On Bramhacharya

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi All,

I dont know if this is a suitable thread in this forum. I practise yoga and read a lot about yoga philosophy. In addition to asanas I also do some of the kriyas as a detoxifying practice.

Does anybody here have experience with practising bramhacharya. (I am 33 years old) I have taken a vow to remain celibate in thought and actions for 3 months. I am doing this for personal reasons, I realize that it is nontrivial to practice, In this regard I would like to hear from people here any suggestions, thoughts, comments experieances.

Thanks a lot!!

#2

I presume that your Yoga practice is in good hands and you are regular.

Let me put some thoughts here about brahmacharya, in response to many popular views. As an analogy, if we take the game of baseball (or cricket, depending on where you are) playing the game itself is a physical action. But, unlike a zombie who may simply get up and play, there is a thought or decision in our mind before we play. But that too occurs only when essentially there is a desire to play out of liking. I hope, when you mention ‘remaining celibate in thought and action’ you have the above 3 layers in mind, i.e. thought precedes action and desire precedes everything.

Because then you will agree that true celibacy would be ?absence of desire? and one in thought and action will follow effortlessly. The Sanskrit word ?brahmacharya? apparently means ?living like the supreme being?, since brahma means the ?supreme being? and charya means the ?living?. That living is desireless. So, to live without desire for sex is a derived and limited meaning of brahmacharya that appeals to the most.

To some people desire for sex is an integral part of us, implying that freedom from it will come only through suppression or deprivation. But that has no place in Yoga. Desirelessness has to come naturally, blooming out of wisdom why desire is the root of all pain. Then it takes the form of a relaxed indifference towards the objects of desire. Though very hard to dissolve, desire for sex is not the last desire to go; in Yoga, there are two more. The next is a desire to live and the very last is a desire for union with pure consciousness. In that ultimate state, even that last desire has also to extinguish.

So, instead of attending to and preventing the actions, it always helps to face a desire squarely and understand who the real culprit is. These are some of my thoughts backed by some experience.

#3

Three whole months? What’s the big deal about that?

Though very hard to dissolve, desire for sex is not the last desire to go; in Yoga, there are two more. The next is a desire to live and the very last is a desire for union with pure consciousness. In that ultimate state, even that last desire has also to extinguish.

So where does it say that that these last two desires must go? Does everyone who does yoga agree?

I have never heard that a yoga practice leads to ceasing to desire to live.

And one must also not desire to be united with God?

#4

Suhas and thomas, thanks for your comments,
It is a controversial topic anyways…

thomas - 3 months might not be a big deal for some, but for others like me, being desire free in thoughts does not come easy.

#5

Patanjali mentions the desire to live as one of the hardest desires to overcome, even very enlightened souls are afflicted by it. In this context desire to live means to perpetuate ones existence in the planes of duality, particularly the material planes. When one leaves the material planes they become angels. When they ascend the angelic planes they become gods, and still further they become one with god.

#6

Aspirant,

This is absolutely a “suitable thread” in this forum.
However it has been preceded by several others. And my position on that has always been to direct the student to that reading and revisit with them to clarify any question(s) that may remain.

http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f20/bhramcharya-4462.html

http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/yoga-and-celibacy-6269.html

http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/sexual-desire-4160.html

http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/sexual-sublimation-4700.html

#7

[QUOTE=aspirant;41556]Suhas and thomas, thanks for your comments,
It is a controversial topic anyways…

thomas - 3 months might not be a big deal for some, but for others like me, being desire free in thoughts does not come easy.[/QUOTE]

My apologies regarding thoughts. That would not be easy.

If you don’t mind my sharing a Christian perspective…all kinds of thoughts can assail you, and many of them are not in your control. But what you can control is whether you entertain them or not.

St. Augustine was a nortious sexual sinner before his conversion, and after he converted he said he eventually was able to “dominate” his passions. He didn’t say he eliminated them.

I have sworn off eating sweets for the past year. I loved all kinds of cakes, cookies, candy, ice cream, etc., and was unable to ever consume them in moderation, but always went to great excess, so for the sake of my health, and since I could not just cut back, because a small amount always led to a great amount, I went cold turkey.

I still have a desire to eat sweets, and miss them, but the desire is small. I miss the pleasure of eating sweets, but there is a certain pleasure in dominating my passion for sweets and having the discipline to resist, plus I remember the pain of exess too, ant that helps.

Anyway, I don’t understand the necessity to get rid of all desires, but rather see the value of subjugating desires to the will.

#8

Anyway, I don’t understand the necessity to get rid of all desires, but rather see the value of subjugating desires to the will.

The aim is not to get rid of the desire, but to dissolve it. Your mind does not just operate on one level of just conscious mind. The conscious mind is just the most ordinary level we are aware of day to day. In the background there is the subconscious mind which is constantly processing recent thoughts, and beyond that is the unconscious mind which is a storehouse of memories, habits, desires. When we sleep, because we are in another level of consciousness, a lot of stuff bubbles up. Dreams are great places to look for, for what exactly lurks in our mind.

It may look like you have overcome a desire on the conscious level, but in fact, at the subconscious and unconscious level that desire is there and it gets stronger and stronger the longer you allow it to fester. Suppression of a desire by sheer will power does not work, for all you do is replace the positive attachment to the object of your desire(e.g., ice cream) with a negative attachment. This is why many people who try give up desires by sheer exertion of will power, fail miserably.

Ask yourself sincerely why is child molestation and other forms of sexual deviancy such an epidemic within the Church - of all places. The answer is because they have suppressed their desires so much that those desires have turned into hurricances in their unconscious mind and become pathologies. This manfiests as sexual misconduct of the most basest of nature. This is also the explanation for why Christianity despite being built on an edifice of great intentions, has been so destructive. Anybody trying to live a Christian lifestyle of suppression of desires, fear of sinning can very easily go loopy. I have seen it myself with my Christian friends.

A method that does work when addressing desire is to simply become aware of them and watch them with great concentration in an objective manner. The power of observation reveals the desire, and makes us aware that we are distinct from that desire. That it is simply another wave occuring within the sea of our mind. When you allow it to rise and fall when observing it, it gradually starts to lose its power over you, until it completely dissolves as if it never existed in the first place.

#9

Thanks everybody for all their comments, Thanks Innerathlete, I went over all the threads u pointed towards.

There seemsto be numerous versions of what we can interpret it, ranging purely from sexual abstinence to something that is much more broader aspect.
and how we go abt approaching it ranging from subjugating through will power to detached observance and removing desire.

In this current age, even if we consciously choose to shy away (unless we live in isolation) ,our senses are constantly bombarded by various forms of media as well as in our interation with the society. I would like to hear from people here their individual experience in how they have been able to practice whatever definition they have chosen for themselves or instances where they had been able to or failed to surmount huge challenges. I hope to learn and apply some in my qwest (though for me it is only for a predetermined period of 3 months)

Thanks Again

#10

There are sensible interpretations, interpretations lacking context, and there are extremist interpretations. The student of yoga simply has to cultivate and refine their ability to discern (for their own living, their own life mission, their own purpose) and use the tools relative to that discernment.

Such a viewpoint however, is inherently clouded by the avidya (ignorance) Patanjali outlines in the Sutras (Kleshas). Therefore one actually needs to do some work to process that veil or fog in order to see more clearly. And it is for this reason (the reason of our own coloring and samskara) that a clean, sound, appropriate teacher is so vital.

You are on point about the bombardment and it is for this reason that we go inside ourselves WHILE still doing that which is required to live in the world outside ourselves. And this means that “shying away” is not a healthy yogic response.

In our work, which I freely acknowledge is not the work of or for everyone, we understand that the vital force which dwells in the pelvis and the mental force which dwells in the cranium both need to be drawn down and transformed in the light of the heart center. Call it a sort of energetic digestion. And we have and use specific tools in meditation to do that. And when I am doing them and committed to that doing on a “regular basis” they work well. But alas, we are so easily (and constantly) drawn to distraction.

#11

[QUOTE=aspirant;41574]I would like to hear from people here their individual experience in how they have been able to practice whatever definition they have chosen for themselves or instances where they had been able to or failed to surmount huge challenges. I hope to learn and apply some in my qwest (though for me it is only for a predetermined period of 3 months)
[/QUOTE]

Obviously by now I guess those three months have already passed. How did it go?

I am only seeing this thread for the first time and saw that your request for others experiences went unanswered so I’ll share my own.

When I first adopted celebacy I noticed the physical benefits first. I felt more energetic and stable, more ‘full’ I guess you could say. I think that physical strength and stamina are greatly increased by celebacy. Also my Yoga got better, as I began to feel prana become stronger and stronger.

Being completely free from sexual desire is the real meaning of Bramacharya, as others have pointed out, and that is very difiicult. I have not gotten there yet. But chosing to not act on those desires is very possible. I agree with others that just suppressing desires can be harmful. But there are ways to strike at the root of the desires themselves and lessen their power over you. I have found that by controlling my diet, eating vegetarian and not over eating or indulging in foods simply for pleasure sexual desire is reduced. Also, remaining physically fit and being regular in your schedule in terms of getting up early and not staying up too late helps. Yoga practice is the most powerful tool though, especially inversion postures.

The most important requirement I would say is a firm resolve. There are the occasional moments of weakness, especially because we are so bombarded by sexuality every day. But if you chose to look the other way instead of at sexual imagery, or change the channel from sexual content on tv, or chose to look only at a girl’s face when in her company rather than allowing your eyes to roam her body as they would like to, then each of those instances is a small victory for you, and it strengthens your resolve and is a source of encouragement. As this happens for me I become happier and more sure with my choice and any small doubt is removed.

#12

I have been celibate for eight years. It was not something I chose or wanted, but was forced because of my wife’s illness and the danger a pregnancy would present. Being practicing Catholics, contraception was not an option, and neither was abortion in the event of pregnancy, so we decided to abstain for a few months, but conditions have not improved and a few months have turned into eight years.

I would rather it were not so, and I have hope things could one day change, but on the other hand, it’s not the end of the world, and it’s not as hard as I thought it would be (no pun intended).

I appreciate the post above, because I try to look at the positives, and perhaps celibacy is part of the reason I’m a very youthful 55. Maybe if I had not been celibate I’d be all worn out by now.

At this point, my fight is not against sexual desires, but against feelings of being left out or resentment against what seems to be unfair, or sometimes a sadness that something is gone. But I try to focus on other things, and physical activities and other interests are a big help, and there is such a thing as life and happiness without sex. And I have to be mindful, especially at my age, that this life is short, and salvation is the goal, not getting as much pleasure as possible before I die, or seeing the Eiffel tower.

There is hope things could change and it won’t be this way the rest of our lives, but I have to be prepared that that could be the case, so I don’t really have any option but to be celibate, unless I want to be an adulterer, or unless I want to abandon my faith.

So I’m not understanding the comments that sexual desires should not be “repressed,” since there are many situations, like mine, where they cannot be expressed, and where self-denial is the only option.

#13

Thanks InnerAthlete and sadhakted for your comments and your experiences.
I am still in the first month of this vow. It has been satisfying so far, I feel more energetic and wholesome(if such a term can be used to describe state of mind :slight_smile: ), at the same time it is challenging because of the subconscious patterns and habits I have developed over the years and seem to have a life of its own.

I stick to a vegetarian diet, but I dont have good self discipline with eating and many times end up indulging in fatty or sweet foods. I am more regular with my yoga practice though and as u mentioned, the prana / breath seems to be more deeper and calmer.

Internet, television comes with its own temptations because it is private and anonymous and I have been trying to be very aware when I use them. Overall I can see that the benefits and I feel more vibrant and that by itself seems to be good motivation for me right now.

Thanks

#14

I have been celibate for about 12 years, maybe longer I have forgotten. Many of the initial years I felt a fake due to desire, but now I have no desire whatsoever and feel a kind of freedom I didn’t expect. I cant be caught out by myself either, not even for a second, its odd and difficult yo explain why I feel this freedom? It isn’t due to achievement its something else which I cant really pinpoint

#15

I am going to indulge the OP and others readers with my own lifestory here, for it may prove to be very helpful to others and put things into better perspective.

There are many interpretations offered here, but as IA has alluded himself, not all interpretations are equal. The following methods have been suggested to curb desire: suppression and repression of desire, expression of desire, redirecting attention to other desires/objects, regulation of desire, detached observation of desire. It can be seen from the above replies that some are better methods than others.

I have personal experience with all methods, having tried them at different points of development in my life and have learned through direct experience which are the best methods. First of all, suppression and repression. This is the easiest one to do for it essentially is simply denying what you are feeling. I did this for 20 years of my life. I denied myself going out and enjoying myself, I denied myself the right to speech, I denied myself friends, I denied myself partners and sex. I simply said to myself I don’t need them. The truth was, the real me wanted to go out and enjoy itself, it wanted to express itself, it wanted to make friends and have sex. The denial strategy had therefore chocked this “me” and it manifested itself in terms of severe anxiety problems and depression. I still suffer some anxiety problems to this very day because of this. At the age of 20 I finally decided to do something about the misery I was.

The next method I tried was redirecting attention to other desires. This is just a variation on the previous one. However, this time rather than just suppressing my desires, I redirected it to other desires. Such as pursuing education, playing games, travelling, interests and finally spirituality. It worked to an extent in that the “me” was getting a bit more oxygen. I had let it out the box a bit and gave it a chance to find an identity with which it could be comfortable. It is at this stage I joined spiritual groups, learned meditation and strived to live a completely spiritual lifestyle. Listening to spiritual music, talking about spiritual stuff, eating veg diets, wearing crystals - new age bassically. I had gone from a repressed nihilistic misanthrope to spiritual, loving philanthrope. This new phase in my life carried me far, but it was a double edged sword, because the meditation I was doing was putting me in touch with my real desires. It had given me a ruthless objectivity by which I could be totally honest about who I was. The truth is: I still really wanted the normal material life: going out, expressing myself, friends, sex.

Then I tried the method of expression of desire. I could no longer kid myself that I was this pure and noble spiritual person who was different to the rest, I knew I was just like them and I wanted what they wanted. So I killed the spiritual ego, realising it was false, just a mask I had worn to get away from the real me so I could feel better. I then became an existentialist. I realised I could be whowever I wanted to be. I could do whatever I wanted to do. So I went all out. I joined many clubs to meet people, one of them was the speakers clubs to overcome my speaking anxiety. I made many friends, I started going out and indulged in utter hedonism with loads of drinking and sex. I had utter freedom to do what I wanted. I had released the “me” completely and allowed it to do whatever it wanted. I lost all humiliy, shame and sense of responsibility. I had also allowed my health to suffer and god knows what diseases I have contracted by doing this. This is what I call the left-hand-path and I actually realise its virtue. It is far better than the previous methods I was using. I was much more happier, freer in this phase of my life than any other. In my more recent phase of life I have realised that my left hand path is incredibly destructive and if I continue like this, I will definitely destroy myself and waste this incarnation. At the same time I am proud of myself for realising this, something which many of my fellow humans living today will not realise for an entire lifetime.

So the most recent method I have tried is regulation of desire. This is incredibly hard because finding the balance of material life with spriitual life is frustrating, especially when you have no idea what the balance should be like. I have curbed my material life by putting limits on my drinking, reducing my sexual activity, taking more responsibility for what I say and going out less. Spirituality is now returning into my life, I have resumed Yoga and meditation, but still on and off. I am doing more spiritual things, but more seriously now. As a result my material life is starting to crumble. I am losing the desire to drink, have sex, socialise with friends. This in turn is being reflected outwardly as my friends are beginning to drift away because of changes in their life circumstances. I am slowing down now and becoming more humble than before(Anything is more humble than before!) I will soon commence an entirely spiritual life, and the foundation for that is being laid as we speak. I now gets pangs for spirituality. Genuine, painful pangs. Realising the futility and impermenance of the material life in all its modes. Only a pure spiritual life is the anitodote.

My most recent method is detached observation of desire. I have been trying to do this method for 10 years now, but only now am I really starting to do it. I am becoming painfuly aware of just how temporal and transient the world is, and how it is not satisfying me. The going out has not satisfied me, drinking and sex has not satisfied me, making loads of friends and socialising with them has not satisfied me. Now everything that happens in my life all seems like another blip on the screen. If I am honest, this is the most painful period in my life. I am so incredibly bored. Nothing is filling that void and emptiness within me. No matter how much I go out, how much I drink, how much I have sex, how much I socialise.

I am ready.

#16

I just wanted to add on the section on regulation of desire because it is a clilche in new-age spirituality today that one can live a spiritual life and balance it with a material life. My own experience has shown this balancing act is impossible. You either are spiritual or you are material, you cannot be both. Those who maintain you can do both are people who want to have their cake and eat it at the same time.

Doing some Yoga and meditation in the morning. Then going to work for the rest of the day in the office. Coming back and then watching the television. Then going out for a drink and gossip with your friends. Then coming back and having sex is not the balancing of a spirtual life with a material life. It is a material life, with the very bad excuse of a spiritual life embedded within it.

They do not go together. Just doing 1-2 hour of Yoga asana and meditation in your 24 hour day is not a spiritual life. The rest of the stuff you are doing in the day is undoing those efforts anyway. This is what I have learned by trying to do the balancing act of spiritual life with material life. I have seen it with everybody else that is trying to balance the spiritual life with material life.

With my best friend who meditates throughout the week, then on the weekend goes out and binge drinks, chats up women(with rather crude approaches) and does drugs. With my mother who gets up early everyday and prays by reading her scripture, with the rosary/mala and then meditates, then gets on with the rest of her duties. Then goes out to her college classes and socialises with her mates. Come back home and watches Hindi soap operas(trash television) then gossips with her best friend on the phone, often about who said what and did what.

A few token efforts in the day or week is not going to make you spiritual. Balancing spiritual life with material life is like trying to balance medicine with poison, light with darkness, evil with good. The more you add to the quotient of one, simultaneusly you reduce the quotient of the other. So this idea of having a total balance is a total fallacy.
This is what ultimately all so-called spiritual people currently using this method will realise, just as I have recently. Then again we all learn at different paces.

Buddha did not maintain his aristocratic lifestyle whilst seeking spirituality. He renounced his aristocratic lifestyle for 10 years of dedicated spiritual life. Then he gained enlightenment and came back into the world, but not as an aristocrt, but as a spiritual teacher for the rest of the world.

This is the ultimate fate of every individual soul in the world. As soon as you grow weary and tired of the material life, you will renounce it completely. No more of this balancing act farce. At that stage, like every other past master(all masters were once students) you will go in search of a master and dedicate yourself completely to that path.

Like I said in my previous post. I am ready. I am obviously an old soul whose been through all of this in the past innumerable times, which would explain why I developed so rapidly in this life and went from one stage to the other. I know, some people reading this are going to condemn me for boasting about my own greatness(their ego of jealousy, basically) but I am simplying acknowleding my strengths. It is a good thing to have pride in your achivements, whilst recognising your weaknesses and shortcoming.

#17

Thanks everybody for posting their experiences and comments on this issue. I realize that there is a wealth of information and experience in this forum and I respect and understand that each one of us is at a different and unique stage with respect to their life and understanding.

I am at a stage where I would like to understand and experience the beneficial and spiritual nature of bramhacharya, and for me setting this 3 month time is a small step towards make a conscious attempt.

In this regard, I would like to know if there are any particular asanas or pranayama practice that aids and as well as any activities during ones normal day to day activities (off the mat) based on your individual experiences

Thanks

#18

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;41651]You either are spiritual or you are material, you cannot be both. Those who maintain you can do both are people who want to have their cake and eat it at the same time.

…

Doing some Yoga and meditation in the morning. Then going to work for the rest of the day in the office. Coming back and then watching the television. Then going out for a drink and gossip with your friends. Then coming back and having sex is not the balancing of a spirtual life with a material life. It is a material life, with the very bad excuse of a spiritual life embedded within it.

…

A few token efforts in the day or week is not going to make you spiritual. Balancing spiritual life with material life is like trying to balance medicine with poison, light with darkness, evil with good. The more you add to the quotient of one, simultaneusly you reduce the quotient of the other. So this idea of having a total balance is a total fallacy.
[/QUOTE]

I am sorry but I have to totally disagree with you. A spiritual lifestyle can easily be maintained while still living a meterial lifestyle. I myself work full time at a very demanding job with alot of responsibilities. But I work hard to fulfill my duties, not for material gain or enjoyment, but because it is my duty to discharge the responsibilities the Lord gives me. I don’t drink, smoke, spend money or indulge in sensual or sexual pleasures. I cook all of the food for myself and my family, practice Yoga at night and do mantra when I can, but I cannot do only spiritual things all day because 1. I would not have the purity and focus to stay constantly engaged the entire day, and 2. I have responsibilities which were given to me not by my choice. You are saying that one can only be material or spiritual, but whose to say that I cannot put efforts into both?
My father spends two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening in Yoga Sadhaha, and in between he works with me in the day day. He leads an extremely pure and spiritual lifestyle and someday will be a Sanyasi.
Others I know work and enjoy family life but are also doing spiritual things and dedicating their actions to God.
Sure, behaving in the way you mentioned while only practicing a little bit of spirituality is not leading a truly spiritual life, but people must start somewhere. If the only choice was to be completely material or completely spiritual then the people who adopt the spiritual life would still be partially material because they would not have had the chance to slowly develop the purity and faith required for spiritual life.
In my opinion any spiritual efforts made will be beneficial, even if other parts of your life would seem to be counteractive to them. What is the alternative? Not put any effort in at all? By consistently making small gains through small efforts people with gradually develop their inner spiritual tendencies and weaken their bonds to material existence. This is the reason we have multiple lifetimes to achieve liberation, we are not all expected to reach perfection on our first try.

#19

Here Here SadhakTed…

.Ishvara resides, and I mean resides in all of us. Ishvara knows all your struggles and troubles, weaknesses, flaws. If you set out in earnest to correct them, even when you slip up, you don’t slip backwards, your efforts are understood.
Living in this material world is a constant challenge for anyone on a spiritual mission. What is it that you notice thats hard?.. keeping a check on yourself… That is the challenge…when a bill comes in thats large, do you erupt into a thousand pieces and walk around angry, taking it out on others maybe, or do you search for the higher mind in dealing with it. This applies to every material problem you might face…the higher mind you posses is what you should reach for. In everything you do, with everyone you know or encounter, and in your home, work, or cave.

And I know very little about anything, by the way. But i have met Ishvara for a considerable length of time, me with all my struggles in the west, and the flaws I have.

#20

This is expected. I have basically told you whatever you are doing, and the ones you know are doing is not spiritual. I have told my own friends the same, and they react the same. They see themselves as “spiritual” but I am telling them they are not.

I am not a spiritual person. I am an intellectual person. When I start on the spiritual path I will call myself spiritual.

A spiritual lifestyle can easily be maintained while still living a meterial lifestyle.

You will find whether at some point in this lifetime or another lifetime this is as impossible as trying to maintain the balance of light and darkness. If you increase the quotient of one, you simultaneously decrease the quotient of the other.

You either live a spiritual life or a material life. You cannot live both. At some point you will need to make a decision what you want.

I myself work full time at a very demanding job with alot of responsibilities. But I work hard to fulfill my duties, not for material gain or enjoyment, but because it is my duty to discharge the responsibilities the Lord gives me.

Yep, and how is this any different to 99% of the worlds population that are doing working demanding jobs and doing their responsibilities in material life?
Holding a job is nothing to boast of, it is common. However, living a spiritual life is not common. Very few souls on this planet make that choice.

I don’t drink, smoke, spend money or indulge in sensual or sexual pleasures. I cook all of the food for myself and my family, practice Yoga at night and do mantra when I can,

Not indulging in sensual or sexual pleasure is not necessarily spirituality. There are spiritual paths where one does engage in sensual and sexual pleasure.

Again, a few token efforts of doing Yoga at night does not make you spiritual.

but I cannot do only spiritual things all day because 1. I would not have the purity and focus to stay constantly engaged the entire day, and 2. I have responsibilities which were given to me not by my choice.

Exactly, and this is why you are not spiritual. You are wordly. Most of your day is spent in your full time job, contributing to this capitalist system which is built on the value of exploitation. This is not to say you are a bad person. You sound like a good person with good moral values, and you helping others as well. This also makes you a charitable person.

When you do have the purity and focus to concentrate on your spirituality you will become a spiritual person. Then you will find a guru who will initiate you into a practice and tradition and you will practice until you have reached enlightenment. Then you will return to the world as a teacher for others.

My father spends two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening in Yoga Sadhaha, and in between he works with me in the day day. He leads an extremely pure and spiritual lifestyle and someday will be a Sanyasi.

And when he becomes a Sanyasi he will become a spiritual person.

Others I know work and enjoy family life but are also doing spiritual things and dedicating their actions to God.

Doing spiritual things does not make you spiritual. Living a spiritual life, dedicated only to achieiving enlightenment and nothing else is spiritual.

Sure, behaving in the way you mentioned while only practicing a little bit of spirituality is not leading a truly spiritual life, but people must start somewhere. If the only choice was to be completely material or completely spiritual then the people who adopt the spiritual life would still be partially material because they would not have had the chance to slowly develop the purity and faith required for spiritual life.

When you do have the purity and faith for spiritual life you will become spiritual. Prior to that you are material. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, but once the step is taken the journey begins.

In my opinion any spiritual efforts made will be beneficial, even if other parts of your life would seem to be counteractive to them. What is the alternative? Not put any effort in at all? By consistently making small gains through small efforts people with gradually develop their inner spiritual tendencies and weaken their bonds to material existence. This is the reason we have multiple lifetimes to achieve liberation, we are not all expected to reach perfection on our first try.

The gains you will make by trying to do live a spiritual life whilst living a material life is like taking a cup full from an ocean. In a 24 hour day if all you do is 2 hours of yoga a day, then the rest of day you spend working, socialising and entertaining yourself you will get nowhere. You will move up the spiritual ladder at a painfully slow snail peace, which will be counted in number of lifetimes.

Buddha, who was already a highly developed soul still took 10 years of absolute dedication to spiritual practice before he achieived enlightenment. The Risis went onto Samadhi and meditated for several decades(some stories say thousands) in one spot before they achieived enlightenment.

This really puts it into perspective just how much dedication you need if you are serious about achieving enlightenment. Only souls who have this level of commitment deserve to be called spiritual.

Some souls are born with the pangs of spirituality within them already. They start from childhood itself, but it still takes them until their adult years of spiritual practice before they reach enlightenment.

The knowledge of reincarnation can actually be quite dangerous, because people start to become complacent. They say, “What’s the hurry, I got forever, I will use this lifetime for material things this time” What they do not realise that by setting up this habit pattern, they make it harder for themselves the next time around. Next time around the new personality they adopt will also say, “What’s the hurry, I will forever, I will use this lifetime for material things this time” Next time, you maybe born in a society where do not get exposed to spirituality.

This is why if you are exposed to spirituality in this lifetime and you do not capitalise on that golden opportunity and start a spiritual life, once realising the ultimate aim of the soul is to achieive the Self and thereby enlightenment, you are being foolish. I have realised that there is goal higher than self-realization and I’ve got to work on it at the age of 30. If I maintain intensity of practice I may be able to reach enligtenment in this lifetime, or practice hard enough to get an incarnation in a spiritual family in the next.