Tantric Advaita


The yoga of "Religion"

Bhakti Yoga

 

"Krisna Bhakti" by Pieter Weltevrede
In Bhakti Yoga the love for the divine dissolves the ego. The devotion to divine energies is mostly expressed in ritual and may lead to a state of mind in which life itself becomes one long ritual in praise of God.

The mood that is predominant in Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of spiritual devotion) strongly relates to Shringara (Love), but also includes other Rasas such as Peace and Wonder. The Love of the devotee is as real as in other types of Shringara, because the deity (including depictions such as pictures or sculptures) is seen as more real than anything else.

The advanced bhakta (devotee) bypasses the addiction problem that is typical for other types of Shringara, because he or she feels that God is always around and available. Everything is God, so only unity is seen, even in the diversity of life.

Bhakti Yoga is a very difficult path for the modern mind, because it requires the intellect to stop doubting God and Love without expectation. That is why in Bhakti Yoga the Bhava or mood of devotion must be maintained at every moment. Always keeping the place of worship clean and beautiful is a first but essential step in that direction.

Divine Energies
of Hinduism
Religion and spiritual practice are more or less organized forms of Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of devotion. When a religious festival or ceremony is created, positive emotional energy from all parts of the locality or country is brought together. With all attending people thinking of the same thing, vibrating in the same way, an extremely powerful atmosphere is created, first of all on the emotional level.

As we are all different, every individual must follow his or her own path to the Divine, so freedom is a requirement. The remarkable religious tolerance embedded within the pantheon of countless Hindu deities allows everyone to experience the Divine in the way that suits them best. This also explains how it is possible for many different deities to be worshipped by members of one and the same Hindu family. Hinduism even has an atheist branch, which is quite accepted by other branches. Anyone can build a Hindu temple. Anyone can start the worship of a river, tree, mountain, or new idol. Anyone can start preaching and create a religious order. Anyone can invent a new kind of yoga.

Bhakti Yoga -
The Yoga of Love
Whenever we feel resistance to Bhakti Yoga, we should remember that the typical problems associated with religion are in fact mostly related to the big monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam), where the spiritual freedom of Hinduism is by definition often absent. In Hinduism also, the Ego may create problems, but the scope of those is much more limited.

▶ Letter to God



About


Leela is the ancient vedic name for the theater of life. Life in all its forms is an illusion behind which we can find the ultimate truth of pure Being. Yet life is also a divine theater, a spiritual game played by us, the actors. Yoga allows us to hold on to the bliss of truth while playing the game. And also this yoga is a game, which we can only take seriously if we do not take ourselves and this game too seriously. That is the meaning of Leela Yoga, nothing more, nothing less. So, Leela Yoga is a vision on yoga and also a name for a simple organisation that allows me to bring this vision into practice... more about Leela Yoga & Peter Marchand

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Belgium : www.leela-yoga.be

New book : www.tantricadvaita.org

Harish Johari students sangha : www.sanatansociety.org

  in sweet memory
of Harish Johari

Quotes


As the destination is the same for all, it is easy to make the error of assuming that the path must be just as universal.

The attachment that happens in the pursuit of happiness is the main source of unhappiness.

Don't think of going somewhere, because this somewhere will come along with you wherever you go, as you are already there.

Yoga requires unity between enjoyment and suffering, between bhoga and yoga, even between attachment and detachment.

How can anyone be "good" without a choice between good and bad?

While the mind creates the illusion of the universe through the senses, the intellect creates the illusion of understanding it.

When our day has been entirely ego-centered, then our meditation will probably have similar poor quality.

When the focus on the self is held strongly enough, the flow of kundalini energy happens on its own, naturally.

Tiptoe inside, don't make a sound, don't scare away that which cannot be found.

Enlightenment is nothing more or less than the final level of the game of life.