The life of an ancient yogi was defined by renunciation. Having few possessions and fewer worldly addictions, daily life was filled with self-study and self-less devotion. This yogic commitment meant giving up many foods, all forms of intoxicants and taking a vow of chastity.
Being a ‘Householder’
You and I, however, are household yogis — meaning that we have committed to practicing yoga to the best of our abilities within the realm of everyday life. We are not sitting in easy pose all day in a cave in the mountains. We are still going to work, raising children and paying taxes.
The yoga of brahmacharya, as introduced to me by my senior teachers, has to be slightly modified, or interpreted to meet the realities of our yoga practice. Brahmacharya, then, is not about giving up all earthly pleasures. It is, for us, the challenge of seeing our addictions and compassionately regaining power over them. It’s about choosing to say no to addiction in favour of a life of moderation.
Repression vs Management
A key point to remember when committing to this yoga practice is to differentiate between repression and management. If we repress our desires and cravings, then we are subduing them by force. Chances are they will resurface, no matter how hard we try to suppress them. When we manage our desires and cravings, we are controlling them in a very conscious way through volition.
The ‘householder’ interpretation of brahmacharya does not ask us to never have sex or eat ice cream; rather, we are to watch how often we crave these things and, if we are acting on very frequent cravings every time they arise, to learn how to say no. My teachers encourage us to control our cravings for something like ice cream by eating it once for every ten times we want it.
Breaking Cycles of Addiction
The deeper yogic principle behind this yama is the idea of life force, energy or prana. In the yoga practices of breathwork (pranayama) and posture work (asana), we are building prana — bringing more energy into our bodies and opening any blocked channels. In doing so, we are strengthening the health and well-being of our bodies and minds.
According to yogic philosophy, engaging in activities of sensual gratification drain us of the prana we work so hard to build in our yoga practice. Brahmacharaya is about being conscious and responsible in how we use our energy. At a very practical level, it can help us avoid and break cycles of addiction by building awareness and self-control.
Affirmations
Here are a few affirmations to help you practice the yoga of moderation:
I am moderate in my lifestyle.
I treat myself and others with respect.
When my energy becomes scattered I come home to my source and to the primary relationship with myself.