Bhakti Yoga - The Path of the Heart Bhakti Yoga is one of the four main spiritual paths in yoga, which focuses on love and devotion as a path to self-realization. This love is directed toward God and the universal divine and aims at the experience of unity in order to attain the highest reality. The principle of Bhakti Yoga can be found in many religions and spiritual orientations. No special abilities are required to develop the qualities of Bhakti. Only the decision to open oneself to the divine and the will to practice with an open heart and without selfish expectations are prerequisites for Bhakti Yoga.
The types of Bhakti
In Bhakti, a distinction is made between Apara Bhakti and Para Bhakti. Beginners practice Apara Bhakti, a lower form of Bhakti, in which they perform ceremonies and rituals. This is because in Apara Bhakti, the practitioner's heart is not yet ready to become familiar with the secrets for advanced practitioners. As followers of a religious community, bhakti beginners look down on other religions. Para Bhakti Yoga, on the other hand, encompasses everything and includes everyone. The love felt by Para Yoga practitioners has cosmic dimensions. For them, the whole world is a garden of God, which is why they no longer need worship or temples. They see the manifestation of God in every detail. The all-encompassing love of the Para practitioner goes so far that they feel no disgust for dirt, feces, and other disgusting things. Bhakti Yoga, in its higher form, leads to a sublime attitude that, through all-encompassing love and devotion, allows one to perceive the divine in everything.
Bhakti Yoga as the last of the six yoga paths
According to Swami Sivananda, Bhakti Yoga is part of integral yoga, which comprises a total of six yoga paths. Hatha Yoga , which involves positive thinking, meditation and deep relaxation brought about by asanas and pranayama, is the first step on the path to complete surrender to the divine and the higher self. The second path consists of Raja Yoga , the control of the mind. This is followed by Jnana Yoga , which is about training wisdom and experiencing insight. Kundalini Yoga , the yoga of energy, is the fourth yoga path, just before selfless service, also called Karma Yoga. Only then comes Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of complete love and devotion. Part of this yoga are rituals such as homas or pujas as well as satsang, which takes place in ashrams every morning and evening. The practice also includes mantras and Jaya Ganesha, in which various divine powers and aspects are invoked.
Bhakti Yoga in practice: the 9 techniques
The nine techniques of Bhakti Yoga are described in one of the most important scriptures on Bhakti Yoga, the Bhagavatam, as follows:
- Sravana: Theoretical education through reading and studying sacred scriptures and listening to spiritual narratives.
- Kirtana: Chanting prayers and holy names in the form of mantras and bhajans to center the mind and recharge oneself energetically.
- Smarana: Becoming aware of the divine presence, both in everyday life when you discover something beautiful and also through the repetition of mantras.
- Vandana: It involves bowing to an authority, which can be found either in a spiritual teacher or in a deity, as a gesture of invitation into one's own life and as a humble and appreciative expression of one's inner attitude.
- Padasevana: This means having an altar at home and maintaining it to serve at the feet of God.
- Archana: Archana goes a step further and involves ritual worship by making offerings, usually through rituals like pujas and homas.
- Dasya: This involves practicing and living the service of a higher reality, whereby our actions can also be of service to other people.
- Sakhya: The practice of developing friendship with God.
- Atmanivedana: The last described technique of Bhakti Yoga is the complete surrender of oneself to the Divine and the higher Self.
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