Bhakti is the culture of heart-sharing

Excerpt from a lecture by HH Bhakti Tirtha Swami Submitted by Manoj Prabhupada explains how we must always be careful where we give our hearts. First we have to know that we ARE to give our hearts.If we do not give ourhearts, we minimize our own humanity.We minimize our own spirituality.Bhaktiis the culture of heart-giving.Bhakti is the culture of heart-sharing. When the devotee Brahmana came to meet Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya let him know- no you cannot have My association just by Jnana, just by tapa, just by yoga. But only by authentic genuine Bhakti. We are a society in the movement of animated heart exchange.As we are doing somany things, we should open up more and more to the point where there is nolayers of anything left, other than the pure quality of the Jivatma, the soul. Because that we know is what associates with Krishna.And that is what Krishnais inviting back. And the stuff that is going on with our mind, our intelligence, our senses, allthis will interfere with this heart exchange.We are in the society to have aconstant eternal community, constant heart-to-heart eternal association, just asthe devotees in the spiritual world are associating.We are in practice now onhow to do that in all of our different environments. We want to have all of us to be able to go back where we have eternal lovingassociation, endearing love and animated pleasures.So when we find someone isweak in our environments and is suffering we should be so mindful that weautomatically sense it and see that person needs some more care and some morehelp. The more that we are doing things for people, it will become easier.When weare using people to make things happen, it will be little more difficult.Wewill be looking what we can get from that person, making them do service forproductivity, it will be difficult to look at what is going on in thatindividual’s consciousness.But the more that we are associating and meditatingon how to do many many things that is beneficial to each particular person, thenit will become quite easier that some one is in need. Just like your children, when you’re close with them, you sense that they are inneed.When they are in need you reach out and try to see how to facilitate. But when you don’t care about someone, you will not be sensitive. So we want to have death to the material body in terms of material sensegratification, but life, more and more life in who we really are and in havingsuch an awesome family that Srila Prabhupada has given us. So let us try to associate so that every person feels that we are so muchassociating with them.Every person feels that we see them that they arespecial.Every person sees us - o, that’s my best friend.That is somebody Ireally care about, because that person is emanating such affection.So as wemove around, we should try to not only work on ourselves, but work on ourselveswith such intensity that it has such an effect on others. We owe this to Srila Prabhupada beacause of what he has given us.We owe it toeach other.Each devotee has come through so many different arrangements to beable to come in association in this movement. Doesn’t matter Bhakta Joe orBhaktin Mary of Bhakta Steve, someone has some very un-usual karma that they arenow involved in Mahaprabhu’s movement. Lord Caitanya doesn’t come so often, and we know that He is now coming andgiving Himself.He is coming and He is in the bhava of Srimati Radharani.Heis coming as the most compassionate aspect of the Lord, Srimati Radharani.Sowe are getting this direct facilitation of the biggest heart, biggest open heart– Srimati Radharani. But She is not going to give us much favor if we are not in the spirit of whatShe is ready to recognize.As we see in many of the deities Radharani is in abenediction gesture with Her right hand.Giving blessings and benedictions forthose who open up their hearts.For those who are closing their hearts and notdoing the heart exchange and heart culture, She is letting them know, You arenot going to give this to My Krishna.This is not going to be accepted.Thisis not going to be allowed. So let us allow ourselves to think deeper as to what we bring to ourcommunities.