Champakalata Sakhi Devi Dasi %u2013 Writing as a Spiritual Practice
In this video, *Champakalata Sakhi Devi Dasi* leads a discussion and workshop titled "Writing as a Spiritual Practice." She begins by sharing her background in Bhakti Yoga, explaining how her journey began in 2010 with yoga and meditation practices and was deepened by six months in India, including three months in Vrindavan, the sacred land of Krishna. Champakalata has lived in ashrams for over 12 years and is now involved in teaching, managing community care, and running outreach programs in the U.S. This year, she published a book of devotional poetry, *I Chant Your Names: Poems for the Supreme Beloved*, inspired by her spiritual journey and study of Bhakti literature.
Champakalata introduces writing as a tool for exploring and deepening Bhakti practices, explaining how it can help practitioners engage with the nine processes of Bhakti, such as *Shravanam* (hearing) and *Smaranam* (remembering). She emphasizes that writing can serve as a meditative tool for processing spiritual experiences, clarifying thoughts, and fostering devotion. For instance, by writing down thoughts, one can reflect on divine qualities, pray, and even express a sense of surrender to a higher power. Writing, according to Champakalata, can help transform even mundane activities into devotional offerings to the Divine, enhancing spiritual practice.
To encourage active participation, Champakalata guides attendees in an interactive exercise, asking them to use writing to express their reflections and spiritual experiences inspired by excerpts from the *Bhagavad Gita* and *The Journey Within* by Radhanath Swami. Through this exercise, Champakalata seeks to help attendees access deeper spiritual insights and connect more profoundly with their inner selves.
In this video, *Champakalata Sakhi Devi Dasi* leads a discussion and workshop titled "Writing as a Spiritual Practice." She begins by sharing her background in Bhakti Yoga, explaining how her journey began in 2010 with yoga and meditation practices and was deepened by six months in India, including three months in Vrindavan, the sacred land of Krishna. Champakalata has lived in ashrams for over 12 years and is now involved in teaching, managing community care, and running outreach programs in the U.S. This year, she published a book of devotional poetry, *I Chant Your Names: Poems for the Supreme Beloved*, inspired by her spiritual journey and study of Bhakti literature.
Champakalata introduces writing as a tool for exploring and deepening Bhakti practices, explaining how it can help practitioners engage with the nine processes of Bhakti, such as *Shravanam* (hearing) and *Smaranam* (remembering). She emphasizes that writing can serve as a meditative tool for processing spiritual experiences, clarifying thoughts, and fostering devotion. For instance, by writing down thoughts, one can reflect on divine qualities, pray, and even express a sense of surrender to a higher power. Writing, according to Champakalata, can help transform even mundane activities into devotional offerings to the Divine, enhancing spiritual practice.
To encourage active participation, Champakalata guides attendees in an interactive exercise, asking them to use writing to express their reflections and spiritual experiences inspired by excerpts from the *Bhagavad Gita* and *The Journey Within* by Radhanath Swami. Through this exercise, Champakalata seeks to help attendees access deeper spiritual insights and connect more profoundly with their inner selves.