Beyond yoga
What is bhakti-yoga
Bhakti-yoga is the yoga of devotion: union with God through love and service. It is not practised on a mat, but in everything you do throughout the day.
What “yoga” really means
In the West, yoga almost always means postures and breathing. In Sanskrit the word means union: the link between the soul and God. Postures (āsanas) are only the third of the eight steps of one of the classical paths, and their original purpose was to prepare the body to meditate for hours.
The Bhagavad-gītā describes several paths of yoga:
| Path | Based on | What it consists of |
|---|---|---|
| Karma-yoga | Action | Working without attachment to the result, as an offering |
| Jñāna-yoga | Knowledge | Telling the eternal from the passing |
| Dhyāna-yoga | Meditation | Stilling the mind through posture, breath and concentration |
| Bhakti-yoga | Devotion | Loving and serving God |
They are not rival paths but steps on a ladder. And after explaining them, Krishna says which He considers highest:
Of all yogis, the one who with great faith always abides in Me and worships Me with love is the one most intimately united with Me.
Bhagavad-gītā 6.47 (free rendering)
Why it is different
- It does not depend on ability. You do not need to be flexible, learned or able to sit still. You need to want to.
- The goal is not yourself. It does not seek relaxation, powers or even your own liberation. It seeks to please the one you love.
- It is both the path and the goal. Other yogas are left behind once you arrive. Devotion does not end: it is what the soul does forever.
- It fits into an ordinary life. You can practise it with a family, a job and children.
The nine practices
The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.5.23) lists nine ways of practising devotion. Any one of them, done sincerely, is enough. The first two are the basis of all the others.
| Practice | What it consists of | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Śravaṇam | Hearing about God: His names, His story, His teaching |
| 2 | Kīrtanam | Singing and speaking about Him |
| 3 | Smaraṇam | Remembering Him |
| 4 | Pāda-sevanam | Serving His feet: caring for His places and His devotees |
| 5 | Arcanam | Worshipping Him on the altar |
| 6 | Vandanam | Offering Him prayers |
| 7 | Dāsyam | Acting as His servant |
| 8 | Sakhyam | Treating Him as a friend |
| 9 | Ātma-nivedanam | Giving Him everything |
How to begin
With the simplest things: hearing and chanting. Vaishnavas chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, alone on a japa mala or together, in kīrtan. To that you add reading a little every day and offering your food before eating it (prasādam). The rest comes little by little, and better in company: the temples are open to everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Does bhakti-yoga have postures?
No. Some yoga schools offer classes that combine postures with mantra chanting and call them “bhakti yoga”, but in the Vaishnava tradition bhakti is not a class: it is the relationship with God, cultivated by chanting, hearing and serving.
Can I practise bhakti and keep doing yoga?
Yes. Looking after the body does no harm. The only thing that changes is the purpose: a devotee keeps the body healthy in order to serve better.
What is the difference between bhakti and meditation?
Silent meditation tries to empty the mind. Bhakti fills it: with the names, the form and the stories of Krishna. Chanting the mantra on beads is, in fact, the form of meditation the tradition recommends for this age.