Power Exchange - Who really does have the power?

	What about this exchange of power in a D/s relationship? Normally the power flowers down from the top to the bottom, - but not in a D/s relationship. The submissive obeys only cause she/he chooses to - there is nothing compelling her/his obedience except her/his resolve. The submissive is, therefore, empowering the Dominant by her/his decision. We call a consensual empowerment of the Dominant by the submissive a power exchange. Without the sub there is no power exchange at all, so the power in a D/s relationship flows from the bottom up.

What about this exchange of power in a D/s relationship?

Normally the power flowers down from the top to the bottom, - but not in a D/s relationship. The submissive obeys only cause she/he chooses to - there is nothing compelling her/his obedience except her/his resolve. The submissive is, therefore, empowering the Dominant by her/his decision. We call a consensual empowerment of the Dominant by the submissive a power exchange. Without the sub there is no power exchange at all, so the power in a D/s relationship flows from the bottom up.

No Dominant can " take " a submissive, no matter how persuasive he or she is - the submissive has to " surrender " her/his personal control to the Dominant. Surrender is something that takes place in the heart. A submissive once told me " When I took my Mistress' collar, I gave myself to her - mind body and soul. Over time my Mistress also collared my heart and that will be the hardest collar to remove ". There can be no surrender without love. The Dominant has to accept this ultimate gift of submission and in doing so both, the Dominant and submissive, enter into a D/s relationship.