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RAMAKRISHNA ANANDA

The Bhakta and Vrittis

How to overcome the mental turbulence that keeps you from knowing God

The whole universe is a play of conscious energy. Different schools of yoga have unique approaches to controlling or directing that energy. Discover how the devotional yogi works with energy flows in order to experience and enjoy God.

Bhakti Yoga Talks, Mind

The Bhakti Approach

The bhakti approach is to utilize a strong feeling such as yearning, devotion or love to eradicate all vrittis which keep one from focusing on God’s presence. Bhakti feelings are powerful and can overcome distractions and blockages. The bhakta is feeling and thinking:  Oh, mind, focus on God. Oh, heart, sing God’s name and glories.

  • Yoga is defined by Patanjali as chitta vritti nirodha (control or direction of the whirlpools of mind stuff, consciousness)
  • The mind stuff vibrates according to our vrittis, the whirlpools of our consciousness
  • Our life experience is determined by the way we treat the mind stuff
  • The usual way to control vrittis is pranayam (breath practice)
  • The bhakti (devotional) yoga approach is to eradicate all vrittis which keep one from experiencing and enjoying God
  • Ultimately, the bhakti method is to direct all feelings Godward

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