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The Devotee and the Yoga of Devotion · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  Which comes first the experience of the divine presence or the
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  aspiration to bask in the presence.
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  This question arose in a dialogue between a disciple and
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  SRI aurobindo and led to an extensive response from Sri
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  aurobindo SRI aurobindo describes the attitude motive
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  and dedication of a devotee who follows the devotional path of
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  yoga. In this path.
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  The devotion itself is the primary focus and interest of
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  the devotee and remains unshakable steady and
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  persevering through long stretches of time including
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  periods. when there is no noticeable response or
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  validation from the divine, Many Seekers have experienced.
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  What has been called The Dark Night of the Soul?
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  This is a time when all spiritual progress and
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  illumination seems to be shut off and everything, seems to
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  raise up obstacles and difficulties with nothing to
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  redeem the effort. The devotee on the path of
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  devotion is sustained solely by the devotion itself and keeps
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  the attitude that God will be revealed in time if only the
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  devotee remembers and dedicates there is, in fact, a joy in the
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  act of devotion and surrender to the greater will of the Divine,
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  which arises and sustains the Seeker.
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  The Solace and support provided through the actions of surrender
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  of the ego to the larger Divine Purpose is something which has
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  led to countless laments poems songs, and inspired writings
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  Through the Ages regardless of the specific path, religion or
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  belief system. The devotee follows There is a
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  Common Thread that runs through all devotional practices and
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  that is the real and essential experience of the devotee.
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  SRI aurobindo observes quote, your wholehearted acceptance of
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  the vaishnava idea, and bhakti becomes rather bewildering when
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  it is coupled with an insistence.
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  That love cannot be given to the Divine until one has experience
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  of the Divine. For what is more common in the
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  vaishnava attitude than the joy of mukti for its own sake?
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  Give me Buck T, at cries, whatever else you may keep from
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  me. Even if it is long before I can
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  meet you, even if you delay to manifest yourself, let my buck T
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  my seeking for you, my cry, my love, my adoration be always
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  there how constantly the buck te has sung.
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  All My life I have been seeking you and still you are not there.
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  But still I seek and cannot cease to seek and love and adore
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  if it were really impossible to love God.
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  Unless you first experienced him, how could this be?
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  In fact, your mind seems to be putting the cart before the
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  horse. One seeks after God, first with
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  persistence, or with passion, one finds him afterwards some
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  soon. Than others.
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  But most after a long seeking, One does not find him first then
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  seek after him even a glimpse often comes only after long or
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  fervent seeking one has the love of God or at any rate, some
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  hearts desire for him and afterwards, one becomes aware of
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  God's love. It's replied to the heart's
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  desire, it's response of the Supreme joy and on under one
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  does not say to God, show your love from the first shower on
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  me, the experience of yourself satisfy my demand, then I will
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  see whether I can love you so long as you deserve it.
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  It is surely the Seeker. Who must seek and love first.
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  Follow the quest becoming passion for the sought.
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  Then only does the veil move aside, and the light appear and
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  the face manifest that alone can satisfy.
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  Satisfy the soul after its long sojourn in the desert.
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  In quote reference SRI aurobindo, integral yoga, SRI
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  aurobindo teaching and method of practice, chapter 6, sadhna
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  through love and devotion Divine, love bhakti Pages, 158
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  2162.