Understanding Yamas: Brahmacharya
The Eight Limbs of Yoga: Yamas, the first limb.
Brahmacharya, the fourth Yama.
Brahmacharya literally translates to "to master the creative energy." This Yama, or ethical guideline of the yogis, is the act of controlling our prana (or life force, or vital energy) for the use of our highest evolution.
We are creators, co-creating with creation itself. Always. Our actions follow our thoughts and become the reality we live in. It's like that cliche saying, Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right-- it's true, because YOU make it so.
It's very easy to waste energy on things that don't truly matter. We distract ourselves with television. We escape through overindulging in drugs, materialism, sex, overeating, etc. because we're under the illusion that it helps us cope with the uneasiness of life. We create stress, fear, anxiety, we overanalyze and become insecure, we blame outside sources for our inner suffering... the list goes on.
It's okay. We all get bogged down with negative crap from time to time. But realize that what you focus on grows. And realize that you have the power to change what you want to change.
What if the energy we spent during those hours of strengthening our excuses and escapes was shifted toward actively deepening our love for ourselves, our life, and the world around us? Instead of allowing our creative energy to seep into the dark cracks of the ego and fester more suffering, through brahmacharya we focus on the parts of life that deserve to grow and flourish. We direct our flow of energy (our power of manifestation) toward a life that strengthens and uplifts us as individuals and as a collective, minimizing the distractions that hold us back from evolving.
Brahmacharya is focusing our energy on the highest good for ourselves and others, and taking our focus off of things which waste our time and create more poison in the world.
It is the mastering of our power to manifest.
The Brahmacharya Project.
Where in your life is your vital energy being wasted on things that don't serve you? How can you shift your flow of energy to begin elevating your condition of living? You are the creator of your life. Your decisions make a difference. This week, begin the process of making a change in favor of your evolution. Whatever lifts your spirits and brings you closer to the source of joy within, whatever it is you know deep down you need to do, make a small step in that direction now.
