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Brahmacharya Yama - Taking The High Road
Dear Glow Community,
December carries a different kind of season. It’s not a harvest of the physical…it is a harvest of clarity. In the Tantrika yoga lineage I study, we follow 10 Yamas and 10 Niyamas. These are yogic principles of conduct that help us rise to our highest character, stay aligned with our values, and break the repetitive cycles that hold us back.
As we move into winter and the final month of the year, we’re exploring Brahmacharya Yama, a practice often simplified as discipline or restraint. But at its true essence, Brahmacharya is energetic integrity. It is the path of conserving, protecting, and wisely directing our life force: attention, love, time, creativity, and vitality.
The world teaches us to scatter ourselves - to overconsume, to stay busy, to say yes to everything, to give our emotional energy away to comparison, perfectionism, and constant stimulation. But every time we leak energy into what drains us, we weaken the very power we are meant to channel into our purpose and presence.
December naturally calls us inward.
It invites us to pause and to choose.
Brahmacharya reminds us that the most sacred form of strength is not force, but intention. It asks: Where is my energy going? Who or what receives the most sacred parts of my attention? Am I spending my life force on what truly nourishes my future?
Rather than pushing more, buying more, doing more, and rushing into the next chapter, this month is about conserving energy and creating space for wisdom to rise.
Brahmacharya is often interpreted as a rule about restraint or celibacy because early yoga schools were filled with teenage boys, and the teaching was tailored to their stage of life. But in yoga philosophy, its true meaning is rooted in Sanskrit:
Brahman - the highest truth, the source of creation
Charya - walk, conduct, or behavior
Brahmacharya means:
Living and acting in alignment with the highest truth.
It is a practice of protecting and directing your energy toward what matters most.
This is where we ask ourselves: Does my action align or move me further away from my values? It helps us rise above our addictions and self-destructive behavior.
Brahmacharya's purpose is to remind us that we are part of the divine while staying grounded and cleaning up our own mess, big and small. With moment-to-moment self-awareness and self-regulation practice, we get to eliminate where our words don't align with our actions and observe the inner workings of our mind, what drives and triggers our desires, and which actions keep us stuck and in a loop of harm.
Beyond Relationships
Yes, our intimate relationships influence our energy - but Brahmacharya is much bigger than that. It asks:
Where is my life force going? Not just sexually or romantically, but through:
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overworking and hustle culture
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digital overstimulation
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emotional caretaking
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perfectionism, overconsumption, and addictive habits
Whenever we abandon ourselves, we scatter our energy.
The Modern Practice of Brahmacharya
Brahmacharya invites us to pause and ask:
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Does this action align with my values?
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Does this habit nourish or drain me?
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Is this serving my growth and purpose?
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Am I acting from intention or impulse?
Instead of avoiding pleasure or desire, we learn to channel it consciously, toward meaning, healing, creativity, and contribution.
A Path of Sustainable Self-Care
Brahmacharya is not self-denial. It is self-preservation.
It calls us to:
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honor the nervous system
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lean into challenges that lead to growth
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consume consciously
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choose rest without guilt
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speak truthfully
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uplift one another
It is energy stewardship: using your life force with wisdom instead of waste.
Living in the Energy of Creation
Brahmacharya is not a rule to restrict us.
It is an invitation to multiply our energy, do things that light our hearts on fire, drive us to create beautiful things, to give more, and walk through life with grace.
Your life force is finite. Spend it on what recharges it and uplifts your spirit.
4 Ways of Practicing Brahmacharya:
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Before going to bed, think of whom you have uplifted today and who has uplifted you. Appreciate and make a plan to uplift someone tomorrow.
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Eliminate habits that contradict your values. Late-night scrolling, skipping self-care, always running late, not being transparent with others, not keeping our surroundings clean, and overconsumption - all drain prana.
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Act as the highest version of yourself. Ask for help, take action, and honor your dreams - not from pressure, but from purpose. You are a Superhuman who guards the greatest good and always acts with kindness.
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Study inspiring lives. Learn from their courage. Let their path show you what’s possible. Seek out Biographical Books and Documentaries about your Sheroes and heroes. Most likely, they have overcome a lot and can lead us by example on how to choose what is right, even when it's not easy.
Our monthly contemplations are:
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Where is my energy leaking - through distraction, comparison, or over-commitment?
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What would it feel like to direct my energy toward what matters most?
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Am I choosing rest, clarity, and connection over depletion and stress?
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Can I honor my boundaries as an act of devotion to myself?
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When I slow down, what becomes clear?
Brahmacharya is not about restriction.
It is about choosing the sacred path over the scattered one.
When we protect our inner flame, we grow stronger - spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
This month, I invite you to nourish yourself with practices that restore instead of drain: stillness, mindful movement, breath, listening, and connection. Allow your mind to settle and your intuition to rise.
I look forward to breathing, slowing down, and growing through this winter season with you. I look forward to seeing you in classes!
Sending so much love.
Let’s stay curious about the self-care that protects our peace, strengthens our boundaries, and fuels the path ahead. ❤️❤️❤️
Natasha & Glowing Team
The material on my blog cannot be shared or quoted without my reference. Thank you for reading!
SPIRITUAL RESOURCES I STUDY:
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Adyashanti recordings - he has many recorded sanghas I like listening to on my walks >
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The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer (constantly, on repeat - it's a lifelong reminder) >
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Weekly recordings from the Spirit Rock The Heart Wisdom Podcast of Jack Kornfield >
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ENJOY OUR WEEKENDS WITH WELLNESS EXPERIENCES
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