REPORTS ON YAMAS AND NIYAMAS Every year, students undergoing the 6 month Sadhana and teachers training are given assignments on one of he five Yamas and five Niyamas. This year during November 2009, Laura Biagi has compiled and presented this excellent work on the twins of Brahmacharya and Saucha. Excellent work from an excellent student!!- Editor REPORTS ON YAMAS AND NIYAMAS YAMAS: BRAHAMACHARYA Laura Biagi Generally translated as “restrain of sexuality”, this Yama – while involving the awareness and control of sexual energy – is not limited to sexuality as we understand it in the West. In Yoga 1 to 10, Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani writes that Brahmacharya is “the continuous residence in the principle of creativity”. The first step to take in this analysis and understanding is the relationship between the principle of creativity and the principle of sexual energy. Yamas are tools to control our animal nature and to progress in our human evolution. Let’s look at the evolutionary steps we took from being animals to being humans in relation to our sexuality. Animals use their sexual energy to pro- create . The procreative instinct is very strong in animals. It is vital ( vital comes from the Latin vita , life). Animals spend quite some time and energy mating, coupling, procreating, making a new nest, taking care of the young and so on. Animals have quite different habits in the way they use their sexual energy, too. As humans, we are still carrying with us some of the instincts and emotions of animals: most of us have probably felt one time or another a sexual attraction or repulsion, a sexual arousal, attachment to a mate, fear or loosing the mate, desire to find a mate, jealousy, passion, and so on. We have taken a few evolutionary steps from the animal kingdom but most of us still live in a pretty agitated state of mind and emotion fueled by romance. Media support this agitation by presenting us with film, texts of songs and soap operas filled with it. From the need of pro-creation we have evolved to the state of re-creation . We still carry with us the afflictions of the animal world, the kleshas , that obscure our look on reality as the dichotomy of the raaga- dwesha (attraction- repulsion) relationship and on abhinivesha , clinging to life at all costs. Clinging to life Laura Biagi – Yamas and Niyamas Reports . Ananda Ashram, November 2009 does not only imply the impulse to pre-create but also the impulse to continue the species by protecting its own. In the process of evolving from a human to a humane being, we must become aware of the way we spend our sexual energy. Sexual energy is a vital force that allow us to express ourselves, overcome obstacles, be brave, think differently and be creative . From pro-creation and re-creation, we can take the first steps into the world of conscious creation. In my life as a performer, I have met many creators in the fields of music, theatre and dance. I have often pondered how it was possible that some artists would make such beautiful art and be sometimes despicable human beings. Brahmacharya is a tool to sculpt our conscience in this sense. Brahma-Acharya . Acharya: a teacher. One who leads by example. Brahma: the principle of creativity. A brahmachari (a man), or a brahmacharini (a woman), is s/he who teaches by example how to dwell in the principle of creativity. But how? How can we learn to locate, and properly use this energy? Lord Krishna warns the warrior Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter II, verse 63): Brooding over the objects of the senses, one becomes attached to them (or is repulsed by them). Attachment to the objects of the senses leads to desire for them, desire for possession and enjoyment. Inability to satisfy that desire for possession or enjoyment of the object of the senses leads to frustration. Frustration to anger. Anger leads to loss of correct memory. Loss of correct memory, leads to the loss of the power of rational thinking. Loss of the power of rational thinking leads to the destruction of man. Doesn’t this sound like so many of the movies and books that are released today? Why do we choose to remain anchored to our animal nature? The Rishis were so aware of the pitfalls of misusing sexual energy that emotions such as ANGER, PASSION, DESIRE are list in most of the classifications of afflictions and enemies of a Yogic practice. For example both KAMA (passion) and KRODHA (anger) are the first two 2 Laura Biagi – Yamas and Niyamas Reports . Ananda Ashram, November 2009 listed in both the Shat Ripus (Six Enemies of the Spirit) and the Pancha Deha Doshas (Five Blemishes of the Body). Passion, infatuation and desire can cause us to fall from the Yogic path at any moment. They are the cause of the infringement of many other Yamas. For example, if I am attracted to someone else’s husband and seduce him I break Ahimsa by hurting the wife and the general balance of the family; I break Asteya for stealing a husband; I break Aparigraha as I am only concerned with my own desire and pleasure. And so on. The violation of Brahamacharya has serious consequences. The importance to use well sexual energy, especially in the early period of one’s life, is manifested in the fact that the first of the Chatus Ashramas , or phases of life, is also called Brahmacharya. However, one should not mistake the emotion with the intent. Like for the rest of the Yamas, the problem lies in the consciousness behind the action. Here, too. Kama, passion, when it is well used, can lead to a virtuous life and, as a matter of fact, it is one of the Chatur Purusharthas , the four legitimate aims of life with Dharma, Artha and Moksha. What is required are Viveka , (discrimination) and Vayragia (dispassion). When I was living in New York I often felt tempted to attend one of the many workshops of Tantra Yoga (“releasing your sexual energy” and so on and so forth) but always stopped in time because while I knew that the principles of the true teachings are powerful and life-changing, I also felt that what was offered in the workshops was not part of a real teaching. In our process of learning here in the Ashram we are warned over and over again about A-yogic Yoga and how much it is rampant in the world today. Tantric Yoga is perhaps one of the most misused and abused titles used to sell workshops about the release of eroticism and, sometimes, light pornography. Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani also told us, during our first Hatha Yoga class: “We are not here to teach you how to raise your Kundalini or learn to fly…” This is because many people have not even heard of the Yama of Brahmacharya. Brahma . I was not aware that there are no temples to Brahma. Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani told us this one time during our Mantra Yoga class. This is because Brahma misused his creativity – to cheat – and was not granted the privilege to have temples erected to him. Now, isn’t it funny that the Lord of Creativity has not temples created for him? What is the meaning behind this story? The lessons here is quite important. Misusing the vital force of sexuality is quite counterproductive. Creation, 3 Laura Biagi – Yamas and Niyamas Reports . Ananda Ashram, November 2009 which is a Divine power that is given to us, needs to be a tool for the expression of the Divine, and not a tool for the expression of the Kleshas! Unlike the Christian Catholic tradition in which I was brought up, here we are not dealing with a morality that – when violated – will send you straight to Hell. Sexuality is understood as a vital force here and not as a shameful emotion or desire. The violation of Brahmacharya therefore is not a moral principle in the way many people understand it. Sexuality and healthy relationships are an important part of life, a Sadhana in itself. We know that many Rishis and Gurus were married and had a most healthy and spiritual life. In our Paramparai we can learn this lesson every day, right here in the Ashram, where we live in the Gurukulam, the family of the Guru, literally in this case. Life abstinence from sexuality or suppression of this force or, even worst, indifference or ignorance of it, are not what Brahmacharya is teaching us. On the contrary. We are demanded to embrace this force, become aware of it, use it in the right manner. The warning is that when this force is misused and we lose our awareness in the whirlpools of the emotions and mind, we forget our ultimate goal, which is to live a wholistic life lead by the right perception that all is One. In the Traditional Gaiatri Mantra we learn about a fundamental creative force: Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah, Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhyo Yo Nah, Prachodayat om We meditate on the effulgent light of Supreme Consciousness that is the eternal foundation and fundamental creative force of all relative forces. May that Higher Consciousness lead us into Complete Oneness that is Absolute Truth. The awareness and then attainment of Complete Oneness is the goal of practicing Brahmacharya. The misuse of sexuality and its depravation immediately lead to separateness, duality, self-absorption with all that follows. As we heard from Lord Krishna, the step between desire and anger is quite short.