Devotion

Devotion is intense love for God. It is a deep yearning to experience love in its purest and highest form, to unite with that which is eternal and unchanging. We get a glimpse of this through our worldly relationships, especially with those who have touched our hearts the most. Some scriptures tell us we do not really love others for their own sake but rather for the Divine that resides in them.

The path of devotion allows us to use all of our senses, all of our emotions, and all of our actions to express love in our daily interactions and offer them to God or Christ. In our devotion we need to realize that God is the underlying principle of pure consciousness.

Devotion is both the means and the end: lower devotion, is the way to cultivate higher devotion, which is union with the Divine.

The intrinsic nature of man is immortal bliss. On realizing it, one becomes free from suffering and completely satisfied, having no more desires.

St. Anselm of Canterbury (a Benedictine monk, abbot, philosopher and theologian of the Catholic Church, who held the office of archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109), wrote:

“I have found a joy that is full and more than full. For when heart and mind and soul and all are full of that joy, joy beyond measure will still remain.” After the initial intoxication with bliss, one enjoys the delight of inner silence. In the depths of this silence, one realizes a complete unity with others, and comes to understand that we are all the same, there is no separation.

Through lower devotion we can prepare to receive the grace of higher devotion. It is a way to transform our emotions into positive, creative expressions of love and devotion to God.

Everything we do, prayer, chanting, reading scriptures, meditation, is taking is a step closer to being aware of the Divinity residing in our inner heart.

Prayer is a simple but very effective way to connect with the Divine. There are two kinds of prayer: ego-centered prayer and genuine prayer. In ego-centered prayer we approach God to petition for favors. Genuine prayer, on the other hand, comes from deeper within.

In this inner sacred prayer, we do not pray for any external favors or gifts but rather only for the strength to face and resolve with serenity all of the many problems that fill our lives. Such prayers, which are completely selfless and pure, are always answered.”

Genuine prayer includes gratitude. As Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you say in your entire life is “Thank you,’ that would suffice.” Upon waking up, before you get out of bed, give thanks for a new day and for all you have, even the simplest things, like clean water, sunlight, laughter.

Contemplation is an important companion practice to devotion. Knowledge helps us discriminate between that which is eternal and unchanging and that which is fleeting and impermanent. Without a solid philosophical foundation a devotee can get lost in emotionalism, with no clear direction and goal.

In our spiritual practice, we start by studying an inspiring scripture such as the bible etc. We can reflect on just the verses alone, or choose a commentary and read a chapter a day. We then contemplate how these teachings create a philosophical framework for viewing our lives in a larger spiritual context, and how we can put the teachings into practice. We can also form a discussion group for deeper study.

The Desert - if we are serious and fully committed to our spiritual path, we will go deeper and deeper into the teachings and as a consequence may find ourselves in the desert phase or what St. John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul.” This is where we do the real work, just as a seed has to grow its roots in the dark soil before it can blossom into the light.

The desert phase is a time of great effort and spiritual dryness, a time when we may doubt our faith and wonder why we are spending time sitting in contemplation or meditation. It is a time of deep longing and at the same time despair. At this stage, we must realize that our inner teacher will be drawing us deeper into the cave of our heart. In this phase, we seem to be caught in a no-man’s-land, the land beyond the senses, neither fully outward nor fully inward.

This is a part of the journey that seekers pass through, some many times. The sage Ramakrishna used to say that we cry for everything except God. When we truly cry for God, he said, in the same way that a drowning man gasps for his next breath, then we will know God.

“Lost am I, save for love of Thee. None can know the depth of my despair, my moments of weariness. Unless Thou stretch forth Thy helping hand, how can I reach the further shore?”

During this stage, we envision ourselves being carried in the palm of God and trust that the Divine One will bring us out of this dark night of separation, no matter how long it takes.

Acceptance, it is important to realize that in the desert stage we need to allow the unspoken parts of ourselves to rise into conscious awareness. In recognizing and acknowledging these parts, we can learn how to cultivate compassion for ourselves and others. To do this, we make a commitment to sit with whatever is troubling us and create a space for healing. We accept and offer our whole heart to God, both good and bad, without hiding from our emotional wounds, anger, fear, grief, shame, and unfulfilled longings and desires. We cannot run from our issues. Our issues, our lives are our spiritual practice.

Awakening – in a sense is processes of unlearning all that which keeps one in bondage to the world, and letting our inner guidance take over.

Another word for awakening is enlightenment, a state of self-realization beyond the ego that points to the innate potential in all of us.

Enlightenment or awakening is a profound mystery, and the best definition may be the actual experience of our own shifts in consciousness.

The most profound spiritual awakenings occur, when our consciousness suddenly recognizes its ultimate true nature.

Glory be to God

A Realm Of Space And Time

We are in a realm of space and time

Where it seems there is no reason or rhyme.

We look around for what is true,

When what's real is only found in You.

Jesus said, “I am the truth and the life.”

His word cuts like a two-edged knife,

Splitting apart both body and soul,

Leading us to God, our greatest goal.

Therein lies our blessed hope-

No need, in darkness, for us to grope;

In Him is light brighter than the Sun-

His light can shine in everyone.

Look unto Him, He's waiting for you,

With a love eternal, infinite and true.

No more will we wander, lost and confused,

Bruised, abandoned and abused.

Healing is found in His open arms,

Our hearts made new and freed from harm.

Peace like a river floods our minds,

We understand, who once were blind.

We give God thanks for His mercy and grace

Upon us all, this human race.

He turns hearts hard like a lump of coal,

Into diamonds shining in our soul.