Theos-Talk Archives (August 1998 Message tt00078)

Doss wrote:

>The traditional view is that celibacy is essential for spiritual progress
>and enlightenment. There is the contra view of Krishnaji which questions
>this. I will try to post Krishnaji's view on this which may be very relevant.

I am often confused on why one would choose to incarnate as a "human" and
then spend all one's time trying to avoid being a "human."  Perhaps it is
because so many humans think being a human is a "bad" thing and have
assigned so many terrible attributes to what encompasses being a human.

Sex between two consenting adults - sex that is loving, communicative, and
mutually fulfilling is, in itself, an intercourse with the Divine.  It
helps one "grow," learn to share, learn to be attentive to the needs of
others.  Sex is an excellent instructor. . .why throw out this teacher?

To declare celibacy "good" is to declare sex "bad."  Human psychology,
being what it is, is often immediately drawn to what is "forbidden."  There
are examples galore of "holy folk" eventually "succumbing" to their sexual
drive - and then we have the sickening scenes of prostrating, guilt-ridden,
angry people attempting to deal with their "sin."  Since humans are born
with hormones that encourage the sexual drive, it seems sex is only
natural; the trick is learning how to develop the sexual drive so it serves
only one's (and other's) well-being, not something to be ignored or avoided.

It appears to me that those who have "mastered" their sexuality don't spend
much time talking about it; much less going on about how it hinders
spirituality.  Those who have not dealt with their sexuality probably spend
a great deal of time jumping up from sessions of meditation heading for
buckets of ice in which to plunge their erect penis into - hardly a Divine
scenario.  Men, due to the big "T" hormone, appear to have a more difficult
time with sexuality than women do. . .which is not a slam toward men, just
a recognition of biological differences.

The advocation of celibacy is also very detrimental for women - first, it
strips them of the closeness they want from the men in their lives, and
secondly, one way men deal with pledges of celibacy is to eliminate women
from everything altogether.  Men fear the "temptation" women bring and
thus, forbade them from social, spiritual, and mental pursuits - the
presence of women force men to deal with issues they would rather not deal
with.  And, oddly, people think that if they are never "tempted" they have
"conquered" the problem.  Wrong-O.  (I have focused this post from the
perspective of heterosexuals simply for ease of writing, but homosexuality
is also factored in and applies).

Due to historical interpretation through rather prudish eyes, I fear that
much of what is written about celibacy is in gross error.  There is also a
great mistrust among the "holy folk" of "regular folk" - they worry that if
the go-ahead is given to people regarding sex, people will be fornicating
in the stores, the malls, the theatres, the parks, on the tops of the
highest mountains.  Before anyone can "lead or instruct" another in the art
of Compassion, one must recognize what it means to be a human. . .and that
means encouraging what is good in being a human.

Sex, for mutual pleasure, is good - and a sexually fulfilled person is
freed from the bondages of the struggles of fighting what is, essentially,
a human need.  This freedom opens the mind to other pursuits, and
eventually, it may happen that the need for sex disappears altogether.

But until then, believing that celibacy will lead one to "enlightenment" is
asking for trouble, for that simple frustration - lack of really cool sex -
will cause one to reincarnate if only to provide proper closure and
understanding of an important part of being human.

Bottom line:  Don't die sexually frustrated.

She has spoken.


Kym