Recognizing wet dreams and voluntary slips
Question
hi dhananjay,
hope you are doing fine,
1.i have some query regarding wet dreams, yesterday i had one and i want to ask that even though we refrain from seeing women but while reading newspapers and t.v.(good programme), suddenly half dressed or revealing ads come before us just for a second and two, is there a chance of occurring a wet dream.
2.why is there a strong urge to have a voluntary slip after a wet dream, from that time till the next day and disappears afterwards. why is this strong urge taking on me even though i know that this sense pleasure is deceiving and ruining our own self and i have day long thoughts supporting and against it, can you please help in suggesting the behaviour during this weak time so that we should not give into sense pleasure and repent.
3.want to clarify that yesterday's was a wet dream or a voluntary slip. while i was asleep suddenly i got some thoughts i was stroking to bed, i realized in a second and to my knowledge i didn't have a discharge then but in the morning i got wet.do we consider this as a voluntary slip or a wet dream. Please clarify my doubt should i say to myself that i had a wet dream or i take it as a voluntary one and think this as my first day.please guide me.
Excuse me for such a lengthy query and thanks for everything.
Ganapathi
Answer
1. Any sexual stimulus (in the form of sight, smell, sound, touch and memory) which creates an impression in the Chitta (contemplative mind) leading to fantasy/imagination/words/deeds can add to the chances of a wet dream. Hence an aspirant has to be very alert in not letting his mind focus on such stimuli. This is one of the challenges an aspirant has to face and overcome during the initial years of Brahmacharya. The technique to be employed at such times is to withdraw the mind and senses from such stimulus and remind oneself of:
The falsity behind the beauty of the body (that it is a bag of filth containing undesirable waste which decays and fouls with age very soon)
That this beauty is that of the Atman meant to aid creation (by attracting a mate) and not that of the body.
That it is not worth wasting ones vital fluid (which is the representation of the Atman) on such a bag of refuse.
It will then be necessary to displace any residual sexual thought and replace it with another virtuous thought. This procedure is to be followed correctly, failing which fantasy can build up leading to sexual stress and a slip.
2. The sexual sensations produced by a slip sometimes cause a craving for repetition of the same in beginners. This is because past memories reactivate and induce such thoughts. However, in the case of one getting established in Brahmacharya, there is sheer pain, revulsion and distaste further to a wet dream. The way out is to remind oneself of the falsity of Mâya, logically reason out the cheating nature of sexuality and indulge in as much meditation on God as possible. This is a process in Brahmacharya that all aspirants have to go through without exception till self-realization. [Lord Buddha was tested by Kâmasena (an army of female celestial nymphs with various seductive tricks) to abandon his efforts, even on the night prior to self-realization while he was in meditation. However, he ignored their advances through Viveka (wisdom) and held firm his penance with determination, which finally lead to liberation].
3. A wet dream is that loss of vital fluid which occurs as the result of a sexually oriented dream while asleep. It might or might not involve physical movements of the body. The dreamer comes across a sexual situation in the dream, in which he participates, leading to the sexual act. As in the case of any other dream, he will generally not be aware that he is in the dream state and starts to realize this only on nearing ejaculation (when it is too late). The sexual thoughts leading to a wet dream are not voluntarily indulged in (they are done without awareness and without real perception in dream sleep), while in a voluntary slip, the person is fully awake, aware, and in knowledge of what he is doing right from the start. Such activity is carried out willfully and in full cognition of being stimulation/masturbation. It can now be decided whether it was a wet dream or not.
When past sexual Samskara-s and Vasana-s surface with strength in dream sleep, the sub-conscious mind is active, while Buddhi (intellect), Vichara (discernment) and Viveka (wisdom) are absent or very feeble. The Ahamkara (Ego) then tries to get what it is not getting in the waking state. If one is very vigilant and sincere about Brahmacharya, one can perform Mula bandha (as soon as awareness dawns) even in sleep to reduce the discharge, just before ejaculation.
ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)