Pain sticks are children’s toy’s that are usually grown out of by the teen years 
To Captain Elkin’s question, Arrendis explains pretty well of the corruption of the evil spirits and and how the tribes dealt with them when the great journey was made. The outline of rejecting temptation, ridding yourself of material objects and to seek peace is indeed a great way to resist the corruption through out your lifetime.
However, in regards to how to cleanse your spirit once it has been tainted, there is a ritual that has been passed down since before even the day of darkness that has survived. Amongst my clan, and many others of the Brutor Tribe, fire is the great cleanser. Many of our most important rituals and traditions involve the use of fire for this purpose.
The cleansing ritual involves drinking a ceremonial brew and stepping into a ring of fire, letting the heat burn away pride, selfishness, all the temptations that the evil spirits offer, leaving your spirit bare of everything. The shaman will chant ancient rites, calling on your ancestors to strengthen your spirit, fortify it and to fight off the evil spirits that surround you. The ceremony ends when the ring of fire dies, and you are given a drink of cold, fresh spring water, symbolizing purity.
