This section on Brahmacharya is specially prepared for the youth of today-the Spiritual Darlings of God. A great and wondrous duty lies with you. You should lead a pure and exemplary life. You should be loyal to God, to your religion, to your Guru, to your parents and to your teachers. You should courageously come forward and set the pace for the youth of today. This is true heroism. This is the real challenge before you. The path is arduous, difficult, toilsome and full of pitfalls and dangers. Are you prepared to take the plunge?

The saints of all religions, both of the past and of recent times, have always spoken about the glory of Brahmacharya. Brahmacharya is a Sanskrit word. Its true meaning is control of the senses. In a limited sense Brahmacharya means celibacy, or control of the sex urge.

1. The sense of taste has to be controlled by not taking foods that make the mind restless. Onions, garlic, highly spiced dishes, too much sweets and sugar, too much tea and coffee, non-vegetarian foods-all these make the mind restless. Alcohol, drugs and smoking are bad as they cause great harm to the mind and body.

2. The eye must be controlled by seeing only that which is pure and good, like colourful flowers and birds, inspiring pictures of saints and sages, of heroes and heroines. Birds, animals, insects and reptiles, as well as natural scenes like mountains and landscapes delight the mind and soothe it. Vulgar dances, scenes of violence, love and sex on TV, and reading magazines that deal with violence, love and sex, pollute the mind and body and awaken base feelings in one.

3. Listening to classical music, devotional songs and chants at Satsang and in the temple, soothe the mind, elevate it and fill one with love and devotion to God. Listening to disco music, on the other hand, makes one restless and brings base feelings in the mind. Also strictly avoid drugs, smoking, places of gambling, and evil company where abusive words are used.

4. Girls should avoid using perfumes and other items that go to beautify the physical body. They should dress modestly and not put on such garments as will awaken carnal feelings in males. Artificial decoration of the body in this manner will make one think too much of the body, and when one falls ill, the suffering will be greater because of increased body consciousness. Remember that the physical body is a sacred abode or temple of God and should be kept pure, strong and healthy. In any case, in time to come it will be discarded when the soul departs from it. 

The main aim of our one day monthly Yoga Camp is to teach children and adults how to lead a pure and moral life, a life that will enable them to meet all the challenges of this extremely stressful and modern life. Even this aim is perhaps not enough. The aim is realisation of God. According to our Hindu Dharma, this precious human birth is meant for the realisation of God and nothing short of it. This is the final goal the Divine Life Society tries to place before all devotees and those who attend the Yoga Camp. Needless to say, the ideals taught are the ideals set out by our Master in his books and his life.

Teaching our Spiritual Darlings and also adults the importance of observing Brahmacharya (celibacy in a limited sense), is a unique feature of Divine Life Society of South Africa. Perhaps the Divine Life Society is a pioneer in this respect. Our Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda, was one of the few saints who wrote a whole volume on the practice of Brahmacharya.

At the Yoga Camp our Spiritual Darlings from Standard 4 upwards have to take the vow of Brahmacharya till such time as they get married. The vow must be observed in accordance with the teachings of our Master.

A beautiful and informative booklet has been specially prepared for the younger Spiritual Darlings, in which clear explanations are given of the importance of conserving the vital force, how to get about it, precautions to take, etc. Many children have remarked that they had never heard such instructions before. So they readily take the vow. Senior Spiritual Darlings and adults have their own textbooks in which the practice of Brahmacharya is dealt with more elaborately.

Brahmacharya for the Youth 

Spiritual Darlings attending the Yoga Camp may not indulge in drug habits, smoking, etc. The males and females may not socialise. This is not at all difficult for them, as their daily spiritual practices and our Divine Master's teachings effectively guide them and give them strength to follow the right path.

Visitors, some even from foreign countries, are struck by the remarkable sense of discipline in our Spiritual Darlings. Even during long satsang sessions of 2-3 hours they do not exhibit any sign of restlessness. If children are given alternatives like those at our Sivananda International Cultural Centre, they do not find it difficult to keep away from undesirable habits. There are a variety of facilities to develop the physical and mental capacities. Camp teachers treat all spiritual darlings with great love and understanding.

1. A Peace Centre which has a Shrine where those afflicted with the above-mentioned problems will learn to pray and turn to God for help. The Peace Centre is decorated with beautiful pictures of exotic birds, animals, scenic wonders with inspiring and uplifting sayings by Sri Swami Sivananda. Daily Ganga Arati and prayer service also takes place.

2. Counselling rooms where youth receive guidance on how to overcome bad habits.

3. A hall where regular Sunlit Path Programmes are conducted. The hall also serves as an indoor sports facility, giving youth the opportunity to play sport rather than take to bad habits.

4. A Computer Training Centre to teach computer literacy so that unemployed persons may acquire skills and earn a livelihood.

5. A Sewing School that teaches sewing skills so that unemployed persons can find employment in this field, or even start their own business.

6. Dining room & kitchen.

7. A Library with instructive and inspiring books.

8. Living quarters for resident supervisors.

9. An Alternate Health Remedies Clinic operates at the Centre.

10. Once a week, a programme is conducted for senior citizens.

Apart from the overcoming programmes, all activities at the Centre will be directed towards helping youth. Indoor sports, youth conferences, talks, plays, film shows, documentaries, etc. will be planned with this in mind.

The Centre is managed entirely by Divine Life Society of South Africa, in the same manner as the Sivananda Ghat is managed. Guidelines for the Centre's functioning were given by Pujya Swamiji as early as 2006. Strict levels of discipline and conduct are observed at the Centre, in keeping with the rules observed at the Society's Ashrams and at the Sivananda Ghat. 

1. The Centre has trained devotees to counsel children on how to keep away from drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, etc. Instructors will also help youth and Spiritual Darlings deal with depression and suicidal tendencies which are very serious problems in areas such as Chatsworth.

2. They will receive extremely valuable literature written by Sri Swami Sivananda and Sri Swami Sahajananda that will guide them and teach them coping skills. The literature has universal appeal, and the teachings can be followed by adults and Spiritual Darlings of other faiths also, like Islam and Christianity.

3. The booklet, Bringing up Spiritual Darlings gives informative instructions to parents on how to guide and bring up their Spiritual Darlings. The term "Spiritual Darling" was used by the Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda, when he addressed children.

4. The booklet, Pathway to Peace & Happiness also contains valuable information on a variety of subjects, like the evils of gambling, liquor habits, how hostile forces create accidents, suicides, calamities, etc.

5. Pathway to Peace & Happiness is having a great impact on bereaved families who come to Sivananda Ghat, next to the Clare Estate Crematorium, to dispose of ashes of their beloved ones. Hundreds of people are turning to God by visiting the Ghat and reading the spiritual literature. A shrine of Christ is installed there because Christians are also resorting to cremation. Any number of tributes are being paid by those visiting the Ghat. They make their comments in writing, praising the Ghat for its divine, serene atmosphere. The comment invariably made is that the Ghat is "heaven on earth".

6. The most important instruction will be how they should turn to God for protection against bad habits, that God is their Friend, Mother and Father. Daily prayer will be highlighted and emphasised as the most important instruction.

7. Spiritual Darlings will be taught to maintain a diary to monitor their habits.Their diaries will be scrutinised once a fortnight or once a month and suitable awards given to them.

8. Maybe, once every six months or so, a graduation ceremony will be held where all the Spiritual Darlings who have maintained a spiritual diary and successfully overcome their bad habits will receive awards.

9. Spiritual Darlings who have overcome their bad habits and are fully trained will become ambassadors of the Centre and help to protect and advise other Spiritual Darlings on how to triumph over the bad habits mentioned above.

10. Instructions will be given about right diet for Spiritual Darlings and their parents to help combat their problems.

In 2006, Pujya Swami Sahajananda initiated the Sivananda Sunlit Path Programme to assist youth to cope with social evils such as drug & alcohol abuse, gambling, etc. and those suffering with depression and contemplating suicide. Numerous programmes have been conducted throughout the province, and over 1 700 children have signed a pledge to stay away from the above-mentioned social evils. They have now become members of the prestigious Sunlit Club, and receive a free supply of a quarterly magazine, Sunlit Path, which contains helpful articles written by Sri Swami Sivananda to help them in their daily lives. Daily prayer and turning to God for help are the main themes of the programme.

Sivananda Sunlit Path Centre

When a beautiful property in Chatsworth was donated to the Society by the Vedanta Mission in 2006, Pujya Swami Sahajananda decided that it will be the home of the Sivananda Sunlit Club, aimed at assisting youth afflicted with the above-mentioned problems.

Construction commenced in 2009, and the Centre was opened in April 2011. Although its primary focus is assisting youth, the Centre also comprises a Prayer Hall with a Peace Centre and Ganga Rani, an indoor sports centre, counselling rooms where youth having problems with drugs & alcohol, depression with suicidal tendencies, etc. are given assistance, an alternate remedies clinic, a sewing training centre, computer training centre, soya milk making facility, organic vegetable gardens and residential quarters.

The counselling of those afflicted with drug related problems is based on the teachings of the Divine Master and Pujya Swami Sahajananda. The approach is purely spiritual. Youth are given guidelines and a spiritual diary to fill in, as well as literature to help them with their problems. Those seeking assistance with the above-mentioned problems may call at the centre from Monday - Friday between 9am and 4pm.

The skills training centres equip the unemployed with skills that will help them to secure jobs. Skills are taught in sewing, computer literacy, organic gardening and soya milk-making. Weekly programmes are also conducted for senior citizens.