In recent years, Yoga has captured the attention of the whole world. Although the practice of Yoga originated in India, it has now been adopted in almost all countries of the world irrespective of religion, gender or nationality. In fact, a sizeable chunk of the fitness industry is now based on yoga, consisting mainly of physical exercises. But yoga is much more than a set of exercises and disciplines; it is a multifaceted guide to living life. The Yoga in Indian traditions has a meditative, spiritual and devotional core. ‘Bhakti Yoga’ is a sub-discipline of Yoga which is centered on ‘bhakti’ i.e. devotion. It is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on the cultivation of love and devotion toward God. It is solely motivated by the sincere, loving desire of God, rather than the hope of divine reward or the fear of divine punishment.

So how exactly does one practice Bhakti Yoga? Does one need to become a full-time yogi? The answer is an emphatic no! Bhakti yoga is often considered to be the easiest way for ordinary people to attain a spiritually liberated state, because although it is a form of yoga, its practice is not as rigorous as most other disciplines of yoga, and it is possible to practice it without needing to become a full-time yogi. The tenets of Bhakti Yoga are as follows –

1. Prayer
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 within. 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.

2. Contemplation
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 mere emotionalism, with no clear direction and goal.

3. Faith
Steadfast faith is the core of bhakti yoga. We all go through testing times – events and people in our lives sometimes become hard to go along with. It is in these times that our faith is tested – bhakti yoga dictates us to not be disillusioned with hardships and keep our faith strong.

4. Compassion and Generosity
One of the easiest ways to understand the path of bhakti and expand our devotional attitude is to treat others the way we would like to be treated. The Jewish sage Philo said, “Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” When you see that someone is having a hard day, offer to help, say a prayer, or just listen with an open and compassionate heart.

Get more insight into the Bhagavad Gita’s timeless wisdom in an exclusive commentary by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.