude art.

But isn’t that in itself also a deep psychological question?