First, it’s good to know about something known as ‘bound by Master’s will.’ Commonly if you are commanded into a specific position, you should continue to hold it until released:
~Bonds of the Master’s Will:
“She wore the “bonds of the master’s will.” Grunt had put her in them. She lay on her stomach. Her wrists were crossed behind her. Her ankles, too, were crossed. She was “bound.” She could not rise to her feet. Yet there was not a rope or a strap on her body. She was “bound by the master’s will.” She could not move from this position unless, at the word of a free person, she was freed from it.” Blood Brothers of Gor
Please note, that no bonds are actually necessary; but they might as well be there. Along this same area of thought there is also being gagged this way:
~Gagged by her Master’s Will:
“There are many varieties of slave gags, and such. The simplest device for attaining this end is when she is “gagged by her master’s will,” which simply means that she is prohibited from speaking until given permission to do so.” Vagabonds of Gor
As such, when you are gagged either this way or manually there are still ways to answer yes or no questions: “You are familiar with gag signals, are you not?” he asked. I whimpered once. When a woman is gagged, one whimper means “Yes,” and two, “No.” Witness of Gor
A note about Variances: save for a select few, each of these positions or commands will have a variance, either depending on the City, the Free’s preference, or simply the time they are performed the Free can make adjustments based on his or her instant desires.
“Observe,” once had said Elizabeth to me, to my amusement, in the secrecy of our compartment, “the twelfth way to enter a room,” I had observed. It was not bad. But I think I preferred the tenth, that with the girl’s back against the side of the door, the palms of her hands on the jamb, her head up, lips slightly parted, eyes to the right, smoldering at just the right temperature. “How many ways are there,” I asked, sitting cross-legged in the center of the compartment, on the stone couch, “to enter a room?” “It depends on the city,” said Elizabeth. “In Ar we are the best; we have most ways to enter a room. One hundred and four.” I whistled. “What about,” I asked, “just walking straight through?” She looked at me. “Ah,” said she, “one hundred and five.” Assassin of Gor
So, as we can see if something as simple as ‘entering the room’ has 105 ways -there is likely many, many other ways for each of these as well.
Some tips before we get started: Try to be as descriptive as you can when performing these positions. Remember also your facial features, what emotions you might be displaying, the way your clothes or hair move across your body, or where you direct your eyes.
Also try to remember the position you are already in while you flow into the next position, especially during paces.
~All Fours: this position is sometimes known incorrectly as ‘table’, but it means it exactly what it says: you move to your hands and knees and do not rise again until you are allowed to. You also assume this position when commanded to “Crawl” as well.
-“Crawl” also has a silent command: four fingers pointed downward.
~Bara: this is also known as ‘Standard Binding Position’, and is a position that puts you to your belly with your wrists and ankles crossed as if ready for binding, with your head turned to the left. Some prefer left ankle and wrist over right to make yourself more vulnerable, though the books don’t specify that.
Bara has been thought to mean “belly” in the Gorean language but there is a command for that too!
~Belly: this is also known as ‘Second Obeisance Position’, but occasionally simply “belly” is commanded. This is performed by going to your belly. As the quotes say there are many forms of bellying and we will see that through out the course of this class. “Second Obeisance Position” as described in the books: you go to your belly, legs straight out behind you with your hands on either side of your head, palms down.
-There is a silent command for” belly,” and you will see one of the variances: it is quoted as spread eagled instead of “Second Obeisance Position.” The silent command for this is fingers spread with palm down indicating the floor.
Another variance can be seen in this quote:
“This is a simple Gorean procedure, not uncommon, for determining that a girl encountered in the darkness is both helpless and unarmed….’Cross your wrists,’ I told her, ‘palms facing one another, and touch your fingers to my ankle.’ She did this, lying on her stomach. With her hands in this position, a girl can exert almost no leverage, and it may be determined, too, that her hands are empty.” Guardsman of Gor
~Bracelets: this position has you in your regular kneel, but with your wrists crossed behind your back. This is actually the standard kneeling position in Thentis.
~Band Display: also known as “Mark”, “Brand” or “Thigh!” this is a position you assume to display your brand. Move to a high kneel and turn your thigh out slightly, pulling up any clothing that may obscure your brand -otherwise your hands are crossed behind your back. Another variance is to extend your left leg while kneeling on your right to display the brand. This is of course if you are branded on your left thigh -the most common position for a ka`lara.
~Capture: this is also known as ‘Slave Rape’ and incorrectly as ‘Sula-ki’. It’s a position that puts you on your back with your knees raised and your feet flat on the floor. You are on open display and whatever else the Master might want to do to you.
~Collar: this position is for your collar to be easily read by the Free. Either standing our kneeling you will lift her chin higher and put your hands behind you -going closer to them if necessary so they are not inconvenienced in any way but still are able to read the lettering on your collar. In the books, the Master’s name and Home Stone is usually on an inscription on the collar.
~Examination: this position is also known as ‘Inspection’, and also commonly as ‘Display.’ This position is performed standing with your legs apart and your hands clasped at the back of your neck or behind your head, with your chin raised. You are on display for inspection of the free.
~Whip Caress: it is in this position that slaves will most often experience what is known as the Whip Caress, or Slaver’s Caress. This is where the auctioneer or Free will draw the leather between the slave’s legs; it’s meant to invoke an involuntary sexual response that will betray the woman as being a hot blooded slave.
~High-Harness: this is more of a command to lift your head high and leave it there until released. This can be performed standing or kneeling and you simply tilt your head way back. This invokes feelings vulnerability and exposure as your throat is so open to the Free.
~Kneel to the Coffle: this is a kneeling position in which you present their left wrists to the coffled.
There is a variation where the left leg is extended for the coffle instead of or as well as the left wrist. Sometimes slaves are simply chained at the collar as well, or any variation of the three. When a line of slaves are coffled together it’s sometimes referred to as a Slaver’s Necklace, and the girls as beads on a Slaver’s necklace.
~Kneel to the Whip: in this position you cross your wrists beneath you as if bound, and bend over putting your head to the floor to expose your back for the whip.
There is a variation where you are standing with your wrists crossed high up over your head, so that you can be tied to something and whipped standing.
~Leading Position: in this position the free leads the slave around by her hair. She is bent over with her head at his left waist, usually with her hands behind her back. This is sometimes known incorrectly as “Hair” -“Hair” is a separate command entirely. This is also sometimes done on the right, but most commonly to the left.
-“Leading Position” has a silent command: hand open and closes at left waist. (Can occasionally be the right.)
~Lesha: in this position you turn your back to the free commanding it and put your hands out behind you, quotes indicate both crossed or two inches apart for slave bracelets. You also lift your chin and turn it to the left. You now may be easily braceleted and leashed. This position can be performed standing or kneeling.
~Nadu: also known as the “Position of the Pleasure Slave”, or “Primary Slave Position” you kneel with your knees parted, knelt back your heels, your back straight, chin lifted, and hands down on your thighs. Keep your eyes straight ahead.” Variations include head bowed, and/or eyes down. Nadu” is thought to mean “kneel” in Gorean, though the word kneel is also used -and in most cities in accordance with law, you must always kneel when coming into the presence of the Free.
-“Nadu” has a silent command: pointing with first two fingers parted.
Hand position in the default position is always palms down, however if a slave is feeling desirable of a Master’s touch she may show her palms expressing need and vulnerability. The Thentis variation is with the wrists crossed behind at the small of the back, known as “Bracelets.”
~Obeisance: also known as “First Obeisance Position”, or “Common Position of Obeisance,” this is a position that curls you over your knees and puts your head down on the floor with your hands, palms down, on either side of your head. In some cities this is the position slaves assume when coming into the presence of the Free, while in other cities simply kneeling is acceptable, while in others going directly to your belly is what is required.
~Second Obeisance Position: also known as “Belly”; this is another way of saying the command, used often in the later books. This one specifically states that you go to your belly, legs straight out behind you with your hands on either side of your head.
~Submission: this is sometimes incorrectly known as “Collaring Position” because often times it is this position that Free Women submit to obtain a collar. Its significance is that the woman submits to the male and is a legal gesture of submission. In this position you kneel, put your head down, and lift your arms over your head, crossing your wrists as if bound and present them to the Free.
There is some indication this might be a position reserved for free women who are submitting themselves to become slaves, as opposed to those who are already slaves with the following passage:
“She quickly ran to him and, as slaves gasped, she knelt before him, bending over, her head down between her arms, which were lifted, the wrists crossed. “How dare you submit yourself as a free woman?” he asked. “Forgive me, Master!” wept Laura, lowering herself humbly to her belly before him, and pressing her lips to his bootlike sandals. She looked up, tears in her eyes. “Perhaps Master would care to capture a worthless slave?” Prize of Gor
~Sula: in this position you lay on your back, arms at your sides palms up.
~Tower: this position is a one used when in direct service to a Free Woman. You kneel with thighs together, and your wrists crossed before you as if for binding.
The following are not exact positions, per se, but are used often in context of commanding a slave -some may wish to use them as positions:
~Usage: this is another form of “Slave Rape, and often incorrectly known as “She-sleen.” Kneel with your head down on the floor, hands on the back of your neck on your collar, thighs lifted and spread, presented for use.
~The Bow: known as as “Gorean Bow”, or “Gorean Love Bow”, “(Tethering) Slave Bow,” and there is some thought that most slaves will not be able to achieve this position without being placed into it. It’s a position that has you bend backwards with your head placed on the ground. Doing so manually would prove impossible.
~A Third form of Obeisance: this is a form where you go to your belly, inch forward, lick and kiss his feet then gently lift his foot and put it on your head or the back of your neck.
You may feel as if some are missing, and that is all right -some that most people consider positions like “slave lips” or “heel” as more like commands.