How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
Post Reply
anagarika
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:45 am

How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by anagarika »

Hello my noble friends!

I wasn´t exactly sure in which category does my post fit so I decided to put it here. I was wondering if any fellow brahmacarya practitioners would be willing to share in which specific ways do they feel this practice benefits their meditation.

It´s been several months since I gradually renounced sexual activities. I´m surprised how natural and liberating that feels. But contrary to numerous claims made by various authorities that promise nearly miraculous benefits and all kinds of effects, I don´t really feel that this energy is "penting up" anywhere or transforming into anything else. It´s rather as if this energy was suddenly merely absent - which I in itself find to be a great benefit. My sitting practice is predominantly jhanic so just being free from these thoughts is per se of great help (sensuality is the primary hindrance to jhana), but I´m a perfectionist and was wondering if there is any practice of actual sexual energy transformation that would be compatible with Buddhism. I´m aware that this idea sounds somewhat yogic, that´s why I´m asking on a Buddhist sister forum (there is no such practice in Theravada, to my knowledge).

Any input is welcome!
User avatar
LastLegend
Posts: 5408
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 3:46 pm
Location: Northern Virginia

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by LastLegend »

Tibetan?
It’s eye blinking.
anagarika
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:45 am

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by anagarika »

LastLegend wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:12 pmTibetan?
I´m not sure what you´re asking:

1) If you´re asking about my nationality, then the answer is no, I´m not Tibetan :D

2) If you´re asking about my lineage, it´s not Tibetan either - it´s Theravada, but I´m asking here because I don´t think they have any similar practice. It´s fine if there is no such thing in other schools either, I just want to know.
User avatar
Könchok Thrinley
Former staff member
Posts: 3275
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:18 am
Location: He/Him from EU

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

anagarika wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:10 pm Hello my noble friends!

I wasn´t exactly sure in which category does my post fit so I decided to put it here. I was wondering if any fellow brahmacarya practitioners would be willing to share in which specific ways do they feel this practice benefits their meditation.

It´s been several months since I gradually renounced sexual activities. I´m surprised how natural and liberating that feels. But contrary to numerous claims made by various authorities that promise nearly miraculous benefits and all kinds of effects, I don´t really feel that this energy is "penting up" anywhere or transforming into anything else. It´s rather as if this energy was suddenly merely absent - which I in itself find to be a great benefit. My sitting practice is predominantly jhanic so just being free from these thoughts is per se of great help (sensuality is the primary hindrance to jhana), but I´m a perfectionist and was wondering if there is any practice of actual sexual energy transformation that would be compatible with Buddhism. I´m aware that this idea sounds somewhat yogic, that´s why I´m asking on a Buddhist sister forum (there is no such practice in Theravada, to my knowledge).

Any input is welcome!
Hey,

I kinda doubt you will find many people abstaining here from sex. After all this is a mahayana and vajrayana forum, the celibacy is not a very strong point.

But here are my 2 cents. I'd suggest you to do qigong or some yoga. Unless you have done ngöndro, received initiations and did a major deity retreat you are not at all qualified for some instructions when it comes to sexual energies. These practices are most often kept secret. Not to mention they often come through engaging in sex, although I don't know much I was never interested in it.

So if your aim is for the sexual energy not to build up, then do qigong or yoga. But as my qigong teacher used to say "energy goes where mind goes", so the less you think about it the less likely you are to have a build up (aka get horny). From my limited qigong experience it can help, but I'd stick mainly with movements as those don't make energy stronger usually. They mostly clear the pathways. I'd not do much Zhang Zhuang as that usually leads to stronger energy.

Otherwise I would not sweat it. If you can deal with the urges in your mind... then there is no problem. Don't fight the urge, that is where problems are created. So if you want some buddhist methods, look into chinese qigong there are many buddhist styles, or engage in some yoga, there is a yantra yoga practice that Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche introduced publicly, but even there there are limitations where some things can be taught only to people with connection to Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

- Arya Sanghata Sutra
anagarika
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:45 am

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by anagarika »

Könchok Thrinley wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:30 pm
anagarika wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:10 pm Hello my noble friends!

I wasn´t exactly sure in which category does my post fit so I decided to put it here. I was wondering if any fellow brahmacarya practitioners would be willing to share in which specific ways do they feel this practice benefits their meditation.

It´s been several months since I gradually renounced sexual activities. I´m surprised how natural and liberating that feels. But contrary to numerous claims made by various authorities that promise nearly miraculous benefits and all kinds of effects, I don´t really feel that this energy is "penting up" anywhere or transforming into anything else. It´s rather as if this energy was suddenly merely absent - which I in itself find to be a great benefit. My sitting practice is predominantly jhanic so just being free from these thoughts is per se of great help (sensuality is the primary hindrance to jhana), but I´m a perfectionist and was wondering if there is any practice of actual sexual energy transformation that would be compatible with Buddhism. I´m aware that this idea sounds somewhat yogic, that´s why I´m asking on a Buddhist sister forum (there is no such practice in Theravada, to my knowledge).

Any input is welcome!
Hey,

I kinda doubt you will find many people abstaining here from sex. After all this is a mahayana and vajrayana forum, the celibacy is not a very strong point.

But here are my 2 cents. I'd suggest you to do qigong or some yoga. Unless you have done ngöndro, received initiations and did a major deity retreat you are not at all qualified for some instructions when it comes to sexual energies. These practices are most often kept secret. Not to mention they often come through engaging in sex, although I don't know much I was never interested in it.

So if your aim is for the sexual energy not to build up, then do qigong or yoga. But as my qigong teacher used to say "energy goes where mind goes", so the less you think about it the less likely you are to have a build up (aka get horny). From my limited qigong experience it can help, but I'd stick mainly with movements as those don't make energy stronger usually. They mostly clear the pathways. I'd not do much Zhang Zhuang as that usually leads to stronger energy.

Otherwise I would not sweat it. If you can deal with the urges in your mind... then there is no problem. Don't fight the urge, that is where problems are created. So if you want some buddhist methods, look into chinese qigong there are many buddhist styles, or engage in some yoga, there is a yantra yoga practice that Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche introduced publicly, but even there there are limitations where some things can be taught only to people with connection to Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.
Thanks for your response!

From what you write, the"I would not sweat it" bit is probably the takeaway for me :D The practices you describe seem to be too far from what I´m doing.

I also feel you might have slightly misunderstood my motivation - I don´t actually need this to divert urges, my idea was rather to use it to facilitate my practice even more. When I can stick to my practice routine and my focus is good throughout the day, I don´t really feel any urges. There are latent tendencies that manifest sometimes in my dreams, but even then my mind gradually tends to see through them (not always).

Anyway, I´m going to look up qigong! Thanks for your input!
User avatar
Könchok Thrinley
Former staff member
Posts: 3275
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2015 11:18 am
Location: He/Him from EU

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

anagarika wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:53 pm
Thanks for your response!

From what you write, the"I would not sweat it" bit is probably the takeaway for me :D The practices you describe seem to be too far from what I´m doing.

I also feel you might have slightly misunderstood my motivation - I don´t actually need this to divert urges, my idea was rather to use it to facilitate my practice even more. When I can stick to my practice routine and my focus is good throughout the day, I don´t really feel any urges. There are latent tendencies that manifest sometimes in my dreams, but even then my mind gradually tends to see through them (not always).

Anyway, I´m going to look up qigong! Thanks for your input!
Qigong is actually quite perfect for bringing meditational stability into ones daily life. It creates and promotes certain level of awareness and focus. So I think you can benefit here. :smile: Hope it goes well.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

- Arya Sanghata Sutra
User avatar
Budai
Posts: 878
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2020 1:12 pm
Location: ༀ ∞ Nam Myoho Renge Kyo ∞ ༀ

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by Budai »

Instead of looking for and maintaining a sexual lifestyle you may find yourself 100% devoted to Buddhist studies. The Energy you will find growing inside of you you can use for your Bodhisattvic Compassion, the Vows, and liberating all beings, even in tough environments. To be a Spiritual Warrior of the Dharma you may have to renounce sexual activity for some period of time, just like others renounce such in a siege or a battle, because you have opened your eyes to the dangers of Samsara.

There is a Buddhist philosophy that rings true, by which it is said that it is difficult to achieve liberation when one is too engulfed in pleasure. Sex is considered the topmost pleasure of the material world, and also the shackles of it as well.

Continue with your Meditation, you will do well. :yinyang:
Last edited by Budai on Sat Mar 20, 2021 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
SilenceMonkey
Posts: 1448
Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2018 9:54 am

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by SilenceMonkey »

anagarika wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:53 pm
Könchok Thrinley wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:30 pm
anagarika wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:10 pm Hello my noble friends!

I wasn´t exactly sure in which category does my post fit so I decided to put it here. I was wondering if any fellow brahmacarya practitioners would be willing to share in which specific ways do they feel this practice benefits their meditation.

It´s been several months since I gradually renounced sexual activities. I´m surprised how natural and liberating that feels. But contrary to numerous claims made by various authorities that promise nearly miraculous benefits and all kinds of effects, I don´t really feel that this energy is "penting up" anywhere or transforming into anything else. It´s rather as if this energy was suddenly merely absent - which I in itself find to be a great benefit. My sitting practice is predominantly jhanic so just being free from these thoughts is per se of great help (sensuality is the primary hindrance to jhana), but I´m a perfectionist and was wondering if there is any practice of actual sexual energy transformation that would be compatible with Buddhism. I´m aware that this idea sounds somewhat yogic, that´s why I´m asking on a Buddhist sister forum (there is no such practice in Theravada, to my knowledge).

Any input is welcome!
Hey,

I kinda doubt you will find many people abstaining here from sex. After all this is a mahayana and vajrayana forum, the celibacy is not a very strong point.

But here are my 2 cents. I'd suggest you to do qigong or some yoga. Unless you have done ngöndro, received initiations and did a major deity retreat you are not at all qualified for some instructions when it comes to sexual energies. These practices are most often kept secret. Not to mention they often come through engaging in sex, although I don't know much I was never interested in it.

So if your aim is for the sexual energy not to build up, then do qigong or yoga. But as my qigong teacher used to say "energy goes where mind goes", so the less you think about it the less likely you are to have a build up (aka get horny). From my limited qigong experience it can help, but I'd stick mainly with movements as those don't make energy stronger usually. They mostly clear the pathways. I'd not do much Zhang Zhuang as that usually leads to stronger energy.

Otherwise I would not sweat it. If you can deal with the urges in your mind... then there is no problem. Don't fight the urge, that is where problems are created. So if you want some buddhist methods, look into chinese qigong there are many buddhist styles, or engage in some yoga, there is a yantra yoga practice that Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche introduced publicly, but even there there are limitations where some things can be taught only to people with connection to Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.
Thanks for your response!

From what you write, the"I would not sweat it" bit is probably the takeaway for me :D The practices you describe seem to be too far from what I´m doing.

I also feel you might have slightly misunderstood my motivation - I don´t actually need this to divert urges, my idea was rather to use it to facilitate my practice even more. When I can stick to my practice routine and my focus is good throughout the day, I don´t really feel any urges. There are latent tendencies that manifest sometimes in my dreams, but even then my mind gradually tends to see through them (not always).

Anyway, I´m going to look up qigong! Thanks for your input!
A lot of forms of qigong can actually increase your sex drive... But who knows, maybe your jhanic practice would direct the boost of qi into meditation states.

Also, I would say if you want to get involved in qigong to support deep meditation practice, it would be good to learn from someone who really knows what they're doing. A friend of mine was learning jhana in a monastery in burma, and all of a sudden had a spontaneous disruption to her energetic system. She thinks it was due to practicing a qigong form along with jhana. The theravada monks there don't do anything involved with qi, and their advice was very unhelpful. She ended up following Ven. Dhammadipa, who incorporates qigong into his teaching of meditation.

Anagarika, regarding your experiences renouncing sexuality... I've gone through periods of doing the same and experienced very similar things to what you're describing. The absence of desire is a huge boon for meditation in theravada and zen. Clear mind... inner peace... silence...

I've heard claims about brahmacarya from other spiritual traditions, and personally come to the conclusion that different yogic and meditation practices have different effects on the body's energies. It may be that a certain yoga will bring feelings of bliss and light, etc... I think it would depend on the technique, the spiritual lineage and the philosophical view underneath everything. Sometimes I think that practices based on emptiness and no-self will sublimate our energies and thoughts into the nature of mind itself. Other traditions may sublimate the energies into union with their God. Maybe it's one of the mysteries.
anagarika
Posts: 158
Joined: Sat Jan 02, 2021 10:45 am

Re: How does brahmacarya specifically help your meditation?

Post by anagarika »

Thank you all for your messages and views!

It is becoming clear to me that there is no need to add anything in this respect to my practice. It would introduce unnecessary concepts and complexities to my relatively straightforward, but efficient and productive jhanic routine. At this point it seems to me much easier to just cultivate wholesome mental states and keep solid focus, which in itself makes any kind of transmutation superfluous.
Post Reply

Return to “Meditation”