Sakura sat perfectly upright on the Hinoki Cypress bath stool and focused determinedly on a single speck of dust that was clinging desperately to a slight imperfection in the wall opposite. Her breathing was slow and steady as required and her body relaxed yet poised. Much patience had been needed to overcome the almost overwhelming wish to blink, but time, practice and the desire not to disappoint had made the effort well worthwhile.
The isu was very stable. The thick legs were slightly spread and the portion of floor chosen was perfectly level. Sakura was fully aware that any movement was totally her own doing and understood the importance of this journey. The ability to accomplish physical stillness was necessary for the true peace of mind she craved beyond all else.
Both her arms had been tied in claws. Her three middle fingers carefully inserted into a double coin knot then four circling hitches starting at the armpit and traveling to the elbow to keep forearm and upper arm touching. The effect was to produce two protuberance at either side of her head, perhaps not unlike the drawn back forelegs of a praying mantis. Her position on the stool was comfortable enough. With knees and ankles clasped together her thigh bones were long enough to ensure her ass cheeks extended just sufficiently over the rear of the seat to allow a clear connection with His riding crop that she now gripped happily between her perfectly cleaned teeth.
The first few times she had performed this exercise she had remained fully clothed in formal kimono. She had only been allowed to disrobe in stages as her control over her posture made the helpful limitations of the fabric unnecessary. Finally after a week she was rewarded by being permitted to disrobe and sit naked. Sakura honestly felt a real disappointment that He seemed almost totally oblivious to her physical femininity.
Raion was working on a drawing. The design had occurred to Him in a dream and now He was intent on transferring the image to a form that would allow contemplation at minimum, perhaps even construction if practical. So many ideas came in dreams and He had decided many years previously that the correct interpretation and understanding of these sleeping visions was a great service to the inquiring intellect. He allowed a portion of His day to such esoteric pursuits. Time was only illusion after all and whom was really able to differentiate between good management and bad.
He felt her eyes move. Without doubt her pupils had followed the speck of dust as it finally escaped the plasters clutches and flitted in abstract zigzags to the floor. He was of course aware of the dust particle and had positioned the stool to ensure it was directly in her sight line. He well understood the difficulties of focusing on nothingness and had been kind or perhaps foolish enough to give her a small assistance on her quest. However for all benefits there is a price to be paid and He allowed a slight smile to touch His lips as He replaced the ornate black and white checked drawing pen in the small wooden ink stand to His right.
Raion's tabi covered feet crossed the short distance from His work table to the stool in total silence. He stood momentarily at Sakura's right shoulder staring at the now completely bare wall.
"Perhaps a picture might make your focus easier."
Sakura didn't answer. Chances were the consequences for breaking silence might be severe and her instructions had been to remain consistently still and quiet.
"You really had no need to watch the dust particle fall to the floor. Logic and experience gave you the answer. Do you watch the sun each day to ensure it sets?"
Sakura parted her teeth just enough to allow Him to remove the horse crop.
"If your mind needs something to focus upon rather make it a sensation as opposed to a physical object."
The leather thong at the tip of the crop caressed her right buttock as if searching out a suitable place to kiss. She knew better than to flinch or even brace herself, such tension would be seen as a simple compounding of her error. The disturbance in the air gave her a fraction of a seconds warning before the first stripe caressed her. The contact was hard, stinging and very rewarding. It took all her control not to grin and sigh. The second stripe matched the first for severity and ensured an even appearance to both cheeks.
