The Requisites of Devotion

There are five requisites for developing true devotion. The first is Dedication (offering everything to God). Egoism is the bar to developing the spirit of dedication. It manifests itself in various forms of pride: pride of physical strength, intellectual pride, the arrogance of wealth, and the like. But as all these are impermanent and may be lost at any time, it is unwise to make the body, the mind or property the basis for one's conceit. Hence, egoism should be renounced as the first offering to God.

Next, Devotion should be regarded as an expression of gratitude to all that one receives from Providence—the air that we breathe, the light and heat that we get from the sun, the water we drink and the food we consume. All the essential necessaries of life are received by the Grace of God.