Yoga and Spiritual Life

Spiritual life warrants dedication and detachment. A person willing to lead such a life should be prepared to sacrifice everything for the sake of humanity at large. It is generally considered that this type of life is possible only when a person is not married and leading the life of a sanyasi (celibate). There are many Christian priests and nuns and several swamis and sanyasis of different denominations of Hinduism and Buddhism leading a life of celibacy.

When a person remains unmarried, to a great extent he will go against the natural instinct of sex, which is strongly embedded in every individual who is physically potent. Here, Yoga plays a predominant role in bringing about discipline of both body and mind in the lives of those who are leading a life of celibacy. The techniques evolved in Yoga are so advanced that no other system can match them in sublimating the sexual urge.

Indian sages and seers evolved Yoga techniques some 6,000 years ago primarily to sublimate the sexual urge, so as to enable them to lead a spiritual life in its most exalted form. The process of sublimation takes place when sexual energies are transformed into creative power, which is popularly known in Yogic parlance as the raising of Kundalini Shakti.

Sexual energies in the ordinary life pattern convert matter into a living organism through the process of sexual coitus. This might also be expended through masturbation and other sexual avenues. However, sexual energies could be conserved through certain well-defined techniques of Yoga without much tension and anxiety on the part of the individual in restraining sexual urges and thereby enhancing his creative life.