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“Reverence and faith are the basic elements of devotion.”
Brahmarishi Shri Devraha Baba
Imagine you saw a landscape. A thought crossed your mind. You wanted to feel the fresh air and thus, rode a bicycle. While you were riding, you appreciated the beauty of nature. Contrarily, what if you had paddled into the reverse direction? Would you have felt connected with nature then?
I believe our life and culture are affected by the shift in social and personal needs, such as the compulsive drive for economic success, comfort, and power. We have forgotten our spirit.
If we connect to the power of spirit, we can receive limitless possibilities in our life. We can attract opportunities that are most suited for our spiritual development. Leaders such as Swami Vivekananda, Nelson Mandela, and Nikola Tesla connected with the power of spirit and realized their vision. They devoted their lives to a purpose. I believe each one of us can realize their full potential.
We can do that if we learn to balance the body, mind, and spirit. During the learning process, we face our fears. So, we must practice self-inquiry with no judgment, conclusion, bias, and aversion. The moment we notice our fear and observe its working in our mind in silence, we experience a positive shift in our inner energy. This can bring insight about life events.
According to the energy conservation principle, energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only change from one form to another. We observe this in our daily life. For example, when we switch on a bulb, electrical energy converts into light energy. The gates of a water reservoir hold the flow of water at a certain height. If we open the gates, water can flow with force. Thus, the potential energy of the water converts into dynamic or kinetic energy.
Similarly, fear is like the gates in our mind that obstruct the free flow of life force energy. Unless we witness our fear, how can we experience the free flow of life force energy?
Let us understand the nature of fear.
Mr. and Mrs. Ahuja believe in working hard and chasing their dreams. Both are ambitious and established in their careers. They are living in a town with people from different cultures and economic backgrounds. They have a son who used to be a shy kid. During his childhood, the boy spent most of his time with his books and television.
He used to read storybooks during the free hours at school. One day, a group of boys wanted to include him in their game but he denied their invitation. The group did not like his decision. They teased and disturbed him. Later, this became a routine. They bullied and chased him during the school hours. Naturally, the boy became scared of hostile behavior. After a series of similar incidents, he informed his school administrator.
At home, he wanted to share these incidents with his parents. However, he observed that his parents were unavailable to talk. He sought their attention in subtle ways but he didn’t get the expected response. He felt unloved. He created the belief—"Love is to be sought in the external world.” As he grew up, he became social. He felt connected with family and friends. He involved himself within group dynamics and pleased others with his efforts. Unconsciously, he lived life according to the needs of his association. Internally, he held a fear of rejection.
He created his limiting belief in response to the mental and emotional trauma of his childhood. Thus, his fear of the past governed his life choices.
Mr. and Mrs. Singh live in a small town where their relatives live in the nearby vicinity. Mr. Singh is a bank employee and Mrs. Singh is a homemaker. They have three children and Daisy is the middle child. Daisy used to involve her parents and siblings in her daily activities.
Since childhood, Daisy has performed well in academics. Apart from academics, she took part in extracurricular activities and received many awards. She worked hard to gain a competitive edge and earned rewards. She created the belief—"Competition is the path to happiness."
She pursued her master’s degree and secured a gold medal in the university. She got a high-paying job, remained aggressive in pursuing her career goals, and achieved her dreams. Despite this, she discovered that she is not happy. She is anxious to find the right fit for her career. She worries about life possibilities with her current job and prospects. She fears failure and an uncertain future.
I have given these examples to explain that we experience fear from our past and fear of the future. If we compare ourselves with others and wish to be better than others, we create fear. Fear of the past generates emotions such as guilt and shame, and fear of the future creates worry and anxiety. We experience a spectrum of negative emotions because of fear of the past and future. Thus, the mind dwells between the past and the future most of the time.
In the modern world, spiritual development plays an integral role in our life. You can witness personal transformation with sincere practice and a disciplined lifestyle. I believe this is the path to leading a meaningful and joyful life.
Let us understand the scope of learning and development in our life.
We can categorize skills into two parts: employment and personal ability. We learn skills to function in our daily life. We learn employment skills for survival. On the other hand, we develop human characteristics and values that enrich our lives during personal development. As far as the economic development of a family, society, and country is concerned; we strive to fulfill these aspects of learning.
I believe this learning approach enables us to fulfill our needs, desires, and life ambitions. However, we are yet to realize our inner potential. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, humans strive to meet various needs during their lives. In the upper stage of the hierarchy, there is the need for ‘self-actualization.’ He conducted several studies on characteristics of self-actualized people, including Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein. He observed many similar features between them.
A few of them are as follows.
● They have a purpose.
● They are independent thinkers and explore learning opportunities.
● They accept themselves with all their flaws.
● They are not troubled by small things.
Maslow argued that self-actualization brings peace, compassion, harmony, care, political activism, and scientific advancement.
Ask yourself: “What is my life’s purpose and how do I find bliss in my daily life?” If you have a specific answer, you are in tune with the expression of your spirit. If not, then you are yet to realize and discover your inner potential. If we lack joy and satisfaction in what we do in our life, our spirit feels suffocated.
If you learn to balance your body, mind, and spirit, then the possibilities of discovering the purpose of your life also increases. All spiritual practices work under the same principle: to balance body, mind, and spirit. During the learning process, our attitude towards spiritual practices plays a vital role. Any spiritual practice that brings you closer to your spirit is sacred. You must receive this practice with curiosity and sincerity to learn about your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. This attitude will help you take ownership of your well-being.
However, currently the mind dominates the significant aspects of our life. In the modern world, we are suffering because of the conditioning of our minds. We can attain true happiness and peace if we free ourselves from the conditioning of mind. Various spiritual masters have stated that the mind is the poor master, but it only serves its purpose in service to the heart.
If you develop trust in the life process, you can genuinely feel inner joy with your existence. According to various religions, the spiritual path may differ. However, we must learn to imbibe the essence of any spiritual practice. The most important aspect of spiritual development is to identify our strengths and weaknesses. If you embrace your authentic self without any self-judgment, you consciously lay down the firm foundation for your spiritual development. Unfortunately, people who suffer on the spiritual path are the ones who deny their reality and want to be someone else.
Our mental and learning attitude defines our spiritual development. The transformation begins with the acceptance that life gives us opportunities to learn and grow into a better human being. So, we should shed some of our old habits that don’t add value to our lives. Of course, we also need to make conscious efforts to come out of our comfort zone. Doing that is worth the effort.
Let us understand this learning process with the analogy of running a marathon. Initially, a runner takes small strides and builds up stamina. After that, he takes a conscious decision to increase the pace. Similarly, when we start our spiritual journey, we should make a small commitment and sincerely work towards it. For example, if one feels the urge to express their inner feelings as poetry, why not devote at least ten minutes a day to writing poems and make it an experiential process!
These small but significant commitments act as a catalyst to discovering the unique and blissful actions in your daily life. As you progress on the spiritual path, you must listen and respond to your inner voice. It is the key to discovering the purpose of your life. I discovered my purpose in life in the same way. The action that gives you bliss is the testimony of your creative expression. In the state of harmony, creativity becomes the natural expression of spirit.
I am a practitioner of Bhakti Yoga, the path of love and devotion, and Nada Yoga, the yoga of sound. Earlier, I was a decent survivor in life. I accomplished my materialistic needs. During my ten years of work in the information technology sector, I moved up in the career ladder with an increase in paycheck, but I used to feel shallow and unsatisfied. I ignored my thoughts, feelings, and behavior. I didn’t have the realization that I lost my creative expression and peace of mind. I was on a life journey with a personal crisis that demanded my urgent intervention. I had to face my karma and gain insights from my past life events.
I suffered from prolonged stress and later went into depression. Later, during my spiritual journey, I diagnosed my limiting belief—“Aloofness creates harmony.” Thus, I used to avoid painful life situations. This belief created a substantial obstruction in my personal life.
My spiritual journey brought a balance in my life. I pursued a course in yogic studies from the Bihar School of Yoga. This course and the ashram lifestyle exposed me to various aspects of yoga including Bhakti Yoga, Japa Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, and the science of Yoga Nidra. Apart from this, I also pursued other yogic courses and learned different healing modalities.
I integrated my teachings into my daily life. I practiced meditation and lived a disciplined yogic lifestyle. As a result, I gained clarity in thoughts, increased my energy levels, and became sensitive to my emotions. My thirst for spiritual knowledge led my soul to various holy places such as Kailash Mansarovar, Pashupatinath, Rishikesh, Kashi, Khumb, Bodh Gaya, Chitrakoot, and several other sites. All these places left me with a feeling of gratitude towards the Almighty, the creator of the universe. In my overall experience, I found bliss in Bhakti Yoga and the practice of japa in silence.
During my stay at the Bihar School of Yoga, the sweet nectar of kirtan left a deep impression on my heart and mind. When I came out of the ashram, I wanted to relive these moments of divine chants. Over several months of self-practice, I entered that inner space of joy and thus felt alive.
I sensed the need to create a space of harmony within myself. Therefore, I took the Bhakti Yoga and Nada Yoga path and became curious to discover the internal processes of these practices. I also envisioned a practical solution for well-being as an offering to humanity.
My quest to chant with intense feelings helped me to take an interest in listening and appreciating the aesthetic of the Hindustani classical music - Dhrupad. I developed the voice culture of Hindustani classical music that helped me to connect with a space of bliss while chanting divine names. I am fortunate that I came across the teachings of Bhakti Yoga from my spiritual master, Brahmarishi Mahayogi Shri Devraha Baba, which left a deep impression on my heart and mind. It became the gem of my life. When I look back on my life, I feel humbled and grateful towards God. I have a firm faith that I had to learn essential life lessons. I discovered my purpose in sharing the knowledge and learning of Bhakti Yoga for the well-being of all.
I firmly believe that when we take responsibility for our well-being and prioritize it in daily life, we reap its benefit for both the self and others, and the future generation.
Imagine you are on a trekking trip to Mount Everest. You are joyful and curious. You signed a clause before your trip. The term stated that an expert Sherpa would guide you through the journey, but you had to carry your baggage. As you were determined to follow your heart, you bothered little about the consequences. You had a belief in your abilities and faith in the universal supreme power of God.
During the journey, you faced your fears and accepted them as part of your own life. You carefully took steps and overcame challenges with the help of the Sherpa. However, halfway through your journey, you experienced altitude sickness. The expert Sherpa came to your rescue and observed that you were carrying unnecessary baggage. He suggested that you lessen the burden of your luggage. As soon as you followed his instruction, you felt instant relief, and you resumed your journey.
Similarly, on the path of the spiritual journey, you must believe in your abilities and develop faith in the universal energy of the omnipresent God. Fear of the past and future, limiting beliefs, likes, and dislikes are part of our minds’ conditioning. These are your baggage. The awareness of love is like the Sherpa who guides you towards your purpose in life. If you remain equanimous and accept life’s realities, you become receptive to the intelligence of love. Eventually, you can devote your heart and mind to the purpose of your life. To reach the top of Mount Everest is to attain your bliss.
Spiritual practices help you be aware of your inner conflicts. You can learn to be conscious of your thoughts and feelings, and respond to your actions.
If we take a piece of paper and allow the sunlight to pass through a magnifying glass, the paper will burn. Similarly, ‘devotion’ is like a magnifying glass. It is a single-pointed awareness, the supreme intelligence of life, where all your life force energy and mental faculties get aligned with your life’s purpose.
Selfless service expresses your devotion towards the purpose of life. Once you are free from the conditioning of your mind, you do not act from the center of ego.
In the state of devotion, you flow with the process of life. You experience inner joy in your daily life activities and advance into a deep sense of contentment, which is bliss. In the state of serenity, your intuition guides you to your most authentic and creative self. When you act with selflessness, you live life with abundance and become the guiding light for others.
The life of Lord Hanuman is the role model for selfless service. He is the epitome of love and devotion. He is considered to be the Rudra incarnation, the mightiest form of Lord Shiva. He was born to serve Lord Rama and was his greatest devotee. He held Lord Rama with the highest reverence in his heart. In his love for Lord Rama, he remained eager to serve him in all ways. Whenever he performed any devotional service, he felt utter bliss.
Lord Hanuman exhibited enormous physical strength and intelligence. He had perfected mastery over his body, mind, and life force energy. Lord Hanuman remained fearless, lived in the present moment, and excelled in his service. He didn’t get affected by the consequences of likes and dislikes in life. He had a firm faith in Lord Rama’s divine nature. Even Lord Rama praised his divine qualities and expressed his indebtedness towards Lord Hanuman’s devotional service. Lord Hanuman was very innocent as a child but also very clever. In Ramacharitamanas, Saint Tulsidas has beautifully described the divine plays of Lord Hanuman.
Indrajeet was the eldest son of the Demon King Ravana. He was the most skilled and ferocious warrior. Ravana saw that on the battlefield, his army was devastated by the command of Lord Rama and so he sent Indrajeet. Indrajeet promised Ravana that he would bring the war to a conclusion. In rage and pride, he reached the battlefield and challenged Lord Rama and Laxmana. Soon, the intense battle started, and they fought with powerful weapons.
When Lord Rama and Laxmana could defend all the attacks, Indrajeet became frustrated and restless. Indrajeet had received divine boons because of his intense austerity. So he used his holy blessing. He disappeared and attacked the army of Lord Rama. At last, he used his unparalleled weapon on Lord Rama and Laxmana. Both of them became unconscious. Indrajeet came back to Ravana and proudly announced his victory.
Everyone was in despair on the battlefield. Lord Rama regained his consciousness but Laxmana was still unconscious. They were looking for solutions for his treatment. Fortunately, the brother of Demon King Ravana, Vibhishana, was involved in Lord Rama’s army . He suggested that a medical practitioner named Sushena, who lived in Lanka, could treat Laxmana.
On hearing this, Lord Hanuman came forward and assured him he would bring Sushena from Ravana’s kingdom. He accomplished the task with ease. However, he was about to witness another challenging task. Sushena showed hope to treat Laxmana. He said that a divine herb called Sanjeevani, which possessed powerful healing potency and grew in the distant mountains, could cure Laxmana, but he doubted anyone could bring it by the evening.
Lord Hanuman could fly as fast as the wind. He eagerly inquired about the description of the herb and assured that he would come back by the evening. He had to face obstacles on his way but he overcame them with his strength and determination. When he reached the mountain, he observed that many herbs fit the description of ‘Sanjeevani.’ He did not want to take any risk. So he lifted the entire mountain. He kept his commitment and brought joy to the army of Lord Rama. Laxmana regained his consciousness. When Lord Rama witnessed the recovery of his brother, he felt extremely delighted and satisfied. He praised Lord Hanuman and expressed his gratitude.
Lord Hanuman made impossible tasks possible. Not only that, but he was also an outstanding leader. The army of Lord Rama built a bridge on an ocean from Rameswaram to Lanka. Nala and Nila, credited as the engineers of the Rama Setu (the bridge) lead this challenging task. Lord Hanuman motivated the army and worked with them. They completed the bridge in five days!
Lord Hanuman felt Lord Rama’s pain when Ravana kidnapped Sita and kept her in his kingdom. So, he found out about Sita’s welfare and examined the strength of Ravana’s army. He took Lord Rama’s blessing and started his journey to Lanka. He used his divine powers, crossed the ocean, and overcame obstacles to meet Sita. Sita was glad to see Lord Hanuman and enquired about everyone’s well-being. She gave one of her ornaments to Hanuman as a token of remembrance for Lord Rama.
On his way back from Lanka, Lord Hanuman caused terror in Lanka and examined the strength of Ravana’s armies. When he returned to Rameswaram, he gave Sita’s ornament to Lord Rama and brought intense relief to Lord Rama’s heart. Lord Hanuman realized the power of the spirit. He established his firm faith in Lord Rama. He was devoted to serving Lord Rama and earned his grace with selfless service.
Saint Tulsidas was born in the 14th century in a village near Prayagraj, India. He lost his parents at an early age and had a tough childhood. However, he had a sharp intellect and a powerful memory. Saint Tulsidas was a great devotee of Lord Rama. He met his guru, Sri Narhari Ji in Ayodhya, who used to narrate to him the divine qualities and deeds of Lord Rama. Later, he went to Kashi and committed fifteen years to the studies of the Veda and Vedanta.
After his studies, he came back to his village and got married. After his marriage, he remained so immersed in the world's comfort that he almost forgot about his devotion towards Lord Rama. However, God had a unique plan for him.
One day, his wife's brother came to take her home. She acknowledged Tulsidas and accompanied her brother. However, Tulsidas followed them on their way back to her house. When his wife noticed him at her home suddenly, she felt shame and anger. In those moments, she voiced out her anguish. She said, “If you could have devoted your life to Lord Rama instead of getting attached to the bone and flesh—to my body, you would have been liberated from the suffering of life.”
Tulsidas felt deeply pained by her words. These words broke his illusion, and he became an ascetic. He began his journey of self-transformation. He went on his journey to search for Lord Rama.
He reached Kashi and prayed to Lord Hanuman for his blessing. Lord Hanuman gave darshan to Saint Tulsidas and sent Saint Tulsidas to Chitrakoot for Lord Rama's darshan. Thus, with his grace, Lord Rama gave darshan to him. Saint Tulsidas felt ecstasy and intense devotion after these incidents.
One day in his dream, Lord Shiva gave him darshan and instructed him to go to Ayodhya to write ‘deeds of Lord Rama’ in the local language. Tulsidas woke up in awe and with divine inspiration. He expressed his gratitude towards Lord Shiva and moved to Ayodhya.
He found his bliss in writing and narrating the story of Lord Rama. He completed his work Ramacharitamanas in two years, seven months, and twenty-six days. He faced criticism and obstacles but with divine will, Ramacharitamanas eventually became popular among people. To date, Ramacharitamanas is a widely known and revered epic.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati, in his book Satsangs on Ramacharitamanas wrote, "It is a commentary on faith and the most powerful tonic for generating bhakti.”
Fear of the past and fear of the future causes restlessness in mind and suppresses the spirit’s expression. The spiritual practices create harmony between body, mind, and spirit. If we remain conscious of our thinking, feelings, and behavior, we can lead an authentic life which brings us closer to our spirit. The more we free our minds from the conditioning of fear, limiting beliefs, and likes and dislikes, the more awareness of love arises. It is only in the perception of love that creativity thrives.
Devotion is the supreme intelligence of life that aligns our life force energy and mental strength towards life’s purpose, and selfless service is its creative expression. In selfless service, we live in bliss.
