Bhakti Yoga is a spiritual practice of yoga. Bhakti means “Almighty” and this practice is devoted to God. If you are looking for a spiritual yoga practice that teaches peace and contentment and devotion to God, Bhakti Yoga may be a good choice for you.
In addition to the spiritual practice, Bhakti yoga may help with anger management, helping rid the body of anger and bring peace and contentment.
Bhakti yoga focuses on compassion for other people and creatures. A combination of methods is used in Bhakti yoga. Various practitioners may use asana, meditation, mantra, and chanting and singing of prayers, as well as reading religious books in any variety of combinations.
Bhakti yoga is a highly individual practice. There is no set way to practice and no series of asanas to perform, as in Ashtanga yoga. The individual person chooses the path that feels right. The practice is simple and offers abundant emotional, mental and spiritual benefits.
The practice of this and other spiritual forms of yoga has an amazing affect on the student. Often, a complete change in the outlook on life, attitude and daily interactions with others changes dramatically after beginning the practice.
Rather than living in stress, anger, rage and struggle, the practice of surrender to the Almighty develops an inner peace and contentment that replaces stress and anger. This is beneficial not only emotionally, but physically as well. Stress literally is a killer and reducing stress is great for overall physical health.
There will always be stress and conflict in life. There is no way to completely alter the world to remove it completely. However, you can learn to live in peace and contentment in the present moment, regardless of continually changing circumstances through the spiritual practice of Bhakti yoga.
Although this is a spiritual form of yoga, it isn’t disciplined or filled with dogma that would conflict with other religious beliefs. Devotion and surrender to the Almighty are pretty much basic tenets of most religious traditions and practices and this form of yoga adds to that.