Transcending Lust

[Bring4th_Austin]

This is a bit redundant given the replies so far, but I think that the discussion and contemplation of this topic can be clarified by defining differences between "lust" and "sexuality," and "transcending" and "overcoming."

I agree completely with Ra in that nothing is to be "overcome," and that it is appropriate to experience those things which are desired. However, when does experience become indulgence? Sex, in some cases, can be an addiction much like a substance. If one desires to consume an addicting substance, is it the best thing for their spiritual growth to do so? I think there is a certain point where indulgence can become a self-perpetuating cycle resulting in stagnancy or even regression.

Breaking this cycle is kind of tricky, and I don't really understand the difference between healing an addiction/indulgence and overcoming them. But I think that it can be applied to sex in similar ways as with substances.

I heard Ken Wilber address the subject by saying, "Are you having sex, or is sex having you?"

I think part of becoming a balanced and crystallized being is to be able to consciously move throughout our environments and open the pathway to intelligent infinity in a conscious and deliberate manner. Can it be said that we are acting in a conscious manner when something appears within our environment which arouses us on a very basic and animalistic level, and then we indulge in this arousal? Whether it is randomly hooking up with someone or getting aroused by a sexual depiction somewhere around us. I think, in this sense, "sex is having you," and I think that could probably be considered lust. Not to be overcome, but I do think transcending this would be part of becoming a conscious and crystallized being.

Part of this transcendence could possibly be a period of complete celibacy. When we indulge in a more primal sexual gratification, sure we are experiencing something desired, but in doing so, the feeling of the primal sexual arousal disappears once it is gratified. Perhaps this hinders our ability to fully experience the more primal sexual desires and come to a full understanding of them, not allowing us to transcend them to a higher understanding of conscious sexuality. Taking a period of celibacy and meditating on the desire when it arises, rather than indulging in it, could possibly be a strong form of balancing and might be the experience needed to then more consciously access our sexual natures rather than allow our outer environments to access them for us.

But attempting celibacy prematurely would probably be what Ra would consider "overcoming." If we have not experienced this primal sexual nature of ourselves, then we can't fully understand it and it may become repressed if we try to kill it with celibacy. This would probably prohibit us from truly experiencing higher sexuality. Practicing celibacy from the standpoint of judging sexuality to be bad is probably the most harmful, I'd imagine.

It seems to be a deeply personal thing that can only be known to the self, but I do think that the personal choice of celibacy, whether temporary or permanent, can be a way to come to a fuller understanding of our sexual natures and allow us to transcend lust.