How do we develop pyaar and bairag?

[Matheen]

I've heard from a few Gursikhs that Bairag (described as intense longing, but I could be wrong) is essential for bhagti, as is Pyaar for Maharaj Ji. How is this developed and increased?

show me the light....

[Mystical]

What I think is that if your mind is attached to material things, then its going to stay there. If your mind is attached to God then your mind will stay there. A longing is a form of attachment. Its like the wife longing for her husband to come home.

[Pheena]

You must create vacancy within you. Remove the world from your heart, it is then that when this valley is created that the water from the monsoons are accumulated there, it is then that the floods happen that wash away things that are shallow and false.

[Matheen]

Thanks for the replies! Pheena - what do you mean by 'vacancy'? - emptiness?

another thing I'm not sure about (hence my name...) is how to read Gurbani with Pyaar. I was told that this is the way that Gurbanis 'Anbhav saroop' can be experienced. Does it mean reading slowly, trying to understand?

[Pheena]

Thanks for the replies! Pheena - what do you mean by 'vacancy'? - emptiness?

another thing I'm not sure about (hence my name...) is how to read Gurbani with Pyaar. I was told that this is the way that Gurbanis 'Anbhav saroop' can be experienced. Does it mean reading slowly, trying to understand?

you wish to fill yourself with bairaag and love....well it is but obvious we need to clear some space in our heart and mind. There has to be vacancy in our heart and mind in order for us to fill it with something else, something new. You can't have both the World and God in there. One has to go as there is only one Throne.

The world is currently occupying our heart and mind, soon as we remove it, the sooner we can fill it with the quest to fill it with God...as soon as the quest is started, the sooner the deep yearning for god awakens, as soon as the yearning awakens...then...well....only the experience can speak for itself.

Baba Bullay shah went to his master and asked him, How do I find God. His Master was planting onions, plucked the onion from one side and planted it in another and said, "Bulliah rub tha kee pouna,...aithro puttna, aithar laouna" Our mind is the onion that needs to be rooted up from the world and planted in the remembrance of God.

You cannot be taught how to love, nor are there instructions on how to love....it creates its own rules...when it arrives only then does one understand. Read with Urgency...read as if this will be the last time you will be reading....I personally sing the words when i read...sing as slow as you like...there is no wrong way to do it...sing with your whole body...don't worry so much about finishing what you are reading, just read with your eyes, listen with your ears, let your mind create its own rhythm. Perhaps you won't entirely understand what is being said, but you can sing it on the basis alone that these words came from the Anubhav of the Gurus and Bhagats. Personally for me Understanding came much later...first I sang and sang without a care that i was understanding anything...I simply sang. Slowly the mind gathered to hear the words being spoke and understanding of the words became easier. The joy was in both Singing and Understanding. But this was my experience, doesn't mean you will experience it the same way.

You don't have to become a full Yogi to sit like one! Be the child that mimics his parent.

[T kaur]

From what I understand, one way for these things to happen is when you become devoted to naam and Gurbani.

I don't know whether you can hurry along piyar and bhairag, I think they are a product of the changes that happen within a person when they start to and carry on thinking about Waheguru ji, Guru ji, do naam jaap, gurbani reading - hearing, keertan listening - doing, katha- listening, and doing seva etc

I think the body starts to resonate with amrit as a person does the above(it is after all a high percentage of water) and as Japji Sahib states that just as soap cleans clothes, so does naam clean a mind/person of paap. (this very brief translation does not do the beautiful bani any justice and I would urge you to listen to or read proper translations).

Paap, negative emotions, bad thoughts, bad karma are all said to be washed away with the power of naam. Instead positive emotions, thoughts, feelings start to become instilled, two of which are the ones you asked about. I think you can be sure you are on the right path when you start to feel alot of compassion, think there is no need to get embroiled in useless arguments, it is easier to back down and try to keep the ego in check.

However I think piyar and bhairaag happen automatically when you read the meanings/translations of Gurbani and realise just how wonderful maharaj is and just how lucky lucky you are to be learning about him and the fact that you are learning about him (i.e reading gurbani translations) means he has already blessed you. When this hits home you feel pretty special I am told.(I have not experienced this - but I am told alot)

Contemplating the reach of Waheguru ji, and realising that nothing is in our hands, all is in his, and how amazing this play of life really is and thinking of all the things we have to be grateful to him for (not forgetting each breath we take) will give you these feelings if not immediately, in time.

This is a very poor attempt at explaning what you asked about, I think the more learned members of the board would do a much better job!

[Xylitol]

Very often people begin to feel the beginnings of bairaag and then try to distract themselves from it using tv, video games, the internet, alcohol, and whatever else to keep their minds busy. I find if I stop putting filler into my mind bairaag comes much more easily.

you could also sit and do 20 paaths of Tav Prasaad Svaiye daily, see where that gets you