We are living moving Yantras. A Yantra is a geometrical diagram, used as an aid to meditation in tantric worship, like the Sri Chakra. By tantric, I mean the intention to become one with the object of worship, to have union. When activated through prayer, the Yantra becomes a powerful force of healing and unity. When activated by Bhakti, Devotion, our very selves are God and Goddess in form. Our very selves radiate Divine Light, filled with wisdom, compassion and selfless service.
When Divinity is activated, no matter where one goes, That, which is divinity is used. It can be employed as pure energy to balance. It can be used as a means of healing or of making energy conscious. It can be nourishing, enlightening, or simply a soothing balm on others wounds. This is why Saints frequently go where they are led. Why Sadaks rarely settle in one home or in one community. Why many Spiritual Lights are always at home spiritually, yet are often nomads in body. They share their divine energy, with whomever they are with, wherever they are and where they are led.
In contrast, this also explains how a few Saints remain in one small space of our earth, thereby enhancing its energy field. In so doing, they allow others to come to them to give worship and devotion. They, in turn empower those who do so and let them return to their own place with increased Divine power. Is this not one of the reasons why we visit sacred places of power, why we go on Pilgrimage? We return from any sacred journey, external or internal, with a deepened, sacred connection to divine energy. We return strengthened.
When filled with the happiness of devotional gratitude, we are filled with a limitless, sublime force that opens the heart, like a lotus opening to the morning sun. Being filled with such gratitude leads to the profound expression of Love, which can only be understood as devotional. Devotion is a special outpouring of the heart. It is a spontaneous, natural expression of gratitude, of respect and with a wish to honour, based in deep happiness to The Doer and to That, which has been done and is being done.
One cannot avoid being humbled by such a feeling of the heart. Devotion is loyally offered to the Divine, one’s spiritual teacher, one’s divine opportunities and all members of one’s sangha and to all sentient beings. In devotion one can shed tears easily, but they are not tears of sadness or grief, fear or trepidation. Rather, they are tears of joy. There is so much gratitude the heart overflows in full devotion and the tears flow and flow.
Our modern, worldly world has lost its innocence. Such a mind immersed in worldly gratification cannot find the gratitude and devotion necessary for such spiritual connection and fulfilment. Bhakti requires meeting the Divine as an innocent child, accepting unquestioningly what the Divine gives and wants. It is true that not everyone is suited to this. They are not naturally devotional to this extent. They have too many inner arguments and inner conflicts, perhaps too much pride or ego.
But devotion is necessary for us all to some degree, even if only as a feeling and an expression of respect and honour in gratitude for all that is divinely given. Otherwise, we are merely one who takes and who wants to keep taking! We need to remember that devotion is a natural expression of Divine Love no matter what one’s nature is. It should always be nourished and cultivated and in turn,will make one easily feel nourished and cared for in all ways.
Gratefully Expressing Devotion
One of the simplest expressions of devotion is to create a small, sacred place where you can pray and give homage. Setting up a sacred space or altar at home means inviting and receiving The Divine as your most honoured guest. It is an offering of your own divine love and devotion: a sacred offering from your heart to the Divine Heart. We decorate this sacred space with our love. A love that is devotional. A love that is filled with loving prayer and respect.
Every prayer can be offered in devotion, every action or thought, good or bad, can be surrendered in prayer, handed over in trust and gratitude knowing that one’s prayer is heard and that healing happens through our intention. Knowing this, our loyalty, our trust, our love, our gratitude makes us open to the blessings that help us in the turbulent waves and turmoil of life.
Devotion has steadfastness, loyalty, integrity and trust. If you are blessed to have a true spiritual teacher, they will be steadfast with you in this way. They will be devoted to you and your welfare and spiritual well-being. They will show you by example what is required by you on your spiritual path and help you to stay constant in spite of your flickering and fluctuating mind and emotions.
In Devotion, we have the most sacred relationship with the Divine: the deepest of friendships with the Divine and of That which is used as Preceptor. We honour the blessings we receive, the gifts from the Divine, our teacher and the teachings, the sangha and the Path, the precious opportunities. In turn, we honour our families and friends and all sentient beings. We love sacredly. And as we love sacredly, we ourselves experience sacred love and we become embodiments of sacred love.
Devotion takes us to the sacredness of the True Self: and embodiment of Love; a Yantra filled with Love. When my Guru, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, gave a public discourse, he always firstly addressed us lovingly as Prema Swaroopa! Embodiments of Love! He reminded us each time, at every opportunity, of who we are and have always been and who we can become.
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When we surrender devotionally the Path really begins. We don’t change instantly but we become more constant, and the transformation begins, step by step towards the True Self. We have increasingly less ego and our hearts become more and more wealthy and abundant with love and kindness. We are no longer casual. We respect and we honour and we care. Our kindness is natural and spontaneous and our needs are less. Imagine our world, all beings, emanating such devotion. A Yantra of Love. When we long for this state of being, rather than being immersed in the irrelevant and the transient, we will reveal multi-dimensional, radiant Loving Light.
May all beings be happy and have the causes of happiness.
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all beings take care of themselves and others happily.
and live in equanimity without too much attachment and too much repulsion,
believing in the equality of all that is.
Mynavati
