•T•r•i•b•e•s•M•a•n•: Celibacy and yoga

SANSKRIT FOR CELIBACY IS "BRAHMACHARYA". According to one of the popular etymological understanding of this Sanskrit word, Brahmacharya = Brahman (force) + Aacharan (behaviour). That is, to behave like Brahman (paramatman), where Brahman is neither male nor female, and hence has no genital property, and thus has no sexual inclination of any sorts. In simple words, then, celibacy is to act like God where the God is sex-less and sex-drive-less.

It may not be surprising that this Sanskrit word comes from a civilization that has created various disciplines of Yoga and Meditation. And in doing so, have instilled celibacy at the root of these disciplines, making it a sort of prerequisite for any aspirant. It may be worth noting here though that the "real" rational/philosophy behind doing this a few centuries ago has become somewhat fuzzy today, with the message not coming out clearly and reaching us, and the so called Gurus differing among themselves on the subject.

It is also widely considered that people in India are supposed to be more religious (or say, god-fearing) than their Western counterparts.

From a sociopolitical perspective, I suppose it is really interesting to see the paradox above where on one hand people are practicing a religion where celibacy is fundamental, and yet the country gains the second largest population in the world! United Nations says that it is only a matter of time – say 10 more years – and Indians would top the chart... God bless the world...

"... the sex force is sacred; sex is sacred. It is one of the most sacred of all things. But sacred sexuality is a misnomer ..."One could only wonder if the people of the said practice have decided to let off celibacy considering it nothing more than an inherited burden. Or is there a deeper meaning to the concept which got masked off by layers and layers of metaphors over the centuries? Or is it simply that good old one-forbidden-thing motif?

I believe this should prompt an inquiry as to where the paradox arises from for a system known for its harmony.

After going through many websites and write-ups, and googling for a few hours, I did find a variety. Among them I preferred to quote some of the thoughts below. (The rest is for you to contemplate, I suppose, during your next practice session.)

... Brahmacharya or celibacy is a rational process of preserving and conserving precious energy so that it can be utilised in other very essential and indispensable functions... (Sure, sex takes its toll on the body [though it sometimes helps in reducing that ugly LDF called bad cholesterol]. Makes more sense especially when you are on a highly restricted diet as well. From purely nutrition perspective [that is to say without getting it confused with the so called non-attachment] No meat, no wine, only veggies should give you only as much for survival of a normal human body in “normal” mode.)
... To understand the inner implications of a guru’s instructions requires a special type of intelligence... If the guru is speaking of an abstruse subject not within the normal range of your ordinary human experience, you require a special subtle type of understanding. And that understanding develops through brahmacharya... (My simple take on this – let there be a level playing field. Point taken!)
... “Brahmacharya is the basis of immortality.” (??)
... from a purely scientific and technical point of view, one of the yogas where celibacy is absolutely essential and indispensable is kundalini yoga. There is no compromise with that. Right from the beginning it is absolutely essential and indispensable. Otherwise it is dangerous to go into kundalini yoga... (I suppose this is but for the “high-end” version of kundalini yoga primarily.)
... bhakti path (path of devotion) — does not make any distinction between a celibate brahmachari, a married householder, and a retired couple living a spiritually oriented life after they have finished their duties as householders... (This I believe is a more “normal” form.)
... a sort of celibacy in the form of self-control and fidelity in your sexual relationship with your recognised legal partner can also be regarded as brahmacharya... So here the sex life does not in any way go contrary to spiritual life... (Now, this explains a few things.)
... the sex force is sacred; sex is sacred. It is one of the most sacred of all things. But sacred sexuality is a misnomer ... (Well, that's the thing!)