What is Bhakti yoga?

Could it be at long last…

The journey back

• From the beginning From the beginning of time man has of time man has wondered why they wondered why they are here…are here…

• Is this a place of Is this a place of God or of nature God or of nature accidentally drawn accidentally drawn from a primeval from a primeval void. void.

• Do we have souls? If Do we have souls? If so from where do so from where do they arise?they arise?

• Why do people Why do people long to be near the long to be near the beautiful?beautiful?

• Does it make them Does it make them feel beautiful?feel beautiful?

• Why do wish to be near the rich?Why do wish to be near the rich?• Is it because we are poor?Is it because we are poor?

• Why do we desire Why do we desire to be known by the to be known by the famous?famous?

• Are we afraid of Are we afraid of ignobility?ignobility?

• Why do we admire Why do we admire so intensely the so intensely the intelligent?intelligent?

• Are we daunted by Are we daunted by our own ignorance?our own ignorance?

• Why are we captivated by the powerful?Why are we captivated by the powerful?• Are we weak?Are we weak?

• Why are we drawn Why are we drawn to the renounced?to the renounced?

• Are we so Are we so illusioned?illusioned?

• Does it make us Does it make us feel saintly to be feel saintly to be near them?near them?

• Or is there Or is there something deep something deep within us; tugging at within us; tugging at the elbows of our the elbows of our mind? mind?

• Does some memory Does some memory smolder at the far smolder at the far edge of our soul’s edge of our soul’s present dream?present dream?

• Is it God we seek as Is it God we seek as we peer into the we peer into the ifnight?ifnight?

Our infinite paucity

Smitten as we are with the vision of social righteousness, a God indifferent to everything but adulation, and full of partiality for his individual favorites, lacks an essential element of largeness.

– William James (1842–1910), U.S. psychologist, philosopher. The Varieties of Religious Experience,

• Bhakti yoga shares this disdain for an indifferent God…Bhakti yoga shares this disdain for an indifferent God…• But if bhakti is not about the God of religion then what?But if bhakti is not about the God of religion then what?

A visit to the spiritual world

• Imagine waking up Imagine waking up in a different world… in a different world… the anti matter the anti matter worldworld

Bhakti can happen in this world

There are two stages of There are two stages of Bhakti yoga - sädhana-Bhakti yoga - sädhana-bhakti and rägänugä-bhakti and rägänugä-bhakti:bhakti:

• Rägänugä-bhakti is the Rägänugä-bhakti is the stage of spontaneous stage of spontaneous love of Godhead, love of Godhead, whereas whereas

• sädhana-bhakti means sädhana-bhakti means the conscientious the conscientious practice of the regulative practice of the regulative principles of bhakti yoga.principles of bhakti yoga.

The goal of Atma Yoga

• In accordance with the particular In accordance with the particular nature one has acquired in nature one has acquired in conditioned life, whatever one does conditioned life, whatever one does with body, words, mind, senses, with body, words, mind, senses, intelligence or purified consciousness intelligence or purified consciousness one should offer to the Divine, one should offer to the Divine, thinking, “This is for the pleasure thinking, “This is for the pleasure and love of God.”and love of God.”

» Bhagavata Purana