Entertainment 30

Laura Gubbins weaves deep clarity with humorous metaphor, reciting mystical poetry from 13th Century Persian Sufi Rumi and 14th Century Kashmiri Yogini Lalla, with musical accompaniment. The mystics’ timeless poetry describes the soul’s journey towards the deepest mysteries, and the struggles and ecstasy experienced along the way.

Having fallen into a traditional style ‘disciple and master’ relationship with her Kashmiri Sufi guide ten years ago, Laura started a journey deep into mystical experience. Studying the great mystics’ texts from various traditions over those years, revealed that the mystics’ voices of the heart transcend the separation of specifi c religious paths. Now, without interpretation or commentary, Laura’s devotional recitals bring alive the vision that the mystics speak of, deeply relevant in contemporary times.

One of the niyama-s, observances as laid out by Rishi Patanjali in the Yoga sutras includes Isvara pranidhānam – surrender to Īśvara, God. Further, the great teaching of Vedanta is Tat tvam asi - That God you are.

Many are keen on Yoga and Vedanta but not too keen to relate to Īśvara and hence are denied its full value. If one wants to fully be blessed by Yoga or Vedanta then one has to open one’s heart to God. But our idea of God is fi ltered through our existing ideas of God which are remnants from childhood.

The truth is - God is as we are. The way I see myself and the world refl ects in how I see and understand God. The way I understand God is refl ected in how I see myself and the world.

In a Christian culture, the conditioning of being a sinner and a judgmental God can be very strong and many reject these ideas. In a Hindu culture one advantage is growing up with hearing the glories of di erent manifestations such as Bhagavan Rama and Krishna. The disadvantage is that due to our projections they may be seen as fl awed beings. Further, as modern science starts to dominate our lives, if we cannot fi nd a reason for some behaviour, we don’t say as true scientists will say – this needs further research. As pseudo scientifi cally minded people we say – if it cannot be explained it better be dismissed. There is a growing group of atheists, agnostics and the growing category of Spiritual-but-not-religious who come to Yoga and Vedanta. The challenge they need to overcome is scepticism and a pride in one’s reason. It is evident that God needs to be rescued!

Because of our earlier conditioning related to ‘God’, we use Īśvara interchangeably for God in the rest of the article.

Bhagavān Krsna o ers a four-fold classifi cation of bhakta-s, devotees in the Gita(7.16)

Rescuing ‘God’ from our ideas

चतुर्विधाभजन्तेमांजनाःसुकृतिनोऽर्जुन| आर्तोजिज्ञासुरर्थार्थीज्ञानीचभरतर्षभ|| १६|| Arjuna, the foremost in the clan of Bharata! People given to good actions, who worship me are four-fold - the distressed, the seeker of security and pleasure, the one who desires to know (Me), and the one who knows (Me).

A devotee is the one who has discovered love for Īśvara. This classifi cation of devotees by Bhagavān himself could be considered as di erent groups and could also be considered as stages of devotion of the bhakta, devotee relating to God. The disposition of these di erent devotees is described.

STAGE/GROUP 1 – ĀRTAH - is a devotee who prays to God because and when she is distressed. God is the one who protects me. He hands out reward and punishment. I swing from fear in the face of things that I don’t want to loving devotion when I get what I want. I am a survivor struggling with the di erent situations in life. The world and my mind are battlefi elds. I don’t trust easily and feel restless most of the time. If only things go my way, I would be peaceful. I fear loss and being abandoned by my dear ones and God.

STAGE/GROUP 2 – ARTHĀRTHI – the devotee who seeks security and pleasure/ prosperity. God is the all-powerful one who answers my prayers. I am an achiever who wants Artha, (Wealth) Kāma (Pleasure) and Dharma (Universal values). I am also a bhoktā, an experiencer, as I defi ne myself by my experiences. I try to maximize experiences in work, family, fi nances and pleasure. I am happy when I get what I want and really sad when I don’t. I value logic and reason and defi nitely think that God has created this creation intelligently. I am afraid of failure and prefer to keep God in good spirits by praying to him. I am interested in Yoga and Vedanta to the extent that it gives me power to achieve whatever I want. I am interested in mantra-s, kriyas-mudra-s and other methods to be phenomenally powerful. My challenge is turning away from God when desires are not fulfi lled and having a false sense of superiority. STAGE/GROUP 3– JIJÑĀSU is the person who desires to know the reality of God. Īśvara is known as the Cosmic Order is the material and intelligence for all laws and principles. I see the world as a manifestation of Īśvara – his material and intelligence including me. It is a world of countless possibility, discovery and