Kneeling

@ Sir’sbabydoll...thank you for checking in with me to make sure that I’m actually wanting to kneel and not just because I think it’s required ? It means a lot that you are looking out for a fellow submissive ?

I’m trying different stuff I read about on here to see if I like it or not and I have found I do like kneeling but I’m not a fan of doing it long term. ??

@ tallslenderguy...I didn’t think about putting my weight more on the floor instead of my legs. Good idea! I’ll try that next time I practice. Thank you!

@newandeager,

Ok, I'm glad I checked. For me, I will kneel is I need to gain someone's attention, to nullify their anger, to ask a question that I think may touch a nerve within them.

Due to my bad knees, I can't kneel kneel....I have to sit sit.

So are you talking Nadu position? It is one of the "High Protocol" body positions.

@Sirsbabydoll, yes I looked up a few positions on line and I liked how the Nadu position looked but I’m not a huge fan of some of the other “high protocol” stuff.

I like how the position kind of puts me into a calmer mental state if that makes sense? It helps me focus as I tend to over think things and have anxiety about myself and everything I think I’m doing wrong.

You don't have to explain to ME about head noise. I'm a brat....

And I have also found that because I"m a beat, my submission works differently. For me, it's not about body positions, because to me, that is just play acting. For me, it's about controling the outcome given a set of predictable possible reactions to a set of stimulation. If I can't predict how he is going to react to my behavior....if he takes it completely sidewards.....then I have no clue what my next move is and THAT is me being powerless. Submitting to receiving those reactions, gracefully, is MY submission.

This is only a recent discovery of mine so it made me realise that not all submission looks the same.

Submission is what moves you....and kneeling just pissed me off because it was contrived.

@SBD: Much of the "ritual" of a D/s dynamic is "contrived". It's a process by which trust in small things is extended and earned so that trust in larger more important issues can be earned down the road.

Kneeling is a small thing, (unless one happens to have bad knees), shows humility, trust and above all devotion. One dom may require it, another may not care, and yet another may despise it, (don't stroke out on me, yes there are doms that despise kneeling). These are things to work out in each unique relationship.

In any stress related position the cutting of of the blood supply, irritation of the nerves will cause pins and needles/numbness - I used to kneel at lot during my karate training, after a lengthy knee and an expectation to get up quickly and participate was stressful - I tried to find positions that I could do slight movement, toes, ankles flexing legs muscles kept the discomfort to a minimum - but everybody's body is different. Standing to attention for any length of time causes similar issues - very slight rocking, moving toes, flexing muscles all help - well that is until the military person faints. Those are just my opinions - trial and error, at some point you will find something that works for you.

Sorry, allow me to clarify...

MY kneeling felt contrived. It didn't move me to feel submissive. It made me feel pissed off.

It felt fake, play acting and a farse. That's why it shocked me so hard when I discovered what DID make me feel submissive....it was an internal submission, not a physical one.

Fuck the mind and the body will follow....

@FloraDragon:

Yes, thanks for mentioning military attention. I'd forgotten to do that.

When standing to attention, soldiers are trained to move their leg muscles slightly every once in a while. If they fail to do so, they will faint, as blood will accumulate in their legs, and not return to their body. This is because the veins, (which carry blood back to the lungs and heart), do NOT contain any means of pumping the blood. Your muscles provide that pumping action. This means that if you aren't moving, your blood is not circulating. The "pins and needles" sensation is there to remind you to move.

@SBD:
<nods> thanks for the clarification. Kneeling to feel submission is like putting the cart before the horse. It just doesn't work that way. One kneels because one has *already* submitted in her heart.

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Side note. I've managed to say "submit" so many times in this post that I'm getting a little thrill from the idea of pushing the "submit" button!

I too have the bad knees issue (long-term arthritis, etc.), but often have to assume the kneeling position while working on my back/shoulder flexibility. In that setting, I find I often have to switch from that position to cross-legged, which means I have to focus more on keeping my back straight the entire time. However, if you prefer kneeling/staying still without shifting/fidgeting for a prolonged period of time, and want to work on your stamina in that position, @skyrich made a great suggestion of keeping your knees apart so more of your weight is between your legs. You can even put a foam yoga block between your ankles so your tailbone has something to rest on besides your heels.

If you're more of a traditionalist (or your Dom is), and would rather keep your legs under you, you could try tilting your pelvis forward so that more of your weight is resting on the meatier part of your calves, instead of your ankles. The important nerves there are deeper (under the gastrocnemius (calf) muscle) and more cushioned compared to the superficial branches that supply your ankles/feet/toes. I also find it's easier to maintain better back/neck posture this way without getting those cricks/knots that we are all soooooo very fond of (she said sarcastically), and it puts less pressure on the knee joints as well. You can also take turns pointing your toes on each foot while kneeling, which will help engage the muscles in your calves and feet --> stimulated/enhanced blood flow to the vasculature around the nerves there, hopefully preventing the pins and needles but also being sneaky and subtle about it

I'm with @Sirsbabydoll, though: kneeling sucks.

PS: I would not recommend putting your ankles together while in this position. It puts too much torque on the knee joints, which will weaken the surrounding ligaments and make you more prone to tearing something.