Smarana—the practice of remembering the beloved—sustains connection across time and distance, showing how autonomy deepens through contemplative presence and how togetherness transcends physical proximity.
Smarana means remembrance or recollection, and in bhakti practice it refers to the contemplative act of holding the beloved in consciousness. This is not mere wistful thinking but a disciplined, loving attention that keeps the beloved alive in the heart and mind. Mirabai's poetry itself is an act of smarana—a way of continually remembering and invoking Krishna, maintaining presence across the separation of time and incarnation. For Autonomy and Togetherness, smarana is a profound practice for modern life. In an era of constant distraction, the deliberate cultivation of remembrance—calling to mind the people we love, their faces, their words, what they mean to us—is a spiritual discipline that sustains relationship and deepens autonomy simultaneously. Smarana strengthens our capacity to maintain love even when separated, to honor those who have shaped us, and to remain present to the values and connections that matter most. The practice of smarana suggests that togetherness is not primarily a matter of physical presence but of conscious, loving attention, and that autonomy includes the freedom to choose what and whom we remember, thereby shaping our own consciousness and heart.
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