THE PATH OF DEVOTION
Bhakti Yoga is commonly known as the Yoga path of Devotion and surrender. It is commonly practiced through singing and chanting. However, Bhakti yoga encompasses any activity that cultivates absorption- ‘Samavesha’. Absorption is the ability to diffuse the identity into a moment, moving towards Samadhi.
BHAKTI IS A PRACTICE
Although it is part of human nature to crave the fusion with totality that is Samadhi, it is also part of our ego’s defense mechanisms to make us feel afraid as we approach the actual moment itself and thus retract back into our individuality. Bhakti is the practice of getting used to the feeling of progressively higher levels of absorption into reality. Other ways it may be practiced is through prayer, music, dance or any other activity which promotes dissolution.
UNION WITH THE DIVINE
This deeply spiritual practice draws heavily on the Hindu pantheon of deities. Each of these deities is seen as representing a humanized aspect of the single Godhead or Brahman – much the same way the Christian saints represent specific attributes and qualities of God. The use of Hindu deities in Bhakti Yoga can be a large obstacle for Western practitioners, especially for those with a deeply religious background. But the use of the Hindu deities is not required for this practice – in fact, finding your own object(s) of devotion will be all the more effective in achieving yoga (union) with the Divine.