your experience

Hello Bruce,

Trust things are going good your side. I'm doing fine, thank you. Coming to the question at hand,

Q: What triggered me to choose the path of self restraint as a way of life?
A: Fortunately in my case, I would call it Gods grace, there wasn't any negative experience or downfall in life that acted as a catalyst to choose the path of Brahmacharya. I consider myself lucky to have been born to parents who have a rich spiritual background and virtuous inclination to life. Ever since I have been a kid, there were always discussions and debates at home between my parents as to the origin of life, creation, the soul and the purpose of man's existence on earth. I fondly remember the various stories of virtue, morality, sacrifice and valor from Hindu scriptures that my mother used to tell me as a child while putting me to sleep every night. What little knowledge and spiritual inclination I have, I owe it to the foundation laid down by my divine parents. As a teenager, I had been advised regarding the benefits of the practice of Brahmacharya by my father, though I must say I didn't realize its amazing power and pay much attention to this wonderful concept at that point of time.

Further to marriage and fatherhood, one day like bolt from the blue I found myself recalling the benefits of celibacy about which I had been advised about during adolescence. I consider this as the trigger that set me on to the celibate path and owe it directly to the great Lord, the creator, for there wasn't any specific reason to try celibacy. I started spending much time reading material related to celibacy and self realization along with the practice of a yogic life with a hunger that hadn't existed before. With the start of strict and honest Brahmacharya, the underlying current of dissatisfaction that had existed earlier towards life soon disappeared. Every page I read from scriptures and books on self-realization were like a recollection and refresher of knowledge which had always been present below the surface. Tears of gratitude stream down my eyes when I think of how kind God has been as regards to initiating me into a life of celibacy. Like a godsend, I have been blessed with a wife who is herself noble, supportive and virtuous. By the grace of the Blessed lord, we have been able to overcome the obstacles which always come to every celibate as tests and are into a combined life of Brahmacharya as a celibate couple.

Hail the Blessed Lord, 'Brahman', 'Christ', 'Allah'. Who is called by many names but is One. Who runs the entire world, the cosmos, the universe with a twinkling of his eye. The scriptor, producer and director of the divine cosmic drama called life in which man is only an actor as a result of which it forms the duty of man to fully surrender his life to the dictates of the lord. Who is ever kind and merciful to his children in spite of all their mistakes like a mother who never angers at her child's mischief. Who is the source of all beauty, knowledge, power and life. The omnipresent, omniscient, all pervading super entity who has always existed and will always exist. How can one ever find words to describe the untrammeled feelings that he generates in those devoted to him? May he give the strength, ability and inclination to all those on the path of celibacy to attain thorough success and reach unto him.

Hope this throws some light regarding the question that was posed.

God bless and have a nice day :-)
Dhananjay