by Swami Ramananda

“The desire for connection with the Divine and our formless inner self is at the foundation of all desire for human connection.”

― Donna Goddard

Sooner or later, most of us find ourselves compelled to seek a deeper source of connection and love that is not subject to the changes we all experience in our personal relationships.  People all over the world and throughout history have found countless ways of seeking and identifying this deeper source as an unconditionally loving Spiritual Consciousness that dwells within everything. Since consciousness is too abstract for many of us to relate to, endless symbols, names, and forms have been used to express and connect with this Presence.

This form, be it a deity, a spiritual principle like Peace, or the image of a saint, can help us cultivate a higher form of love and connection.  Love directed toward God in any form inspires us to feel protection and comfort, to access an inner strength, and rise above selfish thinking. By acknowledging something beyond the ego-mind and its limited ideas, we humble ourselves and open our hearts to receive a grace that is always present. Just as raising the window shade allows the sun to shine in, we experience an inner Light when we let go of the habitual thoughts that define us and separate us from the Spirit that dwells within each of us.

Yoga offers techniques to cultivate this deep and unconditional love, which are collectively known as Bhakti Yoga. These practices include kirtan (chanting the names of God), puja (creating an altar and making offerings to it), and an abiding devotion toward a specific form that represents the Divine Spirit.

As the presence and power of the Spirit becomes more real, it can become a part of everything we do. Such devotion can motivate us to dedicate everything we do as a loving offering and to access the Divine Will in our daily choices.  It will guide us to recognize, love, and serve that Presence in each other. Whenever this happens, we begin to relate not so much to the ego-mind of another person, but to the Light that is within them, no matter how well hidden by the personality.

I once heard a story of a wealthy man who became attracted to Sri Ramakrishna, an Indian saint. This man was accustomed to all the sensual pleasure that money could buy:  a luxurious home, fine wines and gourmet foods, and the company of prostitutes. His love of Ramakrishna grew enough that he asked to be accepted as a disciple, even though he had no intention of giving up his lifestyle.

Ramakrishna agreed to accept him on the condition that he would offer everything he consumed or did to Ramakrishna before partaking in it. The man readily agreed, thinking he had the best of both worlds. Before he ate or drank or did anything, he offered it mentally to Ramakrishna. But as his devotion grew and he sought to honor the saint with appropriate offerings, he gradually gave up all the old unhealthy habits.

Such is the power of higher love to transform us in ways that our willpower alone may not.  That is no doubt why various Yoga masters have said that the path of devotion is the easiest practice during this era of materialism. In a way, the goal of all spiritual practice can be summed up as a process of learning to love unconditionally. Rumi says it beautifully: “Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love.”

Please join us on January 30th at 7 PM, as Mirabai guides us to experience our own connection and love with the Divine through chanting, mantra, and song. Details and registration HERE.

Swami Ramananda is the President of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco and a greatly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, who has been practicing Yoga for over 35 years. Ramananda offers practical methods of integrating the timeless teachings and practices of yoga into daily life, and transforming the painful aspects of human experience into steps toward realizing one’s full potential.

He leads beginner, intermediate and advanced level yoga teacher training programs in San Francisco, and offers a variety of programs in many locations in the U. S., Europe and South America. Ramananda trains Yoga teachers to bring Yoga into corporate, hospital and medical settings and has taught mind/body wellness programs in many locations. He is a founding board member of the Yoga Alliance, a national registry that supports and promotes yoga teachers as professionals. His warmth, wisdom and sense of humor have endeared him to many.