Dream Awareness through Brahmacharya

QUESTION: As I progress through my practice of Brahmacharya, I've noticed that I am increasingly aware of my dreams whereas before I didn't remember them hardly at all.  Also I am starting to feel like I have more conscious volition of action during dreams.  Unfortunately I still haven't mastered the awareness that it is only a dream and continue to find myself in sexual situations.  This has not caused a break yet, but I am concerned that it eventually will.  I'm also concerned that the Varanas are deeply ingrained and I want to remove them.  My question is whether I will eventually be able to eradicate these thoughts and take control through conscious dream realization, or will the vasanas continue until my subconscious is completely clear of them.  It seems that I am being tested in waking state also, as very attractive women have crossed my path more often, even though I'm not looking for them.  Maya is ratcheting up the intensity.  My only goal is liberation though.

On a side note, I would also like to share that my previous acne skin conditions have improved dramatically since my brahmacharya practice.

ANSWER: 1. A dream is the manifestation of Samskaras (impressions), Vasanas (tendencies) or thoughts that might have been indulged in while awake or the recollection of past experiences/deeds that have ingrained themselves into the sub-conscious mind. True progress in Brahmacharya will gradually lead to the state where one develops an increasing ability to break free of sexually oriented dreams and prevent such a dream from reaching the state of culmination through ejaculation. The attainment of this state takes time to attain and is dependent on factors such as the magnitude of past impressions, present efforts and the longing one has within to never, ever loose semen. On occasions where one finds himself at the point where one is about to ejaculate, say in a sexually oriented dream, one can develop the ability to perform 'Moola Bandha' even in sleep just at the point before ejaculation. This will cut the chances of nightfall and help one develop better maneuverability in steering the stream to negation.

2. Sometimes, recurring sexually oriented dreams that threaten to become wet dreams are an indication that the Brahmachari has committed some action which he shouldn't have. An example would be a Brahmachari who has given up eating meat for more than a year since he started Brahmacharya and who has not encountered frequent erotic dreams further to honest practice. For some reason or out of temptation, he breaks the rule and goes back to eating meat. In such a case he may encounter sexually oriented dreams day after day that threaten to break his practice. The Brahmachari now takes a cue, and on self-introspection intuitively realizes that his breaking the food habit could be the reason. He prays and apologizes to God for the mistake and resolves never to eat meat and stops meat eating with immediate effect. The dreams also stop immediately! In this way does the Lord correct and push back the erring Brahmachari onto the right track. With increasing progress in Brahmacharya, the ability to read and fathom dreams also increases.

3. Eradication of thoughts that manifest in one's dreams can be accomplished to a large extent by regulating our activities while being awake. While complete eradication is not possible at the early stages of Brahmacharya further to the presence of strong impressions from the past, progress in this direction is very possible if a sense of conscious effort is ingrained into the sub-conscious while awake. The tendency for sexual situations to crop up can be reduced to a very large extent by not fantasizing or imagining related thought whilst being awake. Some thoughts in the sub-conscious could however be so strong that there is no other way but to expend them through a dream. In any case, constant God-thought, God-devotion and meditation just before retiring to bed goes a long way in producing deep, dreamless sleep (Nidra) which is relaxing and rejuvenating.

4. The deeper and stronger the progress in Brahmacharya, the more testing are the times. But for the one who has absolute devotion to God, who is constantly striving to negate his ego by reminding himself that this entity called 'I' in terms of the ego does not exist but is only an illusion and who constantly tells himself of the unreal and false nature of this phenomenal world, all testing times pass and the boat of Brahmacharya sails on.

The Upanishads declare "Sarvam Khalvidam Brahman" - "Everything is verily the Brahman". There is no you, no I and no world. All these are illusory. The Almighty alone is real and occupies all space and time to an extent of infinity. We are really an integral part of the infinity called the Almighty and nothing else. This body, mind, emotions and desires are all false and an illusion. One's true self and nature are that of the Almighty himself, full of bliss, knowledge and supreme consciousness. Reminding oneself of this truth and meditating on it, the Brahmachari should stay riveted to the great and noble path of Brahmacharya which only the fortunate are allowed to succeed in.

ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)

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QUESTION: Thank you very much for this thoughtful well written answer to my questions.  I am traversing a very dark time in my life and it is helpful to know that with sincere dedication in Brahmacharya I will overcome these obstacles with the help of God and well meaning aspirants like you who have selflessly given so much direction and advice.  

I hope check this site often and hope that you continue to share your insight.

शुक्रीया (बहुत धन्यवाद)