Fear of devotion.

 In some cultures, devotion exists naturally. In others, it doesn’t. We all have this feeling of devotion, but are afraid of it – or rather, we are afraid of our feelings about it. It is a hidden longing that is innate in us, and has to be enhanced. However, who wants to admit to experiencing goose pimples and tears?!

 Devotion is a feeling of finding home – a sense of relief in finding what you have been looking for. And sadly, and with joy, we realise it’s been there all the time… “What have I been doing?”

 When one starts to understand and realise the main point of the Dharma teachings (and that’s in any tradition), the joy and appreciation that arises is devotion. There is sense of recognising relief, and one simply melts. Hence happy for no reason, and love for no reason…goose pimples, tears and all!

 This is not a sticky, sentimental devotion: rather, it is one of clarity, intelligence and knowledge. Of course, we will experience the sticky kind that becomes conceptual from time to time, but that soon vanishes when the pain starts!

 Devotion is a feeling: a good, emotional feeling. Emotions are generally negative (desire, envy, anger etc) whereas devotion is a good emotion, when it is pure.

 What is the advantage of experiencing devotion?

 We can receive blessings (spiritual influence) in our subtle body and basic consciousness. We have a lot of bonds that tie us up, and devotion melts away this bondage and opens up our subtle body, and we feel right – there is a feeling of well being. Love for no reason.

 In our present state, we have to express what we feel through words and actions, and this creates consequences, and binds us. Devotion is a healthy type of expression without the side effect of binding us.

 We are human. We are not vegetables, and it is part of our nature to express. There are the foolish who like to repeat, “Those that know do not speak.” This is idiotic, and lacks compassion. We have a mind and we think: we can direct our thinking in a positive or a negative way, and it’s the same with emotions.

 In the Dharma, both negative and positive are addressed: since we have to express ourselves because of our emotions, there are guidelines to follow in order to help us. These refer to our conduct and compassion.

 In order to open up,

we have to express.

If we don’t express

we cannot open up.

 Emotion of devotion is the antithesis of other emotions: usually emotions make us more uptight, but devotion releases. If we don’t know what the essence of devotion is, then there is some danger of becoming fanatical. That’s why in the Dharma, it is said that devotion has to go along with intelligence, knowledge and love.

 Many things block the arousal of devotion – in the body there may be physical tiredness or stress, or imbalances in the subtle body, and the mind may preoccupied with hopes and fears. These things will prevent the expression of devotion.

 If we want devotion to arise, this can only happen if our subtle body is free and balanced. We may have trust, faith and confidence at an cognitive level, but at a deeper level, we may not have a heart-felt feeling in our subtle body.

 There has to be trust, faith and confidence, and we probably already have those. We may become hyped up by chanting, recitation, music etc which may make us cry or give us goose pimples. We may feel warm, loving and great afterwards – but is that devotion? Devotion is wisdom, which can ignite compassion.

 We can be great Awareness practitioners but be numb to expression.

 There is a practice of sending Light from one’s heart to the hearts of all enlightened beings: that Light then returns to one’s heart with blessings, and one immediately sends that Light out again to all sentient beings. This repeats in a continuous cycle.

 Our fear can be a ‘cultural inheritance’.