Deepak surprised me, when he began by saying that ?spirituality and sexual energy were connected. No life would exist without the other.? While reaching for the gap of silence in the morning meditation that followed, my mind began to think of all of the ways that we could enhance the spiritual aspect of our sexuality. Many people have written about using yoga to increase sexual energy and performance. Some, like a recent blog by the renown yoga teacher Ana Forrest, have written about using yoga to support sexual healing.
Yes, there is a connection. You can test it for yourself - when you lose your sexual fluid(I will not use the e-word, in case it is against forum t&c) you will feel your energy levels fall. If you lose a lot too quickly, its becomes even more noticable. When you preserve it for long you will become very active, which will often make you crave sex, but that same energy can be channeled for more useful creative purposes.
I think this fact about sexual fluid is known in the sports sciences and military. For example prior to competing in sports or fighting in battle the competitor/solider is asked to abstain from sex for a while.
[QUOTE=mikemeditate;68684]Deepak surprised me, when he began by saying that ?spirituality and sexual energy were connected.[/QUOTE]There is no such animal like ?sexual energy?. Holly scriptures are silent about this.
?Sexual energy? is only in the minds of sick people.
[QUOTE=Seeker33;68744]There is no such animal like ?sexual energy?. Holly scriptures are silent about this.
?Sexual energy? is only in the minds of sick people.[/QUOTE]
It is ambiguous declarations such as this that have turned Yoga from a science into New Age jargon. Were you to elaborate on why you believe “sexual energy is only in the minds of sick people” you would have created the potential for discussion and enlightenment. I don’t even know where to start with your statement because I can’t be sure what it is you are trying to say.
I think when you start talking about the spiritual aspects of sexuality and increasing sexual energy and performance, you’re leaving the realm of yoga and getting into the realm of vedic spiritual practices and tantra. After all, in the Yoga Sutras, the main concepts related to sexuality are brahmacharya and dispassion. The video I linked to earlier is related to something called the khadgamala stotram, which in turn is related to one of the very old Upanishads. The practice is sexual in nature, but it’s main focus is on the worship of the divine mother, and the forces in nature that bring about the birth of living beings. The images in the video are various deities that all represent different aspects of the divine mother. I’ve heard of sexual practices in other forms of tantra but I have no firsthand knowledge of these.
I forgot to mention that the devotion to the divine mother is supposed to bring about the acquisition of wealth, which we know is the most powerful aphrodisiac.
While an instinct to procreate (and perpetuate the human species) is generic, ‘sexuality’ is its cultural manifestation. A gender is a gross expression of the subtle intents of different functionalities. Subtler the body, differentiation is more diffused. In the causal body it completely vanishes.
So sexuality is connected with spirituality but they do not belong to the same plane. Sexuality is behavior backed by articulated thoughts. Spirituality is a state reached by understanding the mechanism of behavior, thoughts and the main driver, the mind. Sexuality comes at the material end of indulgence by drowning awareness, while deeper and richer awareness is spirituality.
Spirituality is not easy and the spiritual path is no bed of roses. Sexuality on the other hand is intrinsic and needs no learning. It is a fantasy to imagine that indulgence itself would ?somehow? empower spirituality. Indulgence is certainly an opportunity to understand the human vulnerability but any spirituality is cultivated only through a relaxed indifference towards it. Of course we have this one bundle of a body (or bodies) so sexuality and spirituality live together; but they are not identical twins. They are siblings growing with different missions, potentials and destinations. Sexual energy is a misnomer too. Sexuality is consumption of energy; while spirituality is generation of it.
[QUOTE=Suhas Tambe;68800] Sexuality is consumption of energy; while spirituality is generation of it.[/QUOTE]
This is an interesting statement. My experience is the opposite, in that I have witnessed sexuality’s generation of energy, as well as consumption. The same appears true of spirituality.
I have noticed that sexuality is less about learned behaviour as it is inherent. Often I am amazed at the sexual power generated by a relatively unattractive individual, while an attractive person has no sex appeal at all. Where does this energy come from? Why is is governed so strongly by others?
At any rate, sexuality is intertwined so finely in our being that it is only removed with precise surgical skill. That’s why so few actually accomplish it.
I find many points of disagreement with Suhas Tambe, but perhaps the main difficulty lies in defining exactly what do we mean by ‘spirituality’ and sexuality. The essence of the human condition is that we are spirits living in the material world. We do find that the material nature and the spirit or self are inextricably intertwined in this plane of existence.
Sexuality is part of our material nature, yet it reaches deep into our psyche. It is one of the [I]indriyas[/I] or instruments through which we experience the world both outside and inside. It does not consist only of the physical organs and biological processes and urges, it is also accompanied by a whole range of emotions and behaviors.
We can better understand by analyzing these in terms of the principles of the gunas, sattva, rajas, and tamas. For the uninitiated, in yoga philosophy the gunas are the primordial stuff out of which all other stuff is ultimately made. It is important to understand that these qualities are never seen in isolation, but always in combination, with one or the other predominating. In terms of sexuality, the tamasic qualities manifest as obsession, compulsion, delusion, dissipation, and violence. The rajasic qualities manifest as self-seeking, self-gratification, vanity, pride, jealousy, and envy. The sattvic qualities manifest as self-control, caring, loyalty, nurturing, providing, protecting, and love.
The process of yoga is one of transformation. We consciously seek to transform our nature toward the sattvic. This is the level known as having only the mark. We identify the qualities that we want to develop. This is the unparticularized. The qualities must be particularized through practice. This is not instinctive, it has to be taught, and learned, and practiced. In this sense sexuality is no different that any other part of our human nature. The highest yogis ultimately realize that even the sattvic qualities are part of our material nature, and develop dispassion even toward that.
[QUOTE=Sonrita;68756]It is ambiguous declarations such as this that have turned Yoga from a science into New Age jargon. Were you to elaborate on why you believe “sexual energy is only in the minds of sick people” you would have created the potential for discussion and enlightenment. I don’t even know where to start with your statement because I can’t be sure what it is you are trying to say.[/QUOTE]Discussions are only for your Ahamkara. Get rid of it in find your Atma.
in my view we digress from meaningful discussion and some how fall in the trap of ego, every one is entitled to express his or her own mind
Osho somewhere explained that during the last act of sex, for a spilt second ,one feels egolessness and timelessness, virtually witnessing the attributes of god. if this split second encounter gives a person such an experience that he/she wants to do it again and again, what ananda he or she will get if they merge in him for ever. the first part explains sexuality the second part the spirituality.
Swami Vivekananda mentions that a person loses his ojas by performing sexual act. manu sahmita and even upnishad grant a householder to act for procreation and not use this act for pleasure.brahmcharya has been given a prominent place in hindu religion.
the reason for that is very interesting.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika says that as long as prana is within the body one lives and dies once the prana leaves the body. the catch word is retention of prana within one’s own body. every person is given a definite amount of prana and hath yog strongly recommends it to expend it very frugally. that is why all yogic postures are static and not dynamic and one is supposed to do savasan, a deadman’s posture to regain normal breaths. prana is life sustaining force and resides at the base of the spine
and is brought forth by breathing and distributed allover the body.
the maximum wastage of prana is during the course of sex.
if you want to live long and to pursue spirituality for the perpetual state of ananda follow brahmacharya. choice is yours
Hi…
Sexuality On The Spiritual Path,I disagree all the comments narrated about this I would like to give more comments but latter.
I agree with Sumerian Myth.
I agree to regard the sexual act is an act full of plenty. I mean, When the King had sex with the priestess, they both took on a different energy, they became gods for a moment. And the king received love and kindness and his character changed. If this sexual encounter between the King and the priestess was not good, the whole town was going to go hungry all year round. With all this I mean that sex is a very important act that determines many things.
That’s my opinion…
My personal belief is that animal sexuality is about procreation, but human sexuality is different. We are the only creatures that copulate face to face, and we are one of the few species in which the female is available most of the time, and not just during estrus. So, yes I think human sexuality is about more than just procreation. Who can deny the effects it has on our moods and feeling of well being?
[QUOTE=Asuri;69938]My personal belief is that animal sexuality is about procreation, but human sexuality is different. We are the only creatures that copulate face to face, and we are one of the few species in which the female is available most of the time, and not just during estrus. So, yes I think human sexuality is about more than just procreation. Who can deny the effects it has on our moods and feeling of well being?[/QUOTE]
Then by that token, every sexuality between the species is different. Dolphins mate for pleasure, Swine have extremely long orgasms, primates are are extremely promiscuous, cuddle fish, well, cuddle, cats do it violently.
If sex was not pleasureable, it would not happen. Same goes for breast feeding, (relief from swollen mammory tissue)
[QUOTE=JSK;69987]primates are are extremely promiscuous[/QUOTE]
…:o
I wouldn’t try to argue with any of that. I think the differences in species are not limited just to the act of sex itself. It also extends to how they care for their young. In some species both male and female are good parents, some its only the mother, others will eat their own offspring. So what does it tell us about human sexuality?
I have difficulty understanding the need to reject one of nature’s wonderful gifts - the ability to share pleasure with another person. We are here, in our bodies, for such a short period of time before passing on to another existence. Disguise all you want in the mask of enlightenment, it still feels like a rejection of a wonderful gift.
In fact, I will go as far as to say that one cannot achieve total spirituality without first embracing physicality.
I have very conflicting views on this matter. I am a highly sexual person, and I have lead a very promiscuous lifestyle. I have had loads of sexual partners, that I have lost count. At the same time I understand that I am not in control of my sexual urges. They come and overwhelm me, like there is some kind of inner beast(Freud seems to be onto something) that is demanding to be fed. I have sex to feed that inner beast, and that sex is not very fulfilling, it is almost like satisfying your hunger. It is satisfied for a while, and then it comes back again.
Is that a wonderful gift? My intellect is saying that any habit that is powerful enough to overwhelm you and take you here and there is a good indication that you are not in control of your mind-body. It is a very good indication that there is much turmoil in your life, restlessness, lack of discipline, composure. In short it means you have long way to go in your spiritual development.
I have been able to admit it to myself that I have a long way to go in my spiritual development, that my sexual desires are simply too strong for me to stop doing it, but I do think I will be able to measure the extent of my progress by how weak that sexual desire becomes. When it no longer has that power to pull me here and there. So how do I do that? Well that is what the spiritual path is all about, learning how to manage and ultimately overcome your desires. I understand there are two ways in spiritual traditions:
Right Hand Path: Observing morality and purity in life to build high character
Left Hand Path: Working directly with your desires, indulging it and feeling it as intensely as you can, with full awareness; mindful indulgence in desire
But I understand it really is not as simple as that. If you take to the right hand path, you will end up suppressing a lot of your desires, and they simply go back into your subconscious and ferment there, and get stronger and stronger. If you take to the left hand path, you will end up simply rationalizing your desires and end up becoming even more badly addicted. No matter how much you tell yourself, “I will overcome it by experiencing it as intensely as I can” you will find you will start to crave the intensity. We are all probably familiar with those times when we had that best sex ever, but never can quite have it again. Nothing seems to match that intensity, and we crave having that intensity again.
So here is why it is conflicting. I know that that my sexual indulgence is wrong and it means I am not a very spiritually developed person, but I can’t stop myself either. Express or Suppress, that is the question!