Comments on: Yoga Journal’s Abstract Impressions of Bhakti

By: Kaustubha das

Kaustubha das — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:42:56 +0000

In their October 2008 issue, Yoga Journal published a highly edited excerpt from my letter to the editor. I’ve included the excerpt below.

Kaustubha das

[The story’s art is a painting of a naked woman, waist deep in water. Her head drops back and arms open wide to receive the waterfall cascading from the empty starlit sky. To me, the image represents the western notion of bhakti and yoga, one that nurtures the ego and the sense that you’re a beautiful and free woman. In this way, yoga has shifted from a practice that restrains the mind to one that frees the mind from stress so that you can enjoy nature’s gifts. But the ultimate source of those gifts, the very object of devotion in bhakti, is left as ambiguous as the sparkling waterfall in the sky.

KAUSTUBHA DAS
via email]

By: BV Kusum Sraman Swami

BV Kusum Sraman Swami — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:35:24 +0000

Gouranga my friends.
Just found your website. Nice, open, inspiring, straightforward. Wish you all the very best in it’s continuation and it’s purity.
Take care and best wishes always.

the insignificant

bv kusum sraman swami

By: Heather Morton

Heather Morton — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:27:13 +0000

Just commenting on the question, “What is the harm in informing readers of bhakti as it has been handed down for centuries and then, in a clear way, identifying what the author refers to as a “contemporary interpretation of bhakti” as something that is, in some ways, borrowing from that tradition?”

My understanding as to why the author did not specifically mention that the tradition of Bhakti is fixed to a specific Hindu diety has to do the murky waters that still exists around religion and spirituality. People are so afraid of offending others in their teachings, etc.., that they would rather omit the long handed-down tradition. This approach obviously skips over that Bhakti yoga today as it is practised is “in some ways, borrowing from that tradition.”

I see no problem in stating that it is being borrowed…but the problem more than this…

First, people especialy yoga teachers are not well versed in the tradition. Today, people can take any kind of course and literally call themselves a teacher. I am not indicating that the author is way off base, but it has been my experience as a teacher than many people would rather skirt the issue all together than go back to historical facts. They simply don’t know enough to teach it any better.

Secondly, people in the West are very confused over the concept of spirituality. Take it into the school system and right away you have parents calling it religious. So, some deep work is really necessary in defining what is meant by spirituality.

It is still a very unsetttled area….As Georg Feurstein points out most of Yoga in the West is watered-down….so perhaps some boldness and some courage is required to bring forth the ancient traditions and call them for what they are, and not what Westerners prefer them to be for their own convenience.

By: linda

linda — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:08:58 +0000

love your site and your critique of the YJ article. I no longer consider YJ a “yoga magazine” — it became a “fitness magazine” a long time ago.

shanti….

By: gbSk

gbSk — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:10:47 +0000

thank you kaustubha das for another great commentary. you not only get to the heart of the matter, you inspire me and remind me of the depths that i need to go to in my own practices.

By: The Yoga of Devotion: Bhakti Collective « yoga gumbo

The Yoga of Devotion: Bhakti Collective « yoga gumbo — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:50:59 +0000

[...] or delving deeper into yoga philosophy in general. There are some wonderful articles, including a critique of Yoga Journal’s recent article on bhakti, as well as information about kirtan books and [...]

By: Thus thus a new thus

Thus thus a new thus — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:55:19 +0000

Kausthuba’s comments on the “Yoga Journal” article by Ms. Isaacs goes to the heart of the matter, and is no doubt a welcome respite from the torrents of water down misconceptions presented in the name of Bhakti.
Bhakti-yoga is an exact science.
Bhakti is the heart of God.
God reveals Himself to those who having been dissatisfied with everything else offered by the material world, want nothing else but to love Him. To obtain this exclusive interview one shouldn’t be astonished to find a very high tag price. Be suspicious of discount Self Realization processes. One must abandon AND permanently discard all conceptions of I, me and mine and focus one’s meditation on whatever is favorable to increase one’s devotion for one’s Beloved. Not just during the guided meditation class, but for one’s entire journey in the material world. The goal is 24/7, lifetime after lifetime. Selfish desires, even subtle ones, won’t pass through God’s sophisticated customs area without setting off the alarm. Bhakti is a process that once started, if done correctly and under the guidance of a serious practitioner, would bring one enough satisfaction to endure the temptation of any allurements and distractions on the path to pure love of God. Enlightenment simply means to see the world through the eyes of God. Any other viewpoint is just a variation on the illusion theme. If yoga is what you do between Starbucks and the movies, do not be surprised if the result of your endeavor isn’t worth more than the price of a Decaf Latte.

By: Cultural Appropriation in Action « Yoga Vita

Cultural Appropriation in Action « Yoga Vita — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:41:16 +0000

[...] cara I’d like to highly recommend the following commentary from Bhakti Collective to all: Yoga Journal’s Abstract Impression of Bhakti. Although the author Kaushtuba das doesn’t frame it as such, it speaks to the kind of [...]

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:20:32 +0000

Thank you for this insightful and honest post. As Western practitioners of yoga (and speaking for myself as a white person) we need to be really careful of crossing the line between cultural exchange and cultural appropriation. Stealing, misusing, and rendering meaningless important cultural and spiritual vocabulary (such as bhakti, or even yoga for that matter) continues to be a very powerful tool that a dominant culture can use to take away power and identity from another, and it should be called out when it happens. Thank you for speaking up.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:46:46 +0000

Thanks for an article which is useful for a number of reasons.

By: (0v0)

(0v0) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:28:17 +0000

Thank you so much for writing this and putting it out here for us. All the pieces here are clear, supportive of practice and inspiring to me. This one is especially acute.

Above, the last paragraph is really nice. The new age “flight toward the light” of a more sattvic mindset is so understandable in our situation, but I suppose not really where it (the yoga) is at.