When we think of yoga, the one thing that comes to our mind is people bending their bodies in various poses. Well, yoga is actually a lot more than this, and its history runs deeper in the Vedas and Upanishads of India. Before it became popular in the western world, Yoga in India was widely practised, and thus it has been termed as India's own form of Art that helps keep the body fit and the soul fresh. Among all the other yogas, some are special and quite interesting. One of those is Bhakti yoga. To know more, let us have a look at it.
Bhakti Yoga:
By the term 'bhakti', one can certainly understand that spirituality is closely associated with it. It is through devotion and spiritual practice; this yoga is performed. This is regarded as one of those three major spiritual paths that can lead any practitioner to Moksha, which means salvation in another world. The only requirement to practise this yoga is a pure and loving heart.
The Poses of Bhakti-yoga:
Unlike the other yoga poses, there are no specific poses that you can learn in yoga classes. On the contrary, you have to practice behaving and communicating with people and Nature to perfect this yoga practice.
First, Make Sure to Connect with the Divinity-
This one way is the most popular and more accessible way to achieve salvation. A person seeking God's blessings to make his or her life fruitful needs to practice this yoga perfectly. This also includes having faithful devotion to the almighty. However, this has nothing to do with the daily practice of religious rituals. What one should do is to identify the source of divinity and then respect it so as to attain satisfaction and overall peace of mind. Many find this peace by serving the poor or doing good deeds in their daily life. Through this, they feel connected with the divine power.
Saying 'Namaste'-
Saying 'namaste' is not just a word; it shows the person's gratitude, including respect and higher dignity. One who says these words to others somehow shows respect the other person deserves. This also impresses the other person and binds both of them in a cordial relation. As we all know, to gain respect, one has to show respect; this is the best example one should consider while practising bhakti-yoga.
Saying is Believing-
A person practising Bhakti yoga should always say what he or she means; while bidding Goodbye to others, we seldom use the words, 'take care, 'stay well,' etc. These words, when told, should be meant by the person. Even while saying Goodbye or welcome, they should mean it from the core of their heart. Their hearts must be clear and pure.
Loving the Nature-
The divine nature of the almighty is often compared with Nature. Thus philosophers believe that to receive the blessings of the divine, nurturing Nature is necessary. One way to get over heartbreaks and earthly sorrow are by embracing Nature. The more we give to the flora and fauna of the world, the more we receive from them.
Practising such yoga does not require any physical exhaustion. Instead, this yoga asks for spiritual and psychological purification, leading humans to live better and more fruitful lives. To understand the process and the methods, one can certainly take the help of online yoga classes available nowadays.
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