This particular yama of yoga’s ethical principles has some historical background that is very interesting. A brahmacharya could be defined as a stage of life, or a person adhering to a certain religious code.
The idea goes back to traditional and ancient Indian or Hindu culture. Brahma is the supreme God, charya is to walk with or follow. So Brahmacharya is a man who has embarked upon the path of study, devotion and celibacy as a youth.
The stage of life that is considered bramhacharya is from birth to age 25. These years are to be devoted to religious study, service, devotion and learning from a guru. The worldly physical pleasures are to be kept under control and used to fuel spiritual thoughts and actions.
We can see a similarity between bramacharya and our own Christian heritage in which we advise youth before marriage to be celibate and to use that time for education and practicing moral principles. In the ancient tradition, brahmacharya continues after age 25 through the practice of moderation and seeking perfection in thought, deed and action. This includes not abusing the sexual nature through excesses or allowing unbridled physical appetites to rule. We would recognize that as the commandment Do not commit adultery and Do not covet.
The practice of controlling the body’s appetites and passions then is the restraint, the yama of bramhacharya. This writer and teacher would welcome a thorough study and adherence to this principle of chastity for those who have jumped on the popular bandwagon of yoga practice throughout the world. The incidence of heartbreak, disease, family problems and poverty would shrink enormously if all who practiced yoga would first practice bramacharya.
This yama helps us to respect our own and others spiritual natures by not wasting and abusing those natures through physical excesses including casual or serial sexual practices.
