Twelve Pointers for Maintaining Brahmacharya (Celibacy): Swami Nirmalananda Giri

Occasionally I receive letters from spiritual aspirants asking me for advice on the subject of brahmacharya. The following are pointers which are essential for the establishment of brahmacharya. 1) Daily meditation and constant japa is the essential foundation of brahmacharya. The japa and meditation of Om cause the subtle forces known as prana to rise upward. Those who become adept in these spiritual practices will become “urdhvareta yogis”–those in whom the sexual energies flow upward and become transmuted into spiritual energies. 2) Satsanga, the company of holy people–or at least those who are aspiring to holiness–is extremely helpful in the maintenance of brahmacharya. If you know like-minded people, then meet with them regularly for spiritual study and conversation. It is not uncommon among both Hindus and Buddhists for spiritual aspirants to meet daily for meditation. If you do not know any other spiritual aspirants–and this is not uncommon here in the West–then keep satsanga with saints and masters by reading their lives and teachings and keeping their pictures in your home. Holy images of divine forms are also beneficial. Every day listen to spiritual music. Such music should be soothing and reflective–not the raucous banging and clanging that many shallow and worldly Christians and Hindus like. It is good to listen to devotional music, but shun merely emotional music, for it is linked to lower desires, no matter how “holy” the words. 3) Avoid asatsanga–the company of the unholy and the worldly–in the form of people who have no interest in spiritual life, as well as books, magazines, television, radio, and motion pictures that are centered on material consciousness. Absolutely avoid those things who deal with the subject of sex or depict sexually suggestive (or outright) matters or images. 4) Avoid casual association with members of the opposite sex. Never be socially alone with a member of the opposite sex. This is an absolute. Make no exceptions based on seemingly spiritual character, age, or intention. When an older woman tells you that she is your “mother” run away! The same thing applies when a man tells a woman that he is her “father.” This goes on in both India and America, including close–and private–association of men with female gurus and of women with male gurus. No one knows what impulses carried over from previous lives–many even from centuries past–are lying not far beneath the surface of the conscious mind, waiting to manifest. “Spiritual” friendships with members of the opposite sex are doors to disaster. I have seen it over and over. Even in my early teen years I watched “spiritual” associations inevitably turn into sexual associations. And that had usually been the intention from the first moment. If what I have said does not convince you, at least I have discharged my responsibility. 5) If you happen to be homosexual, then what I say above applies to both sexes. (The number of “gays” that end up fathers is remarkable. It may be cute or poignant on the movie screen, but it is tragic in real life.) In your spiritual associations try to be sure that there are always several people involved. This is a trial, but many saints and masters have coped with much worse. 6) Avoid absolutely any person or thing that argues against your aspiration to brahmacharya or tries to persuade or force you into sexuality in any form. The “just try it once/for a bit” people are worse than tigers. Run for your life–literally. 7) I have warned you about external factors that harm the life of a brahmachari, but the biggest threat or danger comes from your own mind and impulses. Ruthlessly cut off all overt or oblique thoughts of sex when they rise in your mind. Note what “innocent” subjects of thought “somehow” end up in ideas of sex and banish them the moment they appear in the future. 8) What about “physical needs” and “bodily urges”? Never let them be an excuse for wavering in your ideal. But you must keep the body clean and pure to help you in maintaining brahmacharya. 9) Continuing the previous subject: Diet is an essential factor for the brahmachari and the yogi. Diet is a form of spiritual culture as well as physical culture. There should be total avoidance of animal protein in any form and to any degree whatsoever, and this includes dairy products. Gandhi saw over and over that animal flesh, animal fats, and dairy products were detrimental to brahmacharya, that movements of lust could be attributed to the physical effects of their use. (This also happens to be the opinion of the Eastern Orthodox Church, especially the monks who watch their minds.) This Hindus screamed “blasphemy” because of their attitude toward cows, but the truth cannot be changed by hysteria. Become not just a vegetarian but a vegan: Eat a diet that is free from all animal protein and fat, dairy products, sugar, and caffeine. Abstain totally from nicotine and alcohol. 10) Food for the mind in the form of spiritual reading is also a tremendous help to the brahmachari. Two books are especially important for the aspiring brahmachari: Meditation and Spiritual Life by Swami Yatiswarananda and Practice of Brahmacharya by Swami Sivananda. Read the books of many traditions and teachers on spiritual life, taking what is useful and leaving aside what is not. Follow your intuition and don’t get what Yogananda called “spiritual indigestion.” 11) What if you fail in some area or to some degree–or completely? Just keep on trying and be more vigilant. Do not let the ego or foolish associates or “authorities” convince you that it is hopeless, you should not even try, you will not be able, blah, blah, blah…. Multitudes of holy people have struggled, some have failed at times, but ALL HAVE SUCCEEDED. So will you. 12) Finally, know that God is on your side. And remember these words of the Bhagavad Gita: “Though a man be soiled with the sins of a lifetime, let him but love me, rightly resolved, in utter devotion: I see no sinner, that man is holy. “Holiness soon shall refashion his nature to peace eternal; O son of Kunti, of this be certain: the man that loves me, he shall not perish. “You find yourself in this transient, joyless world. Turn from it, and take your delight in me. “Fill your heart and mind with me, adore me, make all your acts an offering to me, bow down to me in self-surrender. If you set your heart upon me thus, and take me for your ideal above all others, you will come into my Being.” (Bhagavad Gita 9:30, 31, 33, 34)

DESTINATION OF A RESTLESS DESTITUTE!

Into that silenced grave- stepping in
Entering deep down- as
I walked down through the alley of my heart
Shamefully, depressed, disgusted and aimlessly thinking - of
What personality am I playing, in this theatre?
*
A shooting star unpredictably illustrated me – the
Memorial routs I have travelled - and
The reminiscences swamped up imagination- revealing
Dreams, whimsies, successes and failures of- my
Life which took me to the paths to fall and rise.
*
The teary warmth of my mother’s lips on the cheek- and
The valour reproaches of my father - and
The wrangling with my dears – following
Those treasured schooling days,
Fluttering like a butterfly from flower to flower,
Whispering the inhibited bonbon love.
*
From those exciting moments of flame - to
Those disgusting moments of pain,
Without fretting and fearing the far edge of life – moved
Like a plougher – and then
That moment of confusion flittered my mind- to
Question the real existence of my being- and
Abruptly came that flash of vacillation- to
Strangling the four rimed path into one – and
Mystified me to walk towards where?
*
A soft whispering broke into my inner ears – and
A fingerless hand on the wall divulging the way to travel – and
My mind swathed with reasoning - to
Where am I itinerating to?
With that confusion of staggering- I
Conceded visioning to mission- to get
In touch with the oasis of life.
*
As I stared back to take collection of my life- referring
The people intruded in me and those I departed - and
The troubled sea I made and solved,
The filial I gave and shut, the eros I misused – and
The hitches overcome and partaken - with
The blissful existence and the terrified survival.
These parts and partials of me - in
This voyage towards the unknown Being – became
An inseparable ingredient of my existence.
*
The fearful realities whispering the way- and
What would be the end of this ride?
With that scintillating freeze mind I stood – and
Then that tender breeze and cooing of the dove-with
The murmuring brook whispered the hope- which
Soothed my greatly turbulent consciousness.
*
And then came in front -that
Less travelled road of life – and
The exiting and jolly began to slow – as
My eyes pinned that electrifying image
Shattering my nerves to shed teary drops- for
It had made many to shed teary rivers – and
That image pulled me to gaze again and again.
Alas! There I saw a blood dirty guy – naked
Except a rag around his slim waist- and
The boney skinned arms outstretched on a crossed wooden pole
Hanging like a modern political rebel- and
Alas to that horrific sight piercing my heart- began
Briskly tears swelled up in my eyes- and
My sneaky lips whispering at it- as if
My end rests on that folly Cross and nothing else- but
My heart whispered to me believe in you - for
This Being is your destination- and
I felt that soft murmuring calm of the breeze -which
None can give to this soul of me - except
This Divine Being (Christ) hanging on the cross.

God's search

God searches his own created man- still
He cannot find his own creation.
That day one who sinned in the garden of Eden is where –as
Today man’s sin over sin in this world - as
God questions himself to search his beloved creation.
When man live in glorious buildings- and
Eye catching imaginative forts of wealth
How can god see his own created human being - as
Coloured butterflies flying over the skies –in
Planes and jets of speed breakers- jumping into
Various satellites as a hope of living - and
God can only search him
As god searches man
Man forgot god and fell into the merrymaking life
When he comes out of this merry, he can see God
That day is a golden day
The end of all things
The day of destruction and creation –so
Man awake and give up merry making – and
Prepare fasting compunction.

divine incarnation for the humanity

A light from the heaven came into the sky
A lady from the earth went into the abode
Light went inside of the lady’s uterus
As the lady received it in the name of “yes”
* *
Snow was showering heavily
Sun was shining slowly
Flower was blooming happily
As the maidens were dancing joyfully
* *
Day is coming near to near
Dahlia wants to bloom for the dear- as
The dark night is watering dew- and
The lark is singing welcome song
* *
Babe came into this world happily- as
It’s birth brought an end to the suffering
Blessings from heaven flew down- with
The birds opening the silent singing lullaby

prayer of a heart

Lord in this world there are
So many white roses flowers and buds
Can I be one of those ?
Please take me as a gift for you
To keep it on your feet
As today I give my whole life –into your hands
Make my heart and mind as white as snow
That you can rest your foot
In me through out my life
The journey of boat filled with struggles.

divine search

There are times the road seams to long

And comes the assistance from Him

There are times boredom presses always

And comes that pleasing guide

There are times He asks to surrender

And we fail too do so

There are times when we wish something

And he wishes other things.

Whatever may be

This is the right time to surrender yourself fully

To that God who always cares for you?