be free, be happy, be peaceful

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

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year


Happy new year to all...

Everyday I wish you happy new day too...

May you enjoy everyday in your life...

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

About Positive Thinking



Thoughts are very powerful. Everything manifests from our thoughts. If we have negative thoughts most of the time, we will be projecting negative energy or elements around us and in our lives. Like wise if we have positive thoughts all the time, we will be projecting positive energy or elements into our lives.

In a yoga class, there are different people with different states of mind. Some are more positive and less negative and some are less positive and more negative. There is nothing wrong about being negative. It is a very normal thinking or feeling that everyone has. And regardless of whether positive or negative thinking, they are impermanent.
 
But if the mind starts to think that "I am not good at doing anything; that I am going to injure myself if I do this movement or exercise; or I am going to be sick if I don’t eat enough of a particular food; or I am going to be weak if I don’t eat particular type of food," and then for sure this will be what’s going to happen onto the body.

In the yoga classes, it is very important that whether the teachers themselves are being positive or negative.
 
The different types of yoga practice is about balancing, purifying, controlling and directing the energy fields in the body, and influencing the state of the mind. Attentiveness and willpower as well as the different physical positions and movements is the force that can influence and direct the energy fields in our body. When we concentrate at a particular point in our body, we are actually directing or gathering the energy fields towards that area. Yoga practice is not just doing some physical exercises where an instructor is standing in front of a group of people, instructing them to do some physical exercises. There is also some intentionless energy influence is going on between the teacher and the students. It is not something to be seen with our fleshy eyes or to be discussed about. It is intentionless, nameless and formless. It happens naturally when the yoga teacher is sincerely and selflessly to share the knowledge of yoga with other people without the idea of “I am a teacher, and I am giving my energy to the students”. In fact, if there is no egoistic identification with the body, the mind and the ego, we are only being an instrument or channel for other people to come in contact with the knowledge of yoga, to practice yoga, and to attain the realization of yoga. It is not 'I' that is teaching/passing the knowledge of yoga to the students, or that is influencing the energy fields of the students. This energy that allows all and everything to be existing, changing, and ceased existing, is selfless and doesn't belong to anyone or anything. It's not coming from 'I' transferring the positive or negative energy to the others, or influencing the energy fields of the others, to be positive or negative.
 
The energy fields, as well as all kinds of names and forms, are neither positive nor negative. It is the thinking or thought process that is functioning under the influence of ignorance and its by-products of different ways of egoistic thinking, understanding, beliefs, values and practices, that is projecting the quality of positive or negative onto all and everything.

If there is still the presence of the idea of 'I' in the mind identifying with the body and the mind and the actions of teaching yoga as "I am a yoga teacher who teach yoga to the yoga students," then we will think and believe that we are the one who is transferring our own energy to the students or we are influencing the energy fields of the yoga students when we teach the yoga classes, regardless of whether we are aware of it, or not, even though when we have no intention to do so. That’s why some yoga teachers get very tired physically and mentally, or feeling exhausted and has low energy level after giving yoga classes. And hence, they need to perform their own personal practice to replenish the lost energy. But this doesn't happen to a yoga teacher that has no identification with the body and mind, and the actions of teaching.
 
There are some forms of energy exchange/influence among one another all the time without knowing about it. Every moment we might be influenced by the different types of energy fields of all and everyone and everything in the world, without us being aware of it.

Only those who has no identification with the body and the mind will not be influenced, or affected, or disturbed by all these energy fields. People who have very strong willpower will be less affected or influenced by the external energy fields, or what is happening in the surrounding environment. While people with very weak willpower will be affected or influenced very much by the external energy fields or the surrounding environment. One who mixed with others who are negative would become negative over a period of time, and vice versa. While some minds that have transcended the duality of positive and negative will not become negative even if they are surrounded by all and everyone who are negative.

By knowing this, we will understand that when two people live together for some time, they will start to look alike with each other and they will be having the similar personality, thinking, gestures and mood as well. Without any intention, people with positive thinking can uplift some other people who are negative and depressed. While people with negative thinking might pull down some other people if these people are low in energy and have weak willpower, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Group energy can have a very strong influential power towards those who are very sensitive towards external energy fields, that are easily be influenced or affected by the surrounding environment. When we walk into a room that is full of people who are very anxious and furious, immediately we will be feeling anxious and agitated as well. When we are being with a group of people who are very cheerful and happy, immediately we will be feeling good and happy as well. Like wise if we are being with a group of people who are very depressed and negative, we will be feeling depressed and become very negative as well.

The leader of a group has the huge influence power to affect all the other people in the group. People are paying attention to this leader and admiring this leader. And thus, the people’s thinking and desire would be influenced by the leader, and the people will agree with and become like minded with the leader.

That's why, the state of mind (the energy field) of the yoga teacher is a very important factor that might be influencing the students to become more positive, cheerful, peaceful and wise, or not. Because most people will easily be influenced, or affected, or disturbed by others’ energy fields especially from a leader, or a teacher. Most of the school children who are in the same class under a same teacher will be having the similar type of mentality, way of thinking, belief, values, desires, and behaviors. Everyone is being molded into certain types of personality, way of thinking, and behavior without us being aware of it. We all think that we have our very own personal type of mentality, way of thinking, and behavior pattern, but actually we are being conditioned and influenced by some other people constantly.

If people had been watching John Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever, and within the next few weeks, we would see some people on the street were walking in the same way and had the similar expressions as John Travolta’s character in that movie.

When a person is being with a group of friends who like to gamble, or smoke, or drink, and very naturally this person will be doing the same activities as well, unless he or she has a very strong willpower. Look around us, this is what happening in the world.

The yoga teacher has got the ability or power to influence the students to become more positive or negative, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

If the yoga teacher has fear and negativity about getting injuries in doing certain exercises or asana poses, then most of the students will be having the same fear and negativity as well, and will easily get hurt or injuries from doing the exercises and asana poses, because they are thinking and believing in such way.

If the yoga teacher is very positive and has no fear and worries at all towards performing all the exercises and asana poses, then most of the students will be full of courage and confidence while performing all the exercises and asana poses without any fear and worries of getting any injuries. And thus the practice will be injury free, or has lower risk of injury.

It is because when people easily get muscle soreness or injuries from doing any exercises or asana poses is due to the tensions in the muscles caused by mental tension of fear and worries while performing the exercises or asana poses. The mind is limiting the ability of the physical body to perform the exercises or asana poses. When there is fear and worries, the mind tensed up that leads to the entire physical body also tensed up. When the muscles are tensed, unnecessary muscles fiber tear, or muscles pull or cramps could happen easily.

Especially when we perform the headstand, if a person's mind is relaxed while performing the pose and has no fear or worries about getting injured from falling down, his or her body and muscles will be relaxed even though if he or she does fall down from the headstand, but it will not generate any unnecessary injuries at all. Like wise, if the person is full of fear and worries that he or she might get hurt from falling down, then all his or her body muscles will be tensed up especially in the neck, the shoulders, and the back area while performing the headstand. And if he or she does fall down from the headstand, all the muscles in the neck, the shoulders, and the back area are so tensed that unnecessary injury could occur when he or she falls to the ground.

Look at the children who have no fear and worries. They can fall down as many times as they like whether intentionally or unintentionally while playing or exercising, and not getting any serious injuries except for a few bruises or cuts. Unless the falling impact is very strong, and the bones density is not so healthy, then there might be possibility of getting broken bones or bone fractures. Such people should avoid any kinds of fall or high impact movements and activities. We need to have an open mind while trying to perform all kinds of activities without the negative thinking of getting injuries, while we need to know what is the limitation of our physical body and not injuring ourselves blindly. But certainly not to stop ourselves from trying any activities due to fear and worries, or afraid of doing certain exercises or asana poses because we think and believe that there will be injury if we try to do them.

Although being cautious and attentive while performing any kinds of activities that might can avoid certain unnecessary injuries is something good, and will keep ourselves from getting injuries carelessly. But do not let the fear and worries conquering or over-powering our mind. This will stop us from doing many things that we could actually do. We always underestimate the ability of our body and the mind. That’s why yoga practice is dealing with the mind first before we move on into the physical yoga practice. If we are full of negative thinking or thoughts, the entire path will become negative and challenging as well.

This is the mind. Our mind limits us from doing many things, it's not the limitation of the physical body. The physical body is strong and flexible enough to perform many activities but the mind is limiting the body to do so due to fear and worries – lack of confidence, of not knowing what is the ability and limitation of the body and mind in the present moment now.

If ten years ago my body was suffering from certain injuries but that doesn’t determine that now I cannot perform the activities that I couldn’t do when I was having the injuries ten years ago.

Every moment the condition of our body and the mind is different. Be very open minded and free ourselves from negative thinking. Enjoy whatever we are doing without any fear and worries. Things will be much easier and enjoyable when the mind is relaxed and the body is tension free. All the exercises or asana poses that we thought they were difficult and dangerous will become easy and not dangerous anymore if we can let go the negative thinking of “the body might get some injuries from doing this or that” , or “I think I can never do this or that”, or “Most probably I will fall down from this position and hurt my neck, or my back, or my hips.”

It is the same in all our daily activities in life as well. Free ourselves from negative thinking. Be positive and open minded. We will see the entire world from a very different perspective and conception. Our life will be easier and happier. Our relationship with everyone will also have less unnecessary 'problems'.

Positive thinking doesn't mean that "I believe that I won't get hurt from falling down at any height," or "I can do and achieve everything that I desire," as that is pure ignorance. It's about freeing the mind from negative thinking of unnecessary doubt, fear and worry while performing any activities, while knowing and respecting the ability and limitation of the body and mind, without hurting the body and mind by forcing the body and mind beyond its limitation in the present moment.
 
It's okay if there are some activities or goals that the body and mind cannot do or achieve in this present moment now. Just do what is possible in this present moment now, with full attentiveness, without attachment, identification, or expectation.
 
Before the realization of the truth of names and forms, the mind is under the influence of duality. If so, the practice of positive thinking exists to counter negative thinking, so that the mind is not being over-whelmed by negative thinking. Upon the realization of the truth of names and forms, where everything is just what it is, that everything are neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, then the mind doesn't even need to be positive or think positive to counter any negativity or negative thinking, as there's nothing positive or negative. That is freedom.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

About Mumukshutva


Mumukshutva means intense yearning for liberation. It gives us the strength in developing dispassion and detachment. People who don’t have intense yearning for liberation couldn’t resist the temptations in sensual pleasures and continuously to indulge in worldly enjoyments; and lack of self-discipline in the path of self-realization. There is nothing wrong in the worldly enjoyments but everything is transitory and impermanent, as well as endless greedy desires that are both empowering and empowered by capitalism/exploitation will eventually lead towards many unnecessary damages towards the living environment as well as peace and harmony amongst the diverse communities in the world that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.
 
Very soon all these pleasurable material and sensual enjoyments will change and disappear. In order to satisfy our desire for ceaseless pleasurable enjoyments, we have to spend a lot of time, energy and effort in chasing after these enjoyments which is very tiring and meaningless at the end. Because either we will be frustrated and disappointed when we couldn’t get what we want; or we will be very upset and unhappy when the enjoyments change into something else, or are no longer available.

We can never satisfy our passionate egoistic impure mind. The more the mind indulge in enjoyments; the more greedy the mind will become; and the more desires are being generated waiting to be gratified. And if the desires are not being attended or gratified, we will be so irritated, frustrated, dissatisfied, disappointed, furious and unhappy.

Meanwhile, out of irritation, frustration, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and unhappiness, human beings would behave in the way that hurt all and everyone and everything, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Most of us will need to go through so much painful sorrow and great disappointment repeatedly, and continuously hurting ourselves and other beings selfishly, then only we will start to feel disgust about the fleeting sensual pleasure enjoyments and the meaninglessness in chasing after impermanent worldly objects, possessions, relationships and activities.

The real Mumukshutva is not about running away from the duties and responsibilities in our lives and being afraid of the suffering in this world, but it is a greater “desire” towards attaining purity/correct understanding in the mind and real freedom and peace or true happiness/contentment that is unlimited and unconditioned by time, space and causation. The real freedom and peace that will last forever and unchanging is by attaining self-realization or enlightenment towards SELFLESSNESS of the mind perception of a selfless impermanent worldly life of all kinds of names and forms, which is the realization of oneness, non-separateness, timelessness, namelessness, formlessness and attributelessness, where there is no permanent independent existence of 'I' existing in the body and mind, and in all kinds of names and forms.

At the beginning of our path, we might feel difficult and have doubts all the time; and there are lots of distractions and obstacles on the path. We might fall down for many times. Sometimes the path is clear, but sometimes it is very unclear to us. But with strong Mumukshutva and determination, we can march forward step by step and will eventually reach our destination (self-realization) one day, without attachment and expectation. Patience, courage, detachment, faith, perseverance, acceptance, adaptation, adjustment, accommodation, willpower and cheerfulness are the stamina, strength and flexibility for us to keep going in this path towards self-realization.

May we all be endowed with Mumukshutva and great inner stamina, strength and flexibility in the path of self-realization. It is a path that we have to walk on our own, but we are not alone. All our gurus, teachers (regardless of human beings or non-human beings of all and everything), and our very own Self will always be here with us in the path, guiding us, teaching us and supporting us.

Monday, December 28, 2009

About Freedom


Everyone wants freedom. Free from hunger and thirst; free from birth and death; free from cause and effect; free from fears and worries; free from anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, lust and arrogance; free from irritation, frustration, dissatisfaction, disappointment, unhappiness and suffering; free from pain, injuries, harms, heat, cold, illness, weakness, decay and old age; free from limitations and conditions; free from likes and dislikes, cravings and aversions; free from ignorance and impurities; free from the bondage of life existence and attachments; free from bad and evil thoughts, actions and speech either from ourselves or from other beings; free from wars, crimes, killings, injustice, natural disasters, accidents, conflicts and arguments; free from restlessness and boredom; free from agitation and depression; free from the senses, the mind, the ego and the intellect; free from separation from our loved ones and being with the people that we don’t like; free from the transitory world of names and forms; free from impermanence; free to do everything that we want or like to do without rules and regulations; free to go anywhere that we want or like to go without any boundaries of nation and politic; free from discrimination of races, religions, sexes, creeds, sects, languages, colours and looks; free to express and to say what we want to say; free from praise and censure, success and failure, and all the dualities; free from debts and karma…etc

Above all, we want to be free without any qualities of good and evil; free from time, space and causation; unlimited and unconditioned by anything at all.

Nothing in this world can give us all these freedom. No money can buy us eternal life without birth, growth, old age, decay, illness, pain, suffering and death.

Only by non-attachment and letting go; realize selflessness; and attain self-realization can free us from all bondages, limitations and conditions. All the knowledge in the world cannot give us freedom and peacefulness. Only wisdom can free us from all these bondages and be really free.

Possess nothing actually is having everything and is free; while possess everything actually is having nothing and is not free.

Possess a few things means having a little fear and worries; possess many things means having huge fear and worries.

Having lots of needs and wants definitely is imprisoning ourselves in responsibility, relationship and discontentment; while having less needs and wants is the key to freedom.

Without attachment and knowing how to let go, we can enjoy everything but not having any fears and worries.

Simplicity and appreciation is freedom.

Identification with the body and the mind is building the invisible wall for the prison of impermanence, suffering, mortality and dissatisfaction; while non-identification with the body and the mind is removing this wall of the prison.

The physical body can never be free from all limitations and conditions but we can free our minds to be resting upon the eternal unlimited and unconditioned selfless universal Self.

May we all be free and be happy.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

About Vegetarianism


There are a few reasons why vegetarianism (non-meat eating) is being promoted strongly by Buddhism and Yoga practice.

It is supporting the idea of non-harming or non-killing and compassion towards all beings including animals and insects.

It is more healthy to eat lots of fruit, nuts, beans and vegetables than to eat meat especially nowadays the meat is not really as healthy as before because most of the animals that are being breed for food consumption are not healthy physically and mentally due to poor living environment under the mass productivity in factories and farms. These animals are being treated badly and being fed with unnatural food and being injected with hormones. Even though most of the fruit and vegetables that we get from the market are not really healthy either due to chemicals and pesticides that farmers are using nowadays for their farms to induce growth and to protect their crops from insects. But still meat eating is causing more harmful effects to our body and the mind than non-meat eating.

There are lots of unhealthy food (meat or non-meat) in the market nowadays contain substances which can cause illnesses and cancers, such like colourings, preservatives, conditioners, artificial flavourings, MSG, sugar and so much more other chemicals that is in the food and drinks. Even in all the daily personal cleaning products or housing cleaning products are full of harmful chemicals. As well as all the high-tech electrical products and conveniences are bringing so much pollutions and damages into the nature and the living environment.

No doubt that vegetarianism is more environmental friendly. By supporting non-meat eating can help to maintain the nature as healthy as possible because massive meat productions do contribute to the global warming through lots of lands had been used to produce corn to feed the animals instead of having plants and trees that work as a filter system for the air that we breath in.

Vegetarianism is also conducive for controlling the mind and to control the strong lustful passionate desires. Anyhow not only meat eating can stimulate the passionate desire, violence and anger in us, but even some non-meat products like alcohol, garlic, onion and chive also have the substances that can stimulate the passionate desire and anger in us. While drugs that are plants origin is having the substances that can affect the mind and the body, causing psychology and physical health problems in us such like addiction, dullness and depression. No doubt that the energy that comes from fresh fruit and vegetables have the calming effects in the body and the mind.

But most important in Buddhism and yoga practice for supporting and promoting vegetarianism is for people to develop compassion and non-harming towards all beings and to have control over the mind to achieve tranquility and sharpness in the mind to allow wisdom to arise within us.

In Buddhism and yoga practice, the main practice is to deal with the strong desire of cravings and aversions towards what we see, hear, smell, taste, feel and think. It is the sensual pleasure enjoyments of likes and dislikes that is over powering most of the people’s mind, that creates greed and attachment in us which contribute to the unhappiness, frustration, dissatisfaction, irritation, disappointment and painful suffering in us.

Because most of us are still being influenced and affected strongly by the food and drinks that we consume as well as other inputs that we are receiving through our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and thinking faculty which influence the energy fields in our body and affect the state of our mind, either agitating, stimulating or depressing. As long as we are still being influenced by all these substances, we need to choose what type of inputs that we put into our system in order to achieve control of the mind.

At the end, it doesn’t matter if it is vegetarian or non-vegetarian food that we eat, it is the non-attachment towards the taste of the food that matters most. And no matter what type of food that we eat, we should eat with appreciation and should show gratitude that these food are providing energy for us to survive and to maintain this body and to have the life for us to be here to learn, to experience and to become enlightened.

When we are not being influenced by the energy fields in our body anymore, and we are free from duality and are fully mastering our mind; have eliminated the ego and ignorance, and we have gone beyond all the names and forms; and there is no more differences between birth and death; and we are one with the universal consciousness that is without any attributes or intentions, and then we will know that the true self in all living beings are not touched by names and forms, and are beyond birth and death, good and evil. Until then we can go beyond “vegetarian” and “non-vegetarian”.

If we eat with our taste of likes and dislikes and being influenced by our cravings and aversions towards all the objects that we get in contact with through the senses, then we are still bound by names and forms, there is still a huge difference between meat eating (non-vegetarian) and non-meat eating (vegetarian). And by eating meat we are directly or indirectly involved in harming and killing the animals and caused fears, hatred and pain onto these animals’ minds.

But for someone who is truly enlightened and had gone beyond all names and forms, the entire world is nothing but just a projection of his own mind, and then what is “live” and “death”? What is “cravings” and “aversions”? What is “meat” and “not meat”? What is “vegetarian” and “non-vegetarian”? What is “healthy” and “not healthy”? What is “good food” and “bad food”? What is “hunger” and “survival”? What is “pure” and “impure”? What is “energy” and “elements”? What is “limitations” and “conditions”? What is “past” and “future”? What is “actions” and “karma”? What is “existence” and “non-existence”?

But for many of us who are still not at that level of enlightenment yet; still have lots of impurities and ignorance of anger, hatred, jealousy, arrogance and greed; still being influenced by energy and elements; still being affected by all the inputs that we received through the senses, and still have strong cravings and aversions; still have lots of needs and wants; still have fears and worries; still have the differences of happiness and suffering, success and failure, birth and death; and still being bound by the duality in all the names and forms, then know that we are still bound by what we should do and should not do.

Vegetarianism is one of the steps of purification for the body and the mind. But if we still have the idea that “this is good, and I like it” and “that is bad, and I don’t like it”, know that we are still not even at the first step of the real practice of non-attachment and non-dualism of namelessness and formlessness, but no doubt that eating good and healthy food that is bringing harmony to the body and the mind will still be a good purification process for the body and mind to move towards non-attachment and namelessness and formlessness.

Most important is the practice of self-control and eradication of anger, hatred, jealousy, arrogance, lust and greed. And also non-harming in thoughts, actions and speech towards all beings. And if this physical body is dead, “who” will mind that the worms and germs will be eating the flesh of this body and feed whatever animals that are in hunger. At least there is still a contribution towards other living beings and allowing other living beings to have the opportunity of life to evolve spiritually and be free from the conditions of life existence.

Merely by eating vegetarian will not guarantee a person to become enlightened or being happy in life and will be free from suffering. Neither by eating meat will stop a person from attaining enlightenment, being unhappy and unkind, or cannot be free from suffering. It is all in the mind.

Friday, December 25, 2009

About Merits And Virtues


All our good thoughts, actions and speech (good deeds) will be flowering and bear the fruit of merit and virtue. No matters we intentionally or unintentionally, directly or indirectly did some wholesome, beneficial and kind deeds to ourselves or to other beings or to nature, they all are merits and virtues whether we recognize them as merits and virtues or not.

People who think and believe that they are having bad luck, bad karma or having a lot of unhappiness and obstacles in their lives, and they wish to change their luck, karma or their lives, they can work on accumulating merits and virtues by doing lots of good deeds whether in their thoughts or actions or speech.

The practice of patience, loving kindness, unselfishness, generosity, charity, sharing, tolerance, forbearance of heat and cold, forbearance of insults and harms, forgiveness, respect, gratitude, appreciation, loyalty, faithfulness, truthfulness, responsibility, humility, self-control over lustful desire and greed, self-improvement, observance of wholesome conduct and refrain from unwholesome conduct such as generating harmful thoughts, actions and speech, having courage, positive thinking and cheerfulness are all merits and virtues.

The real merits and virtues is formless and nameless, intentionless, without attachment or expectation, without likes and dislikes and without the differentiation of good beings or bad beings to whom we want to show kindness and compassion to, and renounce from the fruit of our actions without longing for any merits and virtues.

Even though we did not do anything so called good deeds but if we refrain ourselves from doing evil deeds, it is already a great merit and virtue of being self-controlled and non-harming to other beings and to ourselves as well.

The great merits and virtues are the forbearance of all insults, humiliations and harms from other beings while remain compassionate and forgiving towards all who were unkind to us, and will continue to show love, kindness and compassion towards all beings who had intentionally or unintentionally, directly or indirectly being unkind to us. This doesn't mean that we are encouraging and supporting other beings to perform evil actions unto themselves and/or others. In fact, we should encourage others not to perform any harmful evil actions unto themselves and/or others,
with wisdom, and not by punishment, violence or force. Those who would perform harmful evil actions unto themselves and/or others either intentionally or unintentionally, is due to ignorance. These minds are in suffering.

By remaining content, peaceful and happy all the time not being affected, influenced or disturbed by all the phenomena that is happening in the world outside our body or within our body and the mind, eliminating the ego and egoism, and being indifference towards the duality of likes and dislikes, comfort and discomfort, heat and cold, praise and censure, success and failure, birth and death, and all the good and evil happenings upon us are the real merits and virtues.

Promoting peace and harmony among all beings and allowing other beings to develop loving kindness, peace, compassion and wisdom, and to perform self-inquiry to be free from ignorance and egoism, to attain self-realization towards selflessness, is great merit and virtue. Not generating obstacles for others who want to do good and be good and want to walk in the path towards self-realization, and give supports and encouragements to all beings who are in distress, painful sorrow and suffering, and to those who want to walk the path towards self-realization are the great merits and virtues.

Giving dharma to all without any discrimination towards any beings is the best merit and virtue.

And the greatest merit and virtue above all is this mind itself attaining self-realization or enlightenment.

When a mind is enlightened, or is void of ignorance and egoism, there is no more merits and virtues in any particular names and forms, but the selfless universal consciousness itself is the embodiment of merits and virtues of compassion and wisdom, namelessness and formlessness, beginninglessness and endlessness – Satchidananda.

Happy Christmas To All


I wish everyone love, peace, compassion and wisdom.

May all beings be happy.

Happy Christmas.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Cameron Highlands Yoga Retreats 2011 - 2012

Please contact us at yoganow@hotmail.com if you are interested in joining one of our yoga retreats held in the Cameron Highlands.

There are no fixed dates for the Cameron Highlands retreats. You can choose your own dates (subject to availability) for your own yoga retreat if you have a group minimum of 4 people.

It is open to all levels.

The retreat venue will be at the Hillview Inn in Tanah Rata. If Hillview Inn is not available during the time of retreat, then we will change the retreat venue to another hotel or resort.

The retreat fees is subject to the venue of accommodation available.

Fees include meals, accommodation, teaching, neti pot, a Yoga Now T-shirt and strawberries. Meals will be simple nutritious vegetarian food.

Please bring along your own yoga mat.

We do not provide Transport to Tanah Rata, but this link will take you to a page that lists some companies that do.



Retreat outline

    Day 1

  • 15.30 Tea and light snacks
  • 16.30 Yoga class
  • 18.30 Free time
  • 19.30 Dinner
  • 21.30 Guided meditation
  • Day 2

  • 7.15 Jala Neti
  • 7.30 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
  • 8.15 Break
  • 8.30 Yoga class
  • 10.30 Breakfast
  • 11.30 Free time
  • 15.30 Tea and light snacks
  • 16.30 Yoga class
  • 18.30 Free time
  • 19.30 Dinner
  • 21.30 Guided meditation
  • Day 3

  • 7.15 Jala Neti
  • 7.30 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
  • 8.15 Break
  • 8.30 Yoga class
  • 10.30 Breakfast
  • 11.30 Free time
  • 15.30 Tea and light snacks
  • 16.30 Yoga class
  • 18.30 Free time
  • 19.30 Dinner
  • 21.30 Guided meditation
  • Day 4

  • 7.15 Jala Neti
  • 7.30 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
  • 8.15 Break
  • 8.30 Yoga class
  • 10.30 Breakfast
  • 12.00 Check out / Optional walks or visits

A deposit of RM 300 per person is required upon reservation of booking.

Looking Forward to seeing you in Cameron Highlands.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Strawberries

Tea and scones


Meditation


Cameron Highlands Yoga Retreat Collages


A few things to keep in mind before booking a yoga retreat

Yoga can help with many ailments, but if you have any particular concerns or health issues, or are suffering from any illness or injury, we advise you to consult a qualified medical practitioner beforehand.

It is important to refrain from eating at least two hours before class and not to drink at least 30 minutes before class. We strongly discourage drinking anything during Asana practice; however, it is important to drink plenty of water after your session.

You should wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing, preferably made of natural fibres. Bring a yoga mat, a towel, a sense of humour and an open-minded willingness to learn.

It gets quite chilly at night in the Cameron Highlands so make sure you pack some warm clothes – jacket, hat and scarf are useful at night.

For your own peace of mind, and out of respect for other participants, we request that your telephone be kept switched off during classes. Please refrain from using perfume or strong smelling deodorants. We expect our course participants to be non-smokers – at least for the duration of the retreat.

OM Shanti

Friday, December 18, 2009

About Action And Non-action


The teachings of Bhagavad Gita and the Karma Yoga (selfless service) is based on this verse of action and non-action (actionless).

When our mind is pure without impurities, there will be no more differences between action and non-action. Because action and non-action is also a name and form. When the mind is pure and goes beyond all names and forms, action and non-action have become one.

Even though our body is not moving at all, it doesn’t mean that we are non-action. Because the mind is always moving even though we don’t move, don’t act and don’t speak.

When a person is doing a lots of actions of helping others, or performing spiritual practice, or performing his duty towards his job, family, friends, society and his life, but if he is selfless and not identify with the ego, whatever he does, he does them as selfless service towards all including his own self. And he sees God in everything and everyone, and there is no separation between him and God, between him and everyone else. And then all his actions will be no differences from being non-action. And he is free from the binding of all karma (both good and bad).

This is the teaching of “I” am not the doer of all the actions. “I” am not this body. “I” am not this mind. “I” am just a channel or instrument to serve all. “I” am not the doer nor the giver nor the receiver. “I” am just a witness to all these actions. All “my actions” are pure untainted by the ego without the intention of good or bad and free from the notion of “I am the doer of all these actions”. All “my actions” are free from the binding of karma. “I” eat, drink, play, work, give and take, but I am not the one who “eat”, “drink”, “play”, “work”, “give” or “take”. When the heart beats, when the lungs breathe, When the blood circulate in the body, when the food is digesting, when the mind is experiencing comfort and discomfort, good and bad feelings, it is not “I” who command it. When the body is weakening and decaying, and all the nerves is not functioning efficiently, and I can’t remember, can’t see, can’t hear, can’t smell, can’t taste, can’t feel, can’t think and can’t move, it is not “I” that command it nor do “I” wish for it. And so, who is the one who is doing all the thinking, talking and acting? Nothing is “I”. Nothing belongs to “I”. But if there is any good or bad intention behind all my actions, then it is from “I”.

When a person is not doing anything or is doing a lots of actions but with the intention of good or bad, and is identify as the doer, the giver or the receiver, and then this person is still being conditioned by karma.

If I think I am doing something, I am helping someone, I am giving something, I am receiving something, I am good, I am bad, I am happy, I am sad, or I think I am not doing anything, I am not helping anyone, I am not giving or receiving anything, or I am not responsible for all my actions of good and bad, then I am still being conditioned by the ego, I am still not beyond all the names and forms, I am still being bind by karma, I am still having the intention of good and bad. And thus whether I am doing something or not doing anything, but there is still action, it is still creating cause and effect. When we are not doing anything, it is still an action, action of “doing nothing”.

When there is no more “I”, “others”, “giver” and “receiver”, “action” and “non-action”, and then all the actions or non-action is nameless and formless, and untouched by karma.

If I harm somebody with either the intention of good or evil, and act and speak as what my ego wants to act and speak, then “I” am the one who is doing all the actions of good and evil. I am identify with my ego, my actions and my speech, and thus I am creating cause and effect for myself, and I am being bound by the good and bad karma that I have created.

Never try to be smart, misuse this teaching and do all the evil acts and speech, and trying to escape the bad karma. Because it doesn’t work this way not until we are truly pure and selfless. When we are pure and selfless, all our thoughts, actions and speech will be pure without either good or evil. Then this is the stage where no good nor bad karma is being generated, even though we are doing some actions. When we are pure, we won’t be doing any evil actions to hurt others or thinking of doing good actions to gain good karma.

If we are lazy and not want to do anything, it doesn’t mean that we are not generating any bad or good karma, because our thoughts is always generating good and bad intention even though we don’t move or speak.

If we are sitting for meditation but the mind is still creating lots of good and bad thoughts and we are attached to them and got lost in all the thoughts and not by just observing all the thoughts and not attached to any of them, and cannot be at the present moment now, and then this is still action in non-action.

If we are very busy in life whether worldly or spiritually, and are doing lots of actions, but if our mind is fixed onto the present moment, and all our actions are intention-less and pure, and then this is non-action in actions.

Even though some people didn’t mix into the world, and seem like they are not doing anything, but in their heart, in every moment, they are sending good wishes and good thoughts to all in the whole universe, these are one of the greatest actions. And if we didn’t do any good actions but refrain ourselves from doing any bad actions, and then this is one of the greatest actions as well.

It is not about doing something or not doing anything. It is whether we are pure or not pure, and are being free from egoistic attachment, identification, caring, aversion, judgment and expectation, or not.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

About Sakshi Bhava


Sakshi Bhava means standing as a witness towards all the phenomena that the mind perceives through the senses, without identification or association towards the thoughts, feelings and sensations, and without generating craving and aversion towards whatever the mind perceives through the senses. Not being affected, influenced or disturbed by all the phenomena that is happening inside and outside the body in life and in the world.

It doesn’t mean that we don’t care or ignore what is happening. It is being aware of what is happening but not identifying or associating with it. There's no attachment towards the limited body and the restless modification of the mind. There's an understanding that the body is going through old age, weakening, decaying, sickness, pain and death, but there's not an individual identity of 'I' existing within all those selfless impermanent changes. It's merely the selfless perceptive cognitive thinking mind is perceiving everything through the senses and sense organs, with the intellect and the ego playing their parts in analyzing and generating reactions towards all the phenomena inside and outside the body or in the world, but there's no identification or association with them.

The mind, the thoughts, the feelings and the sensations are not 'I'. All these thoughts, feelings and sensations come and go as they like. They don’t belong to 'I' and they don’t need the permission from 'I' to stay or to leave. The world only exists under the modification of the mind. Without the mind, there is no world. All the thoughts, feelings and emotions are happening in the selfless mind, not in somebody’s mind. And the mind is just a selfless projector without the intention to be good or bad, positive or negative, happy or unhappy, enjoy or suffer.

Another person’s world can be completely different from our world. We all have different mind perception about the world. Everyone sees the world differently from other people. Everyone has their own karma or causation to be in the world and experiencing different encountering in life. No one can change or interfere with each other's karma or take away others' karma. But this mind can go beyond its own karma by purifying its own thoughts, actions and speech. Karma (the loop of cause and effect) derives from these three things. No one can give us good or bad karma. Only oneself. The mind creates the karma for itself through its ceaseless thoughts, actions/reactions and speech. And the mind can detach from karma by stop generating reactions of craving and aversion towards all kinds of pleasant and unpleasant names and forms, by renouncing from the fruit of actions, and by not identifying with the selfless impermanent body and the modification of the mind. When the mind realized selflessness, we (the selfless mind) will know what is the meaning of all these.

And all the different bodies and minds in this world are the same. They are impermanent, non-self, ever-changing, limited, conditioned, dissatisfied, interdependent and comes with different qualities that are also impermanent, and there are reactions of comfortable and uncomfortable, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, craving and aversion, happiness and unhappiness, enjoyment and suffering, birth and death.

By being a witness to the selfless impermanent worldly life existence, it’s like watching a movie but we do not involve in the movie at all. We didn’t make the movie, nor can we change the scenes in the movie. Maybe we are the director, the actors and actresses in the movie and watching our own creation and our acting in the movie. We might get excited, upset, saddened, shocked, frightened and thrilled by the movie, but we know that it is just a movie, and we are not really the characters in the movie and remain undetermined, unaffected and undisturbed by the movie, regardless of desirable or undesirable ending.

Sakshi Bhava is indeed the wisdom that will free the mind from the discontented, limited and conditioned world of impermanence and miseries that come along with impermanence. Sakshi Bhava is the same as selflessness. It is also non-doership, or non-action in all the actions.

Not knowing what is selflessness, we won’t know what is Sakshi Bhava. Because if we don’t know how to stay detached from the body and the modification of the mind under the function of the senses, the intellect and the ego, the thinking faculty will be unwittingly identifying with and involving with all the thoughts, feelings and sensations, thinking and believing that 'I' am the thoughts, feelings and sensations, and 'I' am either happy or unhappy, enjoy or suffer, following what kind of experiences that the mind perceives through the body via the senses and sense organs. The ego (the ignorant idea of an individual existence of 'I') is the chief director of likes and dislikes, good and evil, happiness and unhappiness, enjoyment and suffering. If this mind is still being controlled or influenced by the ego and the intellect, then it won’t know what is selflessness, and it doesn’t know how to be a witness towards all the phenomena. The mind will think that 'I' am going through changes, and 'I' am experiencing decaying, paining, aging, sickness, irritation, frustration, disappointment, discontentment, low self-esteem, depression, happiness and unhappiness, gain and loss, success and failure, praise and censure, birth and death. And it is acting/reacting restlessly and generating comparison, competition, dissatisfaction, insecurity, fear, anger, hatred, jealousy, pride, arrogance, discontentment, greed and desires endlessly. The attachment and identification towards the ceaseless actions/reactions creating endless karma (the loop of cause and effect) for itself unceasingly. And it will have to go through restless births (arising) and deaths (passing away) of enjoyment and suffering continuously to reap off all its endless karma generated by itself.

The ancient scriptures, gurus, and all the saints and sages told us that we can stop all these (the restless loop of cause and effect, or the restless modification of the selfless mind) by realizing selflessness and standing as the silent witness.

Monday, December 14, 2009

No Good No Bad


Non-dualism teaches us that there is no good, there is no bad, all are same and no differences. But many people either can’t understand about it or misunderstood about what does “neither good nor bad” really means?

In this human world of diversities, desires and temptations, everything (products and activities) is created by the mind to satisfy its characteristic of greed and craving for sensual pleasures and material enjoyments.

The mind is such an incredible machine that could create the internet, the electricity, the phone, the television, the microwave oven, the air-conditioner, the airplane, the space rocket, and all other stuffs.

When the first thing was being invented, it was just one type, one name, one form and one price. But very soon, the mind is bored with just one. And so, it had created different models, names, forms and prices. A car is not just a car. It is BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Toyota, Ford, Mitsubishi, Renault, and others. And within BMW itself, there are many different series of models. It is the same thing for all the other names. And then within one of the series itself, there are many different colours and accessories.

This is not just happening in car industries, it is the same thing happening in all industries, from food to computers, from fashions to yoga. All the endless diversities exist trying to satisfy the greed and craving of all the minds (the consumers). And diversities, greed, desires and cravings of the consumers are the great opportunity for the producers to make money (accumulate wealth) or take advantage out of it. All these high-tech creative products are not necessary a good thing for the environment, just to give some conveniences and enjoyments for the human beings, but at the same time, all these products are creating lots of damages to the environment as well, either directly or indirectly.

Since there are so many choices, there are lots of comparisons. And there isn’t something came out as the most perfected one, because there never will be one. Because there will be more and more new inventions coming up unceasingly. And even though there are so many choices to choose from, people are still not satisfied with what the entire business market already have.

Why?

Because all these objects and activities are the creation of the minds. The creators themselves are never satisfied. And the minds of the consumers are just the same, will never be satisfied. It is the characteristic of all minds that are under the influence of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness to always be dissatisfied, and keep looking for new things and new excitements to satisfy their greed, desire and craving. The minds get bored easily. The minds change its likes and dislikes easily and regularly. The minds cannot sit still, not moving, not talking, not being curious, not expressing, and not thinking. Today the mind likes something red and fast, but tomorrow the mind might like something blue and slow. How can the mind be satisfied?

Everything in the world that were being created or produced by the mind, they have no qualities and no intentions of good and bad. Good and bad are the products of the mind. The mind projects into all the things out there under its good intention, the things appear to be having the quality of being good. If the mind projects all the things out there under its bad intention, the things appear to be having the quality of being bad.

All the judgments, comparisons, competitions, criticisms and expectations are coming from the mind, and all these habits in the mind have generated the duality of positive and negative, good and bad in themselves under different types of conception and perception.

For example, sweating and heat produced in the body while doing some physical activities. Some people like these sensations very much but some other people dislike them. Some people like the feeling of soreness after exercise while some others dislike the same type of soreness. The sweating, the heat and the soreness themselves have no intention to make people feel good or feel bad. They don’t have the quality to be good or to be bad. They are just being what they are, and it is up to the mind to perceive them as good sensations or bad sensations, as something comfortable or not comfortable. And then the ego will generates likes and dislikes, craving for the sensations that the ego likes and feels comfortable with, and aversion towards the sensations that the ego dislikes and feels not comfortable with. It is the same for tastes and smells, sounds and sights, touches/feels, emotions and thoughts, every single mind has different conception and perception about which type of tastes, smells, sounds, sights, touches, emotions, or thoughts that they think is good or bad. But all those names and forms themselves have no intention or quality to be something comfortable or not comfortable for anybody, and they don’t have the quality to be something good or bad. It is the conditioned and limited intellectual egoistic mind categorized them into comfortable or not comfortable, and labeled them as good or bad.

In fact the mind itself is just a selfless projector. It doesn’t has the intention to be good or bad, positive or negative, pure or impure. It is the function of the intellect functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism and impurities, and the ego (the idea of 'I') that is born out of ignorance, that are creating all the differences of good and bad, negativity and positivity, purity and impurity in the mind. Once the mind is purified, where the intellect is purified, free from the conditioning influences of ignorance, egoism and impurities, and when the ego is eliminated, then this mind is a great tool for us to attain self-realization, to realize what is selflessness, non-separateness, love, peace, compassion, and wisdom. Love, peace, compassion and wisdom are always there within all and everyone. They are not something to be gained from the outside, of certain possessions, of certain identities, of certain achievements, of certain objects, of certain activities, of certain positions and directions, or from learning and studies. We just need to realize them from within ourselves.

When there is the presence of negativity in our mind, we need to have positivity to conquer these negativity. When there is no more negativity, we will realize that there is no positivity either, because there is no need to have positivity when there is no negativity. Positivity exists only when there is negativity, and vice versa.

There is no such thing being recognized as big if there is nothing smaller than it to be comparing with. And there is no such thing being recognized as fast if there is nothing slower than it to be comparing with.

It is the intention of the mind that had created so many good and bad in the world. People abuse drugs and alcohols, and thus drugs and alcohol are being labeled and recognized as something bad. But when come to medical field, drugs and alcohol have become something good and helpful in surgeries and medical treatments.

Good and bad exists only in our mind, not in the names and forms that we perceive through our senses.

That’s why it's highly important to discipline and purify one's mind until there is no more ignorance, egoism and impurities, and then we will know what does 'neither good nor bad' mean, and what does 'transcending' negative and positive mean.

We will know that duality exists only in the mind. Names and forms also exist only in the mind. Happiness and unhappiness also exist only in the mind. And thus, we will stop giving values or meanings to all the names and forms that our mind perceives through the senses, or whatever is happening within our physical body. Maybe the body is experiencing some illness, or injuries, or weaknesses in this present moment, but we don’t see these impermanent phenomena as something negative or bad anymore. We accept everything as they are, and accept the world as it is. Not trying to change anything, or trying to control anything out there, except for filtering or modifying our own modification of the mind, of thoughts, actions and speech. We can’t even own or control our own body and mind, how can we own and control others' body and mind? When impermanence strike, we will lose our youthfulness, memories, strength, flexibility, mobility, functions of the senses, the organs and the nerves, the muscles, the bone density, the good health, and the selfless impermanent worldly life existence.

It doesn’t matter how beautiful we are, how rich we are, how successful we are, and how knowledgeable and intelligent we are, no one can escape impermanence. And we don’t really own all these names and forms. They are just temporary being with us. Everything and every beings in this world have to go through impermanence and depending on the elements and energy to be existing here. Without the space, the sun, the earth, the water, and the air, we all won’t be here. We can’t even promise anything or judge anything because everything is undergoing changes all the time. The condition of the body and the mind of everyone is changing all the time. Every moment our body is experiencing different sensations and the mind is experiencing different thoughts and feelings. In one minute we could be feeling so good. In another minute we could be feeling so bad.

Know that all these selfless impermanent names and forms are the creations/projections of the mind. Watch the mind, and be the silent witness towards all these selfless impermanent phenomena, and not identifying or associating with them, and not giving any values or meanings to them, and stop generating desires of craving and aversion. Without desires of craving and aversion, there is no discontentment, irritation, frustration, disappointment, anger, fear and worry. And thus, we will be at peace and contented at all time.

May we all attain peace at this very moment by understand what is 'neither good nor bad'.

It doesn’t mean that since there is no god and no bad, we can do whatever we like, and hurt somebody intentionally without any emotion, or eat poisonous food, or drink alcohol and take drugs abusively.
 
It doesn't mean that we don't appreciate peace and harmony in ourselves and in the surrounding environment. It doesn't mean that we support or promote peacelessness and disharmony.

It is upon the annihilation of ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness in this mind, there is no need to have goodness and positiveness to be countering badness and negativeness that doesn't exist in this mind. There is no craving towards goodness and positiveness, and there is no aversion towards badness and negativeness. It is when there is no suffering, there is no need to be free from suffering.

Om shanti.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Yoga In Malaysia


Welcome to Malaysia, another place in the world that has more and more yoga practitioners and lots of yoga studios, centers and clubs are blooming in most of the major towns in Malaysia.

It is great to have so many Malaysians are interested in learning and practicing yoga regardless of whether their motive is for attaining health and fitness benefits only, and/or for conquering the mind for attaining self-realization to be liberated from ignorance and suffering. Regardless of all the different ethnicity of Malay, Indian, Chinese and any other ethnics in the country, many people are very enthusiastic in going for some yoga exercise classes regularly.

Malaysia is a 'heaven' on earth geographically. It doesn’t have many natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, sand storms, wind storms, hurricanes, cold winter, hot summer, or extreme weather. Throughout the whole year it has a stable temperature and rainfall. The forests and jungles are always green and there is minimum problem of dryness, as long as the forests and the environment (locally and globally) are being look after accordingly.
 
Most of the people in the world are friendly and welcoming towards people from some other countries and different cultures, especially in terms of promoting the local economy, particularly the tourism industry where foreign tourists come into their country only to spend money as well as promote their country 'positively'. 
 
Though unfriendliness and non-welcoming attitude also exist in many countries coming from certain close-minded people towards foreigners of certain nationalities and social/financial status out of the sense of superiority/inferiority, discrimination and intimidation, while at the same time, they would be friendly and welcoming towards some other foreigners of certain nationalities and social/financial status that they think are more superior than the others, especially those who are not trying to work in their country for making a living, but are bringing in foreign currency into their country, spending lots of money in their country as tourists, retirees, or investors.
 
Many people also would feel being intimidated by other people especially foreigners who are more intelligent, more skillful, and more hardworking than them. Anyway, different kinds of discrimination exist in everywhere in this world of ignorance and egoism.
 
The one great advice from the past Gurus for the truth seekers, is that in order to counter all these ignorance, is through the practice of dispassion and renunciation from worldly egoistic affairs/ideas/activities.

Despite the imperfection of some endless political conflicts/corruptions, petty crimes, prejudice, exploitation, intimidation and discrimination deriving from certain amount of close-minded prideful people, which is very common in everywhere in the world, most people would like to live in peace and harmony among all the different races/cultures/beliefs, and to respect each other’s different ethnicity, culture and belief. Most people are wishing for positive over-all improvement and prosperity for their country to become an environmentally and humanely beautiful and peaceful place for all and everyone (citizens or non-citizens) to live in and/or visit. Unfortunately, all these are just some hopeful imaginations and almost impossible to be materialized, if the country doesn't have a secular non-discriminative and non-oppressive good government run by wise and compassionate open-minded human beings to lead, govern, and facilitate everything wisely and compassionately.

Those who are wise and compassionate are not interested in ‘controlling’ and ‘regulating’ all and everyone to be or not to be in certain way, but would facilitate all kinds of necessary support, facilities and convenience that allow all and everyone to have the opportunity to learn how to be independent financially, physically, mentally and emotionally, and become self-initiative and responsible peaceful human beings to be looking after themselves and others in the world that doesn't belong to anyone, as well as to be looking after the over-all well-being of the surrounding environment, or not. Allowing all and everyone being what they are, as they are, governed by the law of nature, or the law of cause and effect. There’s no need an authorization/authority to be there to ‘control’, ‘restrict’, ‘regulate’, ‘oppress’, ‘prosecute’, ‘judge’, ‘criminalize’, ‘penalize’ and ‘punish’ anyone for anything. 

Mentally healthy human beings wouldn’t behave in the way that hurt themselves, or others, or the environment deliberately, even if there’s no authority being there to ‘control’ or ‘regulate’ anyone and anything. Those who would behave in the way that hurt themselves, or others, or the environment, either intentionally or unintentionally, are due to ignorance and mental illness. Having an authoritarian authority to ‘control’ and ‘regulate’ the world doesn’t stop those who are ignorant and mentally ill for being what they are and behave as they are. Under the ‘control’ and ‘oppression’ of an authority that is run by human beings that are not wise and not compassionate would only generate and empower deeper ignorance and more mental illness sufferers in the world.

The separateness and discrimination of ‘foreigners’ and ‘locals’ or ‘citizens’ and ‘non-citizens’ shouldn’t be existing in this world at all, where all beings (human or non-human beings) are equally same, momentarily existing in this world that doesn't belong to anyone, and all are subject to the law of impermanence and selflessness. But survival instinct and greed/possessiveness/protectiveness/control born out of ignorance and egoism in human beings created all the different boundaries separating and discriminating, controlling and restricting, legalizing and criminalizing all and everyone under certain law and order created by ‘the authority’ of human beings. There’s no real freedom or peace to be found in this world run by human beings that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Real independence of a country is not just about free from being governed by the foreign power of another country and having their own democratic elected government, but it’s about the people, especially those who run the government, or the leaders/facilitators/law makers, are free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, where the country is free from being governed by a ‘corrupted’ government that is run by a group of corrupted human beings under the influence of ignorance, egoism, greed, pride, possessiveness and selfishness.

The political history in the world reveals all kinds of ignorance and selfishness (violence, cruelty or inhumanity) in human beings, in many ways.

It’s the same as in the world of Yoga and Buddhism. Those who appoint and identify themselves or some others as the authority/authorization of Yoga or Buddhism to be claiming ‘ownership’ or ‘authorization’ over Yoga or Buddhism, to be ‘controlling’ and ‘regulating’ the activities of Yoga and Buddhism in the world, to authorize or sanction this and that, under the name of ‘protecting the purity or authenticity of Yoga or Buddhism’, or ‘maintaining a higher quality in Yoga or Buddhism practice and dissemination’, then obviously they have no idea what is Yoga or Buddhism. Even an enlightened being wouldn’t appoint and identify oneself or anyone as “The authority of Yoga or Buddhism.”

Authority of any kind doesn’t exist in the truth of the universe governed by the law of nature, of cause and effect, where all and everything are subject to the truth of Impermanence and Selflessness. Not even the selfless almighty ‘God existence’ that many human beings believe in, is self-appointed or self-authorized as the highest authority of the universe to be busy authorizing or non-authorizing this or that, to be governing, discriminating, monitoring, regulating, threatening, bullying, criminalizing, punishing, or controlling this or that for being existing, changing, decaying and ceased existing under the law of nature.

Unfortunately, many human beings are being brought up in the way to live a passionate egoistic life that is based on the sense of belonging and pride towards a national identity, personal identity, gender identity, sexual orientation identity, ethnicity identity, cultural identity, educational identity, religious identity, spiritual identity, social class identity, body image identity, financial status identity, community/group identity, political identity, ‘authorized/approved/recognized’ identity, ‘respect deserving’ identity, and so on, that doesn’t eliminate but empowers ignorance and egoism.

Those who want to think positive and be optimistic towards developing and hoping for a ‘better’ world, will only end up in great disappointment. Free from positive or negative, optimism or pessimism, one can do one’s best for what one thinks and believes as wholesome for oneself while living in this world and/or for the over-all welfare of the world, but without attachment or expectation towards the actions and the fruit of actions, and allowing the world being what it is, full of ignorance and egoism, and the consequences of that.

Performing wholesome actions for oneself and/or the world, but without any intention of controlling, influencing, changing, or expecting anything and anyone to be or not to be in certain way, is the essence of Yoga or Buddhism.

There are some human beings are truly selfless and compassionate serving the community of diversity and helping the less fortunate human beings or non-human beings, non-discriminatively. They might not be involving in any form of yoga practice, but they are the 'yogis', who perform selfless service to benefit the world without being determined or disturbed by the ignorance and selfishness in the world. There are people who are also doing something to help others, but with particular intention to convert others to take up or believe in their particular religious belief and practice, or to be getting other people's support towards a particular political party or social group, that is nothing to do with 'selfless service'.
Yoga is a non-discriminative universal teaching and practice for all and everyone, that would bring more peace and harmony into the diverse people who live in Malaysia or anywhere else in the world regardless of the different ethnics, cultures, beliefs, languages, genders, social/financial status, educational backgrounds, or nationalities. Although Yoga originates from India and the Vedas are part of Hinduism, yoga exists for all living beings that are in search for self-realization, or liberation from ignorance and suffering. There is no discrimination of genders, ethnics, religions, languages, beliefs, cultures, castes, sects, nationalities, social and financial status, education levels, or so called good and bad people on the path of yoga.

Under the wisdom of yoga and/or buddhism, all are one and equal beyond names and forms. All are subject to impermanence and selflessness. All living beings are entitled to walk the path of yoga, and attain self-realization/liberation. There is no superiority or inferiority. There is no ego involved in the path of yoga because the main teaching and realization of yoga is selflessness or egolessness/'I'lessness, that leads towards the realization of oneness, non-separateness, attributelessness, namelessness, formlessness, birthlessness, deathlessness, timelessness, beyond time, space and causation.

The existence of the teaching and practice of yoga is for all beings to transcend ignorance and suffering and leads every living beings towards the realization of the essence or nature of everything, or the one same selfless universal consciousness in all and everything, which is changeless and limitless, which is beginning-less and endless, beyond creation and destruction, beyond birth and death, beyond good and evil, beyond happiness and suffering, and beyond the mind perception of all kinds of impermanent selfless names and forms that are subject to decay and selfless impermanent changes (the basic suffering of restlessness to be maintaining life existence and surviving).

If all and everyone sincerely practice yoga, attaining self-realization or realizing the truth of selflessness, the world will be a peaceful 'heaven', being free from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, even though none and nothing can escape all kinds of inevitable selfless impermanent changes.
 
Although in the year of 2008, there had been an issue about the Fatwa on yoga for Muslim in Malaysia, but it shouldn't and wouldn’t change the understanding of yoga in the mind of the many Malaysian Muslims, if they have been sincerely practicing yoga and truly understand the wisdom, peace and harmony that the teachings and practice of yoga can bring into their lives, and into their family and the surrounding community.
 
The wisdom and compassion that people realized from the yoga practice will not disappear due to the issue of Fatwa on yoga, or any kind of corruptions deriving from ignorant egoistic human beings that exist in anywhere and everywhere in the world that doesn't belong to anyone.
 
The real yoga practice of freeing the mind from ignorance and egoism will make any person becomes a true religious and spiritual person that propagates universal non-discriminative kindness, peace, respect and harmony among all beings in the world, not just propagating discriminative conditional love, support, empowerment and protection among a particular country, community, ethnicity, culture, or religion, while helping people to develop stronger faith in their respective religious and spiritual practices which is supposed to develop unconditional non-discriminative kindness, peace, respect and harmony in their minds and in life, and not about empowering identification, pride, self-interest and self-protection towards a particular nationality/ethnicity/culture/religion, provoking anger, hatred, discrimination and prejudice, and empowering selfishness and petty mindedness.

May we all appreciate the good geographical environment in Malaysia for us to live in, and to practice yoga.

About God And Religion


 
When we understood that everything is the same and no difference at all between existence and non existence, life and death, happiness and suffering, we will understand that it is doesn’t matter if there is a God or there is no God.

Anyway, if there's a God existence, God is infinite and indescribable. We all are depending on a source to be exist in this world. Lives are depending solely on the nature of different elements which are not in our own control. We are all the same when we have pain, sorrow, heart broken, disappointment, anger, jealousy, greed, wickedness, selfishness, aggressiveness, fear, worries, passion, lust, ignorance, arrogance, happiness, joy, love, compassion, good or evil intention, and all types of feelings and emotions, regardless of whether there is a God or no God, whether we believe in God or don’t believe in God.

We should respect everyone’s belief and no need to argue or debate about God and no God, ‘your’ God, ‘his’ God, or ‘my’ God. Anyway if there is a God, He does not belong to anybody, or any name and form that we human beings put on to Him. He doesn’t belong to any church or temple or any name and form that we give to those buildings that people go for prayers, rituals and contemplation.

He is He. He is not mine, not yours, not theirs. He is everyone’s guardian, parent, friend, lover, companion, healer, teacher or anything that we would like Him to be. Everyone deserves Him. It doesn’t matter when we think ourselves or others are good or not good. Because He is all pervading, all love and compassion, all powerful and infinite.

If we want to attain God, we need to purify our impurities and remove the discrimination of dualities. We need to know what is intentionlessness, non-duality, oneness, non-separateness, attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness. If we don’t understand what are these terms, then we are building up an invisible wall between God and us which prevents us to realize Him. We thought God didn’t love us. We would question God why did he allow so much suffering and unfair happenings in the world.

God is always here with us whether sometimes we are good and happy, and sometimes we are not so good and unhappy. Even when we are still full of impurities and ignorance, when we are being imperfect, whether our body is clean or dirty, whether we are sleeping or awake, God has never left us. He is always with us, guiding us and shows us the way to see Him or realize Him in our heart, not with this fleshy eyes. Because if it's the almighty God, God is nameless and formless without attributes. We can’t perceive Him through our fleshy eyes and the mind. Whether we believe there’s a God or not, He is always there unmoved by our little mind with qualities, names and forms. It doesn’t matter what languages are we speaking, what cultures are we having, what religions are we practicing, what nationality we have, God is still the same God at anytime and anywhere.

When we do realize Him, our heart is full of love, peace, joy, compassion and wisdom. There is no words that can express that in definite except being silent. We would repent all our past wrong doings but at the same time also forgive ourselves and let the past go. We would not ask anything from God if we truly realize Him. We would see Him in all and everything and everyone. We would be content. It is only when we don’t realize Him and perceive separation from Him, that we will pray to Him and ask for His blessings.

If it's the almighty God, God doesn’t live in a restricted building, or only be at some specific places in the world. He is everywhere and anywhere at all time, from ancient to the future, from before the beginning of existence to the period of existence and to destruction and after destruction. He is within us and without us. He is all pervading, all presence and all knowledge.

How can He be limited by us, human being, into certain name and form? How can He be limited in some small buildings on earth in so called church, or temple, or mosque, comparing to this vast space of unlimited infinite universe?

If we believe there is a God, and we believe in Him and love Him, how can we own Him selfishly and limit Him of his love, power, knowledge, presence and infinity only available to a particular quality of name and form? How can we use His name to hurt and torture other human being’s feelings and lives, and cause painful sorrow to others, physically and mentally, through generating invasion, wars and killings under the name of international boundary, caste, creed, sect and different names of religion, that discriminate all and everyone?

Some people need a God to be their guide in life, or else they will be lost in this ocean of ignorance, miseries and distractions.

Some people have found their own belief to be their guide to suit their own temperament and convenience, and some people have found their own Self to be the guide.

Are we not the same when death comes to us? Are we not the same when we are angry and have hatred? Are we all not the same when we cry and laugh? Are we all not the same when we want to love someone and want to be loved? Are we not the same when we are truly peaceful and compassionate?

Are we all not breathing the same air from the same space in the same universe?

Are we all not being alive by eating the food and drinking water coming from the same earth with the same sun shining on us?

Does the sun only shines on certain religion people and not to the others?

Is the air that we breathe in only accessible for ‘good’ people and not for ‘bad’ people?

Does the earth only allow certain human beings to step on it, to live on it and to put so much shit and rubbish on it, and not allowing other human beings who have different beliefs and religions to live on it?

When we lost someone that we loved so much, isn’t it the same painful sorrows for everyone with different religions, skin colours, castes, creeds, sects, languages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, and levels of education and knowledge?

When we suffer headache, toothache, injuries or sickness, are we all not the same having pain and fear towards death and the unknown?

Every religion or philosophy talks about morality. All talk about love, peace, compassion, wisdom and selflessness. Why do human beings create so much problem and suffering out of discrimination for themselves and others? It's ignorance.

If we have established a firm discipline and self-control over our thoughts, speech and actions, we all are the same regardless of whether we believe or disbelieve in anything.

We will check all our out going thoughts, before we generate any speech and action, so that we will not harm or hurt anyone’s feelings, and will not create painful sorrow for other people, intentionally.

If there is one true religion, it is non-discriminative, purity, compassion and wisdom, it's accessible to all. All are the one same nature of impermanence and selflessness. When we realize the truth of neither good nor bad, or non-duality, it doesn’t mean that we can hurt somebody recklessly, or indulging in lustful desires and drug/intoxicant abuse, and hurt anybody’s feelings selfishly. It is about going beyond both quality of good and bad, and transcending happiness and unhappiness, enjoyment and suffering. It is void of intentional evil actions and free from craving/longing for generating and accumulating good karma from performing good actions.

It doesn’t matter if some people say that they don’t have any religion or don’t believe in spirituality at all, but maybe they are more spiritual than many people who call themselves spiritual and religious, and belong to a certain spirituality or religion. Not having a religion doesn’t mean that a person is not spiritual. Not being spiritual or religious doesn't mean that one is not peaceful, wise and compassionate. Being spiritual and religious doesn't mean that one is peaceful, wise and compassionate.

Just because it is called ‘religion’ or ’spirituality’, it should not be limited by the name and form to justify anyone is religious or spiritual, or not. It is something within us whether we are aware of it, or not, realize it, or not, calling it a religion or spirituality, or not.

It is the unconditional non-discriminative love, peace, compassion and wisdom that everyone has.

We should respect that everyone is free to do what they want to do, and think what they like to think, even if they intentionally harm themselves or others, but everyone will be responsible for the consequences of their every single action.

Everyone is free to do what they like and be responsible for themselves. Out of our own awareness, we have self-control so that our actions will not hurt other people and create painful sorrow for others, it doesn’t matter if they are our loved ones, or people that we don’t know, if we are sincere in walking the path of Yoga and want to achieve spiritual realization.

People argue about whether yoga is religious, or not. Some say yes, some say no. It really doesn’t matter if it is “religious” or “not religious”. Take away all those names and forms, and take away the mind, what left is just what it is.

May we all develop correct understanding and achieve unconditional peace and happiness in this world.

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About Yoga

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

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