If you had asked me, circa 2016, what devotion means, I would have looked at you confused and probably responded with something snarky, undoubtedly revolving around the gym or an exercise routine. You see, four years ago I was in the midst of figuring out what it all meant. I had only just begun what would become a life-changing journey back to myself.
I began practicing yoga as a New Year’s resolution, in an effort to become happy and healthy in mind, body and soul. Despite the purity of my intention, the reality was that I only really wanted to look good in a bathing suit over the summer. I didn’t realize at the time that this practice would become such a large part of my life, ultimately flipping my perspective on so many things. At the time it was impossible for me to see that yoga, and bhakti yoga in particular, would lead me along a path of self-discovery and healing, much less to a strong, one-pointed, calming form of loving dedication to a practice and to a universal God. This journey had a specific name, and long-standing traditions I knew nothing about.
What is bhakti yoga?
Bhakti yoga is a path of self-actualization, a journey toward harmony of the self and the universe. Bhakti is a Sanskrit word derived from the root bhaj, “to adore or worship God,” and the practice has been described as “love for love’s sake.” In its purest essence, bhakti yoga is a beautiful balance of love and tolerance.
One of the earliest examples of bhakti comes from the stories of Akka Mahadevi, a girl in 12th century India. At a tender age, Mahadevi became a devotee of Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. She eventually married a local king, but found that her overwhelming love for Shiva overshadowed mortal love. She rejected her husband and ran away. According to legend, she gave up all the riches of the kingdom, leaving even her clothes behind and using her long hair to cover her body. For the rest of her life, Mahadevi devoted herself to Shiva, singing his praises as she traveled blissfully around India as a wandering poet and saint.
How devotion found me
I have never been a very religious person. I was raised in the Roman Catholic faith, but it never touched my heart the way it does for others. It wasn’t until I started practicing yoga that I began to experience a spiritual connection to a subject of worship.
By dedicating my practice to those I love, setting intentions at the beginning of my practice, and choosing to move my body in a way that serves not only myself but others, yoga created a vehicle that allowed my soul to travel and unite with the divine. As we delve deeper into universal love, a natural sense of trust develops. The universal love our practice offers generates a positive energy, allowing us to experience the world through a lens of loving acceptance.
From the mat to the heart
This practice entered my life in a superficial way, but I can say with certainty that many others begin their journey the same way. Jumping in with both feet can be intimidating, perhaps even more intimidating than starting another form of exercise, because of this deep connection to devotion and spirituality. There is no reason to be fearful, though. Bhakti yoga is rooted in the transmission of loving kindness, and it becomes a natural progression.
As devotion to our practice deepens within us, it is only a matter of time before it is expressed to those around us, the same way that when we are unhappy with ourselves, it is often those around us who carry the burden of our negative emotions. We practice, and we begin to find a deeper love and respect for ourselves, which, once cultivated, follows a natural pathway and spreads from our hearts toward the hearts of others, enveloping them with the same respect and kindness we offer ourselves.
To me, that is the essence of devotion. It is the reason we practice: to develop and nurture this one-pointed, calming love, which we can then give to those we love.
Source: Nora Isaacs, “What Is Bhakti Yoga? Why You Should Try the Yoga of Devotion,” Yoga Journal, 2008.
