The Way of the Heart: Bhakti Yoga and Devotional Love

# The Way of the Heart: Bhakti Yoga and Devotional Love My dearest friend, have you ever felt a deep stirring in your soul, a quiet yearning for something more? A longing for a love that is vast, unconditional, and eternal? If so, you have already felt the first whispers of Bhakti, the yoga of devotion. It is a path not of strenuous postures or complex philosophies, but of the heart. It is the way of love. For over thirty years, I have walked this path and guided others on their journey. I have seen firsthand the earth-shaking power of devotional love. It is a love that does not seek to possess, but to surrender. It is a love that sees the divine in all things, from the radiant smile of a child to the quiet dignity of an ancient tree. It is a love that has the power to heal our deepest wounds and awaken us to our true nature. In this article, I want to share with you the essence of Bhakti Yoga. We will explore its ancient roots, its practical application in our modern lives, and the striking joy that it can bring. My hope is that these words will be a gentle encouragement for you to open your own heart to the boundless love that is your birthright. ## The Heart’s Longing At the core of our being, we are all seekers of love. We seek it in our relationships, in our work, and in our creative pursuits. This longing for connection is not a weakness, but a sacred calling. It is the soul’s remembrance of its source, of the infinite ocean of love from which we have all come.

There is something about a sandalwood mala that carries the energy of thousands of years of devotion. *(paid link)*

The great sages of Advaita Vedanta tell us that our true nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda ... existence, consciousness, and bliss. The bliss aspect, Ananda, is the very essence of love. It is a love that is not dependent on external circumstances, but flows endlessly from within. Bhakti Yoga is the path of reconnecting with this inner wellspring of love. In the Christian mystical tradition, this is known as the “divine romance.” The soul, like a bride, yearns for union with the divine bridegroom. The Song of Solomon, with its passionate and poetic language, is a beautiful expression of this devotional love. Similarly, the Sufi poets, like Rumi and Hafiz, write of the intoxicating love between the lover and the Beloved. This longing is not something to be suppressed or ignored. It is a sacred fire that can purify our hearts and lead us to the divine. The key is to turn this longing inward, to direct our love towards the highest truth, whatever that may be for you. Whether you call it God, Spirit, or the Universe, the name is not important. What matters is the sincerity of your heart. ## The Many Forms of Devotion Bhakti Yoga is not a one-size-fits-all path. It is a rich and diverse tradition with many different practices. The ancient scriptures describe nine forms of Bhakti, known as Navadha Bhakti. These are: 1. **Shravana:** Listening to stories and teachings about the divine. 2. **Kirtana:** Singing and chanting the names of the divine. 3. **Smarana:** Remembering the divine at all times. 4. **Pada Sevana:** Serving the divine, often symbolized by serving the feet of the guru or a deity. 5. **Archana:** Ritual worship, such as offering flowers and incense. 6. **Vandana:** Prostration or bowing down before the divine. 7. **Dasya:** Cultivating the attitude of a servant of the divine. 8. **Sakhya:** Cultivating a friendship with the divine. 9. **Atma Nivedana:** Complete self-surrender to the divine.

Rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love, keep one close when you are doing heart work. *(paid link)*

These practices are not meant to be rigid rules, but gentle invitations. You can choose the ones that land most with you. Perhaps you are drawn to the joyful expression of Kirtan, or the quiet intimacy of Smarana. The beauty of Bhakti is that it meets you where you are. We can also see echoes of these practices in other traditions. The Christian practice of prayer and singing hymns is a form of Kirtana. The Buddhist practice of mindfulness is a form of Smarana. The Islamic practice of Salat, or ritual prayer, is a form of Archana and Vandana. At their heart, all of these practices are about cultivating a loving relationship with the divine. ## Bhakti in Daily Life Bhakti is not just a practice for the temple or the meditation cushion. It is a way of life. It is about infusing every moment with love and devotion. As the great sage, Neem Karoli Baba, used to say, “Love everyone, serve everyone, and remember God.” Here are some practical ways to bring Bhakti into your daily life: * **Start your day with gratitude.** Before you get out of bed, take a moment to thank the divine for the gift of a new day. * **See the divine in others.** When you interact with people, try to see the divine spark within them. This will transform your relationships from a source of conflict to a source of love. * **Offer your work as a prayer.** Whatever you do, whether it is cooking a meal, writing an email, or cleaning the house, do it with love and offer it to the divine. * **Spend time in nature.** Nature is a beautiful expression of the divine. Take a walk in the woods, sit by the ocean, or simply gaze at the stars. Allow yourself to be filled with a sense of awe and wonder. * **Practice forgiveness.** Forgiveness is an act of love, both for yourself and for others. When you hold onto resentment, you are only hurting yourself. Let go of the past and open your heart to the healing power of love.

A beautiful altar cloth transforms any surface into sacred ground. *(paid link)*

## The Radical Power of Bhakti When you walk the path of Bhakti, your life will begin to change in raw ways. You will find a new sense of peace and joy that is not dependent on external circumstances. You will feel a deep connection to all of life, and a sense of belonging to something much greater than yourself. The practice of Bhakti purifies the heart, washing away the layers of fear, anger, and greed that have accumulated over a lifetime. As the heart becomes more pure, it is able to reflect the divine light more clearly. This is the true meaning of enlightenment ... to see the world through the eyes of love. ## The Journey of the Heart: Aparabhakti and Parabhakti The path of Bhakti is a journey with two distinct stages: Aparabhakti and Parabhakti. Aparabhakti is the initial stage of devotion, where we engage in external practices like rituals, chanting, and prayer. It is a time of falling in love with the divine, a honeymoon phase where we feel a new sense of joy and connection. But as we go deeper, we may enter a period of spiritual dryness, what St. John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul.” a time of testing, where our faith is challenged and we may feel a sense of separation from the divine. It is in this desert that the real work of Bhakti is done. It is here that we learn to surrender our ego and trust in a higher power.

If you have not read The Essential Rumi, you are missing some of the most beautiful spiritual poetry ever written. *(paid link)* This 13th-century Persian mystic didn't just write about divine love ~ he lived it, breathed it, became drunk on it. His verses hit you like lightning. Raw. Unfiltered. When Rumi talks about the Beloved, you feel that ache in your chest, that desperate longing that bhakti yogis know so well. He strips away all the bullshit and gets straight to the heart of what devotion actually feels like when it's real. I've had his poems make me weep in coffee shops ~ not because they're sad, but because they're so damn true it hurts. That's what authentic bhakti does. It cracks you open. Rumi understood that divine love isn't some gentle, peaceful thing you meditate into ~ it's a fire that consumes everything false in you until only love remains. Wild, right?

Out of this surrender, Parabhakti is born. What we're looking at is the highest stage of devotion, a state of complete union with the divine. It is a love that is beyond words, a love that is pure, unconditional, and eternal. It is the ultimate goal of all spiritual practice. ## A Call to the Heart My dear friend, the path of Bhakti is a journey of a lifetime. It is a path of joy and sorrow, of light and darkness. But it is a path that is always held in the embrace of divine love. I invite you to take the first step on this journey. Open your heart, just a little, to the possibility of a love that is greater than you can imagine. Sing a song, say a prayer, or simply sit in silence and listen to the whispers of your own heart. The way of the heart is not about becoming someone you are not. It is about remembering who you have always been - a being of pure love and light. May you walk this path with courage, with joy, and with a heart full of love.