hakti Yoga is the Yoga of the Heart. It is NOT sentimentality, nor superstition; it is not foolishness, nor even wishful thinking or blind belief. Bhakti is a state of being in contact with deeper spheres of our Existence and Being, and thereby in touch with the Existence and Being of all things. Bhakti Yoga is the means of bringing this about and applying this inner vision into our daily affairs and relationships with other people, animals and the world at large.
Whether you believe in something or you don't, it doesn't matter. Bhakti Yoga can be a fundamental and transformative part of your ongoing path to a deeper Realisation of Reality. The main quality that is required is openness of the mind and heart to the unexpected and to the Unknown.
Definition: The Sanskrit word 'bhakti' comes from the Sanskrit root 'bhaja' - 'to adore, love, serve.' Therefore 'bhakti' is the state of love, compassion and service; 'bhakti yoga' is the path of Yoga which awakens Bhakti within us. A person who feels Bhakti is called a 'bhakta'.

The Fourteen Steps
The basic steps of Bhakti Yoga are as follows:

1. Practice of other forms of Yoga. This helps to expand the doors of our perception and make us more sensitive. Heightened perception comes through inner transformation (which is the purpose of Yoga) NOT through blind belief. Practise Karma Yoga (the Yoga of Selfless Action), Gyana Yoga (the Yoga of Direct Insight), Dhyana Yoga (the Yoga of Meditation), Mantra Yoga (the Yoga of Sound), Kriya Yoga (the Yoga of Circulating Energy) or Hatha Yoga (the Yoga of Balance) or any other form of Yoga. They can be practised in any combination.

If you are a sceptic, as many are, don't try to practise Bhakti Yoga. Follow any of these other types of Yoga instead. They all lead to the same inner experience and can also, in time, put you on the path of Bhakti Yoga.

2. A Focal Point. If you are attracted towards a certain form or symbol, then this can be a focal point for your aspiration and meditation. But do not try to artificially cultivate devotion to a deity or a person - this is merely fooling oneself.

A religious icon can be your object of devotion. If you subscribe to a particular religion use the symbols and icons of your religion. The form is not the end but the means. This is very clearly explained in the Bhakti Yoga texts:

'The Intelligent Principle can be worshipped in whatever image or medium for which you feel reverence or devotion, for being the Spirit of the Universe, I (the Intelligent Principle, here symbolised as Krishna) dwell in all things.'

Uddhava Gita, part of the Srimad Bhagavatam

This image, whatever it may be, engenders concentration of your whole being - taking you deeper in your perception. This can, in time and with practice, bring a flow of Bhakti which is beyond the form. This is an important practice of Bhakti Yoga. But it is not enough just to believe in a religious form - we have to investigate and meditate on the symbol in order to deepen our understanding. Quantum Physics tells us that every atom in the universe is connected to the Quantum Vacuum - the Infinite Substratum. Each and every atom in the universe is connected to the underlying Reality. Bhakti Yoga uses this same principle - it says that any form used as a focal point of concentration can, if we go deep enough in our perception, lead us to Realisation of this same Infinite Substratum.

A mantra can also serve as a focal point. For example, the mantra OM is a symbol of the ineffable, and is widely used by Yoga practitioners. Or you may be attracted towards a certain Yogi or Saint, living or dead. It may be your Guru. All these things help to concentrate the mind and emotions and inspire you to go deeper. But the focal point should be something or someone who attracts you like a moth to a flame - spontaneously, without effort.

If you are not drawn to any religion or to any religious form, as many are not, then it's better not to bother. There are many other paths of Yoga which you can practise and which can bring enormous benefits and, in time, lead you naturally to heightened Awareness and to Bhakti Yoga.

3. Openness. Be open to the mysteries of life and existence. It is certain that what we currently know is only a very tiny part of all there is to be known. Humanity has discovered many of the secrets of nature and existence, but then existence is infinite so there is no end to the vistas that can be discovered. Keep in mind the following saying of Shakespeare:

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in our philosophy."

Hamlet IV.166

4. Surrender and Acceptance. Try to accept whatever happens in life - the unexpected arrival of events, situations or people. Take everything as a gift - as an opportunity to learn and to remove misconceptions and ignorance. Obviously this is not always easy since there are things, people and events which we can more easily accept than others; and even some things which we find impossible to accept. Likes and dislikes are part of being human. Nevertheless, whilst accepting our likes and dislikes, we should try to see these things against the greater backdrop of Eternity. Nothing lasts for ever and things that seem so important now will be worth nothing in a few years time. Whilst living to the full, we should, paradoxically, 'take everything with a pinch of salt'. We should try to be open to the fact that there is a greater Intelligence behind what we can see with our eyes and what we can understand with our limited mind.

5. Renunciation. When and where necessary, one should try to be ready to let things go - moving on to new situations and places where possible and where appropriate. One should even be willing to let go of a comfortable way of life, if it should be necessary. It is only by letting go of the past that we can be open to the present moment and the potentiality of the future. We should be willing, in our heart, to let go of the known so that we can be open to the Unknown. On a deeper level and at a certain point on the path of Bhakti Yoga we should be willing to let go of our conditioning, concepts, intellect and ego. This demands trust in the process and/ or in the Guru.

6. Remembrance and Awe. Constant remembrance in an important part of Bhakti Yoga - allowing daily events to remind us that there is Intelligence behind everything. The wonder of nature can act as a stimulus to Bhakti Yoga as, for example, in the awe felt by George Washington Carver, the famous scientist, when he uttered:

'When I touch that flower I am touching infinity. It existed before there were human beings on this earth and it will continue in the millions of years to come. Through that flower, I talk to the infinite.....'

This is his sentiment of Bhakti (though, of course, he probably didn't know the word). This same sentiment can be seen in the poetry of mystical poets such as Wordsworth and Keats. Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel prize winning Bengali poet, beautifully expressed his Bhakti when he wrote:

'The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean cradle of birth and death, in ebb and flow.'

Intelligence is indeed in everything; we can realise it if we have the eyes to see, the heart to feel and the mind to perceive. The awe that the natural phenomena of nature can provoke in us is an important part of Bhakti Yoga.

Everything can remind us of the Intelligence behind all things. Lord Tennyson put it superbly as follows:

'Speak to Him, thou, for He heareth

And spirit to spirit can speak.

Nearer is He than breathing,

Closer than hands and feet.'

Even in death, some Bhaktas have been reminded of this Intelligence. When Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, he said with his last breath but one thing: 'Ram, Ram, Ram' - which means that he saw this Intelligence even in the process of his death and the person who shot him. Swami Ramdas, a great Indian Bhakti Yogi of this century, said:

'Unless there is burning aspiration for the Supreme, the mind cannot be steadied. Where your love is, there your mind also is. Just as a miser constantly thinks of money and money alone, so the Bhakta has exclusive remembrance of the Intelligence behind all things.'

An aid in this remembrance can be a mantra which constantly resonates in the background of the mind in all situations. Kabir, an inspired Yogi of 15th Century India, sang:

'I declare to the loud beat of a drum,

That with every breath that passes,

Without remembering the name of the Lord (i.e. the mantra),

You are losing the chance to conquer the three worlds,

The chance to reach the Spiritual heights.'

In this way a mantra acts as a means of focussing the mind and emotions, helping us to become and remain Aware. This helps to keep the mind calm and receptive in all situations. This constant remembrance is an indispensable part of Bhakti Yoga. To start, one can chant a mantra (mentally or aloud, depending on the situation) for some time every day, whenever one has time, until the mantra penetrates deeply into the mind and starts to spontaneously resonate within. The mantra then acts as a constant reminder that there is Intelligence behind everything.

A man in love with his girlfriend or wife doesn't need to create love - there is a natural magnetic attraction. A person firmly on the path of Bhakti Yoga constantly remembers the underlying Intelligence with the same intensity and spontaneity.

7. Respect and Caring for Others. Everything has its foundation in the bedrock of Infinity. Everything and everyone have their place. Knowing this in our hearts we should try to have respect for all. This doesn't mean we can't disagree with others or stick up for what we feel is right; as humans this is normal and necessary. However, despite our differences, there should be basic respect which arises naturally through deeper understanding. Everything in the universe has its place; we may not always appreciate this fact, but this is just the limitation of our mind and understanding. The Uddhava Gita says:
'One should treat everyone with respect and honour in the same way that you show respect to your deity or Guru. This leads to freedom from hatred, envy, malice and self-conceit.'
We should try to see Intelligence in everything, even though it is not always easy. The Uddhava Gita further elaborates:

'Knowing there to be Intelligence in all things, he (the Bhakta) should respect and worship all things, whether a pariah, a dog or a donkey, until he experiences the real meaning of Intelligence in all things.'

The Essence which exists within us also exists in the other. This helps to engender respect, even if we don't particularly like that person! It is said that the secret of happiness is to find joy in another person's joy and that this happiness comes to those who think more of others than they do of themselves. This is an important part of Bhakti Yoga and is superbly illustrated by the famous prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:
'Lord. make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred,
let me sow love.
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon. Where there is doubt, to sow faith.
Where there is despair, to sow light. And where there is sadness,
let me sow joy.
Oh, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled
as to console.
To be understood as to understand, to be loved, as to love,
For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying (to the ego and selfishness)
That we are born to eternal life (Higher Awareness).'
An essential aspect of Bhakti Yoga is caring for others. Out of this comes compassion and the breaking down of self-importance and selfishness. From this comes higher Awareness.

8. Shraddha. The Sanskrit word 'shraddha' is often translated as 'faith'. However this doesn't really convey the profundity of the word, especially since, to the modern western mind, the word faith tends to mean 'blind belief'. Shraddha does not mean belief but implies that one has already gained a lot from Yoga practice and therefore one has the confidence that, with time and practice, Yoga will continue to bring inner change and benefits on all levels. Though from personal experience one may not know the deeper truths expounded by the Yogis and Sages, one trusts that they were not misguided and deluded, but rather that they were trying to convey something profound. One is at least open to this possibility.

Shraddha is not blind faith, requiring no commitment and aspiration, but rather an openness to the gifts of the Unknown. It is not naiveté, nor gullibility, but rather, receptivity, both inner and outer, to what life has to offer. One needs to be open to all whilst also developing a keen sense of discrimination.

Perhaps a better translation of 'shraddha' is 'trust' or 'confidence', but even these words can be rather insipid. One practises Meditation because there is shraddha that there is something to be known on an inner level. We may not know what it is, but the trust is there to continue the practice. Shraddha - deep trust - is a cornerstone of Bhakti Yoga.

9. Non-expectation. One shouldn't expect anything from the practice of Bhakti Yoga and, for that matter, from any other form of Yoga. This seems to be a contradiction, for why do Yoga if one doesn't expect some results or benefits? Of course, being human, one does expect something but, nevertheless, expectation does prevent us going deeper; our expectations tend to limit our perception so that it is unable to enter into and explore new territories of existence.

Progress in Yoga means that our perception and understanding start to move into the Unknown. Like many things, it is a question of navigating the razor's edge between opposites - we should be patiently impatient; or, we should expect the unexpected, or perhaps, not expect the expected. By not expecting, we remain open to that which IS and not our concept of what IS.

Furthermore, it is the ego which expects. And going deeper in Yoga implies, at a certain point, that the ego sense is left behind. In the Uddhava Gita, Krishna says:

'My Bhakta (devotee) expects nothing, not even transcendental experience, for desirelessness and non-expectation is the sure route to Supreme Realisation.'

But we needn't get a complex about having expectations. They are there in all of us, but we should at least know that our expectations are mostly based on mental conditioning and delusory thinking which, in the final analysis, have nothing to do with Reality. Even in daily life, expectation can cause us problems. How many times have you helped someone, expected some thanks, only to find that it was not forthcoming? How many times have you done something expecting a particular outcome, only to find that the end result was completely different? In such situations we may become angry, frustrated or rejected; we may remain emotionally imbalanced for hours, days or weeks, even years or a lifetime. If we can live with a minimum of expectation then it is easier to remain happy and maintain stability in life.

If you help someone, don't expect thanks. Thank them for giving you the opportunity to be able to help them. Non-expectation is an important part of Bhakti Yoga since it leaves us open to the unexpected and the Unknown.

10. Satsang (Spiritual Association). Bhakti Yoga requires regular association with those people who are also practising Yoga or following a similar Spiritual path. In this way, there is exchange and clarification of ideas, removal of misconceptions and, most important, a sharing of common aspiration. Satsang also means attending meetings in which a person who is considered to have gone deeper into Yoga is given the opportunity to answer your questions. This gives us inspiration to go deeper into Yoga. A person from any tradition or non-tradition can be invited to give a Satsang - it is the quality of their Being and Presence and the clarity of their responses that is most important.

Under this heading would also come collective Meditation which can greatly help us to go deeper and awakening Bhakti.

11. Kirtan (Collective Chanting or Singing). A very useful practice of Bhakti Yoga is Kirtan - the collective chanting of mantras. This can create a charged atmosphere which helps us to go deeper in Meditation. Chanting clears the mind of dullness, disharmony and despair; one gains inspiration to carry on with life's commitments and to look deeper into the meaning of life. The effect and resonance of mantras often remains in the mind in our daily life helping us to become and remain Aware. For this reason, daily chanting as a group is a vital part of the Ashram timetable. If there is such a group in your area, join it. Or, having experienced Kirtan here in the Ashram or elsewhere, and tasted the benefits, consider starting a group yourself.

12. Awareness. Bhakti Yoga is inextricably linked to Awareness; without Awareness, Bhakti Yoga is not possible. Awareness is not really a practice but a quality of perception which arises because of inner transformation brought about by all forms of Yoga.

All Yoga practitioners experience a flush of joy and calmness after Yoga practice, whether in a class or alone. We become more conscious or Aware. But this quality of Being is quickly 'lost' as we again dive into our daily affairs and become ensnared in the ups and downs of every day living. But, with practice, one is able to maintain Awareness moment to moment in our life situations, even under stress. One starts to maintain contact with the inner Presence. One remains Aware. This is where Bhakti starts to become a part of our life.

Awareness increases our Bhakti and Bhakti increases our Awareness. Each feeds the other; they are the two sides of the same coin of our Being. The capacity to feel Bhakti and to be Aware is there in everyone, just as the potential to love is in everyone, no matter how self-centred and selfish a person may be. The possibility always exists but it has to be awakened.

13. The Guru/ Spiritual Teacher. For most people, it is far easier to make progress on the path of Bhakti Yoga if one has a Guru (Spiritual Preceptor) or Spiritual Teacher. S/he not only inspires us but can also give us concrete guidance. Unforeseen pitfalls can be more easily navigated.

If you have a Guru, then Bhakti is an essential and evident part of that relationship. If there is no Bhakti, then that person is probably not your Guru. Of course, in a wider sense, everyone is your Guru - but in Yoga, the Guru is a person who specifically catalyses inner transformation. Eventually, if you are sufficiently sensitive, then the Guru will awaken your inner Guru, which has nothing particularly to do with any person, alive or dead.

On the path of Bhakti Yoga, a Guru or Teacher is important. It should be someone whom we trust. The path of Yoga is hazardous - indeed, it is often compared with a razor's edge. One can easily go from one extreme to another and fall into the chasm of delusion. We can easily get lost in misconceptions and ignorance, which we falsely label 'common sense' or even 'wisdom'. The Guru or Teacher can show us where our thinking or actions are inappropriate, incorrect or invalid; having already walked further along the path s/he can advise us from their own experience. This applies on all paths of Yoga including Bhakti Yoga. We have to tread the path ourselves, but the Guru or Teacher can show us the way.

In some Yogic traditions, the Guru is considered even more important than God. Kabir sang:

'If both the Lord and the Guru were to stand in front of us, at whose feet should we prostrate ourselves? The answer is clear - we should prostrate at the Guru's feet because it is he (or she) who has shown us the Lord.'

14. Unpretentiousness. It is very easy - either through self-deception or with the intent of deceiving others - to put on an act of being pious. This tendency is an obstacle on the path of Bhakti Yoga, which has nothing to do with pretence or impressing others with one's 'holiness' and 'humility'. It is important to be honest with one's own feelings. As Shakespeare so aptly put it:

'To thine own Self be true.'

Be honest with your own perceptions, limitations and weaknesses. Better to work with what one is rather than what one would like to be, or pretends to be. Hypocrisy is one of the biggest obstacles on all paths of Yoga including Bhakti Yoga.

A wealthy landowner was performing ritual worship on the banks of the Dwarka river in India. The Yogi Vamakshepa was also there. He watched the landowner for some time and then started to splash water over him! The landowner was a bit surprised but tolerated it for a short time. Then he exploded with anger and yelled at Vamakshepa: 'What are you doing? Can't you see that I'm doing my worship?' The Yogi laughed and said to him 'But you are not worshipping. In your mind you are buying a new pair of shoes from Moor & Co. in Calcutta.' The Yogi then continued to splash water over him with even greater force. The landowner was humbled for this was indeed the case. He was putting on a show of worship, but inside the mind was doing something else. We all do this. We all practise Yoga with an inner dialogue that has nothing to do with the actual practice. Nothing wrong with this as long as we know that this is the fact, and providing we are not filled with self-deception or try to pretend to others that we are somehow 'holier than thou'.
Unpretentiousness is an important aspect of Bhakti Yoga.

Transcending the little 'i'. Yoga practice can allow us to gain a glimpse beyond the ego-sense. This enables us, albeit temporarily, to put our daily concerns to one side and gain a wider vision of our own Being, of others and indeed all things. One realises that one's personality is but the tip of an ice-berg - that there is a vast substratum underlying each and every being and thing, including oneself. Bhakti arises spontaneously as a consequence. The ego is like a small wave; Bhakti arises when we realise the immensity and Intelligence of the Ocean.

The attitude of a Bhakta. The Bhakta feels that s/he is not the doer - 'I do not serve....the Underlying Intelligence alone serves through me.' The Bhakta becomes an instrument. Actions become perfect and s/he becomes a non-doer. The Bhakta thinks, feels and knows that it is the Power working in all things that is also working through him/her. To the Bhakta, a great and humbling secret has been revealed - that there is Intelligence behind everything and that it is this Supreme Intelligence which makes us do everything. The bhakta knows from his/her own experience that s/he and everyone and everything else is only a medium of that ineffable Power.

Tukaram, the great Bhakta, who lived a few hundred years ago in what is now called the state of Maharashtra in western India, expressed this knowledge in the multitude of songs which he wrote to express his Bhakti. One is called 'Virat Bandana' - 'the World Prayer'. The first verse goes as follows:
'In every place and corner are You (the Underlying Intelligence);
In every shape are You.
Your names are many, but You are really only One.
Your playground is this visible universe.
In all this Leela (cosmic play), this cosmic carnival, there is indeed only You.' .

Bhakti is beyond words. Everything that has been written so far has missed the essence of Bhakti since it is beyond words. Bhakti is an inner state which arises because of the Realisation of the nature of one's own Being and its relationship with the Totality. This article endeavours to indicate the path more than the experience. A person's Bhakti will reflect in his or her daily actions, but this is not always obvious to those around. A person may be quietly getting on with their life doing what they did before; only they will know the inner state.

Bhakti is not a subject for discussion. It must be felt and known for oneself. It arises because of realisation of something not previously known.....it is the joy at realising That which would have previously been considered unthinkable or impossible.

To some, Bhakti Yoga may seem to be nothing but indoctrination, but, in fact, it is a means to go beyond all indoctrination. The aim of Bhakti Yoga is to sharpen and refine our perception so that indoctrination becomes impossible. Bhakti is a state of Being; it is not a concept or something to talk about.

Parting shot. One of the best definitions of Bhakti was given by Sogyal Rimpoche:

'What is real devotion ? It is not mindless adoration; it is not abdication of your responsibility to blindly following the whims of another. Real devotion is unbroken receptivity to the Truth. Real devotion is rooted in an awed gratitude that is lucid and intelligent'.

'The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying' p.136

[Note: In this article, the term '(Supreme or Underlying) Intelligence' has been used to indicate That Eternal Reality which is the basis underlying all things and beings. This Reality has been called by many names - the Divine, God, Consciousness, Lord, Shiva, Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Shakti, Allah, Jehovah, Zeus and many many other names. Use any name you wish - they all are valid. What is more important is to be open to That Essence which is beyond all names and forms.]