Advice on Technique

QUESTION: Hello Ian:

Which technique do you think results in swifter progress: 1) to very strictly shut out all sensory stimulus or 2) to allow *some* sensory stimulus and then sublimate the desires into spiritual aspirations?

I have been perfectly celibate, without voluntary slips, for over 4 months now and I believe part of my success is because of a favorable environment with few females around and where I am immersed in my work and studies.  I have noticed that my perception of females has changed and I no longer allow myself to consciously consent to 'do' anything to them in my thoughts. However, I still find that I appreciate their beauty and I still have a desire to stare if I see a beautiful girl. However, if I stare too much (such as when watching TV) and feel the stirrings of arousal, I find I have more control in sublimating these with meditation into spiritual goals.  

I do realize that allowing some stimulus in approach 2) is a slippery slope that could result in a downfall, but I am assuming here that the person has already made some progress in being chaste. Approach 2) feels as though more energy is being raised in my body and I am training myself to adapt to it. The downside is that it potentially generates more impure thoughts. With approach 1), I keep wondering if the progress is too slow or even stagnant. Two other considerations I have are that I expect my environment to change shortly where there will be more temptation and boredom, and I am somewhat impatient to see if celibacy can cure a physical skin condition I have (psoriasis). I keep wondering if approach 2) is more effective in raising more energy and training me to live amidst worldly temptations.

We often here that artists need beautiful women around as a stimulus to produce great art (through sublimation). Could the artist produce such great works without that stimulus?

Once again, I thank you very much for your advice as reading about your experience was one of two things that was a catalyst for my current progress, after several years of failure.

John

ANSWER: Hello John :-)  
This query must’ve been forwarded my way. Though it’s not addressed to me, I will try my best to answer it.

Coming to your question as to which method would be better?
1.Strictly shutting out all sensory stimulus, OR
2.Allowing some sensory stimulus and sublimating the same

The answer is to shut out all sensory stimulus backed by the constant reminder of knowledge that sense objects lead one away from the path of real progress, happiness and bliss.

The second approach doesn’t ultimately make sense, as it’s nothing more than a circuitous & slow downfall towards one’s past delusive animal instincts.

You are right in assuming that a conducive environment bereft of temptation helps. It certainly does and is in fact a necessity for an aspirant in the path of celibacy.

All Holy Scriptures cutting across religions state that till the time a celibate has realized his ‘SELF’ or god and is perfectly established in celibacy to the point where his mental purity and lack of response towards sense objects become ‘Natural’ and ‘Effortless’ he should always be extremely alert and vigilant against the onslaught of senses. By the honest, true and unbroken practice of ‘celibacy’ for a period of 12 years, man generally reaches this state. The sight of a naked woman would have no bearing upon him. He feels no difference in stimulus between touching a piece of wood and the naked body of a beautiful woman. He sees himself in every form of life and all forms of life within himself. This is the ultimate aim of celibacy and the goal of life. Man is then one with his maker.

But beware! Till one has reached this state, he is ever prone to defeat under the powerful attack of lust at any given point in time. It is in fact said that a celibate aspirant should ever be humble and meek before god, asking him for guidance and the power to win over the senses and be constantly aware of the fact that he is still a student in controlling his passions and not yet a master.

If an aspirant lets ‘some’ sensory stimuli to enter his domain, he soon finds himself being overpowered by ‘more and more’ sense stimuli, which grow like hay on fire and finally devour him! So the trick is to nip them at the bud.

It’s good that you have been without slips since the past 4 months. This is in fact an indication that you are destined for more if you strive rightly. The first 3 -4 months of celibacy make a person experience a drastic change in his state of mind and attitude. This is because man ‘slightly’ touches upon that beautiful state of soul serenity which he never knew all through his adult life. But a word of caution is necessary here: As you progress further this initial euphoria or ‘high’ will settle down and stabilize, and then the celibate should very clearly remember to be eternally vigilant and alert against any form of sexual stimulus, else he will be tempted to stray and loose his ground.
The desire to stare at a beautiful lady is a clear indication of latent lust. There are people who argue that they are looking at ‘beauty’ and not at ‘sexuality’. Would they stare at the same lady if she were old or say dead? Where did the beauty go then? True beauty is permanent and imperishable, it cannot age, and it cannot perish. This thing which we call ‘beauty’ in a man or a woman is the physical beauty of the body, an illusion. Look at this beautiful lady after she’s down with disease for a few days all grungy, haggard and unkempt and see if you feel the same attraction. This ‘attraction’ which you refer to will have vanished...Why? Because the ‘beauty’ you were referring to and looking at was the illusive, temporary and semi-permanent physical beauty and not the true ‘soul’ or ‘god’ beauty. This is exactly where celibacy comes; it makes man get in touch with the real beauty of the ‘soul or ‘god’.

John, have you ever wondered why a young virile man or a pretty girl in her teens look so attractive? What is it in them which ‘disappears’ once the man grows old or this ‘pretty girl’ bears a few kids? The secret of reality and creation lies in this answer. It is ‘God’ who shines through these people at youth in the form of their sexuality and makes them look ‘beautiful’ in order to facilitate them to attract a mate, marry and produce offspring. Once this purpose is achieved this ‘pretty girl’ starts losing the physical charm and ‘oomph’ which she previously had. In reality the physical body made of flesh and bones was never beautiful. The ‘God’ power shining through it with the above said purpose held it high and together to give it  firmness, fullness and an aura of beauty ! If the same ‘pretty girl’ were to die, say at youth her dead body would no longer look ‘beautiful’…Why? Because the ‘beauty’ or ‘God’ or ‘soul’ which resided in her body has vacated its residence!!

Coming to your other question, a true and a great artist when he paints a beautiful lady, would at that instant knowingly or unknowingly be into painting this imperishable, all pervading ‘God’ beauty in the soul of the object, shining through the body. We can clearly see this difference between the works of an ordinary artist who merely paints the body and that of classics like ‘Renoirs’ or ‘Rembrandts’. So again, all superlative results, be it in any field of life are results of man’s connection with the ‘Divine’ and not the flesh. A ‘Renoir’ of even a very old man looks ‘Fantabulous’!

Trust this helps clear your doubts regarding the subject and helps you walk more firmly in the path of celibacy John :-) Revert to me for clarifications if any

God bless and have a nice day :-)

[an error occurred while processing this directive]---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Dhananjay for your detailed response! I will re-commit myself to avoiding sensory stimuli as lately I've been getting lax on this. However, although your response makes perfect sense to me (I do see that allowing some stimulus only creates desire for more), I am still troubled by one question. I will re-phrase my question so it's more clear. Here is what I currently understand:

1) Sensory stimuli cause desire in people
2) Semen is produced in the body as a result of those desires
3) With meditation, the body can sublimate that semen into higher forms and this produces Ojas
4) The more Ojas a person has stored, the more spiritual power he will have.

By the above reasoning, it is better to get the body to produce more semen so more can be sublimated and stored as Ojas. So my original question came about because I wondered if more sense stimuli could be an aid to ultimately storing more Ojas. But of course there is something erroneous in my thinking on this. Can you help me identify what is incorrect in the above reasoning, and what's the right way to understand this process?

Thank you very much!
John