29 January 2016 - QA 6

What is Brahmacharya? How can I follow Brahmacharya when there are so many distractions around?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

'Brahma' means infinity. 'Charya' means moving in infinity. That means the state of mind that is focused on the whole (infinity) -- in such a mind there is no possessiveness, there is no lust, there is no greed; none of these negative impressions cloud the mind. That is what it exactly means. Abstinence is a result of this; it is a part of it.

See, when you have an examination or something very important to do, when your mind is in that, then the mind is not going to any part of the body, or focusing on some fascination, or sex. You are busy. Your mind is moving towards something bigger. Isn’t that one’s experience? Then you experience moments of Brahmacharya. If you are engaged in something, or when you are in deep love, then also this happens automatically. So Brahmacharya is a happening, it is not a practice per se. It is what happens when your consciousness expands.