What is Bhakti Yoga?

What is Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti Yoga deals with the spiritual aspect of the human psyche. The term ‘Bhakti’ is used to describe a devotee, that is someone who devotes his or her life for what he or she perceives to be holy. The practice of Bhakti Yoga is a path where devotion is given to all living things and particularly to all human beings. A person who practices Bhakti Yoga is one who is likely to be extremely tolerant and forgiving of other people’s mistakes and misdemeanors. Bhakti Yoga followers are known as Bhakti Yogis.

The practice of Bhakti Yoga relates to a person putting his or her needs behind the needs of those around him or her. This devotional attitude is reflected in the words and actions of a Bhakti Yogi. Bhakti Yogis avoid angry confrontations, preferring to solve conflict with a calm mind. The concept of Bhakti

Yoga is an altruistic concept and it is not uncommon for one to find a Bhakti Yogi performing tasks for others without expecting any favors in return, nor expecting any reward for the tasks performed. According to the teachings of Bhakti Yoga, the reward is in the doing of the task itself and in the joy that that task brings to others around.

A Bhakti Yogi tends to revere the relationships that are experienced throughout life and these relationships are holy to the Bhakti Yogi. Therefore the relationship between a Bhakti Yogi and another person would be one of devotion such that the other person appears to be holy or like a god to the Bhakti Yogi. This relationship can be had between a couple, between a parent and child or between a master and servant. The virtues of Bhakti Yogi became extremely popular in ancient India and there is a period in Indian history when the Bhakti movement became popular and was practiced by many kings of the time.

Bhakti Yogis often blend their behavior with those of a Karma Yogi and these two methods of living one’s life are closely related because the performing of a task for a person and the deification of that person are often intertwined in the thinking of a Bhakti Yogi. Bhakti Yogis gain their spiritual bliss from the wholesome relationships they share with the people they revere and consider being holy. The teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, one of Hinduism’s sacred books outlines the attitude and behavior that a Bhakti Yogi must follow.

Submitted by A on July 1, 2010 at 06:20

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