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Various religious traditions promote deep introspection, sacrifice, and self-control as part of the journey to enlightenment. But how far are we truly willing to go in our pursuit of inner peace or eternal life? For some, no amount of suffering or hardship is enough to turn them away from their path. In fact, for certain individuals, enduring pain is even viewed as a necessary element of achieving holiness.
10. Dwelling on a Pillar
Simeon Stylites, a saint from fifth-century Syria, was the first widely recognized 'Stylite,' or pillar-dweller. During his time, common ascetic practices included fasting, self-infliction, and isolation in cramped spaces. Simeon, however, felt that his calling was to carry out these rituals while living alone on top of an 18-meter (60 ft) column, fully exposed to the elements.
Concerned, his fellow monks urged him to either abandon his idea or leave the monastery. He chose the latter, and soon, large crowds gathered to witness his extraordinary lifestyle. Simeon spent at least 37 years crouched on a 46-centimeter-wide (18 in) slab atop the pillar. He became so famous that many shops in Rome displayed portraits of him sitting on his pillar in their doorways.
Simeon’s feet were bound to the pillar, preventing him from changing positions, which caused immense strain on his bones and tendons, leading them to bulge painfully beneath his skin. With his feet secured, he spent most of his day bowing and rising continuously. Over time, this led to three separate dislocations in his spine. His disciples also reported that Simeon lost his sight for 40 days (which he kept hidden from them when they visited), and that his abdomen ‘burst open’ from standing for prolonged periods.
9. Wearing Cilices
A cilice (also known as a hair shirt) was an uncomfortable—and at times agonizing—garment worn beneath regular clothing to allow one to ‘mortify the flesh’ and strengthen the spirit. Early Christians crafted these garments from rough goat hair and burlap-like fabric, wearing them as undershirts and loincloths. This ancient practice saw its most significant revival in medieval Europe, where it became popular among ascetics, saints, and leaders.
Figures like Charlemagne and Ivan the Terrible chose to be buried wearing a cilice. The garment was even worn casually by ordinary people who felt guilty after indulging in unnecessary luxuries. This practice persisted into the modern age, exemplified by Irish ascetic Matt Talbot. After leading a quiet life as a laborer battling alcoholism, he collapsed in the street in 1925. When his body was being prepared for a pauper’s burial, examiners discovered a series of weighted chains bound across his gaunt body.
Members of Opus Dei wear cilices made of barbed metal around their thighs. Those who wear them typically remain silent about the practice and keep them concealed at all times. This helps prevent pride (which can arise from openly displaying one’s piety) and also ensures that those unfamiliar with the practice do not see the resulting injuries.
8. Flagellation Festivals
Flagellation refers to the act of whipping one's own body. The practice of self-flagellation was prevalent in various ancient societies, including indigenous Americans, Spartans, and specific sects of Christianity and Islam. In 1259, during the Black Death in Italy, a group of Christians who believed the plague was a punishment from God formed a line and lashed themselves repeatedly, seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness.
In the Philippines, religious festivals dedicated to flagellation are observed on special holidays. Devotees march through the streets while carrying large crucifixes on their backs, and bystanders lash them. Some participants kneel in prayer with their arms bound to wooden stakes that pierce their underarms. Beneath an altar with Christ’s image, men whip themselves with metal rods tied to bloody ropes, considering it a form of penitence.
Shia Muslims engage in flagellation during the Mourning of Muharram to commemorate the sacrifice of Muhammad’s grandson. Men and boys partake in public self-whipping and cutting rituals. The most extreme participants use knife blades attached to chains to slash their backs. However, some Muslims prefer to honor the prophet by donating blood to hospitals during this period instead.
7. Mind Alteration
Some non-religious belief systems incorporate the use of mind-altering substances into their spiritual practices. The recreational consumption of psychedelics, often in conjunction with rituals or music, is sometimes used to enhance personal well-being and is extensively studied in clinical research. Our modern knowledge of neurochemistry makes this form of experimentation relatively safe, especially when compared to the dangerous trials undertaken by our ancestors.
In ancient times, shamans and oracles often placed themselves in danger by using entheogens—psychoactive substances used for spiritual purposes. Many cultures, including Native American traditions, utilized the Datura flower, which contains atropine and scopolamine, to induce visionary states and access other realms. The terrifying and panic-inducing hallucinations it produced were considered part of the intended experience. However, the more extreme consequences, such as permanent blindness, insanity, or even a slow, painful death, were less desirable.
6. Body Modification
Rather than focusing on altering the mind, some individuals turn to the extreme modification of their bodies. An ancient Japanese culture, the Jomon, had a practice of removing their canine or incisor teeth upon reaching the age of 13. This practice was mainly a social marker of status. Milestones such as marriage or the death of a loved one were signified by changes in one’s smile, instead of more conventional symbols like wedding rings or mourning clothes.
The modern era has seen the rise of extreme body modification, particularly during the tattoo renaissance of the 1990s. This movement eventually led to more extreme methods such as scarification, implants, and stretching the earlobes. These practices often took inspiration from tribal customs of earlier societies. Over time, more daring practices emerged, such as flesh hanging, where individuals suspend themselves by hooks placed in their flesh, or 'pulling,' where people are connected to each other by hooks and move in opposite directions. These practices have led to the creation of the Church of Body Modification, where both ancient and contemporary body modification techniques continue to be practiced.
5. Thaipusam Celebrations
In the area surrounding Kuala Lumpur, over a million people gather for the Thaipusam festival, having fasted for two days beforehand. The event is a lively celebration, though it also serves as an extreme test of pain endurance for all those participating.
During the procession, participants wear sandals equipped with iron nails sticking out of the soles. Sliced limes are impaled on these nails, creating painful wounds while also acting as a form of disinfectant. The celebrants are decorated with numerous large bells pinned to their bodies and faces. In honor of the Hindu god Murugan, worshipers walk with long metal skewers piercing through their cheeks. To prevent speaking, intricate lances arranged in cross shapes are used to secure their lips and tongues in place.
Certain individuals bear elaborate, portable shrines known as kavadis, which are tethered to their bodies with ropes and meat hooks. Despite this, many Southeast Asian Hindus involved in these rituals claim that only minimal blood is shed through the skin punctures.
4. Bullet Ant Gloves
In the Amazon rainforest, the Satere-Mawe tribe has an excruciating rite of passage that young boys must undergo before they are considered men. The incredible feats of pain endurance involved have gained attention on the internet, attracting outsiders who often mistakenly believe they can endure the ordeal. Starting at age 12, boys in this community must gather Paraponera clavata, also known as bullet ants, to fill large gloves. Then, they are required to wear these gloves 20 times over, each session lasting ten minutes.
The pain that follows is said to be 30 times more intense than the most painful wasp sting and is frequently likened to the suffering of being shot. The Schmidt Sting Pain Index famously describes the sensation from a single sting as 'like fire-walking over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch rusty nail in your heel.'
The stings from these ants release neurotoxins that are potent enough to produce paralyzing pain for up to five hours. Symptoms like sweating, nausea, and convulsions are common. Multiple stings in quick succession can even be fatal.
3. Self-Mummification
Ancient ascetics in the mountainous regions of Japan sought to achieve the status of 'living Buddhas' by enduring intense physical and mental challenges. This journey culminated in a harrowing final act: self-mummification. Over a period of ten years, these priests gradually transformed their bodies into living husks, a process that tested the limits of human endurance.
The process unfolded in three distinct 1,000-day phases, each designed to rid the body of physical impurities that would obstruct entry into nirvana. Initially, the priests subsisted only on nuts and grains, meditating beneath waterfalls of icy water cascading from mountaintops. Next, their diet was restricted to bark and pine roots, drastically reducing their body fat to near zero. In the final stage, they consumed a tea made from toxic sap, which induced vomiting and expelled excess moisture from their bodies.
Following this, the priests were sealed in stone tombs, equipped with an air tube and a bell to signal that they were still alive. Once the bell stopped ringing, the tomb was closed. After 1,000 days, the tomb was reopened. If the body had been preserved, the priest was considered to have attained Buddha-hood and was displayed in temples for centuries. Those who did not succeed in preserving their bodies were still highly respected.
2. Genital Mutilation
In some Aboriginal cultures, reaching adulthood in the eyes of the tribe involves undergoing painful genital modifications. This often includes circumcision or clitoral cuts during puberty. On rare occasions, a sharp stone instrument is used to split the underside of the penis as part of the ritual.
In one particularly severe example, a boy undergoing initiation was required to strike his penis repeatedly with a heavy rock, resulting in bruising and bleeding. Additionally, his incisors were removed, while elders imparted ancient religious teachings in exchange for the boy's endurance of these painful acts.
In another account of genital bifurcation, the process begins with an incision, followed by the insertion of a rod into the urethra. A long cut is then made from the tip of the penis to the top of the scrotum. This procedure forces the boy to crouch in order to urinate or ejaculate. Anthropologist Barbara Myerhoff remarked that this ritual causes the male genitalia to bear a superficial resemblance to that of a menstruating woman. The intense pain is likened to menstrual or childbirth pains, aiming to provide the boys with a deeper understanding of reproduction and the cycle of life.
1. Self-Immolation
One of the most famous instances of self-immolation occurred when Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc, in an act of protest, set himself on fire in 1963. This tragic act was a response to the persecution of the Buddhist community by the president of the Republic of Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, who favored Catholicism. Thich Quang Duc drenched himself in gasoline, lit the flames, and burned to death in the lotus position, silently enduring his gruesome sacrifice.
In recent years, Tibet’s occupation by China has led to a disturbing wave of self-immolations, with at least 100 individuals setting themselves ablaze in protest against the Chinese government. Notably, in 2011, a group of 12 Tibetan activists set themselves on fire together, and by the following year, more than 80 individuals had joined in this desperate act. In response, fire extinguishers have been placed in Beijing's Tiananmen Square to prevent further acts of self-immolation from occurring there.
