Role of Bhakti in yogic sadhana

[satinder kumar]

Hello all,

         Devotion has got a prominent role to play in sadhna.In fact bhakti is like water which nurture the seed of sadhna without which i think it is impossible to progress.Going through mails sent by members,i happened to realize that emphasis is on bliss....ecstacy which is a fine thing but taking them as goals will put progress on hold...that situation no sadhak wants to come face to face.In fact,yogic practice blended with bhagti would go a long way to smoothen the way to self realization which is ultimate goal of every sadhak.I think the after effects of kundalini can be lessened to a grea extentif devotion is there.Mantra like 'om namo narayana' and 'om namh sivaya'chanted mentally or otherwise ...according to one's devotion can help in managing excess energy flow upwards that come as a result of advanced practices.......regards

[yogani]

Hi Satinder:

I agree with you very much that bhakti is the fuel of all spiritual progress.

In AYP we take a direct angle on using bhakti (spiritual desire and devotion) to inspire daily spiritual practices, which completes the connection between our spirtual longing and effective implementation of sadhana. The ecstatic bliss and all of that are but the result of that process. See these lessons for more on the use of bhakti in AYP:
http://www.aypsite.com/plus/12.html
http://www.aypsite.com/plus/67.html
Also see "desire/bhakti" in the topic index (top of list) for more lessons on this.

With this integrated approach of using bhakti in direct relation with a full program of spiritual practices, there is great power for transformation -- so much that we will sometimes be called to temporarily self-pace (tone down) our practice, and even tone down our bhakti, which is a great force for transformation within us. In doing so, we assure the maximum spiritual progress we can absorb in a given time within safe limits.

All the best!

The guru is in you.

[Doc]

quote:Originally posted by yogani
 

"...bhakti is the fuel of all spiritual progress....(spiritual desire and devotion) to inspire daily spiritual practices, which completes the connection between our spirtual longing and effective implementation of sadhana."  

Namaste to All!

A suggested aid in establishing "daily spiritual practices" is to set up a meditation and prayer table or shrine in the home.  On this home altar, religious or spiritual artwork or images which are personally meaningful and inspirational should be displayed, along with a wooden holder or sand filled container for burning incense, candles that can be lit during meditation and prayer sessions, and perhaps offerings of fresh fruits and flowers.  In this way, all of the physical senses can be incorporated into the Sadhana, and the shrine serves as a reminder to practice regularly in its presence.

http://www.luckymojo.com/sivagildedprint.gif

Hari OM!

Doc

[Shanti]

quote:Originally posted by Doc

A suggested aid in establishing "daily spiritual practices" is to set up a meditation and prayer table or shrine in the home.  On this home altar, religious or spiritual artwork or images which are personally meaningful and inspirational should be displayed, along with a wooden holder or sand filled container for burning incense, candles that can be lit during meditation and prayer sessions, and perhaps offerings of fresh fruits and flowers.  In this way, all of the physical senses can be incorporated into the Sadhana, and the shrine serves as a reminder to practice regularly in its presence.

Thanks Doc. You are right when you say "the shrine serves as a reminder to practice regularly in its presence." However I find the smell of incense very distracting during meditation.. and it is one of the things we avoid during AYP deep mediation . I did do this for the longest time, but after starting AYP.. I find what Yogani says in lesson 21 to be very true. So these days I light the diya and the incense stick after I am done with my practice... cant give that up altogether you know.. done it for years now ...

quote:"Lesson 21:Objects of meditation
Meditation is the bridge between attention on an object and the
great beyond we know as bliss consciousness without thoughts or
external sensory experience. The goal is to make that journey
repeatedly, like clockwork, on a daily basis. The technique we use is
simple, yet delicate, relying on the natural ability of our mind to
become quiet. Other forms of meditation may not be so simple and
natural, and may involve focusing on intellectual meanings or on
multiple objects. This can bog down passage of the attention to the
expanded realm of bliss consciousness residing within us. This is not
to say other forms of meditation will not work. But in our approach,
simplicity and efficiency are at the forefront.  This is an advanced
method of meditation anyone can do. We will discuss meditation on
other objects from the point of view of the method we are using here.

What is the difference between meditating with our technique using a
mantra, versus using chakras (energy centers in the body), a
religious icon or other physical objects? Again, it is a matter of
simplicity and efficiency. The goal is to bring the attention beyond
the thinking process, and, in doing so, take the attention beyond
outer sensory experience. The mind is the neurological process in us
that links consciousness with the outer world. It is a very intimate
connection. Our attention, engaged in the dynamics of the mind, is
always an inch away from experiencing the divine bliss of pure
consciousness. When the mind is allowed to come to rest, we are
there. So we begin with the mind, the most intimate connection to
bliss consciousness we have. We begin inside, so we can quickly and
easily go deeply inside. If we were to begin with a physical location
in the body or a physical object, we could still go deep. No question
about it. But it is a longer journey, a more complicated journey. The
further outside we are when we start, the more physical, intellectual
and emotional baggage we have to shed on the way in. This is also why
we do not verbally utter the mantra during meditation, or give any
attention to meanings while meditating. It is an inner process right
from the start. By beginning meditation with a thought, using the
specific procedure, we bypass external obstacles in the nervous
system that can bind our attention. Ultimately we dissolve them
naturally from the inside going out, rather than trying to dissolve
them from the outside going in, which is not easy."

[Doc]

Namaste Shanti!

Agreed. Raja Yoga Dhyana, or any other meditation practice, Mantra Japa, and Hatha Yoga Asanas or Pranayama are best practiced without any incense burning.

The scent of even high quality incense can be a definite olfactory distraction during a meditation or mantra japa session, and poor quality incense can be overwhelmingly so.  This is why I suggested only the lighting of candles for meditation or mantra japa, as a symbolic representation of the Divine Light of Jivatman embraced in the Elevated States of Consciousness experienced in deep meditation.

Hatha Asanas and Pranayama are best practiced in a well ventilated space if indoors, and weather permitting, are even better when practiced outdoors, IMO, where there is ample fresh air that is more fully laden with oxygen and electro-magnetic energy to maximize the benefits of the breath exercises and energy work.

Your custom of lighting an incense stick or burning some camphor after completing a meditation or hatha session is a good practice. The scent of the incense can then provide a lingering reminder of the Sweet Ecstacy experienced during Deep Meditation or Contemplative Prayer.  The aroma will permeate the space and mingle with the vibrations of the mantram or prayers which are performed there. This is especially so when the incense is dedicated with them when lit. The incense will thereby continue to lift these vibrations upwards to God with its rising smoke as a sweet smelling devotional offering for as long as the incense burns.

And of course, it is always appropriate to offer lit incense of the highest quality available when performing an Aarti or any other personal, ceremonial ritual before the home meditation or prayer shrine.  Most people find that the lighting of candles, the ringing of ritual hand bells or gongs, the use of drone instruments, ritual drumming, chanting, sacred music, and so forth, are excellent aids in creating an atmosphere of Divine Presence which arouses an Elevated State of Consciousness during such practices. And the best part of performing such practices at the home shrine is that they can be customized according to whatever is personally most inspirational and meaningful to you.

The most important aspect of performing ritual or ceremonial devotional practices, IMO, is the inner conscious acknowledgement of God's Presence and Power in this life, combined with the deliberate outer effort made in such devotions to identify with and unite with the Divine Source of All That Is!

Here are a few examples of home meditation/prayer shrines:

http://www.paleaku.com/images/alter.jpg
http://www.windhorse.co.uk/shrine1.jpg
http://www.ixeh.net/travel/ddm/Images/pics/02-homes/02041_11.jpg
http://www.harekrsna.com/practice/sadhana/prabhupada/altar.gif

Hari OM!

Doc

[Doc]

Namaste to All!

No discussion of Bhakti Yoga would be complete without referring interested Sadhakas to the Classical Works such as the Narada Bhakti Sutras, and more contemporary writings on the subject. The following links are some of my personal favorites, and are recommended reading for my students. We generally read and study the same Sutras in several translations, as one or another may be translated in such a way as to speak more directly to the heart and mind of each individual. Enjoy!

http://www.vedabase.net/nbs/en
http://www.vedabase.net/nod
http://www.ambaa.org/bhakti/Nbs1.htm
http://reluctant-messenger.com/bhakti-sutras.htm
http://www.urday.com/naradbhakti.html
http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/teachings/bhaktiyoga.htm
http://www.dvaita.org/haridasa/overview/devot.html
http://www.narada-bhakti-sutras.blogspot.com/2005/05/path-of-bhakti-sutra-1.html

Hari OM!

Doc

[Neesha]

hi Doc!

thanks for all the great info on bhAKTI........I honestly believe these things........

especially the part you referred ........where upon reading the scriptures my bhakti actually make get up....the wind around me increases........and my hands makes certain formations......this is time where people are dealt with especially those with ailments.....purely not my efforts...........some kinda intelligent force .........all this occurs while the scriptures are being read

the vedas are great aren't they....so truthful too

[Doc]

Namaste Neesha!

You are most welcome. I agreed totally that Divine Wisdom and Truth are definitely found in the Vedas.

Hari OM!

Doc

[Chard]

I hope this goes with this thread... but I wanted to share that when I have experienced too much bhakti or too much intense unconditional love (I assume that's what bhakti is) I have felt light-headed almost to the point where I feel like I'm going to pass out and feel like I'm going crazy (I know this sounds intense but it's the only way I can describe it and the closest I've felt to insanity). I had this experience a couple months ago intensely and a few random moments (on a much lesser scale ) since then. Has anyone else felt this and why does this happen on a physical level? My practices were very out of balance then but are self-paced now. So it's not an issue now but I'm just wondering how that happens because it was pretty scary to experience. Thanks!
Be well all!
Chard

[Anahat]

....does bhakti yoga mean worship solely to Krishna? I know this might sound silly to ask.....but its kind of a serious deal to me

[Radharani]

quote:Originally posted by Anahat

....does bhakti yoga mean worship solely to Krishna? I know this might sound silly to ask.....but its kind of a serious deal to me

Dear Anahat,
 
No, it does not.  (see previous thread.)  In AYP bhakti is the energy inspiring your yoga practice, your "ishta" which is whatever form Divinity manifests for you.  It doesn't even have to be a "deity" in the traditional sense.  It is whatever provokes your inner desire for truth and spiritual growth.

don't even get me started about Krishna.  can't get enough!  but that's just me.  Everyone is different.

[Radharani]

quote:Originally posted by Chard

I hope this goes with this thread... but I wanted to share that when I have experienced too much bhakti or too much intense unconditional love (I assume that's what bhakti is) I have felt light-headed almost to the point where I feel like I'm going to pass out and feel like I'm going crazy (I know this sounds intense but it's the only way I can describe it and the closest I've felt to insanity). I had this experience a couple months ago intensely and a few random moments (on a much lesser scale ) since then. Has anyone else felt this and why does this happen on a physical level? My practices were very out of balance then but are self-paced now. So it's not an issue now but I'm just wondering how that happens because it was pretty scary to experience. Thanks!
Be well all!
Chard

Dear Chard,

I've experienced that frequently.  I thought it was just from being madly in love.  Didn't they used to call it "swooning" in the olden days?  If you read, e.g., the poems of Mirabai there are some descriptions like that.

Sometimes the physical effects can be a result of simple hyper- or hypoventilation.  Other times it is from kundalini overload.

In any case it's important to self-pace and make sure your practice stays balanced.  I personally have difficulty self-pacing with regard to bhakti, tend to get swept away in ecstasy for hours in meditation, and sometimes I pay for it the next day.  But, it's totally worth it.    However, I've been doing this a very long time (over 30 years) and I'm not recommending that other people do the same.  The self-pacing guidelines recommended by AYP are a very good idea, especially for those of us who have to stay "sane" and function in the so-called "real world."

Enjoy!