What are you doing here? You are a man from the Bhakti Marg, the path of devotion?” To my surprise, the assistant teacher at the meditation retreat questioned me thus after having interacted with me for a few days. I was a bit stunned at the unexpected remark, as I was enjoying the silent meditation retreat. It came like the blow of a Zen master’s keisaku stick. I heard him out and decided to allow myself time to understand my path.
On another occasion, a cousin had invited me to attend a satsang (spiritual gathering) on Shrimad Bhagavatam. I sat there, silently enjoying the spiritual discourse and joined in singing the chorus of the kirtan (devotional songs). At the end of the satsang, my cousin came up to me and said, “You seemed to be meditating, sitting quietly during the satsang!”
Dichotomy
It made me wonder: “When I visit a meditation centre, I am told that I look like I am from the bhakti marg, and when I go for bhakti-based satsang, I am told that I seem to be meditating, following the path of knowledge, the Gyan Marg!
Being a novice on the spiritual path in my early twenties, I’d hear out people’s comments and continue my explorations. I enjoy contemplating in meditative silence and also love joining in the devotional chanting. I wondered, are these two, the path of knowledge and the path of devotion, separate paths? I decided to ask my meditation teacher on my next retreat.
She said, “Choose one path. Don’t mix up both. Practise meditation in the morning and practise bhakti in the evening. Eventually, the practice which is good for you will stay with you and the other one will drop.”
Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Life Positive.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2020-utgaven av Life Positive.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Miracles of Mount Maunganui
A hike to Mount Maunganui in New Zealand filled Rashi Bunny with a sense of awe and wonder equivalent to witnessing the glory of the Divine Himself
Navigating Your 20s: A Simple Guide
By embracing the tumultuous journey through her 20s, Abhilasha Srivastava learnt to triumph over the challenges encountered and carve the path for her future
Inducing Sweet Slumber
As we are well aware, lack of sound sleep can give rise to physical and mental problems. To ensure a good night's rest, you could follow the suggestions given by Jamuna Rangachari in the next few pages
Days for the Divine
Guided by her mentor Megha Bajaj, Meghana Acharya sends positive vibes into the Universe to ensure the well-being and success of others
Voices from the beyond
Near-Death Experiences (NDES) have long fascinated humanity-a glimpse beyond the veil, a sneak peek into the unknown that pulsates with wonders, mysteries and intrigue. Jamuna Rangachari takes us through the narrations of a few who went to the other side and returned to share in great detail what they experienced and how it transformed them
All for the best
An academic disaster turned opportunity led Rajeev Hallur to understand the jigsaw puzzle of life, initially incomprehensible to most of us
Many Lives, One Master
Dr Bijal Maroo probes into the enigmatic charisma of Swami Omkaranandaji to discover the story behind his uncanny healing powers
Modern art with a tribal touch
Gautam Bharati and Avani Jain, based in Dungarpur, Rajasthan saw the incredible ability and passion of tribals for arts and decided to do something about it.
Laugh your way to health
Rupa Bannur, a former IT professional turned holistic health coach from Bangalore began turning to laughter yoga in 2001 after she faced profound loss of precious family members.
Healing Hands
When Rupesh Budh Ahmedabad from was 15 years of age, he learnt meditation from his martial arts (Karate) teacher. His teacher also introduced him to Reiki as a healing modality that can cure with just a touch. He told him that advanced Reiki practitioners can cure even from a distance without touching.