On bhakti, I have just enough bhakti to draw myself to the meditation seat every day - but nothing compared to the overflowing love to the ishta that some people talk about. I have heard people talking about their ishta - and they look and talk as though they are deeply in love with them - sort of like you are romantically involved with him/her. How does one develop that kind of devotion? Probably in my teenage years, I would have had such single minded interest on another human being, but developing that at a later stage in life, that too toward a distant object (a Guru, or diety) seems challenging to me. Would love to hear from people here about their bhakti journeys. thanks 
HI dv2014
Drawing yourself to the meditation seat every day is no small thing.
Have you read Lesson 67?
This lesson caused an amazing transformation in me. Before I first read it, I though I was not the ‘devotional type’ (this makes me laugh now). After reading that lesson, I realised I had tons of bhakti, but it was all in the negative - all the dissatisfaction with the way things were, everything I was not getting from life… Reading this lesson turned a switch - the negative suddenly transformed into positive - I suddenly noticed the strong pull to an ideal that had always been there, unseen and unacknowledged, giving rise to all those unmet expectations and the resulting dissatisfaction.
a good commentary on the gita may help
Thank you BlueRaincoat and Kumar!
I must have read lesson 67, because as I read now, I remember the traffic light example. But it was nice to re-read it, each time you appreciate these lessons in a little deeper.
For some reason I was not inclined to Gita even though I grew up in India. I guess the reason was that I saw Krishna as opportunistic and clever and and this must have been drawn from his actions in the battle field especially in using soft lies in helping defeating Drona as well as Duryodhana. But recently I have been listening to Gita interpretations from Nirvisheshanada Tirtha and that is helping to some extent, although not directly on an emotional level …
well, keep walking the path, I guess
I always look at the picture of Ramana Maharishi. When I gaze into his eyes, my heart opens and I’m filled with bliss and in silence. 
Same effect listening to Krishna Das.
Growing up untill few years back, I had the same view about Krishna. Now I learn more from the dialogue between Krishna and Arjun than focusing on Krishna’s personality.
Thank you, Sunyata. Someone else also told me the same thing about Ramana Maharshi a while ago and yes, I agree with you.
About Krishna, my judgmental mind was dismissing him and his teachings - but yes, I am slowly developing some interest in Gita these days.
Over the past few years, I have cultivated some bhakti toward Amritananda Mayi Ma as well - that is helping too.
Hi dv2014,
Good to know about your increasing bhakti. It’s so sweet, isn’t it ? 
.
I just thought of sharing Sat Shree’s (New Dharma Yoga) interpretation of Gita. One of the best interpretation in my view. . Hope you enjoy as well
https://www.youtube.com/user/Newdharmayoga
Sunyata
a scripture for all at any level any age any sex any race any type of being simple truths ready to be accepted by a open mind and heart all commentators havre there own take on the dialoge and some more poetic more powerful but all a joy to listen to on the ipod over and over a reminder of complexity yet the simpleness of a spiritual life ,go as deep as you like or just stay on its surface life changes when even a little bit is practiced ,the art of yoga.
Thanks Sunyata Looking forward to listening … I can spend hours listening to Gurus on youtube
kumar ul islam
@Sunyata - started with Sat Shree’s three guna model - interesting and lot of new knowledge!
@Blue - I have to tell you that when you mentioned lesson 67 above, I thought I knew it all, but only yesterday, I realized what your were saying exactly! I was overwhelmed at work yesterday and when I got back home I knew I am on the verge of an outburst or a complaining spree - I didn’t want to go there, yet the overwhelm such that I could not even distinguish what I was feeling, whether it was despair, anxiety, jealousy or sadness. Thankfully, I remembered lesson 67 and tried to surrender all the complex mix I was feeling and oh gosh, it really helps!
[quote=“dv2014”]
when you mentioned lesson 67 above, I thought I knew it all, but only yesterday, I realized what your were saying exactly!
[/quote]I know what you mean. I read "Advanced Yoga Practices - Easy Lessons” six times now. Every time I read them I realise something new! 
Glad to hear you’re getting the hang of bhakti.
All the best
Hi dv2014,
I was hoping you would start with that one 
. I guess the message was transferred through “akasha”. 
I agree, the knowledge that comes through him is so sweet. I’ve been waiting for a month for him to post the new chapter. I think he is in a retreat right now.
Dear dv2014,
oooh, you have raised my very favorite topic: God intoxication! the Divine Romance! “sort of like”? - nothing “sort of” about it. Deeply, madly, passionately in Love!
Bhakti is different for everybody, with various personality types. If your bhakti is bringing you to the meditation seat every day, then it is doing what it is supposed to. But, since you asked:
It is possible to “cultivate” bhakti once you have it, but at least in my experience, bhakti per se was a gift of Grace. I was an atheist/ agnostic at the time, age 17 or 18 in college, having rejected Christianity and the idea of a personal God at age 12 for various doctrinal reasons, among others their dogma that “rock & roll is from the devil.”
Like most young girls I wanted desperately to be In Love and held romantic love in the highest regard but it eluded me despite (or perhaps, because of!) my best efforts. I wanted a partner, someone to “complete” me, but couldn’t find a willing candidate. I fell in love with the much older graduate student who taught me tantra, and he broke my heart.
Then I began studying with the Hare Krishna group on campus. While chanting with them one day I was looking at a poster hanging on their wall, gorgeous Govinda gazing down at me with the sweetest expression, and by His grace, I fell in Love. At the time it was just kind of an intense emotional thing and I had no idea how deep it would go as He drew me closer over the years. I eventually became an Episcopal Third-Order Sister (same Guy, different costume, the dogma having been transcended).
What I found is that the Love I’d been seeking in mortal men was just a spark of His splendor, the fullness of which was freely available, limitless, all-consuming, unquenchable, utterly fulfilling, burning brightly in my own and the heart of every yogi. Yoga practice cultivates that Love pouring through every cell of our body. And it just keeps getting better and better.
May you be blessed with the fullness of bhakti in whatever manner is suited to your unique journey!
Hi Radharani,
Thank you for kindly sharing your story! It’s beautiful!! Seeing a poster of Govinda and falling in love, wow, it must have been a great experience. Bhakti seems truly a divine gift, and you are certainly blessed to have it in such abundance!
Although I have not felt anything comparable to that extent to the divine, I can certainly relate to the longing for romantic love. Growing up I was also one of those girls wanting intense romance, which in my definition then was adoration, admiration respect and the like, you know … It was only much later that I realized it was all wanting, nonetheless.
Also, I grew up in a family where there was none to share my feelings with and people gave little value to emotional eccentricities. Yes, they are good if you are talented enough to become a writer, they would say! But logical reasoning or analytical mind was perceived as a better bet to make a profession and living. And naturally there was an effort in me to acquire those skills. So I doubt whether I had any ‘head over heels’ events in my life, which if I have had would have helped to crack open the heart a little!
After starting spiritual practices, slowly I am getting a grip on human relationships; until lately, I wanted something from every relationships, not materially most of the time, but more importantly emotionally. My relationship with my husband was a perpetual begging for emotional rewards, instead of giving wholeheartedly what I have and can. It sounds silly, but only now I am realizing that I always cooked what I liked the most, or what worked easier for me. He never complained as long as it was edible . But now, it is becoming increasingly internally rewarding to take the time and trouble to cook his favorite dish once in a while. And in many times he wouldn’t notice or acknowledge that I had done something special (that’s his nature ) but I am happy regardless Baby steps along the path
This is absolutely lovely, and the ripened fruits of your practice. The act of “loving service” touches all involved, your husband and family, and most of all your ‘calcified’ heart, which is purifying even as you read this. My wife outed herself as an alcoholic last year, and went into detox. To detoxify all the financial, emotional, and physical damage to our family, Guru advised me to promote the healing via releasing all residual emotional tension from my heart; to be of loving service and support so both her and our relationship could repair, and her shame could melt away. She is now sixteen months sober, physically, mentally, emotionally alert and present, and our marriage stronger than even our first year. It is no wonder Love is AYPs first sutra
To get back to your original question, how do you, could you, discover/love an ishta? Just be open to the possibility It is lurking in your heart, awaiting discovery, an incubating egg that will hatch when your heart is primed and ready.
Thank you Dogboy for your kind words and thank you for sharing your touching experience … Congratulations to you and your wife on the successful journey and yes, love is the key sutra and it seems it is all in giving … My sincere heartfelt best wishes to you and your family
Hi dv2014,
Thank You for sharing your transformation . It’s so nice when our loved ones benefit from our practice.
Hi Dogboy,
Namaste to you for supporting your wife through the tough time. .You are a truely a divine human being.
Happy for you and your family.
Sunyata
Thank you all for sharing your touching stories. This is what I love on AYP, we don’t know each other and it feels like a warm family. Sharing that what is sometimes so hard to say in daily life.
My big shift was 11 years ago. There is a real before and an after date. That day real love came over me in and that was not easy. Because suddenly K came in I woke up and I felt my life was one big lie and struggle to keep up all masks.
That day I believe my second life started, not hiding anything anymore. Step by step I opened up, clunky in the beginning but slowly I progressed.
Before I took so much for granted, was selfish. After that day their was love & guilt, so much guilt. It had to come out. I worked it out with yoga, asanas, struggling, worked that body out. I opened up to everyone around, some understand me, some not that’s fine. I am who I am.
Now I can say, their was no reason to feel guilty because I didn’t know. How could I know?
These day’s I know a little bit more, so I will never ever say that someone is to blame for anything.
They don’t know, everyone has his own way to go.
I know it helps if there are loved ones around who love you no matter how selfish you have been.
I was the selfish one, my husband was the giving one, loved me. These day’s I can give, to him and to all, there is enough for everyone. That is Grace and I am Grateful.