FW: Celibacy

10-20-2000, 01:44 PM

Forwarding on the celibacy discussion.

-----Original Message-----
From: Harsha (Dr. Harsh K. Luthar) [mailto:hluthar@...]

Thank you for your sharing Ramji on the issues of celibacy. Many will find
it to be a very thoughtful and sensible commentary. Having lived and
breathed yoga since early childhood, such conversations are of immense
delight to me. The sacred truths that have been passed on to us through the
ages by our sages and scriptures must be tested by every generation and
enlivened by our own experiences. Otherwise, we are no better than parrots,
who are very colorful birds with beautiful beaks but can only endlessly
repeat what has been heard from others.

As I stated in my first post on this topic, physical celibacy, in fact, can
play an important role in Kundalini Yoga. With the accumulation of Ojas in
the brain, Shakti works in higher centers and can maintain its residence in
Sahasarara (in the brain center) for longer periods during Samadhi. Repeated
experiences beyond body consciousness can facilitate ultimately the
evaporation of ignorance, Nirvikalpa Samadhi, and Clear Knowing of Self By
It Self.

As Sri Murthyji pointed out, we need to distinguish between celibacy,
Brhamacharya, etc., as the words imply different meanings. As evidenced by
this discussion, multiple perspectives are possible on this topic, depending
on one's angle of vision.

I do not think the issue should divide people along the lines of those "who
are for celibacy" and those "who are against it." That is a false and a
simplistic division, without any foundation whatsoever, and not very useful
at that.

Truth of the Heart, That is the Self, is truly beyond all such concepts,
notions, inferences, claims of superior knowing, and taking of various
positions.

Celibacy is not the same as Brahmacharya as noted time after time by Ramana
Maharshi. Sage of Aruanchala clearly indicated that celibacy is an aid to
Self-Realization, among many others. Ramana Maharshi pointedly and
repeatedly refused to give physical celibacy the same prominence as that
given in the Yogic texts.

The Master before whom sat the greatest Yogis and Shankracharyas of India,
supported all spiritual methods and disciplines and endorsed classical
approaches to Self-Realization. However, the Sage Ramana maintained and
insisted over the 50 years that he was questioned that all methods,
techniques, and disciplines are subordinate to Self-Enquiry (Enquiring into
the nature of consciousness and from where the "I Sense" originates). When
the main and the central and the direct method of consciousness reverting on
itself continuously and without ripples is truly understood and takes hold
of a spiritual mature aspirant, all rigid positions about this and that
discipline become irrelevant. One can start wherever one is. Ultimately,
there is nothing else to understand other than One's Own Consciousness.

Love to all
Harsha

10-20-2000, 06:26 PM

Dear Harshaji,

Could you please exlain about Ojas? How is it accumulate in the brain?
Anyone has Sankrit Dictionary? :-)

Thanks.

Namaste,
Nasir

> ----------
> From: Harsha (Dr. Harsh K. Luthar)[SMTP:hluthar@...]
> Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2000 3:44 AM
> To: HarshaSatsangh (AT) egroups (DOT) com
> Subject: [HarshaSatsangh] FW: Celibacy
>
> Forwarding on the celibacy discussion.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Harsha (Dr. Harsh K. Luthar) [mailto:hluthar@...]
>
> Thank you for your sharing Ramji on the issues of celibacy. Many will find
> it to be a very thoughtful and sensible commentary. Having lived and
> breathed yoga since early childhood, such conversations are of immense
> delight to me. The sacred truths that have been passed on to us through
> the
> ages by our sages and scriptures must be tested by every generation and
> enlivened by our own experiences. Otherwise, we are no better than
> parrots,
> who are very colorful birds with beautiful beaks but can only endlessly
> repeat what has been heard from others.
>
> As I stated in my first post on this topic, physical celibacy, in fact,
> can
> play an important role in Kundalini Yoga. With the accumulation of Ojas in
> the brain, Shakti works in higher centers and can maintain its residence
> in
> Sahasarara (in the brain center) for longer periods during Samadhi.
> Repeated
> experiences beyond body consciousness can facilitate ultimately the
> evaporation of ignorance, Nirvikalpa Samadhi, and Clear Knowing of Self By
> It Self.
>
>

10-20-2000, 07:27 PM

In my householder practice of Kundalini yoga there have been years of
celibacy, years of great sex, years of children to raise and years of
grandchildren. I would only caution of a forced celibacy, thinking you are
getting somewhere. When the tools of control are in place with the channels
open, the seman goes to the pinial gland and back and is golden in color you
have a choice. That is the dance of the yogi householder, channeling that
juice up, giving up enough to allow souls to have that highest of births "to
be born in a house of Yogis" and maintaining a relationship with another
human over a lifetime of commitment to bring heros, givers and saints into
this world to serve humanity with love.

10-21-2000, 03:41 AM

On 10/21/00 at 2:27 AM SJSKhalsa@... wrote:

ºIn my householder practice of Kundalini yoga there have been years of
ºcelibacy, years of great sex, years of children to raise and years of
ºgrandchildren. I would only caution of a forced celibacy, thinking you are
ºgetting somewhere. When the tools of control are in place with the channels
ºopen, the seman goes to the pinial gland and back and is golden in color you
ºhave a choice. That is the dance of the yogi householder, channeling that
ºjuice up, giving up enough to allow souls to have that highest of births "to
ºbe born in a house of Yogis" and maintaining a relationship with another
ºhuman over a lifetime of commitment to bring heros, givers and saints into
ºthis world to serve humanity with love.

Not being a householder, I can't comment on practice for householders but can
only relate to what happened tome long ago. The "first recognition of who I am"
was of such a serene beauty and splendor that as a "pleasure", sex had become
utterly uninteresting. When reading the (auto) biographies of those considered
to be "realized", it will become clear that celibacy wasn't a practice but was
mostly without effort (knowing a far more "better" pleasure - dissolving in (the
bliss of) Self). So the pleasures of the senses aren't "just" given up, they are
left behind for something much better, in the sense that a dog won't chew on
legs of chairs anymore when it has an unceasing supply of fresh bones...

And in some disciplines, it is realized that love and sex aren't mutually
exclusive nor are love and Love, so the aim always is to "arrive" at a pure
recognition of "who you are", enabling unconditional surrender which is the
basis for effortless celibacy. Celibacy never is a goal by itself, as when the
"goal" is reached, the practitioner (of whatever discipline) will "die" along
with the practice...

Love,
Jan

10-21-2000, 07:03 AM

Hello Jan:

This has also been my experience and as usual for me there was little drama
or struggle it just simply was the way it had become. I had the same
experience with meat I woke up one morning and that was that no more meat.
It seems to be a part of the human consciousness to want to struggle with
celibacy (actually, we tend to want to struggle with just about everything
:-) ). Theses were never goals and not a struggle. What is interesting to
me is how so many people in my life have an opinion on these issues and
their opinions range from my getting physically sick..... to I must be
depressed, afraid or in denial...hmmm right now I have a cold wonder if a
steak would help :-).

Linda

> Not being a householder, I can't comment on practice for householders but
can only >relate to what happened tome long ago. The "first recognition of
who I am" was of such a >serene beauty and splendor that as a "pleasure",
sex had become utterly uninteresting. >When reading the (auto) biographies
of those considered to be "realized", it will become >clear that celibacy
wasn't a practice but was mostly without effort (knowing a far more
>"better" pleasure - dissolving in (the bliss of) Self). So the pleasures of
the senses aren't >"just" given up, they are left behind for something much
better, in the sense that a dog >won't chew on legs of chairs anymore when
it has an unceasing supply of fresh bones...
>
> And in some disciplines, it is realized that love and sex aren't mutually
exclusive nor are >love and Love, so the aim always is to "arrive" at a pure
recognition of "who you are", >enabling unconditional surrender which is the
basis for effortless celibacy. Celibacy never >is a goal by itself, as when
the "goal" is reached, the practitioner (of whatever discipline) >will "die"
along with the practice...
>
> Love,
> Jan
>
>
>
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10-21-2000, 01:56 PM

On 10/21/00 at 10:03 AM LC wrote:

ºHello Jan:
º
ºThis has also been my experience and as usual for me there was little drama
ºor struggle it just simply was the way it had become. I had the same
ºexperience with meat I woke up one morning and that was that no more meat.
ºIt seems to be a part of the human consciousness to want to struggle with
ºcelibacy (actually, we tend to want to struggle with just about everything
º:-) ). Theses were never goals and not a struggle. What is interesting to
ºme is how so many people in my life have an opinion on these issues and
ºtheir opinions range from my getting physically sick..... to I must be
ºdepressed, afraid or in denial...hmmm right now I have a cold wonder if a
ºsteak would help :-).
º
ºLinda

A struggle always denotes a like for what is perceived as having to be given up.
With the proper insight, there is no struggle and with the proper emotional
imprint, there isn't a struggle either - it means "no choice". But anyone,
experiencing a struggle, is admitting to have a problem with one-pointedness
too.

Some "hidden" advice on feelings was given by the Buddha, stating something in
the sense of "when the goal has been reached, one can rejoice one's feelings
again but if one doesn't, they will be burnt too". This ties in neatly with the
story of Krishna and the gopis

)

When having a cold, I used to change the temperature to some 35C which caused
profuse perspiration; all "waste" was flushed out speedily and also I didn't
eat, drinking only.

Speedy recovery,

Jan