On path of pure spirituality there was never a shortcut. Still, anyone desirous of expediting spiritual journey towards self-realization needs practicing absolute celibacy for a minimum period of 12 years in continuation. We must never forget, not a single lapse is permitted.
We must also know the difference between practicing celibacy and practice of absolute celibacy.
Celibacy (abstention from sexual indulgence) is the basic ingredient that can be practiced, indulged by anyone world over. Difficult yet not impossible! Practicing celibacy, abstaining from a sexual relationship both in case of man and woman was not difficult provided our goal of present life is gaining self-realization, reaching state of enlightenment.
For one mesmerized by glare of worldly riches, one who has a bloated ego even practice of celibacy was difficult, almost impossible! Those who did not want to establish total control over ego were not suitable candidates to indulge in self-realization. On path of self-realization ego (Aham in Hinduism) needs to be demolished in totality.
Furthermore bondage towards worldly riches needs to be killed in totality. For establishing total control over five senses and mind every type of earthly bondage needs to be demolished in totality. This includes our relationship with parents; brothers and sisters close relatives and friends. For a seeker, one in search of self-realization all ephemeral ties were an impediment.
To practice celibacy successfully we need realizing that only three relationships relating to womenfolk could exist. Relationships with women could be of three types… that of mother, sister or daughter. There could never be a fourth relationship. If we are unable to kill our attachment towards earthly ties, how could we practice celibacy in totality?
I just could not say that I feel a great attachment towards my wife, my girlfriend. Such relationships could exist only on paper never in reality. Practice of Brahmacharya Vrata (celibacy) needs its own time. Sage Vishwamitra a highly accomplished Sage of his era on sighting a maiden woman taking bath in forlorn circumstances in deep dense jungles (forests) fell from grace, he had to repeat practice of celibacy all over again.
On the material front if we were a celibate, we just could not call anyone a girlfriend, nor could we have material possessions. Both give way to passions and passions had no life on path of practicing celibacy. Emotions, passions of any kind had to be overpowered to practice celibacy successfully. Initially practice of celibacy seems extremely difficult but if we possessed willpower exhibited by Swami Vivekananda, we can make it happen.
Finally, we had to choose between earthly ties and god. Self realization, god realization meant the same. To reach god, realize god in our lifetime we have to indulge not only in practice of celibacy (Brahmacharya Vrata) but also absolute celibacy as detailed in Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads (independent spiritual treatises).
Absolute celibacy pertains to mental activity. Establishing total control over flow of negative thoughts to our brain is what absolute celibacy all about. This is something that requires 12 years practice of absolute celibacy in isolation. Only then a seeker reaches stage of self realization.
Taking an example if the seeker needs going up a multi-storey building containing 1.1 million steps, it may take more than a lifetime. What if we wanted to accomplish the same in present life time limited by 70 to 80 years of earthly life? We can do it if we had an elevator going straight up. And this is what practice of celibacy and absolute celibacy accomplishes.
Practice of absolute celibacy acts like the fastest elevator to the top. It was activating kundalini shakti to the Ajna chakra. The moment that happened, Sahasra Pushpa (thousand petalled Lotus) existing in our brain behind forehead opened fully. One immediately reaches state of self realization, god realization.
In simpler words self realization means realizing our true inner self, becoming a pure soul atman in the cosmic journey of life.
Indulgence in both celibacy (abstention from sexual indulgence) and absolute celibacy (negating inflow of negative thoughts to our brain in totality) is essentially necessitated to cross ocean of Samsara (worldly life) to reach stage of self realization, enlightenment forever.
In the last about 150 years amongst 7000 million people existing world over only Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Maharshi Ramana finally succeeded in reaching stage of self realization, god realization.