Bhakti Yoga: Stages, Benefits, Self Realization And Discovering The True Meaning Of Life

By Patricia | January 12, 2009
Bhakti Yoga: For Self Realization

Bhakti Yoga(Devotional Yoga) is the most divine and spiritual form of Yoga.It emphasizes on curbing our constant desires and pleasures, which we are relentlessly seeking as human beings, be it the rat-race to become rich and famous or scoring points amid the opposite sex. However, Bhakti Yoga revolves around the philosophy of complete submission to God in the form of physical, mental and emotional devotion.

Bhakti Yoga promotes an ideology, which accentuates a life beyond the physical world, which is ruled by materialism and hypocrisy. It’s a state of self-actualization where all other needs barring devotion to God seem meaningless. One practicing Bhakti Yoga cannot be lured by money, seduction or recognition.

Bhakti Yoga is just not a state of emotional being. It goes far beyond it. It’s a conditioning of the mind and true realization of the existence of God. There are various stages of Bhakti Yoga, which are very hard to attain, yet once achieved can be an out-of-the-world experience.

Sravana – This stage deals with hearing various stories and folklores of various Gods and their greatness.

Kirtana – This step deals with reciting various hymns and religious songs trying to please and praise the almighty.

Smarana - This part of Bhakti elaborates remembering God and making his presence felt all around you, so much so that you forget your own bodily presence.

Padasevana – At this phase, one has to service humanity to attain the true spirit of devotion to God.

Archana – This means worshipping the Lord through a picture or image, which can be both physical and mental but the focus has to be in pleasing the lord by immersing yourself in complete prayer and reverence.

Vandana - This is a phase of complete submission to God through deep and profound spirituality techniques.

Dasya – Becoming literally a servant of God, that is what Dasya stage is all about. You are no more yourself but a devoted servant to God chanting his glory, virtues, values and beliefs.

Sakhya – This stage elaborates on making God your friend with whom you can confess and confer your problems and troubles of life.

Atmanivedana – The last part of Bhakti Yoga deals with giving yourself to God, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Nothing exists around you other than God.

Bhakti Yoga has tremendous advantages. Firstly it helps in reducing your pains and sorrows particularly curbing negative emotions such as jealousy, anger, hatred, lust, arrogance and pride. It instills positive emotions of joy, tranquility and inner peace of the soul.

So if you are looking for self-realization and discovering the true meaning of life, try Bhakti yoga.

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