Be Yourself

Yoga is be yourself.

Be yourself is yoga.

Be comfortable with yourself, your body and your mind.

Be comfortable with the present moment now.

Be happy with your life.

Not trying to imitate someone else.

Not trying to be somebody who you are not.

Nothing is more true and real than be yourself...

Low Self-esteem, Pride & Arrogance - How to attain true confidence

Pride and arrogance need to attach towards certain things to express itself, to be existing. Such like the family name and origin, the wealth and health, the fame, the knowledge, the educational level, the title, the physical body, the appearance, the thinking, the talents and abilities, the culture, the religion, the social status, the achievement, the success, the possession, the relationships, the actions and the fruit of actions, and etc… This is because we (the thinking mind functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism) are not confident about ourselves, and the ego needs something other than what we are, to give us the sense of self-worth and to get rid of the void or the sense of emptiness from within.

It is only when we are not truly confident about ourselves, we will have pride and arrogance when we have achieved some accomplishment to feel good about ourselves and thinking that we are better than other people, and there's an urge to show off and prove to other people that we are somebody with such and such accomplishment or superiority.

If we are truly confident about ourselves, there is no need for us to show off to other people about anything and we don’t need to be prideful and arrogant about anything at all. Neither there is a need to feel more superior than anyone else.

Pride and arrogance is a play of the ego. But if we (the thinking mind) do not know how to be free from the ego, this mind will be over-powered by the ego without being aware of it.
 

It's also because there's a non-existence individual identification existing in the mind identifying with the qualities of names and forms that are subject to selfless impermanent changes to be 'I', that's why the sense of void or emptiness is always there, because this identification of 'I' is merely an idea deriving from ignorance and egoism of attachment towards the selfless impermanent names and forms, where it doesn't have a real solid permanent independent existence.

 

If the ego is absent, if attachment and identification doesn't exist in the mind, there won't be egoistic reaction towards the sense of insecurity/uncertainty arising from egoistic attachment and identification, and it's needless to be proud and arrogant about oneself and towards any kind of accomplishment achieved through the body and mind.
 

The sense of emptiness and insecurity (uncertainty) that arise due to attachment and identification towards names and forms that are subject to inevitable selfless impermanent changes disappears upon the realization of selflessness (the annihilation of the ego and egoism), as the thinking mind is void of attachment or identification. It won’t need pride and arrogance to prevent itself from humiliation or to avoid itself from being looked down or humiliated by somebody. “Humiliation” doesn't exist upon the realization of selflessness, as there's no attachment or identification towards any names and forms. 

 

When there's no attachment or identification in the thinking mind towards any names and forms that is selfless and impermanent, what is “pride and arrogance”? What is “low self-esteem and humiliation”? When 'I' doesn't exist, who is being prideful and arrogant? Who is being low self-esteem and humiliated?

People who suffer low self-esteem need other people’s acknowledgment, agreement, recognition, compliment and appreciation to feel good about themselves. They need other people to show them love, support and give positive feedback about themselves, to have the sense of self-worth, to feel good and meaningful. This is nothing wrong. But when they get some negative feedback about them, while not getting any attention and support, acknowledgment, agreement, recognition, compliment or appreciation that they expect to be receiving, they will become depressed and feel very low confidence or low self-worth. Because all these things are impermanent. They are some qualities of names and forms that are constantly changing. If we (the thinking mind) depend on all these things to have confidence about ourselves, we will end up being disappointed and unhappy.

The only thing that gives us true confidence is by knowing our true nature (selflessness), and realizing unconditional love, peace, compassion and wisdom from within ourselves upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism. This true confidence is not being influenced or affected by anything in the world, in our life, or the condition of our body and the state of our mind. It is free from duality or the qualities of good and bad, positive and negative, or meaningfulness and meaninglessness.

People who are low confident will always feel intimidated by people who are naturally confident as they are, even though other people didn’t have any intention to intimidate them. And they are always very sensitive towards how other people think of them and whether other people like them, accept them or agree with them, or not. Like wise, people who are truly confident naturally or unconditionally, won’t feel intimidated by anyone who are full of confidence, and they are not being determined by how other people think about them and treat them.

Most people think that confidence comes from their achievements or success in life. Some people think that it comes from the ability of their physical body to be able to do this and that. Some think that it comes from good relationship with other people. Some think that it comes from the beautiful appearance and presentation. Some think that it comes from being knowledgeable. Some think that it comes from possessing a lot of wealth, having a higher social status, having good health and a super fit body. Some think that it comes from being able to do whatever they want to do or go wherever they want to go. Some think that it comes from having control over their destiny or their life. Some think that it comes from gaining respect and trustworthy from other people especially from the people that they know and like. Some think that confidence comes from all the above being mentioned and not mentioned.

But somehow, even though people managed to get all these things/qualities in life as they wish, they will realize that actually all these things can only give them momentary satisfaction, confidence and good feeling about themselves, but it's not true and lasting satisfaction or confidence. When all these things changed and disappeared, they (the thinking mind) will be in a state of dissatisfaction and disappointment, as well as low confidence or low self-worth.

Some people have lots of money, beautiful appearance, good health, freedom, great charisma and personality, fantastic successful career, and are able to get whatever they want, or do whatever they like and go wherever they want to go, but they are still suffering from low self-esteem, and are not happy. They still have lots of dissatisfaction, disappointment, doubts, insecurity, fear and worry. There are still lots of judgment, criticism, comparison, competition and expectation towards themselves and the others. They are still being disturbed by anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, anxiety, irritation, frustration, craving and aversion, and being ignorant towards the truth of things.

And so, some people start to look for true confidence which can only be found from within, that is selfless, nameless, formless, attributeless, changeless, beginningless and endless. It is beyond the condition of the body, the state of the mind, the life existence and the world. It is beyond the ability of the body and mind to do this and that. It is beyond the happy and unhappy feelings, good and bad feelings. It is not being determined or affected by impermanence. It is fearless and worry-less. It is the realization of the true nature of all and everything, which is, selflessness. Knowing we are unconditional and unlimited love, peace, compassion and wisdom. Knowing we are full, whole and content.

True confidence has got nothing to do with whatever the mind perceives through the senses, nor has it got anything to do with anything in the perceived world of names and forms. It has got nothing to do with the accumulated knowledge and learning that we attained in this world. Even people who had study a lot and know a lot can still be suffering from low self-esteem.

True confidence comes from when we (the thinking mind) know how to accept ourselves as we are, in this present moment now, for where we are, what we are, and how we are. It is when we know how to love ourselves and love all, unconditionally, as it is. We don’t need to prove to anyone about who we are or how we are. We are what we are.

It is only when we cannot accept ourselves as we are, and trying to be somebody and someone whom we are not in the present moment now, that disconnect ourselves (the thinking mind) with the true confidence that is already there, and always there, unchanging, never increase or decrease.

There is a big difference between “not accepting ourselves as we are and want to change ourselves to become what we want us to be” and “accepting ourselves as we are, but continue to evolve or to improve”. One is full of aversion, craving and discontentment, while the other one is full of contentment and confidence.

 

Under the presence of true confidence, 'humility' or 'humbleness' also doesn't exist in the mind. There's no 'I' being there to be identifying as "I am humble." There's neither humility and humbleness nor pride and arrogance. The mind that thinks and believes and identifies itself as "I am humble", or "I am not prideful and arrogant" is still functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism. It's not free.

With true confidence, we can be in the world enjoying everything that we do and don’t do, can do and cannot do, but not being disturbed or affected by the impermanent world and the fruit of actions.

 

When the mind is free from attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation, when the mind allows all kind of impermanent changes being what they are, as they are, without trying to control everything to be or not to be in certain way, when the mind is free from fear and worry, when the mind doesn't need to develop high confidence or be confident at all, true confidence is there as it is.

May we all be free from pride and arrogance, and be truly confident by attaining or realizing the highest knowledge of the selfless Self.

We All Take Responsibility For Ourselves

We all take responsibility for ourselves, for our actions, decisions, intentions, expectations and the consequences of our actions.

When we are disappointed and feel hurt, it is because we allow ourselves to be disappointed and be hurt. Nothing can make us angry or sad if we aren't attached to the mind, the ego and the happenings out there.

When we are contented and feel happy, it is because we allow ourselves to be contented and be happy. Nothing can make us content and happy but our own mind is pure, free from attachment, tensions, fear, worry, craving and aversion.

It is not the things out there that cause us dissatisfaction, irritation and frustration. It is our own mind likes the agreeable and dislikes the disagreeable.

We are the one who make the decision wanting to perform any actions and we should take the responsibilty for whatever consequences that arise due to our actions.

No one can force us to perform any actions that we don't want to perform if we don't want to. If it is out of fear, pressure or desperation, or even if it is out of compassion and righteousness, and we commit actions that generate undesirable consequences, then it is our own responsibility and should not blame on anything for the consequences of our actions.

It is our own will to perform or not to perform any actions and speech, to go there or not to go there, to be here or not to be here.

I took the decision to be at a place at certain timing without any undesireable intentions, but if I still encounter with undesireable encounterings, then it is my own responsibility to be at that place, at that time.

In every step that we take, in every movement that we make, there is a risk or some risks that we are taking. Whether we are sleeping, sitting, standing, walking, running, breathing, eating, drinking, dancing, exercising, hiking, skiing, boating, working, driving, getting into relationships, having children, buying something and anything else that we can think of that we did, are doing and will want to do, there are risks in everything. We should know the risks and be willingly to take the risks and be responsible for ourselves.

We are the one who wants to go into the forest to take a walk. We trip over a tree branch and fall onto the ground and hurt ourselves. We can't be saying that "Stupid forest! Stupid tree branch! Look what you did! You cause me pain and suffering"

We made the decision to eat fish, but accidently we swallowed a fish bone and hurt our throat, we can't be blaming the fish - "Stupid fish! You cause me pain and suffering!". Or we can't be blaming the person who caught the fish, or who prepared the fish, or who cooked the fish, or who served the fish - "Stupid people! You cause me pain and suffering!"

It is us who decide to eat fish, who want to put the fish into our own mouth, and who are careless enough to swallow a fish bone and got hurt.

If we decide to do anything - to eat poisonous food or to do some physical exercises, we are the one who should take full responsibility for our ownselves for any consequences that may arise.

Even if we don't want to go anywhere and do nothing, and are sitting there not moving, and got hit by a falling tree beside us, it is still our own responsibility.

During a yoga asana class, although we are following the instructions from the yoga teacher or instructor to perform such and such exercises, it is still our own responsibilty to take care of our own body. We should never put the responsibility solely onto the teacher to make sure that we won't experience discomforts or won't suffer injury. The teacher might be teaching incorrect methods or techniques and being careless and irresponsible, but it is our own responsibility to decide whether we want to listen to this teacher or not, and whether we want to follow this teacher's instructions or not.

Even if the teacher is teaching very good methods and techniques, and are very careful and responsible, but the risk of getting discomforts or injuries will still be existing. It is up to ourselves to take that responsibility whether our body can take how much physical training and how far it can go.

Let's say that there are 10 people in a yoga asana class, and everyone is performing the same exercises, but some of them might be encountering difficulty but not the others. And so, it is subject to the condition of our own body whether we will be encountering discomforts or not, in performing the exercises. It is our own responsibility to do or not to do any exercises, and not because our teacher ask us to do, and we have to do it, even though we know that our body is not capable to do it yet. We can't be saying that "It's the teacher fault or the exercise fault that cause my body to get hurt and experience discomfort"

We know our own body more than anyone else, not the teacher nor any doctor. We are the one who had made the decision to follow a class under a certain teacher or instructor, to put our body into certain positions, and to observe the ability of our physical body to be comfortable in all the positions and exercises, and are not challenging our body to go beyond its limits.

If the teacher or instructor wants to help us and pushes or pulls our body into certain position and somehow we experience muscle pull or muscular tendons/ligaments injury, it is still our own responsibility for allowing the teacher or instructor to do so. If we are not comfortable in pushing our body over its limits, then we should ask the teacher not to push or pull us into any positions. None other people but our ownselves who can be responsible for all the comfort and discomfort sensations in our body and the mind.

We should know when we can push a little more or to stretch a little further.

We want to play with fire and got burnt by fire, it's our own responsibility, don't blame the fire. We can have control of the steering wheel while driving a car, but there is still some other things that are not in our control, such like the engine breaks down, or the battery runs out, or the tyres puncture, or some other cars run into our car and cause accident and damages. Somebody runs amok and stabs us with a knife, we have to take the responsibility that it just happens that we are being there at that time and unwittingly has become the most vulnerable "victim". We are greedy and got cheated by somebody in some business affairs, it is our own responsibility. We want to get involve with nasty people in doing nasty business and got into troubles, it is our own responsibility. We want to cross the road and are unfortunately being knocked down by a car, it is our own responsibility. We made some enemies and are being attacked by the enemies, it is our own responsibility.

We have to take careful precautions for doing anything but we can't have control of how other people act and the consequences of their actions even if it involves some other innocent people.

Anyway yoga is not about the ability of the physical body to perform such and such asanas. It is not about challenging our body to go beyond its limits. It is not about to achieve perfection in all the asana poses or to achieve perfect physical flexibilty and strength.

In an yoga asana class, everyone has different physical flexibility and strength. everyone might be doing the same exercises but may not look the same.

Yoga asana practice is suppose to be yourself, be comfortable with your body at the present moment now. Not comparing with anybody or with ourselves in our past experience. And not trying to imitate anybody to be looking exactly the same, not even imitating the teacher. From moment to moment, the condition of the body and the mind is not the same anymore. It's constantly changing. We cannot expect the body to perform actions exactly the same as what the body could perform in the past nor expect to feel the same sensations as in the past of how we felt in performing the same exercises. Yesterday I can touched my toes comfortably, but maybe not today. This morning I was not comfortable in performing backward bends, but in the afternoon I can perform backward bends comfortably. It is up to the condition of the physical body at this present moment now to perform any exercises comfortably or not. We cannot expect the body to have the same flexibility and strength all the time.

Yoga is about accepting ourselves as we are, accept the condition of our body and the mind as it is as this present moment now, this is what our body can do and cannot do. It is about be comfortable with ourselves, with our body, with our mind, with the present moment now, with our life, with the world, and be comfortable with where we are, how we are, what we are doing and not doing, and what we are able to do and not able to do.

Yoga is about being at the present moment now, not being disturbed or influenced by the past or the future.

Yoga is about non-attachment towards the world, the life, the body, the mind, the intellect, the ego, the thoughts, the feelings, the sensations, the senses and whatever the mind perceives through the senses.

Yoga is about letting go of fear and worry. It's about acceptance, forgiving, surrendering the selfish ego and letting go.

Yoga is about unselfish love, unconditional love, unlimited love, eternal peace, purity, compassion, wisdom, oneness and non-duality.

Yoga is about realizing our true Self and go back to our true nature.

Yoga is happening every moment in our hearts in our lives. It's not about trying to make ourselves to be perfect human beings or good beings, nor trying to make other people to be perfect and good. It is no matter what the condition of the body and the mind is, we remain equanimous, calm and at peace, not being disturbed or affected by all the changing phenomena.

Yoga is about going beyond or transcend the energy, the state of mind, the duality, and the qualities of all the names and forms.

Yoga is definitely not about pushing ourselves to challenge the body to go beyond its limits or to achieve perfection in all the yoga exercises.

Even if we can achieve perfect super physical flexibility and strength, it doesn't guarantee us true happiness or freedom from impurities, dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

It is the inner flexibility and inner strength that will bring us peace of mind and lead us to our true Self, and to realize the love, peace, compassion and wisdom in us.

All the asana practice should be performed in a relaxed manner and not suppose to be competitive and struggling at all. It is about developing inner flexibility, inner strength, non-attachment, non-judging, non-comparing, non-expecting and being aware of the present moment now while performing all the yoga physical exercises.

It's about knowing the nature of the mind and not being over-powered by the mind. It's about being the witness or observer who is witnessing or observing whatever the body and mind is experiencing at the present moment now. It's about not attached to the thoughts, feelings and sensations and know that all these things are impermanent in nature no matter they are positive or negative, good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant.

It's about being free undisturbed by the condition of the body and the mind, as well as unaffected by the condition of the life and the world.

Even though when we say that we are not the mind, we are not the body, we are not the doer for all our actions and speech, but this mind and this body are still our responsibility whether to allow the mind and the body to commit in any actions and speech. Even if this mind and this body is conditioned by energy and elements, but we should have the will power to be stronger than the mind and the body to control our actions and speech, and not push away the responsibility of our actions and speech onto the energy and the elements to determine what we act and say.

May all be happy.

Advanced (in) Yoga & Meditation Practice?

Someone asked how do we know that we are advancing in our yoga and meditation practice?

In a simple terms, the state of our mind should be reflected in our daily life.

When we find that we are a happier person in life, less selfishness, less complaints, less craving and aversion, less fear and worry, are becoming more humble, positive, compassionate, patient, tolerant and forgiving, and we have stronger self-control and are developing non-attachment towards the body, the mind, the intellect and the ego, and are able to remain calm and at peace most of the time, then know that we are advancing in yoga and meditation practice, even though we are not strong and flexible physically to perform such and such asanas, and are not experiencing "transcendental" state in meditation.

In contrast, if we find that we are more unhappy in life, more selfishness, more complaints, more craving and aversion, more fear and worry, are becoming more arrogant, negative, angry, hating, impatient, intolerant and unforgiving, and we have no self-control over our own thoughts, actions and speech, and are attached strongly to the body, the mind, the intellect and the ego, and are agitated and being emotionally and mentally disturbed most of the time having no peacefulness, then know that we are moving away from yoga and meditation practice, even though physically we are strong and flexible to perform such and such asanas, and are experiencing "transcendental" state in meditation. But know that this is also part of the path and part of the purification process. It is not something "bad" if we are aware of it.

Meditate with a pure mind upon purity, we evolve towards purity. Meditate with an impure mind upon impurity, we evolve towards impurity. And thus, purification of the mind is the most important fundamental practice before any other spiritual practice. When the mind is pure, we'll know that purification of the mind is not just the fundamental practice but it is the only practice and the entire practice.

Only when we are beyond the mind and all states of the mind, then we will not be affected nor disturbed nor influenced by any states of the mind.

May all be happy.

Yoga Retreats

Yoga retreats create a special time and space for us to retreat from our everyday life routines and daily habitual activities while being concentrating on disciplined yogic cleansing practice, yoga asana practice, pranayama practice, meditation practice, relaxation, karma yoga (selfless service), bhakti yoga (faith in the guru and the teachings, and surrendering the selfish ego) and jnana yoga (hearing, learning and contemplating on the yoga philosophy).

It allows us to have the opportunity to let go of our familiar habits and move away from the attachment towards familiar living environment and activities. It allows us to have the chance to be temporary letting go of our worldly duties, relationships and belongings, and to focus on our personal development and our relationship with our very own Self.

 

It is a very efficient way to learn about our own self and how the mind works, when the body and mind are being restricted for a period of time not being able to do what they usually like to do and want to do. As well as learning how to cope with tensions and how to let them go. Most important is that we learn how to stop generate tensions into the body and mind.

Yoga retreats are not about pampering ourselves in luxury comforts or learning how to do more yoga asanas or to runaway from our everyday problems.

It is a time and space for retreating from the bustling egoistic world of competition and stress. It is for us to get a relief from physical, emotional and mental tensions but it is not ignoring or running away from our problems. It gives us a space or a distance to look at our problems in a different angle. It can help us on how to confront and deal with everyday problems and able to remain calm without fear and worry, and being undisturbed by any unpleasant conditions and situations in life.

It is a great time and space for good satsanga (being with positive energy and wise company).

It is recharging, rebalancing, conserving and channeling the energy fields for higher realization.

It is a great purification process for the body and mind to be lighter and brighter physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

It is a mind deprogramming and reprogramming process. It is like an operation done onto the mind to remove "diseases". It helps to train the mind to be more open and having the confidence and courage to face the challenges in everyday lives.

It is a great transformation for anybody in learning about the yoga philosophy, materializing the philosophy practically in our everyday lives, and going deeper into the yoga practices that can help us to understand the nature of the mind and knowing the truth of things we perceived through the mind, and to be able to accept the truth of things as they are. And the most important thing is, to be able to accept ourselves as we are, and to be able to let go all the limited conditions that derive from attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, judgments and expectations.

It helps us to develop morality, faith, patience, self-control, tolerance, forbearance, perseverance, determination, confidence, will power, positive thinking, courage, fearlessness, mind flexibility, concentration, forgiveness, truthfulness, loving kindness, humility, equanimity, simplicity, respect, gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation, adjustment, adaptation, acceptance, accommodation, cheerfulness, contentment, generosity and etc, to realize selflessness, compassion and wisdom.

It is life transforming, changing the "incorrect" way of thinking and changing the habits of the mind (such like the habits of like to judge, to compare, to compete, expecting, projecting, assuming, non-concentrating and etc).

It helps us to be happier in life, not by rejecting our imperfect personality or imperfect life condition, but it is by accepting ourselves as we are and accepting our lives as they are, while at the mean time, without any expectations we are improving ourselves towards a better quality of life for ourselves, for the society, for humanity, for the world and for all beings who are sharing this whole universe.

It gives us the space to take a look at our own self, about the nature of our minds, how the mind reacts when it is being moved away and restricted from what it usually familiar with. It allows us to know about how much craving, clinging and attachment do we have in our mind and whether we are being over-powered by these craving, clinging and attachment, when we are not able to do the things that we usually do in life. We also learn about the aversion in our mind, whether we are being over-powered by what the mind likes and dislikes, how much control we have over our own craving and aversion, when we are asked to do things that we usually don't like to do, and not doing the things that we like to do, especially in a silent retreat where all types of communications with the world are restricted to the minimum.

It is a great opportunity to practice non-attachment and letting go.

Without any expectation towards what are the benefits that we will be getting from attending yoga retreats, everyone will have different experiences and different levels of transformation. While some people might have great resistance in letting go of the ego, pride and arrogance, craving and aversion, and be disturbed by their own conditioned and dissatisfied restless mind.

May all be happy and be benefited from attending yoga retreats.

Langkawi Relaxed Yoga Retreat In October 2010

Yoga Now Malaysia in Pantai Cenang Langkawi is holding a few Relaxed Yoga Retreats in October 2010.

October 2nd - 5th (4 days 3 nights)

October 11th - 16th (6 days 5 nights)

October 16th - 19th (4 days 3 nights)


Yoga Now Malaysia

4 Day 3 Night Relaxed Yoga Retreat Outline

Day 1
* 14.30 Orientation – Juice & fresh fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 19.00 Dinner
* 20.00 Free time
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 2
* 7.45 Neti Kriya
* 8.00 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Brunch
* 12.30 Free time
* 15.00 Juice & fresh fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 19.00 Dinner
* 20.00 Free time
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 3
* 7.45 Neti Kriya
* 8.00 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Brunch
* 12.30 Trip to waterfall *subject to the weather
* 15.00 Juice & fresh fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 19.00 Dinner
* 20.00 Free time
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 4
* 7.45 Neti Kriya
* 8.00 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Brunch
* 12.30 Check out


All levels are welcome.

Retreat fee for 4 days 3 nights is Rm 1,470 per person for single room and Rm 1,320 per person for twin sharing.

Retreat fee for 6 days 5 nights is Rm 2,450 per person for single room and Rm 2,200 per person for twin sharing.


Food (vegetarian meals, fruit and snacks) and accommodation (air-conditioning, attached bathroom with hot & cold shower, fridge, tea making facility etc…) are included with a free Yoga Now T-shirt, neti pot and free airport or ferry port pick-up and drop-off.

Our yoga retreats are for anyone who wants to practice yoga and meditation while having some free time visiting to some nature attractions on the island.

Be happy,

Meng Foong

Langkawi Intensive Yoga Retreat September 20th - 24th 2010

Welcome to Langkawi, Malaysia.

Come and join us for a 5 Days / 4 Nights Intensive Yoga Retreat in the beautiful tropical island of Langkawi starts from September 20th 2:30 pm to September 24th 12:00 noon.

This retreat is suitable for anyone who has great interest in the traditional yoga practice at all levels and experiences.

5 days / 4 nights Intensive Yoga Retreat Outline

Day 1

* 14.30 Orientation
* 15.00 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 2

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Strength and flexibility workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 3

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Advanced practice workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 4

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Trip to waterfall *subject to the weather
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 5

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.00 Check out

The course fee is Rm 2,160 per person for single room and Rm 1,960 per person for twin sharing.

Fee includes teaching, meals, snacks, beverages, trips, simple accommodation (with air-conditioning, attached bathroom with hot & cold shower, fridge, tea-making facilities…), a Yoga Now T-shirt, neti pot and free airport or ferry port pick up. Meals and snacks will be simple nutritious vegetarian food.

A non-refundable deposit of Rm 300 is requested upon reservation.

Looking forward to seeing you in Langkawi.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Join us for Intensive Yoga Retreat in Langkawi - September 10th - 19th 2010

Welcome to Langkawi, Malaysia.

Come and join us for an Intensive Yoga Retreat in the beautiful tropical island of Langkawi starts from September 10th 2:30 pm to September 19th 12:00 noon.

This retreat is suitable for anyone who has great interest in the traditional yoga practice at all levels and experiences.

Intensive Yoga Retreat Outline

Day 1

* 14.30 Orientation
* 15.00 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 2

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Strength and flexibility workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 3

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Advanced practice workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 4

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Trip to waterfall *subject to the weather
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 5

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Strength and flexibility workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 6

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Advanced practice workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 7

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Trip to waterfall *subject to the weather
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 8

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Strength and flexibility workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 9

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.30 Free time
* 13.30 Advanced practice workshop
* 15.15 Juice & fruit
* 16.00 Yoga class
* 18.30 Free time
* 19.30 Dinner
* 21.00 Guided meditation

Day 10

* 7.30 Jala Neti
* 7.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
* 8.45 Break
* 9.00 Yoga class
* 11.30 Breakfast
* 12.00 Check out

Looking forward to seeing you in Langkawi.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

A Message To A Student Who Wants To Be Certified As Yoga Teacher

I have received a message from a yoga student who is already teaching yoga classes but is now looking forward to be a certified yoga teacher. She asked for my advice. We wanted to meet up at some stage but it didn’t happen. This is what I wrote to her.


Hello there,

I received your mail. I thought of talking to you face to face when we meet up, but never mind, I can still talk to you here.

First, you need to know why are you teaching yoga. If it’s just teaching for living-hood as a career to make money, then go ahead, sign up a course anywhere that will “provide” some “recognized certificates”. There’s nothing wrong with teaching yoga for the money.

But, if you want to share yoga with many others out of compassion because you have been benefited from yoga, then that piece of paper means nothing at all.

If you really know yoga, then there is no need to have a piece of paper to prove that you are a “yoga teacher” and are “qualified to teach yoga”.

If you still need a piece of paper to give you the confidence to teach yoga, then very obvious that you still haven’t really get the true meanings and true confidence that come from knowing yoga personally…

If you want to teach exercise class with yoga poses in those places that provide “yoga classes” for fitness, then you should have a “certificate” to go for the “interview” as a “yoga teacher/instructor”.

Real yoga doesn’t have “certification”.

Giving the knowledge of yoga or giving the teachings of yoga to other beings is not a “job” or a “business”. It is not about “teaching” other people to do yoga exercises. It is about sharing the wisdom of knowing what is true happiness and how to transcend suffering with anyone that has the need of listening to yoga philosophy and who has the need to know what is yoga and how yoga can help them to be free from unhappiness. It is purely sharing the joy, wisdom and compassion that come from the heart when our own heart has realized yoga, has realized the love, peace, compassion and wisdom within ourselves.

The money that comes from giving yoga classes are intentionless and without any expectation. The money is just to enable us to survive, for ourselves to evolve further and to share yoga with more other beings. The money from giving yoga classes is a blessing, not a reward or earning.

There is nothing wrong to teach yoga for money or to make a living.

There is nothing wrong about teaching yoga as a fitness exercise that can help many people to relax and feel good about themselves. But the real teachings of yoga can help us to be free from generating tension and negativity into our system. Teaching people to relax is not as effective as teaching people how to not generate tension and negativity at the first place. If there is no tension, there is no need of relaxation. What is the point, when people keep generating tension and go for relaxation to relieve tension, and continue to generate more tension into the system?

Real yoga practice and realization of the Truth allow us to be fearless and worry-less towards the law of nature - changes, old age, sickness, weakness, separation from our loved ones, not getting the things that we like, losing the things that we like, contact with the things that we don't like, and death... There is nothing wrong with all these natural life transformations or experiences. There is no need to resist all these natural transformations of life or changes of the physical body, but we are not identifying nor associating with all these experiences through the body and mind... It is just the body and mind experiencing all these impermanent changes of the qualities of names and forms... We allow each transformation of life or changes of this physical body to happen, in peace... It allows us to be peaceful and compassionate being in any challenging difficult conditions or situations... It allows us to be able to make any decisions without doubt or fear or regret... It allows us to be firmed in all our decisions made and in all pursues. We don't need answers or guidance from the outside, but within ourselves is the source of everything that we need to know.

Here are a few articles I wrote about being a yoga teacher.

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.com/2010/04/about-ashrams.html

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.com/2009/11/about-yoga-teachers.html

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.com/2009/05/yoga-and-certification.html

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.com/2009/08/i-noticed-that-many-yoga-students-are.html

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.fr/2011/05/how-to-become-confident-yoga-teacher.html 

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.in/2011/10/advice-to-yoga-teacher.html 

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.ie/2012/06/about-yoga-teachers-and-teaching-yoga.html 

http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.in/2011/11/yoga-is-unconditioned-and-unlimited-by.html 

Follow whatever your heart wants to do.

Be happy in whatever you want to do.

No need to be afraid if you really want to share yoga with others, the path is there for you already.

Meng Foong