Let's get intimate! In this episode, Sarah discusses the fourth yama, brahmacharya in both its traditional and modern practice. While brahmacharya can be taken to the extreme and practiced as pure celibacy, there are other ways to incorporate non-excess of pleasure into your life.

While non-excess is an aspect of brahmacharya, it is important that you don't confuse the practice of brahmacharya with the practice of non-possessiveness or aparigraha, the fifth and final yama. Cultural and societal norms may affect one's perception and practice of brahmacharya, this is why it is best to view brahmacharya through the lens of prana or vital life energy. By practicing restraint or non-excess of your vital life energy you can then use your prana to pierce through your energetic channels and reach higher states of consciousness. When practiced with this in mind, brahmacharya becomes more about conserving one's energy than removing oneself from pleasure completely.

The Yamas and Niyamas Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice by Debora Adele

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