Free Book Download: Bhakti Life

We may read a lot of spiritual knowledge, but sometimes the practical application can be ambiguous and unclear. What practices should I perform on a daily basis? How can I change my lifestyle to support my spirituality? When challenges and obstacles arise, how should I react? “Bhakti Life” is a humble attempt to answer some of these questions and offer some practical information for the aspiring spiritualist.

Bhakti-yoga is not an armchair philosophy, a religious doctrine or a Sunday ritual. It is a way of life. In the Bhakti-Rasamrita Sindhu, a 16th century thesis on the science of devotion, the great teacher Rupa Goswami perfectly outlines how to practice bhakti-yoga in one’s daily life. Drawing from these timeless teachings, we have attempted to distil 18 simple steps that will aid one’s journey to Krishna. Engaging in these practical acts of bhakti-yoga will awaken a deep sense of fulfilment, happiness and enduring satisfaction. Indeed, Krishna assures us that the individual who is steadfast and determined in such spiritual practices can see Him face-to-face. It’s that simple.

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Slow Progress

Over the years I’ve managed to keep a journal with some daily thoughts and reflections. Today I looked back to read my entry on 21st February 2003. It was disappointing. The exact same character frailties, unhelpful desires and spiritual blocks I had then, are still affecting me now. It can be disheartening to see a lack of transformation and progress, and naturally calls one to question themselves. Am I consistently bringing my full attention and care to the basic spiritual practices? Does my lifestyle support and foster deeper spirituality? Could certain activities be checking my spiritual growth? Have I approached other spiritualists to receive their feedback and advice? This kind of regular honest introspection is essential for a healthy spiritual life. We have to identify our blocks and make a concerted effort to create change.

However, there is another perspective. Once, a disciple approached his guru with a similar quandary regarding his perceived stunted spiritual progress. The guru responded by handing him two seeds, one for a fern tree, the other for a bamboo tree. He told the disciple to sow and cultivate them both.

• After one year the fern tree had grown 1 foot high, but the bamboo tree had not appeared. 
• By the second year the fern tree had reached 2 foot high, but there was still no sign of the bamboo tree. 
• Three years in, the fern tree had steadily progressed to 3 foot high, while the bamboo tree remained invisible.

The disciple was slightly bewildered, but the guru simply smiled and told him to be patient. At the conclusion of the fourth year the fern tree had progressed to 4 foot high, but the bamboo had now miraculously shot up to 5 foot high. When the disciple reported back, the guru explained the reason – “yes, the bamboo was spending 3 years spreading its roots. That was the invisible part of its growth process”. Thus the guru assured the sincere disciple that he was indeed progressing, though it may not be externally perceivable at this moment in time.

Advancement in the spiritual discipline is not necessarily linear. It’s not that with each progressive year of sincere practice a certain amount of visible and perceived character progress is guaranteed. The effect of our day-to-day practices may be on a much more subtle and internal level, and if we continue on with enthusiasm, patience and determination, we can be assured that progress is taking place. Like the trees, we all grow in different ways. Since inner transformation is a divine gift, we cannot force it to occur. Through sincere and concerted endeavour we can only attempt to attract grace, yet we are not in ultimate control of that transcendental commodity. With each passing year, I am realizing that the defects of envy, lust, pride, ego and anger are incredibly deep-rooted. Although we see hints of improvement over time, it will likely take many years of concerted effort to truly reconfigure the psyche, and manifest our pure spiritual character. I'm not disappointed - it’s worth the wait!

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Spiritual Melting Pot

It wasn’t planned, but it was a great opportunity. I threw together a few essentials, jumped on a rickety Indian bus, scrambled for one of the last remaining seats, and sat through a violently bumpy twelve-hour overnight journey. It was a tad uncomfortable but I accepted it as part of the experience. As we arrived at 6.00am in a chilly Allahabad, the thick fog began to disperse, and the sun rose to reveal one of the greatest congregations of human beings in any one place: “Kumbha Mela”. Held every 12 years, the festival attracts faithful pilgrims, inquisitive spiritual seekers, destitute beggars, famed yoga masters, and extreme ascetics rarely seen by the rest of civilisation. This year, over 80 million people will be magnetically drawn to this spiritual melting pot. No other religious gathering comes close to it in terms of scale.

The focal point of the entire site is the triveni-sangam, the meeting place of three sacred rivers: the Ganges, Yamuna and the subterranean Sarasvati. By bathing in the confluence at astrologically auspicious periods, lifetimes of karmic baggage can be destroyed, and one can free themselves from the complex meshes of action and reaction. Thus, one can transcend the temporal world of perpetual rebirth and open the doors to liberation. Needless to say I capitalised on the opportunity. It was a powerful experience. This human spectacle, however, has also become renowned as a forum to exchange spiritual values, religious ideas and moral codes. Above and beyond the exotic mysticism that can attract and capture one’s attention, these festivals offer the golden opportunity to meet saintly and self-realised people. This is the essence of Kumbha Mela.

But who is a true saint? The Bhagavad-gita explains that such persons are not stereotyped. They may be recognised by many people and famed in spiritual circles, or maybe not. They may be erudite, scholarly and philosophically astute, or maybe not. They may be renounced, austere and free from worldly responsibility, or maybe not. The one essential quality of the truly saintly person, however, is their enthusiastic, dedicated and unwavering conviction to selflessly serve. They exist to give happiness to others. It is those souls who we have to seek out, for the sacred truths of dharma are hidden within their hearts. As I head towards London Heathrow, I reflect on the many saintly people I have met on this trip. Over the years I have become more and more convinced that saints are not just personalities of the past, but that saints are also living in our midst. We walk and talk with spiritually evolved people more often than we may appreciate. I sincerely hope these special souls will remember me. I’ll surely be blessed if they do.

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