Sex, Masturbation and Spiritual Growth – Part I

Correct way of dealing with ‘Hightides’ of Spiritual Energies?

Dear Master,

Firstly, thank you for helping many of us, including me, to understand more deeply into the science of our culture. My particular interest has been Yoga and through many of your postings, it has helped me immensely to understand better on the practice.

I have one issue that i could not obtain an answer, though your reply to PJ ( Yoga Kriya & Sex ) was most helpful. Allow me to elaborate on my question.

I have been practicing Kriya Yoga for the last 6 months, with sequence of Pranayam, Aum chanting, Bandas lock. I have learned it from a India, though i am not residing there. I have to say the practice has helped me a lot to be more aware and calm.

But over many years, i do have a habit. I very regularly masturbate – almost daily. I tried to control the habit but it keeps coming back.

Since i am putting effort with lots of interest to practice my Kriya Yoga daily, does this masturbating habit of mine affects my spiritual development ? Is it like taking 1 step forward ( with Yoga in morning ) but taking 2 steps backwards ( masturbating at night ) ?

The reason i am asking is, i have read on the internet that semen is the key to spiritual development. If its is wasted ( like masturbating ), the spiritual growth is stunted. The explanation was ” Semen is like oil and Kundalini is like Fire. If there is less oil, the fire doesnt burn so well “.

Can you help me with my question Master ? Does my bad habit adversely affect my spiritual growth ?

Thank you Master,

SK

||Understand your Energy Dynamics||

Beloved Youthful Energetic Souls,

Many questions like these have come to me.. some questioning the very basis of abstinence for spiritual growth, some needing techniques to curb the urge of frequent ejaculation, some asking whether they can go for paid sex while still practicing and meditating for spiritual elevation.. some enthusiasts wanting me to elaborate upon the process of spiritual (tantrik) conjugation; while some want to know the science behind the processes the others wish actual techniques be revealed through which preservation of sexual energy can be achieved. Some, in fact sounded as if they wanted me to second their assumption that even while staying engaged in sexually-indulgent life-style one can progress spiritually. Needless to say there have been many many questions concerning masturbation and spiritual growth just like the one above… And I understand many of these people who asked such questions are sincere enough in their endeavours of rising in spirituality. Unfortunately most of these people, uneducated (in handling spiritual energy) and uninitiated (lack of proper Deeksha by Master) have been clueless in the matter of energy-management. And that is natural.. after all there is no one to teach and guide them on sublimation and channelization of raw energies.. especially such explosive state of energies when one engages in spiritual practices like breathing exercises, mantras, asanas, intentions, meditations etc.

If I tell you that the universe comes into existence through interaction and conjugation of opposite energies – male and female, Yin and Yang, Shiva and Shakti and You are no exception.. that you too are the transmutation of that energy only it would be just a concept. That is not your experience neither you have been so thoughtful ever except in justifying your sexual urge through statements made by psychologists like Sigmund Freud who postulated that sex drive is not only the mother of procreation but the primary motivational force in social human behaviour. These postulations and principles in fact make no sense to you and you still go through the turbulent and downward experience of fear and fatigue mixed with guilt and genuine repentance after losing your ‘Jing’, the vital fluid. This downwardly state of mind and being is your real experience. It is more true for males as they visibly seem to lose a precious matter which could otherwise could find itself responsible for bringing yet another life in this world.

Look around and you will know that nature has made all the arrangements for its sustenance. Required instincts have been infused in animal kingdom and necessary association of pleasure with the activity of procreation ensures every species engages in reproduction. It has a ready programme for that which is working everywhere. Every animal has a natural and blind desire for sex and union with opposite sex when their bodies are ready for it and so is true for humans. It is quite normal for a boy to be attracted to a girl and vice versa under the influence of sexual instincts when their bodies are ready for it however the day, when this desire and capacity matures does not appear one fine morning. Its gradual, in steps..

Spirituality is smiling innocence!

With each passing day a child is preparing itself for sexual maturity.. his whole body is growing to acquire strength and stamina to be able to engage in sexual procreation. This journey towards acquiring strength is continuous however psychologists have broadly divided in phases of sexual maturity.. In fact most of the psychologists agree that there are five major phases in sexual development… starting from Oral phase to Genital stage. Under healthy habitat and free surroundings these five phases spread till first 21 years of your life, final phase setting itself up around 18 years of age in boys and 16 years of age in girls. By healthy surroundings I mean the innocence of atmosphere is maintained and that there are no external, artificial aids provided for sexual stimulation/education such as Television, Erotic writings and images, sexual abuse, indecent contact by any adult with them, parents engaging in open sexual expressions/acts. This also means that children are allowed to learn and matures through open interactions, experience and exploration there shouldn’t be any kind of moral policing as well. In such a natural atmosphere a male child would grow naturally acquire complete sexual maturity around 21 years of age and a girl little bit earlier. But this is not happening!

Till recent past many tribes in remote jungles and hills had such free and unpolluted atmosphere that you would be surprised to know that without having any knowledge of contraceptives none of the girl ever got pregnant before 18 years of age. It is no surprise. These people are unknowingly connected to natural elemental energies and thus they seem to be following the natural programme of universe. In fact, when human offspring are allowed to grow in a naturally free environment their sexual development is un-skewed, flawless and has extremely sound basis… but you have not been so lucky. So called technological development and boom in infotainment industry has surely done one wrong if not many.. it has polluted and sexually invaded the innocence of childhood. The innocent territory of developing age is now populated with so much sexual stimuli and information that ideal sexual behaviour is far off from natural. This unprecedented expansion of homosexuality in today’s youth is yet another byproduct of this sexual pollution due to invasion of media… after all 50% of world’s population is below 25 years of age!

If a child is allowed to grow freely in an unpolluted environment he/she may yet discover some or the other method for attaining pleasure through self-simulation but then it will not be matching the generally prevailing prototype masturbation techniques. Each will discover its own method. This would ideally happen in the phase of sexual development which is referred to as “Phallic Stage”…  this stage concerns with discovery of genitals however mostly the urge of deriving pleasure from bodily stimulation occurs due to conscious or unconscious sexual stimulus or learning from out side…  Is it not surprising that 99.9% of any community masturbate in one particular way.. and that some isolated tribes use very different technique for self-obtained sexual gratification? This indicates that though unknowingly but somehow even the process of masturbation is also being taught. Definitely this knowhow is being transmitted to kids in some or the other way by the elder lot. In fact except in ideal situation such overlap and spillage of sexual-information between two generations can’t be ruled out or avoided because few weak links in the social web may not be disciplined and sane enough to not pollute an uninformed, innocent child around. Once that happens it spreads through peer-learning like jungle fire. This information and techniques are not on-passed in an open, healthy ways rather are whispered as guarded secret thus these become object of extreme interest. Once a child become obsessed with it he/she is unable to follow natural sexual growth curve then onward. This is happening with almost 99% of children today, you could be an exception. Are you?

Psychologists call it ‘Fixation’… which means getting stuck in one of the phases.  In prevailing social situations mostly children are unable to pass through the phallic phase normally…  they learn one or other method or secret and get stuck up here. Since the act – be it engaging with self or others, is associated with pleasure, momentary peak of ecstasy and relaxation thereafter more often than not this becomes an addiction in longer run. Such individuals are inept in managing their energies and emotions for they are not able to come out of this ‘fixation’… Such kids may also be found to display certain obsessive compulsive behaviors. These grow up in people amongst you who when feel energetic, agitated or angry craving for Energy-Release sets in.. Also when they feel helpless, ineffectual, deprived, or burdened in some way, in this state of mind they crave for comfort—and sexual arousal feels good. Both ways they want it! Isn’t it? Now there is no way out… you get trapped completely because when you feel high you are pushed into it and when you feel low you seek it. The cycle continues and at times journey from childhood to youth has no bearing upon this habit…

The agony of all spiritual searchers of this category is that they abuse their energies. They feel it is sexual but that is not true.. Unless you know how to tame these energies spiritual practices do stimulate various energy centers and the one which is already tender and most fiddled with gets the sensations first..

Enough for today.. shall talk more about it tomorrow.

Shivoham

– Ach. Agyaatdarshan Anand Nath