SHUBH MAHASHIVARATRI!

ॐ नमः शिवाय || शुभ महाशिवरात्रि
Om Namah Shivaya!
Shubh Mahashivaratri!

My old Nataraj from Gurudev Siddha Peeth

Tomorrow is Mahashivaratri, one of my favorite celebrations in the Hindu calendar. In February we celebrate Shivaratri on the 13th night of the month. This being "maha" Shivaratri, the potential of each prayer, each blessing is multiplied by a thousand; keep your sankalpa fixed on the Lord within and without.

We honor Lord Shiva for his will to create, his compassion to destroy (our ignorance), and his loving grace, amongst many other characteristics of Mahadeva. In honoring Lord Shiva we also honor Shakti, the creative energy-- pure consciousness, that enables us to see and be a part of Shiva's dance.

Look up at the moon tonight and say--

ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
शिवाय नमः ॐ
Shivaya Namah Om

My eternal Blessings to everyone, everywhere.
Bhakti

INSTAGRAM @jai_bhakti
TWITTER @BhaktiBrophy

(image c. 2018 D.L. BROPHY)

2017 NEW YEAR'S PRAYER...

Let us not focus on

what we hate,

Let us focus on

what we Love. 

Amen. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Birthday to the One who is all things to all people in all places at all times.

Hallelujah!

Namo Namah,
Bhakti

The Atman Is Beyond Stain

"The Inner Self (Atman) is blissful because it is not stained by the mechanics and ruminations of time."

~Bhakti Brophy

Photo & post © 2015 Brophy

CAVERNS OF THE MIND: SPIRITUALITY and FEAR

Spiritual Seekers--

Experiential knowledge of the Truth within and without does not erase the existence of the human condition.

When your spiritual energy (Goddess Kundalini Shákti) is awakened, you'll notice your practice becomes somewhat of a roller coaster ride as the kundalini touches upon charged energy pockets of the subconscious. I call these pockets the "caverns of the mind".

As the intensity ramps up, this time in our practice can seem a bit overwhelming. At times the emotions can be so intense that we feel like abandoning our practice. But the Goddess Kundalini is alluring, She keeps us coming back to the mat by entertaining us with visual and kinesthetic experiences that are as euphoric as the emotions are gut wrenching.

Fear is the greatest obstacle to spiritual freedom. Fear is the antithesis of freedom.

Fear caused the most upheaval in my practice (and life!) during this three year period of intense practice with the Goddess after shaktipat diksha.  For months I was playing Whack-A-Mole with my mind: every time I worked through one fear, another popped up.

The key is to work through your fears.

As much as you'd prefer to call it quits and go back to a life of ignorant bliss (that's not really bliss, tho, is it?), your practice will continually pull you back. In my early twenties I read a quote by Chögyam Trungpa, and it has proven to be true--"Once you're on the spiritual train, there's no getting off." This is a good thing. A boon of the highest order.

So what do we do with fear?

First we must acknowledge it's existence. Sit quietly, focusing on the natural rhythm of the breath. Once you're attuned to the sensations in your body, ask the question, "What emotions am I feeling right now?" You may be surprised at the answer: sometimes we think we're angry, 
but we discover we're actually sad. We think we're feeling guilt, but we're feeling fear.

By focusing on our breath and centering ourselves, we're distancing ourselves from the mind and letting our physical intelligence (intuition) lead us to the truth of what we're feeling.

I'm sharing all of this with you because even though my three years of intense austerities was years ago, and my practice is quite ordinary without the bells and whistles, I still go through periods of intense emotional upheaval. Not nearly as often as I used to, but I do get thrown off center, lose my footing, so to speak, and stumble.

It only makes sense, tho, right?

The spiritual energy is purifying our body, mind, and spirit. Sometimes this purging is done while in meditation without any 
feelings of upheaval. Other times, we are forced to face our fears head on. If we don't, they're just going to gain more momentum and come back with a vengeance until we acknowledge them.

Okay, you've sat quietly and you recognize you're filled with fear. Most times simply naming the emotion "Fear" and staring it straight in the face will help loosen its grip.

Our emotions want to be acknowledged. They're like little kids begging for attention, "Look at me! Look at me! I'm right here!" Once we've acknowledged it, we can sit quietly with the emotion, simply watching and feeling its presence, until it's transmuted back into pure consciousness energy. (This takes practice, but its worth the effort. Watching charged emotions dissolve back into pure 
consciousness energy is enlightening. To experience first hand the existence, sustenance, and dissolution of something is mystical, for this cycle is the cycle of birth, life, and death.)

Sometimes we need to go deeper, and explore the root of our fear. Such was the case in my practice the past two weeks. My practice itself was beautiful, but dealing with the mind stuff it brought up felt like pulling teeth; I was (am) dealing with shame that's surfaced from a traumatic childhood experience. Not fun, but necessary for my spiritual growth, as well as my overall growth and health as a human being.

This shame has been controlling so many facets of my adult life, creating so much fear--Once I realized this to be the case, I used meditation and contemplation (raja yoga), and studying of scripture and texts pertinent to my specific trauma (jnana yoga), to get at the root cause--to pull the roots of this samskara out of my subconscious mind. There's still much work to do. I feel I've pulled back enough layers of the onion that I'm finally at the door to healing. After all this work, I'm ready to begin the real work. Such is the spiritual life!

While navigating my way through this upheaval--and I use the word "navigating" because I felt lost many times-- I cried often and a lot.

Again, it was not fun. It was not easy. But I know that everything is a purification. The Goddess is expelling that which is keeping me bound.

Remember that everything IS energy,
even the pain and angst. And it's not only okay to cry, it's physiologically necessary to expel the grief, fear, etc., from our system in order to heal.

Remember that our sadhana (spiritual path/practice) is for the sake of our freedom from everything that keeps us bound to the cycle of birth and death. Our practice is not for nothing. The goal is yoga: Union with our highest Self. That which is beyond shame and fear. That which is our birthright. That which we already are and always have been, but which is often veiled by the play of consciousness in the form of maya (illusion).

Its best to write these truths down on Post-It Notes and index cards and keep them handy, because we're unable to recall these truths when we're in the throws of maya.

In closing, I would like to add the importance of
having spiritual friends and mentors, someone who's been where you stand now. (Be sure to use your intuition: anyone who claims your spiritual growth is contingent upon how much you pay him or her, or asks for egregious "donations", is most certainly a charlatan).

Remembering that you're not alone is key to weathering the caverns of the mind. All Great seekers go through this purification. Take refuge in the scriptures, too. I consider the Svetashvetara Upanishad home, and lose myself within the words often.

Also, it's good to remember to lean on the things that bring joy to your life. We're not martyrs. It's vital to let yourself experience joy while going through these upheavals. For me, it's music. Sometimes spiritual music in the form of kirtan, Qawwali, namaskirtana, bhajans. Other times, it's the grace infused compositions of my beloved friends Jason Becker, Steve Vai, and Vernon Reid, respectively. This week it's been all about Jason. 

We are human. Balancing our spiritual and daily lives is a tough road to navigate at first, but in time the two merge. And this is grace.

Love and All Great Blessings to you,
as my own Self.

Bhakti


Namo Namah





*Eternal thank yous and salutations to Sally ji Kempton [Swamiji Durgananda] for her countless years of altruism, asking only one thing in return: that I practice with great love and devotion. So much love.

Essay © 2015 D.L. Bhakti Brophy
"Caverns of the Mind"© 2002 D.L.Brophy
All Rights Reserved 

KALI, WEATHER VANE, AEROPLANE, TREE

Kali Durge Namo Namah!

I've said it a million times and I'll say it again:
I'm not able to sit up for more than a few minutes, so I'm forced to stare at the sky when I'm blessed with the chance to sit outside. (Look closely:  there is an airplane in the above photo!)

Find the grace amidst the hard lessons of life.
Find the jewel in the mud.

This is one of the lessons Mahavidya Kali teaches.

Life can be brutal at times, but there is ALWAYS grace. Always.

Jai Ma Kalika!



Love.

Bhakti

INSTAGRAM: @jai_bhakti
TWITTER: @BhaktiBrophy



For more info on the glorious incarnations of Shakti, including Durga and her Mahavidyas, check out my beloved friend and mentor Sally Kempton's book AWAKENING SHAKTI.

www.sallykempton.com (Cut and paste into your browser.)


©2015 D.L. Brophy

What Is The Small Mind / Ego?

A student just asked me to explain the difference between the word ego as used by Freud, and the small mind/ego as it relates to raja yoga/meditation. Here's my reply.

Namo Namah,

Bhakti

LAWYER, LITTLE B, & MY SKYLIGHT POV

Not being able to sit up at the party, I lied down on the floor and stared up at the sky through the skylight as my beloved friends and family celebrated Little B's birthday!


Today was gloriously beautiful (it's after midnight, so technically it was yesterday).

My cousin Sean flew in from Phoenix, Az, with his wife Clau and their two year old daughter Little B. We had a family and friends reunion to celebrate Little B's second birthday. She is an angel. I could be in the throws of overwhelming, unrelenting pain from my spinal cord injury, and Sean will text me a photo of  Little B; without fail her smile lifts my spirits. She is so full of joy. That's a beautiful thing.

Sean is also my lawyer. He helped me deal with protecting my blog's trademarked name after I discovered someone begging for material items and asking for $750 "donations" for energy work using the same name on his blog. I'd like to reiterate that I have never charged anyone for the energy work I do (I have studied nine years, and continue to study, under the tutelage of Grandmaster Dr.Kam Yuen, Shaolin Temple).

Sean is a brilliant lawyer. He is currently helping me win my appeal re: Medicare. My hearing is in two weeks. 
After nine years, Medicare has decided to deny my Lidoderm Patches. They help numb the third degree burns going from my spinal cord down my left arm. They cost $13,500/year.

Last night Dr. Yuen told me not to worry about money. Check this out: Today I caught up with my old friend/former roommate "D" from Brooklyn. We lived together (with Sean) while I was working on my college thesis. We haven't seen each other in 20 years. D tells me in no uncertain terms that if Medicare denies my meds, he will pay to set up my Special Needs Trust. What compassion!

I have such gracious friends. I'm so blessed. Such grace.

My friend Serrana (my beloved friend and guitar prodigy Jason Becker's nurse) has agreed to set up crowd funding if need be.
My friend, Vernon (lead guitarist of Living Colour) has offered to help get the word out via his fan base, etc.

I truly do have wonderful friends. It's a beautiful thing: we are all kind and have always offered to share our wisdom with others freely: whether it be music theory, mysticism, energy work, etc. We give. That's seva. Lots of people talk. We practice what we preach: do the work and forget about the fruits of your labor (this was taught by both Krishna in the Mahabharata's Bhagavad Gita, and Jesus in John and Thomas.) 

Let's be honest, the glory is in the doing and the giving.

And the Maya spins her web of drama...and we all play our parts.

I might be stuck in a body riddled with dis-ease, but my Heart is open a mile wide, and I am grateful for every breath.

Thank you.

Love.

Namo Namah!

Bhakti

LIVE TODAY!

Life is short.
Live today.

~ Bhakti Brophy


As a person with four incurable spinal diseases, living on borrowed time (10 years now), I cannot stress the importance of grabbing life by the reins and forging ahead.

Let no one drag you down.
Let no one crush your spirit.

And if you should fall asunder,
Get back back up
And claim the glory that is
And always has been yours.

The Self within shines as bright as the sun
Whether or not you can see,
Sense, or acknowledge her existence.

The Self is innate
All powerful
Omniscient
And infinitely glorious...

And you are That.

Namo Namah!

Bhakti

JAI BHAKTI™ BLOG PRESENTS: Shánti The Cat's Lampshade Antics!

My beloved cat Shánti DeVai thinks it's funny to play with my bedside lamp in the wee hours of the morning. The lamp has since been taped to the table...that hasn't stopped her from batting the lampshade around with her paws:

"No...no...no...I did NOT touch the lampshade!"

Early in the morning, and too busy watching the birds, Shánti doesn't yet realize the lampshade has been removed, and will be removed every night henceforth.

"Wait...what?! No more lampshade antics at 5:30 a.m.? Seriously? How could you?!"

And so Shánti will simply have to forget the lampshade.

Don't feel bad...she still gets the satisfaction of knocking my bills off the table every afternoon!

Photos ©2015 D.L. BHAKTI BROPHY

All Rights Reserved

Jai Bhakti™ & Shanti The Cat™ Trademark D.L.BROPHY

JAI BHAKTI ™ BLOG: BHAKTI BROPHY'S A WINNER AT CATS AT THE BAR!

Hello Friends!

It's been a long  time since I have been able to blog, as typing is virtually impossible due to the pain caused by my spinal diseases. I'll keep this quick as I SWYPE in my post from my phone:

On a whim, I entered a Haiku contest on the ever silly and wonder-filled blog CATS AT THE BAR...And won!

This has been an incredibly difficult week, what with my father passing in January, my uncle passing last Saturday, and Medicare deciding they no longer wish to pay for the medication that is keeping me alive.* Blah, Blah, Blah...such is life.

Therefore, being honored by T.V. over at CATS AT THE BAR is a beautiful gift of random whimsy. Yet another gift of grace amongst the Maya that is trying to drown this soul (as if!)

Click on THIS LINK to be redirected to the wonderful world of T.V. and his 18+ cats in Canada.

Namo Namah!

Love,

Bhakti

* It is due to weeks like this that I implore my friends, family members, and students to start their sadhana & meditation practices now. If you wait until you need it, you've waited too long!

Upcoming posts include information on my beloved friend JASON BECKER and his 26+ year battle with ALS; Namaskirtana Chants to aid those in the process of dying; Reverend Harriet Hawkins's Sermon on my process of prayer. 

Plus...a Thank you letter (and video!) from one of my students, Joey Grasso.

©2015 Brophy & Jai Bhakti™ Blog

BHAKTI BROPHY Quote No. 77.7 JAI BHAKTI™ BLOG

"I forgot to remember."

~ Bhakti Brophy, © 2008





TWITTER:
@BhaktiBrophy
@JaiBhakti™

JAI BHAKTI™ BLOG WISHES YOU A HAPPY HANUMAN JAYANTI!

MY BELOVED HANUMAN MURTI

Image ©2014 DL Bhakti Brophy

April 14

Today,

 we celebrate the birthday

of the greatest devotee of God

To ever have walked the Earth:

The son of the wind.

The most beloved bhakta.

He who mistook the Sun

for an orange,

  and played with Surya Das

 as a beloved toy.

He who jumped the ocean

To save Sita from the demon King;

 He who dove to the bottom of the sea

To retrieve Sita's wedding ring.

He who defeated Ravana--

The most fierce,

 ten-headed Rakshasha.

I bow to

Baba 

Hanuman,

  the monkey God

Who returned Sita

To Ram.

Who crushed the rubies

Ram gave him

In his palm.

I bow to

Baba Hanuman,

Who represents

Ananda (bliss)

 and

Caitanya (Pure Consciousness).

I bow to He

who ripped open his chest

to reveal that upon His Heart

an image of Sita and Ram

was etched.

I bow to The Self within

In the form of Baba 

Hanuman.

Jai Sita!

Jai Ram!

Jai! Jai! Jai!

Baba Hanuman!

Stotra and photograph

©2014 DL Bhakti Brophy

Thank you for asking permission

before reposting.  

VEDAS: THE SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE

"The original source of knowledge is the Vedas."

~ Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 1

BHAKTI BROPHY QUOTE #0.1 "THE CIRCLE"

"Every one of us is the center of the circle." 

~ Bhakti Brophy





©2014
All Rights Reserved

Jai Bhakti™: Bhakti's Sri Hanuman Murti

This is my beloved Hanuman murti.

While studying with him back in 2004, Jai Uttal blessed this murti by having the entire workshop of 30 people sing the Hanuman Chaleesa in his honor. What a fun, glorious memory that is.

The first time I laid eyes on the larger than life murti of Hanuman at my Guru's ashram, I fell at his feet crying tears of devotion. He had such a profound effect on me, yet I didn't know who he was-- I had to ask a Swami, "Who IS that monkey guy?!"

In 2005 I became 100% physically disabled, yet there is nothing I cannot achieve knowing that Hanuman is alive, in essence and spirit, within and without. He is a great part of the fortitude and devotion that sustains my life.

Jai Jai Sita Ram!
Jai Baba Hanuman!

Om Shánti,
Bhakti







Text & Image ©2014 DL Bhakti Brophy
All Rights reserved.


Thank you for asking permission before reposting.

BHAKTI BROPHY QUOTE No. 462: SHIVA SHAKTI

Shiva is the screen.
Shakti is the movie.


©2014 DL Bhakti Brophy
All Rights reserved

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, DEAR ONES!

May the peace of the Heart

Shower blessings upon you

As we blanket the world

With our Divine Love.


Om Shánti!




So much Love,
Bhakti




©2014 DL Bhakti Brophy
All Rights reserved

BHAKTI BROPHY QUOTE No. 0112358: THE NATURE OF CHANGE

"The only thing that stays the same is change."



©1991 Brophy

JAI BHAKTI™ JAIBHAKTI™ ...BHAKTI BROPHY's COMMON LAW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

NOTICE:

DEAR ONES,
SOMEONE ELSE IS PROMOTING HIS BLOG UNDER THE NAME JAI BHAKTI™, WHICH IS THE COMMON LAW TRADEMARK OF THIS BLOG.  HE IS ALSO PUBLISHING THE SAME MATERIAL/SUBJECT MATTER AS ME ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE AND TWITTER PAGE, CLAIMING TO BE A SPIRITUAL TEACHER, MUSICIAN, ENERGY WORKER. 

MY BLOG, JAI BHAKTI™ IS CELEBRATING ITS TENTH YEAR IN PUBLICATION. (MINE IS NOT THE ONLY NAME THEY HAVE CO-OPTED, AT LEAST ON TWITTER.)

I DON'T APPRECIATE THE NAME OF MY BLOG BEING USED TO BEG FOR MATERIAL ITEMS AND COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF "DONATIONS" ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE ALWAYS HERETOFORE OFFERED MY SERVICES FOR FREE TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS.

THEIR ENERGY SHOULD MAKE IT CLEAR ENOUGH TO MY READERS THAT THEY ARE IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH ME NOR THIS BLOG, NOR MY LIFE'S WORK.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE IS TO STATE THAT THIS MAN, "JAI BHAKTI" "(a.k.a "JAI BHAKTI DEV DAS", a.k.a. "JAI AMUN BHAKTI", a.k.a. JOHN APT--ACCORDING TO COMMENT LEFT ON THIS NOTICE) IS IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH, NOR ENDORSED BY, JAI BHAKTI™ BLOG, WHICH IS IN OUR TENTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION.


This evening, my lawyer asked me to make a formal statement to my students, friends, and followers, that someone else is using Jai Bhakti™ (Jaibhakti™) to promote his spiritual writings/photographs/blog. This name is my trademark under the COMMON LAW RIGHTS law. So please be aware that my rights are being infringed upon, and if you see the JAI BHAKTI (Jaibhakti) or #jaibhakti hash tag on Twitter used in the context to promote spiritual writings, photos, energy work, music, etc., you may not be reading my work, but that of another. If you see this name promoting a blog, make sure you see the name Bhakti Brophy on the post before assuming it's my work. THIS GOES FOR ALL SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS.

I do NOT condone the begging of material objects, nor copious amounts of donations he and his wife ask for their services. That is why this statement had been made public.

I have also secured OFFICIAL_JAIBHAKTI™ under my COMMON LAW RIGHTS. If you see that name, it is relation to this blog and the life work of DL. Bhakti Brophy.


"Holding the space of grace while in the company of those who are bound is the greatest gift you can give to the world."

-- My beautiful friend Anne said that to me in 2006. It is the truth. And it's what must be done until the bound have the eye to see.

Thank you so much for your continued support with regard to this matter, Dear Ones!

So much Love,
Bhakti
c/o Jaibhakti.blogspot.com

DL. BHAKTI BROPHY HAS BEEN STUDYING, PRACTICING, AND TEACHING EASTERN PHILOSOPHY FOR 28 YEARS; STUDYING ONE-ON-ONE FOR YEARS WITH MEDITATION MASTER SALLY KEMPTON (a.k.a. Swamiji Durgananda); UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF SWAMI CHIDVISANANDA;  PRACTICING ENERGY WORK* UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF GRANDMASTER KAM YUEN (SHAOLIN TEMPLE) FOR EIGHT YEARS; AND CONTINUES TO TEACH MUSIC THEORY* AFTER 39 YEARS OF STUDY (check out the CHORD! guitar app on GOOGLE PLAY and in the APP STORE).

*ALL SERVICES OFFERED AS SEVA.