Asceticism as Bodily Reclamation

Sor Juana practiced asceticism—fasting, self-mortification, strict discipline. Modern readers sometimes see this as internalized oppression. But another reading is possible: asceticism as a way of asserting control over one's body in a world determined to control it for you. By choosing her own bodily disciplines, Sor Juana reclaimed agency. This concept distinguishes between discipline imposed and discipline chosen. Your body-as-identity includes how you use and discipline your physical self. This might mean regular practice (meditation, exercise, fasting, study), boundary-setting, or ritual. The key is sovereignty: these are your rules, serving your purposes. This is not about punishing the body but about directing it. In Sor Juana's case, asceticism freed intellectual energy and asserted her right to say no to other demands on her body. For contemporary physical self-concept, this might mean structured practice, chosen limitation, deliberate use of bodily discipline to serve your values. The body you govern is the body you own. What disciplines do you choose? What purposes do they serve?