Vairagya and Mumukshutva - dispassion and intense yearning for liberation

Mumukshutva is the intense yearning for liberation transcending the wheel of births and deaths of conditional impermanent and selfless worldly life existence of inevitable physical/mental/emotional restlessness and suffering powered by ignorance and egoism.

It's the objective or goal of all forms of yoga practice and meditation. Many years of performing yoga practice and meditation without Vairagya and Mumukshutva, but enjoying and indulging in the momentary goodness of yoga and meditation practice and the pleasant fruit of 'good karma' deriving from 'good actions', is like gathering and keeping accumulated pure and clean food in a 'bottomless' and contaminated container.

Vairagya (dispassion) and Mumukshutva are the two sides of a coin. They co-exist together as one. It's the 'under current' that pulls/leads the mind towards liberation.

Ignorance and egoism and worldly passionate desire/love/attachment/clinging is the 'under current' that generates/powers the whirlpool of Samsara, where the mind attaching onto/'loving and enjoying' the wheel of births and deaths of countless worldly transitions of names and forms that is subject to impermanence and selflessness, where the mind gets lost in the boundless desires of craving and aversion, seeking love, pleasure, goodness, righteousness, kindness, comfort, satisfaction, meaningfulness, sense of purpose, conditional freedom and limited good condition in the modification of the mind perception of an impermanent and selfless worldly life existence of names and forms, of worldly physical/mental/emotional/sensual activities/interactions/enjoyments/relationships/community support while unwittingly 'indulging in' the momentary physical/mental/emotional/sensual satisfaction and pleasure deriving from the gratification of the passionate desires, ignorantly mistaking egoistic passionate love/attachment/sympathy/empathy/clinging/charity/sacrifice as compassion.

Worldly people, including many yoga practitioners and yoga teachers who think they love yoga very much that they find yoga is something very meaningful and see themselves practicing yoga and teaching yoga to other people as the meaning/purpose of their life existence, would mistake Vairagya and Mumukshutva as a form of 'negative thinking/behavior', or 'depression', or 'madness'. That shows how great is the power of ignorance.

"Neither charity, nor sacrifice, nor fame, nor fasting, nor begetting a good son, nor control of breath, nor victory over the enemy, nor the society of friends, nor Siddhis like Anima can stand in comparison with realisation of the Self.

You may cross the sea by walking or float in the air or support on hands the great mountain Maha Meru or drink poison like milk or eat fire like fried grains or fly in the sky or stand on fire or break iron or get wealth by the power of magic ointment. Yet can all these give you liberation?

You can become a king or Indra or a Sannyasin. You can stun others by Mantra-sakti or aim accurately or know the past, present and the future.

You can reduce anger by destroying lust or eradicating greed. Yet can all these help you in the attainment of liberation?

You might have conquered pride, delusion and envy. You might have dwelt in Brahma-loka or Vaikuntha-loka or Kailasa. Yet can all these stand in comparison with liberation? He is fit for liberation who regards all these as nothing.

You took bath in the Ganga, you did all the sixteen kinds of charity. You did crores of Japa. What is the use of all these things if you do not attain Self-realisation?

Can you acquire eternal bliss and supreme peace from the attainment of vast erudition or from possession of immense wealth or from the enjoyment of beautiful young ladies? No. The supreme undying bliss can be obtained only by realisation of the Self.

Who is wife? Who is son? Who are you? Wherefrom did you come? How wonderful is this Samsara? How are you related to one another? Think deeply on these matters.

Who are you? Who am I? Wherefrom have we come? Who is mother? Who is father? Think deeply on all these. Leave off this world which is a dream and seek the eternal.

Vairagya is the rein by which the uncontrollable mind is restrained. Ripe Vairagya is intense attachment to Atman bliss and strong dispassion for anything other than Atman.

If one considers even the position and happiness of Brahma as the dung of a cow, then only he has developed a real lasting Vairagya. Temporary fleeting dispassion is not Vairagya. It will not help the aspirant in the attainment of Self-realisation.

It is common to have dispassion for some particular objects by some cause or other. But by having dispassion for all objects at all times, one will get knowledge of the Self. You may get Atma-Jnana soon by the grace of the Guru, by devotion to him, and by practice of what he instructs."

- Swami Sivananda

Meaning / Purpose of life existence?

Most minds look for the 'meaning/purpose of life existence' in certain qualities of names and forms, of worldly affairs, actions, activities, interactions, relationships, achievements, objects, conditions, quality of life, contributions, selfless service, and etc.

"Find something or do something in life that make you feel meaningful that give you the sense of purpose of life existence, so that life wouldn't be meaningless and purposeless." That's what many people think and believe and propagate. People are suffering from 'meaninglessness' or 'loneliness' because they try to find the 'meaning/purpose of life' in the worldly names and forms (conditions/relationships/actions/activities/experiences/achievements) that are limited by impermanence and selflessness, that are conditioned by time, space and causation, that are perishable.

There's nothing wrong with the minds finding 'meaning' or 'purpose' of life existence in certain qualities of names and forms, of worldly affairs, actions, activities, interactions, relationships, achievements, objects, conditions, quality of life, contributions, selfless service, and etc. Especially when there's no attachment towards all the perishable qualities of names and forms that give the mind the sense of 'meaning' or 'purpose' of life existence.

Those who practice yoga or Buddhism, they don't seek the 'meaning' or 'purpose' of life existence in anything that is subject to impermanence and selflessness, that is perishable. Even 'life', or 'life existence', or anything that is existing or related to this 'life existence', including the physical body and the modification of the mind, all actions and the fruit of actions, and the 'yoga practice' and the result of the 'yoga practice', regardless of 'good' or 'bad' qualities and 'positive' or 'negative' elements, are all subject to impermanence and selflessness.

For those who practice yoga or Buddhism, the very basic inquiry is to look into the physical body and the modification of the mind to see the truth of impermanence and selflessness of the existence and function of the physical body and the mind, that allows the mind to drop off the attachment and identification towards the physical body and the mind perception of names and forms and the related worldly life existence, as the basic foundation that leads the mind towards Self-realization, realizing selflessness/egolessness/'I'-lessness/oneness/namelessness/formlessness/attributelessness.

The physical body needs constant maintenance, to be fed from time to time to be functioning/existing/surviving, while generating/disposing many by-products at the same time, and constantly balancing between physical/mental activities and rest. When it didn't get fed enough, it will feed on itself ('eating' itself), withdrawing energy, liquid, minerals and nutrients from the body itself to feed itself to be continuing functioning/existing/surviving. If the energy supply stopped for more than a certain period of time, when it no longer can function/survive by 'eating' itself, the body will stop functioning and decomposing, or 'death' takes place. 

 

There's nothing good or bad, positive or negative, happiness or unhappiness, meaningfulness or meaninglessness, purposefulness or purposelessness about the birth and death of the physical body (of oneself and others), and all those impermanent changes of growth, decaying, aging, deteriorating and illness/injury/pain/discomfort in between birth and death. It's the same as the modification of the mind perceiving all the names and forms of a life existence through the senses via the sense organs of the physical body, that rely on Prana/energy/food/oxygen/water/nutrients/minerals supply to be functioning, constantly changing selflessly under the influence of all kinds of inputs/elements/Gunas/cause and effect.

Once the mind goes beyond the attachment and identification towards the selfless and impermanent function/existence of the physical body and the modification of the mind, then all kinds of 'pleasant/unpleasant' relationships/experiences/possessions/qualities of names and forms are just being what they are, neither meaningful nor meaningless, neither purposeful nor purposeless. There's no need of finding/having a 'meaning/purpose of life existence' in the worldly life and all that exist in it. Though one can 'cherish' all the good and happy moments/experiences with all and everyone that one loves and appreciates, but without clinging onto or labeling 'this and that' as meaningful or 'this and that' as the purpose of (my) life existence. It's like watching 'the loved ones' or 'the precious ones' passing away one by one, while being aware of this is the truth of all existence of names and forms that are impermanent and selfless. It's just whether the mind can make use of 'this' and 'now', the perception of a worldly life existence in this present moment to transcend 'itself', or 'the stream of continuous thought current of a worldly existence of names and forms/objects of the senses', or 'the ignorance towards itself'.

One just makes use the physical body, the thinking mind, the knowledge, the learning, the education, the skills, the talents, the conditions and the opportunities to be doing something for oneself and others. Without the need of the 'meaning/purpose of life existence'.

Above all, the one that needs to have the 'meaning/purpose of life existence' to feel good and meaningful to be existing, is the ego.

Ego, more than self-esteem, self-worth, pride and arrogance

In the world, 'ego' is mostly being interpreted as the quality of a prideful ambitious overly confident high self-esteemed and self-centered person who thinks and believes oneself possesses certain qualities or achievements that one and others would be proud of and should deserve respect, appreciation, acknowledgement, or glorification.

When people say, "He/She has a big/bad ego," usually it refers to this is a proud and arrogant self-centered, self-obsessed, or overly confident and ambitious person that boasts and glorifies about one's contributions or achievements.

When people say, "He/She doesn't have an ego or he/she has a small/good ego," usually it refers to this is a down to earth, humble and unselfish person, who keeps quiet about one's contributions and achievements.

'Ego', is more than the reflection of self-esteem, self-worth, pride and arrogance of a person under the teachings of yoga and Buddhism. It's not a quality to reflect whether a person is being arrogant and self-centered or being humble and non self-centered.

'Ego', is an idea of 'I' derived from ignorance and exists in the form of a continuous stream of thought-current in the thinking mind, that feeds on egoism, attached onto and identifies with certain qualities of names and forms to be existing as an individual being experiencing life, either enjoying pleasant/desirable/agreeable/joyful experiences or suffering unpleasant/undesirable/disagreeable/painful experiences, identifies as 'the perceiver that perceives/experiences/thinks/feels' and 'the perceived names and forms of perceptions/experiences/thinking/feelings' as well as 'the performer of actions' and 'the receiver of the fruit of actions', who desires and doesn't desire, who agrees and disagrees, who fights and protects, who enjoys and suffers. It appears to be existing and real due to ignorance.

The ego exists and identifies/acknowledges itself as 'I am good' or 'I am bad', 'I know' or 'I don't know', 'I am confident' and 'I am not confident', 'I like, agree and desire' or 'I don't like, don't agree and don't desire', 'I deserve' or 'I don't deserve', 'I am proud' or 'I am humble', 'I am happy' or 'I am unhappy', 'I am positive' or 'I am negative', 'I am meaningful' and 'I am meaningless', 'I enjoy' or 'I suffer', 'I am selfish' or 'I am unselfish', 'I am highly confident, ambitious and self-centered' or 'I am non confident, non ambitious and non self-centered', and etc.

The end of yoga or Buddhism practice, is upon the annihilation of the modification of the mind or restless thought-currents, when the veil of ignorance vanished, where the mind sees itself as it is, attaining Self-realization, or knowing thyself, or knowing who 'I' am, where the annihilation of the ego/the idea of 'I', or the realization of selflessness/egolessness/'I'lessness takes place, transcending 'the wheel of births and deaths of the egoistic impure consciousness powered by ignorance and the by-products of ignorance that generates ceaseless cause and effect/good and bad karma that feeds the loop of births and deaths of ignorance and the by-products of that', 'returning' to oneness, non-separateness, namelessness, formlessness, attributelessness, birthlessness, deathlessness, void of/untouched by cause and effect/good or bad karma/merits and virtues.

It's not about trying to be as 'good' as possible, where a 'soul/mind' will be judged as a 'good or bad soul/mind' upon the death of the physical body based on accumulated virtues and merits or good/bad karma, either to be sent to 'heaven' or 'hell' or 'somewhere in between', or to be reborn into respective higher or lower realm of beings experiencing life existence via the mind perceiving pleasant/unpleasant names and forms through the senses that are all subject to impermanence and selflessness, to be continuously 'ignorantly'/'helplessly'/'unwittingly' generating further ceaseless good/bad actions along with the consequences of actions, or cause and effect, or good/bad karma, that keeps fueling the wheel of restless births and deaths (restless transitions of life existence reaping the fruit of good/bad actions) that is subject to impermanence and selflessness, regardless of good or bad, desirable or undesirable, enjoyable or sufferable transitions.

Forgo the momentary 'pleasantness', 'happiness', 'meaningfulness' or 'goodness' of a conditional fleeting worldly life existence of restless selfless transitions. Even so called 'heaven' or 'higher realms' are impermanent transitions reaping the fruit of 'good' actions. It's not liberation at all. Know thyself, the beginningless and endless infinite silent witness of all impermanent and selfless transitions.

The ego constant acts and reacts to create a condition or a world that 'I' desires, based on the endless desire of craving (What I want) and aversion (What I don't want). The silent witness neither act or react nor there's an 'I' aspiring/desiring to create a condition or a world that 'I' desires. There's neither "I will be or I am missing all the people of family and friends, or names and forms of the objects of the senses/qualities/conditions/things/actions/enjoyments/pets/places/realms/world that I love very much." where only the very few dispassionate ones can go beyond all the worldly connections/relationships/names and forms transcending all kinds of worldly social/cultural/spiritual/religious thinking and belief, actions and achievements (the fruit of actions).

"The knowledge of the Self, or Self-realization, or the annihilation of the mind, or Samadhi, is the only way to be free from the wheel of births and deaths." as taught by Swami Sivananda.

Nothing but selfless impermanent changes of names and forms

What is here?

This is what's going on in the mind and how the body functions while asleep, or this is what the mind perceives through the senses and how the body functions while awake, or this is what's going on in deep sleep, or this is beyond the function of the physical body and the modification of the mind (beyond the three states of sleep, awake and deep sleep) - Turiya. Constant selfless changes of names and forms arising/passing away or forming/deforming are happening according to the law of nature/cause and effect, selflessly, intentionlessly, in the awaking state, sleep state and deep sleep state, but not in Turiya, which is nameless, formless, attributeless, birthless, deathless, beginningless, endless, or mindless/void of modification of the mind/beyond the three states of the mind of the selfless and impermanent worldly life existence.

Upon the annihilation of the modification of the mind that come along with intellect, egoism and memory storage of mind modification/activities consciously and subconsciously, there is nothing here but selfless impermanent changes of names and forms. There's neither 'past' nor 'future', neither 'I' nor 'not I', neither 'good' nor bad', neither 'right' nor 'wrong', neither 'positive' nor 'negative', neither 'meaningful' nor 'meaningless', neither 'enjoyable' nor 'non-enjoyable', neither 'desirable' nor 'non-desirable', neither 'agreeable' nor 'non-agreeable', neither 'attaching' nor 'detaching'. There's no family or not family, friends or not friends, contribution or non-contribution, being selfish or being unselfish, there's no father, no mother, no son, no daughter, no partner, no relatives, no suffering, no end of suffering, or all kinds of separateness and duality, where this is disagreed/rejected/disliked/condemned by many worldly egoistic minds/people as all these names and forms are what they think they are, where they exist as 'somebody' who has an individual self-existence/self-identity that possesses all those names and forms, that has a family/ancestor background and personal relationships with all and everything.

Human beings of higher evolution being endowed with an intellectual egoistic thinking mind that ceaselessly perceive, act and react, desire and don't desire towards the mind perception of names and forms through the senses and processing all kinds of mind perception of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, feelings/emotions/thoughts/imagination/memories/connections/relationships/interactions under the veil of ignorance, that give rise to the idea of 'I', or the ego, that exists merely as a stream of continuous thought-current/though-wave, being there asserting/identifying as 'I', attaching, grasping, discriminating, asserting, liking, disliking, agreeing, disagreeing, aspiring, desiring, craving, longing, learning, knowing, remembering, forgetting, creating, building, connecting, mingling, socializing, interacting, procreating, accumulating, possessing, boring, fulfilling, accomplishing, exciting, enjoying, worrying, frustrating, dissatisfying, disappointing, regretting, hurting, saddening, grieving, sorrowing, depressing, suffering, and so on, reacting towards the names and forms/experiences that the mind perceives/experiences through the senses as well as reacting towards the names and forms/experiences that were being stored as memory, that keep flashing back in the mind in the only existence, NOW, while in-searching for satisfaction, meaningfulness, joy and happiness in the worldly life of impermanent names and forms/self-identity/relationships/achievements/enjoyments/conditions.

The mango tree exists selflessly, and from it, many fruits of mango are being produced selflessly, which possibly reproducing many other mango trees selflessly, that also possibly produce many more fruits of mango, selflessly. The mango tree and the fruits of mango are existing, changing and cease existing, or extinct due to the law of nature/cause and effect, selflessly. Even so, the mango tree and all other kinds of plant also have the selfless survival instinct of surviving and reproducing. Similarly, there is the selfless survival instinct in all living beings of humans, animals, birds, insects, fish and etc, not to say when the human's mind is functioning under the veil of ignorance and an idea of 'I', or the ego, rejecting extinction or non-existence, craving/longing for continuous or prolonged existence. Due to ignorance, living beings in search for continuous or prolonged existence of a self-identity in the physical body and the thinking mind attaching to the quality of names and forms (relationships/activities/achievements/possessions/conditions) that are all selfless and impermanent, and hence, fear, dissatisfaction, meaninglessness and suffering arise in these living beings.

There are constant selfless and restless actions happening as part of the existence and function of the physical body and the thinking faculty that rely on nature providing energy/food/air/water/nutrients/minerals to be existing and functioning, going through forming, growing, balancing, fueling, burning fuel, refueling, hydrating, dehydrating, rehydrating, digesting, nurturing, regenerating, repairing, shitting, peeing, warming, cooling, sweating, decaying, aging, strengthening, weakening, restrengthening, sleeping, dreaming, awaking, perceiving, living, dying, and eventually stop functioning and decompose/deforming. Inevitably restless due to the existence and function of the physical body and the acting/reacting thinking faculty.

Only the minds that are aware of this restlessness would forgo being the slave of ignorance, egoism and restlessness, of pleasure/satisfaction and meaning/purpose seeking through the senses in the impermanent names and forms of a selfless worldly life existence which lead to ceaseless actions/reactions and consequences of actions, or cause and effect, or karma, that power/fuel the wheel/loop of births and deaths, and hence, there arise the intense yearning for liberation from all that, to be determined to attain Self-realization regardless of intense difficulty and obstacle.

Freeing the mind from ignorance and egoism, transcending the three states of the mind of countless births and deaths of restlessness, realize nameless, formless, attributeless, birthless, deathless, beginningless, endless Turiya, or Atman.

Practitioner / Adhikari vs follower / disciple / worshiper / admirer / supporter

Those who truly want to practice yoga to free the mind from ignorance to know thyself, they need to know how to free the mind from the egoistic tendency of unwittingly becoming a passionate follower/disciple/worshiper/admirer/supporter.

Be a dispassionate 'practitioner' or 'Adhikari' of the teachings of yoga, inquiring the truth of everything, including whatever the teachers/gurus/scriptures teach, attaining self-realization via self-effort and self-inquiry, and not to be a passionate 'follower', 'disciple', 'worshiper', 'admirer', or 'supporter' towards the teacher/guru/yogi/saint/sage, or the scriptures/teachings of yoga, or the stories of many great minds/teachers/gurus/yogis/saints/sages.

By following, or becoming a disciple of, or worshiping, or admiring, or supporting the teacher/guru/yogi/saint/sage, or the scriptures/teachings of yoga, or the stories of many great minds/teachers/gurus/yogis/saints/sages, and awaiting/requesting/expecting 'answers', or 'blessings', or 'miracles', or 'transcendental experiences' from the teacher/guru/yogi/saint/sage or from 'God', doesn't free the mind from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance. There's attachment that gives rise to the sense of separateness/duality between 'I' and 'the teacher', or 'the guru', or 'the teachings', or 'the practice', or 'the experience', or 'the fruit of practice'.

Practically practicing the teachings of yoga in NOW, this very existence of the mind functioning perceiving a life existence of names and forms of cause and effect/impermanence/selflessness, of disciplining the mind, quieting the mind, purifying the mind, freeing the mind from egoistic worldly/spiritual attachment, identification, desires of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation, refraining the mind from going out through the sense organs chasing after the objects of the senses, renouncing worldly egoistic passions/desires/objects/activities/social interactions and connections, silencing the modification of the mind, and upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness completely, and knowing thyself - Selflessness/egolessness/'I'lessness, or YOGA of oneness, non-separateness, namelessness, formlessness, attributelessness, birthlessness, deathlessness, beginninglessness, endlessness, there's no separateness of 'practitioner/action of practice/fruit of the practice' or between 'I' and what is not 'I' or 'the perceiver and the perceived' to be found in the selfless, nameless, formless, attributeless, birthless, deathless, beginningless, endless universal consciousness (Atman).

This is nothing to do with the worldly attachment/passionate love and 'heroic' ambition/aspiration of the egoistic thinking minds desire to be 'saving the world' by making/changing/influencing the world to be 'a better place than what it is', but just do one's best focusing on freeing one's mind from ignorance to attain self-realization, is the greatest and most efficient way to contribute to 'a world free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance', selflessly, desirelessly and intentionlessly, being free from disturbs, disappointment, dissatisfaction, hurts, offensiveness, anger, hatred, aggressiveness or violence to fight against what the mind dislikes and disagrees with, that the mind thinks and believes as 'bad', 'wrong', 'hurtful', 'negative', 'unjust', 'disappointing' or 'meaningless'.

Real teacher or guru doesn't attract/recruit/accumulate 'followers', 'disciples', 'worshipers', 'admirers', or 'supporters'. They are just being what they are, just like the sun, the air, the water, the earth and the space. They don't even have any intention/aspiration/desire to be 'teaching'/'sharing'/'helping'/'uplifting' anyone, not to say to be 'saving the world' to make/change/influence the world to be 'a place different from what it is'.

"He is extremely humble. He appears to be quite an ordinary man. He never advertises that he is a Sat-Guru or a knower of Brahman. He never says, "I am an illumined sage. I am an Avatara. I will give Mukti for many persons. I possess many Siddhis." He is perfectly desireless. He has no craving for money or name and fame. He has no desire to establish cult or Ashram. He simply works for solidarity of the world and elevates people. He says, "I have neither followers nor disciples, neither possession nor Mutts of my own." He has no attachment to any person or any object. He never tries to establish cult or Ashram. He is absolutely free from 'I-ness' or 'mine-ness'. He never allows those around him to tell people that he got Siddhis, that he is a great Mahatma. He does not like to come in the lime-light of publicity. He always hides himself. If he becomes famous in a place, he leaves the place at once. If a man says, "I am a Mahatma, I am a realised soul, I am a Sat-Guru," if his disciples advertise that their teacher is a Sat-Guru with many Siddhis, that he has exhibited many Siddhis, know that this man is an empty vessel that makes much noise. The Sruti emphatically declares "He who says 'I know Brahman' does not know Brahman, he who says 'I do not know Brahman' knows Brahman." This world abounds with psuedo-Gurus. Beware of such persons. They exploit the innocent and credulous and throw them in the dark abyss. They will mislead people. It is like a blind man leading the blind. Siddhis keep a man far from God and God-realisation. Do not be carried away by the Siddhis of a man." - Swami Sivananda

"Jnana is the greatest purifier. There is no salvation without knowledge. Knowledge of Atman destroys ignorance, pain, sorrow and stops the wheel of births and deaths.

Attain this knowledge through Satsanga, service of the Guru, study of Vedantic books, hearing of Srutis, reflection and constant meditation.

Sorrow is for one who has the notion of self in the body, not for the sage who identifies himself with the all-blissful Atman." - Swami Sivananda

"Neither charity, nor sacrifice, nor fame, nor fasting, nor begetting a good son, nor control of breath, nor victory over the enemy, nor the society of friends, nor Siddhis like Anima can stand in comparison with realisation of the Self.

You may cross the sea by walking or float in the air or support on hands the great mountain Maha Meru or drink poison like milk or eat fire like fried grains or fly in the sky or stand on fire or break iron or get wealth by the power of magic ointment. Yet can all these give you liberation?

You can become a king or Indra or a Sannyasin. You can stun others by Mantra-sakti or aim accurately or know the past, present and the future.

You can reduce anger by destroying lust or eradicating greed. Yet can all these help you in the attainment of liberation?

You might have conquered pride, delusion and envy. You might have dwelt in Brahma-loka or Vaikuntha-loka or Kailasa. Yet can all these stand in comparison with liberation? He is fit for liberation who regards all these as nothing.

You took bath in the Ganga, you did all the sixteen kinds of charity. You did crores of Japa. What is the use of all these things if you do not attain Self-realisation?

Can you acquire eternal bliss and supreme peace from the attainment of vast erudition or from possession of immense wealth or from the enjoyment of beautiful young ladies? No. The supreme undying bliss can be obtained only by realisation of the Self.

Who is wife? Who is son? Who are you? Wherefrom did you come? How wonderful is this Samsara? How are you related to one another? Think deeply on these matters.

Who are you? Who am I? Wherefrom have we come? Who is mother? Who is father? Think deeply on all these. Leave off this world which is a dream and seek the eternal.

Vairagya is the rein by which the uncontrollable mind is restrained. Ripe Vairagya is intense attachment to Atman bliss and strong dispassion for anything other than Atman.

If one considers even the position and happiness of Brahma as the dung of a cow, then only he has developed a real lasting Vairagya. Temporary fleeting dispassion is not Vairagya. It will not help the aspirant in the attainment of Self-realisation.

It is common to have dispassion for some particular objects by some cause or other. But by having dispassion for all objects at all times, one will get knowledge of the Self. You may get Atma-Jnana soon by the grace of the Guru, by devotion to him, and by practice of what he instructs." - Swami Sivananda

"Life is short and fleeting like that drop of water on the lotus leaf. This mundane life is filled with egoism, delusion and diseases. When will you be free from all these? The deer falls a prey to the sense of sound; the elephant to that of touch; the moth to that of form; the fish to that of taste; and the bee to that of smell. But man falls a prey to all these five senses. Therefore how difficult it is for man to free itself from the clutches of these five senses and obtain liberation? When wells and ponds are full in rainy season, the water is muddy and not fit for drinking. In summer the water gets decreased and is sweet. So also when the mind is filled with Vasanas, it is clouded with Tamoguna. When it is free from sensual desires by the practice of dispassion it is filled with pure Sattva." - Swami Sivananda

Admirable leader?

It's common for most minds being unwittingly attracted to and generate admiration towards others with certain qualities of names and forms that one desires, likes and agrees with, that inspires oneself in certain ways, that appears to be admirable and inspirational for oneself. Most minds also want to equip oneself with certain qualities of names and forms to be able to inspire others, that would attract admiration from others.

For the minds that are free from ignorance and egoism, there's neither admiration towards any qualities of names and forms that appear to be higher quality, superior, admirable or attractive, nor there's longing to be attracting admiration from others by possessing certain qualities of names and forms that appear to be higher quality, superior, admirable or attractive. Though without any intention, or expectation, or longing to make oneself being admirable or inspirational to attract any admiration from others, or to inspire anyone, one allows others to perceive and react towards oneself the way that they perceive and react.

Many people would think and believe and promote that if someone wants to be doing something in this world to make the world 'a better place', one should do one's best to be a highly admirable/inspirational person who can inspire and be admired by as many people as possible, in order to become 'an admirable leader' to be propagating one's vision to 'attract'/'recruit'/'leading' many people to also 'follow'/'adopt'/'practice'/'perform action according to' one's vision to make the world 'a better place'. As most people would be 'blindly' listening to and following those whom they admired or attracted to very much, regardless of whether it's something true, or not true.

In the path of yoga and Buddhism, it's not like that at all. In any circumstances, none should be encouraged to 'admire' anyone, to 'follow'/'adopt'/'practice'/'perform action according to' any teachings or visions from anyone who portrays certain qualities of names and forms that the mind desires, likes, and agrees with, that the mind admires or falls in love with, but everyone must investigate and inquire the truth of everything, including all the teachings of yoga and Buddhism, to attain self-realization, to free the mind from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.

If the minds are free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance through self-inquiry and self-realization by disciplining/purifying/silencing one's mind, then there's no need of anybody to be setting an intention/aspiration to be 'an admirable leader' to be attracting/recruiting/leading many others to 'follow'/'adopt'/'practice'/'perform action according to' a particular vision of making the world to be in a particular way that one desires, that one thinks and believes is 'the way to a better world', but without the need to be following any leaders, everyone who is free from ignorance will naturally stop generating unnecessary 'problems' or 'unrest' into the world, to be performing action, to live life, act and react selflessly in this world out of wisdom and compassion, without any intention, or aspiration, or desire, or ambition to make the world to be in any particular way, but allowing the world to be what it is, while accommodating and respecting everyone being what they are, having their own different ways of life/thinking/belief/practice/action/reaction.

It's never about training or being 'a leader with admirable charisma/quality' that would be 'attracting'/'recruiting'/'leading' many other people to be 'following'/'adopting'/'practicing'/'performing action according to' certain egoistic thinking and beliefs or visions about 'how the world should be like' and leading other people to be making the world to be 'the way that the mind thinks and believes how it should be', where there are many different egoistic thinking and beliefs or visions existing in the world that desire 'a world' that are very different from one another, where all kinds of corruptions, conflicts, clashes, discrimination, hatred, oppression, intrusion, violence and unrest exist due to different leaders desire/aspire to make the world to be the way that they think and believe how it should be, to be 'a world' that they desire.

"Even if all the leaders are taken out of the world now, the world will run on smoothly, probably more smoothly. Even if all the people retire into the forest, the world will go on." - Swami Sivananda

"Do not hoard disciples. Do not build ashrams." - Swami Sivananda

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was never a 'leader' 'leading' a group of 'followers' who 'followed' his path, teachings, or disciplines. He taught, "Inquire the truth of everything. Discipline one's mind. Purify one's mind. Silent one's mind. Liberate one's mind from attachment. When there's attachment towards 'this worldly life existence', one is not a 'practitioner'. Do not blind-believing, blind-following, blind-preaching, blind-practicing, blind-agreeing/disagreeing."

Without 'leader', what is 'follower' or 'disciple', and vice versa?

Karma - Cause and effect - Action and consequences of action

Those who know karma, or cause and effect, or action and the consequences of action, and have realized non-duality, selflessness, namelessness, formlessness, attributelessness, there's no craving towards 'good' karma and there's no aversion towards 'bad' karma. There's neither 'good' karma nor 'bad' karma. Karma is not a belief. It's just how things are. Whether people understand or don't understand, agree with or disagree with karma, impermanence or selflessness, the truth of karma, impermanence and selflessness is still what it is. Just like all kinds of names and forms exist and cease existing due to cause and effect, and they are impermanent and selfless, all actions and the fruit of actions are also impermanent and selfless. All actions bring consequences of actions, maybe pleasant experiences, maybe unpleasant experiences. Karma/cause and effect is just being what it is. It's neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, neither positive nor negative, neither agreeable nor disagreeable, neither enjoyment nor suffering, neither happiness nor unhappiness.

Those who think they know karma, and they haven't transcended/gone beyond the modification of the mind that gives rise to duality, egoism, names and forms and quality, there's attachment and identification towards actions and the fruit of actions, or cause and effect, or karma. There's craving towards 'good' karma and aversion towards 'bad' karma. For them, karma is a belief where they think they believe in karma. They would think and believe that the accumulation of 'good' karma will bring happiness and pleasurable enjoyment and will be void of unhappiness and painful suffering, while the accumulation of 'bad' karma will bring unhappiness and painful suffering and will be void of happiness and pleasurable enjoyment. And what is good and bad for them is based on their particular social/cultural/spiritual/religious thinking and belief.

To those who are free from ignorance and egoism, karma or cause and effect is not a belief but it's the truth of things along with impermanence and selflessness. There's no attachment towards action as well as the pleasant or unpleasant consequences of action. The minds that are free from ignorance and egoism are undisturbed and undetermined by the actions and the fruit of actions, or cause and effect, or karma. There's no judgment towards this and that action are good or bad, right or wrong that based on a particular social/cultural/spiritual/religious thinking and belief. There's no expectation towards this is good action that will bring pleasant fruit of action, and that is bad action that will bring unpleasant fruit of action. It's just action and the fruit of action, regardless of pleasant or unpleasant.

Only those who are not free from ignorance and egoism will have such idea or thinking about "This is my good/bad action, and this is my good/bad fruit of action. I am enjoying the pleasant fruit of good action and I am suffering from the unpleasant fruit of bad action."

An apple seed brings the fruit of an apple tree.

An orange seed brings the fruit of an orange tree.

Apple seed won't bring the fruit of orange tree and orange seed won't bring the fruit of apple tree.

Neither apple or orange is 'good'. Neither apple or orange is 'bad'.

Different apple trees bring the fruit of different tastes and textures apples. Some like it sweeter and softer, while some like it tangier and crispier. Neither sweet and soft apples or tangy and crisp apples are 'good' or 'bad'.

Different orange trees bring the fruit of different tastes oranges. Some like it sweeter, while some like it tangier. Neither sweet oranges or tangy oranges are 'good' or 'bad'.

Some people like and enjoy eating apples and don't like/don't enjoy eating oranges, while some like and enjoy eating oranges and don't like/don't enjoy eating apples.

Neither the apples or oranges have the quality or intention to bring happiness or unhappiness, enjoyment or non-enjoyment to anyone who like or doesn't like eating apples or oranges, who enjoy or doesn't enjoy eating apples or oranges.

Many people who think and believe that they have been doing many 'good' actions and believe that they should be enjoying the fruit of 'good' karma derived from 'good' actions are not necessarily peaceful and happy being free from disturbs, hurts, disappointment, anger, fear and painful suffering. Peaceful and happy, or not, and being free from disturbs, hurts, disappointment, anger, fear and painful suffering, or not, is undetermined by actions and the fruit of actions, or cause and effect, or karma. It's whether the mind is free from ignorance and egoism, or not. Some people have to go through many unpleasant experiences and don't experience much pleasant experiences, but still can be peaceful as they are. Some people go through many pleasant experiences and don't experience much unpleasant experiences, but are not necessarily peaceful.

Even if one strongly believes in one has lots of 'bad' karma as life is full of hardship, obstacles and difficulties, one can still be free and have peace, if one knows how to be free from ignorance and egoism. Even if one strongly believes in one has lots of 'good' karma as life is easy and comfortable, one won't be free or peaceful, if one doesn't know how to be free from ignorance and egoism.

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, Gurus, and many saints and sages in the past had to go through many difficulties, challenges, threats, or unpleasant physical/mental/emotional painful experiences before they attained liberation, does that means they all had had lots of 'bad karma'? If so, it's not a bad thing at all having 'bad karma'.

Inquire the truth of everything. Do not blind-believing, blind-following, blind-propagating, or blind-practicing anything.

Be free.

"He who is devoid of 'mine-ness' will not be bound by Karma whether he dwells in his house or wanders in a forest." - Swami Sivananda

Social conversation / talking / sharing / caring?

Most people need/like/love to talk to some other people most of the time, or even talking to themselves if other people are not available. Talking is a normal thing to do, and a common way to know, learn, express and share, or to have an activity to pass time to chase away boredom and to gratify curiosity. 

 

In many cultures in the society, it's considered 'rude', or 'impolite', or 'inappropriate', or 'wrong', or 'something is wrong', if there's silence among people (especially for a prolonged period of time), or if someone doesn't interact with other people or doesn't get involved in a conversation with other people around, especially those who know one another, even if someone who can't hear or speak, or don't speak the same language, or those who are new comers/complete strangers showing up in a place with some other people around, are also being 'expected' to show at least some sort of acknowledgement through body language/facial expression/sign language/gesture to be conversing/interacting/communicating with other people.

 

People would feel offended, or disrespected, or mistreated, if they don't get any 'expected' response from those whom they want to talk to, where either people didn't give any response, or people talked about something that they aren't interested or don't like to hear, especially something that they perceive and judge as 'offensiveness' that they disagree with.

Many people aren't satisfied with some people just giving a friendly non-intimidating smile to acknowledge or greet other people, but they believe and expect that all human beings need to have certain physical/mental/emotional conversation/communication/interaction/involvement/connection with each other to build a 'healthy' and 'caring' society.

 

Someone who keeps to oneself, who has no unfriendly discrimination or intimidation towards everyone else, but doesn't interested in engaging in any kind of physical/mental/emotional contact/conversation/interaction/communication/involvement/connection with anyone, is being seen as 'wrong', 'selfish', 'unhealthy', or 'sicked', by all the others who 'expect' certain 'normal' and 'healthy' behavior/action/reaction/interaction among 'normal' and 'healthy' human beings.

Many passionate/sociable/friendly/caring people couldn't understand or respect that there are people who prefer complete quietness/solitude or some quiet/alone time and space for themselves. People would either feel 'bad' or get 'offended' when other people reject or don't accept their friendly invitation to meet up, or get together, or to chat.

People need/want to share 'what I think is who I am' and 'how I think and feel' with other people and they want other people to share with them 'what they think is who they are' and 'how they think and feel'.

 

Majority of the worldly so called 'normal', 'healthy', 'friendly' and 'caring' society is all about developing and empowering that egoistic 'self-identity' which attached and identified with certain qualities of names and forms and 'the modification of the mind of impermanent thinking, emotions and feelings' as 'this is I' and that is not 'I', even in the yoga community that is supposed to be free from all kinds of egoistic attachment and identification, to realize selflessness/namelessness/formlessness/attributelessness.

For those who know each other, mostly the conversation begins with "How are you?" and then naturally will be followed by talking about the past and the future, "What have you been doing and where did you go and what's next?"

 

While for those first time meeting/knowing each other, it's mostly talking about self-introduction of each other about "Who I am/who you are." or "This is me and my name/my nationality/my life/my family/my relationship/my friends/my experience/my knowledge/my interest/my ambition/my passion/my vision/my point of view/my ideas/my talent/my skill/my achievement/my non-achievement/my success/my failure/my pride/my shame/my good/my bad/my happiness/my unhappiness/my guilt and regret, and so on. This is who I am, where I come from/where I live and what I do for living and at free time, and what I think/believe/feel/like/dislike/agree with/disagree with/want/don't want, my good/bad/happy/unhappy experiences, and what I did in the past and will be doing in the future." As well as talking about "This is good/better/right/positive/excellent/happy/funny/meaningful/encouraging and that is bad/worse/wrong/negative/terrible/unhappy/sad/meaningless/discouraging." or some 'obligated social ethical manner' of pleasant words, praise and compliment. And sometimes there will be scheming, plotting, cover-up/made-up stories telling, or hypocrisy, or lies, or gossip, or mocking, or teasing, or flirting, or criticism, or condemn, or slander, or back-biting, or finger pointing, or argument, or intimidation, and etc.

Social conversation or talking is an intense physical/mental/emotional energy consuming process that keeps the mind ceaselessly stimulated and restlessly receiving/processing inputs and generating/delivering outputs, while all these ceaseless mind inputs and outputs generate further random mental/emotional imprints that doesn't allow the mind to be quiet, and unwittingly empowering egoism of worldly/spiritual attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation that feeds ignorance and egoism in oneself and others.

For those who sincerely want to meditate or practice yoga to be free from ignorance, it's all about freeing the mind from being unwittingly empowering all those names and forms, of duality, attachment, identification, past experiences, future anticipation, passionate desires, craving/aversion, judgment, comparison, expectation, restlessness, impurities, and etc, to stop feeding egoism and ignorance. And hence, the important practice of silence, renunciation, seclusion and solitude.

Without renunciation from the worldly society, one is being 'obliged' to meet up/get together/communicate/interact with many other people of family/relatives/friends circle/community and spend so much energy into social conversation/interaction/communication/activity with all the others around in order to 'build' and 'maintain' a 'healthy, caring and friendly society' that might make the mind feels 'love', 'kindness', 'acknowledgement', 'goodness', 'positiveness', 'liveliness' and 'meaningfulness'. 

 

There's nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't help to free the mind from ignorance and egoism, to quiet/annihilate the restless modification of the mind. Instead, the mind might attached stronger onto the sense of 'love', 'kindness', 'acknowledgement', 'goodness', 'positiveness', 'liveliness' and 'meaningfulness' deriving from the impermanent and selfless worldly names and forms of all kinds of attachment and egoistic identity, actions and the fruit of actions.

From the perception/achievement/notion of "Life in this world is good and meaningful," give rise to the desire of "We need to preserve and protect life in this world to stay good and meaningful." And from there, it gives rise to the sense of 'dissatisfaction', 'frustration', 'hurts', 'depression', 'unhappiness', 'anger', 'disappointment', 'fear', 'worry', and etc, when things are not being the way that the mind desires it to be, when there are obstacles/difficulties/circumstances that hinder the gratification of that desire to be building/maintaining/protecting what the mind think and believe as 'Good and meaningful life in this world'. This is attachment/clinging/craving/expectation.

First, there's an idea/thought arise in the mind, then arise the attachment/clinging onto that idea/thought which gives rise to the desire to materialize that idea/thought to become action/creation, and then there's possessiveness/identification/expectation/protection towards that action/creation and the result/fruit of that action/creation. If things turn out to be the way that is not what the mind desire/expect it to be, the mind feels disturbed/dissatisfied/disappointed/hurt/sad/unhappy/depressed/frustrated/angry/aggressive/violent and so on. And ceaseless random ideas/thoughts arise to counter those 'tension' accumulating in the mind. Restless.

Those who have firm foundation in non-attachment and dispassion, or those who know thyself or selflessness, or maybe those who think and believe "I have done and achieved everything that I desire and I can die in peace at any time from now without regret," can mix into the worldly society and perform many actions to help to build a 'caring and friendly society' in the world, but without being distracted or influenced by the constant restless physical/mental/emotional interaction/activity, being undetermined by the actions and the fruit of actions, being free from disturbs, hurts, disappointment, dissatisfaction, frustration, or guilt/regret. This is non-attachment/non-clinging/non-craving/non-expectation.

One can mix with many people and constantly talk about "This is my name, my nationality, my family, my friends, my relatives, my community, my past, my present, my future, my actions and fruit of my actions, my thinking/belief/culture/point of view/feelings/emotions/experiences, or this and that is happening/has happened/will be happening here and there, and so on." as all these names and forms are what most people talk about in any conversation and where people identifying with all these names and forms as "who they think they are", but knowing clearly that all these names and forms are not "who I am" or 'I' for the minds that know thyself or selflessness.

When someone is being alone or in silence at peace being in their own 'space', people around will be concern and ask, "Are you okay? Is there something bothering you? You can talk to me. I'm here to listen."

There's nothing wrong when people feel sad, or unhappy, or depressed, or disappointed, or frustrated, or negative once in a while, and most people feel that they need to talk to someone to share their feelings and what's bothering them, to release some tension or to get some advice. People don't have to be okay, or satisfy, or happy all the time. But those who know what is going on in the mind, they know that all pleasant and unpleasant emotions and feelings are impermanent, and they do not attached or identified with any pleasant or unpleasant emotions and feelings. There is nothing to be sad, unhappy, depressed, disappointed, frustrated or negative about, that need to be talking or sharing with someone else, or to release any tension, as there's no tension built up, or to get any advice, as there's no problems.

Those who know this, they can be peaceful and happy as they are, no matter what.

Those who don't know this, they don't have to be happy all the time and they can't be happy no matter what.

 

It's okay sometimes the mind is not okay and not happy with certain things. There's nothing wrong with that. But when they think no body is being there to share their thinking/feelings/problems, to be talking to other people, or to be listening by other people, they might feel more sad, unhappy, disappointed, depressed, frustrated, or negative. And hence, people believe that "People should be available to be talking to and listening to other people all the time. Most people need to feel better through talking to other people. While those who want to listen and share about other people's feelings and emotions would feel good and meaningful when there are people want to talk to them." There's nothing wrong with that but it doesn't free the mind (of the one who talks and the one who listens) from ignorance/attachment/craving/expectation. Just like giving an unhappy and crying child the sweets and sugary drinks that the child wants every time to make the child stop being unhappy and crying if the child doesn't get the sweets and sugary drinks, doesn't really help the child at all. There's no freedom.

"It feels so good talking to you. Let's meet up regularly and talk more," and "Talking to me can make you feel better and make me feel so good and meaningful. Let's meet up and talk more often." If for some reasons that these two people are not possible to meet up and talk as expected/desired/needed, both would feel bad, sad and disappointed. There's no freedom.

Just like practicing yoga exercises and teaching yoga to other people would generate the momentary sense of well-being, goodness and meaningfulness, and if for some reasons one couldn't practice yoga exercises or teach yoga for a prolonged period of time, one would feel frustrated, disappointed and meaningless. There's no freedom.

Most people/minds don't like to hear this.

"Compassion is not about giving the mind what it likes and wants, or what it craves for, to be empowering the ignorance and egoism in the mind to make the ego feels better, good, satisfied or happy. Compassion is allowing the suffering unhappy disturbed mind to inquire into the truth of suffering, unhappiness and disturbs, by freeing the mind from ignorance, egoism, restlessness and impurities, to see the truth of the root cause of all suffering of disturbs/hurts/unhappiness/disappointment/dissatisfaction/fear/worry, where all kinds of suffering is deriving from one's ignorance and egoism or ceaseless egoistic mind reactions towards the gratification/non-gratification of the desire of craving and aversion. If one's desire is being gratified by getting what one likes and wants, and not getting what one doesn't like and doesn't want, then the mind reacts and feels good, satisfied and happy. And when one's desire is not being gratified, where one is not getting what one likes and wants, but is getting what one doesn't like and doesn't want, then the mind reacts and feels bad, dissatisfied and unhappy. It's nothing to do with the experiences or names and forms being 'bad', 'wrong', 'terrible', 'disturbing', or 'hurtful'."

 

Upon seeing the truth of what is going on in one's mind, this mind doesn't need anyone to be there to be listening to any 'disturbed feelings and emotions', as there's none. There's no problem that need to be shared or talked about. This is maturity. This is real independence. This is freedom. But, unfortunately not many people appreciate this independence and freedom, but only looking forward to be building mental and emotional connection and dependency among one another to feel good and meaningful.

The teachings/practice/process of freeing the mind from ignorance and egoism, it's not something pleasant or agreeable to the worldly ignorant egoistic passionate minds at all, but it can effectively free the mind from suffering deriving from ignorance and egoism.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to practice, or not.

Be free.

Heart Sutra (Sanskrit)

Heart Sutra (Sanskrit) by Imee Ooi

Beginner, intermediate, advanced yoga practitioner?

Just as the name and form of 'Buddhist' doesn't mean anything for those who truly practice 'Buddhism', the worldly name and form of 'yoga practitioner' or 'yoga teacher' also doesn't really mean anything in yoga of selflessness/namelessness/formlessness/attributelessness, not to say 'experienced', 'inexperienced', 'certified', 'qualified', 'good', 'bad' yoga practitioner/yoga teacher, or even 'beginner', 'intermediate' and 'advanced' yoga practitioner.

Some people never done any 'yoga practice' before, but they know what is non-attachment and they are peaceful as they are. Some due to physical limitation/sickness/injury/weakness that they can't do much physical 'yoga practice', but they know what is non-attachment and they are also peaceful as they are. The mind is free from disturbs/hurts/dissatisfaction/disappointment/anger/hatred/jealousy/fear/worry/offensiveness/defensiveness/loneliness/depression/hostility/animosity, and etc, being undetermined by the mind perception of names and forms under any circumstances in life or the condition of the world that one is living in.

There's neither beginner/intermediate/advanced yoga practitioners or yoga practice. It's either one is practicing yoga or one is not practicing yoga, in this present moment.

It's neither about how long one has been 'practicing yoga', nor how much 'physical yoga practice' one has done in the past, nor how much physical/mental benefits one has been receiving from performing the 'physical yoga practice' regularly. Whether one is practicing yoga, or not, is undetermined by the selfless impermanent physical and mental condition/ability/disability/limitation to be performing certain actions/movements in the world, or whether one is highly intelligent, knowledgeable, educated and talented, or not.

In this present moment, despite how long one has been 'practicing yoga' and how much 'physical yoga practice' one has been doing, when there's egoism of attachment/identification/desire of craving and aversion/judgment/comparison/expectation influencing/over-powering the function of the mind, the mind is not free, unwittingly being in a state of restlessness occupying by ceaseless desires/actions/reactions/impurities being determined by the selfless impermanent qualities of names and forms that the mind perceives/experiences through the senses of what the mind sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, feels or thinks. The mind is missing someone or something that the mind likes and desires but is absence/unavailable to the mind in the present moment, may it be a person, an animal, plant, food, house, toy, music, sport, climate, thing, scenery, sound, smell, taste, sensation, feeling, and etc. There's clinging/craving/longing towards the names and forms/experiences that give rise to the sense of confidence, pride, goodness, happiness, meaningfulness, positiveness, togetherness, rightfulness, worthiness, success, accomplishment, satisfaction, well-treated, well-deserved, well-loved, well-lived, and etc. Then even though one has been performing certain 'physical yoga practice' for a few hours a day regularly for a long time, one isn't practicing yoga at all, as one is being passionate towards the worldly life/ideas/values/relationships/activities and being busy/restless chasing after the objects of the senses to gratify the endless desire/craving/longing, and doesn't know what is non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-comparison, or non-expectation.

Some teachers/yoga schools teach that everyone need to start with 'beginner physical yoga practice' for certain years then they can begin learning/practicing the nameless/formless 'advanced mental yoga practice'. Some teachers/yoga schools even teach about 'yoga practice' should be done during certain 'auspicious hours' and one shouldn't practice yoga during the 'inauspicious hours'. There's neither right nor wrong with that. Just that, when someone is suffering from great mental disturbs, distress, restlessness, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurts, fear, painful sorrow and etc, in this present moment, does this person need to wait for many years later to be allowed to start practicing non-attachment and letting go as well as looking/inquiring into the truth of the mental modification to free the mind from the root cause of all suffering? Just like if the hand is contacting with fire, do you have to wait for a few more minutes/hours to move the hand out of the fire? Or when someone is suffering a condition/injury that needs emergency medical operation, does this person need to wait for an 'auspicious timing' which can be a few days/weeks/months later to allow the doctor to perform the operation?

Inquire the truth of everything. Do not blind-believing, blind-following, blind-practicing, blind-propagating, blind-agreeing/disagreeing with anything.

The one who is practicing yoga eliminating egoism/restlessness/impurities or purifying/quieting the modification of the mind is the mind itself.

The mind that is practicing yoga is free from any identification with any quality of names and forms that are impermanent and selfless, such as the physical body, the function/modification of the mind, the yoga practice/duty/responsibility, all kinds of worldly social/cultural/religious/political/commercial thinking/belief/practice/values/image, or the knowledge/intelligence/talent/skill/relationships/ties/connections/way of life/actions and the fruit of actions/pleasant or unpleasant experiences as 'I'.

One might be performing many 'good actions', but there's no attachment/identification of "I am a good person who do many good actions and I will be receiving all the goodness in return."

There's no expectation towards other people must also perform 'good actions' that 'I' believe as 'good'.

The mind is okay and has no problems under any condition and situation, where one can have many things or few things or nothing in life, without being determined by it, as the mind is free from attachment, desires, craving and aversion, being unlimited/undetermined by all the selfless impermanent changes of pleasant/unpleasant, agreeable/disagreeable, desirable/undesirable experiences/condition/situation/relationship.

One doesn't miss anyone or anything that the mind perceives/recognizes as good, pleasant, meaningful, agreeable and enjoyable, but is absent/unavailable in the present moment.

One might perform actions that would benefit oneself and others, but without identification towards the actions or expectation towards the fruit of actions.

One does one's best when performing any actions/duties/responsibilities and allowing the fruit of actions to be what it is, without attachment/identification/judgment/expectation, being undetermined by the fruit of actions.

One is not determined/disturbed/offended/hurt/intimidated/depressed/unhappy/dissatisfied/disappointed by the perception of all kinds of names and forms of unpleasant/undesirable/disagreeable sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, feelings/emotions/thoughts, or the world is not being the way that the mind would like it to be.

One doesn't need to be empowered to achieve/attain/possess certain quality of names and forms that give rise to the sense of confidence, pride, goodness, happiness, meaningfulness, positiveness, togetherness, rightfulness, worthiness, success, satisfaction, well-deserved, well-loved, and etc, although one can be very successful in whatever one does in life and enjoying good relationships with someone. Being undetermined by the sense of confidence/goodness/meaningfulness and etc, doesn't mean that one doesn't perform any actions that would bring benefits and improvement in life, or one doesn't have a particular way of life that is most suitable and beneficial for oneself.

Loneliness, or depression, or dissatisfaction, or disappointment, or fear, is absent in the mind that is free from egoism, under any circumstances, condition, situation, environment, restriction or limitation.

The mind remains equanimous and clear under extreme difficult or challenging condition or situation.

There's need not to forgive or let go anything, as the mind is unhurt/unoffended/undisturbed/undetermined by all the names and forms that are not the way that the mind would like it to be, as the mind is free from attachment/identification/craving/aversion/judgment/expectation towards any names and forms, but allowing the names and forms to be what they are, as they are.

One is not determined by the presence or absence of family ties, relationships, friendships, companionship, community, society, connections, duty, responsibility, ability/disability, achievement/non-achievement, good/bad conditions, pleasant/unpleasant experiences, actions or the fruit of actions.

The mind is free from passionate aspiration/ambition/desire to change/control/influence the world to be the way that 'I' think how it should be, but allowing the world to be what it is, even though one can be performing actions that are beneficial to the world.

One doesn't need to be relaxed/unwind/entertained/pampered from time to time, as there's no tension building up/accumulated.

One doesn't need to attain love, support, agreement, acknowledgement, recognition, validation, sympathy, empathy or understanding from anyone, or to be 'somebody' that one and others would be proud of.

One doesn't need to be in certain ways or achieve something to please oneself or others.

There's neither gratefulness nor ungratefulness, appreciation nor inappreciation, deserving nor non-deserving.

There's no low self-esteem, pride or arrogance. There's no need empowerment to develop/attain the sense of confidence.

The mind is unattached towards or being free from being determined by the present and past pleasant/unpleasant/happy/unhappy experiences and future imagination/anticipation/projection.

There's no 'bucket list'/'to do list' that needs to be fulfilled/accomplished before one dies. There's no unfulfilled/ungratified desire/ambition. There's no regret or guilt. One just performs action and achieves what is possible in this present moment.

There's no fear/aversion towards impermanent changes, difficult condition, aging, weakening, decaying, unattractiveness, aloneness, sickness, old age, death, or separation with people and objects that one loves.

The mind is free from being determined by the perception of duality. One is free and peaceful as it is. One doesn't interfere with other people's different thinking/belief/values/practice/ways of life/desires/actions/reactions.

There's nothing that the mind needs to complain/argue/debate/justify to prove that 'I' am right. There's neither right nor wrong.

For many people including many yoga enthusiasts, this might not be the life or freedom that they want, and this appears to be 'dry', 'cold', 'wrong', 'negative', 'sad', 'mad', 'insane', 'abnormal', 'joyless', 'lifeless' and 'meaningless' to them, and that's their freedom of thinking and desire. Many people enjoy passionate way of life indulging in all kinds of attachment/identification/expectation/relationships/desires/stimulation/enjoyment/entertainment, enjoying restlessness and emotional roller coaster, enjoying the endless gratification of desires that lead to excitement/satisfaction or disappointment/dissatisfaction, and be ambitious/empowered to 'save the planet/the world' or change the world to be the way that they think how it should be, as the way of living a lively and meaningful life, where many people just want to do the 'physical yoga practice' to get some health and fitness benefits but not interested at all in the practice of dispassion and renunciation to be quieting the mind to free the mind from ignorance/egoism/impurities/restlessness, which they perceive as 'meaningless things to do' and 'a dulled way of life', and that's their freedom of thinking and what they want to do with their life.

There's nothing wrong with different people with their impermanent different states of mind, sometimes positive, sometimes negative, sometimes happy, sometimes unhappy, sometimes peaceful, sometimes disturbed, sometimes cheerful, sometimes depressed, sometimes excited, sometimes angry, sometimes disappointed, sometimes motivated, sometimes demotivated, sometimes okay, sometimes not okay, and so on. Just that under the influence of ignorance/egoism/restlessness/impurities and the ambition/desire to fight for 'a world that they think how it should be', sometimes people would hurt themselves and/or others out of disturbs, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger, jealousy, fear, survival instinct and other impurities. For those who want to free the mind from such restlessness, who want to stop hurting themselves and others out of ignorance, egoism and impurities, they can practice yoga, if they want.

In yoga, everyone just need to 'save oneself by freeing one's mind from ignorance and suffering', which is an intense challenging/painful task for most minds, in order to help the world to be a better place. It's not about fighting against other people to 'save the planet/the world from being the way that one thinks it shouldn't be'. Most passionate minds couldn't understand this, and they believe everyone should be angry with/hating/fighting against what they think and believe is 'bad' and 'wrong' to 'save the world from badness and wrongness', and they want to provoke anger and hatred in other people towards what they think is 'bad' and 'wrong' to be supporting their mission to 'save the world', and that's their freedom.

It's always easier to be disturbed than to be undisturbed by what the mind perceives as 'disturbing'.

Be free.

Yoga practice and practice yoga?

What is yoga practice and practice yoga?

Yoga practice is a combination of different 'mind cleansing' tools and techniques to 'clean up'/'purify' the restless/impure egoistic mind to free the mind from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance. One who practices yoga is practically using those 'mind cleansing' tools and techniques to be engaging in a 'mind cleaning up process', constantly, inexhaustibly, determinedly and diligently, until the mind is free from ignorance, knowing the truth of impermanence and selflessness, knowing thyself.

Many yoga enthusiasts who identify themselves as 'yoga practitioners'/'yoga teachers' might have the 'knowledge' of the 'yoga practice' and might be doing some kind of 'yoga practice' or delivering the 'knowledge' of the 'yoga practice' to other people regularly, but not many are actually practicing yoga as it is (cleaning the mind efficiently, freeing the mind from restlessness, impurities, egoism, ignorance or suffering). There's intense reluctance to let go worldly attachment/identification/thinking/belief/desire/relationship/objects/pleasurable enjoyments of the senses. There's still attachment and clinging towards the world of qualities of names and forms with all kinds of 'relationship', 'ties' or 'connection', being determined very much by the presence and absence of certain qualities of names and forms, and the quality/condition of relationship/ties/connection to be confident/happy/meaningful, or not. There's an identity/ego that longing to be empowered, acknowledged, understood, agreed with, empathized, pampered and loved. And there's nothing wrong with it as that's their freedom. But for those who truly want to practice and realize yoga, they will practice yoga as it is, to be determined to free the mind from ignorance, regardless of any amount of difficulties and obstacles.

Just like cleaning up a 'rubbish dump' that is full of rubbish. It's not just about the cleaning process to clear away those existing rubbish, but more importantly, it's about stop generating/bringing in more rubbish into that area as well.

The mind is sort of like a 'rubbish dump'. The yoga practice is not just about 'clearing away' the existing 'impurities', 'restlessness', 'egoism', 'ignorance' or 'suffering' which is already a challenging task that requires great effort, discipline, initiative, patience, forbearance, perseverance and determination, but more importantly, it's to stop generating/accumulating/empowering 'impurities', 'restlessness', 'egoism', 'ignorance' or 'suffering', to silent/annihilate the restless modification of the mind. And hence, the importance of the practice of silence and renunciation.

The difference between a 'rubbish dump' and the restless/impure egoistic mind is that the 'rubbish dump' can be cleaned up and maintained 'rubbish free' by many people working together, but, for 'cleaning up' the restless/impure egoistic mind, it can only be done alone by the mind itself, not even 'God', or 'Guru', or any amount of 'good friends' and 'good teachers' can help to 'clean up' this mind, to free this mind from ignorance and all kinds of suffering, as all the rubbish of 'impurities', 'restlessness', 'egoism', 'ignorance' or 'suffering' is 'generated'/'accumulated/empowered' from/by the mind itself, and no other can 'take away'/'remove'/'eliminate'/'stop generating'/'stop accumulating'/'stop empowering' those 'rubbish' except the mind itself.

Meanwhile, there are some benefits/side-effects/by-products of the yoga practice such as better physical health and fitness condition and the sense of well-being/confidence/goodness/meaningfulness/joyfulness/peacefulness that come along with the different yoga practice, but they are just like spraying a lot of air freshener and putting plenty of beautiful fragrant colourful flower petals that bring some freshness smell and appearance into the area of the 'rubbish dump', but it doesn't really 'clean up' the 'rubbish dump'.

Doing some form of 'yoga practice' regularly or teaching 'yoga classes/courses' to many other people for many years also doesn't necessarily means that one is practicing yoga. Some even take the 'image' or 'characteristic' of certain 'yogis'/'sadhus' with a particular 'yogi'/'sadhu' appearance in particular position and gesture while enjoying the momentary 'intoxication/hallucination/highness/calmness' from taking certain drugs/substances or certain 'yoga practitioners'/'yoga teachers' enjoying intimate relationships with random people as what 'yoga practice' and 'practice yoga' is about.