be free, be happy, be peaceful

May all find the teacher within to guide oneself towards unconditional love and peace

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Free ourselves from anger and hatred, if we would like to contribute to world peace and harmony...

We cannot make or control or change the world to be peaceful as what we like it to be, but we can contribute to the effort for attaining/sustaining world peace and harmony, by having peace and harmony in ourselves, which means letting go of anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, pride, arrogance, agitation, depression, fear, worry and all other impurities in ourselves and stop generate impurities into the world... The world will be in peace and harmony naturally when everyone is peaceful and harmony in themselves...

It is like, we don't like the environment to be dirty with rubbish everywhere, we want a clean world, but we keep generating and throwing rubbish into the environment and we complain that the environment is dirty, full of rubbish?

How can we expect the world to be in peace and harmony when we ourselves are not in peace and harmony?

Why are we not in peace and harmony? It is because our ego has likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, craving towards what our ego likes and agrees with, aversion towards what our ego doesn't like and doesn't agree with... When this craving and aversion is not being gratified, when our ego comes in contact with the things that it doesn't like and doesn't agree with, and when our ego doesn't come in contact with the things that it likes and agrees with, it gets irritated, frustrated, disappointed, dissatisfied, unhappy and angry... The mind is in a state of restlessness... There is no peace, no compassion, no wisdom... Due to ignorance (absence of wisdom), not knowing the truth of things, we allow ourselves to be disturbed, affected, influenced and determined by our experiences in the world that our ego likes and doesn't like, agrees and disagrees with...

To help and to contribute to world peace and harmony, it is not necessarily by performing "actions" that try to "clean up" or get rid of the existing happenings that we think and judge as "bad" and "evil", but most important it is, we ourselves purifying the impurities in our own mind, have self-control over our own thoughts, actions and speech, and stop generating "impure" thoughts, actions and speech through our own body and mind... It is not about try to stop other people from performing "bad" and "evil" thoughts, actions and speech, or try to control and change other people to behave the way that we think they should be behaving, or to be the people that we want them to be...

When we ourselves are full of impurities, are being over-powered by our own impure thoughts, actions and speech, how can we expect or try to change the world to be free from impurities?

It is like, we don't like it when our clean shirt is spilled with some curry sauce, we'll get frustrated and upset, and we'll react by try to get rid of the curry sauce by wiping it with a clean cloth, with the intention to remove the stain... But, what happens is, the curry sauce on the clean shirt spreads out to a wider surface makes it more messy, as well as the clean cloth that is being used to "remove" the curry sauce is also stained by the curry sauce...

To avoid this, either we eat the curry with full attention and carefully to avoid spilling onto ourselves or other people (concentration and mindfulness), or we can enjoy eating curry with an apron over our clean shirt or wear a shirt that we don't mind if it will be stained (wisdom), or we don't mind at all if the clean shirt will be stained by some curry sauce, it doesn't matter if the shirt will be stained or not (accepting the reality as it is and non-attachment), or we can eat something else that doesn't stain or wash the shirt later on without getting frustrated by it (adjustment, accommodation, adaptation)...

There's another situation is like, we didn't eat curry, but the person beside us ate curry and spilled some curry sauce over our "favorite" shirt whether intentionally or unintentionally, and that's the time for us to practice accepting the reality as it is, forgiveness, letting go and compassion... We cannot undo something that had happened... Even if we express our dissatisfaction and frustration with anger and hatred, it won't undo what had happened, it won't help to make the situation to become better, it won't benefit anyone, not us, not the shirt, not the one who had spilled the curry sauce over our "favorite" shirt...

What we can do is, without frustration and unhappiness, we can see if the stain can be remove by some washing liquids... If it is possible, good, we can continue enjoy wearing our favorite shirt... If it is not possible, either we can let go of the stained shirt or we can continue to wear it even if there's a stain on it, treat it as a special design... Or donate the shirt to many countries where people don't even have a proper shirt to wear... Why bother getting upset about it, harming our own body and mind, for somebody's ignorant action whether intentionally or unintentionally?

If we continue to be angry and unhappy about it, know that this anger and unhappiness is not coming from the action of that person, nor it is coming from the incident about the shirt is stained by some curry sauce... It is coming from our own ego attached strongly to that shirt, it is the attachment towards this is "my favorite shirt", that has caused that anger and unhappiness in us... Imagine if that shirt is just a shirt that we don't mind so much, we won't be as angry as the one which is "my favorite shirt"... It is our own attachment towards the things that we like, that causes us unhappiness, it is not what is happening, or what other people do...

If somebody's things are being damaged by accident or by carelessness or by natural disaster, we won't be reacting the same way as if it is "my" things that are being damaged... It is the attachment towards "I", "my" and "mine" that has caused us unhappiness, anger and hatred...

"This is my world, my country, my people, my family, my friends, my partner, my children, my house, my car, my shirts, my things, my jobs, my reputation, my feelings, my money, my effort, my intention, my students, my teacher, my practice, my achievements, my thinking, my opinions, my believe, my rights, my freedom, my success, my failure, my sadness, my happiness, my way of doing things, it's all about my, my, my..." But when come to something happens and we are not happy about it, it will become "You this... you that... he this... he that...they this... they that..."

Yoga and meditation practice is to allow us to realize the truth of what causes us unhappiness and suffering, and start to take full responsibility for our own happiness and unhappiness... It is not the world making us unhappy or unpeaceful... It is our own selves, our attachment, our ego, our pride and arrogance, our ignorance that cause us unhappiness and unpeacefulness...

The world is not a suffering place nor a happy place... The world is just being what it is... It is our own mind being in a state of suffering due to ignorance, and we project the world as a suffering place...

If everyone can look within ourselves and work on removing ignorance in ourselves, purifying our own thoughts, actions and speech, and stop trying to control other people's good and bad actions (you should do this and you should not do this), naturally the world will be benefited and be peaceful and harmony...

By stop generating impure vibrations into the world, the world will be free from impurities, and there is no need actions of "cleaning up"... As actions of "cleaning up" are not necessarily helping the world to be peaceful but it might be generating more unrest, anger and hatred... Especially "actions" that derived or motivated from anger and hatred towards the happenings and people that we think they are the cause for our suffering and unhappiness, will not help the world to be better but it generates more tensions and clashes into the world causing more anger, hatred and disharmony...

How can we expect the world to be a happy peaceful place if we ourselves are not happy and not peaceful, being over-powered and occupied by resentment, anger, hatred, dissatisfaction and disappointment?

We think and judge ourselves as "good people". We think and judge those who are different from us, who don't think and behave like us are "bad people". We have strong aversion towards all these "bad people" and "bad happenings". We are angry and hating these "bad people" and "bad happenings". We think we "own" this world, that this world "belongs" to us (the "good people") and we want "our" world to be free from all these "bad people" and "bad happenings"... And we try to perform some actions that can get rid of all these "bad people" and "bad happenings"... With the expectations that the world will become as "clean" and "nice" as what we want it to be...

We think that it is the world being not peaceful that makes or causes us disharmony and unpeacefulness, that our suffering and unhappiness is contributed by the "bad happenings" and "bad people" in the world. We think that we are "good people" who "do" many "good actions", "don't do" any "bad actions" and we deserve to be happy and peaceful, but those (the "bad people") who are different from us don't deserve to be happy and don't deserve to be in this world...

We felt disappointed, mistreated, betrayed, hurt, disturbed and threatened by "bad" people and happenings that we don't like, don't want and don't agree with... We think they (the bad people) should be punished or disappeared from "our" world, so that we can be peaceful and happy, or "our" world will be peaceful and harmony...?

All these "judgments" and "thinkings" coming from our own minds, make us not any different from the "bad people" who we think and judge that they are "bad"... What make us qualified to judge them as "bad people" when we are not different from them? And if we are perfect and qualified to judge anyone, we won't be judging anyone anymore...

We cannot change the world to be the way that we want it to be, but we can contribute to help the world to be a better place by changing ourselves...

Stop having anger and hatred, but fill ourselves and the environment with peace and compassion... Real peace and compassion is free from anger and hatred, free from discrimination, likes and dislikes, agreement and disagreement... If we think that we are compassionate people who try to make the world a better place, but we are angry and hating the "bad" people and happenings that we think they are the cause of the world's suffering and unpeacefulness, then that is not compassion at all...

Compassion is when we are aware of what is good and what is bad, we do good and don't do bad, but we accept that there are other beings that are different from us, who might not do good and might do bad... This doesn't mean that we agree with them or support them... But we don't have to be affected or disturbed by them... We don't have to get angry and have hatred towards them as this is only harming our own body and mind, but doesn't help to improve anything nor will stop them from doing what they are doing...

Out of wisdom, we know that some beings don't do good and do bad, are due to ignorance, and they are in suffering. They are not peaceful and not happy, that's why they reluctant to do good, and they do bad to try to attain some sort of excitement, happy sensations or satisfaction, to get rid of suffering, dissatisfaction and unhappiness...

Out of compassion, we are compassionate towards these beings that are over-powered by ignorance and who are in suffering...

We cannot change other people or control them to be the way that we want them to be, or to behave the way that we want them to behave... Everyone has to realize peace and compassion within themselves, remove ignorance and change themselves...

Ask ourselves, how do we feel and react, when somebody doesn't like us the way that we are, doesn't agree with what we think and do, and this person try to control or change us to be the way that he/she wants us to be? We won't be happy... Especially if this person is full of anger and hatred towards us, shouting at us, beating us, just because he/she wants us to be the way that he/she wants... We will fight back with resentment...

We can only change ourselves... When we ourselves changed and have love, peace, wisdom and compassion, then only we can help the world with this unconditional peace and compassion to help other beings to realize the unconditional love, peace, wisdom and compassion in themselves through their own effort and own will to change themselves, to free themselves from ignorance and suffering... When they are free from ignorance and suffering, when they are in peace and harmony, they will be naturally not doing any actions that will cause harm and disharmony into the world...

If we are peaceful and truly compassionate, we won't be affected nor disturbed nor influenced by other people's ignorance and suffering, and out of compassion and with wisdom, we can help them, by helping them to realize their own ignorance and be free from suffering... Without the expectation that they will be benefited by our "actions of helping", nor they will change due to our "actions of helping", nor they will be grateful or thankful for our "actions of helping"... Just perform our "actions of helping" and let go... Perform all our actions out of compassion, and not attach to our actions, not attach to the result or the fruit of our actions...

If we are being affected or disturbed or influenced by other people's ignorance and suffering, we cannot help anyone, as we ourselves are over-powered by ignorance and are in suffering... We cannot help the world to be free from anger and hatred when we ourselves is full of anger and hatred... We cannot help the world to be peaceful when we ourselves is not in peace...

When we are angry and unhappy, it is our own responsibility allowing ourselves to be over-powered by anger and unhappiness that derive from our own ignorance - not knowing the truth of things. It is not the people or the happenings out there that cause us anger and unhappiness... It is our ego, our pride and arrogance, our attachment towards the qualities of good and bad, our ignorance that cause us being miserable, upset, disappointed, frustrated, angry, hating, agitated, disturbed, depressed and so on... We were being conditioned and controlled by our own craving and aversion... It is this craving and aversion coming from our ego that causes us suffering, disappointment, unpeacefulness and unhappiness...

If we ever feel disrespected or insulted or intimidated by somebody's speech, actions, reactions, opinions, behavior, conducts, believes, performance or personality, it is coming from our own ego, pride and arrogance which exists side by side with low self-esteem...

For example, if i hear or read about some opinions that my ego doesn't like or doesn't agree with, there will be some reactions coming from my ego...
Either my ego will choose to :
- Attach to it and try to do something about it, but being unpeaceful, full of frustration and anger, be disturbed and affected by it...
- Or attach to it and try to do something about it, but peacefully without being disturbed by it...
- Or not attach to it and let it go, be in peace undisturbed by it, as everyone has their freedom to express their opinions which are different from or contradict with my opinions...

It is up to myself, my own choice and responsibility, if the ego choose to be disturbed and be unhappy or frustrated about something that it doesn't like and cannot agree with, and make a huge debate or drama out of it, trying to convince and prove that my opinions are superior, better and "right", and any other opinions that are contradicted and different from mine are inferior, less good and "wrong"...

Or I can be aware that my ego doesn't like it and cannot agree with it, I don't have to force myself to like it or agree with it, but I can respect and allow any other opinions that are different from mine to be co-exist with my opinions in this universe... I don't own or possess this universe, I respect and allow all and everything that is different from my way of thinking, opinions, speech, actions, reactions, behavior, conducts, believes, performance or personality to be exist in this same space of the universe along with "me" and "my" way of everything...

Or I can be aware that my ego doesn't like it and cannot agree with it, I don't have to force myself to like it or agree with it, but out of compassion, without getting unhappy or frustrated, I can do my best to share my opinions with the world, as I believe my opinions might can help the world to improve, to be better, but without the expectation that the world will be improved or changed to be the way that I think it should be...

Why upset ourselves, hurting and harming our own body and mind by somebody's opinions and behaviors that my ego doesn't like or doesn't agree with? I did the "good' and "right" thing and didn't do anything "bad" or "wrong" according to what I believe is good or bad, right or wrong, but why do I allow myself to be hurt and harmed by other people's opinions and behaviors that are according to what my mind believes is bad or wrong?

We cannot force anyone to be the same like us... We cannot expect other people to behave the same way like us... We cannot change or control other people to think, speak, act and react the same way like us...

If we ever felt angry and disappointed by somebody's behavior, we are actually being angry and disappointed by our own expectation towards other people, that we expect them to be behaving like this or like that... When they don't behave the way according to what we think they should be behaving, we get angry and unhappy... It is not the behavior of the people that has disappointed us or made us angry... We are selfish... We want to control everything to be the way that we like it to be...

We were hurt, upset and disappointed by our own selfishness and ignorance, when we try to control or change other people to think, to speak, to behave, to act, to react the way that we would like or want them to think, to speak, to behave, to act, to react... And if they don't, we will feel hurt, upset and disappointed... And this turn into frustration and anger... We get frustrated and angry, being agitated and unhappy, thinking that it is other people's "misbehavior" that is disturbing us and is causing us unhappiness and unpeacefulness, and want to make or change or control other people to behave the way that we like and agree with... And we'll get more frustrated and unhappy as we cannot control or change anyone other than changing ourselves...

We are hurt and disappointed by our own selfishness as we cannot allow other people to be different from us... We want "our" world to be the way that we want it to be... We "expect" other people also will have the same ideas and desires for the world to be "the way that we like it to be"... When other people don't show co-operation to make the world the way that we want it to be, we get frustrated, angry and hating towards these people that we think they are "selfish" because they don't want to give support to our "mission", or they don't go along with our "brilliant" ideas and believes... We ourselves is being selfish but we judge other people who are different from us and disagree with us as selfish beings...

Do our best for what we think is "good" and "right", and let it go... Have peace, be in peace and share this peace without expecting the world will become peaceful... Allow the result of our "good" and "right" action to come by itself and to be what it is... Stop being angry and hating towards what we think is "not good" and "not right"... Peace will be there when we stop generating resentment and restlessness into the world... The world will be in peace by itself naturally, when we have peace in ourselves...

This is compassion... Just like the sun, the air, the water, the earth and the space... They are always performing the action of giving, providing and supporting to all beings to be exits in the universe... But they have no intention to be giving, no discriminations, no likes and dislikes, no craving and aversion, no anger and hatred, no judgments, no comparisons, no expectations, no identification as the doer of the actions and the enjoyer of the actions, no attachment towards all actions and the fruit of actions...


Real compassion is unconditional...

There's no anger or hatred, no disappointment or unhappiness, if we are truly compassionate...

We will be compassionate towards all beings whether wise or ignorant, rich or poor, good or evil, young or old, happy or unhappy, pure or impure, beings that we agree or disagree with, beings that we like or dislike, no differences...

Be kind and compassionate towards all beings including ourselves is also one of the beings...

Be free from anger and hatred is being kind and compassionate towards ourselves... If we can't even be kind and compassionate towards ourselves, how can we be kind and compassionate towards other beings, and how can we expect other beings to be kind and compassionate towards us?

Forgive ourselves and accept ourselves for being imperfect... Forgive others and accept others for being imperfect... This is compassion towards all beings...

We don't have to agree with "evil and wrong" doings... We are not supporting "evil and wrong" doings... But we don't have to be angry and hating towards evil doings...

Anger and hatred cannot dissolve anger and hatred... Anger and hatred can only be dissolved in compassion... Without compassion, there's no real peace and happiness as we will always be disturbed by what we don't like and disagree with...

Be happy.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Living in the present moment...

There were many times we were being asked this question, "What will you be doing when you are not teaching (yoga retreats or yoga classes)?"

I have no specific answer for that question. As I (the mind/the ego) am living in the present from moment to moment and allowing everything to flow naturally as it comes.

Ever since I practice being in the present moment until it becomes a natural way of life for me, I never think about what I "will" do "if" I am not doing what I am doing "now".

I let go of expectations or anticipations of what is coming, nor do I have to be doing "something" when I am not doing what I am doing now...

Once someone asked me out of care and curiosity, "What are you going to do when you don't or can't teach yoga anymore?" I said to her, "I never think about it. I don't have to think about it. But surely I will know what to do when that happens... One thing for sure, is that everything is impermanent..."

Our guests also liked to ask us out of care and curiosity, "What are you doing when you are not teaching?" I said to them, "I don't know. But surely there is always something to do when we are not teaching and it is not necessarily that we have to be doing "something" all the time..."

It is not like I can only do my own practice when I am not teaching classes, as teaching classes is also part of the yoga practice...

Some people asked, "What do you do when you are not practicing yoga?" For me, there is no separation of life and yoga... Everything that the mind perceives through the senses of what it sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches and thinks, is part of the yoga practice... Whenever the mind comes in contact with the objects of the senses, there is yoga practice... Letting go of craving and aversion, being at peace not being affected, nor disturbed, nor influenced, nor determined by all the experiences that the body and the mind is experiencing from moment to moment...

There is not a single moment that I am separated from yoga. Maybe I spent a few specific hours a day doing some asana and meditation practice, but there is no difference at all when I am not doing asana and meditation practice in the other hours... I am practicing yoga when I am driving, when I am walking, when I am eating, when I am resting, when I am playing, being in the present moment, accepting the reality of the present moment now as it is, from moment to moment...

Maybe I do have other things to do other than "teaching yoga" when my body and mind is not engaging in running and teaching yoga retreats and classes, but it all depends on that present moment what it will likely to be... There were times we wanted to do something but it was not possible at that moment, and so, we had to try again some other time... There were many times that we didn't plan to do anything special, but things happened accordingly and we ended up doing something unexpectedly... And we were enjoying every moment of it.

Ever since practicing awareness of being in the present moment, I stopped projecting or anticipating what I "will be" doing when I am not doing what I am doing "now"... Or what I "will be" experiencing, or what I "will" become... I am what I am, and every moment is changing... I don't even need to expect myself to be better than what I am now, or be more peaceful than what I am now, or be more strong and flexible than what I am now, as I accept myself as I am in the present moment now as it is, and I allow impermanence or changes to happen, and I accept all the changes as it is from moment to moment... I am not determined by the condition of my body or the state of my mind... I do not identify with the impermanent changing good and bad qualities of the body and mind... I am what I am. I don't have to look for peacefulness, as I am peaceful. I don't have to get rid of suffering, as suffering doesn't exist by knowing the truth of "suffering". I don't have to be good or bad, as I am neither good nor bad...

For me, "teaching yoga" is not separated from everyday life routines. It is like everything else that my body and mind might be experiencing in life from moment to moment, like seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling and thinking, it is not a "thing" that I do or don't do. Sometimes certain experiences are there and in other time these experiences are not there. And all these experiences are impermanent, constantly changing, including "teaching yoga" or myself "practicing yoga"...

It is like, the awareness is aware of the mind is now seeing and enjoying a beautiful scenery in front of it, and of course this will change, either the mind perception or position will change, or the scenery will change even if the perception or position still the same... And the mind is being in the present, it doesn't project what it is going to experience in the next moment when it is finished seeing and enjoying this scenery... If that is happening, it means that the mind is no longer being in the present, nor seeing or enjoying the beautiful scenery that is in front of it now, but being busy anticipating and imagining what is going to be its other "experiences" other than this one in the present moment.

And so, surely I can give any answers that I want to give, and don't mind at all if that is not really what I want to do, or whether it will be exactly what I am going to do or not... As I know about the law of impermanence. There is nothing wrong with giving an answer about "what next" with the perception of the present moment now and what I think that is going to be, and at the same time, allowing the reality to be what it is even though it is not what we thought it could be... This way, there will be no disappointment at all when things don't turn out the way that we would like it to be...

Whether I am "busy" with teaching yoga, or having the "free time" not teaching yoga retreats or classes, I still live life the same, and being what I am, how I am and where I am... Whether I am here or somewhere else, doing the same things or something different, I am what I am...

The point is, when we (the mind/the ego) stop project into the future and stop limiting what we should be doing and not doing, the opportunity for doing anything is so unlimited, it can be anything beyond our knowledge, imagination and expectation... Why do we limit ourselves by restricting ourselves to some fixed "ideas", "plannings", "schemings", "anticipations" and "expectations"?

I am not a different person or am I doing something different whether I am being busy with teaching yoga retreats and classes, or not. Every moment, I am practicing yoga. I am teaching yoga, I am sharing yoga, whether I am teaching yoga retreats or classes, or not. Peace and compassion is not just exists in certain conditions or time and space. Peace and compassion exists everywhere and every moment. Whether towards other beings or towards my own self (this body and this mind)... Peace and compassion is here every moment...

I (the mind/the ego) don't think or feel that I need to do something different or special when I am not teaching, nor I can do certain things only when I am not teaching. Maybe the body and the mind can only be engaged with certain activities at one time, but I am appreciating every moment that the body and mind is doing and not doing at that moment... Such like, I am not able to be in another place when I am being here. But I accept that in this present moment now, I am here and not somewhere else...

And this is yoga. This is meditation. Training the mind to be in the present moment. Accepting the reality of the present moment now as it is, not necessarily the way that we want or like it to be, or the way that we think it should be... And not attach to this present moment either as even this present moment now, is impermanent, it is changing, and we allow impermanence or changes to happen, and accept all the changes as they are, accept the reality of everything as it is... And without the identification as the doer of the actions or the enjoyer of the fruit of the actions. It is just the body and the mind experiencing all these experiences. But "I" (the observer or the witness) am aware of the body and the mind is experiencing impermanent qualities of names and forms from moment to moment, and this awareness of being the observer or the witness is not being affected nor contaminated by all these impermanent experiences...

It is not about being a superhuman that have superpower to control things or to change things to be the way that we want or like it to be...

Even the enlightened beings didn't try to change the world... If they did, the world would be free from suffering and be in peace now...

I don't need to be intentionally plan to teach anybody at what time and what place... But it will come into an organized time and place naturally, without expectations, if that is suppose to happen, it will happen...

Every moment, "I" observe or witness what the body and the mind is experiencing, whether it is seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, thinking, teaching, practicing, eating, drinking, driving, cleaning, writing, reading, organizing, sleeping, walking, sitting, standing, playing, bathing, shitting, and etc... "I" am not looking forward for the body and the mind to experience something that it is not experiencing now... But "I" allow all the experiences to come naturally by itself as it is... "I" am not associate with the body and mind, nor controlling what the body and mind is experiencing from moment to moment....

Even if I (the body and the mind) have the time to go to the toilet now, but I still have to wait for the body to be ready to pee or pass motion naturally... If there is dis-functioning of the elimination system, even if I want to pee, it won't happen...

If I planned to do something next week or next month, bought a ticket to go somewhere, but if there is some changes in the present moment now that the plan needs to be changed, I allow that change to be what it is according to the present moment now. Maybe it will change back into the original plan or change into something else or it won't happen at all... I just let it be...

Maybe in certain moments my body and my mind is engaged in certain activities, and in some other moments there are no activities at all, but there is no differences whether my body and mind is being busy with many activities or being free without any activities... I appreciate when there are activities as well as when there are no activities. I don't have to be "doing" something when I am free, and I am not looking forward to be free by not doing anything when I am busy...

I don't complain when I am busy nor when I am not busy...

I don't need to wait until holidays to enjoy my life nor I cannot enjoy life without having any holidays... I don't need to do something special or go somewhere special to enjoy life... Everything that I do or don't do, wherever I am or am not, I enjoy every moment of it...

I am content and at peace wherever I am and whatever I am doing and not doing.

Maybe in this present moment now, I might need to organize some activities for the upcoming retreats. But that "action" of organizing something for the upcoming retreats, is in the present moment now... I am still living in the present moment, from moment to moment.

If my mind starts to think about "What I am going to do next if I am not doing what I am doing now", then my mind will be projecting into the future, imagining and anticipating what I shall be doing or not doing in the next moment... The mind is wandering to the future projecting "things" or "actions" that don't exist at all. If I have no awareness of what is happening, and if I identified with the thinking process in the mind, then I am no longer being in the present moment anymore. I will be lost in the projections, imaginations and anticipations of something that is not existing at all.

It is the same when our mind is thinking about something that had happened in the past... If I identified with the thinking process in the mind, I am no longer being in the present moment, but I am lost in the past memories, and continue being affected, influenced, disturbed or determined by something that had happened in the past but doesn't exist in the present moment now... For example I might be thinking about somebody's hurtful actions in the past, and start to feel angry and upset for that past experience that doesn't exist in the present moment now, and making myself miserable and unpeaceful in the present moment... Merely wasting energy drowning ourselves in past experiences or memories...

That's why if we (the mind/the ego) are able to live in the present moment now, nothing can continue to upset us or make us unhappy. It is our own responsibility if we allow the past memories or experiences to continue to affect us, disturb us, influence us or determine us...

By having the awareness that is being aware of the mind is wandering to the future, projecting, imagining and anticipating about this and that, that awareness is in the very present moment. This awareness is different from the thinking process. It is observing or witnessing the thinking process... It is observing or witnessing the mind is thinking about something in the past or the future. The objects of the thinking process might be something coming from the past or the future, but, this awareness of being aware of the mind is thinking about something in the past or the future, it is not in the past nor in the future, it is in the very present moment now. Unless I haven't developed or connected with this awareness yet, then I am not being in the present moment whenever my mind starts projecting into the next moment, being lost in the imagination towards the future, or has gone to the past memories, being lost in the memories of the past... Constantly being determined, affected, disturbed or influenced by something that doesn't exist in the present moment now, and full of fear and worry...

Living in the present moment, I am allowing everything to be existing and non-existing whether it is something that my mind agrees or disagrees with, likes or doesn't like. I am allowing everything to come and go naturally...

Just like watching the sky, allowing all the changes in the sky to happen from moment to moment, without craving or aversion towards something that is not existing in the present moment, nor clinging or aversion towards something that is existing in the present moment. If it is sunny, let it be sunny... If it is cloudy, let it be cloudy... If it is rainy, let it be rainy... And not try to control or change sunny day to be cloudy day, nor change rainy day to be sunny day... As we (the mind/the ego) are never satisfied with what it is... We are always looking for something that is different from what it is...

I stop saying to people, "How did you feel?", "How was the class?", "This will be what you are going to become...", "This will be how you are going to experience and feel...", "This will be where you are going to be..." but in most conversations, I am more likely to say, "This is what we are doing now...", "This is how we are now...", "This is where we are now...".

Just take a look at our usual conversations with anybody that we come in contact with. Except for the first universal greeting sentence, "How are you?" which is being in the present, and the rest of the conversations are about the past or the future...

It seems like our mind is being conditioned by what the world has been "teaching" us. Whether it is to show interests or care towards other people, or mainly being busybody, it has became a social interaction, politeness or culture to ask anybody about "What have been happening to you, what have you done, where have you been, how did you feel, how and where did both of you meet, when did you start practicing yoga, when did you start teaching yoga, or what you are going to do, where you are going to, what you are going to become in the future, what is your future planning... and etc", to show that "I care about you", "I want to know about you", or else if we don't ask these questions when we meet somebody, it is being perceived as "impoliteness or rude or unfriendly or insociable" or "I don't care about you", "I don't want to know about you"...

But all these conversations are nothing but talking about the past or the future, empowering the past experiences or memories which are not the reality of the present moment now, clinging onto the past experiences, and projecting, imagining and anticipating about the future, which they both don't exist at all in the present moment. There is not a moment that we are being in the present moment, enjoying what is here in the present moment... The action of the conversation is in the present moment, but the subjects of the conversations are always from the past or the future... And the more we involve with such conversations, the harder it is for us to be in the present moment, to be free from anxiety, fear and worry that arise when the mind wanders to the past memories and future projections, anticipations and imaginations...

It seems like there is nothing to talk about without talking about the past and the future... That's why silence is the ultimate truth... Meditation is the mind entering silence. There is no past, no future, no dualities, no perception of names and forms...

If we had a strong heated conversation in the day, then at night when we want to take rest, all the contents of the conversation will bubble up on the surface of the mind making the mind restless and difficult to fall asleep...

Thank you for those who care and ask us this question as this inspires me to reflect upon the teaching about "living in the present moment"... And share this blog post with you who are reading this now.

In most time, there is nothing more to say, just being in the present moment... Whatever we are seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking are just being what they are... There is no judgment, no comparison, no expectation, no craving, no aversion... Peace in ourselves and peace to all...

This might seems to be "anti-socialism" in the eyes or the perception of the society, but take a look at the truth in most conversations, which mostly generating most of the restlessness, misunderstanding, complications, gossips, slandering, criticisms, judgments, comparisons, expectations, exploitations, disappointment, anxiety, fear, worry, depression, anger, agitation, hatred, jealousy, back-bitting, and etc..."

Speak less if possible, conserving energy for contemplating upon the truth and higher realization... If we need to speak, may it be speech that leads towards the truth, peace and harmony. Even though most of the time, truthfulness is not welcome, and the truth is not something that our mind or ego can agree with, nor something that our mind or ego likes and wants it to be...

Sometimes we are exhausting ourselves by engaging in too many activities that we think we should be doing for the sake of yoga, humanity or compassion. But by the end of the day, we are exhausted by too much worldly activities and neglecting our own over-all well-being... Even Buddha also would have his own time, not going out on the street to spread Dharma all the time, not meeting anyone, not talking, not performing any worldly activities or so called duties and responsibilities, and take rest... Even Guruji also will have time to play and rest... Who says playing and resting is not part of yoga and meditation practice? Being present while playing, being present while resting... Those who don't know about this, they are always "doing" something to keep themselves busy, but not necessarily being in the present...

Again, this practice of living in the present moment (non-attachment, letting go of the past and the future) is only an advice for those who are sincerely in search for peace... Anybody can do what they want to do, say what they like to say and be happy with the way that they are...

Be happy.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Intensive Yoga Retreat in Tamilnadu South India with Marc and Meng Foong from December 1 - 9, 2012


We will be running an intensive yoga retreat in Tamilnadu South India by the end of the year from December 1 - 9, 2012. 

Limited to maximum 12 participants only.

Anyone who is interested please contact us for more details at yoganow@hotmail.com.

Please click on this link to our website for more details http://www.yoganowmalaysia.com/yogaretreatinindia.html

Om shanti,
Marc and Meng Foong 

欢迎你们参加马克和明凤在印度南部塔米尔纳杜12月1 - 9日所举办的南印度瑜珈之旅。任何有兴趣的人,请与我们联络yoganow@hotmail.com以了解更多详情
只限制最多12人。

Friday, August 3, 2012

Mahishaasura Mardhini

A very peaceful piece of chanting to share with you...

 

महिषासुरमर्दिनिस्तोत्रम् Mahishaasura Mardhini


Ayi giri nandini, nanditha medini, visva vinodini, nanda nuthe , Giri vara vindhya shirodhini vasini vishnu vilaasini jisnu nuthe , Bhagavati he shiti kanta kutumbini bhoori kutumbini bhoori kruthe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 1


Suravara varshini durdhara dharshini durmukha marshini harsha rathe , Tribhuvana poshini shankara toshini kilbisha moshini ghosha rathe , Danujani roshini ditisuta roshini durmada shoshini sindhu suthe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 2


Ayi jagadamba madamba kadamba vanapriya vaasini haasa rathe , Shikhari shiromani tunga himaalaya shringani jaalaya madhya gathe , Madhu madhure madhu kaitabha ganjini kaitabha bhanjini raasa rathe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 3


Ayi shata khanda vikhandita runda vitundita shunda gajaadhi pathe , Ripugaja ganda vidaarana chanda paraakrama shunda mrigaadhi pathe , Nijabhuja danda nipaatita khanda vipatita munda bhataadhi pathe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 4


Ayi rana durmada shatru vadhodita durdhara nirjara shakti bhruthe , Chaturavi chaara dhureena maha siva duta krita pramathaadhi pathe , Durita dureeha duraashaya durmati daanava duta krutaanta mathe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 5


Ayi sharanaa gata vairiva dhoovara veerava raabhaya daaya kare , Tribhuvana mastaka shoola virodhi sheerodhi kritaamala shoola kare , Dumidumi taamara dundubhi naada maho mukharee krita tigma kare , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 6


Ayi nija hunkriti maatra niraa krita dhoomra vilochana dhoomra shathe , Sama ravi shoshita shonita beeja samudbhava shonuta beeja lathe , Shiva shiva shumbha nishumbha mahaa hava tarpita bhuta pishaacha rathe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 7


Dhanuranu sanga ranakshana sanga parishphura danga natat katake , Kanakapi shanga prishatkani shanga rasadbhata sringa hataa batuke , Krutachatu ranga balakshithi ranga ghatadbahu ranga ratad batuke , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 8


Suralalanatha tatheye tatheye kritabhinayodara nrityarate, Ritakukurat kukutogadadhi katalakutohala danarate, Dhimikitadhi kitadimidhnidho mridanga nidarate, Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 9


Jaya jaya japya jaye jaya shabda parasthuthi thath para vishva nuthe , Bhana Bhana Bhinjhimi Bhin kritha noopura sinjitha mohitha bhootha pathe , Natitha nataardha nateenatha naayaka naatitha naatya sugaana rathe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 10


Ayi sumanah sumanah sumanah sumanah sumano hara kaanthi yuthe , Shritha rajanee rajanee rajanee rajanee rajanee kara vakra vruthe , Sunayana vibhramara bhramara bhramara bhramara bhrama raadhi pathe, Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 11


Sahita mahaahava mallama tallika mallitha rallaka malla rathe , Virachitha vallika pallika mallika bhillika bhillika varga vruthe , Sita krutha phullisa mullasi thaaruna thallaja pallava salla lithe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 12


Avirala ganda galanmada medura matha mathangaja raaja pathe , Tribhuvana bhooshana bhootha kalaanidhi roopa payonidhi raaja suthe , Ayi suda theejana laalasa maanasa mohana manmatha raaja suthe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 13


Kamala dalaamala komala kaanthi kalaakali thaamala bhaala lathe , Sakala vilaasa kalaa nilaya krama kelicha latkala hamsa kule , Alikula sankula kuvalaya mandala maulimi ladbaku laali kule , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 14


Kara muralee rava veejitha koojitha lajjitha kokila manju mathe , Militha pulinda manohara gunjitha ranjitha shaila nikunja gathe , Nijaguna bhootha mahaa shabaree gana sadguna sambhrutha keli thale , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 15


Katita tapeeta dukoola vichithra mayookha tiraskritha chandra ruche, Pranatha suraasura mauli manisphura damshula sannakha chandra ruche, Jithakana kaachala mauli padorjitha nirbhara kunjara kumbha kuche , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 16


Vijitha sahasra karaika sahasra karaika sahasra karaika nuthe , Kruta sura thaaraka sangara thaaraka sangara thaaraka soonu nuthe , Suratha samaadhi samaanasa maadhi samaadhi samaadhi sujaatha rathe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 17


Pada kamalam karunaa nilaye vari vasyati yonu dinam sa shive , Ayi kamale kamalaa nilaye kamalaa nilayahsa katham na bhaveth , Tava padameva param pada mityanu sheelayatho mama kim na shive , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 18


Kanaka lasat kala sindhu jalai ranu sinchi nute guna ranga bhuvam , Bhajathi sa kim na sachi kucha kumbha thatee pari rambha sukhaanu bhavam , Thava charanam sharanam kara vaani nataa mara vaani nivaa si sivam , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 19


Tava vimalendu kulam vadha nendu malam sakalam nanu koola yathe , Kimu puru hootha pureendu mukhee sumukhee bhirasau vimukhee kriyathe , Mama thu matham siva naama dhane bhavatee kripayaa kimutha kriyathe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 20


Ayi mayi deena dayaalu thayaa krupa yaiva thvayaa bhavi thavya mume , Ayi jagatho jananee krupa yaasi yathaasi thathaa nubhi thaasi rathe , Yadu chitha mathra bhavathyu raree kuruthaa duruthaa pama paa kuruthe , Jaya jaya he mahishaasura mardhini ramyaka pardhini shaila suthe 21


Thank you for the nameless one who has posted the words on the internet where I copied from...


Om shanti.

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About Yoga

Know thyself. Everything is impermanent and selfless. There is no 'I'. There is no 'I am selfless'/'I am not selfless'. There is no 'I am hurt'/'I need to be healed from hurt'. Non-blind believing, non-blind following, non-blind practicing and non-blind propagating, but be open-minded to inquire the truth of everything. Be free. Be peaceful. Be happy.

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