Guest guest Posted February 1, 1999 Report Share Posted February 1, 1999 Brothers and Sisters, Let us look at the positive aspects of celibacy. The health benefits which come through the practise fo celibacy are so clear that even the best doctors and scientists have yet to prove that celibacy leads to bad health. Vivekananda has pointed this out even when he was alive. Like it or not, the human being is above the animal. The human can reason things out and can want to look inwards on his or her self. Human thought can go deeper than instinct, or else, how can you explain the existance of monks, nuns, saints, rishis and avatars. Upholding celibacy in practise does not drain your energy but conserves it. Celibacy is a strength not a weakness. It produces great concentration of the mind. For celibacy " strength is the one thing needed " . ARE YOU STRONG ? Take your mind away from the thinking of animals. DAKSHA PATEL (University student). NAMASTE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I AM A UNIVERSITY STUDENT WITH A GENUINE THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE. I HOPE TO HAVE LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ON THE TEACHINGS OF RAMAKRISHNA AND VIVEKANANDA OVER THE INTERNET.DAKSHA. ____ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 1999 Report Share Posted February 1, 1999 Dear friend, I agree with what you have written. The point of interest is: 1) can one with firm determination alone control the mind? [withdraw the senses from their objects of desire?] or, 2) can one forcibly deny the object of desire so that the mind eventually gives up its attachment with it? This dilemma is always there for a spiritual aspirant to face. For instance: Can one give up habituation or addiction to tobacco by firm resolve of mind alone; or Will it be better if the person is forcefully restrained from procuring the cigarette or the tobacco? FREESUE wrote: > FREESUE > > In a message dated 99-01-31 15:48:26 EST, yogeshananda writes: > > << But if you aspire to the highest, > to bhava samadhi and on up, sex life has to be left behind. No two ways > about it. I stress the positive side: >> > > I do not disagree with this statement, however, is it not also true that as > one advances toward the Ultimate, that the desire for sex begins to diminish? > Sex life looses it's " glamor " once one has tasted the bliss of God. It becomes > dull in comparison. > > Also, to lead a celibate life, without having lost the desire for sex, to me > seems to be mere supression, and that which is supressed can at times become > greatly intensified. Thus this seems, to me, to be a bit of a dilema for > those aspiring to lead a celibate life. > > Sue > > ------ > To from this mailing list, or to change your subscription > to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at and > select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left. > ------ > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 1999 Report Share Posted February 1, 1999 >I do not disagree with this statement, however, is it not also true that as >one advances toward the Ultimate, that the desire for sex begins to diminish? >Sex life looses it's " glamor " once one has tasted the bliss of God. It becomes >dull in comparison. >I agree. >Also, to lead a celibate life, without having lost the desire for sex, to me >seems to be mere supression, and that which is supressed can at times become >greatly intensified. Thus this seems, to me, to be a bit of a dilema for >those aspiring to lead a celibate life. > >Sue >Well, as St. Paul said, it's better to marry than to burn--burn with >suppression. And so, perhaps many who think themselves beyond sex really are not, and would be better off to marry, but that in itself brings other problems. There isn't any ideal state or lifestyle. The dilemma is to be overcome, I think, by getting oneself into an active stream of spiritual power (such as the Ramakrishna swamis have to offer) and through that getting a " taste " of the higher joy you have mentioned above. To quote from one of the fine books of Eknath Easwaran, " When you repress a potent memory, you make it stronger. You have forced it below the conscious level of awareness, but although it is out of sight there, it commands more attention than ever. What I am talking about is the skill of withdrawing attention from any moment but the present. When you can do that, the emotional charge of a memory is not suppressed and hidden; it simply evaporates. What gives memories and fears power over us is their capacity to soak up our attention; when that capacity goes, their burden falls away. " This is possible only through a life of meditation. Yours truly, >------ >To from this mailing list, or to change your subscription >to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at and >select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left. >------ >Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah >Vivekananda Centre London >http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 1999 Report Share Posted February 1, 1999 On Sun, 31 Jan 1999 FREESUE wrote: > FREESUE > > In a message dated 99-01-31 15:48:26 EST, yogeshananda writes: > > << But if you aspire to the highest, > to bhava samadhi and on up, sex life has to be left behind. No two ways > about it. I stress the positive side: >> > > I do not disagree with this statement, however, is it not also true that as > one advances toward the Ultimate, that the desire for sex begins to diminish? > Sex life looses it's " glamor " once one has tasted the bliss of God. It becomes > dull in comparison. Yes sue i also think that The " Glamor " of sex is just crap in comparison to taste of divine love or even love as such. > > Also, to lead a celibate life, without having lost the desire for sex, to me > seems to be mere supression, and that which is supressed can at times become > greatly intensified. Thus this seems, to me, to be a bit of a dilema for > those aspiring to lead a celibate life. > Sue wat does suppression mean. Does it mean one abstains oneself frm carrying out certain act without proper reasoning ..Sue i think suppression is the very first initial step. Spritual knowledge transforms suppression in to justified reasoning. When one follows the path spiritual path with all devotion only than can the desire for sex be lost. When one learn to respect every female only than an desire for sex lost. Anurag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 1999 Report Share Posted February 1, 1999 Sri Ramakrishna would support Sue's observation. He said desires must be allowed to fall away naturally, as a scab must be allowed to fall off on its own, once the sore has healed. If you tear the scab off too soon, the wound cannot heal properly. He even sent disciples home to their wives if he saw unfulfilled desire was still present. Swami Vivekananda said, paraphased, " Give up nothing! Rather make your desire for Truth so 'hot' that nature gives you up! However, nothing works black and white. As we begin to lose sexual and other worldly desires and move along a spiritual path, they remain as familiar habits which can appear and trip us up at any time. This is not the same as the sesires themselves, but if we indulge them the habit can aweaken the desire and we are pulled from our spiritual focus and goal. So it is not sexual desire itself that is suppressed. Rather one seeks ways to ovoid what will interfere with a stronger desire, the realization of God or Truth. Jayanti At 9:37 PM -0500 on 1/31/99, FREESUE wrote: > FREESUE > > In a message dated 99-01-31 15:48:26 EST, yogeshananda writes: > > << But if you aspire to the highest, > to bhava samadhi and on up, sex life has to be left behind. No two ways > about it. I stress the positive side: >> > > I do not disagree with this statement, however, is it not also true that as > one advances toward the Ultimate, that the desire for sex begins to diminish? > Sex life looses it's " glamor " once one has tasted the bliss of God. It >becomes > dull in comparison. > > Also, to lead a celibate life, without having lost the desire for sex, to me > seems to be mere supression, and that which is supressed can at times become > greatly intensified. Thus this seems, to me, to be a bit of a dilema for > those aspiring to lead a celibate life. > > Sue > > ------ > To from this mailing list, or to change your subscription > to digest, go to the ONElist web site, at and > select the User Center link from the menu bar on the left. > ------ > Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah > Vivekananda Centre London > http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 1999 Report Share Posted February 1, 1999 In a message dated 99-02-01 14:00:37 EST, anurag writes: << Sue wat does suppression mean. Does it mean one abstains oneself frm carrying out certain act without proper reasoning ..Sue i think suppression is the very first initial step. Spritual knowledge transforms suppression in to justified reasoning. When one follows the path spiritual path with all devotion only than can the desire for sex be lost. When one learn to respect every female only than an desire for sex lost. >> Suppression is by force...abstain is voluntary. I can volunteer to serve someone, or I can be forced to serve someone. One gives feelings of joy, one gives feelings of resentment and can cause rebellion. And I think it is through discrimination (justified reasoning) that one obtains knowledge, not the other way around. You discriminate between what is real and unreal. What is lasting, and what is temporary. We are all seeking bliss...permanent bliss...is it in sex? Some would say bliss is there....but is it lasting? NO. It is only temporary and fleeting. Do you want what is temporary and fleeting? This is discrimination to me. Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 1, 1999 Report Share Posted February 1, 1999 Dear friends, This discussion remainds me of my school days. When the professor was teaching sicerely on an important subject and if I start thinking about a movie that I saw a day before, I tend to forget about the entire class and start wandering in a different world. When I come back to the class I could not remember what the professor was teaching all that time. Similarly, if you start thinking about The Almighty, you could easily forget about the world you are in. If this becomes as a practice, then automatically you will become a celibate, yogi and so on and so forth. Only when you think about, being a celibate, you tend to waste time, that you could have spent on thinking about The Almighty. Just we need to know that, we got to think about The Almighty. If you feel, all the worldy things are hindering you from thinking about The Almighty, then you got to practice more to think about God. Practice makes you perfect. Thanks, Sathyanarayanan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 1999 Report Share Posted February 2, 1999 On Mon, 1 Feb 1999, Dr C S Shah wrote: > Dear friend, > I agree with what you have written. > The point of interest is: > 1) can one with firm determination alone control the mind? [withdraw the senses > from their objects of desire?] or, Firm determination is necessary but along with it is required justified reasoning, philosphy. Also along with these is required practical things like meditation , sadhanas ....... > 2) can one forcibly deny the object of desire so that the mind eventually gives up > its attachment with it? I think forcibly denying won't help. One has to take care of thinking that causes the feelings of attachment. > This dilemma is always there for a spiritual aspirant to face. > For instance: > Can one give up habituation or addiction to tobacco by firm resolve of mind alone; > or > Will it be better if the person is forcefully restrained from procuring the > cigarette or the tobacco? > I think Neither will help . One won't give it off unless one has a strong n justified reasoning for giving up habituation or addiction. Anurag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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