Brahmacharya: the art of managing your energy
Brahmacharya is the fourth of the five Yamas, which are the ethical underpinnings of yoga for living in the right relationship with others.
In the Greek epic The Odyssey, the goddess Circe warns Odysseus about the Sirens, who are in his ship’s path. The Sirens are two monsters disguised as beautiful women with beguiling voices and enchanting music that lure sailors to their death. The songs are so beautiful that no man can resist. Circe advises Odysseus and his men to put beeswax in their ears to safely pass the Sirens.
Odysseus, however, is curious and wants to hear the songs and still survive. He asks his men to tie him to the ship’s mast and instructs them not to untie him. As he hears their song, he strains against the rope, begging to be let loose, only to return to his senses once they pass.
The Sirens are a strong symbol of temptation and desire. Knowing when to resist the pull of temptation, and control your impulses in order to reach your destination, is the meaning behind Brahmacharya.
Understanding the Meaning of Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya translates as “celibacy,” ‘‘chastity,” or “continence.” These translations make it a very unpopular Yama. Bear in mind, control of sexual desire does not equal abstinence.
Brahmacharya actually means behavior that leads to Brahman or towards the divine. It was meant to encourage yoga practitioners to conserve their sexual energy and instead use that energy to further their progress along the Yogic path.
In essence, Brahmacharya is about how you direct your energy, moderate the senses, and manage sensory cravings.
Brahmacharya: a Stage of Hindu Life
Traditionally, Brahmacharya is a term used to describe the first of the four stages of ancient Hindu life. It is the stage of student life. The second is Gristhana or householder. The third is Vanaprashta or retired life, and the last is Sannyasa or renunciate.
These stages give structure to how to conduct yourself in daily life, which leads to the ultimate fulfillment of the individual. This first stage of Brahmacharya is understood to prepare the student for success later in life and is the time for learning and developing spiritual practices.
It is a time of self-restraint and moderation as you are focused on learning and away from sensory desires. Thus, in terms of the Yamas, being moderate in sensory activities is a way of learning discipline and self-management.
Be Intentional with Your Energy
Celibacy, moderation in sexual activity, and not misusing sex are all part of Brahmacharya. Yet, this is a narrow view of the practice.
The instruction is to respect the creative power of sexual energy and use and direct that energy. Sutra 2.38 brahmacaryapratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīryalābhaḥ, states that upon establishment of continence, power is attained. The idea of the “right use of energy” asks one to consider how we use and direct our energy.
In our modern life, perhaps the question is, how do you manage distractions in order to manage your energy? Email, text message, instant notifications, Facebook are a few of the many ways our attention is being dispersed.
If the mind is being pulled in many directions, your energy and your senses are scattered in various directions too. When you are intentional about how you use your energy, you can focus and not waste time.
Senses are always drawn towards the objects of their affection in an endless pursuit of satisfaction. When they control us rather than us controlling them, we are not harnessing our vital energy.
The idea behind Brahmacharya is to gather your senses and channel them for a higher purpose. This brings us to the deeper practice of Pratyahara or the withdrawal from sense objects. This is only accomplished through the mind.
When the mind is under control, the senses are automatically under control. They do not need to be restrained separately. When the mind is distracted, it is inclined to follow the senses and, thus, dragged into the sensual world. Brahmacharya then becomes a strategy with which to moderate our world of excess distraction.
Manage Your Energy Wisely
What are you saying no to when you say yes to another way of being?
Nonetheless, the world is meant to be enjoyed. Sensory pleasure in moderation is part of living a pleasurable life.
When your senses are alive with activity, it is best to witness them with mindful awareness. This gives your mind some space to observe, set limits and act in a measured way. To practice Brahmacharya is to manage them wisely.
Anyone who has created anything worthwhile in their lives has naturally denied themselves a lot of simple pleasures that other people might be having. This is using your resources effectively to achieve your aspiration.
In economics, the term trade-off is often expressed as an opportunity cost, which is the most preferred possible alternative. A trade-off involves a sacrifice that must be made to get a certain product or experience.
You must know what you're giving up to get something else. Finding practical techniques for managing temptation away from your higher purpose is the practice of Brahmacharya.
Practice Brahmacharya on the Mat
One way to develop control of your senses is to rest them from time to time. Doing intermittent fasting or observing noble silence are examples of resting the senses.
Yoga asana is a powerful tool for redirecting attention and energy. When you do asana, you draw your focus inward rather than towards sensory stimulation.
In asana, you use the breath and the dristhi, or gazing point, to draw your senses toward the posture experience. Pranayama, or breath practice, is another way to harness the focus of the mind on the breath.
Ultimately, meditation practice, where the mind is focused on an object of attention, like the flow of the breath, is the way to pull the mind into concentration and away from distraction. Moreover, meditation practice teaches you how to train your attention, build self-awareness, gain clarity, and create space between you and your emotions.
When you quiet the mind, you become more intentional and purposeful in your actions. These practices alone lead us towards brahmacharya.
Yoga is an idea way to focus your energy. (Photo by Dmitriy Frantsev on Unsplash)
Use Your Energy to Serve Your Higher Purpose
At the end of the day, Brahmacharya is a broader practice of containing our energies rather than dispersing them in pursuit of sensual experience.
If you want to move towards your highest potential, you need to harness all your energy. You always have a choice between squandering your energy on sense-desire, not-so-purposeful actions, or even anxious thoughts and worries. Or you can direct them towards those that will serve you better.
In the end, this can lead to greater wellbeing and a sense of meaning and purpose. As the author, podcaster, and former Navy Seal Joko Willink says so eloquently, “Discipline equals Freedom.”
Follow these tips to practice Brahmacharya in your daily life.
Manage Distractions: Set a time to silence notifications on your devices. By doing it, you are not constantly pulled in all directions.
Avoid Multitasking: It’s a myth! Human brains are not wired for it. Instead, close your email and chat, and check at specified times.
Set Healthy Boundaries: Let people know what those are.
Use Yes and No Strategically: Ask if it is really necessary?
Breathe deeply: Take some nice slow deep breaths and double the length of the exhale. This collects the attention, invokes the sacred pause, and calms the nervous system. When the system is calm, you are more likely to make wholesome choices.
Practice Meditation: By focusing on the breath, physical sensation, or sound, you learn to harness the attention. Where the attention goes, energy flows. Through meditation, you increase self-awareness. It is from a place of deep self-awareness that you can align your behavior with what you value most.
Set a Daily Intention: If you get in the habit of setting an intention for how you want to approach your day, you are more likely to move in that direction. As you bring attention to your intentions, you set in motion neural networks that are ready for you to behave in a certain manner. It is a great way of prioritizing your day.
Establish Routines to Help You Perform at Your Best: Good habits can help you harness your energy. 20th Century philosopher Will Durant stated it well: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Brahmacharya can be that simple.
If you want help implementing Brahmacharya, I’ll be glad to help you. Feel free to email me: sharyn@truenorthwell.com.