Yoga has a sexual ethic embedded into one of its 8 limbs. The sanscrit word is Bramacharya, and it means something to the effect of “be chaste.” Its challenging to provide an exact translation to this 5,000 year old teaching because, much like with hebrew and greek translations of the Bible, we dont always have the right words in modern english for true interpretation of ancient language. In my interpretation, this teaching means that sexual restraint can be positive and powerful – not because sex is bad – but because sex is powerful and should not be engaged in if it can cause harm to you or another.
Thinking of sex as powerful (and not bad, sinful, shameful, whatever) is refreshing. As a minister, this old wisdom teaching is a gift to me. I am saddened by the absence of intergenerational conversations about sex in church and in other faith traditions. The ubiquitous silence is harm causing in my oppinion.
Brahmacharya gives me a conversation starter.. 🙂
If you’re reading this, just ponder it – if sex is powerful, how might we harness and cultivate that power within our bodies when we excercise sexual restraint? How might harnessing that power make us powerful in other aspects of life? and how might harnessing that power make its release that much more magnificent when we choose to engage in sex with a loving partner with whom we have established commitments and agreements? Can we entertain attraction without subsequent action? What would a society with a different relationship with sex and sexuality look like?
I’m just sayin…
© Copyright Thank You Very Sweet, 2013
Thank You Very Sweet 
Leave a Reply