Brahmacharya

Brahmacharya or Moderation is the 4th Yama (moral principles about relating to others) described in the Yoga Sutras.

Our attention and energy is constantly being pulled into different directions with home/family life, work commitments, social media, the news, and everything else in-between, life can sometimes feel draining.Traditionally in earlier texts and translations, Brahmacharya was translated to ‘celibacy’ and conserving sexual energy for spiritual energy.In all of my trainings the same meaning was discussed but in our modern world when we are not living as a renunciates we tend to practice Brahmacharya as “right use of energy”. Yoga Sutra 2.38 brahmacarya-pratiṣṭhāyāṁ vīrya-lābhaḥ when we become established in the practice of brahmacharya, we gain vitality.

Ways we can practice -

• Moderation in all sensory activities and managing desires for a more focused, purposeful life.

  
  

• Identify what drains your energy, do less of it.

  
  

• Establish healthy boundaries and respectothers’ boundaries.

  
  

• Listen to your body's signals, rest when you need to rest.

  
  

• Reduce energy leaks by limiting time on social media and taking breaks from devices

  
  

• Protecting your energy by saying "no" to commitments that do not align with your values.

  
  

  
  

  We can see Brahmacharya as an energy management practice, it is the practice of being "impeccable" with how you spend your energy, ensuring it supports your highest purpose.

  
  

  
  

  I’ve recently read a blog by Kristine Kaoverii Weber called: Looking at Brahmacarya from a Different Perspective...

  And it made a lot of sense to me so I will share that here - https://subtleyoga.com/looking-at-brahmacarya-from-a-different-perspective/
  

At its core Brahmacharya is an invitation to be mindful of where we place our energy.