Yoga for de-addiction from masturbation and dealing with the world
Question
Dear Dhananjay Ji,
I thank you for your previous replies. I have some further questions which I need you input:
1) In one of your posts, you mentioned that when the human being is born, he is endowed with a pre-set amount of seminal energy by God. This energey onces lost in sexuality, can never be regain (if I am not wrong about that post).
For people like me who have lost tremendous amt of semen by masturbation, how can there still be any hope? Is it going to be a downside path as too much of semen has been lost with no reprival?
2) In today's world, even in 'cultured' india, pre-marital relationships has become the norm. Woman are also lying about their past so that they can get a good groom. Having a bf has become like a norm and must to get social acceptance.
It is difficult to find a pure, single noble indian cultured woman. Also, adultery has become rampant.
Yogic culture is non-existent or is vanishing in modern society. Divorce, remarriages, cohabitation and all are becoming the new indian culture. No one seems to keep themselves pure and dignified with no relationships before marriage. Many indians have stooped low and are on par with westerners in terms on living culture. They go wild and havoc during their college days and lie and put a cultured face during marriage time.
With such an emerging culture, how can God help me? How to deal with such people? How can beginner yogis survive amidst such people, who have no qualms about losing physical dignity and do not uphold true indian culture.
3) For serious porn/masturbation addicts, can they seek western treatment or yogic lifestyle is enough? Yogic lifestyle seems to be slow and gradual. For someone like who have strong urge to masturbate every hr, watch porn in public places, and has become a terrible sexual addict, will yogic lifestyle change them soon? Is it even possible?
Thanks for your inputs.
Answer
1. The earlier the practice of Brahmacharya is taken up, the better and faster are the results. The possibility to achieve the state of Kaivalya (self-realization) through a life of unbroken Brahmacharya and Yoga in the current birth becomes strong if such practice is started before the age of 32~34 say the scriptures as a general pointer. Beyond this age, the quality of Prana in the vital fluid starts rapidly reducing and conservation and transmutation may not yield the results which accrue from starting earlier. The past is gone and beyond change. It is the present and future which are to be remodeled for maximum benefit. Hence Brahmacharya should be practiced as soon as one gets to know of the same and work honestly with devotion to God. There is neither a need nor any benefit by thinking of the past. If ones efforts are honest and sincere, God sends his blessings.
2. While the degradation from correct moral culture and ethics is no doubt on the rise, this is not a new phenomenon. Even during earlier times, only a handful of people took to the practice of Yoga (union with God) while the majority took to Bhoga (union with sense pleasures). The scriptures written tens of thousands of years back say An established Urdhvareta is one in a billion. This statement points to the rarity of finding one who is established in Yoga. So Samsâra (world of dualistic existence) continues as long as willed by HIM, HE (God) has made Brahmacharya and Yoga very difficult and unreachable. Only the very deserving and honest succeed. This world being HIS Leela (divine play), HE does not confer such progress or knowledge to one and all. That Jiva which has a few or possibly one last birth remaining here on Earth, alone progresses tirelessly and attains the objective. The virtuous and pious have thus always been a minority. Hence there is no need to worry regarding the reverse ways of the world. This world and its temptations are a test for the Brahmachari, for how can accomplishments be certified without tests under real conditions?
Neither is it necessary for an honest and sincere Brahmachari who has taken to the path of Saranagati (complete surrender to the Lord), to worry about his environment, future, wife etc. A few hundred years back, people might have appeared more pure and less polluted than people of today. At the same time, these same people might have appeared wayward and culture-less in comparison to the people who lived a few THOUSAND years back! Does this mean there weren't people who attained liberation a few hundred years back? Even in the 'Mahabharata', the 'Pandava-s' representing virtue were only five in number, while the 'Kaurava-s' representing evil were hundreds in number. Good and bad are relative and wholly within us. Both good and bad have always existed from time immemorial. It was neither easy to maintain a life of Yoga a few hundred years back, nor is it difficult to maintain such a life today for the one who is determined and devoted to his objective. Easy and difficult depends on our efforts on which depends the grace of God.
If ones commitment and determination to unite with the Lord is rock steady and tenacious, one gets blessed with a supporting and virtuous wife who will not be an impediment, however modern and bereft of culture the world gets. If by some past karma one does not get such a wife, it is better to part ways with a wife who is a Bhogi and does not ever want to become a Yogi. Such should be ones commitment. Then things slowly fall in line and the woman herself may get Gnyanodaya (dispellation of her ignorance through knowledge bestowed by the Lord) that makes her realize her mistake. These things are all ultimately taken care of by the Lord to the extent the devotee surrenders to him with love and devotion. What is important is to give up on the I (Ego) and surrender to HIM (Lord) with the attitude I am nothing. You are everything. Lead me in the right way my father. Let Mâya (illusion & ignorance) not trouble me. Give me Gnyana (knowledge of the Supreme).
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna describes the attitude of his devotee Yogi who is always protected by the Lord as:
ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः |
लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ||
Chapter 5/ Verse 10, The Bhagavad Gita.
He, who performs all actions offering them to Brahman (Almighty), by giving up desire & attachment, does not become the victim of sin; just as a lotus leaf stays dry despite being surrounded by water on all sides.
This is how the Yogi should behave. The Lotus leaf here represents the Yogi and the water surrounding it from all sides represents the world with its temptations and dangers. What is the way to stay unaffected from these dangerous waters of Mâya (illusion)? The method is complete surrender to the Lord with devotion and love, which then makes the Yogi perform all actions thinking of HIM, for HIM and as a service to HIM (without attachment and desire). Such a Yogi is always content in HIS thought, and performs actions only because he is the medium through whom the Lord works HIS Leela. He is never worried about the fruits of his actions and limits himself to honest effort only. Then, he accepts the result which is a product of his efforts, past karma and the will of the Lord, knowing fully well that this life is a drama. Such action helps one stay riveted to the path of virtue and attain speedy liberation.
When such an attitude is coupled with a life of Yoga & unbroken Brahmacharya, the Yogi, after a few years of practice, eventually becomes like the lotus leaf which is immune from becoming wet.
3. Nâsti yoga samam balam There is no strength equal to that which comes from Yoga says the Bhagavad Gita. This refers to mental and spiritual strength of the finest degree which is refreed to as Veerya. Hence it follows that there is no treatment or rectifying process that can be more thorough and lasting than Yoga. When a life of Abrahmacharya (incontinence) has been indulged in for decades and millions of births, is it not unreasonable to expect speedy results in a few days or months? Does this not defy the laws of nature? One should first develop patience and perseverance and surrender to the Almighty through diligent practice. Then, success slowly dawns after many years. Since the path of Yoga goes to the very bottom of the cause behind Abrahmacharya which is Agnyana (ignorance) and roots it out completely, it also follows that the process is slow. Western treatments do not root out the cause, but only the effects, leading to temporary and impermanent solutions, and so it follows that the problems donot get cured but soon recurr.
ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)