Understanding lust by not resisting it

Any path which dictates resistance of some sort; even if that resistance is to something perceived as “bad” or “negative” sooner or later will create a sense of loss in a person (follower of the path) which paradoxically, will increase the power of that which is resisted rather than decrease its power. Take the example of sex lust.

Understanding lust or any other tendency which has been understood as negative for the self has a process which needs to be respected.

In my own experience, I recall realizing first, how much damage sex lust is capable of doing. My feelings weren't the same, the things which I became addicted to because of sex lust were like “masters” dictating my behavior. A life centered in sexual pleasure is a life devoid of meaning, an empty life whose only “heaven” is to feel pleasure if even for a moment and to try to enhance it in every known little way available. That type of life style is surely a very sorry state.

Once that state of realization is experienced at the mental level, then “normally” all religious and dogmatic life styles will bring “fear” as an ingredient to avoid succumbing to the “temptation.” This is a “good” starting point for the “flower” who is starting to grow. That flower needs protection from the environment to survive; however, as soon as the flower feels ready for something different, there is a need to outgrow that fear. In spirituality, the flower must transform itself into a strong tree to survive by its own strength., without dependencies.

In my experience by following a religious path, I was able to recognize the danger of sex lust. After experiencing the benefits of a spiritual life away from that which was considered “normal” at one point in my life, I was able to recognize the value of spirituality and to finally feel goodness, peace and inner strength. In a nutshell, to be free from the slavery of sexuality. It is slavery because sexuality becomes the main objective to fulfill when relating with people. That is the thing which sells, which we think gives happiness, which we think brings “bliss.” However, it is a mirage, a costly illusion.

It is very important to develop our being through feelings. To be able to feel love and tenderness without being sexual. The way I was taught that lesson, was through being completely away from any “distraction,” any temptation.... at that point it was about building love and pure feelings from the heart which cannot develop if we are engaged in the pleasures of the flesh. Love is spiritual in nature; there is no duality of “pleasure” and “pain” in it which are characteristics of a merely physical awareness and experience.

Once I was ready and my feelings were developed, I started feeling beauty and expressing it in a different way. I was more engaged in Nature, in observing Nature and in feeling its beauty.... I began understanding God and the beauty of feeling God.
All of the sudden I began writing poetry and expressing myself in a kinder way towards others, “naturally.”

At that point, my life path took me back to the world of “normal” people. That was the time when I learned massage therapy which is a “Never do it” for “bona fide,” serious spiritual seekers.

Never mind giving a loving massage to the opposite gender. Forget about attractive bodies, that is the “temptation”... I was playing in the field of “temptation.”

Interestingly enough, because I learned to transform sexual feelings into feelings from the heart, my “transition” was good. It was hard. It was a “growing process” but it needed to be conquered, mastered if I wanted to be free from this “temptation,” which later becomes a repression A very strong repression.

That step (to go back to the “normal” world) is not recommended unless we are certain that we have gone through the full journey, and recognized that to master something, we first need to be away from it to become stronger, but eventually we must go back and deal with the issue. There is no timing, but we should know when ready, if ever.

Paradoxically, massage therapy has been a blessing for me. It is an art to give a good loving massage and to be able to express love and pure feelings through touch. That art, which is healing to the self has been distorted by distorted minds highly influenced by sex lust. It is time to recognize that. “Normal” people with “normal” lustful feelings are killing this wonderful art of healing through sex lust.

The sign of the master of the the self is that he is not only able to transform the self, but to transform what he does into something beautiful and helpful to others and to the self, that is to “be” beauty itself.