Reasonable Masturbation Principles

[Dimmesdale]

Some of us cannot help indulging our sexuality even after coming to the standard of spiritual life. I am one of them to be frank. I have not come to this compromise lightly - by no means. But I could no longer stay at war with myself. And so I have outlined these 12 principles for sexual masturbation in the context of being a spiritual aspirant.

What do you think? Are these principles in your eyes bona fide? I think they make sense and are illuminating, but I will allow others to come to their own conclusion.

I call them, somewhat humorously, "The Twelve Principles of Moonfleet."

1. Keep ego out of it. Let it simply wash over your shore like Water. When it recedes, let it go without attachment, back into the Ocean whence it came....

2. Do it at the end of the day.

3. Experience and enjoy it fully for what it is. Be honest with it. Else, you will hanker again for the opportunity you lost, and will always try to "make it right this time."

4. Pray for greater inner flow, - that peace may supersede the Need more and more.

5. Be mindful - and skip by all means. Regulate according to your body's state. Know thyself.

6. Be loving and honor all energies, - no matter how gross.

7. Keep refining your prayer life all the while. You are still soldiering in the war against Maya, - but in a different way. This is only a temporary concession, - not for sin, but for your weakness. Keep this fact in focus.

8. Prefer imagination to pornography. This is more natural and less violent and vulgar, - you control the fantasy, no one else. It is more interior, less exterior. Thus it is more intimate and true to your actual self.

9. Make a point not to bring it up or brag about it in any way, - even to yourself. Leave it aside and in its proper and respectful place.

10. Keep moving forward and evolving spiritually - do not dwell on these things more than necessary. Remember that the ultimate goal is peace.

11. Do it only when you are strongly agitated or if you are very restless at night and it might interfere with your duties in the day. Otherwise, do not arouse yourself.

12. Remember to thank the Lord who is so Merciful that he allows such a system for the time being for those of us whose natures are so bruised that we cannot find any other way feasible to us.

***

You CAN fight the War against Maya... But first you need the Heart of a Warrior.....

Focus on finding that Heart, that Love, that Grace of Brother Wind.

Then you can handle the Fire of Life and not be wearied down by it.

[AgnosticBoy]

Some of us cannot help indulging our sexuality even after coming to the standard of spiritual life. I am one of them to be frank. I have not come to this compromise lightly - by no means. But I could no longer stay at war with myself. And so I have outlined these 12 principles for sexual masturbation in the context of being a spiritual aspirant.

What do you think? Are these principles in your eyes bona fide? I think they make sense and are illuminating, but I will allow others to come to their own conclusion.

I hope you don't mind if we take a step back and examine one of your implied premises. This would inevitably impact the solutions that you come up with. You talk about masturbation as if it is wrong. I'd question even that. We all have sexual desire, and masturbation is just one outlet for that. But, I believe that too much masturbation is wrong. A lot of that sexual energy should be expended on your partner or spouse.

Factoring all of this would lead me to formulating principles that would avoid too much masturbation as opposed to looking at this as a concession.

[Dimmesdale]

Some of us cannot help indulging our sexuality even after coming to the standard of spiritual life. I am one of them to be frank. I have not come to this compromise lightly - by no means. But I could no longer stay at war with myself. And so I have outlined these 12 principles for sexual masturbation in the context of being a spiritual aspirant.

What do you think? Are these principles in your eyes bona fide? I think they make sense and are illuminating, but I will allow others to come to their own conclusion.

I hope you don't mind if we take a step back and examine one of your implied premises. This would inevitably impact the solutions that you come up with. You talk about masturbation as if it is wrong. I'd question even that. We all have sexual desire, and masturbation is just one outlet for that. But, I believe that too much masturbation is wrong. A lot of that sexual energy should be expended on your partner or spouse.

Factoring all of this would lead me to formulating principles that would avoid too much masturbation as opposed to looking at this as a concession.

Well, whether you think masturbation is wrong or not, we can at least agree that as with anything in life there should be some rules (maybe not strict rules) but some sorts of guidelines to better live your life. Otherwise, it's all chaos, right?

You might say sex should be spontaneous and without any rules. To some extent I think I can agree we should have free reign and not worry too much about doing things the "right way." But I think rules are beneficial, and not a burden. They help you, as these help me.

[nobspeople]

[Replying to Dimmesdale in post #1]

Some of us cannot help indulging our sexuality even after coming to the standard of spiritual life.

Why people think this is wrong is odd to me. Just because one's 'spiritual' doesn't mean they can't be 'sexual' by whatever means that pleases them so long as it's not harmful to others.

But I could no longer stay at war with myself.

No real good reason to, really

What do you think? Are these principles in your eyes bona fide? I think they make sense and are illuminating, but I will allow others to come to their own conclusion.

Whatever works for you, then it should be fine. No one should allow others to put their own personal rules on them, just like no one should force their own personal rules on others.

It seems some people from some cultures put way more emphasis on 'sex', feeling good and one's individual sex lives than necessary.
If it hurts no one, then who should care?
It's all just so silly.

[Difflugia]

Why people think this is wrong is odd to me.

It's not far removed from the New Testament itself. Paul uses ascetic language that has helped shape Christian attitudes toward sex and Revelation's 144,000 are "they that were not defiled with women, because they are virgins."

It's also clear that there were traditions of Paul that were even more ascetic. If you haven't, read Acts of Paul and Thecla. Paul gets run out of town because he convinces women to stop having sex with their husbands.

[nobspeople]

Why people think this is wrong is odd to me.

It's not far removed from the New Testament itself. Paul uses ascetic language that has helped shape Christian attitudes toward sex and Revelation's 144,000 are "they that were not defiled with women, because they are virgins."

It's also clear that there were traditions of Paul that were even more ascetic. If you haven't, read Acts of Paul and Thecla. Paul gets run out of town because he convinces women to stop having sex with their husbands.

I know why some think it's wrong, but, it seems to me, people should start thinking for themselves more than listening blindly to a book written by long dead men at the time in question.

I know people are needy and lazy and love to be controlled, but at some point, people need to stop and think about what they're believing in and how much, sometimes, it's just asinine.

[AgnosticBoy]

[Replying to Difflugia in post #5]

There are some places in the NT where Paul admits to offering his own personal view (e.g. 1 Corinthians 7). I really questioned why would Paul be offering his personal advice on something that he could get divine guidance on. Either way, Paul's opinions are not morally binding on anyone.

[Miles]

Some of us cannot help indulging our sexuality even after coming to the standard of spiritual life. I am one of them to be frank. I have not come to this compromise lightly - by no means. But I could no longer stay at war with myself. And so I have outlined these 12 principles for sexual masturbation in the context of being a spiritual aspirant.

What do you think? Are these principles in your eyes bona fide? I think they make sense and are illuminating, but I will allow others to come to their own conclusion.

I call them, somewhat humorously, "The Twelve Principles of Moonfleet."

1. Keep ego out of it. Let it simply wash over your shore like Water. When it recedes, let it go without attachment, back into the Ocean whence it came....

Ahhh, yes. But one more time. Okay? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Please? . . . . . . . . . . . Pretty please?

2. Do it at the end of the day.

When it goes dark at night or just before going to bed? . . . . . . . . . .and out of curiosity, what's wrong with a Nooner once in awhile?

3. Experience and enjoy it fully for what it is. Be honest with it. Else, you will hanker again for the opportunity you lost, and will always try to "make it right this time."

Even when the hankering happens at the office or in the principle's office? How about church?

4. Pray for greater inner flow, - that peace may supersede the Need more and more.

I assume this means praying for god's help in masturbating. Right? But how does the masturbating prayer go? "Dear almighty god . . . . . . . . . . . "

5. Be mindful - and skip by all means. Regulate according to your body's state. Know thyself.

"Skip"? Skip what? Skip masturbating when I have a hankering? Whoa, talk about a case of BBs.

6. Be loving and honor all energies, - no matter how gross.

Are there some forms of masturbation that qualify as gross, but should be practiced anyway? Hmmm, how about an example or two . . .or three.

7. Keep refining your prayer life all the while. You are still soldiering in the war against Maya, - but in a different way. This is only a temporary concession, - not for sin, but for your weakness. Keep this fact in focus.

Gotta say, praying and masturbating at the same time is a pretty hard act to pull off.

8. Prefer imagination to pornography. This is more natural and less violent and vulgar,

You're obviously speaking for yourself here. My imagination simply isn't that fertile and can use all the help it can get. Although asking god for assistance, as you suggested in #4 may work.

you control the fantasy, no one else. It is more interior, less exterior. Thus it is more intimate and true to your actual self.

And what if exterior sources are far superior in bring about the desired end? Wouldn't using them be truer to my actual self?

9. Make a point not to bring it up or brag about it in any way, - even to yourself. Leave it aside and in its proper and respectful place.

Yeah, I hate myself when I start bragging to me about my great masturbatory experiences. Makes me jealous of myself.

10. Keep moving forward and evolving spiritually - do not dwell on these things more than necessary. Remember that the ultimate goal is peace.

I take it this refers to praying to (asking) god for his help in masturbating. Odd, but okay. I didn't think he cared that much about my comings and goings.

11. Do it only when you are strongly agitated or if you are very restless at night and it might interfere with your duties in the day. Otherwise, do not arouse yourself.

Why? What's wrong with doing it when I simply hanker for it?

12. Remember to thank the Lord who is so Merciful that he allows such a system for the time being for those of us whose natures are so bruised that we cannot find any other way feasible to us.

Boy, considering the orgasms women have---longer and more frequent---we men have been short changed when it comes to masturbation. So, thanks, but no thanks Lord.


.

[Dimmesdale]

[Replying to Miles in post #8]

Hi Miles!

I'm sorry you do not like my beautiful rules...... they are so BEEEA U TEEFUL.....

Can't please everyone though... N thats OK!

[JoeyKnothead]

Reasonable masturbation principles?

It's my body, and my soap. I'll wash it fast as I wanna!