O-Ring Ceremony of Dakota at Cafe LaPe'rouse @ Austin

Thank you to Melinda Nyn for the pictures and chat information.

Dakota (Dakota0therbee Resident) is an extremely smart, capable, and somewhat serious girl, though she can be fun-loving when teased out of her shell. This was immediately apparent when Linda and I were at the Austin circle one night in December 2014, when I first met her.

Linda had whipped out some funky Afros, and the two of us, plus Dakota and Reni (Serenity Streusel) did an impromptu line dance. When I went afk, there were some rumors later that the girls had started pushing around my "away" body, and when I confronted her and Reni later, Dakota grinned and said that they were < 50% innocent! With such a devious and fun-loving mind like that how can you not help but like her?

Mentors Sage and Aqua speak

Dakota's O-ring ceremony was held on June 14, 2015. During her training at Austin, her mentors were Aqua (aqua fearne) and Sage Avedon (sagewisdom). Both heaped high praise on her, with Sage telling her that today is not the end of your journey...it is the beginning of a new and exciting one you will take here in Austin. Welcome my sweet mentee, my sister and my dear friend...now fly, while Aqua noted that You faced a couple of fundamental challenges on your path and showed strength and self awareness as you worked them through... you hit some speedhumps in the road... but i was always impressed by the way that you went back and spent time reflecting... thinking about what happened and why... and used it as an opportunity to explore, read, research and learn and grow in your submissive self.

Dakota speaks

Dakota herself gave a beautiful speech about her journey at Austin, which she gave me permission to repost below.

I was told by many that this was my day and that I should take the time to celebrate for all the effort.  But I realize I won't always be able to have a captive audience to express what I'd like to.  Please get comfortable in your chairs and on your cushions and humor me for ten or more minutes while I get this out.  I hope you don't all want to put me back into silence after taking the time :)

For anyone on the line and wondering if they could do this, or _why_ they could do this, my opinion is that you do it to empower yourself.  At the end of the journey, you understand exactly what you are giving when you offer yourself in service and why.  I have polished my submissive, I have seen her fears, I have seen her strengths and accepted her weaknesses.  I understand how far she would go and know there is more to come.

Some of you who have gotten to know me well know that I come from a loving SL family, two are in the audience today.  After watching me suffer a few occasions and after hearing me say very dramatically over and over that I was THE worst sub in Second Life, the suggestion came out that perhaps I could explore a training program.  I have to admit I balked at the idea.  I had visions of girls being abused, debased and punished without cause.  I thought the end goal of a program would be a timid little mouse with no thoughts of her own.  But another disappointment brought the idea back in my mind and one day I went wandering and found Austin.

Not only did this journey help me to heal from that suffering, it helped me to know and accept myself just as I am.  Austin does not produce cookie cutter submissives and Masters.  It does not produce meek girls who would allow themselves to be abused.  It educates based on reading, independent reflection, mentoring, access to expertise and experience.  Even more importantly, it gives you a home filled with family and friendship with people who share a love and understanding of this lifestyle.  Who express that in their own ways.  It is as it is advertised to be, a sim of "Educated Girls and Masters with class".

I had many breakthroughs at Austin, some so powerful I shattered into tears.  Times where I had a shift in my thinking and was able to break through a barrier.  Times where I really grew up in my submission.  All Masters helped me to grow.  There were some that put in session after session, listening and guiding.  There were others that gave me a nugget of truth during the interview that I carried the whole way through and reflected back on when I needed to sort things out.  And there were some who made me respond in ways that I had to step back and examine, and in that examination, I found beliefs inside to either be nurtured or challenged.

I learned to relax and let the Master's drive.  That being able to do this is the power and joy of submission.  It is it's own form of self discipline: you have to trust, you have to be patient and yet you have to be aware.  Each opportunity you have to practice that, to be challenged with that, it makes you stronger.  Your meddle is tested and you pull through, not by suppressing yourself but by conquering yourself.  And all the while you know that you will never be pushed beyond what you can manage and if you fall apart in the process, someone is there to pull you back together.  How AMAZING is that?

I learned not to fear my emotions. I know that girls have worked through many fears in Austin.  I couldn't really put it into words early on, but my biggest fear was me.  I'd try to stuff my emotions, my discomfort.  Deep down I thought if I didn't they would overwhelm me.  And it didn't matter if it was anxiety, desire, longing, shame, disappointment, rejection - I'd try to push it down.  I'm not saying I'm perfect at this, but I'm ok letting myself feel these things.  Austin taught me that I won't always get what I want, when I want it.  And that is ok.  Sometimes what you want isn't really what you need.  And sometimes what you get is so much better than you could have dreamed for yourself.  You must delay that urge to gratify in order to unlock this.  And just because you feel something, doesn't make it true.  Time is your best friend to uncover truth.

I learned that I can be my own unique submissive, like nobody else.  To quote an article my mentor gave me: "A submissive discovers, or more properly, realizes and acknowledges that she functions AT HER BEST in relation to another. And the more intimate, holding, containing that relationship, the better she feels and the better she performs".  I can be my self: my driven, perfectionist, outspoken, *coughs* stubborn, adventuring, nerdy and silly self...and still be submissive.  I am downright joyful when someone allows me to be useful in a way that is important for them.  It is allowing me to love.

The newest O-girl then thanked the long list of Masters and submissives who had helped her in her journey, and one by one the guests contributed their appreciation of this new O-girl.

The long list of well-wishers included:

Marion
Sweetness
Deuce Samas
Ten
Alvise
Aria-Dancer Michele
Sasha
Orchid
Dee
Dante Parabola
Dominic
Aletha Roams
Peter
Beccha
Cara
Duke Dragmar
Jon
Meme (Sozome)
Trixie
Aisha
Damoin
Will
Ratzu
Samuel
Jen
Crux
Dakota
Aqua
Sage
Misty Aniwahya
Tiger
Wicked Storm
Beldom
Melinda Nyn

I wish Dakota well on her new journey as an O-girl. I have had the pleasure of attending one of the discussions she hosted, and I have to say that Austin is so much the better for having her.