Devotion: Creating Your Personal Path to the Divine
True devotion isn’t about dogma, rules, or doing it “right.” It’s about opening your heart, creating presence, and aligning yourself with the Divine in your own unique way.
This is a message I first shared at Soulful Circle a monthly gathering of aligned seekers looking for connection. We meet at Soul Purpose Studios in Halifax,MA the last Sunday of each month at 10:30 am. I felt called to bring it here because it’s such an important reminder: each of us has both the right and the responsibility to create a relationship with something greater than ourselves. Whether you call it God, Spirit, Source, the Universe, or Higher Guidance—the name doesn’t matter. What matters is that the connection feels authentic, alive, and personal to you.
What True Devotion Means
Throughout history, humans have longed for connection with the sacred. Traditions across the world have offered countless practices to help us find our way back to the Divine. Yet no one tradition holds the only “right” way.
Devotion, at its heart, is not about perfection or obligation. It is about presence. It is about letting everyday moments—breathing, walking, serving others—become acts of reverence.
The Power of Sacred Sound: Wahe Guru, Wahe Jio
One of the most meaningful devotional practices in my own life is the mantra:
Wahe Guru, Wahe Jio
(Wonderful Enlightener, Beloved Soul)
From the Sikh tradition, this mantra expresses awe and deep connection with Spirit. The repetition of sacred sound, found in so many traditions, bypasses the mind and goes straight to the heart.
When I first heard it years ago, I didn’t know what it meant, but I knew it stirred something in me—an ancient resonance of soul remembering. That is the essence of devotion: not rules, but resonance.
Devotional Practices Around the World
Every culture has offered ways to honor Spirit. Here are just a few:
Christianity: Prayer, candlelight, and communion as ways of opening the heart and remembering oneness.
Hinduism: Colorful puja rituals, Bhakti Yoga, and Kirtan—where music itself becomes prayer.
Judaism: Shabbat, the lighting of candles, and blessings that create sacred pause.
Buddhism: Meditation, chanting, bowing, and compassionate living as devotion to awakening.
Sikhism: Mantras, joyful kirtan, and Seva—selfless service as the highest devotion.
Indigenous and Earth-Based Traditions: Ceremonies honoring ancestors, directions, and the cycles of nature, where song, dance, and daily life itself become prayer.
No matter the culture, the longing is the same: to be seen, held, and loved by something greater.
Devotion in Everyday Life
Here’s the truth: you don’t need a temple, a guru, or a strict ritual to live devotionally. Your life itself can become a sacred offering.
For me, devotion looks like:
A morning prayer before getting out of bed
Meditation and affirmations
Gratitude for my body and my breath
Walks in nature where every tree, breeze, and ray of sun becomes part of the prayer
The ordinary can become extraordinary when done with presence. Making coffee, folding laundry, or greeting a neighbor—each can become a devotional act when offered with love and awareness.
A Simple Practice for You
Take a deep breath.
Place your hand on your heart.
Ask silently:
“Spirit, how would you like me to connect with you today?”
Trust whatever rises. Your soul already knows the way.
Closing Reflections
Devotion is not about being perfect. It’s about being present. It’s not about knowing all the answers. It’s about opening your heart to the questions.
You are already on the path. Every breath, every act of kindness, every moment of stillness is a step closer to the Divine.
✨ May your path be personal.
✨ May your heart remain open.
✨ And may every breath you take be a prayer.
With love,
Jill Ripley
Host of Pain to Power: Empowering You To Heal From Trauma, Loss & Emotional Wounds
Connect with me at empoweredbythestorm.com or on Instagram @empoweredbythestorm
