The journal is the next step in slave training. The journal is also apart of the disclosure process. The English definition for “a journal” is a daily record of happenings, a diary of sorts, or a ship’s logbook. This is exactly what the journal is. It is a daily record of the slave’s training, a diary of his/her life, and a logbook of the journey which he or she takes within the training.
The training journal is the journal in which we will discuss here, but the same concepts can be used when the slave has completed training. This is a discipline which should be kept up and maintained. I myself find the journal a very important aspect for the slave. It is a place where they can voice their feelings, their thoughts, their opinions. It is a safe haven for them to speak their minds. When you allow a journal, you should instruct the slave, that they can write whatever they feel like. You should not punish them for what is written in the journal because it is for them. If you discipline them for something written there, then they will not feel the freedom which they have in writing there. It is specifically for them, a safe haven for them to voice their true feelings. You should however read it on a daily basis, as it is a good way for you to also get within their mind, and see what they speak of.
The following is what should be kept in the training journal:
- A daily record of the day’s happenings.
- Any new instructions or rules which have been added
- A detailed account of feelings, reactions, thoughts, fears, desires, questions act.
- Anything which is too hard to speak verbally to the trainer
- Detail account of scenes tended to
Detailed account of punishments given, thoughts on said punishments, and the ways which are going to be done to correct the unwanted behavior.
A slave should make a entry in their journal before bedtime each night. In the morning they should then re-read the previous night’s entry and make any comments which the slave felt were important to make. Nothing should be removed from the journal or erased, but only added. As the mind rests, sometimes new thoughts arise within the mind of the slave.
The input from a slave is crucial to a good trainer/Dominant. They must be aware of the slave’s true feelings. They must be able to see within the head of that submissive, and understand what is going on in there. You as a trainer, must understand the nature of submission. It is often very difficult for them to voice their concerns, disappointments, fears and hurts directly to the person. Very often they will say what they think the Dominant wants them to say, only to be found pleasing. it is much easier for them to write it down on paper, or record it in a journal while they are alone, and not underneath the eyes of their overseer.
Remember, that the journal should not replace the open communication between a Dominant and the submissive. if you find your trainee writing more in their journal then telling you face to face, there is a serious problem in communication between the two of you, and you might way to take a step back to figure out what that problem is. It should only be used as a tool to build trust and skills in voicing the feelings a submissive has written about. When the slave makes a entry, you should always take time to talk about what was written in that entry. You as a trainer, should encourage the slave to open up his/her feelings and share them. Once the slave feels that the trainer is not going to get angry or disappointed, it will get easier to talk bout things, then writing them.
The journal is also a benefit for the slave in training. It allows them to go back and see how their training is changing them, or molding them. It allows them to see how much they have grown. The journal is also a good way to make sure there is no misunderstandings, specially with rules and instructions. Recording them and then having them gone over, is a good way for the trainer to make sure they were understood clearly and precisely.