The Yoga of Love, PT 2

[Guest guest]

James Bean jamesbean

 

THE YOGA OF LOVE -- BECOMING A LOVER OF THE BELOVED, PART TWO

 

(On the Bhakti aspect of the teachings of Masters and Mystics)

 

By James Bean

 

Copyright March 1998

 

Bhakti is the religion of love; it is heart-centered, focused on the

cultivation of love between the soul and the oversoul, between lover

and the Beloved. India's Nirguna Bhakti Sants (Saints) are madly in

love with God; their relationship with the Supreme Being is a divine

romance. The 16th century mystic Mira Bai said, "To the Lord's abode

I will go, for He alone is my true love. I'll gaze upon His charming

face and ever remain enthralled. In the calm of the night I will arise

and go to him, and return at dawn." ("Mira -- The Divine Lover, RS Books)

 

PRACTICES OF LOVE AND DEVOTION (BHAKTI) TO THE SUPREME BEING

 

According to Saint Tulsi Das there are several modes of Bhakti practice.

One practice is called Satsang -- the society of realized Saints. Satsang

means "association with Truth," and "association with God," and is to

some extent comparable to "church" or "temple," but not in any institutional

sense. A saying of Christ in the New Testament provides a good definition

of Satsang: "Where two or three are gathered in My Name, I am there in

their midst." When devotees or initiates of a Saint sit together for

worship and meditation, the Masters teach that there's a great spiritual

energy present, a stronger manifestation of the loving Presence of God

and a communion of Saints.

 

Satsang is also an experience of spiritual community, an opportunity

to be uplifted by the collective energy of our brothers and sisters on

the Path, for we're influenced by the company we keep. Devotees make

this a time and place of spiritual remembrance, and this helps to keep

us on the Path. Mira Bai said that, "In minutes Satsang will lead to

Jiva-Mukti [the salvation or liberation of the soul]." The format of

Satsang can include: a spiritual discourse, instruction on putting the

Path into practice, readings from the writings of the Masters, the reciting

or singing of banis, bhajans or kirtans (hymns of worship composed by

Saints), and silent group meditation. It's considered the greatest blessing

of all if it is a Master who conducts the Satsang in person.

 

The effect of Satsang is that of divine remembrance, thus, with such

a spiritual boost, encouragement and support for the spiritual journey,

those who go to Satsang are much more likely to stay on the Path and

put effort into their own daily spiritual practice at home. Thus will

the life of the Bhakta (lover, devotee, disciple) become more and more

God-intoxicated by imbibing the spiritual wine, the nectar of divine

love.

 

THE POWER OF THE NAME

 

Chanting a Name or Names of God (called in the east "Simran" or "Zikhr")

is one of the key spiritual exercises used to cultivate love and to invoke

the Positive Power in our lives, making it possible to live a life of

love. This is usually done mentally, is a mental repetition of a Name

of God done during meditation, AS WELL AS this practice can be done during

available moments throughout the day and night as a way to remember God

all the time. Says Tukarama: "Such is God's Name that it heals the disease

of the world....Whosoever repeats the Lord's Name while engaged in earthly

duties, remains ever in a blissful state of divine communion....One absorbed

in the Lord's Name, O Tuka, has truly attained liberation while living."

This spiritual exercise of repeating God's Name helps to uplift our day,

to bring some of the heaven and bliss of meditation into our down-to-earth

daily experience, and is a way to remember in a world of forgetfulness,

to remain awake in a world of spiritual slumber. Be who you really are

wherever you go.

 

Of this practice of repeating God's Name(s) Master Darshan said:

 

He bears a thousand Names, call on Him by any;

summon Him to the assembly of your thoughts and

adore Him. Suffuse your life-blood with His Name, and

fix Him in your soul. You surely will meet Him, just let

your soul soar, He is close to you, just call for Him.

 

-- Darshan Singh, from, "Manzil-e-Noor

 

THE YOGA OF LOVE -- BECOMING A LOVER OF THE BELOVED, PART TWO///

 

Part Three will be about the hymns of Bhakti. Most of the great Saints

and Masters of history have also been great poets or composers of hymns,

psalms, odes, banis, bhajans -- mystic songs of love and devotion.

 

Peace,

 

James

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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