“If you can maintain the practice of Brahmacharya, celibacy, for a full twelve years, you will achieve the ultimate goal of life, and immediately realize the divine,” says Sivananda Swami. Brahmacharya, the practice of celibacy, is the key to attaining supreme truth and experiencing infinite bliss. It is the first and most critical step in harnessing and directing the energy within oneself to benefit the individual and the greater good.
Contrary to popular belief, the source of life and energy is not material, but spiritual. The physical body provides only the foundation on which this energy operates. For this reason, maintaining Brahmacharya for a full twelve years is crucial in awakening the Kundalini and realizing self-bliss. Every spiritual seeker must use every tool at their disposal to reach this state.
The practice of Brahmacharya was a great challenge in the past, when there were no smartphones, magazines, movies, or internet. In today’s world, the situation becomes even more complex, with the constant bombardment of the mind with all sorts of tempting images. Coupled with the mind’s natural attraction to any form of intense pleasure, it creates a perfect recipe for an action-packed internal movie, like a superhero movie, playing out in the mind of every spiritual seeker. The hero must overcome all obstacles and challenges to reach their ultimate goal of self-bliss.
