Jimmy
King Phenomenon
Sounds like you’re not getting enough exercise
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Penance
- Thread starter Balthazzar
- Start date
Different strokes for different folks.
For example I find my best penance to be answering posts from fellow members here on RF.
When My mind is in turmoil, it calms me. Seems that alone is enough self injury.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
I could certainly benefit from exercising more often. Endurance training has never been an easy endeavor. When I'm out walking and I get to feeling too weighted down, I pretend I'm in a training program military standard for people like me. It helps me accept that which becomes intolerable sometimes. I'm awake tonight. I may get a little cardio in. Most people who know how I am say I work too hard and too much, while others are content to suggest that I'm lazy. I am getting a little soft, though. I may take your advice and start yet another type of therapy, to perhaps balance out my other methods of coping.
Jimmy
King Phenomenon
Good luck. I also think a therapist might be a good idea. I’m not pointing fingers. We all need work.
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It sounds something along the lines of hitting a punching bag to relieve stress, except that you're the punching bag.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
I won't tell you're crazy, but I would suggest something less self-injurious.
Secret Chief
Veteran Member
You're not crazy, but self-harming is a concerning behaviour.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
Apparently, this is practiced in more than one religion. There must be a reason for it. I'll continue my research and keep up with it from time to time.
You're not crazy, although the reasons are pretty vague, and I think more study could be helpful. In my sect of Hinduism, some do a penance called kavadi, which involves temporary body piercing with metal skewers while petitioning the deity. There are many less painful penances as well, like rolling around a temple, or fasting. There are 3 main religious reasons for it. The first is to rid yourself of guilt from past misdeeds that are hanging on you, as in a karmic load on your shoulders. So, by doing penance, you pay off some of that karma, lessening the guilt, so you can continue on the path, less burdened. The second is you sense upcoming troubles, and then it is a prepay of the karma, to reduce the impending disaster. This one is more on the intuitive level. The third one is a specific prayer, and a 'deal' with the deity. It can be something like your child is kidnapped, and you want he/she home, so you promise the deity that you'll do such and such a penance.
There are also two non-religious reasons for it. The first it to just show off to everyone around how tough you are. The other is overly beating yourself up, which is a mental illness. To avoid that, generally penance is done under the guidance of a spiritual mentor, and not assigned by oneself. We don't believe in negative spirits so that's never a reason, but I can see how it would be for those who do believe in that. I think grounding is better for that sort of elevated emotion. The general method for grounding in Hinduism is to work the land, or do work with your hands, like a hobby. Gardening is an excellent choice.
Best wishes on it.
wellwisher
Well-Known Member
This practice of penance has to do with law, sin and guilt. Law by defining sins, creates sin. For example, proper pronouns were never a sin until the Liberals made it a law in schools. The person who wishes to do good by the law, will try to repress the dark side of law assuming that will work. However, sin taking opportunity through the commandant produces sin of all kinds. The spells of compulsion and temptation is an attempt by the unconscious to make the repressed side of law conscious. But since these sins; thoughts, are not acceptable, this compulsion violation can cause guilt. Penance is a way to balance off the guilt cause by the compulsion attributed to the repression of the dark side of law.
This occurs because law of good and evil is binary memory, with two conflicting emotional tags when written to memory; rest and fear. Like a magnet good and evil come as a set. Like in, Physics magnetic monopoles do not exist separate from each other, since one implies the other. The two conflicting feelings create a repression of the worse feeling, and the repression will try to fix itself; temptation and violation of law means becoming conscious. This causes guilt, since one wishes to do good by the law. Even though there is forgiveness of sins, one cannot forgive themself, unless they balance this all out with penance.
The goal should be to minimize law so the compulsion is less and the guilt is less.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
Thanks for the information. I'm not Hindu either, and maybe it isn't penance, but an effort to decrease the over burdened load I'm under. It feels negative, and magnetic in nature, which is why I suggested electro magnetic interference. Either way, if it's not negative energy, it produces it in myself, which is burdensome. I'll call it a spirit, based on each of us having both negative and positive attributes existing within ourselves. Sometimes I can treat it with things I like and enjoy, but then this too becomes burdensome, so instead of using more pleasurable methods to release the negativity, I sometimes choose a method much less pleasant. I'm not guilt ridden, yet I am limited in my capabilities to accomplish things I feel as if I need to accomplish, so it's a stressor to be certain. It's also pressure oriented. I feel as if I'm in a pressure cooker sometimes, and the pressure release valve is set to allow it to build up until a release is necessary or required. This is by choice. It's my way of exercising self control. I only counter when I can't tolerate it anymore.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
A penance whip hurts but hasn't injured me. It hasn't even broken the skin. It simply hurts and it offers more relief then I would be able to conjure up before utilizing it. It may be a mind thing, a type of redirection applied to help me better tolerate how I feel when I'm unable to tolerate any more of the negative energy. This actually makes sense.
There are endorphins released during pain.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
Another epiphany I just had is religious oriented and also makes sense, only I didn't realize this is what I was doing. My religion teaches me to not allow the sun to go down upon my wrath, and it also teaches me to turn my cheek. I've viewed turning the cheek as a type of insurance policy for some time now. It helps me remain a non offender. The anger has been in play for a few years now, and being non violent serves a purpose, but I think the self scourging is a way for me to remain a non offender and share in the suffering of my teacher, who was blameless or rather innocent, but suffered anyway. So, I came to this epiphany about 20 minutes ago. I think this may be the most accurate reason for my self-disciplinary actions with the scourge. It's fitting enough for me to acknowledge the validity of purpose.
Balthazzar
N. Germanic Descent
Another thing I've realized is that humans represent the body of Christ - as God's children. All of us. We all originate from the same source. I call that source God. Titles and terms vary. All humans suffer in life. I try to decrease my own, but I sometimes neglect the reality that all people do suffer. I realized that the last supper, where communion is spoken of, is about remembrance. I don't think it's about Jesus only. It's about an acknowledgment that we are no greater than he was, and that all humans suffer. It may be an act or practice meant to help keep us mindful of human need, so we don't forget that many people are hurting and need help, including ourselves.
Anyway, I'm not sure how this insight might play into my newly added arsenal against my own intolerances, but I suppose it's something I should consider. To scourge as penance or not to scourge as penance ... Is that the question, or is the question why do it at all? Or maybe the question is why do people cause so much suffering and hardship in life? Or is the question about the timing and our place in life and the reality that we are no greater than anyone else?
Anyway, I'm not sure how this insight might play into my newly added arsenal against my own intolerances, but I suppose it's something I should consider. To scourge as penance or not to scourge as penance ... Is that the question, or is the question why do it at all? Or maybe the question is why do people cause so much suffering and hardship in life? Or is the question about the timing and our place in life and the reality that we are no greater than anyone else?
Even without people causing it, there would still be suffering and hardship, unfortunately.
@Spice is right, interfaith discussion isn't the place for folks to pick over evidence and claims.
If a person is putting something into a discussion, they don't want it to be picked apart as what's 'right' and 'wrong'. They simply want to, well, discuss.
Discussion is fine
But if you post on a public forum you have to be always open to someone picking your views apart to some degree, Respectfully of course
Otherwise how would anybody grow if not for healthy, debate/discussions?
For example
I would love to discuss, where these claims come from
But I’d rather NOT as it detracts from the OP and their inner pain
It's a question of forum rules.
Interfaith Discussion- No debating, under any circumstance.
Religious Debates- Debate away!
If you look at the top of the screen, it'll tell you what area you're posting in(and whether or not its a debate or a discussion area).