Mar 20
The Spiritual Significance of Spanking
I recently read a blog post at Creative Coaching Concepts asking “Is Spanking Spiritual?”. What a wonderful time to ask that question! Lenten whipping was just in the news, with the Philippine government requested that Lenten self-flagellants inspect their scourges before whipping themselves, lest they develop infections in their wounds. Whipping oneself for Lent is perhaps the most popular spiritual spanking practiced today. Ludwig has blogged seperately on this as well, Penitentiam Agite!
Since the early middle-ages, various Christian sects have flagellated themselves to celebrate the crucification of Christ, who according to their scripture was whipped before being nailed to the cross. They viewed the pain as a form of penance for their sins, and even scourged themselves in public and on pilgrimages from town to town. While monks thrashing themselves in hair-shirts might be a bit squicky, I’ve seen a nice adult cartoon of a pert-breasted nun whipping herself. Even acclaimed surrealist artist, Max Ernst, got into the religious spanking act, with a famous painting of the Virgin Mary spanking the childhood Jesus on his bare butt. Self flagellation continues to this day in many parts of the world, and I once knew a monk in the States who actually whipped himself with a scourge tipped in nails (eek!)
Religious whipping predates Christianity, and was used for spiritual purposes by many ancient religions including the Cult of Isis in Egypt and later the Roman Empire, and the Dionysian cults in Greece. Indeed I can easily imagine drunken debauchery in the woods, cult members reveling in the kiss of the lash.
Most famous of all religious whipping is the Lupercalia, an ancient Roman festival to purify the city and enhance fertility. Ancient fertility rituals varied, but always had a sexual undertone, if not outright sexual acts in the fields. In the Lupercalia naked young women were lashed upon the breasts and buttocks as they ran to increase their own fertility.
In more modern times Neopagans and Wiccans use flagellation in initiation, purification and sex magick rituals. Gardnarian and Alexandrian Wicca both ask of an initiate that they be willing to suffer to learn, and this may be literally enacted through ceremonial whipping. Ritualistic sex magick can go even further with pain (and pleasure) used to build magickal energy.
In Miss Francy’s original post, her curious questioner was specifically concerned with Buddhism and the concept of causing no hurt in the world. I am not a Buddhist and can not speak with any authority on how this might be compatible with their tenants, but I am a Neopagan priest, and I can say that spanking and bdsm can be practiced in full accordance with my church’s doctrine. There is a long history of flagellation among spiritual devotees, and if one expands the concept further to include any infliction of pain for spiritual purposes several books could reasonably be filled with examples spanning the globe.
March 22nd, 2008 at 9:14 pm
This is my first visit to your blog. I followed your link thru Abby’s (The Little Red Schoolhouse) blog. I am a huge fan already.
emily
March 30th, 2008 at 1:10 am
I love that Ernst painting!
Members of Opus Dei, a popular Roman Catholic order, still use a “discipline” (a type of whip) as well as a cilice, a spiked band worn on the upper thigh throughout the year (if I weren’t such a liberal Catholic, I might consider joining!). Shia Muslims also utilize self-flagellation during the feast of Ashura. And I’m pretty sure the current practice in Eastern Europe of boys whipping girls on Easter Monday is directly from the pagan era.
But getting to Miss Francy’s question, I think a good spanking from an intimate partner is intensely spiritual — almost a sort of transcendent experience. We share one of the deepest parts of who we are with another human being in a way that is difficult to put into words. A form of communion, if you will.
Great topic!
April 1st, 2008 at 2:20 pm
What an education! (And not the least bit painful to read.) You are quite the scholar on this subject, thanks for shedding light on it for my readers. I agree with Natty as well … “a good spanking from an intimate partner is intensely spiritual — almost a sort of transcendent experience. We share one of the deepest parts of who we are with another human being in a way that is difficult to put into words. A form of communion, if you will.” What an eloquent way of putting it!
Hmmm … while I’m here, I will definitely snoop around again.
Thanks!
Miss F
April 6th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
to me a good strapping brings spiritual relief and is a great
stress reliever. It expells all guilt. I believe it is a
necessary help for males to reduce their “machismo” and make
them more respectful of the women they need to honor.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Natty: Opus Dei sort of squick me. I did not know that, however, about Shia Muslims and Easter practices in Eastern Europe.
Miss Francy: Thank you for your kind words. I too think a good spanking can be a transcendent experience, at least that is part of how flogging is used among kinky pagans.
old roger: A good strapping certainly feels cleansing to me afterwards.