bhogi bear

Heard of a Bhogi? He does Bhoga to realize the absolute. A Bhogi is the opposite (in a way) of a Yogi. Both the Yogi and the Bhogi look to yoke or join with the supreme but one chooses to abstain from the world and one chooses to drown in it.

A Yogi may use Asana body poses to unite his body with the spirit, he may eat only the freshest newly grown parts of a plant, he may breathe the sweetest of air in the deepest of manners, cleansing, extending the life of the living body.

A Bhogi may delve into the pleasures of the world. He may say that sex is pleasure so then pleasure away! He may get lost in music, in tastes, smells, experience.

The Yogi says of the Bhogi that the Bhogi depends on the world for pleasure and so when those sources of pleasure are not there then happiness is missing. So he says the path of the Bhogi is a mountainous track.

The Bhogi says of the Yogi that the Yogi misses so much. Why have this world these senses, live this experience without living to the edge of experience.

From a wise masters perspective he sees that Yoga and Bhoga are paths to the same place. He watches how the Yogi attempts to extend a life that will still end, he watches as the Bhogi chases pleasure endlessly while missing the ever present root of pleasure.

The master is. This is the middle way.