Transmuting sexual energy

[gabagne]

Hi, I'm new here. And I'm sorry to begin with such a subject, but this place is the only one where I feel comfortable talking about it.

I was just wondering if anyone here practices transmuting sexual energy in their meditations. How do you do it?

Since beginning meditating three years ago and being celibate for a few years now (I'm female), I sometimes have trouble managing this energy... both in meditation and in the rest of the day! I've read it's normal to sometimes get "horny" in meditation and obviously the absence of sexual encounters can bring this on. The thing is, while sometimes I would like to share myself with another, I like being alone. Being with someone else can be distracting - I have a tendency to think too much about it. I like the point where I'm at now, somehow like I'm "pure" - I know how that sounds, but it's how I feel.

Thanks for sharing any insight.

[jhananda]

Hello Gabagne, and thank-you for posting your inquiry into sexual feelings for contemplatives.

Often contemplatives find the mental content is a major distraction, especially when the content is as engaging as: sex, violence, and/or wealth. This is actually quite common and normal. The key is to keep working on letting go, relaxing and not engaging in the mental content at all. When you find you have engaged in the mental content, then bring your attention back to your meditation object, and learn to deeply relax the body.

Eventually, the 8 stages of samadhi will begin to arise for you. Learn to recognize these stages, and the various phenomena that are associated with them. Then, use the phenomena of the various stages of samadhi as your meditation object. As you flood your awareness with the phenomena of the various stages of samadhi you will find that the engaging mental content will no longer attract you. At this point you are free, liberated, from the mind and its distractions.

An aide in this venture is to first learn to still the mind in meditation, then to bring that still mind with you throughout the day, then bring the charisms, which are the phenomena of the various stages of samadhi with you throughout the day.

[gabagne]

Thank you for your response Jhananda, it is appreciated.