Bhakti or something else?

[Rudy]

I just remembered that about a year and a few months ago I cried while reading something from the Devi Gita. It was a happy few tears not the water works. I felt reverence, beauty, and a little I don't know what.

Was this what you call Bhakti?

I also had an out pouring of my heart to a little statue of Ganesha I have, a while ago, it felt... great.

Hard tell through text and I may be miss... saying things, it's hard to describe.

Any ideas?

[smaranam]

Namaste

Yes, those are certainly symptoms of bhakt.

praNAm

[sunyata07]

Namaste Rudy,

I agree with Smaranam on this; it sounds like what you experienced in those few episodes was indeed bhakti. Having those moments when the truth just suddenly "clicks" with you as you read from the scriptures can unleash a torrent of bhakti; otherwise, it can come from something as simple as lighting a candle to a murti and offering a prayer.

I have gone through similar experiences reading the Gita and listening to some of the most beautiful songs in existence dedicated to God. It can be an unexpected, but most welcome sensation when this happens! If you find it hard to cry sometimes (like myself), the results are initially a little disconcerting. You wonder where do these tears come from? And yet these moments are wonderfully restorative and a great soul-cleanser. Sometimes I'd wish it would never go away, that feeling of ecstasy and glowing love and energy in your heart centre.

Om namah Shivaya

[Rudy]

To be honest I'd like to expereince this again, I'd like to love God like this again. Ive read about Bhakti but I have no experience about the actual practice. And I'm not Hindu. I guess I have conflicting ideas about this. But I'd still like to learn how to love a form of God.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté Rudy,

But I'd still like to learn how to love a form of God.

If you wish to love a form of the Supreme, then one can love one's own Self.
How can this be? Because the Supreme is all-pervading. This includes you. And at the core of 'you' is the Self.

...know thy Self, say the wise.

but how do I do this ? Hence the path begins from this simple question and one's ernestness.

praṇām

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam Rudy: Definitely bhakti. Crying is almost the norm in some places. A quiet sob. I've done it a few times too. There is one spot in my local temple where I almost always get that feeling. I don't know why it is there, but for some reason the shakti of the temple just hits me there at the same spot. It is on the pradakshina trail.

It's a very cleansing feeling, I think.

Aum Namasivaya

[jasdir]

Bhakti is the name of thing which always remain disclose, for one bhakt, till He/she becomes one with Bhakti.

Truely the goal of bhakti for one bhakt is, to become one with bhakti.

I know only this rest.... bhakti itself know's, not "I".

_/\_Jasdir. (Not Bhakt)

[smaranam]

But I'd still like to learn how to love a form of God.

Namaste,

It is certainly about love for the SELF, paramAtmA, and seeing paramAtmA in everyone and everything.

To begin with, listen to transcendental bhajans - shravaN, sing glories and bhajans - kirtan, better, participate in / hear congregational bhajan - saNkirtan,

learn more about - read scripture, also purAN shravaN,

talk to as closest friend - vandanam, sakhyam, render service - dAsyam,

finally surrender everything to - Atmanivedanam - total dependance on the Supreme Love - no independant ventures.

Have you been studying Bhagavad Gita ?

praNAm

[Rudy]

Thank you for the replies

Smaranam: I just very recently bought a copy of the Bhagavad Gita called: The Bhagavad Gita A walk through for westerners, by Jack Hawley. It's good for me becouse it's in plain English. But I have not read the whole thing yet.