Discipline is a common element in BDSM play
and is even sometimes
represented by the letter "D" in this acronym.
Discipline refers to the
practice of training a submissive to obey a Dominant
and to follow certain
rules.
It is most common during submissive or slave training,
but
discipline is also present in all aspects of the relationship
between a Dominant and a submissive.
Although punishment can go hand in hand with
discipline,
it typically focuses more on helping a submissive to learn
what
is expected of them
and how to act accordingly.
For instance,
if a
submissive makes an honest mistake,
it is the Dominant's responsibility
to discipline her/him
by showing her/him the proper way to do something.
Punishment usually occurs only when a submissive willfully breaks a
rule.
It is important to note that those in the BDSM community
It is important to note that those in the BDSM community
view the
ability to submit
as a source of empowerment for the submissive.
Although punishment often goes hand in
hand with discipline,
it is not the only aspect of it.
For example,
when
a submissive does something
in such a way that it does not please a Dominant,
the submissive will usually need to be disciplined.
This
usually involves the Dominant explaining what He or She disliked
as well
as teaching the submissive how to do it properly.
In some cases, a
punishment may also be used
to help a submissive learn a particular
lesson better.
However, the punishment should always be related to the
infraction.
For example,
a proper punishment for speaking out of turn
may be forbidding speaking or enforcing silence
with a gag for a certain
amount of time.
(kinkly.com)
