Brahmacharya

[Guest guest]

Now I know Brahmacharya is a complex issue. And

it can go far beyond anything remotely sexual. But

if we want to talk about conservation of sexual

fluid, it seems like an important point has been missed

here. Having lots of totally pleasurable sex with one

partner or many, same sex or not, does not have to imply

any loss of sexual fluid. Some think the idea that

male ejaculation can cause a loss of vital energy is

bullshit, but actually this is totally true, and should be

evident to any older guy. The younger you are, the less

of an issue this may be. You can read about this in

all kinds of yoga books and many other places. I was

going to maybe post the section on Brahmacharya from

Yoga Mala, but it is several pages long. Anyway, one

of the theories of tantric yoga and taoist yoga (and

really, its just universal knowledge and common sense) is

that it is possible to have sex for any length of time

(yes hours and hours) without ejaculating. This is not

an easy skill for most males to acquire, but I think

most don't even try to or know that it is possible or

desirable. There was a popular song on the radio a ways back

by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, I think, with these

lyrics - "Relax, don't do it, when you wanna sock it to

it, relax, when you wanna come." Books by Mantak Chia

cover this pretty thoroughly from a Taoist Yoga

perspective. I think he changed his name back and has a new

book called Taoist Yoga. The idea of learning to

control ejaculation is considered by some to be too

difficult and dangerous, which leads to the prescription of

abstinence instead, which is supposed to be easier.

Hmm...which would be more fun?<br><br>As I like to point out,

I'm no authority or expert, just some idiot trying to

figure it all out.

[Guest guest]

I think Sting once said in an interview that he

can make love for hours simply by applying moola

bandha. Maybe Swami Sayananda Saraswati's "Moola Bandha,

The Master Key" has something more to say on the

subject...<br><br>(According to B.K.S. Iyengar however, using moola bandha in

connection with sexual practices can lead to death.)

[Guest guest]

I think Sting once said in an interview that he

can make love for hours simply by applying moola

bandha. Maybe Swami Sayananda Saraswati's "Moola Bandha,

The Master Key" has something more to say on the

subject...<br>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br><br>He said this

(repeated actually) on the Jay Leno

show and created quite a stir plus provided material

for jokes. This was about 7 years ago when Sting

first started Ashtanga

[Guest guest]

At <a href=http://www.stingchronicity.co.uk/yogajour.html

target=new>http://www.stingchronicity.co.uk/yogajour.html</a>

there's a good interview with Sting on how he found to

astanga, on his practice, & also on the brahmacharya

techniques he employs (Yoga Journal / December 1995).

<br><br>(I am sure Sting is much more serious about his

practice of astanga yoga than Madonna...)

[Guest guest]

Shining Skull, Just curious, but how do you know Sting is much more serious

about his practice of astanga yoga than Madonna?

[Guest guest]

Right, of course I can't know for certain if

Sting takes yoga more seriously than Madonna. It's

simply my own perception (prejudice?) that Madonna does

yoga simply because it's become fashionable nowadays

among the rich & the beautiful to do so (and that she

changes her look every 6 months). I may be wrong...

However, I know that Madonna actually started doing yoga

when she saw her friend Sting practising astanga

during a visit to his flat in New York.

[Guest guest]

So no one ever told you about yoga and you didn't

see anyone else doing it? So, what you're saying is

that you are the one who actually interpreted the

foundation of ashtanga yoga and you were the first one who

did it? Because that is what you are implying.

Obviously I'm going to get a little defensive about

Madonna, but that is beside the point here. I love the

fact that the mainstream audience (and that would be

you Shining Skull) will only allow celebrities one

personality trait. You and I both know that people are a

multitude of personality traits. If you were ONLY

interested in yoga and nothing else (that being your ONE

personality trait), no one would talk to you. People are

strong, vulnerable, and a plethora of things in between.

I would see it as something like this: stores come

out with new styles every season. Let's face it,

isn't that what Madonna's doing? She wears different

clothes each season and suddenly she's a different

person? That is kind of ridiculous. Madonna was the one

who STARTED Ashtanga being popular with the other

celebrities. So how can she be following anyone else? Let's

face it kids, when has Madonna ever been the follower?

[Guest guest]

Most of the posts on this topic with the

exception of the first few replies have gotten completely

off track. One of the problems of defining terms such

as "brahmacharya" is that it can have multiple

definitions as suits the person to whom the definition is

offered. It could mean fidelity, sexual continence,

chastity or celibacy depending on what the person is able

to deal with at the time.<br><br>Yes, the ultimate

idea is conserving seminal fluid,converting it into

Ojas and using that psychospiritual energy to develop

oneself spiritually. But to do that precludes any sexual

activity even if that activity stops short of

ejaculation/organism for the simple reason that Ojas doesn't form

unless one abstains from sexual activity on a physical

and a mental and an emotional and an instinctive

basis. As long as you concerned with the physical in any

manner, Self-Realization is beyond your grasp.<br><br>I

have a friend who has been a vegetarian for 25 years.

But it is only during the last 7 seven years that he

has considered himself to be a vegetarian because it

is only during the last 7 years that he has not

thought at least occassionaly about eating meat.

Similarily, one is not a Brahmachari until one ceases to

think about sexual activity. If one is not a

Brahmachari, one is not going to attain

Self-Realization.<br><br>Good luck with that one.<br><br>All this talk about

celebrity versions of tantric yoga is just so much talk.

[Guest guest]

<<If one is not a Brahmachari, one is not going to attain

Self-Realization.>><br><br>I doubt that things are that simple.

[Guest guest]

It may all depend on what goals in yoga you are

aiming at.<br><br>If you do astanga only for the

physical & mental benefits (i.e. a strong, healthy body,

inner peace and enhanced concentration) the practice

brings about, you might feel free to interpret

brahmacharya as you like, it doesn't matter. <br><br>But if

you want to turn astanga yoga into a spiritual

practice, then a strict adherence to the yama & niyama as

detailed in Sri Jois' "Yoga Mala" becomes mandatory in

order to attain the ultimate goal of samadhi - or

"Self-realization".<br><br>In the end, it's the personal choices you make & the

preferences you have that matter in yoga.

[Guest guest]

<<It may all depend on what goals in yoga

you are aiming at.>><br><br>Indeed, but the

previous poster indicated that it is not possible to

attain self-realization without brahmacharya. There are

many different ways towards the same goal, methinks.