Penance

Penance, also know as confession of reconciliation is an act of asking forgiveness from God for sins. In catholic liturgy, God can exercise forgiveness through priesthood. The penance often happen in a confined confession booth where the believer and priest is separated by a screen to keep the identity of the believer a secret. Typically, the believer will kneel side-facing the priest. However, some confession booth has chair for the believer to sit on. Though it is encouraged to have penance as often as possible, time before Advent and Lenten seasons are most common time for believer to have penance. The booth serves as a space for the believer to meditated on their sin and to admit the sin by letting the priest absolve the sin. The darkness and quietness forces the believer to hear, to feel and to fear themselves. It is a space where self-confrontation happened.

Other religion like Muslim or Jainism, penance can happen in a form of fasting. By using meditation to overcome physical desire like hunger and thirst, the believer can focus more on spiritual aspect. In Jainism, fasting to death (Santhara) is a common practise. The fasting help to eliminate desires and purify minds while they prepare for death.