bhakti

One of my favorite parts of yoga is that there is something for everyone. In the West most people are only familiar to Hatha Yoga, but sun salutations are not what makes someone a yogi. There are actually many margas (paths)...

• Raja Yoga: Path of Meditation
• Jnana Yoga: Path of Knowledge
• Karma Yoga: Path of Selfless Service
• Bhakti Yoga: Path of Devotion

Of all the different margas, bhakti yoga is what resonates with my heart and soul. I enjoy the rituals, chanting, dancing, japa, pujas and other types of bhakti practices. So I was beyond excitement last weekend when I had the opportunity to spend an entire day with the ultimate bhakti yogis: the Hare Krishnas. The day included a beautiful aarati, a poetic translation of Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita, a blessed feast, and a sweet asana practice.

Between the events I had an opportunity to visit with one of the devotees to learn more about her life at the farm, Krishna consciousness, and her spiritual practices. There are many different rituals and practices they do at the farm, but she says it all revolves around three things:

1. Chanting
2. Dancing
3. Feasting

I thought to myself, I can get down with that :)

It was a beautiful day filled with many lessons. As I drove back home I began to think, what am I devoted to in this lifetime? Is there anything I love as much as they love Krishna? What am I committed to?

The only answer that I can find is to simply grow. I want to grow in every way possible... as a spiritual being, as a sister, a yoga teacher, a daughter, a web designer, an artist, a seer, a tambourine master (haha)... I want to grow in all the directions of my life that bring happiness to me. And that's what happens when I chant, dance, perform pujas, etc... I fan that fire of love and devotion to grow.

Gratitude to Sri Michele Baker, Yogindra and all the other Krishna devotees who organized a very special day in the back woods of Mississippi. Hari bol!!!

Isvara Pranidhana

Surrender to the Divine

Life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes discomfort is inevitable, but suffering is optional. What causes suffering? Resistance to what is... the present moment. The desire for things to be different. At times we are mistaken - we think we have control over the present moment. If circumstances become "unfavorable", we will fight tooth and nail to change it. Sometimes this works, but other times the more we fight it, the more we suffer. This is no way to live.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras teach us, "SAMADHI SIDDHIR ISVARA PRANIDHANAT."

Turning the focus to the Self brings about complete absorption in the Divine.

There are many ways to describe isvara pranidhana... "thy will be done", "let go and let God" or even the country song "Jesus take the wheel."

"After one has exhausted one's own resources and still not succeeded, one turns to the Lord for help for he is the Source of all power. The student prays, I do not know what is good for me. Thy will be done." -BKS Iyengar

How does one surrender? Breathe. Accept you don't have control. Trust that when you align with your Highest Self, the Universe will align with you to help you fulfill your dharma - our purpose in life. Surrender your identity and ego. Surrender your sense of otherness. When we completely let go, we melt back in to God... melt back into Cosmic Consciousness.

This doesn't mean life will suddenly be filled with cupcakes and rainbows. Life is still filled with challenges. However, our perception has changed. Instead of being stuck in the small self, we re-member the Universal Self and trust the order of all things.