As we continue diving deep into Ashtanga Yoga, we come to the fourth Yama, Brahmacharya.

Brahmacharya is mostly translated to “celibacy”. Now, celibacy is often thought of as obtaining from sex. And although this is true, celibacy is defined as “the state of not being married”.

So what does this mean? Let us take a deeper look into how I have applied this into my life.

I have practiced celibacy in yoga as a way of self-restraint and preserving my prana (vital life force). Most people think of this vital life force as their sexual energy. This this why when most yogis practice Brahmacharya they abstain from sex for some set amount of time. Our life force is our energy. It is what creates life in us. It is our breath. It is creation at its finest. Our creative energy. The creation of life. The creation of all things. When we are able to keep this energy inside of us we can use it as a fuel. Building the fires within, this energy is used for all things good. This is how we heal ourselves, how we access our spiritual realm, and how we make the world beautiful by creating.

Does this mean if you are married you cannot practice Brahmacharya? Oh no! When we look at the term marriage as unity between two, we can break this down and find that there were once two separate pieces that have then come together. Instead of living life as two separate pieces, we can understand the interconnectedness between everything. We are one with all that is around. To be one not because we chose to be, but because that is how we were made. That is how we were created, whole, not in pieces.