Self Mortification - What's Your Perspective?

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Hello:

A number of Saints embraced the practice of self-mortification, and flogged themselves as a means of penance.

At one point in time, that might have been considered to be proper.

In current society, however, wouldn’t such behavior be frowned upon?

If I went to my parish priest and mentioned the fact that I was whipping/beating myself, doesn’t it stand to reason that he would tell me to stop.

Wouldn’t my actions actually be immoral?

I love reading about the Saints, but it seems to me that some of them were a bit over the top.

Just curious to know what others might think.

Thank you in advance for your response to this post.
 
We are all pretty well called to mortification.

But not all to say using the discipline or other like things. (one ought to seek direction for such)

Lent particularly is a time to work more on mortification and penance…along with prayer etc.

But some --say the canonized have a “particular calling” to more serious forms of such. Hence you find in the lives of the canonized some rather astounding things. Some of them in their desire to be holy went too far.

Some things in their lives are “admirable but not to be imitated” --kids don’t try this at home.
 
Not all mortification is inflicting physical harm on your body. I have practiced a form of mortification through tattooing my feet with the Chi Ro. I intend to save money up and get more religious tattoos. I know people will give me flack for it, but it is one of the many ways I choose to honor the Lord.
 
I guess I disagree. Mortification, as opposed to self-harm to poorly address some disturbance like depression, is something I can see people doing productively. Voluntary suffering could have incredible benefits: increased toughness, less dependence on worldly comforts, sense of closeness/empathy to/with those who suffer daily.
 
I never understood why God would want us to hurt ourselves? Honestly, bashing yourself is like saying ‘I’m disgusting’. My opinion and it’s not based on Church teachings.
 
I’ve always enjoy the writings of the Mystical Doctor of the Catholic Church Saint John of the Cross when it comes to the life-time discipline in the Mortification of Senses.

In The Ascent of Mount Carmel St John of the Cross made a profound drawing.

http://www.icspublications.org/images/Ascent.jpg

To reach satisfaction in all
desire its possession in nothing.

To come to the knowledge of all
desire the knowledge of nothing.

To come to possess all
desire the possession of nothing.

To arrive at being all
desire to be nothing.

To come to the pleasure which you have not
you must go by a way in which you enjoy not.

To come to the knowledge which you have not
you must go by a way in which you know not.

To come to the possession you have not
you must go by a way in which you possess not.

To come to be what you are not
you must go by a way in which you are not.
Code: 
When you turn toward something
you cease to cast yourself upon the all.
For to go from the all to the all
you must leave yourself in all.

And when you come to the possession of the all
you must possess it without wanting anything.

In this nakedness the spirit finds
its quietude and rest.

For in coveting nothing,
nothing raises it up
and nothing weighs it down,
because it is the center of its humility.
 
In principle, self-mortification is OK. It ought to be carefully supervised so as to avoid the risk of serious harm but I have no problem even with quite extreme mortification.

I do minor mortifications occasionally, such as finishing the last few minutes of my shower with the water ice-cold. I’d like to move on to more severe ones, such as wearing a hair shirt, but I’m almost embarrassed to bring it up with my priest.
 
sw85 said:
I’d like to move on to more severe ones, such as wearing a hair shirt, but I’m almost embarrassed to bring it up with my priest.
Click to expand...
If you eventually get to the point of wearing a hair shirt, this is a company that sells them:
cilice.co.uk/

🙂
 
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