A Practicum in Sensual Awareness

"So, are you ready to go?"

"I suppose. I'm a little nervous though . . ."

"As well you should be. But, I think you might enjoy it. Or at least learn to enjoy it. I did mine several years ago, and the memories are still burning."

"Diana, You remember the procedure, right?"

"I guess." She replies trembling. A sheen of sweat is forming on her forehead and she nervously wipes it away with the back of her hand. "First stop is the shower, right?"

"No, the first thing is that I will have to fit and place the bracelets and collar. Then you will be blindfolded and taken to the shower. After that you will be shaved — everywhere."

"Then what happens?"

"I guess it is up to your trainer. There are a lot of different activities for them to choose from. That is their skill, and the reason that they have been chosen as trainers. This is also where you will begin to learn the practical part of the your training here at the Institute. You have read the material. Lord, you have been here nearly six months. Aren't you tired of the endless classes and lectures?"

"I am. But it still makes me nervous. Will it hurt a lot?"

"It can. But, I doubt very much if your trainer will begin there. Usually they just start with something slightly uncomfortable. This allows you to bring your mind into focus. But, it is entirely up to them. Who knows, maybe the post will be your first stop."

"I hope not. I'm scared."

"Well, you know that there will be no permanent damage. That is a given. Instead you will simply be instructed in the art of experiencing the wide range of sensuality that humans are capable of. That is the reason we came here."

"I know, but . . . "

"Enough talk. Give me your hands one at a time."

Angela — her best friend here at the Institute — reaches into a case on the desk and selects two matching wrist cuffs and a collar. They are an inch and a half wide and made of highly-polished silver. As Diana looks at them, she can see they are lined with soft, strong leather. There are no rings or other practical appendages. But, each of them has a series of slots where rings or other attachments can be added as needed.

Taking the bracelets she circles first one and the other wrist. They cuffs close on their hinges and lock into place with a loud click. Diana tries turning them on her wrist. She is not successful. While there is little room for play, they are not uncomfortable. "The trainer will have the keys to these. I don't have them and could not remove them if I wanted to. Let me measure your neck."

Taking a flexible measuring tape she carefully measures Diana's thin neck. After retrieving a collar from the case, she snaps it home. Taking several of the rings from the box, she slips them into slots on the wrist and turns them into place. Repeating the procedure on the collar, Diana is ready. "Okay, Diana, take your robe off and turn toward the wall."

Removing the soft silk robe and feeling the cold air caress her nakedness raises gooseflesh on the young woman's arms. Angela moved behind and softly caressed her shoulder and pulled her body back toward her. After holding her in a soft embrace for a moment, she gathers her hair and makes a pony tail. She then pins this on top of her head. Leaving her alone momentarily, she returns with thin piece of rubber that will serve as a blindfold. Moving close behind her she carefully places it across her eyes and pulls it tight. The material is pliable enough that it absolutely seals any light for entering her eyes. She is completely and absolutely without sight. In truth, she was relieved for the kindness of the darkness — at least with the blindfold firmly in place, she would not have to witness her own degradation. Angela pulls the thin rubber tightly and ties it on the side of her head just above her ear. "Is that comfy?"

"Yes, it is tight and I cannot see a thing."

"Good, that is the way it should be. Are you ready?"

Diana nodded. "As ready as I ever will be. It will be all right, won't it?"

"I think so. I did it. So can you. Now just relax and have some fun. After all, if your trainer thinks that something is particularly frightening to you . . ."

She let the thought drop but the implication was clear. If they found something that frightened her, she had better plan on much more of it. That was their way here and Diana knew it. That was the simple idea behind the Institute. Trying to train people to understand themselves and their sexuality. Once a person had been successfully trained, the sky was the limit for them. Working either as a professional advisor, in counseling, or even — if one was very very good at this — as an extremely highly paid professional courtesan. Diana was a little bit of different story for she only wanted to write about the experience for a book. But, in the end, because she was receiving the same training: the effect would be the same.

Diana, for almost the first time, wondered at her decision to undergo this training. It had seemed like such a good idea when her editor had proposed that she do this. Even the courses were interesting. She had actually enjoyed learning nearly everything there was to know about sex and stimulation. As she thought about it now, she was glad for the training. But, why couldn't she have just left then? Why was it necessary to undergo this ordeal? She knew the answer: honesty and integrity in reporting. But these seemed ridiculously precious ideals with her wrists encased in cold steel, blindfolded, and nude.

Angela moved behind her and placing one hand on each hip, directed her forward. "Relax, this will be the experience of a lifetime: I know this. By the way, you simply look marvelous. I cannot believe what a beautiful body you have. Just about perfect."

"Thank you, Angela." Diana said with a hanging question in her voice as she moved forward into the unknown.

When she felt the pressure from Angela's hands, she stopped. Angela moved in front of her and opened the door to the shower area. Reaching out she took her hand and pulled her forward.

When they had moved a few steps into the room, Angela stopped her. "Move your feet forward, please"

As Diana did so, they encountered some resistence. "What is that?" She asked.

"Since the process of cleansing and removing excess body hair is so exacting, it will be necessary to restrain you completely. It would not do to have the razor slip. These will simply hold your feet and ankles in position."

Bending down, Angela pushed first one foot forward and then the other. When they were in position, she retrieved the other portion of the stocks and moved it into place. Diana's legs were spread apart — but not severely. It was not uncomfortable, but it was very confining. She tried wiggling her feet and there was very very little movement possible. "Please reach your hands over your head as high as they will go."

As Diana did so, first one and then the other was secured using the rings that Angela had placed earlier. "Now, we only have to remove the slack and we are ready. Tell me if this hurts."

As her hands were raised toward the ceiling, Diana could feel the tension from her arms to her ankles. "That is tight."

The pressure stopped momentarily as Angela examined her bondage. "No, I think we need it just a little tighter. But, not very much."

Diana felt the last bit of her freedom to move taken from her. When Angela moved close to her she whispered, "Seriously, the best thing to do is simply comply with what they want." Taking her hand she caressed a breast. She moved closer and pressed against her. Diana felt her breath on her lips as she her tenderly. She held the kiss as her hand moved slowly over her breast teasing the nipple with her thumb and first finger.

It was the first time that Diana had ever been kissed by a woman in sexual way. Alarms were going off in her head but she calmed them down: after all, what could she do to resist. She was stretched tightly from her ankles to her wrists. Movement was simply not possible and because she could not move: she was at Angela's mercy. She responded to the kiss briefly and Angela answered by increasing the pressure by entwining her fingers in her hair and pulling her closely. With a final push she backed off and said, "That was for luck. See you in a couple of weeks. Try to enjoy the experience. Who knows, maybe I will see you soon." Then she was gone leaving Diana alone.

How long she stood in the shower area before someone came was always a mystery to her. She didn't think it was very long: but with each second magnified, it was hard to tell. When she heard the water being turned on, she tensed her body. The sound was not near her. Blindfolded and bound her sense were magnified and she knew the water was some distance from her. She heard the splashing of the water coming nearer.

When she felt the first burst of the hot water on her stomach, she nearly passed out. The person must be using a hand-held shower attachment, she thought. She felt the water move up her body to her neck. Then the water was allowed to rush over her body.

For some reason it suddenly seemed important to know who was doing this. She asked, "Who is there?"

There was no answer but the water was turned off. "Open your mouth." Diana had little choice. She was relieved that it was a man's voice, she did not want to experience any more encounters with a woman in this position A rubber bladder was inserted and when she felt the air being pumped in cutting off any possibility of speech, she knew she had committed a transgression. When her jaws began to ache, she moaned. The person inflating the bladder backed off. The pressure remained, but it did not get any worse.

She felt the soft brush as it started at her bound wrists and moved down her body softly scrubbing every inch. No human touch was ever evident: only the soft bristles working the soap into her body. The person controlling the brush did not even hesitate at either her breasts or her sex, instead, she was simply cleaned: quickly and without any deviation from the task.

After she was rinsed thoroughly, she was allowed a brief rest. Then she heard the burst of the shaving cream as the person pressed the aerosol can. She felt them take the lather and starting with her tightly-encased wrists, moved their way down her body to her ankles. Special care was given to her sex. Diana tried to envision what was happening. She was stretched taunt and covered with shaving cream. The vision did not please her so she tried to drive it out of her mind.

When she felt the icy coolness of the razor on her arms, she nearly swooned. But, the person wielding the razor was obviously an expert and her arms were soon done. The person then moved behind her and, after spreading out the shaving cream with their fingers, shaved the hair on the back of her neck. Moving in front again she felt the razor on her armpits. "Don't move. This is extremely sharp and I don't want to cut you . . ."

Diana tried her best to stay still but this resolve was tested severely when she felt the razor on her areola. She knew that she always had a couple hairs that few on her breasts but she had simply cut these off. The person using razor cut these off quickly and moved down. But the feel of the cold steel on her most sensitive areas burned itself into her memory. She felt her nipples harden in spite of her wishing they would not.

In a remarkably short time he had removed every pubic hair from her pubic shelf. She felt the cool air caress her nakedness as he moved down. When she felt him finish shaving at her ankle she was relieved. The water was turned on and she was rinsed. "Okay, dry her." The man commanded.

Diana was surprised when she felt towels on both her front and her back. The two pairs of hands quickly dried her off and she was left again. "There are only two more things to be done. The first is to have you oiled. I will do that in a moment. Then the last two bonds will be placed. A belt — made in the same manner as the wrist cuffs — and loop adornments for your breasts.

Without waiting for an answer, she felt his hands on her body as the scented body oil was rubbed into her skin. Still, he did not touch her in what she considered to be a sexual manner. He simply rubbed the oil deeply into her skin. When she felt the loops on her nipples being pulled tight, she knew this portion of her ordeal was nearly over with. "These are not clamps, per se. But they can be tightened if necessary." To make the point she felt the loop on her right nipple tighten until she tried to moan through the gag. "Actually, someday you might actually long for that little pain." He said ominously.

Taking the belt he encircled her waist and snapped it into position. It rested just below her navel and above her hips. First one hand and then the other was secured to the belt. The board was removed from the stocks holding her feet. A leash was attached to the chain between her breasts and threaded through the ring in the collar. Without further discussion, she was pulled forward. One of the loops on her breasts fell off. The pressure stopped and she felt it circling her nipple once more. This time it was pulled tight: even more tightly than the other. Satisfied, the pressure returned and she was led out of the room.