Exploring Yama 4: Brahmacharya
Content note: This piece touches on neurodivergent burnout, dysregulation, binge behaviours, and masking. These themes are discussed gently but may feel sensitive for some readers.
Read time: 5 minutes
Brahmacharya, the right use of energy, is something that we can apply to many areas of life, especially when considering how to avoid burn out. Neurodivergent burn out is a topic that I will discuss in more detail during the Autism and ADHD awareness months, later in the year, however, it is a crippling burn out that is different from the type of burn out that is experienced for neurotypical people.
So, what does Brahmacharya mean?
The word Brahmachara is created from the Hindu/Yogic word Brahman, which means ‘the Creator.’ Brahman is about the behaviour which leads us to the divine or absolute higher power. My interpretation is that, regardless of your religion, this is a principle that can be applied to your life and your own interpretation of the divine or creator, so I invite you to reflect on what this means to you and to your belief system.
Brahmacharya is a concept that invites us to explore how we are using our energy, and where we direct our vital life force energy. Are we giving our energy to things that nourish and sustain us, or are we directing it to things that do not serve our best interest?
Traditionally, the focus was about the use of sexual energy and they would say that Brahmacharya meant chastity with energy being better spent on yogic practice. In more modern times we look beyond sex and explore all aspects of our life.
When we do anything in excess it can lead to imbalance, even if it is something that we enjoy. It isn’t about abstaining from the pleasures in life, it is about becoming aware of when we are going into excess and understanding the reasons why. Awareness allows us to make changes and is a foundation for inner peace.
The image shows a woman stood in a yoga ‘tree’ pose with hands overhead in prayer position. She is stood on some rocks overlooking a choppy sea. She ahs white skin and blonde hair in a pony tail. She has cropped navy blue leggings and a white t-shirt with thin navy lines running horizontally.
Brahmachaya when ADHD, AuDHD, and Autisitc.
As a neurodivergent, it can be more challenging to create that balance. I know that if I am dysregulated, I can quite easily binge eat and binge watch TV series; both having a detrimental effect. I had an ex who felt that they self-medicated using alcohol to help with their neurodiversity, such ‘self-medicating’ is so common within the ADHD community, especially if undiagnosed or unable to access ADHD medication. We have that additional need to get a dopamine hit from things that we know will help make us feel a bit better, even if that positive effect is only something that is short lived. The key here, as I have experienced myself, is understanding ourselves well enough to minimise entering a dysregulated state.
I want to make it clear that there is no judgement or shame if you are not at the stage of your life where you feel able to practice such moderation, or if you ebb and flow in and out of being able to, the key here is awareness. If you are able to be aware then that is a massive huge step. I still occasionally feel that burnt out or overwhelmed that I don’t feel able to do anything other than binge watch TV and eat junk! We are not always in control of what life throws at us, and sometimes it is incredibly hard.
When we do find ourselves doing something in excess, be that work, exercise, eating, drinking, socialising, sleeping, having sex, then we can find that we start to become frustrated, experience low energy, and feel all out of balance. Overwhelmed would be a good way to describe it. It can feel as though we become stuck in a cycle that it challenging to break free from.
This concept and the development of awareness helps us to listen to what our bodies need and respect the cyclic and ever changing nature of this. It allows us to direct our energy to what makes us feel empowered, strong, motivated, and to step away from things which drag our energy down, such as worry. As channelling our life force towards what nourishes our growth becomes like second nature to us, we find that we are more able to identify and step away from what unnecessarily depletes us.
A huge example of using our energy for what depletes us is something that I know will resonate with many, if not all, of you; masking and people pleasing, trying to be someone who we are not in order to impress or gain approval from others. It is exhausting, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
I invite you to reflect on your own life and note down the activities, people, foods, drinks, behaviour patterns, and so on that make you feel drained, depleted, or leave you with discomfort, and those which make you feel good and nourish your growth and wellbeing. Is there anything that no longer serves you that could be let go of?
Remember, that our needs can change within cycles and this is another factor to consider. I know that at certain times in my menstrual cycle I am drawn to eat, rest, exercise, work, and socialise, very differently to at other stages within the cycle. The same applies seasonally too. There is summer and autumn me, and then there is the winter and spring me. If I want to be the best version of myself, then this is just how I must choose to live. It is OK to need different things at different stages of the month, year, or life.
