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An excerpt from,
Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft
Page 137
FLOGGING is the ritual act of repeatedly striking a person, or oneself, with a whip or flail of some sort. In ancient Mystery Cults flogging was an act of purification. It was believed to drive out evil spirits and sharpen the senses. In this sense floggling was an act of regeneration.
In ancient Rome, women willingly joined in the rites of the Lupercalia, a rite that included flogging. Priests known as the Luperci ran about the streets of Rome striking women on the back and the buttocks with goat-hide strips. This act was believed to transfer fertility from the goat into the women.
From an occult perspective, flogging can be used to induce a state of trance. The rhythm of the lash creates a hypnotic effect, and this then combines with the release of endorphins into the brain. Endorphins are peptide hormones that reduce the sensation of pain and create a mental state of euphoria. Some Wiccan/Witchcraft traditions incorporate ritual flogging into their initiation rituals or magickal practices. |
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