My Sweet Bhakti Yoga

George Harrison and the practice of bhakti yoga

By Daniella Saar

Edited by Doron Hanoch

What does Rock and Roll have to do with yoga?

Do you remember being in a concert and feeling great energy and power. Maybe singing along until you forget everything except for the moment of awesome rock and roll in your blood? Well, this is the first step to bhakti yoga.

In 1965, at the age of 22, young George Harrison of the legendary Beatles, was filming the movie Help! with the rest of The Beatles. He met there the founder of Sivananda Yoga, Swami Vishnu-devananda. Each member of The Beatles was given a signed copy of his book, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga. This powerful book left a strong impression on the young and seeking Harrison. From that moment on, Harrison continued studying Hinduism ideas and embraced the Hare Krishna tradition, which practices bhakti yoga, or devotional practices while singing and dancing. Bhakti yoga means to participate in an act of devotion and love, in order to connect to a greater force or truth.

George goes solo

In 1970, Harrison released his first solo album All Things Must Pass. This album reflects the influence of Harrison’s musical activities outside the Beatles during his initial dive into Hinduism lifestyle in 1968-1970. It embodies his realizations and spiritual growth that affected his entire life.

My Sweet Lord is one of singles of this album, that was a huge success on it’s release. (It was also included in a closing sketch of one of Monty Python and The Flying Circus shows!) . This song, in lyrics as in composition, is a beautiful representation of Bhakti.

Harrison brought the bhakti practice in to his hit song My Sweet Lord, or as I like to call it, My sweet bhakti.

My sweet Lord
Hm, my Lord
Hm, my Lord

I really want to see you
Really want to be with you
Really want to see you Lord
But it takes so long, my Lord

My sweet Lord. Hm, my Lord. Hm, my Lord
I really want to know you
Really want to go with you
Really want to show you Lord
That it won’t take long, my Lord (Hallelujah)

The lyrics of the song remain the same, repeat themselves and reflect the bhakti (devotion) practice of repetitive mantra (chant) singing which help us get into the trance of singing or listening to the music. Later in the song Harrison adds more of  the Hindu connection with the Hare Krishna mantra.

Bhakti practice

Bhakti needs not be sophisticated. Harrison keeps it very simple and  innocent, allowing for the enthusiasm of  the honest wish to completely devote.

The bhakti should resonate with the person singing, and Harrison uses language

that may touch upon his Christian  background along with Hindu backgrounds.

The Hare Krishna mantra (also known as the maha mantra – or great mantra) contains the names of the supreme beings in Sanskrit. The traditional use of bhakti, is repeating the names of the supreme being by chanting publicly, memorizing verbally or by heart. The Guru Stotram mantra (chant) is a salutation to the one who is the creator, the sustainer, the destroyer and ultimate consciousness.

This combination of cultural religious traditions shows us, that we are not obligated to bhakti only in one certain way. Just like George Harrison, we can devote in any language, culture and tradition, as long as it honest and comes from the heart.

Do you have a favorite mantra? How do you practice bhakti? Please share with us in the comments below?

 Thank You Daniella Saar for creating this post!