Listening as first step on Path of Bhakti

“Listening (Shravanam) has been mentioned as First step in Nine stages of Bhakti (Path of Devotion) in Indian scriptures for a seeker on Spiritual Journey. This is perhaps true as this is simplest to Practice.”  

Perhaps this is the reason why there has been widely practised method of Daily Talks by Spiritual leaders of each religion across the globe. This has been a sustainable way for many decades with a routine for such talks for collective gatherings at fixed time, either in the morning or evening, in homes or religious places. This very well resonates with concept of group listening to an expert or scriptures of leading philosophers and saints. 
 
I recall my earlier days in 1970 as a young boy in Lucknow when I used to join my father in the weekly Study Circle being organized at the residence of one the devotees of Sri Aurobindo & The Mother. This was one of the events of Sri Aurobindo Society and picked up pace in Sri Aurobindo’s birth centenary year in 1972. This module used to have 40-45 minutes sessions with gathering of 10-15 seekers and each session used to begin with devotional music & meditation followed by reading verses of texts of books written by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother and deliberations, also end with meditation and listening to devotional music. On some of these sessions I had the opportunity to listen to accomplished speakers from Ashram, such as, Dr. Indra Sen, Dr. Maheswari, to name a few.
 
Today, when I reflect on this simple practice to develop understanding of the teachings on Integral Yoga and bring positive changes in our Life, I have found them very effective. A few of key takeaways of these talks are still fresh in mind and have become part of daily practice. This was perhaps due to their easy to comprehend style and way of simple explanation with simple metaphors. One such memory relates to metaphor used by Dr Indra Sen – “Keep the base of your Lota (traditional pot which has elliptical profile with top open and flat base) filled with water, stable so that it does not shake / tremble.” This metaphor was to convey the need of synergy between Body and Mind (thoughts) for a Peaceful Life in turbulent world.
 
We could try this simple practice to bring transformational positive changes our Life journey…

- Pranav Srivastava (India)

Comments

  1. Anuradha28 September 2023 at 07:48

    Thanks for this simple sharing Pranav. Study circles have always been most helpful. Several years of collective study, listening, reflecting and imbibing led to the birth of The Gnostic Centre. Till this day (26 years since the Centre was born), we continue with weekly study circles to deepen our consciousness.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous28 September 2023 at 09:34

      Happy to see your efforts to bringing together like minded seekers through blogs and other virtual modes ... curious to see Gnostic center .. will pre inform and visit in my next trip to Delhi ... Pranav srivastava

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  2. Don Salmon28 September 2023 at 07:59

    This reminds me of the Christian practice (not just “western” but all over the world) of Lectio Divina (Divine reading). One could take the line from the King James Bible that one can find in over 100 forms in Sri Aurobindo’s writings, St. Paul’s quote from.a 3rd Century BC Athenian poet, that God is He “in whom we live and move and have our Being.”

    Without initially actively engaging in thinking, simply the rhythm of this majestic, mantric phrase from the King James Bible is enough to begin to harmonize the mental, vital and physical consciousness.

    Dwelling on it still longer, it may awaken a sense of the vastness, boundlessness, peace and freedom of our Infinite Self. It may also, if “heard” - if listened to - from the Heart, stir our souls with Love for Him, for Her, for That

    In which

    We live

    Move

    And

    Have our

    Being…..

    And we can perhaps begin to gently contemplate

    How many ways to we at this moment and every moment, ignore this more intimate than intimate reality, how often do we miss that which, as it is said in the Koran, is closer to us than our jugular vein.

    What is it in the biases, prejudices, assumptions, limited beliefs of the mind, the preoccupations, cravings, addictions, attachments and aversions of the vital, the obscurity, ignorance and inertia of our physical consciousness, that blinds us to that all permeating Presence, that eternally present Light, Power and Bliss which constitutes all, supports all, that in which we “live and move and have our Being?

    As we listen with the ears of our ears, and begin to see with the eyes of our eyes, begin to know with the Mind of the mind, can we open our minds to that Light, open our hearts to that Love, open our life to that Power, and in all things, see the Divine?

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