We found this babes musings on this often misunderstood (and brushed over quickly) Yama. Let @emmanewlynyoga break it down for you- Brahmacharya is not what you may have been thinking…..
What does Brahmacharya mean?
The fourth of the Yamas, Brahmacharya is often translated as âcelibacyâ or âchastityâ, which doesnât always make for a very popular YamaâŠ! Traditionally, âBrahmacharyaâ was meant to encourage those involved in the practice of yoga to conserve their sexual energy, in favour of using that energy to further progress along the Yogic path.
The common misconception that Brahmacharya is all about celibacy means it is often overlooked or considered irrelevant in our modern culture.
However, the practice of Brahmacharya or âright use of energyâ as it is widely translated, is more prevalent now than ever.
Contemplation: The word Brahmacharya actually translates as âbehaviour which leads to Brahmanâ. Brahman is thought of as âthe creatorâ in Hinduism and Yogic terms, so what weâre basically talking about here is behaviour which leads us towards âthe divineâ or âhigher powerâ.
Regarding Brahmacharya as âright use of energyâ leads us to consider how we actually use and direct our energy. Brahmacharya also evokes a sense of directing our energy away from external desires â you know, those pleasures which seem great at the time but are ultimately fleeting â and instead, towards finding peace and happiness within ourselves.
“Brahmacharya also evokes a sense of directing our energy away from external desires … and instead, towards finding peace and happiness within ourselves.”
Where is your energy directed?
Consider for a moment where your energy is most directed. Iâll have a guess that a large part of it is put towards worrying and generally concerning ourselves with things that donât really serve us best. A lot of our energy may also be spent on trying to present ourselves as someone weâre not in order to please or impress others, or maybe we direct our physical energy towards endlessly pushing ourselves to be fitter, stronger or skinnierâŠ. Does any of this sound like you? If so, it might be time to look a little closer at that Yama youâve been avoidingâŠ.
In order to be the best version of ourselves and to use our energy in the right way, we need first of all to listen to what our bodies need. After all, to be able to spread our message to the world and really make the most of what we learn from our yoga practice, we need to have enough energy within ourselves.
In order to be the best version of ourselves and to use our energy in the right way, we need first of all to listen to what our bodies need.
 Boost your happiness to boost your health
As many parts of the world move towards Winter, our immune system naturally needs a little boost, but we donât always listen to what we really need the most. By becoming aware of our energy levels and really listening to what we need, we can take action to ensure we feel at our very best.
Yoga is an all-natural happiness booster â you may notice that if youâre feeling down, nothing helps more than a great yoga class â and happiness is actually a proven immune-booster too! When weâre unhappy or fearful, our bodies respond by switching on our stress-responses (that infamous âfight or flightâ system weâre always hearing so much about), which heightens our blood pressure, lowers our energy levels and weakens our immune system. When weâre happy and relaxed however, our nervous system switches on our healing mechanisms, which helps to keep our bodies in a vibrant and powerful state.
If we are able to direct our energy towards something positive each day â rather than directing our energy towards our often negative thoughts â weâll not only be able to boost our immune system, but weâll also actively be making the right use of our energy!
Listen to your body and let your practice serve you
Weâre often encouraged to listen to our bodies in a yoga class, but if weâre accustomed to practicing Yin, butterfly pose in one particular way, it can be difficult to change our habits â even when our bodies are asking us to. To make the most of our energy, we can enhance our health and well-being with the right yoga practice for us at that time; if youâre accustomed to a strong yoga practice and your body needs restoring, allow some time for a deep Yin practice. If you always opt for a soft and still practice, try some Power Yoga to give yourself a boost of strength and energy. Your body is always talking to you; listen and see what it has to say!
Listen to your body! Think about where youâre directing your energy – is it helpful or hurtful?
Brahmacharya in your Yoga class
Mixed-level yoga classes are increasingly popular, which means there are lots of different abilities, Yoga class needs and energy levels together in one class. Often in these classes, lots of different options are given so everyone can make the most of their practice. You may be offered variations and modifications of postures, the option to move through a vinyasa or to rest in Balasana (Childâs Pose).
This situation can lead us in two different directions; surrounded by other practitioners, you might feel pressure to âkeep upâ or impress others, but consider whether taking the posture is helpful or not â your practice is about your body, no one elseâs. On the other hand; if youâre the type to shy away from taking it to the next level, consider stepping out of your comfort zone a little â outside of that little bubble of familiarity is where we grow the most!
Brahmacharya in every-day life: How do you use your energy?
Right now there seems to be an over-emphasis on how âbusyâ we should all be â that busy is better â and that if youâre not busy, thereâs something wrong. The point is, whether weâre constantly âbusyâ or not doesnât matter – itâs whether what weâre doing is worthwhile. Filling our schedule with as much as we can may seem impressive on the outside, but when it comes to how this makes us feel on the inside, it doesnât leave much space to breathe.
“Brahmacharya encourages right use of energy, so if your energy levels are flagging at the moment, consider whether your daily tasks are draining you of your vitality. Could you find a way to take a few moments a day to just stop and breathe and find a little peace?”
This ability to slow down will not only allow your body and mind to take a much-needed break, but youâll be much more aware of how youâve been using your energy that day. As we mentioned earlier â listen to your body! Think about where youâre directing your energy – is it helpful or hurtful? Be aware of how you feel physically and energetically when youâre in certain situations – do some people drag your energy down? Do others make you light up? Is there something you love doing that really gives you a boost? (For most of us yes, itâs probably yoga!) Whatever your day-to-day schedule includes, become aware of not just what you do, but how you do it, and how it affects you.
By becoming aware of how our bodies and minds respond to certain situations, we can begin to cultivate a life that does serve us, and that does make the best use of our energy. By contemplating Brahmacharya within our every-day actions, we can take our yoga practice off the mat and into our lives and allow it to serve us at all timesâŠ.
So what behaviour leads you towards your higher power and helps make the right use of your energy?
x Emma
Blog reposted from Ekhart Yoga đđŸ
This ability to focus all the mind’s attention toward one thing is the foundation of the next limbâdhyana or meditationâand is absolutely necessary if the practitioner is to reach the liberation of samadhi. One way to understand the distinction between concentration and meditation is by using rain as an analogy. When rain starts, the moisture of clouds and fog (everyday awareness) coalesces into concentrated moisture and becomes distinct raindrops. These raindrops represent dharanaâintermittent moments of focused attention. When the rain falls to earth and creates a river, the merging of the individual raindrops into one stream is like dhyana or meditation. The separate raindrops merge into one continuous flow, just as individual moments of dharana merge into the uninterrupted focus of meditation. In English, we often use the word “meditate” to mean “to think,” but in yoga, meditation is not thinking; instead, it is a deep sense of unity with an object or activity.
