July Gītā: 12.2

śrī-bhagavān uvācha
mayy āveśha mano ye māṁ 
nitya-yuktā upāsate
śhraddhayā paray’opetās te me yukta-tamā matāḥ

‘The Lord said: Those who fix their minds on Me and always engage in My devotion with steadfast faith, I consider them to be the best yogis.’
Bhagavad Gītā 12.2

My children went to a Steiner school where the education follows the hands then the heart and finally moves to the head, the whole being is brought into education thoughtfully.  In the early years the focus is upon action, doing and busy hands before working towards  (and with)  the emotional centre of the heart. Educating with knowledge doesn’t happen until much later, around the age of 7 when the hands and heart are already engaged.  

The way the Gita presents us with different paths reminds me of this approach, it embodies our being, the hands in the path of action, the head in jnana yoga and the heart with the path of Bhakti.  I don’t see these as alternatives for different personality types nor do I equate these as levels in Streetfighter but instead a basket weave.  We know that we have our actions to do which we do with our best intention and least expectation, we need knowledge which provides the context and stimulates enquiry but these two elements are illuminated by love and service. Our spiritual practice embraces all of our aspects of being, strength comes not by perfecting one aspect, such as asana but by integrating our whole self into the practice. 

We are often encouraged to be wary of giving without receiving or trusting just anyone or anything.  To give with devotion and in service could be seen to be foolish, possibly even unsafe.  However when we give in this spirit we are not necessarily the ones who are foolish.  We can taste true freedom when we give from our heart, using our skills held in our hands and head, rooted in faith and expecting nothing in return.