” The deepest wish we have is to feel the harmony and peace of an Open Heart. And if we want that strongly and ask for it, the universe will support us” – Ram Giri

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Three aspects of spiritual life are precious to guard and develop: devotion, enthusiasm and the focus on enlightenment.

Devotion to our teacher and our highest goal is the source of all blessings. We may think that this is because when we have devotion we are good and we deserve to receive blessings, but that is a minor consideration. Rather it’s that our devotion opens us so we become capable of receiving the blessings that are always ready to come to us. Devotion is entirely for our benefit. It focuses mind and heart onto what is essential.

Enthusiasm is what drives us on and what increases with each forward step we take. Even when we’re in a deep valley we can still maintain this passion for enlightenment; perhaps then it comes in the form of the yearning for the end of suffering. This is perfect, for suffering can create powerful motivation.

The focus on enlightenment, on awakening to our true nature, is the great goal of life and the more keen our focus becomes, the straighter will be the path we travel. The straighter the path – the less suffering. The less suffering – the more peace, bliss and truth. The more peace – the more compassion and the more we will be able to share with others the grace of our beings. If we can remember our aspiration for enlightenment a little bit more each day, then before we know it, our life will become a thrilling adventure and it will be nurturing and uplifting to all around us.

Here is an entry from my friend Jai Uttals’ blog at http://jaiuttal.com/blog/:

The “Bhakti Movement” in the US these days is kind of strange to me. Wonderful, but also, weird. Wonderful because more and more people are experiencing the incredibly passionate joy of singing God’s names; and weird because, as Americans, we seem to feel the need to make it ‘special,’ and make ourselves ‘special’, and use Madison-Avenue type names to label and increase our ‘special-ness.’ We throw around words like ‘bhakti,’ ‘bhava’ and ‘ecstacy’ as if they are ice cream flavors or new types of kombucha. But in India, where all this stuff comes from, these words denote deep spiritual states, attained by only a few very lucky and very devoted souls who then become inspirations for the rest of us. When we in the west get together for an evening of Kirtan everyone is so eager to ‘get off,’ to have a super high euphoric experience, kind of like a rock concert…. This is fine, I suppose, but it’s just sooooo different from what we experience in a small temple in North India, where the devotees feel like they’ve been chanting for lifetimes and lifetimes, oblivious to the highs and lows, riding the waves of emotion and mood, resting in deep longing and fulfillment and surrender, awaiting God’s mercy. Is ‘Bhakti’ just a ‘high?’ A cool, blissed-out experience? The great ‘bhaktas’ (devotees) of old all write of an immense love and an even greater dependence on their beloved’s response. “My Lord, I’ve done nothing to deserve your embrace, but please come to me anyway!!!” Oh well. Maybe I’m just an old curmudgeon, too hard on myself and thus too hard on everyone else…

Here’s a true story of ‘Bhakti’…… (I probably have many details of this story incorrect, and I thought I would do some research before writing it. But instead I’m just diving in. Please forgive any historical or theological errors.)

In a dusty desert village in West Bengal, in the 15th century, sat an old but still very active little temple to the Goddess. Day in and day out, for hundreds of years, the poor villagers had been prostrating themselves there to ask for better harvests, more sons, and more money; in other words, relief from their suffering. To some the Goddess responded, but to most She remained mute. As in all Hindu temples of that time, a young Brahmin (someone from the highest, priestly, caste) was engaged to officiate the prayers and offerings, and to distribute ‘prasad’ (consecrated food). Chandidas, as he was called, was deeply committed to his tasks, yet he was confused by what he perceived as the Mother’s callous ignoring of Her children’s requests. “Are you really there?” he would ask the statue. “Please, please show me that you are hearing my words!”… But there was no response.

One day, as Chandidas was preparing the ‘aarti’ (offering) lights, he heard a brushing sound coming from the other side of the worship hall. Turning around, Chandidas was struck by what felt like a lightening bolt to his soul. Was it the Goddess, herself? Well, that’s been the big question for over five hundred years. Because quietly working in the corner, partially veiled, was Rami, a young woman from the village, an ‘untouchable’ (the lowest caste), sweeping the temple floors. Chandidas gasped and whispered “Radha.” Rami lowered her almond eyes saying ‘Govinda, my Lord.”

And thus began one of the most remarkable love affairs in history. Chandidas, who had never written a single line of poetry in his life, began to record his romance with Rami with an incredible outpouring of songs of the love of Radha and Krishna; songs of ecstacy, songs of anguish, in the first person voices of both God and Goddess. Perhaps Rami wrote the songs with him, for the voice of Radha emerged even stronger and more clearly than did the voice of Govinda. Of this we’ll never know.

Meanwhile, there was another voice that began to scream and howl. The power structure of the village, the political and ‘spiritual’ elders, had become enraged at this blasphemous affront to the caste system, in the heart of the very temple itself. A Brahmin and an untouchable having an illicit affair!!! And cloaking it in the language of scripture!!! An outrage beyond compare!!! The two lovers were ordered to stop seeing each other. Rami was of course fired from her job at the temple and thrown back into her life of poverty and Chandidas’ every step was watched by the unblinking eyes of the town bosses. But did this diminish the path of true love? Not one bit. In fact, as they were forced to meet in more and more secrecy, the songs of Chandidas took on an even more mystical hue, invoking as they did the illicit, mysterious nature of Radha and Krishna’s divine love. But in a small town in 15th century India, secrets could not be kept for very long. Soon, Rami was banished and Chandidas was thrown into prison. Demanded to deny his love, Chandidas simple bowed his head and proclaimed the eternal reality of ‘Radha Ramana Hari.’ Tears streaking the dust and dirt of his face, the young Brahmin fell to the prison floor chanting the glories of the divine couple: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” What difference was there for him between his love and passion for Rami and the ‘Rasa Lila’ (divine play) of Radha and Krishna? Nothing could stop the river of love flowing from Chandidas’ very soul. And so, in the ultimate act of fear, the village elders tortured Chandidas, finally tying his limbs to four horses and tearing his youthful body apart. As his soul departed his agonized body, the villagers could heard the words: “Hare Krishna…. My Rami, My Radha!”…..

Today, centuries later, the love songs of Chandidas are still sung reverently and, yes, ecstatically, by the villagers, Bauls, and devotees of West Bengal. Praising the divine lovers, falling at the feet of the divine lovers and identifying with the undying passion of the divine lovers….. With tears of longing to feel just a drop of what Chandidas must have felt. To have just the tiniest taste of true ‘Bhakti’, true love…… I’ve seen with my own eyes these mystic Bauls singing Chandidas’ songs, dressed in patchwork robes, begging the Lord for just one crumb, pounding out rhythms on a small drum or even just a wooden table, plucking a one stringed ektara, and remembering one of the great heroes of love, Chandidas, and his beloved, Rami.

I shared with you this recent experience of finding myself in the Assembly of Sages (see my last post: http://blog.skillsforawakening.com/blog/the-true-meaning-of-guru). It is still with me every hour of each day. Amazing how a 3 minute vision, sitting in front of my computer with my eyes closed, can change my life! It shows me that the most sacred space is within. Let’s meet there, you and I!

If you’re open, it is awe-inspiring to be in the presence of an enlightened being. I’ve had the grace of this experience repeatedly in this life and I speak of it with the greatest reverence. I share it with you because it is rare and extremely important – how else are we going to know what each and every one of us is capable of?

Now imagine being in the presence of a large group of such beings! It is not possible to put into words being with one – how much more impossible to describe many! It is impossible because by definition the awareness of a realized being is transcendent, surpassing the realm of words and of concepts.

But it does not surpass the realm of the Heart. Indeed it enlarges it for us. (That is why it is so transformative to read and hear about the lives of the Saints). And  – call me a fool – although words cannot describe what I am about say, I will try anyway.

I stood in front of this large group of enlightened beings. My awareness was riveted on them. I forgot myself for a moment and I saw in this expanse of light before me how they were bathed in a transcendent joy, a lightness of being that was extraordinary.

I realized they did not take their individual existence for real. Yes, they were distinctly separate beings – on the outside. But internally I could ‘see’ the awareness of the One shining through. The One reality, the One divine presence, the absolute simplicity and truth of our Being.

This sublime awareness shimmered in their presence. It was a visible essence, expressed by the profound joy that emanated from this group of sacred beings. They lived in a state of internal bliss, which left them free to appear as ordinary as any of us on the outside – but internally, what a difference!

Perhaps you can get a taste of this experience, now as you read about it, or as you recall it later. This is how blessings of the Heart spread. They spread through stories, from one open Heart to the next. So perhaps this vision can become yours too, just by the telling and hearing of it.

This is one of the ways how love spreads.

How does it start? Some day you have an experience and your world shifts. Suddenly – or gradually – you come to realize that Spirit is true, that there is a dimension of grace you can enter. At that moment God steps out of a book and becomes a real presence for you (even though you may not relate to a God, which is fine.)

The result is: You have entered spiritual life.

This experience can be a moment of deep inner peace, of being fully alive in the here and now; it may be an experience of emotional harmony or a great opening of the Heart. These are the kinds of decisive experiences after which your life may never be quite the same.

Then we go on a journey. We lose the experience and want it again. A yearning has been awakened. What can we do?

We learn about spiritual practice. We sit still for hours, turn our bodies into pretzels, make pilgrimages to teachers or shrines and especially read lots of books. It is all good.

And where do we end up when we finally arrive where we are going?

We end up once more in deep inner peace, being fully alive in the here and now; we feel again that emotional harmony or that great opening of the Heart.

We return to where we began, in grace, in the breath-taking presence of Being or God. Inside ourselves. In the core.

We end up where it all began – wiser, much more solid, our mind peaceful, our Heart vibrant, big and alive.

The journey is a cycle from you to you, from now to now. You get lost in the middle, even while trying to find yourself. You want to shorten the time it takes to get back to what you are seeking. You are confusing yourself by your seeking.

There are 10,000 things to do while trying to get back to that place of pure grace. Most go in circles. Which are the few that take you straight back to yourself? Which ones dissolve the internal tensions that keep you in internal exile from grace? Which ones can nurture you so deeply you get the stamina to face your own demons – and not in 10 life times, but now?

This journey is not a walk in the park, you may have noticed. It is the greatest adventure bar none open to human beings.

On this road you will have to face any terror your mind can dream up and overcome every habitual pain and confusion.

And the payoff is eternal life. No cheap goal by anyone’s standards.

So again the question: what can take you there? What can give you the access to the pure essence of this highest goal?

Perhaps not surprisingly it is the pursuit of the experiences that began it all. The experiences you will be established in when you have arrived, when you have crossed the ocean of confusion and pain to the other shore of divine bliss.

The essential practices are to step directly into the Promised Land. To stop the 10,000 distractions – and yes, even those that are labeled ‘spiritual practice’ – and enter the Heart, which in its unlimited richness is always waiting for you to come home.

Always waiting. Still waiting. YOU are in there, still waiting.

And I know, so many will read these words and not understand. So let me say it again:

Your Heart is available to you this moment. It is as far from you as the Now. It is the central core of space, as the Now is the core of time. The core contains everything. Why not return to that core in you now?

Oh no, so many say, “I have to continue my sadhana, my spiritual practice” and they wind their legs around their ears and sit their bottoms flat and read the 20^th book that tells them the same thing they cannot hear: It’s inside you now!

So go there! But you can’t. Your thoughts and emotions get in the way. You follow them rather than your hidden instinct that says “Stop it all. Stop. Listen to what he is saying. Let it come in. Maybe there is something to this…”

There are 3 skills you need: Clear the mind quickly and effectively. Bring your confused emotions to harmony. And drink from your Heart the Essence of love that you are secretly aching to feel.

It is the best kept secret in the world. It is secret because we keep it secret from ourselves. We have become lost in a trance state. Somehow we can say the words and believe them; “It’s all inside.” And still we don’t look. Still we don’t become still enough to feel the ravishing Heart Essence. Still we are lost.

I sit with people and I see myself in them, the way I was: tense, the body shifting, the mind not at rest. There is no space for peace to get in. There is no rest in pure love.

Not yet.

But if you want it, stop. Stop now. Make a huge foolish decision to love yourself absolutely! It makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.

We are so busy. It seems our minds only know running. They run here and there, aggravated about what we don’t want and greedy for our desires. On and on they run to exhaustion and then some more, and even more after that.

Why? What are they running from?

Because the great fear we have is that one day we will fall into the great love we have inside. No, I don’t mean the love you know, that emotional surge that soon enough puts on a coat of attachment and snuffs itself out.

I mean the great love, the love that obliterates you, the love that devours your mind, that leaves you still, really still, so still that you can’t even remember what all the stuff was that you once chased after.

Then what will you be? How will you pay the bills, the mind frets?  How will you gossip about the neighbors and hold on to your old gripes and complaints?

There is a fear we have of that love, and so we build walls. We build wall upon wall around our hearts, silently hoping for a great storm that comes and demolishes our defenses. And when that storm comes and shakes the foundations of the imitation reality you have built for yourself, then what will you do?

Will you recognize this storm as the breath of the God you have professed to love? Or will you scream and complain about the unfairness of the world that does not allow you to continue to live your sweet counterfeit dream?

The storm that shakes your house down can come to you in many ways. It can be cancer or a loved ones sudden death. It can be the false accusation, or the true one. It can be a pain of unknowable origin. Or it can be the black hand of God, directly peeling from your eyes the crust that has kept you blind.

This shaking will hurt to the exact measure of your attachments. Let them go and you will be no obstacle to the wind. Hold on and it will tear you to pieces, slowly, through thousands of years, for love does not force itself, and the understanding grows only with your maturity.

And in the end you will see that it is all love. There is no other player in the game. The real God, the one with no name, the one that is calling you home, she has that quality.

Love,

Ram Giri

You can be devoted to your highest goal by turning toward your ‘divine Beloved.’ Your Beloved is the form of the infinite that attracts you the most. What form is that for you? Anyone has the possibility to develop a meaningful relationship with their Beloved. This relationship grows through three different levels.

On the most basic level your interest is mental. You consider and tell stories or theories about the Beloved. You may be interested in theories about God. You may think of the Beloved in historical terms, as someone who lived in the past. This is of interest to the mind, but it lacks the great intimacy the relationship offers.

On the next level you experience the Divine through symbols that guide and instruct you. It is more intimate. You can go deep into the meaning of the stories of the Beloved, who the Beloved is, and how she or he lived and taught and led by example. Much can be learned from that because the lives of the great sacred beings who have graced this world carry deep symbolic meaning and power for us. This will guide and uplift you and enable you to gain a measure of insight and wisdom.

And yet, this symbolical level, while more transformative than a merely mental relationship, is not yet fully alive. Not as alive as encountering the Beloved in the immediacy of the Here and Now as a living and breathing reality. Not as alive as falling deeply in love. This is when devotion begins to take on a life of its own.

On this stage you can tune into the soul-level symphony that exists unknown to most in this world: the reality of the divine realm, here and now. It can become accessible to you as the skills of devotion awaken the heart. They help you cultivatebhava, an Indian term that describes a refined sensitivity to the subtle qualities of the heart. It gives you the ability to direct your love so it keeps you increasingly in conscious relationship with the Beloved. As your bhava, your sacred passion increases, the delusion of separation from the Beloved dissolves and you experience Him/Her increasingly present in your world.

The development of this love of God also goes through three stages. Most fundamentally it is simply a gift. It arises, and it arises more easily in the company of those who have developed this love for God in themselves. You can enhance it withacts of devotion, worship and service. This helps you to develop an awareness of the inner presence of the Beloved. He is with you and guides your steps in life. Finallybhava culminates in oneness with the Beloved, in enlightenment. This is the internal divine marriage, lived here in this world in everyday life. It is the culmination of the human experience.

The yoga of devotion is a potent spiritual practice. The experience of pure divine love is the perfect antidote to our suffering. You have many choices of how you spend your time on this planet. You can remain in your habitual state of mind with its daily stressors, short-lived fun, mundane desires and alienation – or seek the bliss of the Beloved that lies waiting for you in your core. According to the choices you make you create the quality of your life.

Religion at its best has always shown us the value of devotion. Think of the amazing treasures of art and music in all cultures that are the expression of devotion. Or let’s look for a moment at the great love of God in the Muslim world. Most of us are not familiar with this way. But think of it: Five times a day a prayer toward Meccareaffirms the submission and commitment of the heart to Allah, creating a powerful awareness toward what really matters. This focus creates a deep sense of devotion, solidarity and belonging. Over time it allows you to merge with the object of your devotion.

In truth you and the Beloved have always been One. Devotion is a powerful way to lift the illusion of separateness which is the cause of our pain. Ideally devotion becomes more than a skill or a practice. It becomes a divine obsession. It is a way of living in the essence of the pure love of the soul, in an effortless state of continual communion with God. This is true happiness.