Scourging Yourself

Back in the day, specifically St. Dominic's day, it was not unusual for people who wanted to do penance or align themselves with Christ, would imitate Jesus' scourging at the pillar.  Today, it is the opposite.  A practice like whipping oneself would be considered masochistic.  So even though, St. Dominic's third way of praying was to scourge himself, I am looking at his reasons for wanting to align himself with Jesus' suffering, rather than copying Dominic's physical actions.

Today I am fasting, instead of whipping for I am praying for the third time in my novena to St. Dominic.