The Hangover of Bhakti

3 years ago By Yogi Anoop

The Hangover of Bhakti Ras

In my observation, very few people are able to report behavioural changes after being part of some religious gathering or Satsanga. Such gatherings are often a mere escape, where a person feels peace and solace for a while only to go back into their reality, same behaviour. 

    One of the biggest reasons behind this is that the intensity with which a person immerses himself into this, he/she comes out of it with the same intensity. Along with this, comes a hangover of impracticality. After the intensity of the emotions, the brain releases a lot of hormones which takes time to normalise and after becoming normal, it starts to feel hungover

     This is similar to those people who would go into a trance on reaching the peak of devotion and on coming back to reality, they would crave sweet and savoury food. In my own experience, after getting back from my meditation during childhood, I would feel very hungry, my head would start getting heavy, I would feel like talking more, etc.

       The main reason for all these problems could be a state of excitement in meditation or being very emotional, etc. 

In the same way, these devotional seekers try to get very absorbed when they are involved in shringar ras, that is, gatherings like satsang, etc. These same people are not able to maintain that state and on stepping out, assume the same character that they had. 

All in all, what I am trying to suggest here is that Saadhna must be treated as sadhna and not an escape or an alternate world. It is merely maya from the transcendental point of view. Note that it is the worldly truth that imparts the knowledge of transcendental. 

Such gatherings are good for getting momentary peace but in the long run, dhyan and sadhna are the only ways to reach a calm and centred mind. 

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