The mind always looks for charms, miracles, events, and excitement. Yet once it goes there, the charm ceases to exist. The charm of the mind is a continuous mirage; it is always farther, it is always somewhere else. When the flame of devotion is lit, the craving mind melts away like wax. As the mind melts, the flame of devotion becomes more alive and intense.
Charm is always an outside influence. Devotion is an inner flowering. Devotion starts from where you are, whereas a charm is something that pulls you away from your Self. Unless you are lit in devotion to the Divine, your life will remain restless. In devotion, in that process of burning, longing will arise in you. If there is longing, know that there is also love. They are two sides of the same coin; they cannot be separated. Usually when longing arises, we are in a hurry to end it. But this longing is a matter of great fortune and it is very beautiful. It will transform your mind so totally.
Devotion is your nature. When you rest in your own nature, there is no conflict. But usually we feel a conflict. We feel bad about a negative quality we have or something that we did. Offer everything to the Divine: your anger, your frustration, all your bad feelings and good feelings. Your negativity pulls you down. Your positive qualities bring pride and arrogance in you. When you offer it all, you become free. You become light like a flower. You can again smile and rejoice in the moment. What remains in you is pure love.
Devotion is a strong bond, a sense of belongingness. Everybody is born with it. It’s just like becoming a child again. No child asks the mother, ‘Do you love me?’ The baby and the mother have no choice but to love each other. Similarly devotion is inbuilt in every one of us. Sometimes it is covered with ignorance, hesitation, doubts and insecurity. It is only a matter of time for that strip of ignorance and ego to give way and then the inner devotee will shine up. Devotion brings faith, compassion, and responsibility. Love combined with commitment and wisdom is devotion. When your devotion is strongly rooted, Nature listens to you. Devotion is such that no matter where it is, it spreads its fragrance all around, like a flower.
