The effect of good news

Hearing good news about others affects people in different ways. Personally, the feelings it evokes within me serves as a barometer of how emotionally healthy I am and my relationship with the individual. Feelings of joy and "they totally deserve it" are what I aim for. However, in instances where it dredges up not so pleasant emotions, I realize I have internal work to do.

Just as pain serves as an indication that something is wrong with the body, similarly, negative emotions can serve as an indicator that we need to pay closer attention to an unfulfilled need or issue. That something can vary from person to person, but it's important to identify it and work to see what is needed to heal it. The importance of this topic was highlighted again by something that recently happened.

I have been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by practitioners of bhakti yoga my entire life. In order to invoke the blessings and share in the good news that I am to be married soon, my dear parents have been personally inviting well-wishers and friends for the occasion. Today I'd like to share with one reaction that melted my heart.

Although I wasn't physically present to witness the reaction, my parents later narrated that upon hearing the news and receiving an invitation, one well-wisher, who is an extremely deep and advanced bhakti yoga practitioner, immediately started to inquire as to my parents' assessment of my future husband's character. Satisfied with their responses, he expressed his heart-felt congratulations. That in itself totally melted my heart. An uncle-like figure in my life, I don't often get to see this well-wisher, but his genuine concern and care for my well being was palpable even through my parents voices.

Not soon after, he came back and immediately pressed a small gift in my father's hand. This was totally above and beyond the realm of anything any of us expected as his sincere well-wishes were all that we were seeking.

Although this may seem quite simple and ordinary, I assure you, it was anything but. The sense of reciprocation and gratitude to have such an exemplary well-wisher in my life was and is still overwhelming. In fact, while meditating on the incident a few days later, it was all I could do to restrain the tears filling my eyes.

As an aspiring practitioner of bhakti this is what I too long to be: the happy well-wisher to others, especially in their time of success and joy.

The Essence

As an aspiring bhakti yogi, what would you say is the most important thing in your spiritual practice? Would you pick service, the association of like minded bhakti yogis, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, prasadam, kirtan or something else?

As I was chanting the maha-mantra today, I realized how far I am from being a true bhakti yogi. The essence of bhakti yoga is to always remember the Supreme, Krishna, and to never forget Him. The prescribed method to do this, is to chant the Holy Names of the Lord.

I chant the maha-mantra everyday, but the quality of my chanting is far from desirable. My tendency is to focus on service, associating with other bhakti yogis, eating prasadam or joining in a great kirtan. But....if one seriously thinks about it, the practice of all these other spiritual activities can be deepened and more fully experienced when we become fully dependent upon the chanting of the Holy Name.

How does that happen, you ask? Because the Holy Name is non-different than Krishna. By developing our relationship with Krishna, by chanting the Holy Name in a mood of separation and longing, all our other activities become even more spiritually surcharged.

One of my spiritual mentors, HG Brhat-mrdanga prabhu, once said, "It is hypocritical to think that we are doing service if we do not chant our rounds. Chanting our rounds is our service."

I beg and pray to the Holy Name to please give me the desire to chant with more sincerity, with love and with a great desire to re-establish my eternal relationship with Him.