Walking with the Divine

One of the greatest gifts yoga has given me over the past thirty plus years is a gradual shift in my understanding of God.

When I first began practicing, I seemed as if the Divine was something distant that I was trying to reach. I thought that if I meditated enough, attended enough workshops, read enough spiritual books, or made enough pilgrimages, perhaps one day I would finally arrive. Looking back, I can see that I spent a great deal of time searching for something that had never actually been separate from me.

Yoga has taught me that the spiritual path is not about finding God. It is about remembering that God has been walking beside us all along.

This month's Jivamukti Yoga Focus of the Month centers on the mantra Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya. This mantra means "I bow to Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Being who dwells in all beings and in whom the universe resides." It reminds us that the Divine is not separate from us, nor is it confined to temples, sacred texts, or extraordinary spiritual experiences. The Divine lives within every heart. The invitation is not simply to worship something beyond ourselves. It is to cultivate the awareness that every moment, every encounter, and every step of our lives can become an opportunity to recognize the sacred.

As I reflected on this theme, I found myself thinking about our recent retreat at New Vrindaban. There is something undeniably special about that place—it’s like a portal to India itself. The winding roads through the hills, the sound of peacocks calling in the distance, the morning mist rising over the trees, the temple, the gardens, and the near constant rhythm of kirtan all whisper that God is near.

Yet I realized as the week unfolded that it was not the beauty of the setting alone that made it feel sacred. The sacredness revealed itself through the people.

I watched strangers become a community. I watched students encourage one another through challenging practices. I listened as people shared vulnerable parts of their lives with remarkable honesty. I saw laughter, tears, silence, and deep moments of recognition. Again and again, I found myself thinking, This is what it looks like to walk with the Divine. Not because everything was perfect, but because everyone was willing to keep opening their hearts.

One of the greatest lessons my guru Neem Karoli Baba continues to offer me is astonishingly simple: Love everyone. Serve everyone. Remember God. Tell the truth.

I have heard those words countless times over the years, yet they continue to meet me in new ways. They seem so simple that it is easy to overlook how profound they really are.

I once thought "Remember God" meant setting aside time each day for meditation, chanting, or prayer. Those practices remain the foundation of my life, but I have come to understand that remembrance is meant to extend far beyond the meditation cushion.

Remembering God is something to practice while making breakfast, driving to work, answering emails, caring for our families, or standing in the grocery store checkout line. It is something we practice when life feels beautiful and when life feels impossibly difficult. It is choosing, again and again, to return our awareness to the sacred presence that quietly accompanies every moment.

Of course, sometimes I forget. I get distracted. I become impatient. I worry about things I cannot control. I find myself rushing instead of listening or reacting instead of responding with compassion. My guess is that I am not alone in that.

What comforts me is realizing that the spiritual path is not about never forgetting. It is about remembering a little sooner each time.

This is one reason why I continue to return to my practice every morning. Not because I have mastered it, but because I haven't. Every day is another opportunity to begin again. Every mantra is another invitation to soften. Every act of service becomes another chance to recognize the Divine moving through ordinary life.

When I remember God, even briefly, the world changes. Nothing outside of me may have changed at all, yet my way of seeing changes. I become a little more patient, a little less fearful, and a little more willing to trust that grace is already present, even when I cannot fully understand what is unfolding.

Maybe that is what it truly means to walk with the Divine. Not that we never lose our way, but that we never walk alone. That kind of remembrance is not always easy.

It is much easier to recognize the Divine in a beautiful temple than in the person whose opinions differ from our own. It is easier to chant Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya than it is to silently bow to the sacred presence within someone who frustrates us.

Yet that is precisely where yoga becomes a living practice. If our practice only transforms us inside the yoga studio, we have missed something essential.

Our real practice begins when we step back into the world. It continues in the conversations we have with our families, in the patience we extend to strangers, in the compassion we offer ourselves when we fall short, and in the countless ordinary moments that make up a human life. Every interaction becomes another opportunity to remember who we truly are and to recognize that same Divine presence in everyone we meet.

I have also come to realize that walking with the Divine does not mean life becomes easier. There are still moments of grief. There are still disappointments and unanswered questions. There are still days when I feel uncertain about what comes next.

The difference is that I no longer believe I am carrying those experiences alone. That has been one of the deepest gifts of bhakti. Devotion is not about escaping life. It is about entering life with companionship. It is about trusting that grace is present even when we cannot immediately perceive it. It is about discovering that every experience, whether joyful or painful, has the potential to soften the heart and draw us closer to love.

Perhaps that is why walking feels like such an appropriate metaphor. The spiritual path is rarely one dramatic leap. More often, it is thousands of ordinary steps taken with awareness. It is choosing, again and again, to return to love.

As you move through this month, I invite you to carry one simple question into your daily life: How would this moment change if I remembered that the Divine was walking beside me?

Then ask an even more transformative question: How would this interaction change if I remembered that the Divine was also walking beside the person in front of me?

I suspect those two questions have the power to change not only our relationships with others, but also our relationship with ourselves. Yoga reminds us that awakening is not found somewhere else. It is found here, in this breath, this conversation, this choice, and this moment. The more we practice remembering, the more we begin to recognize that what once felt ordinary has been sacred all along.

May this month invite you to slow down enough to notice the quiet presence of grace that walks beside you every day.

May your practice help you recognize the sacred not only in moments of meditation, but also in the people you meet, the work you do, and the unexpected moments that shape your life.

May you have the courage to keep your heart open, the wisdom to trust the path unfolding beneath your feet, and the devotion to remember that you have never walked alone.

May every step become an offering, every encounter become an opportunity to serve, and every breath become a reminder of the Divine presence that has been with you all along.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya

With Blessings & Love,

Sharada Devi