Romancing Divine Love with Yoga: Chanting

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed

It is a cold and snowy Valentine’s evening in the Northeastern United States. This year, Valentine’s Day fell on a Saturday. Saturdays are traditionally viewed as “date night.” So, not only does Valentine’s Day fall on “date night” this year, it is also too snowy for many of Yogis and Yoginis in the Northeast to drive around safely on this evening! If you are a die-hard romantic and sentimental to boot, this combination of factors might bring on a degree of despair or frustration. If you are single but wish you had a date this evening, but you are spending the evening alone or with friends, you may also be struggling with feelings of loneliness and sadness. 

In the same vein, if you are involved in a romantic relationship that is not quite what you had hoped for, Valentine’s Day may generate ambiguous feelings in you. However, there are many different types of love. The ancient Greeks even had several words to describe some of these different types of love. One such word is “philia,” which refers to brotherhood, friendship or other non-sexually based love. The ancient Greek word for romantic love is “eros.” This is the form of love that most often comes to mind when we are thinking about Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Eros is also the kind of love that can bring great pleasure, beauty, happiness, and a sense of effervescent lightness of heart. However, doggedly being focused on acquiring and maintaining an erotically or romantically based connection, regardless of the consequences or the situation, can also cause great pain and frustration. In fact, by continuing to chase a romantic connection that may cause you distress, you are separating yourself further and further from the joy that lies at the heart of your own being. 

Another form of love that was well known to the Greeks and the early Christian Church is “agape.” This form of love refers to the divine love that flows unimpeded between God and humankind. It is considered to be the highest form of love and is based on a deep sense of awareness of God’s love for all of us and a humble state of gratitude for the grace that surrounds us when we connect to this unfathomable source of love - This form of love is also considered to be selfless and focused on the well-being of those around us, which is a wonderful virtue to aspire to if you are a Yoga teacher. 

In the 4th Chapter of the Gospel of John, John succinctly states, “God is love.” The form of the word love that John uses in this context is agape. By focusing on romancing divine love through Yoga, you will free yourself from constantly searching for a loving connection outside of yourself. The divine love that pulsates in the cave of everyone’s heart is the spark of divinity that animates each one of us - By romancing and deepening your connection with your own divinity, which lies at the very core of your being, you will be filled with the love and enthusiasm of God’s grace, in whatever form you conceive God to be. The practice of chanting the names of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, as well as the repetition of divine mantras and syllables, is an especially effective way of romancing divine love through Yoga. 

A well-known Christian author, Thomas Oord, has defined agape as an intentional response to nurture well-being in the face of that which has generated a state of ill being. On a day-to-day level, romancing divine love through Yoga has very practical applications. For instance, if you are commuting to work, and you are feeling rushed and frustrated by a long traffic jam, you can opt to chant along with a cd or your iPod, instead of steeping in an endless stream of negative thoughts. This will allow you to spend your time sitting in traffic in a productive and uplifting way, so that when you do arrive at your destination you will be able to offer your love and compassion to those around you, whether it is a Yoga class that you are scheduled to teach or a date with a potential new romantic partner.

Virginia Iversen, M.Ed, has been practicing and studying the art of Yoga for over twenty years. She lives in Woodstock, New York, where she works as a writer and an academic support specialist. She is currently accepting Yoga and health-related writing orders and may be contacted at: enchantress108@gmail.com.