“The conquest of the unconscious by consciousness is the only real revolution,
the only progress worthy of the name that mankind can hope for.”
(Rajneesh)
When we float with a boat on a quiet river, we can admire the beauty of nature, the play of light through the leaves, the silence of the sky, and above all, we can easily control the direction of the boat.
But as the river approaches a waterfall, the waters become rough, and mastery becomes a challenge. A skilled boatman knows when and how to act, so as not to be dragged into the whirlwind. There is a point beyond which control is lost – and only one last effort, at the limit of the possible, can save it.
The same happens in the man’s love interaction. At first, everything is calm and harmonious, like walking on smooth waters. Then, the energy increases, the flow becomes more intense – and if there is no awareness and control, the cascade of fall follows: ejaculation. Practicing the love continent means precisely avoiding this fall, transforming sexual energy into a vital and spiritual force.
As John Humphrey Noyes observed in “Male Continence”:
“The classic objection to this method is that it is not found in the behavior of animals. But the same could be said about cooking, about clothes or about housing – all of them would be ‘unnatural’. If it is natural for the rational being to overcome his instincts and perfect his nature, then true evolution consists in raising his sexuality to the level of consciousness as well.”
The amorous and reproductive functions – two dimensions of the same system
The amorous function (orgasm) and the reproductive function (ejaculation) are two distinct processes, although they use the same physiological mechanism. Naturally, they can be separated.
When man does not know this difference, their intertwining leads to exhaustion, frustration and loss of creative potential.
Physiologically, erotic stimulation activates a complex network of nerves and circuits. They form three levels of control:
- The lower reflex circuit , at the level of the sacral cord (corresponding to the Swadhisthana Chakra), governs the basic impulses.
- The middle circuit – related to Manipura and Anahata Chakra, mediates emotion and love.
- The superior circuit – cortical (Ajna Chakra), is the level of consciousness and self-control.
Erotic energy can rise through these circuits, transforming instinctual desire into refined, affective and spiritual experience. The stronger the conscious involvement, the more the energy is oriented upwards, towards the brain, producing the transmutation and sublimation of the creative potential.
Male continence – the key to prolonged ecstasy
Neurophysiology research has shown that orgasm is essentially a brain state, not a simple physical reflex. Sexual energy, when not wasted, can stimulate the higher areas of the brain, generating feelings of deep happiness and expansion of consciousness.
In the tantric view, the male orgasm occurs predominantly in the left hemisphere of the brain, and the female orgasm in the right hemisphere. When the two come together, total orgasm occurs – the complete fusion of consciousness and energy.
The analytical mind separates; the poetic heart unites. The more the experience is filled with love, beauty and dedication, the greater the ecstasy becomes.
Love fusion – the sacred dance between consciousness and energy
On the spiritual level, the union between man and woman reflects the cosmic game between Shiva and Shakti – between Consciousness and Energy.
The man represents the principle of pure consciousness, the silent witness, while the woman is the expression of energy, of movement, of creation.
When the man, like Shiva, remains conscious and serene, and the woman, like Shakti, gives herself totally, their energy harmonizes into a sacred dance of fusion. Sexual continence thus becomes not an abstention, but an art of transforming energy into light.
The sacred texts describe Shiva as follows:
“His conscience is of absolute purity. He is freedom itself, infinite happiness and total love.”
Through this understanding, the act of love becomes the path of the transformation of consciousness, a living meditation on the unity between spirit and matter.
“If you cling to even the purest joy,
you break the wings of his life.
But if you let her loose,
you will live in the eternal east of Eternity.”
(William Blake)