Self-Flagellation Anyone?
• BDSM
From a review of In Praise of the Whip: a Cultural History of Arousal:
… The concept of repressed sexuality cannot account for the symbolic vigour of the historical act, nor for the sincere belief on the part of pious self-flagellants that they were re-enacting the passion of Christ. “What a joyful, unique spectacle,” wrote Peter Damian in the late 11th century, “if the heavenly judge looks down and man flogs himself to his depths for his shameful deeds.” Flagellation was a kind of theatre, a drama with, quite possibly, only one spectator: the voyeur god whose unblurred vision took in the whole amazing and affecting scene. …
As an ardent masochist I do wish I could get pleasure from whipping myself but it isn’t any fun without the glitter of pleasure in the sadist’s eyes.