Guest guest Posted September 21, 2000 Report Share Posted September 21, 2000 James Bean jamesbean THE YOGA OF LOVE -- BECOMING A LOVER OF THE BELOVED, PART ONE By James Bean Copyright March 1998 Bhakti Yoga according to the "Dictionary of Mysticism" is "the yoga of love, the quest of union with the Divine Spirit through Bhakti-marga (the path of love and devotion)." (Frank Gaynor, Philosophical Library) Bhakti is a Sanskrit word for love and devotion, and love is the quintessential truth of all religion, spirituality and mysticism. In the New Testament Saint Paul said that "love is the most excellent way." The Bhagavad Gita and the other world scriptures say the same thing. The mystic-lovers of history have taught that "God is an infinite Ocean of Love and each soul is a drop from that Ocean." By approaching simran/zikhr (a spiritual exercise of repeating God's Name or Names), prayer, the singing of hymns or meditation with an attitude of love and devotion (prem and bhakti), we elevate our consciousness; the practice of love brings us into harmony with the Supreme Being, our own true nature, and with everyone else. "Even as the sun shines and fills all space with light, so shines the Lord of Love and fills the hearts of all created beings." ("The Upanishads," Eknath Easwaran) "When you meet the Sat Guru, he will awaken your heart; he will tell you the secret of love and detachment." ("Songs of Kabir," Rabindranath Tagore, Samuel Weiser Books) The 19th century Master Shiv Dayal Singh (Swami Ji Maharaj) described the highest heaven as an infinite Reservoir of Love and the way to reach there is also by love. "Such is the peculiar efficacy of the Path of Love and Devotion that if you adopt it, it will transport you to the Reservoir of Ambrosia. In the Source or Fountain, i.e., in Radhaswami Dham [the Eighth Heaven], there is absolutely no trace of maya [illusion]. There it is all love and love alone. It is an immense Reservoir of Love, having no beginning and no end." ("Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry," Soami Bagh Books) THE YOGA OF LOVE, PART ONE/// Parts Two and Three will continue to explore the Bhakti element at the heart of mysticism. James _________________ To get your own FREE ZDNet Onebox - FREE voicemail, email, and fax, all in one place - sign up today at http://www.zdnetonebox.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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