The Swan in Manasarowar or The Mastery of Sexuality

"Dear friend, In your search for Truth with your heart and mind soaring high, did you ever come to a halt when you felt a bodily surge with an excitement of sex? In your honest aspirations for the high noble ideals of spiritualness, did your own body time and again severely arrest you – your pulse throbbing with the overwhelming lust of your heart? Or did you, in your longing love for God, feel the shortcomings due to your body's natural calls or the hindrance of desire in your mind? Well, of course you did, dear friend! Of course! But did this make you feel guilt and remorse because society and religion and all that you had ever read in spiritual texts had told you that those two were opposites and that the lower one is bad – very, very bad? And did this make you feel the hopeless conflict of good and bad, high and low, subtle and gross in your own body and mind? Despair not, dear friend! After reading and practising these words which here are given you, you will never again feel the seeming troubles and difficulties of sex-consciousness on your path of Freedom and Bliss!" (From the Prologue). In this essential book written by Soham Hamsa (pseudonym) we hear a friendly voice from the Himalayas directed to all those who are genuine Truth-Seekers and Lovers of Life anywhere on this planet, containing a deep concern for their naturality and attitude towards sex and sexuality. It is obvious that the author has access to a unique knowledge and oral tradition from India and the Himalayas, which for a major part never before have been made known to the public. The book, which all the way through is logical in its composition, is straight to the point with a variety of practical exercises, and with its size, compactness, easily understood illustrations and richly furnished glossary, it really acts as a handy manual on the subject. And as such, it is probably the only really authorative work in its field. Moreover it is clear that the author addresses himself especially to all those living in celibacy whether they are clergy, monks, nuns, sannyasins and so forth and in general to all sincere seekers of Truth everywhere. Considering the fact that celibate persons all over the world, no matter what religion or church, monastery, ashram, community, brotherhood or fellowship they belong to, feel problems of sex and that every day scandals and tragedies of sexual abuse and even rape are taking place involving celibate persons in positions of trust and authority, this book is extremely important and of the highest current interest. The author stresses strongly the importance of having a sound and healthy understanding of, and attitude towards, sex and sexuality: "Dear friend, first of all it is necessary to understand the need for naturality – of always being simple and natural – and that there is nothing more natural in this world than sex and sexuality. Without sex there would be no creation, no life – nothing! No living being would exist in this world and there would be no you or me or anyone. By the joint sexual act of our parents we have come into being and through the sex organ of our mother we were born into this world. So from the very first moment of manifestation, whether you like it or not, you (your body, mind and individual identity) are a product of sexuality and have become magnetized with sex. Without the power of sex no human or any other creature would be able to enter this life and without sexual energy no being would develop and flourish. Through our whole life, knowingly or unknowingly, we are nurtured by the power of sex. Sex is the very life-wave – the force of both evolution and transcendence – the very rhythm of the Universe. That is the wish of God and that is the function of Nature, the Mother of All – it is just how things are and are meant to be. So without sex or sexuality there is no life – not physically, mentally or even spiritually. Without your physical body, with only your mind and identity it is impossible to realize your Self, which is the aim and purpose of life." (From the Prologue). "Dear friend, what are the purposes of sex and sexuality and the sexual intercourse of woman and man? There are three main ones – first, to reproduce and thus secure the continuation of the human race, secondly, to make a physical and mental balance between the two opposite sexes and thus secure the health and harmony of the individuals, and thirdly, to make a solid ground for the "cosmic dance" of the absorbed loving couple and thus provide for their spiritual perfection. The region of the sexual organs is the last to manifest in the evolution of the human body and our skin, which is the largest and outermost organ in the body, is an important part of it. Together they represent the utmost physical and material manifestation of the human being and thus the very "end" of evolution making it the natural and obvious "turning point" for the involution leading to spiritual development. Therefore fully conscious sex and sexuality is so essential and indispensable for this life leading to the full realization of Life and Self." (From the Prologue). This is truly a remarkable book, reading it is likely to be really "mind-blowing" for many a sincere reader, and through its content it may well become a "classic" in its field. In any case this book is quite unique, one of a kind, in that it offers a complete understanding of sex and sexuality together with a complete set of step-by-step practical sexual exercises for complete Self-Realization.