:: Edgeliving: Master Jim and slave marsha ::

:: Saturday, May 15, 2004 ::

Zen and the Art of slave Maintenance

I own and, more importantly, I ride a Harley-Davidson Road King. I love that bike and I exercise great care in maintaining it. I make sure that all service is done on the bike at the suggested mileage intervals. I check the oil, tires, cables, and other mechanical parts. Since I am not a “gearhead,” I let those with expertise perform the necessary service on my bike, but I make sure that I only place my bike in the hands of experienced professionals. Fortunately, a very detailed owner’s manual came along with the Harley, and there are qualified service technicians at Harley dealerships around the country. As a result, maintaining the bike in top running condition is relatively easy.

I believe that many owners of slaves can easily relate to my interest in maintaining my bike. I also believe that many owners may fall into the same trap that I sometimes fall into, a trap that leads us into thinking that a slave does not require the same attention to maintenance that a motorcycle might require. I can speak from experience and tell you that indeed is not the case. Slaves also require maintenance and care. The problem, of course, is that no owner’s manual comes with a slave, nor are there any “slave dealerships” scattered across the country where you can go into the service department and either ask how to have a problem fixed, or to have expert “slave technicians” address whatever needs fixing.

If you neglect your bike by not changing the oil, or replacing worn parts and frayed cables, there will come a time when you find yourself sitting by the side of the road next to your bike. Similarly, if you neglect to address problems your slave may have, if you fail to provide direction, if you become uninterested in development, or if you stop listening, you will at best find yourself sitting by the side of the road with an inoperable slave, and at worst, sitting by the side of the road, alone.

The major difference between motorcycle and slave maintenance is that mechanical problems associated with a bike usually can be pinpointed and fixed, whereas problems with a slave’s behavior, or more importantly, a slave’s heart, may be more difficult to identify, much less to resolve. On the other hand, the similarity between maintaining both lies in the Zen of it all. If you have read the book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert Pirsig, you may already understand that last statement – but let me explain.

One theme in the book is that a bike is much more than the sum of its mechanical parts. While many people buy a bike and sit on top of it and simply ride, others become a part of that bike. Those are the people who become bikers. When you truly become a biker, you do not have to wait for a mechanic to tell you there is a problem; you already know the problem is there. And when you ride, you are not simply sitting on top of the bike – you are part of it. Likewise, while some who are in M/s relationships also simply “sit on top of the bike” and only look at the surface and exterior behavior of the slave, others become one with the slave and ultimately can sense when problems arise and adjustments need to be made.

I believe that becoming one with the person or persons you own, is an essential part of a long-term Master/slave relationship. Arriving at this Zen-like state of oneness does not provide anyone with general or specific instructions on how to fix a slave, but it will help you in identifying problems and will alert you when an interval of slave maintenance is needed. Then, as always, it is up to you to decide what needs to be done and what service needs to be performed.

In leather,
Master Jim

:: 12:24 PM [+] ::
...