Brahmacharya

The quest for a personal realization of Brahman

Brahmacharya is best known for being part of the Vedic system of seeking self realization and oneness with God or Brahman.

Traditionally, it is the Vedic practice of spending the first 20 or so years of life after age five living in an ashram. There a disciple sits at the feet of a learned guru and, under his or her spiritual guidance, lives a life of celibacy and prescribed yogic practice.

Bramacharya also describes the practice of tantric celibacy that anyone of any age may desire to enter. It can also be a way of life involving strict disciplined approaches to diet and materialism.

This spiritually disciplined way of life can also be interpreted more generally. For instance, a person could strive for excellence in all areas of life, including his or her activities and relationships. Or a bramacharyan can be understood as being someone who pursues virtue, similar to the classical concept of 'arete', which is the Greek word for excellence.

Living a path of Brahmacharya may also involve refining one's spiritual 'energies' (known in Hinduism as prana, in Taoism as chi, and in the West as the human bio-energy field or aura). These energies are examined by a Brahmacharyan in his or her relationship with other people, to generally become aware of more subtle energies and to take one's energies to a more refined frequency of vibration.

Another way of looking at Brahmacharya is the practice of clearing and centering yourself and your personal spiritual journey, to align them with sustainable values. Part of such a program of self-improvement could involve entering transpersonal psychotherapy or clearing etheric records from the human bio-energy field (aura), or both.

There are many systems and schools of meditation and healing practice to both refine your energies and clear your aura. In my class, Preparing for healing, I will explore some energy healing exercises and meditative practices that anyone can safely do to effectively design their own program of self-refinement.

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Source: Wikipedia Brahmacharya