Spiritual Saturday #2
Devotion
'Devotion is a disease.
We get it from those who have it,
and hopefully it's terminal.'
Sadhguru defines devotion as that which is devoid of you. It is the process of ridding the external world of the power to have a say in who you are and how you feel. Only that which never changes - that which does not vibrate - is real. The ever-changing nature of the external world is enough in itself to reveal its illusory essence. Only our true Self - the atman - is real. So devotion, in simple terms, is a way for us to solidify the fluidity of our beings, but just how do we 'devote' ourselves, and what does that truly mean?
From my own experience, to devote oneself to life is to see everything as it truly is and to accept it all; no judgements and no preferences. Since the external world is a mere reflection of the internal world - check out yesterday's post here to read more on this topic - and since love is all that there is, in truth, we are love, and everything outside of us is, too, love. To realise this and to further see that the distortion of this inner love is caused by our fluidity is the first step towards devotion.
Fluidity
That which we perceive as a consecutive series of events taking place daily and call life can be compared to a fiction novel we are constantly writing and living simultaneously. That which is happening to us in this novel - what Krishna Das calls 'our bullshit' - is the fluidity I am talking about.
Seriousness and attachment in relation to these events causes pain, makes us suffer, and is fundamentally what keeps us on this emotional rollercoaster ride all our lives. There is a way to transcend this 'bullshit' however; devotion.
Devotion is both the journey and the destination; it is that which is devoid of you, as we've already touched on, and the practice which gets us to that place of solidity. There is no path to follow out of devotion; one must simply serve life and do what one does; if you accept life as it is, life will accept you as you are.
'If you ask how you should serve, then it is no longer service.
Do what you want.'
~ Maharaj Ji.
In next week's post, I will explore Kirtan - devotional songs.
Something to think on:
'So, how will you serve me?'
Sources -
Image 1 - Krishna Das
Image 2 - Maharaj Ji