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Emil
Australia
141 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 04 2010 : 8:55:52 PM
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I was reading the lessons on transforming emotions into bhakti. I don't have an ishta in the form of a God or a guru so what I do is when something makes me unhappy I just remind myself that this is happening because I'm not enlightened yet or this is happening because my inner silence hasn't grown enough and that sort of thing. Is this how it's done? (I don't have a good notion of merging with gurus - that's why I avoid using that logic).
Cheers |
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cosmic
USA
821 Posts |
Posted - Nov 04 2010 : 9:52:23 PM
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Hello Emil 
There's no "right way" to do bhakti. It's very personal. Whatever gets you to the meditation seat twice a day is sufficient bhakti. Personally, I wouldn't use "I'm not enlightened yet" as a motivation, but that's just me. Whatever your motivation is is OK.
I didn't always have a clear ishta (am not normally the devotional type), but being committed to growth/transformation/practice/etc. has worked for me for several years.
It can be anything. It can even be a thought, like "Who will I be if I keep this up?". For some, the practice itself can be the ishta. Or spiritual progress. Or being a better person. I'm sure you get the idea 
For many years, inner silence itself was my ishta. In the last few months, devotion for Mother Kali (Durga) has spontaneously arisen. But I never sought her out on my own. It just happened. And she has answered my prayers in a very deep way.
Not everyone will have such an experience, or have devotion to a deity.
Whatever inspires you is good enough.
Hope this helps, brother. My Love to you and your family.
Love
cosmic |
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Emil
Australia
141 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2010 : 03:12:58 AM
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Hi Cosmic,
My question was more in the context of this lesson:http://www.aypsite.org/67.html which explains how to transform emotional energy into divine energy by redirecting it towards your ishta. I just read that lesson again now and it appears that the goal (to achive englightenment or to cultivate inner silence) itself could be use as ishta which is consistant with what you said.
Thanks |
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cosmic
USA
821 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2010 : 12:08:06 PM
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| Sorry I misunderstood your question, Emil. Sounds like you found your answer, no? |
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Emil
Australia
141 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2010 : 03:44:26 AM
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sort of  |
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SeySorciere
Seychelles
1532 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2010 : 05:59:42 AM
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Dear Emil,
I would like to add - please note that it says "transforming emotions to bhakti. Making mental statements, from my experience, is not quite what is meant here. You have to take the feelings of unhappiness and turn it into a longing for your ishta or for the presence of inner silence. This will drive you to your twice daily practices.
This is one of the few things I believe I have gotten right.
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Emil
Australia
141 Posts |
Posted - Nov 12 2010 : 02:05:53 AM
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quote:
You have to take the feelings of unhappiness and turn it into a longing for your ishta or for the presence of inner silence.
Hi Seychelles,
Can you please explain how do you normally do it?
Cheers.
p.s. How do you pronounce Seychelles? Is it like "Sea shells"? |
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Marina_J
Australia
7 Posts |
Posted - Feb 04 2011 : 06:56:52 AM
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| You want to transforming emotions into bhakti then you chanting of Om. The chanting of Om is a powerful tonic. So you are chanting Om in the morning after few weeks you feel good. |
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Feb 05 2011 : 03:06:57 AM
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Hi Emil
like Cosmic said ...personally, I wouldn't use "I'm not enlightened yet" ....it is a negative thing that will keep you feeling " i am not good enough yet" adding to the unhappiness feeling
dear you are already That Bliss....the work is only to remove the veils...the sun is always shining,it is the clouds that veil the sunlight...
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Divineis
Canada
420 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2011 : 3:30:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Marina_J
You want to transforming emotions into bhakti then you chanting of Om. The chanting of Om is a powerful tonic. So you are chanting Om in the morning after few weeks you feel good.
Indeed. Om is a powerful mantra.For me, it brings out the consciousness behind everything; as if everything you're watching is watching right back.
One thing, for enlightenment; try bringing it into the present:"I am already enlightened".Your inner guru follows you everywhere. Try bringing your attention towards your heart chakra. Feelings I've had in the heart could be described as: Love is form including; but goes beyond form. Emptiness is form, form is emptyness.
I'd say, for enlightenment; it's easier done than said (in a drop the mind kind of way). And it really is. When you give up and accept this moment and see it fully for what it is; you're there. |
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harsharan000
Spain
59 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2011 : 5:39:43 PM
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Switching emotions into bhakti or devtion, is not letting oneself carried away through emotions of any kind, because these bind oneself on a lower level; rather it would be better to chanelize them and take advantage of them, to jump off and fly to higher levels, through meditation. Whether ishtas, gods or gurus, all of them are nothing but just levels of consciousness. Guru is a word of two syllabeles Gu: means darkness, and Ru means light; so that which leads us from darkness towards the light or enlightment is called Guru, and usually it is the meditation on a mantra, which gives us those results. As said before, our individual soul, ishtas or gods, are just levels of consciousness. Levels, which can be lower or higher, it all depends on our own willing actions, how and what we do, whether conscioussly or unconscioussly. It is an universal law, each action has a reaction.
Some may object by saying, being motionless in the inner silence, or in deep meditaion is contrary to what is written above,but then that would be only on a physical level, because of course there is motion in the subtle spiritual realms, as long there is consciousness, there is motion, just like the difference between the waves of an ocean or waves (frecuency) of the radio or television. Existence by itself is motion. But just as some waves are pleasant, some are painful. Like for example, the waves that provoke tsunamis or earthquakes or the waves that bring coolness like a breeze. So it is our will that can take us to the lower levels or higher levels of consciousness. And it is only bhakti, which can take us in a shorter and a simpler way to the Highest. |
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marcplatters
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2011 : 2:46:02 PM
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| yes absolutely you are on a right track and by following daily you would get lots of benefits. |
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B1-66ER
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2012 : 3:11:29 PM
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| Emil, what makes you think the enlightened do not also experience unhappiness as well as other emotions. Emotions are born of attachment. One can not exist within the world without some measure of attachment therefore every enlightened being who has returned to the world did so attached to something and thus experiences emotions just as you do. The difference is that in the eyes of a mahatma every emotion is an aspect of the divine beloved deserving your compassion patience and understanding. The next time you feel something you consider unhappiness offer it in service to the one from which all energy emanates. Allow it to run its course uninhibited on the inside and ask yourself what the one from whom all happiness and unhappiness originates wants you to understand about yourself and the world around you via this experience. |
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Bhakti - am I doing this right?
