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What is Devotion To God (Bhakti Yoga)?
Devotion to God is devotion to the Universal Being and the forms Its takes to guide Its
creation. It is not mere devotion to a religious leader or holy
book, which is an external thing, but a recognition of the Divine
Being as the inner Reality behind the universe.
Devotion may involve
repeating the Name of God, chanting, singing, rituals and a deep
meditation wherein we come into proximity to the Divine in our minds
and merge into It. Devotion usually takes a form, which may be that
of a particular Deity, avatar or teacher, though formless devotion
exists as well.
It usually establishes a
relationship with God as father, mother or beloved. Devotional
practices, however, are not formalities or technicalities but a
spontaneous unfoldment of the heart in its love of God.
Devotion is the most basic
and easiest of all spiritual paths because love of God is inherent
in the soul. Even if we cannot think of knowing God, we can uncover
this spontaneous love of the Eternal Lord. Devotion is also the
basis of wisdom because only if we love Truth can we properly learn
what it is. All of our human problems occur from seeking love apart
from the Divine. Seeking love in the Divine, which is to recognize
the Divine love in all creation, is the end to all human suffering.
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