The practice of silence - Mauna (2)

For those who want to experiment what is the practice of silence is about, it's not necessarily that they have to be living in the forest or in a cave, as that can create many inconveniences, challenges and difficulties for the novice. They can experiment the practice of silence by attending a silent meditation retreat (not the commercialized luxury yoga retreat that emphasized on pleasurable enjoyment of the senses) at a dedicated retreat centre that provides the environment and facilities that allow people to be engaged in the practice of silence for a period of time - https://www.dhamma.org

For others who would like to observe silence in everyday life while living in a village or town or city, where one needs to look after one's everyday living/livelihood and/or looking after other people under one's care, it's not possible to observe complete silence at home for a prolonged period of time, as one still have to be regularly engaging in the worldly activities of coming in contact with other people from time to time, to live everyday life of getting to work, or doing business, and getting to shops to get supplies for daily needs and feeding oneself and/or those under one's care, and etc, though it's still possible to observe a few hours of complete silence being away from stimulation of worldly activities of mind inputs and outputs of talking/outing/interacting/communicating/messaging/phoning/shopping/discussions/debates/worrying/physical fitness training/munching outside of basic meal times/playing musical instrument or games/reading news, magazines, or novels/listening to songs, music, talks or story telling/watching TV programs, advertisements, movies, shows performance, theater, or entertainments, and all forms of social contacts and activities during that few hours (even just for half an hour, if time and space constraint) when staying awake outside of sleeping hours.

Sleeping doesn't count as observing silence as the mind will be unconsciously/involuntary being actively processing the memories or imprints of inputs, outputs, actions, reactions and emotions via dreams, except during the deep sleep mode where thought activities ceased, even when all the bodily systems still continue to be functioning autonomously/ceaselessly for maintaining life or staying alive.

Practicing partial silence in everyday life beside the few hours of complete solitude and seclusion restricting the mind inputs and outputs as mentioned above, it's about filtering the inputs and outputs by:-

- Choosing inputs and outputs that will bring more correct understanding, quietness, peace and harmony to the mind of oneself and others. Avoid inputs and outputs that will inflict greater attachment, identification, expectation, craving and aversion, passionate desire, restlessness, stupidity, greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, lies, untruthfulness, hypocrisy, dissatisfaction, disappointment, grief, depression, hurt, hostility, violence, ill-thinking, fear and worry, and other impurities in the mind of oneself and others.

- Reducing and limiting the physical and mental engagement in social life interactions and activities as much as possible, such like disinterest or care less towards worldly affairs, or other people's affairs, allowing everyone to develop correct understanding, self-introspection, self-discipline and self-realization, to know what is going on in their minds, to learn to love themselves and to look after their own minds and life independently (many passionate friendly sociable good people would disagree with this, as they don't know/understand what is beyond the worldly thinking and belief of the 'normal', 'friendly', 'caring', 'good' and 'appropriate' human behavior. Looking after one's mind by purifying and silencing one's mind to be free from ignorance and egoism, to stop unwittingly and constantly 'hurting' oneself and others out of ignorance and egoism and impurities is the most efficient, compassionate and friendliest way to truly care for the world and other beings)

- Talk only when necessary of something important or in the case of emergency.

- Talk less by minimizing and cutting short conversation using simple words of 'Hello', 'Good morning/afternoon/evening/night/day/bye' and 'Thank you' upon coming in contact with other people in everyday life.

- Learn how to be free from boredom, loneliness, left-out or meaninglessness.

- Stop feeding the desire of craving and aversion.

- Give up the worldly nature/tendency of curiosity, busybody, minding other people's affairs, heroism, gossiping, discussion, debate, commenting, flirting, bonding, connecting, networking, relationship building, teasing, blaming, fault finding, back-biting, criticism, argument, justification, complaining, moaning, mourning, day dreaming, building castle in the air, and etc.
Looking after the overall well-being and livelihood of oneself and/or those under one's care, perform daily tasks of maintaining the living space, without attachment or expectation, and performing social selfless service of pure and compassionate actions without attachment, identification, discrimination, bias, judgment, comparison or expectation and renouncing the fruit of action, without personal/political/commercial/religious agenda and ambition, or selfish intention and desire, doesn't contradict to the practice of silence.

- Give up personal friendships accumulation, but be friendly to all by freeing one's mind from ignorance, egoism and impurities, without discrimination of personal likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, desires of craving and aversion, possessiveness or expectation towards others, develop understanding and respect towards other people's different ways of life and values of life, thinking, belief, practice, action and reaction, or behavior under different life condition and situation, and develop tolerance, forbearance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, forgiveness and letting go.

- Do not interfere with other people's freedom of thinking and belief and way of life, or intrude other people's privacy and personal or living space. Do not try to convert or change or correct other people's thinking/belief/way of life that we don't like or don't agree with. Mind our own mind and life. What other people want and don't want to think, feel, believe, practice, behave, act or react, and the consequences of their actions are their freedom and responsibility. Let everyone learn to take the responsibility for their actions and looking after themselves.

- Stay away from ignorant trouble-makers if possible, if it's not possible to stay away, then endure the challenges or difficulties that arise due to other people's ignorance and the consequences of their ignorant behavior, instead of trying to control or change or correct them or hoping that they will go away. Even this 'challenging and difficult' situation out of other people's ignorance is also impermanent. Do not feed ignorance with ignorance. Confronting people under the influence of ignorance will only generate greater ignorant reactions and unnecessary damages. It's the prideful arrogant ego that thinks and believes that "I can control or change or correct/educate these ignorant people to stop behaving ignorantly." It's up to everyone to be aware of ignorance in themselves, and want to be free from ignorance or stop behaving ignorantly. Buddha can only guide people who are aware of ignorance and suffering in themselves on how to be humble to look into their mind to see the truth, but Buddha can't remove the veil of ignorance in anyone, so that they will be aware of ignorance in themselves. Trying to control/change/correct ignorant people by fighting or conflicting with them will only provoke more ignorant reactions. It's like telling most arrogant people, "Hey! Don't do this. You are so stupid." they will be more determined to do it.

- During the practice of silence in everyday life, if the mind is struggling with boredom, loneliness, or meaninglessness, one can divert the time, energy and attention/importance into the inquiry or contemplation of the truth of names and forms, study the teachings of yoga and the existing thinking and belief in one's mind to investigate the truth of it, or developing one-pointedness of the mind focusing at one object internally or externally, or perform Japa or chanting, or do some light yoga asana practice, until the mind starts to be at ease without much usual habits of worldly physical or mental activities, one can then channel the time, energy and attention into meditation, starting with observing the natural breath as it is, when this practice becomes effortless/non-struggle, one can then observe the physical sensations moving the awareness from point to point through out the body, without attachment, judgment, expectation, craving or aversion towards the pleasant or unpleasant sensations arising and passing away. When the practice become effortless, when the mind becomes quiet, naturally, the mind sees the truth as it is, insights or wisdom will arise upon the vanish of the veil of ignorance.

It's absolutely possible to not having (or turn-off) TV, internet connection, phone connection, radio, music player, games and other convenient entertainments for the senses at home. Or, not going to the cinema, theaters, concerts, invitations, parties, events, functions, amusement park, entertainment centres, fancy restaurants, clubhouse, social interactive cafe, pleasurable enjoyment outlet, commercial malls, and so on.

It's also possible to reduce and minimize social communications, interactions and activities, the accumulation of friendship and relationship, minimize contact with family and friend circle and the neighbours, minimize engaging in the community activities of the village/town/city, maximize solitude and seclusion outside the time when one has to come in contact with other people for work or getting daily needs for living/survival or in the case of emergency. Family and friends who truly love and accept us as we are, will not be offended or unhappy by our non-sociable way of life, or the practice of silence, seclusion and solitude. Those who truly know what is love will let go the people whom they loved. The family and friends who will complain and be offended, that's their freedom for how they think, feel and react, but then we understand that it's their ignorance, egoism and impurities that cause them to think, feel and react in such way. We can let them be and be unaffected and undetermined by their ignorance.

Basically, one must know how to be undisturbed or not be bothered by how the society/other people perceive, think and judge about one's practice of silence and renouncing social interactions and activities, as there will always be some kind of non-understanding, non-acceptance, non-accommodating, disrespectfulness, interference or intrusion towards other people's privacy and freedom of life, judgment, disagreement, dissatisfaction, disappointment, expectation, gossip, criticism or condemn coming from people of family, friends, relatives, community, or those who don't even know the practitioner personally, due to ignorance, egoism and impurities. If one doesn't know how to be undisturbed by all these worldly reactions from other people, it will only cause more unhappiness and disturbance in one's mind being determined and disturbed by other people's thinking and belief, and other people's expectation and intrusion towards one's way of life or practice. If so, the practice of partial silence in everyday life becomes impossible or being contradicting towards the 'normal' way of life of the society or the worldly minded people.

Both sociable and non-sociable way of life is neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong. Just that for one who is aware of the ignorance and suffering in one's mind, who wants to be free from ignorance and suffering, the practice of silence is essential, though not everyone is suitable for this practice. It requires tremendous will power, perseverance, self-discipline, mental and emotional independence, fearlessness, dispassion and non-attachment deriving from the basic understanding of yoga, suffering and the cause of suffering, ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, the mind and the modifications of the mind, the ego and egoism, and the not necessarily easy or comfortable, but 'correct' and 'efficient' way/path to be free from ignorance and suffering.

People who don't talk much, don't interact much, who are not responsive towards other people's 'friendliness' or 'interest to be interacting with other people', are being perceived or understood by the society/worldly minded people as 'abnormality', 'rude', 'unfriendly', 'unhealthy', or 'uncaring'. Even many yoga enthusiasts of yoga practitioners and yoga teachers are also not free from this type of perception, thinking and belief.

Non-sociable is not the same as anti-social. It's normal that people would perceive or think that the practice of silence is anti-social, or non-contributing to the society or the world, or being selfish. But they don't know that silence of the mind is the highest and purest form of contribution towards humanity and the society or the world and our loved ones, by freeing one's mind from ignorance, egoism and impurities, stop hurting oneself and/or others out of ignorance, egoism and impurities, and being non-intrusive/non-interference/respectful towards other people's freedom of different ways of life, thinking, belief, practice and behavior. If people want to judge, that's their freedom. Let them be.

If one seriously wants to implement the practice of partial silence into everyday life, then one can try one's best to avoid coming in contact with or staying away from worldly minded people who strongly believe in and advocate 'certain thinking and beliefs of how human beings should and shouldn't behave and live life', 'ideal of building a perfectly all good and bad-free world', 'ideal of changing the world to be the way that they think it should be', 'be in control', 'be in power', 'be strong', 'be passionate', 'be sociable', 'be inspired', 'be interactive' and 'community values' way of life, or those who attached strongly onto and be proud towards their own way of life and values of life, who want to convert and correct other people whom they dislike and disagree with, and they get offended or disturbed by other people's different ways of life or values of life, and they expect other people should also be like them having the similar way of life and values of life.

Those who truly practice yoga and meditation, who are truly friendly, kind and compassionate, is nothing to do with being outspoken, talkative, sociable or interactive, and actively engaging in worldly social, community, cultural, family and friends affairs, interactions and activities. They have no identification as 'friendly, kind and compassionate people'. They might be performing actions that would benefit the world silently, but they don't intent/aspire to change the world to be all good and nothing bad. They don't expect other people to also be like them. They have no attachment or identification towards their actions and they have no expectation towards the fruit of their actions, allowing the fruit to be what it is. They don't interfere with or intrude other people's freedom of different ways of life, thinking, belief, practice and behavior, even though the mind might dislike or disagreeable with those ways of life, thinking, belief, practice and behavior. They don't try to covert or change or 'correct' other people who are different from them to also be like them. They allow the law of nature to be what it is. They are free from craving or clinging towards 'goodness' and aversion towards 'badness'. They respect everyone to be what they are, as they are, even if they are not very nice, or behave nastily or destructively, due to ignorance. They allow everyone to experience, learn and evolve at their own cause and pace, even if the entire world or humanity will be destroyed by ignorance. Because none can free another being from the consequences of their own actions or their own suffering deriving from ignorance, egoism and impurities, but oneself.

One will be very disappointed if one expects everyone to be good and do good and nothing bad and evil. The world is a platform for human beings under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities to 'play', to 'have fun', to 'procreate', to gratify their desires of creating something that they like and destroying something that they don't like. Greed, dissatisfaction, discrimination, bias, unjust, corruption, anger, hatred, jealousy, lust, hurt, offensiveness, hostility, ill-will, fear, worry, hunger, thirst, conflicts, violence, wars and etc are everywhere. There are also some goodness, good deeds, kindness, empathy, sympathy, charity, assistance, higher technologies, pleasurable enjoyments and entertainment, good family, good relationship, good behavior, good understanding, good friendships, good community, good companion, good life, good environment, good condition, good situation, good people, and so on. But no matter how much badness and how much goodness, all are impermanent. Appreciate and support all the goodness but without attachment, clinging or craving towards goodness, and do not appreciate or support badness but without aversion towards badness, if one wants to be free.

Those who are free and peaceful, they don't need to observe all the above practice or observation of silence to render the mind pure and quiet to allow the mind to see the truth of names and forms, to be free from ignorance and be peaceful. They can live alone away from the society, or live with other people among the society, but they are not influenced or disturbed by what is happening in the world, or the ignorance, egoism, impurities, or interference of other people, remain equanimous in peace.

The practice of silence is for those who sincerely want to know the truth of one's mind and suffering. Those who have no interest in knowing the mind, who don't need to be free from suffering, who are happy with everything as it is, they don't need to do this practice.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their life, body and mind.

Conflict between the practice of influencing the state of the mind and observing the mind perception as it is?

Some people get confused by the yoga asana, pranayama and concentration practice that is about influencing the state of the mind (intentionally changing the state of the mind to be something different by purifying and rendering the impure restless wandering mind to be pure and calm and focus) and the practice of observing the mind perception of names and forms/thought activities and allowing the mind perception of names and forms/thought activities to be there as it is, without attachment, identification, judgment, expectation, craving or aversion towards the function/modification/thought activities of the mind, and allowing all the impermanent changes of all the names and forms to be there, as they are.

It seems like a contradiction of practice, but it's not really.

The mind is like the lake and the state of the mind is like the surface of the lake. The reflections are being reflected as they are when the surface of the lake is still, and the reflections are contorted when the surface of the lake is moving. By rendering the state of the mind calm and still will allow the mind to see things as they are or allowing the perception of names and forms to be reflected as it is, but it doesn't change the truth of the names and forms being what they are.

The modification/thoughts activities/perception of an individual reality of the mind is like the image/reflection of the sky or the sun or the moon being reflected on the surface of the lake, and no matter the images reflected on the lake is as they are or are contorted, (and if the lake has an egoistic thinking mind of likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, craving and aversion towards the reflection of the sky, the sun or the moon on itself, and desires to change the sky, the sun or the moon to be the way that it likes it to be,) the lake doesn't change the sky or the sun or the moon. And if the lake doesn't exist, there's no reflection of the sky, the sun or the moon, it still doesn't affect the sky, the sun or the moon being there as they are.

The reflection on the surface of the lake doesn't belong to the lake. The modification of the mind or the mind perception of pleasant/unpleasant/agreeable/disagreeable names and forms doesn't belong to the mind.

Just like all the contents of good and bad qualities of names and forms existing in this space cannot affect the space and they don't belong to the space. Neither will the space has desire to interfere with all the contents in it.

The space and the mind is still what it is, whether the mind perceives something as good or not good existing in the space. The space and the mind is still what it is, whether the mind perceives pleasant smells or unpleasant smells in the air. The space and the mind is still what it is, whether the mind perceives beautiful happening or disgusting/horrible happening in this space.

Different minds perceive its personal/individual reality differently under the same condition and situation. Such like, different minds feel differently while being in a place full of 'good' happenings or being in a place full of 'bad' happenings. Death is neither good nor bad. Some people are sad and mourn for the death of the leader of the country/party/ideal/vision that they supported, while some other people are glad and celebrating it. Positive minds perceive names and forms positively, while negative minds perceive names and forms negatively, but it's not the truth, as all the names and forms are just what they are, they are neither positive nor negative. The reality is just what it is, but qualities are being projected onto the perceived reality of the mind perception of names and forms out of the different states of the mind.

The modification/thought activities/perception of an individual pleasant or unpleasant reality, is like the reflections on the surface of the lake. The state of the mind (pure or impure, peaceful or peaceless, with good/bad attributes or attributeless) influences how the mind understands/reacts towards the perception of names and forms perceived through the senses, or life experiences, but all the perception of names and forms, or life experiences, or the understanding/reactions/modifications/activities cannot affect/hurt/disturb/change the mind, except due to ignorance and egoism, there's a false identity in the mind (the ego) is being disturbed and determined by all the perception of names and forms, and has the desire/idea of changing the perceived reality to be the way that it likes it to be.

The practice of yoga asana, pranayama, concentration and self-inquiry serves as the tool to maintain and render the mind pure and calm to be fit for higher realization of freedom from ignorance and suffering. The yoga asana and pranayama practice is to prepare the mind to be fit/ready for self-inquiry and meditation by balancing the restless/agitated/dulled state of the mind via body positions/movements (yoga asana practice) and control of the breath (pranayama practice), to render the mind calm and quiet.

The concentration practice/exercises/training is to restrain the mind to focus at one point for a prolonged period of time, and to keep the mind in the present refraining the mind from wandering into the past or the future, or getting lost in random ceaseless thinking and imaginations. Meanwhile the practice of renunciation/solitude/seclusion is to free the mind from getting entangled in the mind perception of a worldly life existence.

These practice/training are developing the awareness to be aware of or to observe the modifications of the mind, rendering the mind to be calm and quiet, to be free from restlessness and to be open to inquire the truth/nature of everything, preparing the mind for meditation - seeing the truth as it is.

The inquiry into the truth/nature of names and forms will help to strengthen dispassion, right discrimination, non-attachment, non-identification, free from craving and aversion, judgment and expectation, and this will lead the mind to be less disturbed or completely undisturbed by all the perception of names and forms of a worldly life existence, and generate less impurities or completely be free from impurities, which eventually lead to the annihilation of ignorance and suffering of the mind perception of a worldly life existence of impermanence and selflessness.

The pure egoless mind stands as a witness witnessing/observing the mind perception of a reality as it is, or observing the mind perception of names and forms/the states of the mind/the activities in the mind/the thoughts/the feelings/the physical sensations, condition, ability and limitation/all the selfless impermanent changes, as they are, without interfering with all these modifications of the mind.

Whatever the mind perceives through the senses or whatever the mind comes in contact with, all the perceptions of names and forms/thoughts activities/images/individual reality, and all states of the mind are just what they are. They are impermanent and selfless. They don't belong to the mind or the perceiver. The worldly life existence perceived by the mind is impermanent and selfless. It doesn't belong to the mind. It's neither 'I' nor 'mine'. Suffering and all kinds of corrupted thinking and behavior arise when there is ignorance, egoism and impurities in the mind, where there's an idea of 'I' generate attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation towards the modification of the mind, thinking and believing that there's an existence of 'I', and that all the perceived objects/experiences/relationships are 'mine'.

Without a calm and quiet mind, when the mind is in a state of impurity and restlessness due to egoism and impurities, it's impossible for the mind to inquire towards the truth of things to be free from ignorance, as whatever is being perceived/understood through the senses are under the influence of or being contaminated by the impurities and restlessness.

 

Just like a dirty, dusty and moving mirror cannot reflect the image of an object placed in front of it as it is. The mirror also cannot/doesn't see itself without the help of another 'mirror' or 'reflector'. And all the dirt, dust and movements don't belong to the mirror. All the yoga, pranayama and concentration practice act as the tool to render the mind to be free from impurities and restlessness (cleaning up and stilling the 'mirror' to reflect the images as they are), and meditation is the 'mirror'/'reflector' that allows the pure and calm mind to see itself, as it is, beyond all the modifications of the mind.

That's why it is very important to render the state of the mind pure and calm, in order to allow the mind to inquire the truth of names and forms, to be free from ignorance. Upon seeing the truth of names and forms, or the truth of itself, it enable the mind to stand as a silent selfless witness, allowing all the names and forms to be what they are. Or else, the ignorant egoistic minds has desire to interfere with the names and forms that it doesn't like by trying to change/control it to be the way that it likes it to be, as well as interfere with the names and forms that it likes by trying to stop it from changing into something else or damaging/disappearing, and there arise all sorts of suffering of dissatisfaction, anger, hurt, discrimination, intolerance, interference, offensiveness, defensiveness, hostility, hatred, fear, violence, and etc, if the desires are not being gratified.

It's up to everyone to work on their own liberation through their own effort and pace.

Learn how to relax or let go/release physical, mental and emotional tension

Relaxation of the body and the mind comes before the attempt of developing the skill, strength and flexibility to perform the yoga exercises or yoga poses.

The physical, mental and emotional tension existing in the body and mind are mainly due to ungratified desires of coming in contact with the objects of name and form that the mind doesn't like/doesn't want and not coming in contact with the objects of name and form that the mind likes/wants, as well as accumulated from an imbalanced lifestyle of either overly inactive/sedentary/idle or overly active/busy/restless way of life.

If one doesn't know how to relax or let go all these accumulated tension while attempting to perform the yoga asana exercises or poses with the intention or expectation to be developing the physical strength and flexibility and the skill to do the poses, or to receive specific benefits from performing the different yoga exercises, it's not going to work efficiently.

When there are unnecessary tension existing in the body and the mind while doing the yoga asana practice:-

• The entire learning process of the mind and the body as well as the overall effect of the physical and mental practice/training will be less efficient.
• The mind is unable to focus which will be affecting the learning process while inattentiveness/cloudiness will lead to higher risk of unnecessary accident and injury.
• The muscles/tendons/ligaments/joints/nerves/vital organs that are in a state of tension is affecting the general development of physical health, fitness, strength and flexibility, and will increase the risk of injury, as well as influencing the mind being unable to be open towards the teachings or the philosophy of yoga that might be different from or contradicted to the existing thinking and belief in the mind.
• The tensed body can't really absorb the effect of the practice/training efficiently/properly/entirely even though the effect of the practice/training is present during and/or after the practice/training.
• Tensed mind and body is deeply related to higher risk of physical and mental illness as well as broken relationships, destructive behavior and social problems, not excluding 'yoga enthusiast'.
• The tensed mind cannot function/think/act and react properly/healthily, and easily gets confused/disturbed/annoyed/irritated/intimidated by all kinds of names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses from moment to moment, and eventually losing the basic sanity to reason and act properly, or being unable to look after the well-being of oneself, or to live life independently, not excluding 'yoga practitioner' and 'yoga teacher'.

That's why the initial relaxation of the body and mind in the beginning of the yoga asana practice, is very important/crucial, even before the physical warming-up exercises, to allow the body to be able to develop the skill, strength and flexibility efficiently and safely in a relaxed manner, as well as allowing the tension-free body to be absorbing the effect of the practice/training to the maximum, but more importantly, is allowing the mind to be able to be relaxed/open, to inquire the truth of the teachings or the philosophy of yoga that are not necessarily something likable or agreeable to the mind that has been conditioned to think in certain ways and to believe in certain beliefs that are different from the teachings or the philosophy of yoga.

Relaxation of the body and mind should be the very first practice/learning/training for people who want to learn and practice yoga even before learning to do the basic yoga poses or the guided breathing exercises. Such like, simple abdominal breathing of slowing down the inhalation and exhalation in a relaxed manner without strain for a few minutes, and then moving the awareness from point to point in the physical body to be aware of any existing tension and let go the tension consciously, and bringing the mind into the present moment to be aware of the reality as it is, without craving or aversion. Without rushing into the yoga asana practice routine, and without any expectation, the tension existing in the mind and body will become less intense, and eventually dissolved/vanished, naturally.

The yoga asana practice of doing the yoga exercises or yoga poses are supposed to be helping the practitioner to relax the body and mind, or helping the body and mind to let go or release as much as possible all the unnecessary tensions that has been building up in everyday life, provided if the yoga asana practice is being done under a relaxed manner without strain/force, and with the correct understanding of the core teachings of yoga. It shouldn't be building up more unnecessary tension into the body and mind during the yoga asana practice due to being unable to be relaxed physically and mentally while doing the practice by constantly straining or forcing the body to go beyond its imitation with the egoistic desire/intention/expectation to make it more strong and flexible in order to do some of the yoga poses that the mind wants to be able to do, due to lack of correct understanding towards the core teachings of yoga.

The proper way of developing physical strength is not about building up more tightness/tension in the muscles groups of the physical body. Real strength comes from free-flow of sufficient energy supply and efficient/healthy function of the motor neurons and bio mechanism. If one of the nerves that connect the central nervous system to one of the muscles group doesn't function properly, this part of the muscles group couldn't function properly, even though the physical body has gone through certain intense and prolong strength training, and the muscles groups are well-toned. A well-toned or tight/tensed muscles group cannot move or lift something, if there's no proper sufficient energy supply to that area. A super strong and flexible person also couldn't get up from the bed, when the body contracts certain virus or disease.

More importantly, the yoga practice is not about training/making the body more strong and flexible, as peace and compassion, and the ability to forgive and let go what the mind perceives/recognizes as 'negative', 'bad', 'wrong', 'hurtful, 'sorrowful' or 'terrible', is nothing to do with the physical condition/strength/flexibility. One doesn't need to be physically 'strong' and 'flexible' or super healthy, to realize yoga, peace and compassion, or be forgiving and be able to let go.

While applying the teachings or the philosophy of yoga practically in everyday life will help the practitioner to stop generating or accumulating unnecessary physical, mental and emotional tension. This is what yoga practice is about - Purification of the mind through the elimination of egoism.

This is similar to the final relaxation in the end of the yoga asana practice. It's not just about to relax the body and mind after some physical and mental training, but it's about non-attachment and non-identification towards all our actions/practice and renounce the fruit of action/practice, or letting go the expectation towards the fruit of action/practice. This will bring the body and mind into effective deep relaxation under any challenging condition or undesirable situation in life. Relaxation is indeed the elimination of egoism through the practice of non-attachment, non-identification, non-judgment, non-expectation, non-craving, non-aversion, and letting go. The body and mind is unable to be relaxed and constantly being in a state of tension is due to the egoism of attachment, identification, judgment, expectation, craving and aversion, and being unable/reluctant to let go or forgive.

People might confuse 'the practice of relaxation or the ability to let go/be relaxed/calmed' with the practice/idea/belief of positive thinking or optimism. Positive thinking or optimism doesn't necessarily mean that the mind is relaxed/calmed or being free from the desire of craving and aversion, and be undisturbed/undetermined by what the impure mind perceives as 'negative', 'bad', 'wrong', 'hurtful', 'sorrowful', 'disgusting' or 'terrible'. Positive thinking or optimism doesn't correlate with the understanding/ability to accept the reality that is not necessarily the way that we like it to be, as it is, but more likely, it's about ignoring or denying the 'negative' undesirable reality that the mind doesn't like and doesn't want, and desiring/hoping to change the undesirable reality into something else that it is not, and expecting desires/wishes come true by trying to think and feel positively or optimistically. The mind is not free yet.

The practice of accepting the reality as it is, peace, compassion, forgiving and letting go, doesn’t mean that one is agreeing with, allowing and encouraging other people for their ignorant behavior that inflict onto oneself and others either intentionally or unintentionally. One doesn’t need to stand there to endure other people’s ignorance and the by-products of ignorance. Just as when a stone is heading towards oneself, one can try to move away from being hit the stone. One also doesn't join in a group of people who behave ignorantly as well as also behaving like them.

Staying away from people who are under the influence of ignorance, to stop encouraging ignorant thinking and behavior, is compassion towards oneself and others. Trying very hard to please everyone all the time in order to be accepted, acknowledged, loved and praised by everyone might be the similar values and practice of many different cultures in the world, but it's not yoga practice. In fact, freeing the mind from such ignorant egoistic worldly social cultural thinking and belief, values and practice, is the yoga practice.

Unfortunately, many minds are being deeply conditioned by such egoistic thinking and belief, values and practice since very young, and hence, it's incomprehensible for many minds towards the teaching of "One doesn't need to please anyone in order to be accepted, to be acknowledged, to be loved, to be praised by everyone, in order to feel good and meaningful about oneself." These minds are being told that it's wrong and selfish if one doesn't think and behave in such way complying to the values and practice of "Good people will try to please one another in order to be accepted, acknowledged, loved and praised by one another. Good people will keep quiet and cover up each other's ignorant behavior as a form of loving kindness and empathy towards one another for maintaining peace and harmony among everyone. Don't be truthful, as truth hurts. Say only nice things in front of people, while it's okay to say all kinds of bad things behind of people."

Such social cultural thinking and belief, values and practice are nothing but empowering the egoism of attachment, identification and craving in the minds.

Everyone is free to think, believe and behave the way that they want to think, believe and behave, and there's nothing wrong to think, believe and behave according to certain social cultural thinking and belief, values and practice, just that, it's not yoga practice to be empowering egoism, but to be eliminating egoism from the mind.

Be free.

Existence in now

Contemplation on existence/the mind perception of an impermanent and selfless life existence in the present moment.

Existence only existing in now. There's neither past nor future. It's the thinking/thought process of recollection of memories and wild imagination of the mind that generates the 'shadow' of now, either behind of now (the past) or in front of now (the future). Suffering arise when the mind sees/takes the 'shadow' of the selfless mind perception of names and forms as 'I' (the existence of an individual being of 'I', where this countless ever changing 'I' is not even I.)

All kind of restlessness, peacelessness, anxieties, tension, hurts, regrets, guilt, offensiveness, defensiveness, possessiveness, meaninglessness, depression, insecurity, frustration, anger, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hopes, fear and worry, are due to being ignorant towards existence, thinking and believing that 'I' am existing with an individual identity from the past until now and into the future, that 'I' have a past and a future, and 'I' had/am/will be physically/mentally/emotionally existed/existing/continuing existing along with all the relationships with everyone and everything, and hence, there's clinging/attachment/identification towards the present experiences/relationships, thinking/remembering about the past experiences/relationships and imagining/anticipating the future experiences/relationships, craving towards pleasant/desirable experiences/relationships and aversion towards unpleasant/undesirable experiences/relationships.

This very moment is the only existence of this body and the thinking mind that is functioning under the charity of 'the space', 'the sun', 'the earth', 'the water' and 'the air/wind', it's not 'I', and it is changing. Within this moment, along with the function of this body and the modification of the mind, countless rounds of birth and death happening, new cells replacing old cells, the bodily system growing, changing, cease growing and start decaying, different states of the mind arising and passing away, thoughts/memories/imaginations/sensations/feelings arising and passing away, physical and mental pleasantness and unpleasantness coming and going, 'heaven' and 'hell' and all kind of 'realms' interchanging in the mind, ceaseless actions generating ceaseless reactions of cause and effect, and all kind of names and forms forming and deforming ceaselessly.

Those who realized this, allowing the impermanent/momentary function of the body and the modification of the mind perception of a worldly life existence to be what it is, as it is, remain equanimous and at peace, being free from attachment, identification and desire of craving and aversion, being undetermined/undisturbed by the mind perception of a pleasant/unpleasant or desirable/undesirable reality of a worldly life existence that is impermanent.

Those who haven't realized this, continuously and restlessly chasing after the objects of names and forms of higher and higher quality of pleasurable living, performing actions out of the intention/aspiration of creating a 'perfect' world the way that 'I' think it should be that allows 'I' to live life the way that 'I' like it to be, accumulating relationships and gratifying desires of craving and aversion, to chase away bottomless 'shadow' of boredom, loneliness, unhappiness, meaninglessness and emptiness, to feel good, happy and meaningful.

It's neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad, it's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their life, body and mind. The conditions and situations of the world are the consequences of the actions born out of every individual human being's intention/aspiration/ambition of desiring/wishing/hoping/demanding/building/protecting/frustrating/hating/fighting/killing for a desirable 'perfect' world and a 'good' life that they think how it should be, that they want it to be.

Be free.

The truth doesn't change no matter what

Why 'positive thinking' and 'changing the reality that 'I' don't like and don't want' is not the objective or ultimate goal of yoga and meditation?

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the mind knows the truth, or not, likes and agrees with the truth, or not.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the reality that the mind perceives through the senses is pleasant or unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable, likeable or dislikeable to the mind.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the mind is positive or negative, kind or unkind, happy or unhappy, peaceful or peaceless, extrovert or introvert, intelligent or not intelligent, knowledgeable or not knowledgeable, tamed or untamed, gentle or violent, pure or impure, wise or ignorant, selfless or egoistic, free or not free, and so on.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the mind believes in God, or not, has a religion belief, or not, believes in spirituality, or not, and practicing yoga and meditation, or not.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the mind thinks its life existence is long or short, easy or difficult, good or not good, meaningful or meaningless.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the mind thinks the body is in good health, or not, strong and flexible, or not, feeling comfortable, or not, good looking, or not.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the mind thinks the world is good or not good, full of goodness or evilness, progressing or declining, peaceful or peaceless, meaningful or meaningless.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless the mind has none, or little, or many achievements or accumulations through this life existence.

The truth is still the same truth, regardless what the mind knows and doesn't know, remembers and doesn't remember, thinks and doesn't think, believes and doesn't believe, does and doesn't do, can achieve and can't achieve, and so on.

The truth is still the same truth, even if the whole world, or the entire society, or the economy, or humanity is collapsing, or completely gone.

The truth is still the same truth, whether the impermanent embodied life existence is beginning or changing or ending.

The truth is still what it is no matter what.

If the truth can be altered, or changed, or contaminated, or manipulated into something else, it's not the truth.

The truth doesn't need to be protected by anyone or anything. It cannot be destroyed by time, space and causation.

The truth doesn't need acknowledgement, approval, respect, agreement, liking, support, appreciation or glorification from anyone or anything.

Go beyond all the perceptions of qualities of names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, all the pleasantness/unpleasantness, desirable/undesirable, known/unknown, thinkable/unthinkable, believe/disbelieve, agreeable/disagreeable, likes/dislikes, positive/negative, good/bad, happiness/unhappiness, all kinds of life experiences, conditions and situations, all the worldly ties and relationships, thinking and belief, cultural and social practice, actions and reactions, and all the impermanent changes of everything, dispassion and desireless, purifying and silencing the mind, freeing the mind from ignorance, egoism, restlessness/turbulence and impurities, transcending the selfless/impermanent worldly life existence, realizing unconditional peace, is the yoga and meditation practice.

Be free.

Be free from the belief of 'positive mind power' to 'change' the world

There's nothing wrong with 'positive' minds strongly believe in 'positive thinking' or 'positive mind power' to change the perceived reality that they don't like to be something that they prefer, and wish for 'positive qualities in the world' to 'change' or 'make' the world to be (more) good, peaceful and harmony, or even better, if the world can be all good, peaceful and harmony, and nothing bad and evil.

It's better to have 'positive' good and kind thoughts than 'negative' bad and evil thoughts, in one's mind. And most 'positive' minds have intention/aspiration of 'wishful thinking' to be 'changing' the world via 'positive mind power'.

It's just not the objective of yoga and meditation practice.

No doubt that 'positive thinking' in one's mind can motivate oneself to perform actions that 'might' benefit oneself and the world in certain ways, but developing 'positive mind power' with the intention/wish/desire to change the world to be the way that the mind would like it to be, is not part of the yoga and meditation practice. If one's mind is free from ignorance and impurities, it would definitely help the world to have less an ignorant and impure being, but it doesn't take away or eliminate ignorance and impurities from other beings in the world.

The 'positive thinking' in yoga practice is to allow the mind to counter 'negative thinking' and to 'cheerfully' deal with challenging difficult condition and situation that is not necessarily the way that the mind would like it to be, to be persevered in one's yoga and meditation practice on the path towards self-realization and liberation from ignorance and suffering. It's not about to develop 'positive super mind power' to 'wish' and 'change' the world to be something that it is not, or 'wish' and 'change' other beings to be someone whom they are not.

The space is still what it is, whether people think it is too small and wish that it is bigger, or people think that it is too big and wish that it is smaller.

The sun is still what it is, whether people think it is not the way that it should be and wish that the sun to be something else that it is not.

The world is still what it is, whether people think that it has too much bad and wish that it has less bad and more good, or people think that it has too much good and wish that it has less good and more bad.

The world will still be full of ignorant and selfish and impure beings with ignorant thinking, belief and behavior, and the consequences of ignorance, no matter how many 'positive and kind' people try to collect 'positive mind power' with positive intention/hope/wish for 'world peace' or 'a world free from ignorance'. Wars/riots/conflicts/discrimination/unjust/violence/greed were/are/will be still going on here and there, among different countries or communities or families or species or tribes or genders, and within a country or community or family or tribe or specie or gender, due to ignorance, egoism and impurities in all the minds.

People think and believe, "I am inspired by Buddha." But Buddha didn't intent to 'inspire' anyone. There are many weren't inspired by Buddha. But Buddha didn't intent to 'not inspire' anyone.

The real practice of yoga and meditation is to silent this restless mind, that is here, functioning and perceiving all the good and bad qualities of names and forms. All the other aspirations and inspirations are merely the play of ignorance/egoism, or Maya. Yoga and meditation practice is not about developing or attaining 'positive thinking super mind power' to be 'wishing' or 'changing' the 'worldly life existence' or 'the world of human beings existence' to be the way that 'I' think it should be - All good and nothing bad, or the world should be a place of more happiness or enjoyment and less unhappiness or suffering.

The world is still what it was/is/will be. Buddha and other saints and sages didn't wish or change the world to be something different than what it was/is/will be. They didn't 'change' or 'take away' the ignorance and suffering in the worldly beings through generating 'intention' or 'wish' or 'resolution' or 'positive thinking' or 'super mind power' to make all beings in the world be free from ignorance and suffering. If they could, they would already have 'made' the entire world free from all ignorance and the consequences of ignorance. There won't be any ignorance or suffering in any beings or in the world. They could only work on self-realization, and upon the attainment of liberation, out of compassion, selflessly, they shared their path or knowledge and experience with some others who also wished to attain liberation from ignorance and suffering, to work on their own salvation via self-effort, self-purification, self-discipline, self-inquiry and self-realization.

They didn't or couldn't 'change' or 'interfere with' or 'influence' those who weren't interested in attaining liberation from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance but only wanted to create a 'better world with higher quality of life and more pleasurable enjoyment that they desired', to also be interested in attaining liberation from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance. They didn't 'get angry with' or 'disappointed with' or 'frustrated with' or 'condemn' or 'punish' those who were ignorant and selfish, who weren't interested in purity, purification of the mind, dispassion, desireless, self-discipline, self-control, self-inquiry, self-realization and silence of the mind.

There's no 'heroism' to try to 'save' the world from 'inhumanity, evilness and destruction', but compassionate actions are being performed selflessly, without expectation to 'change' the world to be in certain way that is likable, desirable and agreeable for the mind.

There's no frustration or dissatisfaction or disappointment or anger or unhappiness or sorrow when one doesn't get the cooperation or support or appreciation from others for something that one thinks and believes as good and right.

There's no pushing away or denial towards something that the worldly minded would perceive as 'negative', as this mind perceives everything as it is, neither positive nor negative.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to think and believe, and what they want to do with their life, body and mind.

This teaching is a contemplation for those who want to practice yoga.

The consequences of pride and self-righteousness

Intelligence + education + knowledge + awareness + ability + opportunity
+ passion + ambitious + idealistic positive thinking to create a 'perfect' world the way that 'I' think it should be + craving and aversion + impurities of anger, hatred, frustration, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, guilt, fear and worry + pride + self-righteousness + trying to 'educate' or 'change' other people's thinking, belief or behavior that 'I' don't like and don't agree with to be the way that 'I' like and agree with
= egoistic actions derived from selfish intention and aspiration based on personal thinking, belief, desires, ideal, attachment, identification, judgment, expectation
= the possibility of a more messy world with more impurities and ignorant behavior/actions/reactions

Intelligence + education + knowledge + awareness + ability + opportunity
- passion - ambitious - idealistic positive thinking to create a 'perfect' world the way that 'I' think it should be - craving and aversion - impurities of anger, hatred, frustration, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, guilt, fear and worry - pride - self-righteousness - trying to 'educate' or 'change' other people's thinking, belief or behavior that 'I' don't like and don't agree with to be the way that 'I' like and agree with
= selfless actions derived from selflessness, wisdom and compassion
= the possibility of a less messy world with less impurities or ignorant behavior/actions/reactions

When we don't like and disagree with the world being what it is and want to change the world to be the way that we think it should be, when we think there are people in the world are ignorant and selfish who behave ignorantly and selfishly, and we try to perform 'good' and 'righteous' actions to 'educate' or 'change' those whom we think are ignorant and selfish, with intention or hope or expectation to change their thinking, belief and behavior to be less ignorant and selfish (because we think we are better than them or we know better than them), will only provoke/generate more impurities and ignorant behavior in the world. This is because due to ignorance, selfishness and pride, people don't like to be 'educated' or 'changed' or 'controlled' or 'interfered' by anybody, they will be very offended and feel being challenged or insulted or humiliated, and hence, they will react under the influence of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, defensiveness, pride and anger, and be inclined/provoked to perform more ignorant actions and selfish behavior.

None can take away another being's ignorance. It has to come from oneself being aware of ignorance in oneself and self-initiated to be free from ignorance.

If we really want (to help) the world to be free from all sorts of ignorant thinking, belief and behavior, then mind our own mind, to free one's mind from ignorance and ignorant thinking, belief and behavior, is the most efficient way to help the world to have less ignorant beings and less ignorant thinking, belief and behavior.

Have peace in oneself if we want (to help) the world to have (more) peace.

The path of renunciation

This teaching is for those who wish to attain liberation from suffering deriving from ignorance, egoism and impurities. Those who want to spend their entire life time into attaining a good and comfortable life and be contented with the attainment of a good and comfortable life don't need this teaching.

For those who are not free yet, 'friends' or 'association with worldly minded people' can be one of the great obstacles on the path of yoga and meditation, as the impure minds will easily be influenced or determined by someone or something, unwittingly. For those who are free, they can mix freely into the society without being influenced or determined by anyone or anything.

One should not be overly confident with oneself being uninfluenced or undetermined by others, thinking that one is capable to juggle between worldly busy social life activities and one's yoga practice, as the very advanced practitioners also would not guarantee that their minds can be completely free to mix into the society without being influenced at all by anything.

Living in the society with all the modern higher technologies, communications, conveniences, comforts and pleasurable enjoyments of the senses, there will be 'friends' who will advice you not to take yoga and meditation practice seriously and encourage you to develop all sorts of passionate desires and worldly ambitions, and taking your time and energy away from yoga and meditation practice of silencing the mind to be actively getting involve with social mingles, interactions and activities, pursuing worldly ambitions and the gratification of passionate desires.

There are also many other 'spirituality/yoga enthusiasts' nowadays might also give you many 'other alternative' suggestions other than the traditional practice of self-discipline or self-control, of renunciation and restraining the mind activities/modification.

Many people, including those who think they love yoga and meditation practice, aren't aware of the downfall effect of egoistic attachment and identification towards a worldly life existence of putting importance and values into nurturing a 'good and meaningful' worldly life of worldly ambitions, passionate desires, social mingles, interactions and activities. To them, all these worldly passions, ideas, objects, values and activities are the normal, the right, the positive and meaningful way of life. That's their freedom of thinking and belief.

For people who realize/know the root cause of all the worldly problems and suffering of mankind is nothing but the mind is functioning under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, and so, they renounce such 'normal', 'good' and 'meaningful' worldly life of names and forms by retracting from nurturing worldly ambitions, passionate desires, social mingles, interactions and activities, and divert the time, effort, energy and focus into silencing/annihilating the mind to attain liberation from the mind perception of such a fleeting embodied life existence. But, such a 'noble' way of life is being perceived by the worldly minded people as 'abnormal', 'weird', 'wrong', 'negative', or 'meaningless'.

And hence, the worldly minded people, including many yoga and meditation enthusiasts would strongly disagree with and discourage about the practice of renunciation from the worldly life of family, friends, relatives, relationships and society/community, of social mingles, interactions and activities, or the practice of seclusion and solitude and silencing/annihilating the mind.

For the worldly minded people who attached onto and identified with the worldly life of mind perception of names and forms as 'who they are', it's so wrong or crazy not to interact with or talk to other human beings. They can't live for a day, or a few hours of not coming in contact with, not interacting with, or not talking to another human being. They will become crazy. They suffer from endless boredom and loneliness. They try to get involve in many physical or mental or verbal activities and interactions with other(s) to escape boredom and loneliness. They say this is 'love', and so, they have to be actively connected or interacting with 'someone' or 'something'. Or else they will feel lack of love or absence of love in themselves, or in their life, or in the society/the world. If they go to attend 'silent meditation retreat', they would be so confused and disturbed by how come everyone keeps their head down, not looking at each other, not touching each other, not responding to other people's 'friendliness', and not talking, working, playing, interacting or communicating with one another.

While some people also say, "Yoga is love." and thus they share 'love' with many people 'unlimitedly', by getting into uncommitted lustful 'love/intimate' relationship with many people at the same time. "We love, comfort and support each other. We don't get into committed couple relationship. We don't want to possess each other. We don't want to be selfish. Love is for all. We should be free to love/be intimate with as many people as we like." so they said. That is not Yoga. It's mere passion and lust. You will see married/unmarried 'yoga teachers' getting into love/intimate relationship with the yoga student or many different yoga students. There's no self-restraint or self-control at all. And they justify that it's yoga of love and sharing.

That's why in the serious spiritual constitutions, people are not allowed to be touching/hugging one another, because most minds are not pure and are not free from lustful desire, craving and clinging. There will be many 'corrupted misconducts' arising here and there. But, the worldly minded people can't understand this at all.

This observation of 'non-touching' or 'non-hugging' is strongly disagreed by the worldly minded 'good and loving' people, including some 'yoga enthusiasts' who believe in all human beings should somehow physically contacting with some other human beings or animals, constantly touching and hugging one another, to be giving and receiving 'love', or else people 'could be sick' or 'even die' from the absence of 'love' due to lack of touching or hugging from other human beings, so they think and believe, and so they become, being conditioned by that thinking. They might feel much better or even be 'cured' from certain sickness after being touched or hugged by some others. That's their freedom of thinking and belief. But, it's not the truth. Why? Those who are not conditioned by this thinking, won't be sick or die from the absence of touching or hugging from some other beings. And no matter 'touching' or 'hugging', or not, everyone will have to face death eventually, alone, by oneself.

Buddha and many saints and sages renounced worldly life and relationships for many years, they didn't die of isolation and solitude, but they attained enlightenment, or certain degrees of freedom from suffering. They walked the middle path, neither too tight nor too loose. It meant to be neither torturing the body nor pampering the body while performing practice or Sadhana of purifying and restraining the mind activities/thought-current/modification. One must know how to eat well and eat enough, and not taking extreme fasting or fussy about food variety or overly eating. One must know how to rest or sleep well, not too much or too little. One must know how to perform the Sadhana in balance, not too much or too little. One must know how to balance between resting and training the body and the mind. One must know how to conserve energy for performing Sadhana. One must know how to turn the outgoing mind inward by refraining from over-stimulation and restlessness of chasing after the objects of the senses. And thus the path of renunciation from worldly ambitions, passionate desires, social mingles, interactions and activities is very crucial to free the mind from over-stimulation and restlessness and to conserve energy for Sadhana.

Whether people want to be conditioned by particular thinking and belief, or not, it's their freedom of choice. While yoga and meditation practice is to free the mind from being conditioned by any thinking or belief. As the truth is not a thinking or belief, it's just what things are, or seeing things as they are.

Upon the realization of unconditional love, all beings are love itself. This is pure love or unconditional love, not the conditional passionate lustful loving affection under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities. One will never be lack of love. One doesn't need to be receiving or sharing 'love' from someone, or something, or somewhere, to feel 'love', to have 'love', to accumulate 'love'.

If the 'love' can be lacking, absent, increasing or decreasing, appearing or disappearing, that is conditional passionate 'love'.

Many people, including yoga enthusiasts, say, "I have abundance of love. If you don't have love or you are unloved, I'll give or share with you some of my love, and you will have love and be loved."
Real yoga practitioners or yoga teachers say, "You are love itself. You just need to realize this. You don't need love from me or anyone or God, to make you feel loved or have love."

The greatest effort and true contribution one can give to the world for the sake of humanity, is working diligently to attain self-realization through transcending the mind and its modification of a worldly life existence by limiting or restraining the mind from association with worldly objects, ideas, thinking, belief, values and activities, or human beings who attached strongly onto all these worldly names and forms.

Be very patient, without any expectation to realize anything. After some time being isolated from all these worldly names and forms, the mind starts to realize the 'unrealistic' of the worldly life existence of all those names and forms, thinking, belief and behavior. Though be vigilant. There might be some practitioners who haven't realize anything even though they practice renunciation for some time, they would become more passionate and lustful than they were before, after a few years being 'refrained' from worldly ideas, objects, activities, interactions and beings. This is because they are lack of the foundation of Yama, Niyama, Viveka, Vairagya, Shatsampat and Mumukshutva.

Before the mind attains final dissolution/disintegration, it's utmost important to reduce or minimize or refrain from coming in contact with worldly minded passionate people or 'good friends' who would pull you away from the path of silencing the mind, but encourage you to put importance into stimulating your mind into endless restlessness, passion, anger, lust, desires, dissatisfaction, disappointment, pride and heroism, by nurturing endless worldly ambitions and passionate desires, and engaging in social mingles, interactions and activities.

A good and comfortable life condition also doesn't guarantee that the mind is free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, egoism and impurities, and all kinds of painful sorrow, fear, or suffering. Advanced or developed countries endowed with higher education opportunity and higher technologies also doesn't guarantee the people's mind or thinking are free from selfishness, fear, discrimination, racism, anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, bias, violence, crime, corruption, exploitation, or be free from conflicts or wars. Even among the so called spiritual or morality emphasized constitutions also are not free from such impurities due to the great influence of ignorance and egoism.

Contemplate on this, if one really wants more peace and harmony in the world -

Those who are able to 'let go' the world, can do more work for the world efficiently, out of compassion, in peace, without attachment, identification, craving/aversion, judgment or expectation. Those who passionately 'love' the world very much and couldn't let go the world, as they think and believe that it is selfish and wrong to 'not care' for the world that is not the way that they like it to be, and out of frustration, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, fear, anger and hatred towards what is happening in the world that they don't like, don't want and don't agree with, that they think is bad or wrong, they can't really help the world to be better or more peaceful, as they generate so much tension/impurities in themselves and into the environment, even though they try to perform 'good and righteous' actions that they think and strongly believe that are 'benefiting' or 'helping' the world.

What's the point of provoking other people's anger and hatred through social media and some other platforms so that all those mentally and emotionally disturbed, angry and hating people can support our cause of "Trying to bring 'goodness, peace and harmony' into the world?" Or, perhaps, bringing 'goodness, peace and harmony' into the world is not our intention/goal at all, but merely to get enough supporters to gratify our desire of achieving a 'perfect' world that we prefer, the way that we like it to be, even if it's achieved by creating more disturbs, anger and hatred in the society towards the things that we don't like and don't want, in order to get the supports that we need to make the world to be the way that we like it to be and not to be the way that we don't want it to be.

Just like being disagreeable and angry with the parents who discipline/punish their children out of disagreement and anger, and we want to discipline/punish these parents for disciplining/punishing their children out of being disagreeable and angry with their children?

The sun, the moon, all the planets, the water, the earth, the air/wind, the space don't interfere with one another, although unintentionally/unwittingly, they are influencing or inter-related to one another. If there is individual-will of egoism in them to 'interfere' or 'control' or 'over-power' each other, the universe can't be here at all. "I want the universe to be like this." "No. I want the universe to be like that." "NO. I want the universe to be the way that I think it should be!"

It's everyone's freedom whether to practice yoga and meditation, or not, and what they want to do with their life existence of the body and mind.

We'll keep hurting everyone if we still don't understand

When we were young, we behaved in the way that hurt our parents, because we didn't understand.

When we started a relationship, we behaved in the way that hurt the person in the relationship with us, because we didn't understand.

When we started a family with children, we behaved in the way that hurt our children, because we didn't understand.

When we live among the society and move around in the world, we behave in the way that hurt others in the society in the world, because we didn't understand.

Above all, we constantly behaved in the way that hurt ourselves, because we didn't understand.

Wittingly or unwittingly, we constantly hurt ourselves and others, regardless of those whom we thought we love or hate, out of pride, self-identity, self-image, worldly ambitions, spiritual ambitions, desires of craving and aversion, likes and dislikes, disagreement, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, frustration, agitation, depression, grief, passionate love, lust, hurt, animosity, insecurity, doubt, discrimination, expectation, impatience, intolerance, humiliation, non-accommodating, ill-will, fear and worry, and etc.

If we still don't understand, we will continue to hurt ourselves and everyone whom directly or indirectly coming in contact with us and suffer from the consequences of our ignorant selfish behavior, until the last breath of this life existence.

Accumulating all kinds of worldly knowledge in the world that allows us to be knowledgeable and skillful to be doing something in life and enhancing the quality of life, or creating/inventing something with higher technologies that is ecological or environmental friendly, also doesn't guarantee that the mind is free from all these ignorance, egoism and impurities.

One naturally stops hurting oneself and other(s) upon the realization of purity (free from impurities), wisdom (free from ignorance), selflessness (free from egoism) and compassion (dispassionate unconditional love), regardless how much and what type of worldly knowledge one has been accumulating, good and bad condition of the world, pleasant and unpleasant life experiences, easy or difficult life condition, good and bad condition of the physical body, all kinds of mind perception of names and forms, achievements and non-achievements, and so on.

Sadhana advice from Swami Sivananda (3)

Excerpt from Essence of Vedanta

Fitness for Wisdom

One who is fit for receiving Wisdom of the Self shall receive it 'in due time.' Self-effort and passage of time work simultaneously and one cannot be distinguished from the other, for Providence and Personal exertion cannot be separated as they both work simultaneously and are interdependent. Rather, these are only two names for one and the same force of action.

Sri Sankaracharya had already exhorted that one has to undergo the disciplinary stages of Viveka, Vairagya, Sama, Dama, Uparati, Titiksha, Sraddha, Samadhana, and Mumukshutva before getting initiate into the mystery of Existence. One should not be initiated into the Truth of the Absolute unless he is found well developed in all these qualities.

Nowadays generally we find that aspirants do not have a strong desire for liberation. They may have a ray of Viveka and Vairagya of a mild variety. But it is very difficult to find an aspirant who cares for nothing but final Emancipation, who treats the whole world and its contents as mere straw, who meditates incessantly upon how to attain Salvation from embodied existence.

It is not easy to understand the meaning of Liberation.

How can it be possible for raw men of the world to realise the nullity of earthly existence and of worldly activities? Even advanced aspirants sometimes have got strong desire for doing something wonderful in this world, something which none has done before. Such people cannot have a real desire for Liberation. And such people are unfit for receiving Brahma Vidya.

It is only the Uttama-Adhikari, the best qualifier, who cares for nothing, who is totally indifferent to the ways of the world, who is ever silent and serene due to the dawn of proper knowledge, who is ever the same among the diverse men of the world, who is undisturbed by the distracted activity of the world, who is calm and peaceful, who has withdrawn himself from the bustle of life, who cares not for either death or life, who is unmindful of what is happening in the world, who is careless towards either this or that, that is really fit to receive the Ultimate wisdom of the Absolute!

Even if there is the slightest desire lurking inside other than the Realisation of the Absolute, the man will not be able to comprehend the true import of the Vedantic instructions by the Spiritual Teacher (Preceptor). He will have thousands of doubts and distractions in the mind which will entirely pull him down from the Vedantic Meditation.

A person should be desire for nothing else, than the realisation of Brahman. There should be no other thought throughout the day than of the way of attaining Self-realisation.

Every thought, every speech, every action, nay, every breath of the person should illustrate the method of realising the Absolute. Such a person is fit to receive Vedantic Wisdom.

Withdrawal From Multiplicity

Self-restraint is the opposite of self-expression. The latter tends towards Pravritti or life in the variegated Samsara, and the former leads to the Highest Integration through Nivritti of stepping back to Truth.

The creative diversifying power is turned in and sublimated into the spiritual splendour.

The withdrawal from multiplicity and centring oneself in Unity is effected through self-restraint which is the austere transformation of the creative objective force into the conscious Power that causes the blossoming of the sense of individual finitude into the expanse of objectless consciousness.

Variety is the meaning of manifestation. Every individual force is a copy of the limitless creative force and the natural tendency of this energy is to move towards the creation of multiplicity. This is the reason why the control of the action of creativity is found to be difficult in the case of those who are tied to individual physicality. An individual finds it hard to properly direct the cosmic habit unless he takes recourse to process of Spiritual Realisation. A spiritual Sadhaka goes to the source of this objectified energy and compel the force to diffuse itself in the serene Ground-Noumenon.

A person who has let loose the flow of the creative force gets entangled in the process of multiple-creation and ever remains away from the knowledge of the Non-Dual Truth of his Eternal Self. This is the root-background of the universal ethics that self-control is imperative to a seeker after the Absolute Reality.

Those who have discriminatively grasped the spiritual character of human life refrain from the instinctive practice of self-multiplication and devote themselves to the glorious task of directing the potential energy to conscious contemplation on the Spiritual Ideal through the triple transformation of the active emotional and intellectual aspects of the general human nature.

Such integrated persons possess a mighty power of understanding, analysis and meditation.

The Chhandogya Upanishad says that when purity and Sattva are increased, there is a generation of immense memory which paves the way to the shattering open of the knot of self.

The most intricate technic of the art of Self-realisation is mastered by the genius of an austere who has learnt to expand his formative lower into the plenitude of limitless life. Such austere spiritual beings flow with the lustrous spiritual strength which handles with ease even the most formidable of the diversifying forces of nature.

Fear is unknown to them and their divinised energy is centred in the Self to be utilised in transcending the realm of the ego-sense. They establish themselves in the unbroken vow of leaping over phenomenon into the heart of Existence. Such is the glory of self-restraint!

The control of the objective instincts is the preparation for world-renunciation in the quest of the Ultimate Essence. An abandonment of earthly nature effected by a distaste for particularities is what marks the character of a true austere Sadhaka. He should not enter the household, for, his path leads to Unity and not the creative social activity.

Alone and unfriended should he carry on the duty of Self-integration through unceasing selflessness and remembrance of the Divine Ideal. Selfless service polishes the self and rubs the ego and thus renders the person fit for the higher life of Dhyana and Brahma-Chintana.

A cutting off from acquaintance with relatives is necessary, for, Nivritti-Marga does not allow of any transient connections.

Yoga and worldly 'positive empowerment' ideologies?

Many people, including yoga practitioners and yoga teachers, would think and believe that yoga philosophy or the teachings of yoga and the yoga practice is about 'positive empowerment'.

There's nothing wrong or bad with 'positive empowerment' ideologies, it helps many people to 'positively' deal with the perception of certain worldly life experiences that are not necessarily the way that the mind would like it to be, that are quite challenging, exhausting, unpleasant, painful or harsh, by being 'positive', 'optimistic', 'hopeful', 'confident', 'worthy', 'strong', and etc, just that it is not what yoga and yoga practice is about.

Worldly passionate egoistic minds that are identifying with and attached onto the qualities of names and forms of family and cultural background, worldly thinking and belief, intelligence, knowledge, creativity, higher technologies, higher standard of living, enjoyment of the senses, sense of achievement and meaningfulness, sense of belonging, social community interaction and activities, relationships, friendships, fun elements, good condition of the body and the living environment, and etc, wouldn't like or agree with the practice of yoga of renouncing worldly ideas/thinking/belief/habits and thinning-out/annihilation of the mind.

Only those who have realized the fleeting impermanence of all the names and forms in this worldly life existence, who have intense yearning for salvation or liberation from suffering, would perceive and understand worldly life existence differently from the passionate minds.

For the passionate minds, the worldly life existence is what they are and all they are, and they spend all the effort, energy, life span and sense of meaningfulness into creating, empowering and protecting what they think is 'I' and 'mine' - my life, my body, my mind, my name, my gender, my sexual orientation, my appearance, my action, my fruit of action, my health, my feelings, my education, my career, my wealth, my achievements, my results, my qualifications, my certifications, my accumulated experiences, my property, my things, my knowledge, my language, my personality, my professionalism, my talent, my skill, my ability, my strength, my love, my kindness, my goodness, my family, my ancestor, my birth place, my nationality, my race, my community, my tribe, my people, my country, my world, my planet earth, my universe, my culture, my religion, my thinking, my belief, my rights, my freedom, my happiness, my relationships, my friends, my relatives, my partner, my children, my grandchildren, my pets, my future, my children's future, my interest, my hobbies, my collections, my ideas, my creativity, my ambitions, my generosity, my reputation, my confidence, my self-esteem, my pride, my contribution, my sacrifice, my effort, my time, my space, my yoga, my yoga mat, my yoga accessories, my yoga brand, my favorite yoga practice/yoga poses, my yoga school, my yoga students, my yoga teacher, my Guru, my disciples, my followers, my fans, my God, my things to do/enjoy before dying, and so on.

For the dispassionate minds, the worldly life existence is simply a precious momentary platform and priceless opportunity for them to work diligently to annihilate the modification of the mind/ignorance/egoism - the root of countless births and deaths (restlessness), and the consequence of that - suffering. The worldly passionate minds would ignorantly think that this is selfishness, that this doesn't contribute anything to the world like all the other intelligent educated kind people who actively trying to do so many actions in order to change the world to be a better place or to be the way that they think it should be, but they don't realize this serious stuff of yoga practice is indeed the greatest form of contribution towards humanity that anyone can give - to be free from ignorance/egoism/impurities and suffering, to be in peace and manifesting peace into the environment/the society/the world, unconditionally.

If someone really interested in practicing yoga or realizing yoga, must understand the difference between yoga (the annihilation of the ego/egoism and restraining/thinning-out the function/modification of the mind) and worldly 'positive empowerment' ideologies (the empowerment of the ego/egoism and stimulating/augmenting the function/modification of the mind).

The one who needs to be empowered and is being empowered by 'positive empowerment' ideologies is the ego. All these worldly 'positive empowerment' ideologies are stimulating/feeding/fueling/empowering/strengthening the thinking mind/egoism. While yoga practice is mainly to breakdown/annihilate the ego/egoism and stop stimulating/stop feeding/thinning out/annihilating the thinking mind (including the mind with all positive and good qualities.)

The one who truly understands yoga and practices yoga, doesn't need to be empowered, encouraged, motivated, inspired, acknowledged, supported or accompanied by anything and anyone, but realizing the truth and lives in the truth, and not running away from or denying the undesirable/disagreeable reality perceived by the mind that it doesn't like and doesn't want, or trying to change the undesirable/disagreeable reality to be the way that the mind would like or want it to be.

Yoga practitioners or yoga teachers, who think and believe all beings/people, including themselves, need to be empowered, encouraged, motivated, inspired, acknowledged, supported, or accompanied by other(s), of family/community/teachers/friend circle/social network to live life, to look after themselves and/or others under their care, to be doing something beneficial to themselves and/or others, to be performing their duties and responsibilities towards themselves and/or others, and to perform the yoga and meditation practice to attain salvation, otherwise, they would be discouraged, demotivated or lack of inspiration to perform all these actions, then they aren't really practicing yoga, even though they might think and believe that they have been practicing yoga for a long time or they are highly experienced in the yoga practice. Though it's everyone's freedom of how they understand and practice yoga.

This doesn't mean that the world is a loveless place if all practice yoga or everyone doesn't (need to) connect with other(s), to be giving or receiving love from one another, but in fact, it's the contrary, the world will be full of 'love', as everyone is love itself and manifesting love unlimitedly, unconditionally, intentionlessly or selflessly. There's needless to connect with other(s) or depend on receiving love from other(s) to feel love or be loved by other(s). There's no separateness, loneliness or meaninglessness.

It's only those who haven't realized the truth of 'love', will perceive separateness, loneliness and meaninglessness, and believe that all beings need to be giving and receiving love from one another, and have the need to connect with other(s), to be receiving love from other(s), to feel love and meaningfulness. That is not freedom, nor end of suffering. As there will always be many inhumanity, selfishness, cruelty, greed, violence or corruption in the world as most minds are not free from ignorance and egoism, and are functioning under the impulse for survival and gratification of desires. Even those who identifying themselves as 'good' beings/people who think they do many 'good' actions in this world would also want to discriminate/punish/hurt other(s) out of pride, self-righteousness, self-protection, survival instinct, anger, hatred, hurt, fear, worry, and etc.

Love or peace is always there, as it is, never increase nor decrease, unaffected by the impermanent changes of good and bad qualities of names and forms. Those who realized this, are free from clinging onto, or needing, or craving for love from someone or somewhere. It's only those under the influence of ignorance and egoism don't realize this, and hence are not free, but finding momentary satisfaction and comforts in the qualities of names and forms that the mind likes and desires.

Dispassion, renouncing worldly ideas, objects, activities, ties and relationships, non-attachment, non-identification, awareness, self-control, self-discipline, the correct understanding of the basic and yet essential teachings of yoga, and the four essential qualities of a Sadhaka - Viveka, Vairagya, Shatsampat and Mumukshutva, are the very basic qualities of a yoga practitioner or person who wants to practice yoga and realize yoga.

The real 'Guru' or teacher is there to guide the students/practitioners to destroy/eliminate the ego/egoism and to thin-out the mind. Destroying/eliminating the ego/egoism and thinning-out the mind is the only objective/goal of all the yoga practice and it's true compassion and the greatest contribution to humanity and the world. All other benefits deriving from performing the yoga practice are just some momentary side-effects. These side-effects cannot bring salvation or liberation. Yoga practitioners aren't interested in all these momentary side-effects at all, but allowing them to be there as they are.

Everyone is free to practice yoga, or not. It's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their life, their body and mind.

Be free.

The egoless desireless mind doesn't need to be empowered or inspired

Be free from the idea of 'the need to be empowered/inspired' or 'the necessity of empowerment/inspiration'.

The sun, the space, the earth, the water and the wind don't need to be empowered/inspired for being what they are. They are what they are, being there allowing all and everything to be forming, changing, and disintegrating selflessly, intentionlessly, and unconditionally.

Human beings with the impure egoistic thinking mind (men, women, old people, young people, teenagers, children, or anybody) think and believe that all human beings need some kind of empowerment/inspiration to be empowered/inspired to be performing actions that would benefit themselves and/or others, or to be somebody that they want to be (other than being what they are, as they are), or to attain better quality of life and higher sense of happiness/satisfaction/achievement/worthiness/meaningfulness, to build a higher personal development that contributes to a better society in the world.

Human beings are indeed being 'empowered/inspired' to develop a strong egoism since the day they were born, to develop a strong personal and worldly attachment and identity, self-image, personality, nationality, thinking, belief, culture, religion, spirituality, family ties/lineage, social interaction and connection, education, ambition, desire, aspiration, creativity, achievement, possessiveness, success, enjoyment, the sense of confidence/pride/meaningfulness/satisfaction/happiness, and so on.

Minds are being influenced/empowered from everywhere to think and believe that "Even when this is very good, but there will always something better, that this is never good enough, that they should never be contented with themselves or everything as they are, that they need to continuously strive to be better, and better, and there's no end to higher ambition/achievement/enjoyment/pleasure/happiness/satisfaction, and etc."

All those empowerment ideas are nothing but empowering the ignorance/egoism/impurities of greed, dissatisfaction, pride, personal identity, self-image, gratification of worldly desires and ambitions, separateness, discrimination, and etc, and the consequences of that - restlessness, so that the world's economy/capitalism/materialism/commercialism/consumerism can continue to survive and grow for the wealthy people continue to amass more wealth under the 'support' of all the 'empowered' human beings with all their 'empowered/inspired' great desires and worldly ambitions for experiencing, attaining, and possessing higher and endless satisfaction and enjoyment.

Many people don't really love themselves, even though they might think that they love themselves very much, but actually they love what they like and want (their desires and the gratification of desires) more than loving themselves as they are. They want/expect their body and mind to be like this and not like that, or to be able to do/achieve this and that. The ever dissatisfied and greedy ego doesn't/won't/can't love the body and mind or everything in life as it is.

While some people can't love themselves as they are, is because they are being influenced and determined by the 'empowered' society to think and believe that 'they are not good enough' or 'they will never be good enough', even when they achieved many achievements, and so, they can't like or love themselves as they are (dissatisfaction or dislike towards the qualities of names and forms that they identified with as 'I').

And hence, all those 'empowerment ideas' are 'blooming' or 'trending' in this world, to inspire/motivate/encourage people to think and believe that they can desire/achieve whatever they desire/want to achieve, that they can be (more) strong and powerful to attain a higher quality and comfort of life, that they will be treated/respected/loved/supported the way that they deserve if they attain/possess those higher qualities, so that they will feel good, satisfied, confident and meaningful about themselves, in order to like and love themselves, or to receive acceptance, love, respect, compliment, support, acknowledgement or friendship/companionship from other(s).

People ceaselessly and restlessly pushing their body and mind to go beyond its limitation, with the help of special diet/supplement/drugs/training/higher education, technology and equipment, until the function of the body and mind breakdown, until they need to depend on more drugs for the body and mind to be able to function properly, to be 'normal' again, to relieve tension, to unwind, to have a few moments of rest, until the life force depleted and death/disintegration takes place, and the body and mind ceased functioning and existing.

The bodily systems and the thinking faculty are unwittingly suffering from restlessness, overuse, sleep deprivation, hyperactive, lethargic, mood swing, depression, anxiety, nervous breakdown, immune system breakdown, indigestion, hormone imbalance, unfocused, cloudiness, stress, and stress related physical illness and different forms of mental illness, due to the empowered ego is being empowered/inspired to push the limits of the body and mind to achieve or fulfill unlimited and higher worldly desires and ambitions of the empowered ego. Again, it's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their life existence, their body and mind.

Meanwhile, out of good intention, some people try to empower others by telling others that "You are good, you are good enough, you are more than good enough. You deserve more/better," by empowering them to think and believe that they are good and strong and worthy, so that they are empowered/motivated to be able to achieve something that they want to achieve, so that they will feel better, satisfied, happy, confident and meaningful about themselves by being able to achieve something or fulfill their desires, so that they will like and love themselves. But that's not liberation or the end of suffering for these people if they need to rely on attaining/possessing certain qualities of names and forms, or achievements and gratification of desires in order to think and believe that they are good, or good enough, or more than good enough, or they deserve much more, to feel better, satisfied, happy, confident and meaningful about themselves, so that they can like and love themselves.

Yoga, or the yoga practice, is to free the mind from all those restlessness deriving from ignorance and egoism empowered by worldly endless passionate desires, ambitions, ideas, thinking, belief, and values.

Be free from attachment and identification with qualities of names and forms as 'I', and be free from all the worldly ideas and beliefs about "One shouldn't be content with what one is and has, that oneself and all these will never be good enough, that one should always strive to be better, and better, and there's no ending of higher achievement/desire/happiness/success/satisfaction/pleasure," or "Be empowered. Be inspired. You are good. You are strong. You can achieve all your desires," and be free from clinging/craving towards the need of appreciation, praise, compliment, acknowledgement, validation, agreement, recognition, love, support, friendship, or companionship from other(s), in order to live life happily, confidently and meaningfully.

Those who (truly) practice yoga don't need to be empowered or inspired by anyone or anything, to feel good, confident, successful, or meaningful about oneself or life existence upon the realization of selflessness, non-separateness, attributelessness, namelessness, and formlessness. One doesn't need to be 'somebody identifying with/possessing certain qualities of names and forms or achievements', in order to live life happily, confidently, and meaningfully. One is peaceful as one is, unconditionally.

It doesn't mean that one doesn't perform any actions that would benefit oneself and/or others, and to constantly improve in life existence. One can be actively performing actions that would benefit oneself and others, and constantly improving in life existence, but without the idea of "This is never good enough and everyone needs to achieve higher and higher qualities/satisfaction/enjoyment to be who they are/to be recognized/accepted as well-deserving human being", without pushing the body and mind beyond its limitation, without unnecessary over-whelming stress, without intention/expectation/craving for receiving appreciation, praise, compliment, acknowledgement, validation, agreement, recognition, love, support, friendship, or companionship from others in return, in order to feel happy, confident, and meaningful.

There's no dissatisfaction, discontentment, fear, low self-esteem, low confidence, depression, self-hate, unloved, left-out, loneliness, meaninglessness, or lack of something that isn't here.

There's no aversion towards impermanent changes, old age, illness, weakness, aloneness, separation from things and beings that one appreciates and cherishes, or death.

It doesn't mean that the world is moving backward or stagnant, if everyone loves themselves as they are, in fact, it's the opposite. The world will be full of peaceful and compassionate people, and hence the world will be free from all sorts of mental illness, stress related physical illness, depression, low self-esteem, low confidence, pride, arrogance, greed, corruption, exploitation, offensiveness, self-harm, discrimination, violence, wars, and etc. But, most minds are not free from ignorance, egoism, and impurities.

Even if there are more and higher technologies existing in the world for certain people to enjoy a more comfortable and advanced lifestyle, where they can live longer, younger, and healthier, it doesn't guarantee that the mind will be free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, and the suffering from restlessness, anger, hatred, jealousy, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurts, regret, guilt, fear, worry, boredom, loneliness, hostility, unrest, discrimination, violence, doubts, conflicts, disagreement, and etc.

There's nothing wrong with good condition, comfort, and convenience deriving from higher technologies and the ability to attain the higher quality of life. If one knows how to unattached or not clinging onto all the good condition, comfort, and convenience in one's life, but making use of the good condition to work on attaining salvation transcending the mind perception of a worldly selfless impermanent life existence, that's great. But, how many attached or clung onto the good condition, comfort, and convenience, and got lost in all the pleasurable indulgence and enjoyment, and the endless pursuit for higher pleasurable indulgence and enjoyment? And how many would be grateful and thankful for all the bad condition, discomfort and hardship in their life which initiating them to detach from worldly life existence to work on transcending the mind of ignorance, egoism and impurities?

It's everyone's freedom for how they want to think, believe and feel, or what they want to do with their life, body and mind.

Be free.