Saying For Today: Love... It wants to bring us together.
Welcome to OneLife Ministries, an online, interspiritual ministry of Arem Nahariim-Samadhi and Lotus of the Heart. This site is here to lead you into a heart experience of Divine Presence. We recognize that of the Sacred in each one and celebrate the diversity of expressions of Oneness in Grace. We are for peace and nonviolence, and equal rights and justice. May persons of varied wisdom paths find inspiration here. Welcome!
Vowed Contemplative, Greenbough House of Prayer Interspiritual Teacher, Author, Chaplain, Spiritual Counselor-Healer
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I will praise You, Adonai [LORD], with my whole heart.
*Hebrew TaNaK. Psalm.9.1
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These three will never cease to be: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love.
*I Corinthians 13.13, Christian New Testament
Below is a song from the Christian tradition that is an excellent sample demonstrating the topic for the presentation today on Bhakti Yoga.
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And think not you can guide the course of love. For love, if it finds you worthy, shall guide your course.
*Kahlil Gibran
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Many persons will find that the Path of Loving Devotion will serve best as their primary Path of connecting with the Divine Presence, as they understand That. The Path can be part of other ways of Connection, or Yoga. So, the Path of Loving Devotion does not have to be the sole means of spiritual Practice, and this Path can be central to diverse religious and spiritual traditions.
In the East this Path is often called Bhakti Yoga, or Connection with the Divine by Loving Devotion. I offer a number of time-honored means of practicing Bhakti Yoga. This list derives from the Srimad-Bhagavata and the Vishnu Purana.
1) Sravana. The devotee listens to materials pertaining to the Divine. Here, would fit the use of Scriptures telling of G-D's nature and actions.
2) Kirtana. Singing of praises to the Divine Presence. Often this is done in a group.
3) Smarana. Remembrance of G-D's name(s) and presence. This can be done through an inward image and, also, recollection of what one has learned of the Divine through stories and traditions. The devotee does not have to have an image, and the remembrance can be inward recognition of the Presence.
4) Padasevana. Service at G-D's feet. One serves at the LORD'S feet by worship at an image, or serving others as living images of G-D. For example, one can serve at G-D's feet by serving the sick, the homeless, those in prison, giving nurture and guidance to one's children,... The service is permeated with recognition that through it the devotee is serving G-D.
5) Archana. Worship of G-D. This can take many forms: dancing, chanting, reading prayers, singing love songs, prostrating, bowing, offering material offerings at an altar, ...
6) Vandana. Prostration to the LORD. One can prostrate before an image of G-D, before the imageless G-D, or before all persons or Nature as a form of the Divine Presence.
7) Dasya. Cultivating the Bhava (emotion, feeling, sentiment) of a servant, or slave, with G-D.
8) Sakhya. Cultivation of the friend-Bhava with G-D.
9) Atmanivedana. Complete surrender of the self to the Divine Presence. Here, the devotee surrenders consciously claim to his or her life: including all he or she could call her or his, and this entails the body.
It is all about Love.
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Love... It wants to bring us together.
*AREM
The Essence of LOVE-Mysticism is to look "within," to find there the Light of G-D That is in Everyone...
