Attachment and mental health

There's neither good nor bad about the presence and absence of worldly connection building and social interaction. The difference is about the presence or absence of attachment towards agreeable and disagreeable social connections and interactions, that is determining whether the mind (the state of the mind/mental health) is being determined or influenced by the presence and absence of agreeable and disagreeable connections and interactions, or not.

It's normal that the passionate egoistic minds that think and believe they love yoga very much and are practicing yoga regularly, might not like or agree with the teaching and practice of yoga and buddhism about non-attachment, or renunciation and dispassion. These minds, including many mental health professionals, think and believe that all minds can't live without social connections and interactions, where social connections and interactions are highly important for mental health, where lack of social connections and interactions is highly detrimental towards mental health, not knowing that, the main culprit is ATTACHMENT, and it's not really about whether there's sufficient social connections and interactions, or not.

Void of attachment, the presence and absence of all kinds of agreeable and disagreeable worldly connections and interactions don't determine the state of the mind, or mental health.

The presence of attachment towards the presence and absence of agreeable and disagreeable worldly connections and interactions is the reason why suffering/painful sorrow/disturb arise in the mind, upon the absence of, or the lack of, or losing the pleasant and agreeable connections and interactions, as well as upon coming in contact with, or the presence of unpleasant and disagreeable connections and interactions.

The minds that don't know what is non-attachment, or don't know how to remain unattached towards all kinds of connections and interactions, they would be spontaneously or autonomously attracted to, or admiring, or 'falling in love with' something or someone that appeared to be pleasant, agreeable, lovable, beautiful or meaningful to the mind, and being determined or influenced by the presence and absence of all kind of agreeable and disagreeable connections and interactions. These minds also have the desire to become physically and mentally attractive and admirable to other minds in the process of connections building and interactions, being determined by the presence and accumulation of pleasant and agreeable social connections and interactions for developing and empowering the sense of self-esteem, confidence, goodness, happiness, positiveness and meaningfulness towards itself and life existence, which determining, affecting and influencing the state of their mental health.

Even when the mind feels confident, good, happy, positive and meaningful about itself and life existence upon the presence of pleasant and agreeable connections and interactions in the present moment, this is impermanent. The mind will be in suffering, or the state of mental health will be 'bad' or 'disturbed', upon inevitable impermanent changes, upon the presence of unpleasant and disagreeable connections and interactions, and upon the absence of pleasant and agreeable connections and interactions, due to attachment. That is not freedom at all.

The minds that know what is non-attachment, where they can stay unattached towards all kinds of worldly connections and interactions, they can mix and mingle freely among the worldly community, if they want, but without being determined or influenced by the presence and absence of all kinds of agreeable and disagreeable connections and interactions. Such minds don't admire, or attracted to, or 'fall in love with' anything or anyone that appeared to be pleasant, agreeable, lovable, beautiful or meaningful to the mind, of what the mind perceived as 'goodness', 'kindness', 'righteousness', 'meaningfulness', 'positiveness', 'beautiful', 'cuteness', or 'attractiveness'. These minds don't need to rely on the presence and accumulation of agreeable social connections and interactions to be developing and empowering the sense of self-esteem, confidence, goodness, happiness, positiveness and meaningfulness towards itself and life existence, that don't need to be there at all. That's freedom.

Regardless of whether the minds like or dislike, agree or disagree, practice or don't practice, non-attachment is the core teaching and practice of yoga and buddhism. Without non-attachment, all kind of practice won't lead the mind towards liberation from ignorance and egoism, and the consequences of that. One can be practicing and/or teaching yoga to many other people for many years, preaching about awareness and mindfulness, while adopting a way of healthy living, clean eating and high thinking, but the mind might still be not free from functioning under the influence of ignorance and passionate egoism, being determined and influenced very much by the mind perception of a selfless impermanent worldly life existence of impermanent names and forms, worldly identities, activities, affairs, conditions, connections and interactions.

It's neither right nor wrong about the agreement and disagreement of the minds towards the teaching and practice of non-attachment. It's whether the minds are being endowed with the intense yearning for liberation, or not. The minds that are only interested in gaining some momentary physical and mental health and fitness benefits from performing the different type of yoga practice and exercises regularly, and developing the sense of goodness, happiness, positiveness and meaningfulness via the gratification of the desire of craving and aversion, through the presence and enjoyment of pleasant and agreeable names and forms, conditions, activities, connections and interactions, they don't need to agree with or practice non-attachment, as they wish. While the minds that have intense yearning towards liberation from the inevitable suffering of restlessness, of swaying between happiness and unhappiness, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, then non-attachment is the path.

The passionate minds advise the minds that suffered from low self-esteem, low confidence, dissatisfaction, unhappiness and meaninglessness to enlarge the circle of their social connections and interactions, empowering mental and emotional dependence, that give rise to momentary sense of accomplishment, acknowledgement, satisfaction, happiness and meaningfulness to the mind, while the teachings of yoga and buddhism advise such minds to renounce from the worldly connections and interactions for developing non-attachment and dispassion, developing mental and emotional independence, to free the mind from the root cause of low self-esteem, low confidence, dissatisfaction, unhappiness and meaningfulness, which is ignorance and passionate egoism.

Not that the mind will be free from suffering, or will be in a state of constant happiness or satisfaction upon the absence or cessation of selfless impermanent changes, but it is no longer being determined or influenced by the selfless impermanent changes within the impermanent modification of the selfless mind (the different states of the mind) and all kind of names and forms that it perceives through the senses, including this selfless physical body (the different conditions of the physical body).

A truly compassionate and wise teacher/parent/leader/senior/friend will allow the student/child/follower/junior/friend to become independent mentally and emotionally, where one knows how to love oneself, think for oneself, inquire the truth by oneself and look after oneself, and doesn't need to rely on connections and interactions with some others to be receiving love and support, agreement and acknowledgement, to feel good, happy, confident, positive or meaningful, regardless of the presence and absence of agreeable and disagreeable connections and interactions.

The mind that knows this, doesn't suffer from the sense of loneliness, even without any connections and interactions with anyone. The mind that doesn't know this, will be suffering from the sense of loneliness even when there is the presence of different kind of connections and interactions with some others, as it is always looking forward to be receiving ongoing attention, love, support, agreement and acknowledgement from some others. People might think that it's due to the lack of physical and mental companionship and interaction that is why someone is suffering from loneliness, not knowing that, it's the presence of attachment and craving towards receiving attention, love, support, agreement and acknowledgement from some others in order to feel love, good, happy, confident, positive and meaningful.

Inquire towards all kind of celebration day

There's neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad about the existence of all kind of celebration day or event, where many people like as well as 'need' to be celebrating certain things at certain timing for specific reasons, where people 'need' the existence of certain celebration day or event that involve certain activities and interactions among human beings, to ignite and boost the sense of belonging, happiness, meaningfulness, achievement, connection and togetherness, while some people are not interested or don't need to be engaging in any kind of celebration day or event, with or without any specific reason.

Anyhow, the existence of funeral is something important for many people to be able to 'let go' those who are gone, not just physically, but more so, mentally and emotionally.

All kind of celebration day/event/ritual are being celebrated by human beings on different timing under different reasons, either hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, seasonally, annually, and so on.

Although certain celebration day/event/ritual existed under certain ancient cultural and spiritual belief, values and practice along with the beginning of human existence long before the era of commercialism, most of the celebration day/event that have been continuously popping up here and there, are indeed the by-products of commercialism, to boost business or sales, a.k.a. profits, income, or wealth, for somebody.

The local/regional and international/global economy is very much being powered by all kinds of celebration day/event/ritual. The more type of celebration event existing in the world, the better it is for all kind of business/job/opportunity.

The mental and emotional health of many people, and the relationship/connection between human beings are also very much being influenced by the existence of the many different type of cultural and spiritual celebration event that generate the 'intention' or 'obligation' for people to come together, from time to time.

Some celebration day/event/ritual can be without the need of related 'objects', 'feasts', 'activities' or 'travelling' which require certain amount of 'inevitable expenses', where people don't necessarily have to be spending any money at all to be appreciating or celebrating something, however, most celebration day/event/ritual or funeral are associated with certain amount of 'inevitable expenses', where it can be 'financially difficult' or 'non-affordable' for some people, and even 'embarrassing', 'regretting' or 'guilty' for certain people.

In the event of funeral, some people cannot 'afford' to organize a so called 'funeral' for their loved ones. More money are being spent after death than while living for some people. Some people are depriving themselves while living in order to be saving enough money for arranging their own funeral the way that they prefer, if they think and believe that they need to have particular type of funeral for themselves after death under certain belief, values and practice. Just like many other things, funeral as well as after death's weekly, monthly and yearly ongoing ritual is a big money making business.

Certain 'crimes' also happened to be more frequent before and during certain celebration day/event or even funeral, due to different type of 'desperation' as well as 'golden opportunity for crime' that exist along with the existence of certain celebration day/event/ritual, or funeral, in certain cultures.

Meanwhile, certain cultural or spiritual celebration day/event/ritual involved with 'the sacrifice/offer of something in order to receive/attain something in return'.

Regardless of the different differences that all human beings identifying with as 'who they are' and 'where they belonged', where different communities under different cultural and spiritual belief celebrate different kind of celebration event on different day, everyone under all kind of diversities seemed to be celebrating the universal 'New Year' everywhere in the world, where the beginning of a year represents 'a new beginning', or 'a fresh start', or 'new hopes' for most people, that ignites certain 'spark' or 'motivation' to be performing certain actions, or to be achieving something, such as 'new year resolution' or 'setting intention'. That is something that all diversities could be sharing and celebrating in common, putting aside all kind of difference/competition/discrimination.

Some minds would feel bored, joyless, meaningless, or lack of motivation, if without certain kind of celebration day/event/ritual, to have something well-worth to be celebrating about or deserve to be remembering about, to be engaging in certain activities, connections and interactions among human beings, from time to time.

Some minds might even be disturbed and offended by certain behavior or happening that appeared to be offensive or inauspicious towards certain celebration day/event/ritual, or funeral.

For the minds that have transcended all kind of names and forms, time, space and causation, that have realized selflessness and unconditional peace, that are free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, that are free from being conditioned by worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, that are free from attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation, would respect the existence of all kind of celebration day/event/ritual or funeral that have their own particular reason to be existing, however, these minds don't need to be engaging in or celebrating any specific celebration day/event/ritual to develop or boost the sense of belonging, happiness, meaningfulness, achievement, connection and togetherness, or to ignite the 'spark' or 'motivation' to be performing any kind of actions, or to 'sacrifice/offer something in order to receive/attain something in return', and they won't be disturbed or offended by any kind of behavior or happening that appeared to be offensive or inauspicious towards certain celebration day/event/ritual or funeral. They don't need 'funeral' to let go anyone physically, mentally and emotionally. They don't need 'togetherness' to appreciate all kind of relationship. They don't need 'specific timing', 'motivation', 'resolution' or 'setting intention' to be performing actions.

For these minds, every moment is nothing but the rise/beginning as well as the passing away/end of something. Every moment can be appreciated and/or celebrated yet there's nothing really need to be celebrated particularly on particular timing, transcending names and forms, time, space and causation, transcending the sense of goodness and badness, positiveness and negativeness, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, deserving and undeserving, or meaningfulness and meaninglessness, void of boredom and loneliness.

Love without attachment and possessiveness

"How can a person being engaged in any kind of relationship with someone, and appreciates and loves that person sincerely, but then at the same time, one is not being determined by the absence and presence of agreeable and disagreeable, desirable and undesirable, pleasant and unpleasant interactions and events that occur in any form of human relationship, regardless of whether it's relationship with family, friends and lover or spouse?"

The passionate minds that are being conditioned by worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, would have great difficulty in understanding towards "One can love and appreciate some others in different type of relationship in life very much, but won't be feeling "losing/missing someone or something that oneself loves and appreciates very much" upon the absence of that person and/or the relationship."

The passionate minds think and believe that, all kinds of love, can only exist along with attachment and possessiveness/the sense of belonging, where the amount of love is being determined or measured by the degrees of attachment and possessiveness in any kind of relationship.

The minds that truly understand towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all and everything, would understand that there's nothing or none belonged to anything or anyone.

One knows how to love all and everyone without attachment and possessiveness, where one doesn't own any kind of existing relationship as well as the person(s) in the relationship with oneself.

Without attachment and possessiveness towards the relationship and the person(s) in the relationship with oneself, it doesn't mean that one doesn't care about or doesn't take the relationship and the person(s) in the relationship with oneself seriously.

One appreciates all the different kind of human relationships existing in the present moment now, as they are, not necessarily all desirable and agreeable, as well as loves the person(s) in the relationship with oneself unconditionally as it is, without the idea of "You are my family," or "You are my friend,", or "You are my lover/spouse," or "You belonged to me," or "You are mine," or "This is my family/my friend/my lover/my spouse/my relationship." And hence, one doesn't loose anything and/or anyone, upon the absence of the relationship and/or the person(s) in the different type of relationship with oneself, upon impermanent changes that are not necessarily being the way that how everyone would like it to be. Upon the realization of selflessness, there's no 'I' being there to be claiming, "I am losing something or someone," or "I don't want to loose something or someone that is upmost important to me," as well as, there's nothing or none to loose, as nothing/none belonged to anyone.

"Loving others unconditionally, as they are" doesn't mean that one should be blindly agreeing with everything and saying "yes" to everything, or one wouldn't be having any dislike or disagreement towards any kind of ignorant thinking and behavior, or shouldn't be saying "no" to any kind of demands, or allowing oneself to be mistreated or abused by other people's ignorant hurtful behavior repeatedly, encouraging and empowering such ignorance. However, one is not being determined by the likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, and pleasant or unpleasant affairs and events that occur in any kind of relationship. One can choose to move away from such ignorance, if necessarily, if possible, not to be encouraging and empowering such ignorance.

The passionate minds would react and feel disappointed and dissatisfied, upon one's desires/demands/cravings are not being gratified, as well as would react and feel disappointed, confused and hurt, if someone in any kind of relationship with oneself telling oneself about, "There's nothing to loose in any kind of relationship with anything and anyone," or "You are free to love me, or not, and you are free to stay or leave as you wish," or "I love you as you are, even if you don't love me and/or are not in a relationship with me," as they would interpret that as "You don't love me. You don't appreciate me or our relationship. I mean nothing to you. I am not important to you. Our relationship doesn't mean anything to you," not understanding that, that is unconditional non-possessive type of love.

The minds that feel disappointed and hurt by someone in any kind of relationship because one's desires/demands/cravings are not being gratified by those in any form of relationship with oneself, would react in the way that would hurt oneself and those in certain type of relationship with oneself, out of disappointment, resentment, or rebelliousness. Such minds don't even love themselves, not to say, they don't really love those whom they think they love very much, as they would do things that would hurt anyone, including themselves, upon not getting what they like and want, and/or are getting what they don't like and don't want. They only love their desires of what they like and want.

The minds that know how to love themselves and others unconditionally won't do anything that would hurt oneself and/or others deliberately, out of disappointment, resentment, or rebelliousness, upon the non-gratification of their desires or demands. Such as when the parents reject their children's demands for something, the children might react and behave in the way that would hurt themselves and their parents deliberately, out of disappointment, resentment and rebelliousness. Or, one would react and behave in the way that hurt oneself and the partner/spouse intentionally, out of disappointment, resentment and rebelliousness, upon one's demands towards the partner/spouse and the relationship are not being gratified.

Most minds don't appreciate such unconditional non-possessive type of love, instead, they would rather be chasing after passionate possessive type of love, where there is intense attachment, identification, possessiveness, clinging and craving towards one another, to receive attention, love, care, support, comfort, encouragement, companionship, interaction, acknowledgement, agreement, appreciation, praise and compliment from one another, to boost the sense of self-esteem, goodness, happiness, accomplishment, positiveness and meaningfulness.

The minds that realized selflessness and impermanence transcend all these names and forms, not being determined by all these names and forms to be 'I', transcending the sense of self-esteem, goodness, happiness, accomplishment, positiveness and meaningfulness, where they don't need to feel confident, good, happy, accomplished, positive or meaningful at all, not to say, to be building and boosting the sense of self-esteem, goodness, happiness, accomplishment, positiveness and meaningfulness out of all kinds of selfless impermanent names and forms, being determined and empowered by passionate egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation.

Many minds would think and believe that, "Good friends, or friends, are those who regularly meet up with one another, visit each other, spend lots of time together and doing something together, or keeping in touch, talking to and sharing with each other all the time. Otherwise, they are not good friends, or they are not my friends at all." These minds cannot understand that, "True friends are not necessarily have to be regularly meeting up with one another, visiting each other, spending lots of time together and doing something together, or keeping in touch, talking to and sharing with each other." They cannot comprehend that, "friends" are those who will always be a friend even after many years not meeting up with one another, not visiting each other, not spending lots of time together and not doing something together, or not keeping in touch, not talking to and not sharing with each other, either with or without any reasons.

Most passionate egoistic minds have no such understanding, and they would feel disappointed, unhappy or lonely, if they think they don't have any friends to interact, socialize, share and play with, then know that it's due to the attachment and possessiveness towards 'friends' and 'friendship', as well as the craving towards the presence of friends with the interactions and activities, and the aversion towards the absence of friends and the interactions and activities, are not being gratified.

To truly understand this dispassionate unconditional non-possessive type of love, one must perform self-inquiry towards what are "selflessness in all and everything" and "attachment and possessiveness", as well as what is "love without attachment and possessiveness" or "dispassionate unconditional love," to attain direct realization towards all these terms.

"Love without attachment and possessiveness" is nothing to do with the passionate engagement in multiple intimate love affairs or relationships with many different people/lovers/partners on different timing or at the same time, while thinking and believing that that's what unconditional love and care towards all and everyone is about.

Non-attachment and non-possessiveness is nothing to do with non-commitment, or non-seriousness, or non-appreciative, or irresponsibility towards any kind of human relationship. One can be seriously and genuinely engaging in as well as being responsible and appreciative towards all kind of human relationship, as well as being contented with having one single committed intimate love affair or relationship with someone, but without any attachment or the sense of possessiveness, respecting all kind of impermanent changes as they are.

However, unconditional love that is void of attachment and possessiveness is highly being misused by the passionate minds, including some yoga practitioners or yoga teachers, as the 'spiritual' excuse to justify one's irresponsibility towards one's existing relationship with family, friends or lover/spouse/partner, or to justify one's greedy discontented lustful desire to be enjoying or engaging in "many different intimate love affair/relationship with different people at different timing," or "multiple committed/uncommitted intimate love affairs/relationships with different lovers/partners at the same time," or "any kind of sexual misconduct," using the excuse of 'love sharing' or 'spiritual healing' to be engaging in intimate love/sexual affair/relationship with the disturbed minds that are longing to be comforted, loved or healed by some others, while thinking and believing and propagating that, "unconditional love without attachment and possessiveness" means "I have so much love and care (lust) that needed to share with as many people as possible, without being limited by any commitment or responsibility," as well as, using the excuse of "unconditional love without attachment and commitment" to be expecting one's lover/spouse shouldn't be disturbed or hurt by one's greedy lustful desire that needed to be shared with many other different lovers/partners, thinking and believing that it's what unconditional love is about, but not really. That's their freedom of thinking and behavior, however, it's completely nothing to do with yoga.

One can be loving one's lover/spouse unconditionally, but it doesn't mean that one should be encouraging or empowering such ignorant thinking and behavior of the lover/spouse that is over-powered by greedy lustful desires, where one can let go such "relationship" without any disappointment or resentment, loving the lover/spouse as he/she is, being ignorant and behaving ignorantly, thinking and believing that he/she loves his/her lover/partner/spouse very much, but he/she would do things that hurt those whom they think they love very much out of greed, discontentment and lustful desires, or out of disappointment, dissatisfaction, resentment or rebelliousness, due to ungratified desires. One doesn't need to stay in such relationship, but more importantly, one is not being determined or bothered by such ignorance and ignorant behavior of the lover/partner/spouse that is being ignorant towards his/her own ignorance and ignorant behavior. It's only due to the presence of attachment and possessiveness as well as the desire of craving and aversion, most people can't let go and would feel disappointed, hurt and disturbed for being in any relationship with anyone that is under the influence of ignorance with the presence of ignorant behavior, but then oneself also reacting and behaving in the way that would be hurting oneself and those in the relationship with oneself, intentionally, out of resentment and rebelliousness.

"You hurt me, I'll hurt you back" is not love at all.

Some people might not be doing anything hurtful directly to the lover/partner/spouse, refuse to communicate and have better understanding among one another, but then would go behind their back saying and doing many things that would hurt them. That is more evil and hurtful than those who express their disagreement directly to their lover/partner/spouse to communicate about any issues or misunderstanding. However, it seems to be part of certain cultural practice to not express any disagreement directly with the person involved, but to go behind people's back to complain, bitching and hurt the person, to seek support and agreement from other people towards one's disagreement towards the lover/partner/spouse, to relieve one's dissatisfaction and unhappiness. By complaining and bitching about one's lover/partner/spouse whom oneself dislikes and hates so much, with or without the intention of getting other people's support and agreement towards oneself, so that other people will also dislike and hating one's lover/partner/spouse for something that oneself dislikes and disagrees with, while thinking that oneself is a 'victim' of the bad behavior of one's lover/partner/spouse, it only shows that oneself doesn't love the lover/partner/spouse at all.

Yoga practitioners need to stay away from such ignorant thinking, belief, values and practice, while not encouraging or empowering such ignorance.

Many yoga teachers might think and believe that they are doing the right thing or the compassionate action to be 'helping' and 'comforting' other people's unhappy mind by being a sympathetic/empathetic listener and supporter to other people who need to be complaining about what they think and believe is their relationship problem and unhappiness, not being aware of that is actually empowering the ignorance in such minds. These minds themselves don't really love themselves, not to say, they don't love their lover/partner/spouse at all, but they only love their selfish desire and expectation towards their lover/partner/spouse and their love relationship to be in certain way, and out of one's dissatisfaction and disappointment, when they don't get what they like and want, and are getting what they don't like and don't want, upon the lover/partner/spouse and the relationship is not being the way that they expect and desire it to be, they felt 'disappointed', 'unhappy' and 'hurt', and need to be complaining to other people about all kinds of bad and terrible things about their lover/partner/spouse, while thinking and believing that they love their lover/partner/spouse very much, but they are being 'disappointed', 'disturbed' and 'hurt' by their lover/partner/spouse who is bad and terrible, "Oh, I love him/her so much, but he/she is so bad and terrible. I am a victim of his/her bad and terrible behavior, but I can't, and I don't want to let go this relationship because I love him/her so much. I feel so hurt and unhappy because of this bad relationship, and I need sympathy, empathy, comfort and support from other people, acknowledging that my hurt and my unhappiness is due to my lover/partner/spouse is so bad and terrible."

The minds that understand, if one truly loves someone, there's no hurt or disappointment arising in oneself regardless of all kinds of undesirable and disagreeable interactions and happenings in the relationship, and there won't be such 'need' to be complaining to other people, to be seeking sympathy, empathy, comfort and support from some others to justify about "I am loving, good and right, while he/she is unloving, bad and wrong." One can choose to remain in the relationship that is not all desirable and agreeable, or let go any relationship that involved ignorant and hurtful behavior that keep hurting oneself and those in any kind of relationship with oneself out of ignorance, without disappointment or resentment.

If yoga teachers truly want to help the disturbed suffering minds that are under the influence of ignorance to be free from all kinds of disappointment, disturb, hurt and unhappiness due to ignorance, it's not by comforting and supporting their ignorant thinking or incorrect understanding, to be encouraging and empowering their ignorance, but it's guiding and allowing them to see the ignorance in themselves that give rise to such disappointment, disturb, hurt and unhappiness. Even though it's an unpleasant process, and most minds don't like such confrontation to be seeing and acknowledging the ignorance in themselves as well as all kinds of incorrect thinking and understanding that hurt themselves and those whom they think they love very much, but that's liberation for oneself and those in any kind of relationship with oneself.

Sincere yoga practitioners who really want to practice yoga and realize yoga, need to have the basic wisdom to inquire towards the truth of everything, and not being conditioned by any kind of passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice in the world of ignorance and egoism, as well as not being 'deluded' by any kind of impure understanding and intention that exist in the world of yoga.

The answer is the questions themselves

"There's no mention of what type of yoga that you teach and what kind of benefits people will be getting from learning and practicing the type of yoga that you teach in your website. There are also no details about the yoga practice style, level, duration, venue, and fees. There's no mention of the affiliation with the International Yoga Alliance or attachment towards any internationally recognized yoga school and yoga association at all. What type of yoga do you teach? What are the benefits? Where and whom did you learn yoga from? How many and what kind of yoga teacher training courses that you have attended in the past? What type of teaching experience, qualification and certification do you have? What level in yoga have you achieved? Without all these details, who will be interested?"

The answer is the questions themselves.

Inquiry towards selflessness and impermanence

In the teachings of yoga, breath (prana/energy) is life, life is breath (prana/energy). If no breath (no prana/energy), there's no life. Similarly, in science, if no oxygen, no food, no nutrients, no minerals, no water, no energy, no supportive systems that take in, breakdown, digest, filter, modify, absorb and distribute energy/oxygen/chemical compounds/nutrients/minerals that supports life, there's no life.

The life, or the existence and function of the body and the perceptive cognitive thinking mind, is not possible if without the breath coming and going, as well as many other different body parts, organs, senses, nerves, neurons, blood vessels, glands, skins, bone structure, joints, muscle groups, tendons, ligaments, hormonal secretions, systems and elements working together to provide the supports that enabling this life existence of the body and mind being what they are, to be existing and functioning, selflessly and impermanently.

The breath is not the thinking mind, and it doesn't belong to the thinking mind. Each different component, system and element, are not the thinking mind, and they don't belong to the thinking mind, while all the different components, systems and elements are working together, supporting and influencing each other, that enable everything to be existing and functioning as they are, selflessly and intentionlessly.

The existence and function of the breath is only possible under the support of many other parts of the respiratory system, that is also relying on the support of many other body systems, where all kinds of systems also relying on one another as well as the many different supportive components and elements, where all kinds of supportive components and elements also wouldn't be available if without some other supportive elements respectively, and so on.

The breath is selfless and impermanent. So as all the other supportive components, systems and elements are all selfless and impermanent. There's no 'I' in the breath, as well as there's no 'I' in all kinds of supportive components, systems and elements that enable the life of this selfless and impermanent body and mind to be existing and functioning.

There's no 'I' existing in the existence and function of this selfless impermanent body and mind. The function of the thinking faculty is selflessly being influenced by energy, relying on the support of many different supportive components, systems and elements. Even when the thinking mind has certain freewill command over the physical movements, thinking, actions and reactions, speech and expression, it still depends on the selfless function of the central nervous system connecting to the peripheral system, provided if the central nervous system as well as the peripheral system is functioning normally under the support of all kinds of supportive components, systems and elements respectively. Even when the thinking mind has certain freewill power to exert as much energy as possible into performing certain actions to maintain the good condition of the physical body, it still doesn't change the truth of selflessness and impermanence in everything, including the existence and function of the physical body as well as the thinking mind itself.

It's only the ignorant egoistic impure thinking mind has an idea of 'I' existing in the form of thinking, out of ignorance and egoism, believing that 'I' exists as an individual being, claiming a personal identity attaching towards certain qualities of names and forms that are selfless and impermanent, to be identifying as 'I', as well as claiming possession or ownership towards all kinds of selfless impermanent names and forms that don't belong to anyone as 'mine' or 'my'. From the idea of 'I', arise all kinds of impurities, intentions, desires, possessions, discontentment, fear, pride and greed, that give rise to so much unnecessary disturb, unrest and suffering arising from within the modification of the mind, as well as projecting into the surrounding environment, while proudly thinking and believing that, "I am in control of myself, my life, my body and my mind, I achieve everything by my own freewill, intention and effort, and everything is according to my desire of how I want it to be."

If without all kinds of supportive components, systems and elements enabling this mind being what it is, then what is this thinking mind? What is pride and arrogance?

The thinking mind is being aware of the existence and function of the breath, which the breath itself is one of the supportive influential elements for the thinking mind to be functioning, where all kinds of supportive elements are selfless and impermanent, without egoistic intention to be working together being one of the supportive influential elements for enabling one another and everything else to be happening, existing, changing, and cease existing.

Most of the time, the thinking mind is not aware of the breath and/or any other components, systems or elements at all, being occupied with the restless selfless modification of the mind, being busy with the perception of names and forms through the senses and the thought process of ceaseless reactions reacting towards the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, imaginations, projections, anticipations, memories, and so on, that give rise to attachment, identification, comparison, judgment, desires of craving and aversion, expectation, and so on. But, the breath and all the other components, systems and elements are still ceaselessly performing selfless intentionless actions, working together, supporting and influencing one another being what they are, as they are, until they cease performing action at due time and cause.

The thinking mind is also one of the selfless impermanent components. It's selfless and impermanent, existing and functioning under the support of all the other supportive components, systems and elements. It's not 'I', and there's no 'I'. There's no 'I' existing in control of the existence and function of the thinking mind. Similarly, if without the function of the perceptive cognitive thinking mind under the support of many different supportive elements, what is worldly life existence, what is pleasurable enjoyment and painful suffering?

Meanwhile, from the selfless impermanent thinking mind itself, there might or might not be an awareness being aware of the veil of ignorance, and there might or might not be arising a desire to be liberated from ignorance and the suffering that derived from ignorance.

Initiated by the thinking mind itself, it can be performing all kinds of disciplinary to discipline, purify and quiet the modification of the mind, which enabling self-inquiry and self-realization to be happening, through the annihilation of the idea of 'I' and the veil of ignorance.

Peaceful and happy as it is, transcending impermanent feelings and emotions

A happy mind or an unhappy mind, is not about whether the mind is feeling happy or unhappy most of the time, or all the time. A happy mind can be unhappy some of the time, and an unhappy mind can be happy some of the time. The mind is neither happy nor unhappy. It's merely some impermanent feelings and emotions arising and passing away. It's about whether there's attachment and identification arising in the mind attaching and identifying towards the impermanent feelings and emotions, and hence, swaying restlessly between feeling happy and unhappy under certain conditions, or the mind is being content and happy as it is, unconditionally, transcending the impermanent happy and unhappy feelings and emotions that ceaselessly arising and passing away.

The minds that are free from ignorance and egoism, that are not being conditioned or determined by the presence and absence of certain qualities of names and forms, or the perception/experience of something pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable, or agreeable/disagreeable, or the gratification/non-gratification of desires to be happy or unhappy, they are resting in the state of unconditional contentment, being content as they are and happy as it is, unconditionally, transcending all kinds of pleasant/unpleasant experiences, void of attachment and identification towards the impermanent modification of the mind, while respecting the selfless impermanent changes as they are.

It doesn't mean that these minds don't perceive anything as something pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable or agreeable/disagreeable, or wouldn't be having and/or expressing any understanding or emotion of like and dislike or agreement and disagreement, however, all kinds of reactions under different emotions that are impermanent, don't determine, influence, affect, disturb or change the state of the mind that is being content and happy as it is, unconditionally.

Such minds can be perceiving and reacting towards certain ideas, behaviors or events, expressing agreement or disagreement towards certain ideas, behaviors or events, and there are different feelings and emotions arising and passing away in the mind, but, it doesn't mean that these minds are happy or unhappy minds, as there's no attachment, identification or association towards the impermanent modifications of the mind.

Healthy minds are capable of being peaceful and happy as they are, where they are not being determined by the presence and absence of interaction, attention, love, care, support, encouragement, acknowledgement, appreciation, agreement, praise, compliment, sympathy or empathy from others, to feel happy, love, good, positive and meaningful, or not. They don't need any others to keep checking on them, "How are you?", "Are you OK?", "Are you happy?", and so on. 

These minds are peaceful and happy as they are, regardless of the different impermanent feelings and emotions arising and passing away in the mind, under any circumstances, conditions and situations, void of grasping, or attachment and identification, transcending the intellectual cognition towards rightfulness and wrongfulness, goodness and badness, happiness and unhappiness, agreement and disagreement, like and dislike, achievement and non-achievement, easiness and difficulty, success and failure, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, and etc.

These minds don't need to rely on any external influences of pleasant/desirable/agreeable experiences that give rise to the momentary sense of satisfaction and happiness, or rely on the momentary effect of certain physical exercises or positions, breathing control, mental control, sound vibrations, or drugs and intoxicants that induce momentary calmness, relaxation, unwind, contentment or happiness, for being peaceful and happy as they are, unconditionally.

There's awareness towards some impermanent happy or unhappy feelings and emotions arising and passing away, but there's no attachment or identification of "I am happy or unhappy." Neither there's desire of craving and aversion of "I want to be happy," or "I don't want to be unhappy."

Meanwhile, due to ignorance and egoism, the egoistic minds need to have specific 'happiness deserving' reasons/factors to feel happy and be happy, or will be unhappy being determined by specific 'unhappiness deserving' reasons/factors, being influenced and determined by the presence and absence of pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable, and agreeable/disagreeable experiences, relationships, interactions, events, places, environments, conditions and situations, swaying between the state of being happy and the state of being unhappy, restlessly.

There's attachment and identification towards the happy and unhappy feelings and emotions of "I am happy or unhappy." There's also desire of craving and aversion of "I want to be happy," and "I don't want to be unhappy."

The minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, that couldn't go beyond the attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation towards the presence and absence of certain qualities of names and forms to be the specific reasons to be happy or unhappy, can also realize this unconditional state of the mind that is "peaceful and happy as it is," upon the weakening, thinning out and annihilation of ignorance and egoism.

Seclusion and solitude is highly important for self-inquiry and self-realization

Renunciation must be observed along with seclusion and solitude, especially in this era, of the end of dhamma, where ignorant passionate egoistic thinking and behavior are predominant in everywhere.

Some yoga practitioners might think that renunciation is about renouncing or retreating from their worldly life, not living and mingling among the worldly community, but then, they are attaching towards the yoga family or community, engaging in many kinds of yoga activity regularly interacting with many others who are like-minded, to be accompanying, supporting and motivating one another on the path of yoga, physically, mentally and emotionally, however, after spending some time living a life of 'renunciation from the worldly community', the mind is still not free from the worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern.

This is because ignorance and egoism exists even in the yoga community, where many yoga activities, yoga events, yoga classes, yoga courses, yoga retreats, yoga schools, yoga ashrams, yoga organizations and yoga associations are not free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, that empowers passion, attachment, identification and desires of craving and aversion, instead of developing dispassion and desirelessness. Having similar interest and being like-minded, as well as passionately engaging in yoga activities regularly, doesn't mean that the minds are free from ignorance and egoism. By continuously mingling among and interacting with the yoga community that is not free from the passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern under the influence of ignorance and egoism, it couldn't serve the purpose of renunciation effectively, because the mind doesn't get the chance to move away from the worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern, continuously thinking and behaving in such way unwittingly, while mingling among and interacting with the yoga community and learning and practicing yoga that is not about the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, but empowers passionate egoistic attachment, identification, desire, comparison, judgment, intention, expectation, as well as mental and emotional dependence.

The essence of renunciation, is for the mind to stay away from such passionate egoistic influences completely for a prolonged period of time, that serves the purpose of thinning out the attachment and identification towards the worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, which allowing the mind be able to develop the basic foundation of dispassion and right discrimination, as well as mental and emotional independence, for inquiring towards all kinds of worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior, actions and reactions, and their consequences.

Unless the mind has already developed or be endowed with a strong foundation of non-attachment, non-identification, dispassion and correct understanding (right discrimination), if not, it's highly important for the sincere yoga practitioners who have intense yearning for liberation to be observing seclusion and solitude during the practice of renunciation, not just renouncing from the worldly affairs and the worldly community that are mostly under the influence of passionate worldly egoistic thinking and behavior pattern, but also retreating from the world of yoga community and yoga activities that are not necessarily be free from the influence of worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern.

Some minds believe that they only need to renounce the world mentally, while physically mingling among the worldly passionate egoistic minds, engaging in passionate egoistic interactive activities and affairs, however, there are not many minds have such strong foundation of non-attachment, dispassion and right discrimination, as well as mental and emotional independence, to be living and mingling among the passionate egoistic minds, and not being influenced by the passionate egoistic way of thinking and behavior.

There will be some non-understanding reaction and even criticism and condemn coming from family and friends, as well as some others in the yoga community when the mind renounces not only the worldly community, but also the yoga community, however, it only shows that these minds are very much thinking, behaving, acting and reacting under the influence of passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern. Some minds will be puzzled, disappointed, and even offended, when a mind stops engaging in any family and friends social cultural activities, as well as not participating in or associating with any yoga organizations, associations, gatherings, activities and events. There's neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, in all these egoistic reactions towards the mind that observes renunciation, seclusion and solitude. All minds take their own time to evolve, at their own cause and pace.

Inquire towards the truth of everything, including the different teachings and practice of yoga deriving from the world of yoga, as well as all the teachings here.

It's everyone's freedom whether they want to observe seclusion and solitude, or not, that allows the mind to develop the foundation of dispassion and right discrimination, and mental and emotional independence, effectively. However, such intense practice might not be suitable for all and everyone.

After developing a strong foundation of non-attachment, dispassion and right discrimination, one can live and mingle freely among the passionate egoistic minds, and not being influenced by them at all, while performing selfless service to disseminate the teachings that leads other minds onto the path of self-inquiry and self-realization, to be free from ignorance.

The power of thoughts?

Yoga is indeed all about the mind, and there are quite many yoga enthusiasts strongly believing in the power of thoughts for their own particular reasons.

There are people believing in, "Things will manifest as you think and desire. If you gather the power of thoughts to be focusing on something that you desire, and strongly believing that all your desires will come true, and it will come true as you desire." That's their freedom of thinking and desire. However, it's not part of the yoga practice.

The essence of yoga is about the annihilation of the modification of the mind. It's about silencing the thought activities. It's about the annihilation of desire, or the state of desirelessness. It's about realizing selflessness through the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation. It's about realizing non-separateness or oneness, transcending duality, of good and bad, positive and negative, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, success and failure, happiness and unhappiness, pleasurable enjoyment and suffering. It's about respecting the law of cause and effect, and the truth of selflessness and impermanence, which also leads to respecting the perceived reality as it is, not necessarily pleasant, desirable or agreeable, and it's changing at its own cause and pace. Free from the egoistic desire and intention to be controlling or changing the perceived reality to be or not to be in certain way.

Somehow, yoga practice has been being manipulated into a tool for developing mind power to be gratifying all kinds of desires.

Here is a simple inquiry towards the power of thoughts.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in the earth is square, doesn't make the earth become square.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in those who had passed away will come back alive, doesn't bring back the dead to be alive.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in the world will be free from all kinds of ignorance and suffering, doesn't make all kinds of ignorance and suffering disappear from the world.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in "(I) am the champion of any competition who will win all competitions even without the need of any effort of training and preparation," doesn't make (I) become the champion of all competitions.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in "This apple will become an orange," doesn't make the apple turn into an orange.

Regardless of how positive and optimistic is the thinking mind, it doesn't change the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all kinds of names and forms being what they are, as they are, and constantly changing, arising and passing away, governed by the law of cause and effect.

What everyone want to think and believe is their freedom, however, for the sincere yoga practitioners, they must free the mind from ignorance by inquiring towards the truth of everything.

One can be appreciating good condition or good health when it's available, but without attachment towards good condition or good health. One can do one's best to maintain good condition or good health and avoid sickness or injury, but there's neither craving towards sickness/injury-free nor aversion towards sickness and injury. If there is sickness or injury arise in this body, then either it can do its best to take rest, allowing the system to heal itself, or it can receive certain medical treatment if necessary, if available, and allowing the medical treatment to do whatever it needs to do, while respecting the body will be recovering at its own cause and pace, or not. There's no fear or aversion towards selfless impermanent changes of decay, old age, weakness, sickness, injury and death, or separation from the world of family and friends and things that one loves and appreciates. There's no need the power of thoughts to be desiring this or that, and to be controlling or changing the perceived reality to be or not to be in certain way.

The power of thoughts is more about from the rise of thoughts/intentions/desires that are whether under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, or not, that influencing the minds generating actions/reactions/expressions that could be beneficial or harmful to oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment.

There's nothing bad or negative about incorrect understanding due to ignorance

There's nothing bad, wrong, negative or shameful about having incorrect understanding due to the veil of ignorance.

Under the veil of ignorance, the minds feel offended or shameful upon being related to the presence of ignorance.

Even Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was having incorrect understanding and doubts under the influence of the veil of ignorance before the attainment of self-realization towards the truth of suffering.

Many saints and sages were thinking, behaving, acting and reacting under the influence of impurities deriving from ignorance and egoism, before attaining self-realization towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence in the mind perception of the world of names and forms.

All and everyone has to go through imperfection, doubts and incorrect understanding before and during the path of self-inquiry and self-realization, before the annihilation of ignorance.

The only difference is, whether the minds have awareness and acknowledgement towards the presence of ignorance and have the yearning for attaining liberation from ignorance, or not.

Some minds were initiated by the experience of suffering, and hence, igniting the yearning towards the liberation from suffering, and thus, the path of self-inquiry and self-realization begins. While some minds were initiated by the experience of pleasurable enjoyment, and hence, igniting the yearning towards the attainment of absolute enjoyment, and thus, the path of self-inquiry and self-realization begins. In the end, either the desire to be free from suffering or the desire to attain absolute enjoyment, drop off naturally, upon the realization of selflessness/oneness/non-separateness, upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism.

Before the realization, there is suffering, the path of transcending suffering, and the end of suffering. Upon the realization, there is no suffering, no path of transcending suffering, and no end of suffering.

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is not distinct from emptiness, emptiness is not distinct from form. There's no contradiction. What generates the separateness or distinction, is the veil of ignorance.

The hindrance towards self-inquiry and self-realization is coming from the mind itself

There's nothing wrong and it's common that most minds are being proud of the attachment and identification towards their particular ancestral, tribal, social, cultural, spiritual or religious thinking, belief, values and practice that influencing their particular way of living, perspective, reasoning power, judgment and expectation towards themselves and everything, where the idea of letting go those existing attachment and identification in the teachings and practice of yoga and buddhism, is something unthinkable or extremely wrong and insane for these minds.

There are many minds are interested in yoga, and might be practicing and teaching yoga under certain names and forms for some time, however, the presence of intense attachment and identification or pride towards their particular thinking, belief, values and practice deriving from as well as empowering ignorance and egoism, that built around survival instinct, separateness, duality, fear, desire and greed, is indeed the biggest hindrance for the minds to advance further in the path of self-inquiry and self-realization.

For the minds that are aware of ignorance and sincerely want to be free from ignorance, to transcend the inevitable suffering of restless and selfless impermanent changes (ceaseless and countless births and deaths within the modification of the mind, of different states arising and passing away being conditioned and limited by cause and effect), not only that a calm and quiet mind is essential, but an open mind without any attachment and identification towards any particular worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice conditioning the mind to analyze, reason, judge and expect towards everything, is what allowing self-inquiry to be happening as it is, intentionlessly and effortlessly.

Need not going everywhere in searching for a Guru other than the mind itself, to enlighten oneself, to answer one's questions, to remove one's doubts, or to heal one's painful suffering, but one only needs to let go the pride, the attachment and identification towards the existing egoistic thinking and belief in the mind, all and everything is already there teaching and guiding this mind onto the path of self-inquiry and self-realization.

Feel annoyed, disgusted, offended, intimidated, threatened and angry by this teaching or anything that is contradicting with the existing thinking and belief, values and practice in the mind, that the mind categorized as wrong, bad, negative and meaningless? That's the precious moment to reflect towards what is going on in this mind, to know Thyself.

The minds that don't know, they fall in love with what 'amazed' them, they miss what 'they fall in love with' upon their absence, they regret if they did something that they think they shouldn't do or didn't do something that they think they should have done. And that's their freedom of thinking, actions and reactions.

The minds that know, they don't fall in love with anything, they don't miss anything, they don't regret anything. Such minds can be kind and accommodating towards all and everyone non-discriminatively and unconditionally.

Letting go the attachment and identification towards the existing thinking, belief, values and practice, is challenging for the minds that have been conditioned deeply by such names and forms, however, it will become effortless, upon the mind realizing the 'intention' or 'motif' that gives rise to the existence of all the different kinds of passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice in the world of human beings. Such liberated minds can still live life in certain way like everyone else, while living and mingling among all kinds of human beings of different thinking, belief, values and practice, however, the minds are free from attachment and identification towards any thinking, belief, values and practice, and thus, be able to respect and accommodating towards all kinds of diversities in the world, free from separateness and discrimination.

The minds that are not free from attachment and identification or pride towards their particular inherited or adopted thinking, belief, values and practice, will always be conditioned by the sense of separateness and discrimination towards some other forms of thinking, belief, values and practice that the minds dislike and disagree with, that are contradicting with their own particular thinking, belief, values and practice.

The realization of selflessness, that leads to non-separateness or oneness beyond all kinds of different qualities of names and forms, is the only way to achieve world peace under many diversities effectively and non-violently.

Inquire towards any forms of teachings or beliefs that propagate and empower the sense of separateness and discrimination, and the sense of pride towards identity and attachment towards such teachings or beliefs and their particular community, while talking highly about promoting peace and harmony in the world ( what they claimed and possessed as their world) based on their own particular thinking, belief, values and practice, while using temptation, rewards, conversion and education, or else, oppression, force, control, disciplinary, threat, punishment, or violence, with the intention or aspiration of 'uniting' and 'unifying' all and everyone under a particular vision based on their community of particular thinking, belief, values and practice, while eliminating or pushing away all the others that don't 'fit' into the vision of their world. Such 'trace' can be found in all kinds of culture, spirituality, religion, political party, organization, association and authorization. Not that these names and forms are bad and wrong. They have their own purposes and functions. It depends on whether they are run by the minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, or free from the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Self-control vs controlling the body and mind to be and not to be in certain way

It's the ego that has the urge or desire to be in control of anything or everything.

Void of the ego, or the idea of 'I', there's none being there urging or desiring to control anything, but merely the law of cause and effect influencing all kinds of selfless impermanent names and forms being what they are, as they are.

Some minds think and believe that 'self-control' is about the ability to be controlling the body and mind to be and not to be in certain way, according to the desire of craving and aversion of the mind under the influence of passionate egoistic behavior pattern, rejecting selfless impermanent changes that are not necessarily the way that the mind desires it to be. "I am in control of myself, my body, my mind, my feelings, my life and my world. Everything is in my control to be the way that I desire it to be." Neither it's about to behave and not behaving or to live life and not living life in certain way according to certain worldly thinking, belief, values and practice about what is right and wrong, good and bad, or meaningful and meaningless.

In yoga or buddhism, the practice of self-control is referring to the will-power and determination to purify, discipline and quiet the mind, to prepare the mind for self-inquiry and meditation. It's more about letting go the egoistic urge or desire to be in control of anything, developing non-attachment and preparing the mind to stand as a witness or observer towards the selfless impermanent modification of the mind.

In the beginning of the practice, the impure egoistic mind has many impure thoughts, actions and reactions out of selfish intention or desire under the egoistic behavior pattern, that leads to restlessness, distraction and disturb in the mind, which hindering the mind from performing self-inquiry and meditation, and hence, there's a need to have certain degree of self-control or will-power to restrict or filter its own thoughts, actions and reactions, to purify, discipline and quiet the mind by weakening and removing egoism and impurities, for rendering the mind turning inwards and be open, not running out chasing after the objects of the senses, and being unattached towards any particular worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice to analyze and judge everything, to be ready for self-inquiry and meditation.

It's not so much about do good and don't do bad, based on certain worldly egoistic thinking and belief, however, in the process of focusing onto purifying and disciplining the mind, filtering and restricting the thought activities, actions and reactions, naturally, there's no intention or desire, energy or effort, to be performing any actions that will be harming oneself and/or others.

Upon reaching a purified undisturbed egoless and desireless state of mind, there's no need to have self-control towards the modification of the mind that is free from impurities and disturbs, where the thought activities, understanding, actions and reactions are free from the influence of egoism and impurities, or selfish impure intention and expectation.

The importance of mental and emotional independence for self-realization

Mental and emotional independence is the reflection of a mind that is free from craving, longing and expectation towards receiving any kind of external mental and emotional support and acknowledgement to feel love, good, happy, satisfied and meaningful about oneself or life existence, who doesn't need to feel love, good, happy, satisfied and meaningful about oneself or life existence at all, as it is happy as it is, unconditionally, who is free from ignorant egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation, who is not being determined by the selfless impermanent qualities of names and forms, who is not being influenced by all kinds of duality, the pleasant and unpleasant experiences, the agreeable and disagreeable relationships, or the good and bad condition and situation in one's personal life and in the world, who respects the law of cause and effect, who embraces the truth of selflessness and impermanence, who knows how to accept the perceived reality as it is and the impermanent changes as they are, who knows how to love oneself unconditionally as one is, which allowing oneself to love others unconditionally as they are, void of craving and expectation towards receiving certain reasonable or deserving reactions from others upon being kind and loving towards all and everyone unconditionally, being free from possessiveness, who is free from the sense of self-esteem, confidence, connection, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, intimidation, humiliation, victimized, unloved, left out, self-pity, loneliness, boredom, meaninglessness, insecurity, guilt, regret, shame, pride, and etc, void of fear and disturbs, understanding that all kinds of ignorant selfish and hurtful behaviors and affairs in the world, are deriving from ignorance, and that it has to come from the minds themselves to be aware of ignorance, and be initiative to be free from ignorance.

Many minds, including some enthusiastic yoga lovers, yoga practitioners and yoga teachers, might think and believe that, "Everything that I do, is for everyone to be happy. I want everyone to be happy. If you are happy, I will be happy," is a kind and loving sentiment, or a form of selfless compassionate gesture or action, or even, one of the yoga practice. It's not. It's pure ignorance, as well as empowering ignorance in oneself and in others.

Yoga practitioners and yoga teachers need to inquire towards the truth of everything, including all kinds of worldly passionate 'positive', 'uplifting', 'inspiring' and 'motivational' words of encouragement or inspirational quotes, that derived from ignorance and egoism, as well as empowers ignorance and egoism.

A mind is craving for sweets and drugs, and will only be happy if sweets and drugs are available, and if the sweets and drugs are not available, it will be unhappy. Some other minds who think and believe that they are kind and empathetic beings, where they will be unhappy when seeing others are unhappy, where they don't want others to be unhappy and only want others to be happy, and hence, they will give this mind whatever it wants that will make it happy. That's not compassion. That's pure ignorance.

It's understandable that many compassionate actions and reactions or the state of mental and emotional independence, are being seen as a form of 'selfishness', 'uncaring', 'unloving', 'unkind', 'harshness', 'non-sympathetic', 'non-empathetic', 'madness' or 'emotionlessness', by the minds that are righteous, kind, loving, caring, sympathetic and empathetic, but are under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

It's also understandable that even when there are quite many good, kind, loving, sympathetic, empathetic and righteous minds in the world, who want to be good and do good, who are performing many good and kind actions in the world, however, all these qualities don't stop the minds from thinking, acting and reacting under the influence of ignorance and egoism, that bring along the consequences of actions/reactions out of ignorance and egoism, while being disturbed by the many things or happenings in the world that are indeed the consequences of the mass actions and reactions out of ignorance and egoism, that the minds themselves don't like, don't agree with and don't desire.

One can be engaging in yoga and meditation practice for many years, and/or teaching yoga and meditation to many other minds, being enthusiastic towards adopting and propagating a healthy way of living and clean eating, who wants to be good and do good, who upholds righteousness and goodness while strongly against wrongfulness and evilness, who is well-educated and knowledgeable about many things under different topics, being brought up in a well-mannered family background, as well as be endowed with a friendly, kind, caring, loving, sympathetic, empathetic, gentle, non-violent and peace loving personality, however, if the mind is not free from ignorance and egoism of attachment, identification, passionate desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation, where the mind doesn't have mental and emotional independence, while encouraging mental and emotional dependence among one another, and it doesn't know what is or how to develop mental and emotional independence, where it doesn't know how to love itself unconditionally as it is, or love all and everything as they are, being attached towards and determined by the actions and the fruit of actions, being determined and influenced by the perception of duality in all kinds of experiences, relationships, conditions and situations in life and in the world, being determined and disturbed by the sense of self-esteem, confidence, connection, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, intimidation, humiliation, victimized, unloved, left out, self-pity, loneliness, boredom, meaninglessness, insecurity, guilt, regret, shame, pride, and etc, where the mind is occupied by fear and disturbs, then this mind is not free.

Mental and emotional dependence among one another, is something in common among the many different types of beliefs, values and practice in the world, as the survival of those beliefs, values and practice are very much depending on the mental and emotional dependence among one another within the family, tribe, followers or community of any particular belief, values and practice. Children growing up under such condition being encouraged to be developing mental and emotional dependence among one another, and passing down such belief, values and practice to the next generations. This extends to an area, a state, or a country, where mental and emotional dependence among the community of a particular area, state or country, is highly being encouraged and developed as something good, normal and healthy. Many leaders, teachers, supporters or followers of certain organizations are strongly against mental and emotional independence, which is something that the mind should inquire and reflect upon, if the mind really wants to free itself from ignorance.

Mental and emotional independence doesn't mean that one will not be kind and loving towards others.

Mental and emotional dependence doesn't mean that one will not be hurting oneself and/or others out of ignorance and egoism, upon the non-gratification of desires, or upon the presence of unpleasant, undesirable and disagreeable experiences, relationships, conditions and situations, and upon the absence of pleasant, desirable and agreeable experiences, relationships, conditions and situations.

The minds that understand this, they are happy as they are. They don't need anyone or anything to make them happy. They don't need to experience, do, attain or possess something that will make them happy. None and nothing can make them unhappy, even when they are being aware of, disagreeing with and non-supporting many things that derived from ignorance and egoism, that empowers ignorance and egoism.

The minds that don't understand this, then none or nothing can make them happy, if they want to be unhappy. If they feel happy because of experiencing, doing, attaining or possessing something that they like and desire, it is merely the conditional and momentary sense of love, righteousness, confidence, goodness, happiness, satisfaction, accomplishment or meaningfulness upon the gratification of desires, that is impermanent.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

The teachings of yoga and buddhism is universal

The teachings of yoga and buddhism is universal.

The realization towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all and everything being perceived through this perceptive mind, as well as the perceptive mind itself, is universal.

If there's something non-universal, bias, prejudice or discriminative that appeared to be coming from someone who is identifying oneself as a yoga or buddhism practitioner or teacher, that discriminates certain qualities of names and forms that the mind dislikes or disagrees with, based on one's particular worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, know that it has nothing to do with the teachings of yoga or buddhism. It's deriving from the mind that is still functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Without the direct realization, but only through impure intellectual understanding towards the teachings of yoga or buddhism about selflessness and impermanence, the intellectual kind and thoughtful minds might be worried about the teachings of yoga and buddhism might be misunderstood as well as misused by the selfish ignorant minds to be 'the justification' or 'the way of by passing the consequences of actions' for performing intentional selfish actions out of selfish intentions, or performing random ignorant actions out of ignorance, that might hurt oneself and/or others.

The minds that are kind and thoughtful, but are still under the influence of ignorance and egoism, might be thinking and believing that there's a need of discrimination towards or distinction between good beings and bad beings, goodness and evilness, or good behavior and bad behavior, particularly to be imposing certain control, oppression, rules and regulations, as well as condemn, disciplinary and punishment towards bad beings, evilness and bad behavior, to keep the world in proper order.

These minds might be disliking, disagreeing with, rejecting and going against the teachings and realization of 'non-duality', 'non-separateness', 'non-discrimination', 'neither good nor bad', 'identificationlessness', 'selflessness', or 'all and everyone can attain liberation regardless of the different states of the minds and behaviors'.

This is due to the minds are functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, that are analyzing and understanding these terms from the teachings of yoga and buddhism from the intellectual level under the impure intellect, and not through direct realization.

Imposing certain control, oppression, rules and regulations, as well as condemn, disciplinary and punishment towards bad beings, evilness and bad behavior, doesn't eliminate ignorance from the minds and doesn't stop the ignorant minds from being ignorant and behaving ignorantly. The history in this world and what is happening now, has been reflecting that. A world that is in 'proper order', where the minds don't hurt one another either intentionally or randomly, has to come from the minds themselves be free from ignorance.

The nature law of cause and effect, of actions and the consequences of actions is indeed the selfless governor of everything. The truth of selflessness, and the realization towards the truth of selflessness, non-duality, non-separateness, non-discrimination, neither good nor bad, identificationlessness, or all and everyone can attain liberation from the veil of ignorance and suffering deriving from ignorance non-discriminatively, doesn't change, or remove, or by pass the law of nature, of cause and effect, of actions and the consequences of actions in this world of selflessness and impermanence. Realizing the truth of selflessness and impermanence doesn't change the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all the selfless impermanent names and forms.

The minds that truly attained direct realization towards the truth, that are free from the veil of ignorance and egoism, don't intentionally escape or by pass the law of cause and effect, or the consequences of actions. They have no intention or desire to perform any actions that would benefit or hurt oneself and/or others. It's only the minds that are functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, would be having the desire and intention to be performing selfish actions out of selfish intentions and desires, or randomly performing ignorant actions out of ignorance, while thinking that they would be escaping, or untouched by, or by passing the law of cause and effect, or the consequences of actions, using the terms of selflessness, selfless actions, inaction in actions, non-duality, non-separateness, non-discrimination, neither good nor bad, identificationlessness, and so on, under the impure intellectual understanding, to be justifying their selfish or ignorant actions as 'non-action in actions' out of selflessness.

Obviously, the minds that are thinking in such way, they are under the influence of the veil of ignorance and egoism.

The ignorant and egoistic thinking and believing that "I am selfless, my actions are selfless and are neither good nor bad, and are free from the consequences of actions," while either intentionally performing selfish actions out of selfish intentions and desires, or randomly performing ignorant actions out of ignorance, doesn't remove or change the law of cause and effect, or make the consequences of actions disappear or non-existing. Similarly, the 'positive thinking' of 'thinking and believing that everything is positive', doesn't change the truth of what things are. 'Positive thinking' doesn't remove ignorance or ignorant actions and their consequences in the world.

The selfless elements of fire, water, air or earth have no intention or desire to be existing and being the influencing elements that are supporting or destroying anything or anyone to be arising, changing, and passing away, but selfless actions are ceaselessly happening, out of selflessness, followed by selfless consequences deriving from the respective selfless actions out of selflessness. But these elements are untouched or undetermined by the actions and the consequences of actions, due to its nature of selflessness.

Even though the teachings of yoga and buddhism is universal, however, it appears to be non-universal for certain minds coming from the minds themselves attached strongly onto certain worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, being conditioned to think and judge everything based on those thinking, belief, values and practice, and hence, arise the autonomous reaction of dislike, disagreement, rejection, or even offensiveness in the minds towards the teachings that appeared to be contradicting with their particular thinking, belief, values and practice.

The path of self-inquiry appears as it is, upon the minds have awareness towards the ignorance in themselves, and be ready to let go attachment towards the existing worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice in the mind, to be opened towards inquiring towards the truth of everything, free from agreements and disagreements based on particular thinking and belief, without blind-following, blind-agreeing/disagreeing, blind-believing/disbelieving, blind-practicing or blind-propagating any teachings or belief and practice, including the teachings of yoga and buddhism.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Inquire towards identification with anything pure or impure under the truth of selflessness

If the truth of everything, particularly the selfless impermanent body with the function of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind, is selflessness, or 'I'lessness, then "who" is there to be identifying with anything, regardless of something pure or impure, lower consciousness or higher consciousness, conditional or unconditional, mortal or immortal, finite or infinite?

As long as there's an idea of 'I' existing in the form of thinking within the modification of the mind, either identifying with something that is IMPURE or LOWER, such as the qualities of names and forms that are conditional and impermanent, or identifying with something that is PURE or HIGHER, beyond qualities of names and forms, that is attributeless, nameless and formless, that is birthless and deathless, which is changeless, infinite, unconditional and limitless, the mind is not free.

Who is there to be identifying as an ignorant, uncompassionate, unloving, unkind, egoistic, impure, conditional and restless being, or an ignorant free, compassionate, loving, kind, egoless, pure, unconditional and peaceful being?

Either a disturbed being or a peaceful being, that behaves, acts and reacts in certain way, it's merely the reflection of the different states of the mind that is selfless and impermanent, either under the influence of ignorance and egoism, or void of ignorance and egoism.

Void of the idea of 'I', or the selflessness in all and everything, there's none existing to be identifying with anything. If there's still an identification of "I am This or That," or "I am limitless, birthless, deathless, attributeless, nameless and formless," and etc, it's deriving from the idea of 'I' in the mind that is still functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

The impermanent existence of a selfless impermanent body and the modification of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind, is nothing contradictory with the truth of SELFLESSNESS in all and everything, about "There's no 'I' existing in the impermanent existence of a selfless impermanent body and the selfless impermanent modification of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind."

Anything that exists under the influence, support and interdependence of something else, that cannot exist independently and permanently on its own and at its own freewill, where it's nature is ceaselessly changing and decaying unwittingly, that is non-permanent, is SELFLESS. If 'I' exists, then this 'I' and everything that is 'mine', is in the control of 'I', but there's no 'I' in control of anything where the nature of such existence is ceaselessly changing and impermanent. No matter how much money and effort being put into maintaining and enhancing the condition and quality of an existence under certain name and form that is selfless and impermanent, this 'existence of certain name and form' is still changing, decaying, and eventually disintegrating. All past and present Kings and Queens, and the most perfect, successful, powerful, wealthy, intelligent, knowledgeable, talented, skillful, fit, strong, flexible, healthy, beautiful, happy human beings, all kinds of famous people and celebrities, all kinds of enlightened minds, saints and sages, as well as in every household of close family members, friends and relatives, are the perfect teaching examples or reflections towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence. - Arising, changing, and passing away, gracefully, or not.

If it's something selfless, it's void of any kind of identification.

Similarly, which is permanent and unchanging, that exists independently without any inter-dependency or supports, can be referred as real. The entire mind perception of a selfless impermanent worldly life existence in a world of selfless and impermanent names and forms, doesn't exist without the existence and the function of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind. And hence, the teachings of yoga - The world is unreal. As both the perceiver (the perceptive mind) and the perceived (the world of names and forms) are selfless and impermanent.

The mind that hasn't realized this, it is stuck with the intellectual understanding of "How can I (an existence that is existing, perceiving, thinking, feeling, understanding, analyzing, realizing, enjoying or suffering) realize that 'I' doesn't exist (non-existence of an individual being of I)?" and "I am perceiving, sensing, seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, feeling and living in this world of names and forms, how can it be unreal?"

Self-inquiry is the essence of yoga practice. All kinds of yoga practice must lead towards self-inquiry towards "What is 'I'?", and upon the selfless mind attaining self-realization towards SELFLESSNESS, this mind is void of all kinds of misery and suffering deriving from ignorance and egoism, even when the body and mind is still going through selfless impermanent changes of decaying and disintegrating that is inevitable in all kinds of selfless impermanent existence under certain names and forms.

Even the presence of attachment and identification towards the notion of, "I am what I am," or "I am absolute knowledge, absolute existence and absolute bliss," not to say, "This is who I really am," the mind is not free.

SILENCE, upon the absence of ignorance and egoism. There's none or no identification existing to be identifying as "I am free, or, I am enlightened." It's merely the absence of the veil of ignorance and egoism and their by-products of impurities or corruptions in the mind. The mind is void of ignorance and the suffering deriving from ignorance. Void of duality or separateness. Void of superiority and inferiority. Void of desire. Void of "I want this, I don't want that." Void of attachment. Void of fear or painful sorrow deriving from attachment. Void of identification. Void of pride and shame deriving from identification. All are selfless and impermanent.

The limited and conditional body exists, selflessly and impermanently. The function of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind exists, selflessly and impermanently. Intentional or unintentional actions and reactions exist, selflessly and impermanently. Consequences of actions and reactions exist, selflessly and impermanently. All kinds of sensation of pleasantness and unpleasantness exist, selflessly and impermanently. Imperfect, partial and corrupted memories, agreeable and disagreeable experiences, and all kinds of desirable and undesirable relationship or connection exist, selflessly and impermanently. All kinds of ignorant and egoistic worldly affairs, and the suffering deriving from ignorant and egoistic worldly affairs exist, selflessly and impermanently. Without energy and all kinds of supportive elements, all these selfless impermanent names and forms of certain qualities, cannot exist. All kinds of names and forms arising, changing, and passing away, influenced by nature's law of cause and effect. Above all, 'I' doesn't exist. There's no 'I'. The idea of 'I' only exists in the mind, under a stream of continuous thoughts, generating the false existence of an individual being, attaching and identifying with the selfless impermanent physical body and the restless modification of the mind as 'I', due to the presence of the veil of ignorance and egoism.

The realization of the truth of selflessness, oneness or non-separateness beyond all the impermanent different qualities of names and forms, is beyond spirituality or non-spirituality. It's neither spiritual nor non-spiritual. It's universal. It doesn't matter whether the mind identifying itself as spiritual or non-spiritual, no matter what are the different qualities of names and forms, of different types of social, cultural, spiritual or religious thinking, belief, values, practice, or way of living, regardless of what are the different states of the different minds, of different behaviors, actions and reactions, peaceful or peaceless, wise or ignorant, kind or unkind, selfish or unselfish, all and everything are selfless and impermanent.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

The sense of pride and shame exists for one another

Under the veil of ignorance and egoism, based on certain worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, the mind thinks, believes, judges and feels towards certain qualities, possessions and identities as either 'pride deserving' or 'shame deserving'.

The mind that is free from ignorance and egoism, there's no such thinking, belief, judgment and feeling towards any qualities of names and forms.

Most of the social cultural or religious teachings, beliefs, values and practice in the world deriving from the minds under the veil of ignorance and egoism, is about human beings and their behaviors need to be controlled or regulated by the sense of pride towards the presence of certain 'pride deserving' qualities, possessions and identities or upon the absence of certain 'shame deserving' qualities, possessions and identities, as well as the sense of shame towards the presence of certain 'shame deserving' qualities, possessions and identities or upon the absence of certain 'pride deserving' qualities, possessions and identities.

Many minds have great difficulty towards understanding that they don't need to be conditioned by the sense of pride and shame at all. None need to be 'good' or 'good enough', where they need to have many 'pride deserving' qualities, possessions and identities, and don't have any 'shame deserving' qualities, possessions or identities, either coming from one's own expectation and judgment towards oneself and others, or coming from others' expectation and judgment towards oneself and others.

People would think and believe that the sense of shame will stop human beings from having something and behaving in the way that is 'shame deserving' according to their particular thinking, belief, values and practice. Not really.

People would think and believe that the sense of pride will motivate human beings for achieving something and behaving in the way that is 'pride deserving' according to their particular thinking, belief, values and practice. Not really.

More importantly, is that what certain thinking, belief, values and practice judging and labeling as 'pride deserving' are not necessarily something beneficial for the over-all well-being of all and everyone non-discriminatively. While what certain thinking, belief, values and practice judging and labeling as 'shame deserving' are not necessarily something bad or wrong at all.

Meanwhile the sense of pride and shame is hindering or even destroying the mental clarity and correct understanding, where many people are suffering from certain degrees of mental illness or having issue with self-esteem that affect their interactions and relationships with others, as well as gives rise to the existence of discrimination and hatred in the world, due to the sense of pride and shame. People are hurting themselves and/or others violently and cruelly because of that. The minds are not free, being conditioned by feeling good or bad about oneself and/or others, which doesn't help oneself to evolve towards liberation from ignorance and egoism, or doesn't help the world to be a better place, even when oneself tries to do good and be good (enough), according to certain worldly thinking, belief, values and practice, being influenced by the sense of pride and shame.

Without the sense of pride, there's no sense of shame, and vice versa.

The sense of pride is the shadow of the sense of shame, and vice versa.

The mind that is being conditioned by the sense of pride and shame will also be perceiving and judging all and everything under the perspective conditioned by that sense of pride and shame.

It's the presence or absence of ignorance and egoism in the minds, that is influencing the thinking, desires, intentions, actions and behaviors of human beings.

Without the sense of pride and shame, it doesn't mean that one will be performing action or inaction that will be harming oneself and/or others, or won't be performing action or inaction that will be benefiting the over-all well-being of all and everyone, non-discriminatively and unconditionally.

If one really wants to help the world to be a better place, for now, and for the next generations, then one must be free from the sense of pride and shame, as well as stop instilling and empowering the sense of pride and shame in the younger generations, so that they don't grow up keep hurting themselves and/or others out of the sense of pride and shame.

Once the mind is free from the sense of pride and shame, all the other sense of goodness/badness, positiveness/negativeness, righteousness/wrongfulness, meaningfulness/meaninglessness, or joyfulness/sorrowfulness, will also drop off from the mind. All kinds of craving and aversion also will drop off. All kinds of suffering deriving from the perception of duality or the sense of separateness will also drop off. That's liberation.

Inquire the truth of everything.

The minds that would be offended by this teaching, or judging this teaching as something 'wrong' or 'negative', as it is contradicting with their particular social cultural or religious thinking, belief, values and practice, where they strongly believe in humans need to be controlled under the sense of shame and one should be receiving condemn and painful punishment for something shameful, that's their freedom of thinking and reaction. They don't have to practice yoga.

For sincere yoga practitioners, this is one of the subjects for self-inquiry, especially for the minds that still have many doubts, that are still being determined and disturbed by the mind perception of selfless impermanent qualities of names and forms unwittingly, even after many years of performing some kind of yoga and meditation practice regularly, or trying to live a life of positive thinking, pure intention, good conduct, healthy living and clean eating.

The most dangerous place is in the minds functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism

The most dangerous thing or place, is existing and happening in the minds that are functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, where the minds would be harming itself and/or others and the surrounding environment, either intentionally or unintentionally, via the arising or the presence of impure thoughts, ideas, intentions and desires, and externalizing or materializing these impure thoughts, ideas, intentions and desires through the physical body of sense organs and the organs of action and speech.

The world, or the existence and function of the perceptive minds, is just what it is, neither dangerous nor not dangerous. It depends on whether the minds are being conditioned by and functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, or not, that is determining the presence or absence of all kinds of dangerous or destructive thoughts, desires, aspirations, intentions, expressions and actions, that makes certain things, areas or situations being dangerous/threatening/damaging/unsafe/hurtful towards anyone and anything, or not.