Alexandr Korol

Self-denial is a form of self-control. It’s when you learn to go outside, sit on a bench, and just stare at nothing for three hours. Or when you sit by yourself and meditate. There should still be some dynamic. You need to learn to not have your attention fixed anywhere but on yourself. It’s about withdrawing into yourself. And inside yourself is the world that is God. You connect to the future and can start seeing and hearing many things. Then, you can observe and record this experience. You need to get used to this state where you’re not controlling or planning anything, simply being “here and now.” When you’re no longer dulling your senses with anything, and even if you get distracted, you replace those distractions with more beneficial things. For example, instead of watching movies, you start watching quality shows. Instead of reading comics, you start reading sacred scriptures or philosophical books like Aristotle’s Ethics. Instead of wandering around aimlessly, you start exercising at home, learning yoga poses. That’s what self-denial is. It’s when you wake up and don’t use your phone, not even to turn on music. You simply feel yourself here and now, your body and the nature inside and around you. You just do what’s necessary – take a shower, brush your teeth, exercise, eat. After that, you engage in self-education, study or work, or help your relatives paint a fence or carry bags if there’s nothing else to do. But again, you always need to be mindful of where you are, realizing you’re here and now. You need to remember this every 10 minutes or half an hour – it’s helpful.
Self-denial is not particularly interesting when you look at my example. It’s more relatable when applied to a weaker person, someone who receives their paycheck and spends half of it on chocolates and sodas. You see? Or someone who, even though they know it’s not good, turns back to video games out of boredom. That kind of person needs self-denial. Or someone who can’t live without interacting with others, constantly checking social media or dating sites, needing at least one conversation a day. That’s who needs self-denial. You need to identify where you have a lack of self-control. Wherever you lack control, that’s your weakness. And that’s where self-denial needs to be applied.

Question: The question is about Indian gods. In our matrix, there are three worlds with gods-angels, humans, and demons – like a hierarchy, everything is tiered. You’ve written before that there is also a main God in the Universe, but does that world have its own hierarchy of gods? And are those higher realms with deities described in the Indian Puranas beyond our matrix? A long time ago, I studied the story of