Specific penances of the saints

[kihedi]

I’m in need of getting a list of the penances of the saints;mainly regarding their sleep,their diet,or other details,such as flagelattion or confinement in a monastic cell.
For reference,i’ll attach a text which describes the penances of early desert monks.
I am studying this topic,but i dont know what books to look for.
Also I’m personally in the process of reducing my sleep and food intake.

imgur(dot)com/a/7M9Cydp

 

[edward_george1]

Also I’m personally in the process of reducing my sleep and food intake.

You should only undertake extended and involved penances like this under the care of a spiritual director. Are you talking to a spiritual director about this?

-Fr ACEGC

 

[kihedi]

Yes, I talked to a priest and he said its ok to want to wake up earlier and eat less than usual.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

There isn’t one book with penances of all the saints. Your best bet would be take the calendar of saints and research each saint individually on the web. Often, there will be references in places like Wikipedia or Google Books about what penitential practices each saint did.

If you are “studying this topic”, then you should be doing your own research. If you are looking for specific books, you can consult resources such as Google Books, WorldCat and your local librarian to assist you.

 

[OurLadyofSorrows]

Yes, I talked to a priest and he said its ok to want to wake up earlier and eat less than usual.

This is not the type of rigorous penance the saints did. Some of them pushed it very hard. Go back to your Priest and ask what he thinks is reasonable. Be guided by him.

You will also need to visit your medical professionals and discuss your plans with them.

 

[Mary888]

Maybe you can also read the works of the Desert Fathers, who did many penances but also warned against pushing it beyond your spiritual capacities. After these penances you might get visions and they may seem real but they might be from the Enemy.
They also advised not to do it by yourself, as in choosing your own penances, always under obedience of a spiritual director. Also do not forget that many of the saints were ordained priests or had entered monasteries so they had received extra charisms that enabled them to perform their penances.
As a layperson, in order to be spiritually safe, you should pretty much do it only under a priest’s direction and only what the priest tells you to do.

 

[cannotdecide]

St John Vianney once said that the devil especially hates penances geared towards reducing sleep and food intake.