Does sexual continence further spiritual development?
There will be less unhappiness in the world, when man frees himself from his mistaken view regarding the virtue of sexual continence. Compulsory continence means defying nature, an offence which, later on, nature will repay with interest. In whichever direction we look, all the laws in Creation plainly indicate the right path. Suppression is unnatural, and all that is unnatural, is rebellion against Divine laws which, here as elsewhere, is to be avoided. There is no exception on this one point. Only man must not let himself be mastered by his sexual desire and must not make himself the slave to his instinct; otherwise he will develop it to a passion, whereby his natural, wholesome instinct will become a morbid vice. Man should be master of his instinct; that is to say he should not practise compulsory continence but exercise a wise control over himself, lest others should suffer through him. Many a man may think that by refraining from sexual intercourse, he is advancing spiritually, w
