“You must be crazy”, yelled the manager on hearing that we practise celibacy and live in a monastery. I was presenting spiritual literature in the streets of Mumbai to a group of software professionals and their leader asked me about my life. I told him we get up early in the morning around 3.30 to 4.00 am and our day is packed with various services. He interrupted me and expressed shock at our schedules. I reasoned that we are happier now with this lifestyle than we were earlier. He wondered how someone could be happy getting up so early in the morning when that’s the time he and his colleagues go to bed on weekends after wild partying. He was also appalled that we abstain from sex. My gentle reasoning was ineffective; he and his colleagues looked upon me incredulously and dismissed me abruptly. Then they hurriedly left for their office, leaving me alone on the pavement, wondering if I am indeed a member of an abnormal species.
Celibate monks are indeed a rare and endangered species, but certainly not abnormal. In his autobiographical The Journey Home, Radhanath Swami reveals how for thousands of years many seekers of God have practised celibacy and led a contended life. Right from Jesus and St Francis and other celebrated celibates in the Christian order, to the thousands of unknown simple God seekers who have led a pure life in search of God, religious traditions are filled with innumerable examples of successful celibates. In our own tradition of the Vaishnava branch of Hindu customs, I recalled a large number of celibate monks like Haridas Thakur and Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati who led a life of strong character and purpose. Even in our own little monastery there are over hundred and fifty monks and at least twenty of them have been around for over two decades. And they all are happy practising spiritual principles in the renounced order as celibates.
The reason for happiness is not in practising celibacy; it’s due to a strong and meaningful connection to God. The early morning collective prayer sessions give strong impetus to connect to God. Spiritual practitioners who attend the daily prayer sessions feel tangible connection to God; the drive for sex and other carnal pleasures then seem insignificant. For a sincere spiritual practitioner the benefits of spiritual practises are rich, and while the itch of sex desire remains in the heart for many years, it doesn’t distract one from his spiritual pursuits. Moreover sex isn’t a sought after pursuit anymore. It’s rather seen as an irritable impediment on the spiritual path; it occasionally raises its ugly head and then quietens down in the face of strong spiritual practises.
To the extent a celibate spiritual practitioner is absorbed in his devotional principles, lust is not a serious worry; whenever Cupid attacks, the itch is tolerable. However when the spiritual practises are a distracted performance, one finds material life including sex, more attractive.
Radhanath Swami once responded to a challenging sceptic that if sex indeed is a source of joy why the prostitutes don’t dance in ecstasy on having sex many times. Sociological studies have repeatedly shown that the sex workers are the miserable lot in society. Sex doesn’t give lasting pleasure, and no way does it alleviate the miseries of life. On the contrary unregulated sex life can compound our tale of woe. Marriage is a sacred institution where dedicated spiritual practitioners in the company of a like minded spiritualist seek God. For some others who want to be exclusively focussed on God without any distractions, renounced order practise of celibacy is a bonafide method.
It’s a pity that the group I met weren’t interested to know this science. When I see people fail to appreciate our lifestyle I take comfort in a verse from the Bhagavad Gita
“What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self-controlled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage” (Bhagavad Gita 2.69). This implies what most of the world sees as normal is known to be abnormal for a spiritualist and what the sincere seekers see as normal is perceived as bizarre by those obsessed with material pursuits.
You should not even care for these people that are run by their mind. When you cant understand other are different you are limited by mind.
Its like i would say i dont like honey i dont understand how you can like it.
All people are different in what they like and in their behaviour and if you are happy now they way you are leading your life im happy for you as well. People should have a broader spectra of understanding for others then there would be a better world and less fighting.
But i bet some people will get a broader understanding when reading about your situation and maybe thats a step to broader understanding in this world.
People seem to understand others by their own thoughts and experience, thats foolish.
To each his own really. I respect people who can live a celibate life. Their goals are different in life. Wordly people have different goals, and celibacy is not required as a part of it. I am not ready to be celibate yet.
Btw I do not consider the institution of marriage sacred. It is a man-made institution and is not really all that important today. I prefer the institution of dating because there is less commitment. One should always have the freedom to end a relationship when it no longer serves us anymore and find somebody we are happier with, and marriage makes that difficult to do.
Sex brings about desire and complicates the mind…It is good [B]at some point in ones life[/B] to abstain from it and become celibate, it seriously enhances the spiritual journey.
Thanks… people usually have a very narrow window of thoughts and most of them have fixed way of thinking, it is very difficult for them to accept change or different nature individuals. Mostly they have their previous conditioning. I am not blaming any person because large number of them a not aware and some are ignorant of different practice in life. It is mostly the association which play a vital role how the individual have its life made up. Good association nourishes your faith in your practice, like the people in Radhanth swami aasaram provide the most luxurious spiritual association. visit their site celibatemonk.com
With regards.
my two cents:
Celibacy for specific (sometimes long) periods of time has always been an integral aspect of my sadhana. There is no question in my mind the energizing and purifying qualities that are brought about by proper Brahmacharya. There are many positive side effects which include higher testosterone levels, increase in focus and strength, and the ability to be immune to the temptations of the material world. In my opinion if you can truly and honestly master the art of proper control, one has the ability to access Samadhi much easier as well.
[QUOTE=kareng;73123]Sex brings about desire and complicates the mind…It is good [B]at some point in ones life[/B] to abstain from it and become celibate, it seriously enhances the spiritual journey.[/QUOTE]
I too agree that it is good to become celibate at some point. My experience is the enhancement of the spiritual journey. Sex can complicate things for the seeker. I find not engaging in these forms of sense pleasures easy to adhere to.
[QUOTE=omshanti;73242]my two cents:
Celibacy for specific (sometimes long) periods of time has always been an integral aspect of my sadhana. There is no question in my mind the energizing and purifying qualities that are brought about by proper Brahmacharya. There are many positive side effects which include higher testosterone levels, increase in focus and strength, and the ability to be immune to the temptations of the material world. In my opinion if you can truly and honestly master the art of proper control, one has the ability to access Samadhi much easier as well.[/QUOTE]
You are correct, but i must suggest that conviction to practice celibacy comes from regular association with people those who are actually practicing it. Like the ABCD
A = Association with people having faith (can visit celibatemonk.com site)
B= Book and article reading from CORRECT source
C= Chanting the Lords name " Japa Meditation"
D= Diet , appropriate diet
All this basis ABCD will make the process very easy and very self realizing.
[QUOTE=sumitbhardwaj;73265]You are correct, but i must suggest that conviction to practice celibacy comes from regular association with people those who are actually practicing it. Like the ABCD
A = Association with people having faith (can visit celibatemonk.com site)
B= Book and article reading from CORRECT source
C= Chanting the Lords name " Japa Meditation"
D= Diet , appropriate diet
All this basis ABCD will make the process very easy and very self realizing.[/QUOTE]
I cannot see why the abc are necessary, please explain why these things are necessary?? I can see that D is necessary but why in terms of celibacy…thank you
I dont agree the ABCD will make it very easy and self realizing. As you say. But i
can understand if thats your experience.
It is great tools and ground to start with, but if it was easy you would have seen many realized souls which is not true, yet. Also the spiritual life is like walking a razor and no saint have ever said it was easy, or have they? Maybe they said after they were realized Aha this was easy and yet i didnt understand it for many years. Everything is easy when you have learned it but before that it didnt make sense.
We should ask our self a question here : If it was easy we would not see many fake yogis would we?
Originally Posted by sumitbhardwaj
You are correct, but i must suggest that conviction to practice celibacy comes from regular association with people those who are actually practicing it. Like the ABCD
A = Association with people having faith (can visit celibatemonk.com site)
B= Book and article reading from CORRECT source
C= Chanting the Lords name " Japa Meditation"
D= Diet , appropriate diet
All this basis ABCD will make the process very easy and very self realizing.
Its okay I get abc and d. The idea of abcd is to advertise the site mentioned in brackets. This is rather sneaky and not a very honest approach for someone on a spiritual path. I feel it is manipulative.
[QUOTE=kareng;73272]I cannot see why the abc are necessary, please explain why these things are necessary?? I can see that D is necessary but why in terms of celibacy…thank you[/QUOTE]
Association is necessary as helps us in nourishing our faith in the practice, if we are in good association we can appreciate the wonderful benefit of the process. It is always good to walk with like minded people it helps in unnecessary wastage of ur precious time.
Book and article reading is essential as we always require some amount of intellectual kick, and by reading valuable literature from the authentic source with help in providing the real intelligence. With good intelligence it will be easy to control the mind as mind only knows two things either it “likes” or “dislikes” but the intelligence gives “determination” and "discriminating " power. Hence if the intelligence is not nourished it will lead to uncontrolled mind.
Chanting of the Lord name is the most essential component because the climax of all the yoga is to understand your constitutional position as soul. And this “japa meditation” will help in fine tuning with our real position.
It is important in celibacy is that we need our mind to be under control to reach our purpose for this we need to have the real intelligence with under standing of our constitutional position.
[QUOTE=kareng;73305]Its okay I get abc and d. The idea of abcd is to advertise the site mentioned in brackets. This is rather sneaky and not a very honest approach for someone on a spiritual path. I feel it is manipulative.[/QUOTE]
Dear, i have no purpose to make any manipulative moves. This site i mostly visit for the article and other spiritual material. Its your wish you can visit and decide but i dont have any hidden agenda.
Regards
Sumit, if you advertize your website again in your future posts, your posts will be reported to the moderator David. This could result in deletion of your post or banning of your account, as David does not really like people advertising on his forum. I am letting you know in advance.
Association is necessary as helps us in nourishing our faith in the practice, if we are in good association we can appreciate the wonderful benefit of the process. It is always good to walk with like minded people it helps in unnecessary wastage of ur precious time.
I agree, it is good to have good company, especially of other spiritual seekers. In general it is good to have all kinds of company, as everybody is useful in our life: company of wise people, company of your parents and family, company of friends, company of doctors, teachers and professionals. We should aim to expand our circle of friends. Anybody can prove useful one day.
Book and article reading is essential as we always require some amount of intellectual kick, and by reading valuable literature from the authentic source with help in providing the real intelligence. With good intelligence it will be easy to control the mind as mind only knows two things either it “likes” or “dislikes” but the intelligence gives “determination” and "discriminating " power. Hence if the intelligence is not nourished it will lead to uncontrolled mind.
Yes, study is essential. When one is on the spiritual path one should definitely read as much spiritual literature as they can as it proves very helpful. I especially recommend the Upanishads, Gita, Brahma Sutras, Yoga Sutras, Samkhya Karika, Panchadasi, Vivekchudani etc In addition I also recommend reading as much outside of the Vedic tradition as well. Read Plato, Plotinious, Thomas Aquinas, Lao Tsu, The Egyptian texts, Kabbalh, Sufi texts, modern texts like complete works of Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Ramana Maharishi, Gurdijeff, Ken Wilber. One should also read and expand their knowledge in as many areas as they can: science, technology, philosophy, arts.
Chanting of the Lord name is the most essential component because the climax of all the yoga is to understand your constitutional position as soul. And this “japa meditation” will help in fine tuning with our real position.
What is the name of the Lord? The Vaishnavists say it is Vishnu, Krishna or Rama. The Shivaists say it is Shiva. The Vedantists say it is Brahman or Atman. The Jewish and Christians say it is Yawah. The Muslims say it is Allah. The Sikhs say Waheguru.
Clearly the lord has no name, the names are given by people to the same phenomenon. So there is no true name to chant. I use my own name when I reference the higher power of this cosmos, I say “baba” which I understand to mean most beloved. The deepest connection I make with ‘baba’ is when I am completely silent in meditation. I am not really a fan of japa or mantra meditation. Occasionally I do AUM meditation. There are literally hundreds of ways to meditation - so there is no need to prescribe any particular ones.
E) Swallowing