Imagine, if you will, branches on a proverbial Tree of Life and a Hindi Icon with multiple arms and legs having Classic Eight-Limbs (Ashtanga) symbolic of a yoga therapist's responsibilities allowing therapists to provide sharing blooms and gestures (mudras) of knowledge pertaining to best practices¹. One limb accommodates civility, ethics and restraints (yamas) likened to living with safe rules (vrata) that protect S/society and therefore S/self. Brahmacharya one branch/digit included on the yama limb can be known as, without being limited to, monogamy without promiscuity, civil union without addictions, loyalty without controlling that may be especially helpful when without a lifepartner for a lifestyle. Brahmacharya is literally translated as “walking in the light of God” as mentioned in The Yamas & Niyamas, Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice². In Tantric Practices when thinking about brahmacharya as a way to resist by appropriating the intellect (bindu) to perform (ojas) the gift of life³.
Research compiled by Dean Ornish's Lifestyle Medicine⁴ for when a person has experienced trauma found comparable longevity between marital partners and people who are one another’s confidants. Furthermore, longevity connected as a biological aspect to Bio-enviro-psycho-socio-philosophical (pancha-maya-kosha) principles decreases when a person is not married and is without a life partner - that is when having sex is as unsafe as living a life without intimacy. Practicing brahmacharya works for people who are not married and do not have a confidant in helping mitigate infection and morbidity rates by replacing intercourse with a chaste active lifestyle, not discluding an intimate no more than once daily routine for the Western Law of ‘what is in motion stays in motion’⁵ whereas energy begets energy. Engaging in sex is healthy to partners in marital bliss where as brahmacharya is effective for practitioners of self-care during abstention.
Albeit, tactile reassurance (touch) has its place while brahmacharya translated as 'without touching’, ‘hands to yourself’ and ‘safe space' is a respectful direction/redirection furthering civility. In the article, “14 Reasons You Should Have Sex Now”, as published on WebMD⁶ it states having sex one time per week lowers risk of illness, and sexual intercourse no more than once every two weeks improves happiness, while a sexual connection improves memory, but only for married people. Even the National Institute of Health (NIH), where research matters, carries the popular story, “Viagra (pharmaceutical that improves erectile function) associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease”⁷. In the U.S. and around the world marriage is the gold standard, without infidelity (brahmacharya) being a safe lifestyle choice, normally a good sign of a healthy loving relationship and a way people feel safe together as coitus is a celebration of peace.
Brahmacharya is similar to without raping or pilaging the environment of natural resources when thinking (and symbolic) of the Sky [God, male, man, zest energy (ha)] and Earth [Goddess, female, woman, zen energy (ta)] as givers and sustainers of cosm. Nature teaches that when animals are safe they evenly space and spawn without bunches to graze and reproduce peacefully. Social distancing (brahmacharya) and mandates from the World Health Organization (WHO)⁸ likened to blooms and hand gestures (mudras) on symbolic limbs are wonderful best practices for civic responsibility during pandemics, like COVID-19. Holistic Health is informed by safe (vrata) practices inspired by civility (yama); noticing nature’s goodness can be a Living-meditation (Samadhi) wherein best practices, specifically inspired by brahmacharya, naturally occur.
Corresponding ashtanga responsibilities specific to the branch/digit of brahmacharya and generally to any ashtanga practice can improve awareness (samadhi). A Oneness may be more noticeable when chakra value correlations connect panchamayakosha principles to integrate, adjust and unify. The book The Language of Yoga by Niccoli Bachman lists the Ashtanga yamas, with five known examples, the fourth listed example known as brahmacharya is, “appropriate use of one’s vital energy”⁹; there is not necessarily an order to the Limbs (Ashtanga) or branches/digits as placement can occur in any order specific to a book, author and processes furthering Individual & Ultimate Truth (Vidya). Brahmacharya, as with all Ashtanga practices, is a responsibility known to correlate through Sentient-plexi (Chakra) values and connect Bio-enviro-psycho-socio-philosophical (Pancha-maya-kosha) principles.
Understanding through Chakra¹⁰/¹¹ values as well as adjusting/connecting to Pancha-maya-kosha¹² principles, Classic practice [Physical (Hatha), Mental (Jnana), Cultivation (Rajas), Causative (Karma) and Revered (Bhakti)] Ashtanga responsibilities like brahmacharya can branch or gesticulate enlightenment. A renowned psychologist/philosopher has said, “...resting in unity…can honor diversity”¹³ able to inform a multitude of best practices for honoring individual spirituality while respecting world religions revealing anandamayakosha, whereas a general ease (sukha) of responsibilities (ashtanga) cultivating (rajas) embodiment through values (chakras) and adjusting to principles (panchamayakosha) emanates, in the case of brahmacharya from an influential intermediary place, as an aura between macro and microcosms. Brahmacharya may be most relevantly correlated to the values from the bottom up, of the First Coccygeal-plexus (Muladhara chakra) the color red, Fourth Cardiopulmonary-plexus (Anahata-chakra) the color green and Seventh Coronal-plexus (Sahasrara-chakra) and the color white or clear. Brahmacharya can be understood as within an intermediary auric-field to panchamaykosha benefiting the soul source, force and essence sometimes known as veils or sheaths protecting inner bliss (anandamayakosha)¹⁴.
Brahmacharya, generally corresponds to Muladhara, the 1st chakra value correlating civil-societal-norms (yamas) and connected aurically. The Anahata 4th chakra value, specifically corresponding to brahmacharya when thought to be the 4th yama, generally adjusts from vitality for an environment of subtle emotional energy (prana-mayakosha). Sahasrara the 7th Chakra specifically correlates to the literal translation of brahmacharya adjusting deep within pancamayakosha, and outermost, to philosophical and or theological principles for protection from illusion (ananada-mayakosha) corresponding more generally to the Ashtanga limb of meditating (dhyana) upon a happy blissful spirit¹⁵. Keeping brahmacharya in mind during Modern Mantra¹⁶ dhyana through a summation to the values of 1.) Generous Genuine Gifted Gracious Grateful-groups 4.) Alive Breath (Pranayama) Live Love Survive-thrive and 7.) Recuperative Rejuvenative Restorative Tranquil Transcendent-transformation can enliven life (samadhi).
Observing the civility (yama) of brahmacharya within a polite (niyama) atmosphere unveiling anandamayakosha utilizing a string of affirmations (japa) can make an excellent meditation (dhyana). For example, without necessarily occurring in any particular order, align (asana), breathe (pranayama), withdraw-tension (pratyahara) and visualize (dharana). Imagine a beautiful red color at the first coccygeal plexus (muladhara chakra), utilizing a 1:4 ratio breath (pranayama) inhaling one second exhaling four seconds affirming (japa), “Have ahimsa, without harm, share the joy”. At the 4th cardiac-pulmonary plexus (anahata chakra) visualize the color green, inhale four counts exhale sixteen counts affirm, “Gracefully thankful for an attitude of gratitude and generosity while soul searching for True-Self-Arise (Brahmin, Atman, Parusha, Id)”. Finally utilizing a 7:28 breath count visualize clear/white at the 7th coronal plexus (sahasrara chakra) with the japa, “Dare to dream, peace is possible (shanti)”. Best practices bloom and hold forth from examples like brahmacharya realizing ways to celebrate peace for harmonizing responsibilities, values and principles whereas awareness (samadhi) keeps Azt(h)anga relevant and people/practitioners (w)holistically healthy!
Works Cited
Jaya Kumar, Swamee Sree. Classic Asthanga With Applied Yogic Sciences. Pranava Dhama Trust, Education, Research and Therapy Centre, Mysore India, 2009.
Adele, Deborah. The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice. On-Word Bound Books, 2009.
Mukitbodhananda. Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India, 2000.
Dean Ornish, MD. Lifestyle reverses heart disease lecture. Global Yoga Therapy Conference, Virtual Lecture, International, 2021.
Isaac Newton (1643-1727). Western Science theory states that an object in motion stays in motion https://ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/readings/people_energy.pdf
Medically Reviewed by Sabrina Felson, MD on August 31, 2020
National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nih.gov/
World Health Organization (Director-General 2017-present) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as seen on YouTube https://www.who.int. Yoga Training (Touch), ”Holistic Health: Energy System Correlations; Lifestyle, Metabolic Immune Function” by Kathryn A. Campbell C-IAYT, YA-CEP, ERYT500
Bachman, Nicolai. The Language of Yoga: Complete A-To-Y Guide to Āsana Names, Sanskrit Terms, & Chants. Sounds True, 2020.
Judith, Anodea, and Selene Vega. The Sevenfold Journey: Reclaiming Mind, Body & Spirit through the Chakras. Crossing Press, 1993.
Dale, Cyndi, and Richard Wehrman. The Subtle Body: an Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy. Sounds True, 2009.
Sat Bir Sing Khalsa, Lorenzo Cohen, Timothy McCall, Shirley Telles et al. The Principles and Practices of Yoga In Healthcare. Handsprings Publishing, Pencaitland, East Lothian, UK, 2016.
Ram Das, Harvard Psychologist. The Love Serve Remember Foundation Founder Philosopher. RamDas.org
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Sri Swami Satchidananda. The Yoga Sutras of Pitanjali. Integral Yoga Publications, Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, Buckingham, Virginia 23921, 1978/2008, www.iyiva.org
Kathryn Campbell Global Yoga Therapy Conference. Virtual Silent Meditation, Modern Mantra. Internationally provided From United States, Hosted From Australia, 2021.
