Ethics of Commerce in the Modern World – Cords of Penance Business Philosophy
What does one do in the modern world when one truly believes that Spirit takes precedence over Matter? How does one seek first the Kingdom of God in a world in which not even that which you think you own is yours free and clear because the tax man still needs to be paid? In a world in which it is well nigh impossible to operate without some form of income, how do you build your small family business without corrupting your beliefs and still feeds your family?
Here at Cords of Penance in rural Ohio, USA, we hand-craft Artisan Disciplinas, that is to say, unique rope whips from natural materials that are specifically designed for spiritual purposes, i.e. mortification of the flesh. They are best suited for use on self. Due to the size of our larger Disciplinas, they are also suitable for theatrical use within this framework (think Passion Plays or altar props for Holy Week).
Our specialized items are inspired by Scripture, accounts of the Saints, traditional penitential practices of the mortification of the flesh, and personal experience. Doing external penance can take countless forms; taking the Disciplina is only one of them, but one that has apparently been forgotten by most secular people – a brief spike in interest due to the publication of (and subsequent movie) “The DaVinci Code” by Dan Brown notwithstanding.
Disciplinas are impact devices that do not easily draw blood, neither do they inflict excruciating pain or lasting damage. In a meditative way, they rather add urgency and fervor to prayer, thus curbing the pride of the flesh. Obviously, the quality of the experience depends on the person employing the device.
Even among those who profess to see the need for repentance and penance, taking the Disciplina as a way to atone for much is often overlooked. For this reason, it has been one of our goals to make taking the Disciplina possible for people all around the world, in an affordable way. One can hardly fall back on antiques and historical artifacts for the actual practice of discipline. Therefore, we make Disciplinas from different kinds of rope, some softer, some harsher, some for hearty zeal. We also craft longer and shorter, heavier and lighter whips with varying numbers of knots per fall to suit many needs. Most of our Disciplinas have seven falls, signifying the seven deadly sins to which all sin in the world can be traced back in principle: Envy, Gluttony, Greed, Lust, Pride, Sloth, and Wrath.
Taking the Disciplina is particularly suited to enhance prayer, the offering up of experiences, emotions and sensations, as well as expressing zeal for the Glory of Our Lord by emphasizing our disgust for our own sinfulness and indifference towards matters of eternity. That the lukewarm caused Christ the most anguish during the Agony in the Garden, seeing how little they value His Sacrifice of Unspeakable Suffering, seeing how they would casually heap ever more burdens on His already overburdened Shoulders in the ages to come, is a chilling truth, much bewailed by the Saints who were granted a glimpse of this fact.
While our personal approach to taking the Disciplina has a distinctly Roman Catholic flavor, the practice itself is by no means exclusive to the Church of Rome: The Disciplina is an ancient instrument of self-discipline and penance, and many Christian denominations, including Anglicans, Lutherans, and Roman Catholics have used the Disciplina extensively. We are in good company when we align ourselves with the those who walked in His footsteps before us, and who made ample use of the Disciplina.
As a service to the Christian community in general as well as to our customers in particular, we furthermore aim at providing relevant information concerning the practice of spiritual discipline as a tool of sanctification from a largely non-denominational Christian perspective. Feel free to peruse our blog or follow us on social media, and do not hesitate to use the contact form if you have questions.
