1 month Brahmacharya

Very happy to hear of your progress and success in unbroken Brahmacharya. Continuing with such a tempo will help release and vacate past karma very effectively by the grace of God. Keep up with the practice, determination and zeal. Coming to the answers:

1. Morning erections are generally physiological and not connected to sexual thoughts. Erections occur in cycles all through sound sleep and are a part of REM (Rapid Eye Movemement) sleep. They are a sign of good health and vigor. This is perfectly healthy and normal and not the cause of worry.

Increased Prana within the system further to Brahmacharya is the cause behind the tendency to get easy erections. As one progresses in Brahmacharya and gets established in thorough transmutation through long hours of meditation, Prana gets the tendency to move up to the brain and not in the opposite direction towards the genitals. Till then, the tendency for downward flow manifests in the form of such erections. As long as sexual thoughts/deeds are refrained from, such erections subside and do not cause trouble

2. Sexual thoughts, when they do arise should be immediately displaced by diverting the mind to some other domain. Indulgence will lead to an increase in their intensity and semen will start getting ready for discharge. The consequences of whether such thoughts cause harm depends on their intensity and duration and needs to be judged by the very person who experienced them. The basic thumb rule is that as long as desires or urges are not allowed to flower into passion and lust, harm is not caused. It is willful indulgence that leads to a downfall.

3. The body of a woman is a flesh bag containing refuse and prone to the debilitating effects of ageing. Even the most beautiful woman will age with time and acquire a body that becomes wrinkled, old, dry and bereft of luster. A body that starts to decay and emanate disagreeable smell as time progresses. The apparent beauty in the woman which shined at one point of time was created by none other than the Almighty to ensure that this woman succeeded in attracting a mate and forming a family. Nothing more. This was the purpose of that illusory beauty which the body was adorned with. As soon as she formed a family and bore a child, this apparent beauty reduced in intensity. This is the reason a young woman who has borne a child lacks the power of attraction which a woman who has not yet conceived possesses. Further to bearing two children, the beauty will reduce even more drastically.

Why is this? This is because the purpose behind this illusive beauty has been served. It has been met. The woman was adorned with beauty by the Almighty to attract a mate and produce offspring. As soon as this is achieved, nature has done its job. There is no further purpose or meaning in keeping this beauty alive. So the Almighty withdraws it. It was all 'Maya' or an illusion designed by nature. A woman, further to bearing a child or two starts withering like a flower that has been plucked. She slowly starts losing the charm, luster and magic which she once possessed before becoming a mother. Her body, which earlier appeared alluring and attractive takes a tired and lackluster stance. Isn't this enough proof that there really was never any beauty in the real sense? That it was all an illusion like the work of a magician in a magic show? For some time, this illusion is in place, in all splendor. Even then, it was only an illusion and not real. It appeared real, nothing else.  It was intended to attract a mate and ensure progeny for continuation of the race. Nothing more at all. This is all there is to the 'APPARENT' beauty of a woman. Even at her prime, a woman is nothing more than a well disguised bag of flesh, bones, blood, excreta, pus, phlegm and urine. This is always the truth. This reality is kept well hidden and well disguised by nature before child birth and becomes well seen later. If a man does not realize this truth and instead constantly runs after woman as a source of pleasure, it is his fault and foolishness, not that of the woman.

The wise man always reminds himself of this fact and keeps away from recreation through a woman in thought or in deed. He knows that he will get burnt like a firefly if he proceeds towards this 'flame of apparent beauty' with an intention of entertainment. The married Brahmachari limits his physical contact with his wife to progeny and never more. After begetting a child or two, he stops such contact and reverts to his state of unbroken Brahmacharya and quest for self-realization. This is the correct mode of life for anyone who wants to call himself man and not an animal. For anyone blessed with sense, sensibility and wisdom. For everyone wishing a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

Hence an aspirant is required to persevere to the best of his ability towards Brahmacharya, by displacing negative thoughts and replacing them with this reality that the female body is not something worth desiring. One need not worry regarding the innate urge or tendency towards sexuality. This is a result of past Vasanas (tendencies) stored in the Kârana Sharira (causal body). These tendencies are the result of millions of past births in the animal form, rife on sexuality. They stir up and show their heads every now and then and sometimes try to flower when there is a suitable opportunity for their unfolding. These past impressions and tendencies gradually reduce in intensity as they work out and burn away through Yoga and Brahmacharya in the course of time. Let one not worry regarding them. It is not the arising of such thoughts that is considered as a break in Brahmacharya, it is  willful indulgence and encouragement to such thoughts when they arise that qualifies as a break. As long as one does not willingly or voluntarily indulge or encourage such tendencies, there is no break. As long as one diverts the mind and moves away from such thoughts, there is no break. A good Brahmachari immediately displaces them and diverts the mind. He does not willingly proceed. Then there is no break, for he has striven against their growth.

These thoughts concerning sexuality gradually reduce if the practice of Brahmacharya is honest and sincere. Their source, namely past Vasanas (tendencies) stored in the causal body slowly starts expending and diluting through Yoga and Brahmacharya. This is something that develops naturally and in the course of time when Brahmacharya is carried out willingly and with conscious effort to the best possible extent through the grace of God. Further to self-realization, the seeds of all such thoughts are permanently burnt and killed. Till then, one has to persevere with utmost caution and vigilance. With such an attitude and perspective, it becomes possible to maintain a high degree of Brahmacharya and derive lofty benefits further to twelve years of practice.

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