Emotional effects from purification
Question
Hello Sir,
You have pointed out that illnesses may arise as part of this purification process. Is it also possible that difficult emotional states arise as a result of this purification process? In my daily life I experience moments of grace, but also frequent anxiousness and insecurity. I believe these difficult states arise from childhood emotional trauma. In the West, various forms of therapy are recommended for these emotional difficulties. Here are my questions: 1) Can difficult emotional states, like physical illnesses, arise from the practice of brahmacharya as chakras are purified? 2) Do you feel that brahmacharya alone can fully uproot issues like anxiety or emotional insecurity or is psychological treatment sometimes recommended? Thank-you very much for your kind assistance.
Answer
1. Physical purification can cause brief, bodily illness. Purification of the Sukshma Sharira (astral body) can manifest in the form of mental stress, anxiety etc. When such cleansing occurs, the person may suddenly feel depressed or unhappy for no reason. Such bouts of mental oscillations are possible during the first few years of practice. They are like tests & hurdles which the aspirant has to overcome. However, all these are passing phases which eventually disappear on unbroken and honest practice.
2. Mans true state is his Atmic state of infinite bliss free from all sorrow & suffering. The cause of all pain is past karma which has wound itself as ignorance around the 'Atman' (pure soul). Considering Brahmacharya with a life of Yoga as the fastest and most efficient way to unwind such ignorance, it may be said that such a life offers the best possibilities of freedom from pain.
3. Western therapies and treatments are superficial in nature further to the fact that they work at rooting out the effect and not the cause. Even in cases where the supposed cause is targeted, such cause is only at surface level and not the basic source of the problem (namely past karma and its effects which western medicine is unaware of). If one wishes to reach the shores of everlasting freedom from pain and suffering, 'Kaivalya' (liberation) is the only answer, all other solutions being temporary.
ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)