Misfire
We’ve all experienced it.
That lifestyle excess that quickly morphs from pleasure to pain.
You may have seen it in your own life in different ways.
There’s that innocent night out with friends that goes from a few relaxing drinks, to one too many drinks, to drunken folly, to embarrassment or even injury.
There’s that dietary craving that goes from a well deserved treat, to a regular event, to an addiction, to enrolling in a weight loss programme.
There’s that desire to look good that goes from healthy self care, to occasional overspending, to maxing out the credit card.
There’s that relationship that goes from sweet raptures, to dissolving of boundaries, to unmet expectations, to breakup.
There’s the fired up exercise routine that goes from pumping endorphins, to a ripped body, to extra workouts, to a torn ligament.
There’s that family holiday that goes from exciting anticipation, to a need to compromise with loved ones, to hurt feelings, to a family feud.
There’s that big lottery win which goes from ecstatic celebration, to an innocent splurge, to an out of control lifestyle.
We can see that ‘happiness’ in its many variations often seems significantly restricted in some way.
I’ve never heard anyone complain of consistently having too much happiness in their lives!
That’s not to say that there are no happy endings and there are only sad ones - it’s just that the experience of happiness is rarely long lasting. Both happiness and sadness are tempered by each other.
The Edge
Excess is tempered by lack, ecstasy by misery, gain by loss, order by chaos.
It’s difficult to have one without the other even when it plays out at a global level.
We live in a world of duality and one of our main jobs of survival is to stay in personal equilibrium as far as possible.
Most major spiritual traditions around the world emphasise the importance of balance in all things as we go about our daily lives.
Even reputable health programmes guide people towards moderation in diet, exercise and lifestyle.
The reason being that we are all actually living on a razor’s edge.
As with most razors, leaning too far in any direction can cause significant injury and regret.
But we can see that staying on the straight and narrow is often tricky and rarely the case.
We’ve just got to watch the news to see what happens when equilibrium is lost.
Generally a lack of balance is what makes the news, including our own personal life news.
But where do you find moderation in a world of stark overindulgence, overconsumption or at the other extreme, severe deprivation?
The Answers
The answer is within yourself, where you can find answers to all things.
However, you may not be used to accessing answers from within and may often look outside of yourself for guidance and validation.
This is why you come with instructions.
The teachings and lifestyle of Bhakti Yoga are instructions for every human being and the result is the achievement of equilibrium within yourself.
The Bhagavad Gita as it is, is the foundational text and instruction manual in the toolkit of a Bhakti Yogi.
If each person is in balance, everything will naturally come into balance on both a micro and macro level.
This seems like a lofty goal, but you can always start with you.
We have this potential for moderation and balance, indeed that is our essential nature and why we suffer so much without it.
But according to the Bhakti Yoga philosophy, humans are spiritually sleepy and forgetful so we have fundamental guidelines to wake us up and remind us of our true potential.
When accessed, the guidelines of Bhakti Yoga can permanently unlock the happiness born of balance, that you already contain within you.
Getting Happy
This is no ordinary happiness however. It is not limited, contained and frustrated like the usual kinds of happiness we see around us.
It is a happiness that arises from a deep soul level.
It is the happiness of the individual soul reconnecting with the Supreme Soul.
This variety of happiness is ever expanding. No limits here.
The only way to access this kind of happiness however is when you are well and truly done with the other kinds of fleeting happiness on offer.
When the illusory promises of worldly happiness just no longer satisfy or always leave a lingering unpleasant taste, its good to know that there is a blissful alternative.
Having taken the bitter pill of life, you are on the road to the recovery towards your naturally fine inner balance and poise.
Bhakti Yoga brings in the spiritual candy where previously there was only spiritual diet food or even spiritual starvation.
It steps in and reminds you that there is much more to you than the bloody mistakes of constantly tripping on the razors edge.
You are a spirit soul.
Your body and all that comes with it is simply a vehicle to help you ultimately find a state of spiritual balance.
Naturally equipoised, your soul, when nourished and supported through the philosophy and lifestyle of Bhakti Yoga, influences your daily life in a positive, life affirming and productive way.
No, you don’t have to retire to the Himalayas and live in a cave to meditate yourself into balance!
You can simply add Bhakti Yoga to your ordinary, daily life.
Sacred Mantra Meditation is the foundational aspect of the Bhakti Yoga lifestyle.
It’s the sublime and prescribed spiritual candy meditation for this crazy, chaotic age of quarrel and hypocrisy.
It sets you free from the razors edge and ushers in a state of internal symmetry.
It takes you to the safer, more hospitable place of wisdom, self knowledge and spiritual balance.
Don’t succumb to the razor’s edge.
Instead, be sure to access your own birthright of deep, eternal, spiritual poise.
Bhakti Yoga will get you there.
It’s real and it’s been waiting for you for so long.
Get ready to find your symmetry.
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Feel free to check out my other blogs for more information.
You can find a lot more concise information by checking out my videos containing secrets of the ancient, timeless knowledge of Bhakti Yoga - literally at your fingertips.
The Bookshelf is also a good place to start the Bhakti Yoga magic.
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A fabulous way to connect to similar minds and hearts is to find an international Bhakti Yoga Centre near you (Branches of ISKCON - The International Society of Krishna Consciousness), where you can speak to an experienced yoga practitioner and receive personal guidance.
If you would like to explore how you can incorporate Bhakti Yoga into your life in a balanced and harmonious way, and feel you would benefit from one on one support, you are welcome to book a Discovery Session with me, Rasika Manjari.
See you at the New World.