How to stop Masturbation?

Masturbation… it is a bad habit and you might be thinking how to stop masturbation. That is probably why you have come here. Many people may be thinking that they will never be able to get free from this. But that is not true. If you really want to become free from this then you will be able to if you get the right understanding. Absolutely revered Dada Bhagwan has expressed this right understanding with a lot of clarity. To become free from this habit, it is very important that we understand the causes of masturbation, the side effects of masturbation and the solutions of masturbation.

So come, let’s first talk about the causes of masturbation. To stop something from happening, it is important to know why it is happening. For example, if water is leaking in the house, we have to find out where it is coming from and how it is leaking. Only then can we stop the leak. Without knowing this, if we keep trying to remove the leaking water, we will become exhausted.             

The Causes of Masturbation

• The belief that there is happiness in masturbation:

The biggest cause for masturbation is the belief that there is happiness in it. But if there really is happiness in it, then why do you experience remorse afterwards? Why do you become weak and lusterless? Have you ever thought about this? If you were to think about this, then you would be able to understand that there really isn’t any happiness in it. You simply believe that there is happiness in it based on societal influence and your imagination. And because of this, after some time, your mind takes you right back there. At that time we are not able to remain firm in our decision that there is no happiness in it. It is like the mind is our boss and we are following its orders and falling into this swamp again and again. Can you believe this is what is happening?! 

• Being attracted or becoming engrossed in the sexual thoughts:

Another thing that takes you towards masturbation is attraction. By looking at a provocative woman in a photo, video or in person, and by focusing on it, attraction arises. By becoming engrossed in this attraction, sexual thoughts arise. Through these thoughts, a lot of churning goes on in the mind. And due to this churning of sexual thoughts, a subtle discharge will happen. You became attracted, therefore the thoughts came. Sometimes it can happen that without attraction thoughts can come. If sexual thoughts come, then a lot of churning happens in the mind. And if even a little bit of churning happens, then the extract (semen) will die. That dead semen will remain within the body. Once enough of it collects, it will all come out. At that time, you will feel as though the discharge happened today. But the discharge was already happening within. It was discharging one drop at a time. So the churning happens when you become engrossed. When the thought comes and you become engrossed, the discharge occurs within.        

• Due to imagination and visualization:

Many times, by imagining sex, we fall into this pit. For example, we may have seen a pornographic video or we may have simply visualized a woman and had sexual imaginations of her. Then we end up starting our theater of imagination. We think how much fun it would be to do this and do that. Like this, we see the entire imaginary picture. This imagination ultimately leads us to masturbation.  

The Bad Effects of Masturbation

• The bad effects of masturbation on the mind and body

Is masturbation good for health? No, it is not good for health. Excessive masturbation causes weakness. Because whatever you eat, drink and breathe eventually becomes… The way we make yogurt out of milk. But yogurt is not the final product. Yogurt is made into butter. Then that butter is made into clarified butter. Clarified butter is the final product. Similarly, science has identified seven constituent elements of the body which are formed from blood. Bone is formed from one of them. Flesh is formed from one of them. And ultimately, semen is formed. The final extract is semen. Semen is considered the extract of the body! Now if a sexual thought comes and we support it, then semen is killed. So discharge happens one way or another. By masturbating a lot, we lose our power of the body, our power of the mind and our power of the intellect. Even the ego becomes weak. That’s why it is very essential to know how to stop masturbation.

• Ultimately, masturbation only results in pain:

The law is such that however much pleasure you experience through this body, that much pain you will suffer. While masturbating, you feel as though you have enjoyed temporary pleasure, but as soon as it is over, you experience internal remorse and suffering. On top of that, after masturbating, you find it without substance and you experience weakness. That is not really happiness. Excessive masturbation can cause many diseases. This is one of the main side effects of masturbation.    

• Millions of living beings are killed and we are liable for that:

The one who has internal happiness would not engage in masturbation. One does it because of internal misery. By the Gnani’s (Self-realized being’s) viewpoint, there is only pain in this. A single act of masturbation kills millions of living beings. And all these living beings bind vengeance. This is one of the harmful effects of masturbation. But, because of our belief in temporary happiness, we don’t understand this danger.

• To imagine is a grave danger:

Any imagination done while masturbating sows a seed for the next life. You bind an account with the person you had an imagination for and you have to spend one lifetime with them. Therefore, this is a very grave danger. This is one of the harmful effects of masturbation.   

Solutions on How to Stop Masturbation

• Staying away from things that entice you to masturbate:

The first thing is to stay away from things that cause sexual excitement, such as pornographic movies, pornographic photos and bad company. This is so that you can become free of this at the earliest.

• Uproot the thought of masturbation as soon as it arises:

When the thought of masturbation arises, you should immediately uproot it and throw it out. If there is even a little bit of attraction, you should oppose it and ask for forgiveness. One time, even through the use of the ego, you should destroy this type of fault with the intent that ‘I don’t want to do this.’  

• Break the link of imagination:

When the sexual imagination begins, if you are able to break the link, then the theater of imagination will not progress forward.  

• Divert the mind:

When the desire to masturbate arises, you should divert the mind towards some other work or some hobby so that you are able to avoid the desire. This is one of the easiest ways to stop masturbation. 

• Avoid being alone:

To avoid masturbation, when the thought arises, it is important that you change the circumstances to avoid being alone. By doing this, the thought of masturbating will cease.  

• Make a firm determination:

If you want to stop masturbation, then it is important to have a firm determination. Even if you make the mistake once or twice, as long as you have made an unwavering decision, the circumstances will support you.

• Ask for forgiveness for the mistakes:

You should heartily ask for forgiveness from the Lord within the person for whom you had an imagination while masturbating. You should also ask for forgiveness for the living beings that were killed while masturbating. Finally, you should make a firm determination not to repeat this mistake ever again.

• Ask for strength from the Lord:

If the fault of masturbation keeps occurring, then you should heartily remember the Lord and ask him for strength. ‘Oh Lord! I am making my determination firm. Give me the strength to make my determination firm.’ Absolutely revered Dada Bhagwan has given a prayer for this. By reciting this prayer every day, you can become free of this fault.

Prayer to Stop Masturbation

“Oh Dada Bhagwan [the Lord within]! Give me the absolute energy not to have, nor cause anyone to have, nor instigate anyone to have, even to the slightest extent, any sexual faults, desires, gestures, or faults related to sexual thoughts towards any living being, be it male, female, or of bisexual orientation. Give me the absolute energy to be continuously free from all sexual impulses.” 

• Compared to the bliss of the Self, all other pleasures seem bland:

The false belief that there is happiness in sex has been strengthened by societal influence. If you attain the Knowledge of the Self, then you will not have a need for the pleasures of sex. After you eat some sweets, tea will seem tasteless. In the same way, the Gnanis (Self-realized beings) and the Tirthankars (fully enlightened Lords) have made it possible for the world to taste the bliss of the Self. Compared to this, the pleasures of sex seem tasteless. So if you experience the bliss of the Self just once, then you will not have the desire for the pleasures of sex.  

Who can make it possible for you to experience the bliss of the Self? A Self-realized person who has experienced it for himself. Only such a person can give you the Knowledge of the Self. In this day and age, you can attain the Knowledge of the Self from Atmagnani Pujyashree Deepakbhai. Even you can experience the bliss of the Self like him. And if you attain such bliss, then you will easily be able to come out of the bondage of the imaginary pleasures of sex.