The Yoga of Devotion : Bhakti Yoga

Love is the basis of all life. Without it we cannot live. God is often defined as love. Most of our lives are spent seeking love. But what is love, do we really know? Is our seeking based on truth or illusion? Will it bring us to true love or some  form of disappointment or dissipation?  

Love, like knowledge, can be distinguished as higher and lower. The lower form of love is sexual passion or any need to attach ourselves to external things. It is the need to be loved. The higher form of love is devotion, love of God, love of Truth, love of Life. It is the willingness to give love. In the lower form of love we seek love from the outside, from someone or some body. In the higher form of love we go to the source of love within and are willing to be a source of that love for all. We must seek love as love is our nature but it is up to us whether it is the higher or lower form we align ourselves with.  

Devotion or Divine love is the second major path of Yoga. It consists of the worship of the Divine Beloved. This can be through various chosen deities (Ishta devatas) or incarnations of God (Avatars). Sometimes the teacher or guru may become the object of worship. This does not mean to worship their outer personality but to give reverence to the Divine teacher within them.  A personal form of the Divine is often used as an aid in devotion. After all we naturally project our devotion on a form or personality, that being our human condition for many life-times.

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