In Ayurveda, Brahmacharya is the third pillar of life; it is awareness of your choices; so it is important to learn to manage our energies.
In Sanskrit language Brahmacharya means movement in a higher awareness. Brahmachrarya has dual meaning: it is also knows as the control of sexual intercourse in Ayurvedic medicine. As humans we have emotional bodies, and a strong relationship with mental state. If we are disconnected with ourselves and our environment it often can lead us to making choices that are driven by desire, or emotion, rather than pure conscious thought.
The word “Brahmacharya” derives from two words: “Brahma” meaning God, and “Charya”, which means conduct. So Brahmacarya literally means conduct motivated by the search for God. More specifically it stands for chastity, continence, and celibacy in thought, word, and deed.
It is a way of life that leads one to self-realization through the control of our senses such as speech (vāch), actions (karmas), body (deha), and mind (manas).
Living a life free from addiction
In ancient times when there were no other forms of entertainment, the temptation to enjoy sex was very strong. People became slaves to this desire. This in turn affected their ability to meditate and worship God thus creating disharmony in society. Once they started understanding the effect of uncontrolled desires they began practicing Brahmacharya as a way to live a more peaceful life with self-control of overall desires.
According to Ayurveda, over-indulgence causes a reduction in physical strength and memory, a lack of energy, and even physiological functions.
What is our relationship with something all-consuming?
According to Vedas, everything around us is a manifestation of Prakriti – energy at play. We can understand this through examples such as fire – it consumes whatever comes close enough – the heat from the flames consumes fuel – paper, wood, etc. – and turns them into ashes which are then released back into nature as air or smoke.
Our mind and senses are also a form of energy and they too function in the same way. They’re always looking outwards, grabbing onto objects around them to give us pleasure or pain; but because we cannot see this process with our eyes, we think that nothing has changed within us when we experience such duality.
Our thoughts change like the wind – sometimes hot, other times cold. However, what happens when such powerful energies (fire and wind) meet? What effect do they have on each other? Well, that is simple: they annihilate each other!
How is Brahmacharya linked with success in business
Businesses around the world are realizing that the happiness of employees is directly proportional to their productivity levels at work i.e. happy employees are more productive than unhappy ones. It has been observed that more satisfied people tend to be more creative, healthier, and overall even live longer lives!
They’re also able to handle stress better since they allow themselves time for relaxation without guilt or anxiety. This is what Brahmacharya helps us achieve – contentment which overflows into all aspects of our lives making us happier human beings not only at work but everywhere else as well!
We all have a choice between opening our senses to distractions or controlling them. For instance, you can choose to listen to music while working, thus pleasing your senses and making the process of work easier and more enjoyable for you. In Yoga practice, there is a technique called “Pranayama” which involves using different ways to control one’s vital energy through control of breath while concentrating on certain elements such as sun/moon, fire, etc.
How can you apply this way of life in your daily routine?
It’s very simple, don’t give your mind or senses any opportunity to become distracted by anything else but the present moment. Don’t hold onto what was, learn from it, and move forward. Find ways of staying entertained that are not harmful for your body-mind-soul connection i.e. listen to music with headphones while commuting rather than using earphones during Yoga practice like many people mistakenly do (in their desire to make it look fancy).
Managing energy levels is the key to success in every aspect of life – be it business or one’s home.! The proper management of our energies will lead us to manage these desires is essential to living a healthy, balanced life. Draw awareness to your relationships with food, work, family, sex, home life, etc.
This Ayurvedic pillar is about understanding and practicing awareness of your desires, where they come from, and how you can manage them in a healthy way. Take time to be with yourself, practice a daily routine, explore artistic realms, seek mindful activities that contain your vital energy and express yourself authentically. Awareness is the key to self realization.
