Review: "Bliss of the Celibate", by Julian Lee (1998)

This is one of those that I waded through, so you don't have to. It is also is one of those you will find referenced, again and again, in the semenretention community, as a "foundational text" of sorts.

As in so many texts of an esoteric or religious nature, the main epistemic methods applied in this book are free association, unfounded claims, and working backwards from the conclusion.

Lee has read some buddhist and hindu books, has collected whatever floated his boat, and cooked a big old stew from all that. Add one (1) bible passage (Mt 19:12), and you have apparently proven that Jesus taught yoga, was celibate, and that the catholic church gleaned its power from - you guessed it - celibacy. Formal citations or syllogistic arguments are something to sneer at and avoid at all costs, it would seem.

He claims that celibacy is necessary for any and all achievements, ranging from the simple to the highly complex, from personal and social, from culture to enlightenment. He explicitly states that "[w]ithout the highest sexual morality, no other morality is possible. The keeping of no other law is possible. No social order is possible. No human culture is possible." When a male has an orgasm, or even so much as focuses too much on the female form, everything is lost. The only solution is celibacy. He recognizes, at least, that there are two paths: complete renunciation, and gradual evolution towards that lofty goal.

The closest Lee ever comes to an actual argument, is when he claims that males lose energy through semen the same way that women lose energy in menstruation. Why this is supposed to be the case, is anyone's guess. It's in the old scriptures, it is in Julian Lee's head, therefore it has to be true. As proof, he names the usual: males appear tired after orgasm. He claims that males have a form of "PMS" for at least 24 hours - you may or may not agree. If you disagree, then the whole book is moot.

Lee doesn't offer any practical advice, except for meditation. He dismisses all of tantra and - in an oddly specific twist - decries the Yoga Journal, rejects "new agers", progressives, and people who dislike George Bush (junior or senior, he doesn't say). He goes on a long rant against those groups, culmitating in the curious proclamation that "the average Christian, because he at least retains some morals regarding sex, is actually much closer to the Yogic path than most "new agers.""

He knows that "transmutation is necessary for celibacy", but he doesn't tell us how to transmute. Nor does he seem to be aware of the distinction between orgasm and ejaculation (no wonder, since he rejects tantra). Orgasm means expulsion of the all-valuable "pearls" (a term he uses quite consistently) and shakti, and that creates all evils in the world - while celibacy creates everything good.

As in most texts on the topic, the female part of the species play next to no role at all - not even as guides for men; they only exist as seducers to men and thieves of his shakti-induced powers. Homosexuality is a grave sin (stemming from, you guessed it, masturbation), and nonbinary sexuality doesn't exist at all. There is an extreme black and white morality at play - renunciation is good, lust is bad, sex is only for procreation.

Not all in this book is totally bad - at times, it can be quite inspiring:

"When you become entirely devoted to the Lord of Creation, All of creation becomes devoted to you." At least, that's nice! However, these cases are few and far between. All in all, it is a terrible book, not innovative, boring, trite and conservative.

There are a lot of quotes from Patanjali, Paramahansa Yogananda (his favourite author of all), and buddhist Suttras. So if nothing else, one can use it as a kind of reference for looking stuff up.

The book is mostly interesting because, as stated above, it is one of the "foundational texts" of semen-retention. It just goes to show that the movement is steeped in hindu and buddhist religiosity, political and social conservatism, vitalism, sexism and steadfast animosity against intellectual debate and rationality.

How it might be improved:

Apart from the obvious - add some rational arguments as to why celibacy is supposed to do all those good things - the book would benefit tremendously from some empathy and guidance for newcomers. Lee offers nothing in the way of practical exercises, and it is somewhat hard to see why any penis-owner should take it upon themselves to refrain from any and all orgasms, possibly for the rest of his life. (Women, by the way, would seemingly get to cum all they want... an obvious conclusion from the premises, but I wonder if Lee saw it.) Just for "living in accordance with" some undefined "great universal Law", probably will not cut it. Speaking of cutting, cutting out a few of the rants would make the thing a lot easier to read.

The Real Story of the Chakras

Here is an interesting article by Christopher Wallis about how the modern western concept of "chakras" came to be: http://www.corespirit.com/real-story-chakras/

The core claim is that the currently prevailing view of the chakras, and of yoga in general, has almost nothing to do with any ancient Indian philosophy. Instead, it is an invention of western occultism of the late 19th century.

What seems to have happened is that people like John Woodroffe translated sanskrit works with little knowledge of the language and huge occultist philosophies in the back of their heads. These were then used in turn by Indian writers who believed that they were talking about actual ancient Indian sources.

According to Wallis, the main differences between the modern systems and actual ancient ideas are:

1. There’s Not Just One Chakra System in The Original Tradition, There Are Many

2. The Chakra Systems are Prescriptive, Not Descriptive

3. The Psychological States Associated with the Chakras are Completely Modern and Western

4. The Seven-Chakra System Popular Today Derives Not From a Scripture, But From a Treatise Written in 1577

5. The Purpose of a Chakra System Is to Function as a Templatefor Nyasa

6. The Seed-Mantras that You Think Go with The Chakras Actually Go with The Elements that Happen to Be Installed in those Chakras

I cannot possibly decide whether there is any truth to that or not. It fits nicely with my personal predilections, and I would be interested to learn more. I put it out there for others to either support or refute.

One thing is for sure: It adds a nice little additional twist to all those right-wing christian warnings about yoga being an ancient demonic force that will insta-turn you into a Hindu...

"But god believes in you", or Chakras are Still Objective even if They don't Exist!

I came upon a piece of writing detailing how your chakras still exist even if you don't believe in them, how an imbalance in the force... ahem, in your "energy field" is responsible for everything from relationship troubles to physical exhaustion, and how chakras "channel information" into the human system.

I won't even try and guess whether the author has any clue as to the definition of "information". I just think it's fascinating how promoters of new-agey east-asian energy systems will use exactly the same misguided arguments as christian apologists. You don't have to believe in god, he still believes in you! I wonder if they see the fallacy in their brothers' apologetics, if they don't see it in their own.

Ironically, one of the symptoms of such an imbalance is "finding it impossible to believe in anything". So an energetic misalignment might be responsible for your inability to believe in its own existence. Sure, sure.

More importantly, though, I am open to the idea that visualizing your "energy body" extending from you might be a good exercise. It might sharpen your senses, give you a somewhat elevated feeling, and all in all just be a fun little mind-game to play. If it doesn't do anything else, at least it may help you focus on your real physical body, and relate to it in a somewhat more loving way, and train your imagination a bit.

I am willing to believe that, when you feel overwhelmed by outside influences, "the simple exercise of pulling in our energy fields closer to our bodies can mitigate some of these negative feelings and sensations" - albeit not for the reason the new age proponents propose. It's just an exercise in shifting your focus.
I might even be titillated into accepting something somewhat akin to an actual belief -- let's call it "acting as if you believed", which I think I have already talked about on this blog.

But, once you claim that the chakras are actual entities that exist independent of your imagination, you had better provide the evidence for that. If you don't, you're just producing woo-woo, adding more misinformation, and speculation which you have not identified as such, to a world that truly has enough of this already.

Negative Chakra Manipulation

When reading up on chakras and other energy systems, it occurred to me that to every effect, there is usually a counter-effect. For example, if the root chakra is related to digestion, and an opened-up chakra is said to let the energy through, thereby making for good digestion, a closed-down root chakra should imply indigestion. And if there are techniques to open up those chakras, are there also techniques to close them down?

It should be very interesting and enlightening to have some energy healer try to make a subject constipated from a distance.

Additionally, there are BDSM folk out there, and there are energy healing folks. There has to be an overlap. I wonder if ever anyone has tried to incorporate "negative chakra manipulation" in their power exchange games? If you know anyone like that, please give me a heads-up!

Experiment with breath, chakras, and a word

Here's a little experiment. It might take you 5-10 minutes or so:

1. Choose some attribute that you like. For example, "creative", "enthusiastic", "motivated", "strong", etc.
2. Think of that attribute.
3. While thinking of that attribute, focus on the first chakra. Repeat the attribute in your head, while breathing into the first chakra.
4. Then do the same for your second chakra, with the same word.
5. Do you notice any difference? Which chakra "responded" stronger? Were there images popping up? Are the images for the second chakra different from the ones for the first chakra?
   Do not try to change anything. Just note it.
6. Go on through all the chakras, from pelvic floor through solar plexus and heart, up to crown chakra.

Now take note of your feelings.

Did anything change? Was it a change you liked?

Now, you might want to decide to include this into your daily schedule. Or not. Your call.

The "balloon pump" exercise

This exercise is a synthesis of a few tantric and taoist exercises that I've read in several books, so if you're a purist of one specific brand of tantra, or if you're opposed to the neotantra craze, you'll probably not want to try this.

You have been warned.

It consists of the usual basic tantric elements:

• breathing into the pelvic floor
• using the PC muscles
• directing the breath/energy upon exhaling
• visualisations

Now, the trick here is WHAT to visualize, and WHERE to direct the energy.

If you're a beginner, it's probably best to first train each step before putting them all together.

• Best practice seated. It seems to be easier to stay focussed that way.
• Use slow, mindful strokes on your cock, so you don't hastily go into ejaculation.
• As always, be sure to caress your WHOLE cock, not just the tip.
• When you INHALE, relax the muscles and direct the breath into your scrotum. (the taoist "scrotum breathing" technique)
• Imagine your scrotum as a balloon that inflates (as much as you like) when you inhale.
• When you EXHALE, clench your PC muscles, deflate the balloon and direct the breath/energy directly from the scrotum, one by one, into...

1. the pelvic floor itself
2. the anus
3. the prostate
4. the lowest vertebra of your spine
5. and so on, up and up your spine
6. up the back of the head
7. the crown chakra
8. the third eye
9. the mouth
10. the neck
11. the chest
12. the belly

...and so on until you've reached the pelvic floor again.

Of course, it totally depends on you what "steps" you take to direct your breath, and where you direct it. I usually aim to make the steps as small as possible - ideally, I want to cover each vertebra separately, though I never manage to do so.

It is certainly beneficial to "rest" upon each separate spot for a few breaths - until it feels "filled" or starts tingling... the criteria here are a matter of practice. I just get the impression that it's enough for this one particular spot, after a while, so I move on. (Or I simply grow impatient, but that wouldn't be "spiritual" enough, so I never said that and you have no idea I did, okay?)

When I've reached the belly, it often feels like an intense flow of love and strength emanating from there.

I also make a point of including the arms and legs - on the soles of the feet, this feels almost like a foot massage; and I figure that, since my knees sometimes feel a little sore, they can only benefit from this kind of care.

And by the way, when I first tried this, I tried to separate the left extremities from the right, but I didn't manage to do so, so I gave it up and just go both at the same time.

So, that's it - balloon and pump away! And be sure to give me feedback after a while!