Coping with breaks - reasons

1. The body and mind get used to the living environment and adapt themselves accordingly. Hence a Yogi should to the best possible extent avoid extensive travel/relocation. Till self-realization is achieved, the body and mind are susceptible to changes in the environment. The disruptions in internal energy caused by travel can disrupt one’s mental equillibrium. This affects meditation. While the vibrations in India are no doubt more spiritual in nature compared to other places, it takes constancy and continuous living in one place for these vibrations to stabilize, soak and settle into one’s system.

Janasangaviraktaha – ‘One who stays away from and avoids the company of people, being disinterested towards the same’ -- This is the word Lord Shiva uses while describing to Goddess Parvathi the nature of the Yogin treading the path of ‘Kaivalya’ (self-realization) in the work  Shiva Samhita . One should avoid the company of people to the best extent possible. Interaction and mixing leads to loss of Prana, lack of concentration and inundation with worldly, sensual vibrations. One should not talk about one’s ‘Sadhana’ (practice) with people. The practice, advancement and the experiences should not be shared with others on a one on one basis. These are private and personal, solely between the aspirant and God. Making them known to others becomes an impediment to Sadhana.

योगी युञीत सततमात्मानं रहसि स्थितह |
एकाकी यतचित्तात्मा निराशीरपरिग्रहह ||

“Let the Yogi strive constantly to keep the mind steady, remaining in solitude (alone), aloof, with the mind and body controlled through focus on the Atman, free from hope and greed”
-   Chapter 6/ Verse 10, the Bhagavad Gita.

This is how the Yogi should conduct himself says Lord Krishna to Arjuna. Interactions with the world beyond the required limit cause distraction and take the ‘Sadhak’ (aspirant) away from the state of tranquility that he is trying to achieve with much effort. His mind gets flooded with ‘Chitta vritti-s’ (multiple modifications of the mind stuff). Where then is Yoga? He loses his composure and reverts to his former state of worldliness which invariably results in a break.

2. It is inevitable that the beginner finds turbulence in meditation. Strong past Samskara-s (impressions) and Vasanas (tendencies) often surface during meditation and lead to this state of unrest. Let one not worry about these. Let efforts be applied honestly and sincerely without dilution as regards Brahmacharya and meditation. Meditation eventually becomes more steady and deep in course of time.

There is no hard and fast rule as regards the number of hours one has to spend in meditation. One should meditate as often as possible and whenever time permits. As one becomes purer through Brahmacharya and Yoga, meditation automatically becomes longer and deeper. When one attains to ‘Nirvikalpa Samadhi’ (non-dual super-consciousness), time stops and eternity starts. Then the Yogi will not know how long he has sat in meditation without food, water and breath at a stretch. It may be hours, days or months. Others have to then keep track of time for him. Till then, let meditation be carried out with love, affection and devotion to the Lord for as long as possible.

3. Till one attains ‘’Siddhi’ (perfection) as regards retaining semen, there is always the chance of a break. This siddhi comes upon becoming an Urdhvaretha further to perfecting ‘Savikalpa Samadhi’. It comes through the grace of God and not by other means. Till then, efforts should be Herculean. However, further to attaining to a year or year and half of unbroken Brahmacharya without a single voluntary loss, the aspirant becomes capable of retaining his semen in the waking state, though the same may not be said of ‘Swapna’ (dream state). The only way to forge ahead is through constant, sincere practice and meditation with devotion to God. Physical and intellectual activity will also be required in adequacy till one becomes an Urdhvareta so as to effectively transmute semen.

For the 'Divya Sharira' (divine body of Yoga) to develop, there is a need for 'Bhuta Siddhi' (complete purification of the five elements in the body). This purification is carried out by the conserved and transmuted Veerya and perfected in Savikalpa Samadhi. As the levels of Prana (vital energy) within the body increase with unbroken Brahmacharya, Prana leverages 'Ashuddhi' (toxins and impurities) at each Chakra (confluence of astral energy channels) and expels them. The Brahmachari experiences a related illness each time a toxin surfaces. The rate of incidence of such illness depends on the impurity at each chakra. The more the impurity, the longer the time required for purification. These illnesses are not of the kind faced by the common man as regards their cause. They arise because the toxin representing them has surfaced whilst being vacated. They persist for some time and then disappear. This purification should be welcomed, for the aspirant is being offered the chance to free himself of the toxins of past karma at the physical level. By the time the Brahmachari becomes an Urdhvareta, he will have vacated all these toxins which are the cause of disease or ill-health. Then comes to the Yogin the divine body which is immune to disease.

Wear a ‘Kaupin’ (traditional Indian loin cloth) and not the regular brief. This helps promote Brahmacharya at the physical level. The support and firm grip that the ‘Kaupin’ provides does not come with any other undergarment. Much Prana and hence Veerya is conserved by using the 'Kaupin'. The very sight of the ‘Kaupin’ is a reminder to the aspirant of his Brahmacharya. It’s single loop knot with two free ends (3 ends in total) represent the ‘Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara). This is the divine significance of the knot. It will help the Brahmachari remind himself of his objective.

4. Meditation will become shallow and eventually stop further to much loss of ’Veerya’ (semen). To the one who cannot meditate (merge into God), there is no ‘Kaivalya’ (self-realization). The mind becomes worldly and prone to much pain and suffering through loss of semen. That calmness, serenity and tranquility of the Atman which comes through conservation and transmutation of Veerya will disappear in no time. The pain and sorrow which an established Brahmachari begets further to a break, either voluntary or involuntary cannot be described in words. His very world dissolves and disintegrates further to such loss, for by loss of ‘Rethas’ (sexual fluid) one loses his very Atman (soul). Rethas is the representation of the Atman at the gross level. He who loses his vital fluid eventually loses his very self. He is like an unguided ‘Patanga’ (kite) whose strings have been cut and is fast receeding into the land of sorrow. All of one’s spiritual attainments get negated by such action. Read past answers on the unreality of the filthy nature of the body and the reality of the Atman who is the source of all beauty.

ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)