It's not 'our world', if we truly love the world

The world doesn't belong to anyone. The world is fine as it is and it doesn't need anyone to protect it if nobody/no community claim ownership/possessiveness/authorization towards the world and desire the world to be and not to be in certain way according to their particular thinking and belief, values and practice, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, or aspiration and expectation towards a world the way that they prefer, that they claimed as "Our world."

Many people like to propagate and say, "The world is ours." and then, "We love our world and we have responsibility towards looking after our world." and then, "We want our world to be like this and not like that." and then follow with, "Protect our world from what we believe as badness and wrongfulness. Get rid of those who are 'bad' and 'wrong', who are 'obstructing' our desire of making our world perfectly the way that it should be."

Just like in all the love relationships among people. Many people don't know what is love when they think they fall in love with someone that they think and believe they love very much, but end up hurting themselves and the one whom they think and believe they love very much. Similarly, we keep hurting the world, when we think and believe we love the world very much, but we don't really know what is love.

We think and believe that we love the person in the relationship with us, but out of ignorance and egoism, there's possessiveness and desire towards the relationship and the person in the relationship with us to be and not to be in certain way, and when the relationship or the person in the relationship with us is not being the way that we expect or desire it to be, but it's being the way that we don't like and don't desire, we will feel disappointed, hurt and angry, and in order to 'protect' the relationship from becoming the way that we don't like and don't desire, we would do something that hurt ourselves and those whom we think we love very much and those whom we think are responsible for 'disturbing' or 'destroying' the relationship that we love very much. And the more we try to 'control' the relationship or the person in the relationship with us to be the way that we desire it to be, we keep hurting the relationship and the person in the relationship with us, whether intentionally or unintentionally, wittingly or unwittingly.

When we claim ownership/possessiveness/authorization towards the world, we don't allow the world being what it is, but we want to 'control' the world to be the way that we desire it to be, and we want to 'protect' the world from being the way that we don't like and don't desire, we are actually 'hurting' the world in the process of making 'our world' the way that we desire, the way that we think how it should be.

When we truly love someone, we love them as they are and we let them go, without claiming ownership/possessiveness/control towards them to be the way that we would like them to be. Allowing them to be what they are, to love us, or not, to be in a relationship with us, or not.

If we truly love the world, even if we think we have good intention, we stop claiming ownership/possessiveness/authorization towards the world to be "Our world." and stop desiring/aspiring/expecting, "We want our world to be like this and not like that." but allowing the world to be what it is.

It's not 'our world'. It's just the world that selflessly allowing all and everything being here.

When human beings begin to claim ownership and authorization towards a land or a space in this world, then only certain kind of people/beings 'will have the rights' and 'will be allowed' to be on that land or be in that space, while some other kinds of people/beings 'won't have the rights' and 'won't be allowed' to be on that land or in that space. But the lands and the space in the world don't belong to anyone or authority. All beings and everyone can be here and there, without anyone claiming ownership and authorization towards the lands and space of the world, as well as without taking any thing for granted.

All kinds of inhumanity and discrimination in the world exist due to the existence of 'authority/government body' that seized ownership and authorization towards a particular land and space and sanctioned all kind of laws of rules and regulations, and 'creating' and 'giving out' certain 'rights' and 'privilege' to certain people and not to some others.

When human beings stop claiming ownership/possessiveness/authorization towards the world, it doesn't mean that everyone would be hurting the world intentionally, or wouldn't be doing something beneficial for the world out of compassion. While those who claim ownership/possessiveness/authorization towards the world and expect the world to be in certain way according to their aspiration and desire of a world that they prefer, would be hurting the world whether wittingly or unwittingly, by protecting what they like and desire while fighting against what they don't like and don't desire.

Anyway, the world will still be what it is, according to the law of nature (cause and effect), with or without many egoistic minds trying to take control over the world to be theirs and desiring a world the way that they like it to be. And the world doesn't have an ego to be bothered about it.

How to break free from fear towards letting go certain thinking and belief?

There's no comment/judgment towards any thinking and belief as true or untrue. Learn to see things as they are. Need not judging or categorizing everything into 'this' or 'that'. Everything is just what it is. Neither good nor bad. Neither right nor wrong. All are impermanent and selfless. Whatever being perceived through the mind in this worldly life existence of names and forms, are all subject to impermanence and selflessness, including all kinds of thinking, beliefs, values and practices.

All kinds of thinking and belief existing for their own reason, for the minds that are under the influence of egoism and impurities to hang onto, to have a sense of direction, while navigating their way in the worldly life existence that is subject to uncertainty, impermanence and selflessness.

It's all about whether the mind is free from egoistic attachment and identification, or not. It's not about which thinking and belief is true or untrue, or which is truer and better than all the others.

Asians are bound by Asian cultural thinking and belief, but are not being bound by the western cultural thinking and belief to live life and behave in certain way. Westerners are bound by the western cultural thinking and belief, but are not being bound by the Asian cultural thinking and belief to live life and behave in certain way. Though both can respect each other's different ways of life and behavior due to the influence of different cultural thinking and belief.

The mind took up and attached onto Christianity or Hinduism thinking and belief and practice, and identifying itself as a 'Christian' or 'Hindu', or as a 'follower' of 'Christianity' or 'Hinduism'. Christians are bound by Christianity thinking and belief and practice, but are not being bound by the Hinduism thinking and belief and practice. Hindus are bound by Hinduism thinking and belief and practice, but are not being bound by Christianity thinking and belief and practice.

Christians have no fear of 'not following' Hinduism thinking and belief and practice at all, but there's fear of 'unfollow' Christianity thinking and belief and practice, fear of sin and punishment and 'The hell for (bad) Christians'. Hindus have no fear of 'not following' Christianity thinking and belief and practice at all, but there's fear of 'unfollow' Hinduism thinking and belief and practice, fear of sin and punishment and 'The hell for (bad) Hindus'. Though both can respect each other's different way of thinking and belief and practice, and their respective 'Hell for their (bad) followers'.

Without taking up or without attachment and identification towards any particular thinking and belief and practice, there's no binding by any thinking and belief and practice, and there's no need of 'unfollow' any thinking and belief and practice, as there's no particular thinking and belief and practice that need to be 'unfollowed'. What is fear of 'unfollow' any thinking and belief and practice?

Those who were never being exposed to or never picked up any particular thinking and belief and practice, or those who have no attachment and identification towards any particular thinking and belief and practice are not being bound by any particular thinking and belief and practice, to live life and behave in certain way. The notion of 'unfollowing' or 'letting go' or 'abandoning' certain thinking and belief and practice doesn't exist at all. Though one can respect all the others with their particular thinking and belief and practice, to live life and behave in certain way, as most egoistic minds/people need to hang onto certain thinking and belief to have a sense of direction in life, but it's unnecessarily for the minds that are free from ignorance and egoism.

Looking for yoga school or yoga teacher training course?

Imperfection exists in all and everything including different yoga schools or yoga teacher training courses and the people involving in running the yoga schools and yoga courses.

With an open mind, without expectation, be ready to inquire the truth of everything, including all the teachings and practice presented by the yoga school or in the yoga teacher training course, and without regret towards one's decision of choosing the particular yoga school or yoga teacher training course.

Dealing with all the pros and cons or imperfections existing in the yoga school or the yoga teacher training course with an open mind, and be able to make decision without regret, is indeed the practice.

Follow one's conscience towards finding which lineage of yoga that one would like to explore and experience. It's okay if one finds that after experiencing a particular lineage of yoga, one realizes it doesn't suit oneself. If so, be open to experience some other kind of lineage of yoga, until one finds the most suitable one. In the end, it's not about which lineage of yoga or yoga school that is the best among all, but it's whether the mind is being unattached towards and unidentified with the particular lineage of yoga, the yoga school, the teachers, the yoga teacher training course, and all the desirable/undesirable or agreeable/disagreeable experiences.

Above all, it's not about getting the best 'Internationally recognized yoga teacher certification affiliated with such and such yoga alliance/organization' from the best yoga school and yoga teacher, but it's about being open-minded upon coming in contact with the different kinds of teachings and practice from the different lineage of yoga, to be purifying and quieting the mind, inquire towards the truth of all the teachings, and the truth of 'I' or 'who am I/what is the ego', realizing selflessness/egolessness, be free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness and suffering.

Attending many yoga teacher training courses in certain yoga schools and attaining many yoga teacher certifications and teaching many hours of yoga classes doesn't determine whether the mind is free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness and suffering, or not.

In the end, one will realize the greatest teacher and the greatest 'yoga course' is the mind itself upon being rendered pure and quiet through the different kinds of persevered practice, being unattached towards and undisturbed by all the mind perception of names and forms or the activities/modification of the mind, of all the agreeable/disagreeable, pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable experiences, and be able to see the truth of things as it is, be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.

Those who are free from ignorance and egoism don't need to attend yoga teacher training course or attain 'Internationally recognized yoga teacher certification' to be peaceful and compassionate, or to disseminate the knowledge of yoga to those who are in need of the teachings and practice to be free from ignorance and egoism.

The 'real' Guru/teacher is the one without a 'certificate'/'recognition', without a 'school'/'ashram' and without giving 'certification'/'recognition' to anyone.

Loving kindness?

Many people who think and believe themselves are 'unselfish kind and loving beings' would react and feel disturbed or angered or hurt by other people's behavior that they perceive or acknowledge as 'selfish', 'unkind', 'unloving', 'disturbing', 'hurtful', 'bad', or 'wrong', and they would express their 'concern' by expecting these 'unkind and unloving beings' would somehow be criticized or punished for being unkind and unloving, or be disciplined or trained to be (more) kind and loving.

But, 'loving kindness' is about how one's mind behaves or reacts with 'loving kindness' towards other people's behavior that one's mind dislikes and disagrees with, that one's mind perceives and acknowledges as 'selfish', 'unkind', 'unloving', 'disturbing', 'hurtful', 'bad', or 'wrong', without being disturbed or angered or hurt by other people's behavior that one's mind dislikes and disagrees with, without expectation towards how other people should and shouldn't behave according to one's particular thinking and belief, understanding that all forms of 'unkind' and 'unloving' behavior as well as one's mind's reaction of being disturbed, angered and hurt by other people's 'selfish', 'unkind' and 'unloving' behavior and the expectation towards how other people should or shouldn't behave according to one's particular thinking and belief, are all deriving from ignorance.

Loving kindness is really not about "How human beings should behave in the way that is loving and kind" or "Other people whom one's mind thinks and believes as unkind and unloving need to be (more) kind and loving" at all, but it's about "This mind being kind and loving, where this mind understands towards ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, of egoistic actions and reactions, and how this mind reacts with loving kindness towards other people's unloving and unkind actions and reactions under the influence of ignorance. Being undisturbed and unhurt by all the disagreeable/undesirable/unpleasant names and forms or experiences that the mind perceives through the senses. Without expectation towards other beings should or shouldn't behave in certain way. Without expectation towards the world must be in certain way, or not to be in certain way."

When the mind is disturbed, angered and hurt by other people's unloving unkind actions and reactions, loving kindness is absent in this mind as well, then how could this mind criticize other minds for being unloving and unkind, and expect other minds to be loving and kind?

Non-attachment and dispassion is true loving kindness, but somehow this observation is being perceived and acknowledged by the world of egoistic minds as a form of 'lack of loving kindness', 'unconcern', 'uncaring', 'selfish' and 'wrong'.

It's everyone's freedom for what they think and believe, for how they act and react. In yoga, it's never about 'how the others behave', but it's about 'how this mind behaves'.

Contemplate on this, and be free.

Respecting the law of nature and accepting the consequences of actions as it is

It's everyone's freedom for what they think and believe, desire and don't desire.

The yoga practitioners go beyond all the thinking and beliefs, free from desire and don't desire.

The law of nature and the consequences of actions are not necessarily the way that one would like it to be, or the way that one thinks and believes how it should be. But if one knows how to respect the law of nature as it is and accepting the consequences of actions being what they are, without attachment or identification, without craving or aversion, without judgment or expectation, then this mind will be fearless, or fear doesn't arise or present in this mind.

Unattached towards the condition of the world. Unattached towards the worldly life existence of all kinds of relationship and experience. Unattached towards all actions and the consequences of actions.

The impure egoistic minds that are being conditioned by worldly thinking and belief to analyze and judge about everything, to desire and don't desire certain quality of names and forms to be here or shouldn't be here, would have difficulty understanding and practicing the essential teachings and practice of yoga about the annihilation of egoism and silencing the modification of the mind, about the observation of dispassion, renunciation, silence, solitude and seclusion, about selflessness, oneness, non-separateness, namelessness, formlessness and attributelessness, about "The world is unreal", about transcending the mind perception of a restless worldly life existence of impermanence and selflessness. The impure egoistic minds would analyze and think, "This is absurd, wrong and madness."

So what, if someone can hold the breath for a very long time, or be able to do many acrobatic actions with the strong and flexible physical body, or accumulating and memorizing all kinds of information or knowledge about many things in this world through listening, watching, reading, researching, experiencing and studying about everything, or being intelligent and creative inventing many new things and higher technologies, or enjoying a higher quality of healthy and comfortable living, or has been travelling all over the world experiencing many different things and activities, or can perform to entertain many people, or is the greatest champion of certain competition, but the mind doesn't know Thyself, where the mind is restless/peaceless being attached onto and identifying with the quality of names and forms of the function of the body and mind as 'I', attaching onto its actions and the fruit/result of its actions, swaying between satisfaction and dissatisfaction/disappointment being determined by the gratification and non-gratification of the desire of craving and aversion, being the slave of the modification of the mind, of egoism and impurities, of selfless impermanent state of the mind and physical condition, of passionate feelings and emotions arising and passing away, being disturbed and determined by the mind perception of names and forms through the senses, of pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable and agreeable/disagreeable life experiences or encountering, being bound by the expectation towards life and the world to be and not to be in certain way based on certain thinking and belief, craving for and clinging onto love, relationship, friendship, connection, interaction and the sense of meaningfulness, being drowned in aversion and tension of dissatisfaction, fear and worry towards life and the world being the way that the mind doesn't desire it to be, or the way that the mind thinks and believes it shouldn't be, constantly judging oneself and others being good enough or not good enough, to be achieving the life and a world that the mind desires it to be.

Everyone talks about promoting a world of democracy, an idea or a game that everyone learns to play and be engaged with since growing up especially in schools, while at the same time they want to be free from discrimination and oppression. But, discrimination and oppression is indeed the by-product of the idea or game of democracy. The representer of a particular idea/vision/politic/personality that gets the highest votes from the majority support will win and be in power, while all the other minorities who prefer different kind of idea/vision/politic will have to be legally 'bound' and 'oppressed' by the one in power and have to be 'following' and 'respecting' the 'legally binding rules and regulations' under 'that power with particular idea/vision/politic', reluctantly. Discrimination and lack of freedom will always be existing under the game of democracy, whether one agrees or disagrees with it. Some might be having the freedom that they desire, while some others won't be having the freedom that they desire, and vice versa.

The advice from the many Gurus/teachers in the past, "Renounce the society. Stay away from politics."

There's neither right nor wrong. It's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their life, body and mind.

Be free from craving and aversion towards identification with good or bad quality

None need to be 'good' or 'good enough' to have peace, not to say to be 'perfect'.

Free this mind from egoism of craving towards certain quality of names and forms that the mind would like to possess or be identifying with as 'I'.

Free this mind from egoism of aversion towards certain quality of names and forms that the mind wouldn't like to possess or be identifying with as 'I'.

Accepting the imperfection of all kinds of names and forms as it is.

All the 'perfect' and 'imperfect' qualities of names and forms are impermanent and they are not 'I'. There's needless of the egoistic identification with any quality of names and forms as 'I', or 'I am this/I am not that'.

Be free from aversion towards the acknowledgement of 'being stupid' or 'not smart enough' in learning or doing something in this world. One doesn't need to try very hard to 'not being stupid' or try to 'be smart'.

It's okay sometimes the egoistic mind realizes and acknowledges itself is being stupid or not as smart as one would like oneself to be, and would make certain mistake unwittingly or doesn't understand about something and doesn't know how to do certain things. Whether it's something that the mind perceives or acknowledges as 'perfection' or 'imperfection', 'good' or 'bad', it's impermanent and it's not 'I'. The mind that is free from the idea of 'I' or the ego, has no such 'problem' or 'reaction' towards the quality of names and forms that is impermanent and selfless.

Then even though one is aware of oneself is not as smart as one would like oneself to be or is less smart than many other people, but the understanding of non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-comparison and non-expectation, is already being wiser than many people who are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, who try very hard to 'be smart' or try to 'outsmart' other people in order not to be acknowledged by oneself and others as 'I am stupid' or 'I am not smart enough', or to be acknowledged by oneself and others as 'I am not stupid' or 'I am smart enough', and would be very disappointed, frustrated and unhappy with oneself for being acknowledged as 'being stupid' or 'being not smart enough'.

Be free.

Go beyond all the names and forms including transcendental experiences

During the practice of concentration, not all but most practitioners might experience different kinds of 'transcendental' or subtle experiences of perceiving or seeing certain subtle name and form of light/colour/shape, hearing certain subtle sound, smelling certain subtle smell, tasting certain subtle taste, or feeling certain subtle sensation. Just as the names and forms that manifest as 'dream' in the state of dreaming, all these are merely some 'side-effects' that may or may not arise during the state of concentration, sometimes are pleasant and sometimes are unpleasant, as part of the manifestation of the different Gunas/elements that are predominant at that time, influenced by the accumulated imprints in the mind, which all are also subject to impermanence and selflessness.

If there's attachment and identification towards all these 'experiences', where the mind thinks and believes or acknowledges, "I am experiencing all these transcendental names and forms. I am perceiving a different reality. I am improving in my practice. I am enlightened, or I must be very near to enlightenment." and there's sense of pride and craving towards all these experiences, then this 'transcendental experience' has become an obstacle for the mind to transcend itself.

All these names and forms are part of the play or manifestation of the modification of the mind (both conscious and sub-concious, gross and subtle). It can serve as 'a focus point' to keep the mind in the present, or it can become 'an obstacle' if there's attachment and identification coming from the impure egoistic habit of the mind towards all these names and forms that arise during the practice of concentration.

The path of yoga and meditation is all about annihilating the modification of the mind of egoism and impurities under the influence of ignorance, neither attaching towards/clinging onto or running away from the mind perception of 'this reality' or 'this existence', nor looking forward to be perceiving 'another reality' that is different from 'this reality' or to be experiencing 'another existence' that is different from 'this existence'.

In meditation, it's beyond 'concentration' and all that manifest in the state of concentration (perception of different reality), beyond all kinds of names and forms and qualities/attributes, or Gunas/elements.

Stand as a witness towards the modification of the mind perceiving all kinds of names and forms. The dispassionate minds forgo all kinds of 'magnificent show/play/manifestation' of lights, colours, shapes, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, whether gross/subtle/transcendental. While the passionate minds unwittingly 'falling in love with' and 'chasing after' all kinds of agreeable/desirable/incredible/magnificent names and forms.

There's neither attachment towards what the mind thinks is or is not 'transcendental experience'. Transcending even the 'experience' of meditation or absorption into silence/Samadhi. There's neither "I am meditating" or "I am experiencing silence" or "I am entering Samadhi". Who is there to experience 'this or that' in selflessness/oneness/non-separateness/namelessness/formlessness/attributelessness? Even when the mind thinks and believes that it is seeing/hearing/feeling/experiencing what it thinks and believes is 'God' or even 'Devil', let it passed too.

There's neither craving towards 'higher realm/transition' or 'heaven' nor aversion towards 'lower realm/transition' or 'hell'. Just annihilating/silencing the modification of the mind.

Need not be disturbed or frustrated or hurt by the ignorance of others

There are so many ignorant actions/reactions/behavior and their consequences existing in this world deriving from people/human beings with the mind functioning under the influence of ignorance and the by-products of it, of egoism and impurities, wittingly or unwittingly.

There's nothing wrong and it's common that people who 'love' the world are being disturbed or frustrated or hurt by the ignorance of others. Everyone has the freedom to react and feel the way that they want to react and feel. But this is unnecessarily for the mind that is free from ignorance and egoism of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation, even if this mind would like to do one's best to maintain or uphold 'goodness' and 'rightfulness' in the world and to protect the world from 'badness' or 'wrongfulness' as much as possible, according to what the mind believes as 'good' and 'right', and vice versa.

Those who have no attachment towards this world or the mind perception of an impermanent and selfless life existence of names and forms, are not being disturbed or frustrated or hurt by the ignorance of others and the consequences of that, as there's no need of such reaction.

One lives in the present as it is, constantly adjusting and adapting to any situation and condition, performing necessary actions, being fearless/worryless towards unforeseen circumstances that arise whether due to the law of nature or the ignorance of human beings, and respecting the world being what it is.

Everyone lives in the world, and yet, the world doesn't belong to anyone. But due to ignorance and survival instinct that born out of ignorance, most people/human beings (either by oneself or by group) claim ownership and authorization towards certain territory in the world or the entire world, and desire to make that part of the world or the entire world to be the way that they would like it to be, and would discriminate and fight against those who desire the world to be the way that is different from what they desire, or those who appear to be non-cooperative/non-supportive in gratifying their desire of building a world that they prefer, or those who stand in their way obstructing their desire/ambition/aspiration of controlling the world to be in certain way that they desire.

The ones who are free from ignorance neither desire nor don't desire the world to be in certain way, respecting the world being what it is, evolves as it is, and respecting the law of nature to be what it is.

The law of nature will always be what it is, and nothing can alter or stop the law of nature being what it is, not even 'God' will be interfering with the law of nature, for those who believe in 'God' existence, regardless of what they think 'God' is. Even the 'God' that comes with certain names and forms is also subject to the law of nature. Only minds/human beings under the influence of ignorance would think and believe that they are so great and powerful to be defeating the law of nature to gratify all their desires the way that they want it to be, or to control the world to be the way that they desire it to be.

It's not about fighting against ignorant beings or other people's ignorant thinking/belief/action/reaction/behavior/values/practice that the mind thinks and believes as 'bad' and 'wrong', but it's working diligently to free this mind from ignorance.

Just do good without desiring or expecting or controlling the world to be good the way that the minds think and believe how it should be.

Ignorance and how to be free from ignorance

Most minds/people don't like to be related to 'ignorance' or what they understood as 'being stupid' or 'lack of knowledge'. But 'ignorance' in the teachings of yoga and Buddhism is not about 'being stupid' or 'lack of knowledge'. As many of those who are not 'stupid' at all, who are very smart and intelligent and knowledgeable are not necessarily free from the veil of ignorance.

People would like to think and believe and be acknowledged by oneself and others as somebody who is nothing to do with 'ignorance', or 'I am not ignorant', which they think and believe that they are smart and intelligent enough, and are highly educated and knowledgeable enough to not be related to 'ignorance'. They think and believe that only those whom they think and believe are somehow less smart or less intelligent than them, and are less educated or less knowledgeable than them are most probably related to ignorance, where they understood 'ignorance' as something to do with 'bad/negative' genetic inheritance, improper brain development, influence from bad surrounding environment, lack of knowledge/skill/talent, uneducated or insufficiency of education, incompetency, being lazy or demotivated to learn and acquire knowledge, being stupid, or lack of social interaction and connection, or lack of stimulation, or inability to comprehend something or solve problem, and so on.

'Ignorance' in the teachings of yoga and Buddhism is about the mind being ignorant towards or 'not knowing' the truth of names and forms/existence/suffering, or 'not knowing' Thyself or the misidentification with the mind and the modification of the mind perceiving a worldly life existence of names and forms that is subject to impermanence and selflessness as 'I', or 'not knowing' who/what is the 'I' that the minds identifying/acknowledging as who 'I' am, as an individual being possessing certain quality of names and forms that distinguishing oneself from all the others that are not 'I', or 'not knowing' who/what is the 'God' or what are the 'gods' that many minds have been believing in and praying to, or 'not knowing' the truth of all the social/cultural/spiritual beliefs and practice that have been passing down from generation to generation that influencing how the minds think, act, react, feel, judge, expect, behave and live life in certain way.

Many minds believe in certain beliefs just because it's propagated and passed down by their ancestors, parents, teachers, leaders, favorite famous people, idols, friends, philosophers, or particular social/cultural/spiritual/religious background, and there's great fear of 'letting go' those beliefs and practice, being afraid of 'sin', or 'bad happening'/'punishment' might happen to them or their life or their loved ones, if they cease believing in/respecting/following/propagating those beliefs and practice to think, behave and live life. And it has to come from the mind itself realizing the truth of all those beliefs and practice. It's not hard to inquire the truth, but most minds reluctant to inquire the truth of the existing beliefs and practice in their minds or lives, and it's unthinkable for them to question the truth of their beliefs and practice, as it means that they are 'disrespecting'/'offending' those 'sacred' beliefs and practice for doubting and inquiring into the truth of it, which is 'sinful' and 'punishable' according to those beliefs and practice.

Being talented/skillful/knowledgeable in certain things or many things doesn't guarantee that the mind is free from ignorance, where the mind is being disturbed/offended/hurt/disappointed/dissatisfied/angry/frustrated/hating/fearful/intimidated/insulted/humiliated/bullied by names and forms that the mind perceives/recognizes as bad, wrong, negative, unpleasant, undesirable, undeserving, disappointing, frustrating, intimidating or hurtful, and out of these impurities, it might generate actions/reactions and speech that might cause further consequences to oneself and/or others.

The minds that are not free from ignorance might be unwittingly 'following' a set of 'rules and regulations of certain social/cultural/religious/spiritual belief and practice' to live life and behave in certain way, and might be proud of having a specific type of food consumption of what they eat and don't eat for certain spiritual/cultural/religious/environmental/ethical/health/personal reason, and they could be expecting the others (as human beings) should also be following the similar rules and regulations to live life and behave, as well as following their specific type of food consumption, or else, it will be mocked/criticized by them as 'bad' and 'wrong', or 'sinful' way of life and behavior and food consumption.

The ignorant impure egoistic mind unwittingly perceiving/experiencing a personal reality of a worldly life existence that consists of 'I' and everything that 'I' perceive/experience/know/acknowledge that the thinking mind refers as 'this is me and my life experiences' with all and everything that directly/indirectly relate to 'I' and 'my life', and perceives/experiences all kinds of duality derived from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, and generate attachment and desire of craving and aversion towards the perceived reality of duality, not knowing Thyself or the truth of a worldly life existence of names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, not knowing impermanence and selflessness of the mind perception of a worldly life existence, constantly being disturbed and determined very much by the mind perception of pleasant/unpleasant, agreeable/disagreeable, desirable/undesirable names and forms or life experiences, being restless swaying between satisfaction and dissatisfaction, happiness and unhappiness, pleasurable enjoyment and painful sorrow determined by the gratification and non-gratification of the desire of craving and aversion, ceaselessly.

Transcending this restlessness of ignorance, silencing the mind, annihilating the modification of the mind of restless countless births and deaths nurtured by egoism, desires and impurities, is the ultimate goal of yoga and meditation practice. Any other forms of benefits/effects derived from the regular yoga and meditation practice are just some momentary side-effects of better health/fitness condition and pleasant good feelings that are impermanent.

It's everyone's freedom for how/what they think, believe, act, react, feel, behave, live life, consume and desire, or not. There's nothing wrong if people just want to live a particular lifestyle in accordance to certain belief and practice, and do some yoga exercises to attain better health/fitness condition and pleasant good feelings, even if they are momentary and perishable.

The minds that are ignorant towards ignorance, or thinking and believing that oneself is void of ignorance due to one's intelligence, talent, skill, education, knowledge, ability or achievement in certain things, would not be interested in yoga practice of dispassion, renunciation, silence, seclusion and solitude for mind purification, self-discipline, self-inquiry and self-realization.

Renunciation is not about abandoning existing worldly duty and responsibility to be in a monastery/forest/cave to be full time monk or nun, but it's renouncing or letting go worldly social/cultural/spiritual/religious thinking and belief, values and practice, to open the mind to allow the mind to see things as they are, regardless of living among the society or away from the society. If the mind is not opened, then even if living away from the society, but the mind is still very much being conditioned by the worldly thinking and belief, values and practice to perceive, think, analyze and judge towards everything, and couldn't allow the mind to see things as they are, even after many years of performing yoga and meditation practice, and getting all kinds of momentary effect/benefit from that.

For those who want to know Thyself or inquire the truth of names and forms, who are aware of ignorance, who have intense yearning for liberation from restlessness of the impermanent and selfless modification of the mind, they can practice yoga of mind purification, self-discipline, self-inquiry and self-realization. The journey might appear to be long, hard and unpleasant due to the 'stubborn' veil of ignorance, but be determined to keep disciplining, purifying and silencing the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind.

Compassion, the absence of egoism

Compassion is not a feeling or sentiment or quality as what most minds understand what it is. As 'feeling', or 'sentiment', or 'quality' is part of the names and forms that are subject to impermanence. While compassion is not a name and form that is subject to impermanence.

Neither being sympathetic or empathetic or forgiving is what compassion is about. Forgiveness is irrelevant in compassion, as there's no hurts existing under the presence of compassion. If compassion present in the mind (upon the absence of egoism), this mind won't be hurt or disturbed or offended by anything. It's when compassion is absent in the mind due to ignorance and egoism, this mind constantly perceives/feels hurt or disturbed or offended by something that the mind recognizes as bad, wrong, disagreeable, negative and unpleasant. While being sympathetic or empathetic towards certain names and forms that the minds recognized/categorized/perceived as 'sympathy/empathy deserving' has nothing to do with compassion, as in compassion, there's no discrimination of whether something is being sympathy/empathy deserving, or not.

Compassion is the absence of egoism, and vice versa.

Compassion is not something (feeling/sentiment/quality) to be acquired/developed/possessed through learning, training, achieving, sacrificing, or becoming. It's the nature of all kinds of names and forms (living beings and non-living objects). Without compassion, there's nothing.

Compassion is what allowing all beings and objects being forming/disintegrating, existing and changing, arising and passing away as they are, allowing nature to be what it is, allowing all the names and forms to change as it is, without grasping, without attachment, without expectation, without desire of craving and aversion, without judgment, without discrimination, without intentional interference to control everything to be in certain way.

What allows the breaths coming and going and eventually stop coming and going, what allows food to be existing and be transformed into energy giving life to all beings, intentionlessly, is compassion.

It's egoism born out of ignorance that generates the veil that prevent all beings from realizing its nature of compassion, where the minds don't/couldn't think, act, react or behave compassionately, or selflessly (absence of the idea of 'I' and egoism).

Beings/minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism cannot be compassionate even though they would want to be compassionate while thinking and believing that they are 'compassionate beings'.

Although there might be many people talk about, support and propagate 'love and compassion' in the world, but compassion will always be veiled under the presence of egoism. 

 

Compassion is never about empowering the ego by giving the ego what it wants and don't give the ego what it doesn't want to gratify its desires of craving and aversion in order to make the ego feels satisfied and happy or not making the ego feels dissatisfied and unhappy. A lot of time, the ego will react with great dissatisfaction and unhappiness towards what is truly compassionate. For many worldly minded people, non-compassionate actions are often being perceived as 'something agreeable, good and positive' while real compassionate actions are often being perceived as 'something disagreeable, bad and negative'. Such as disciplining the mind is a very unpleasant and painful process for the egoistic impure passionate minds, but it's great compassion to discipline and purify the mind to free the mind from ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness, to be free from the consequences of ignorance.

Without any intention to be compassionate, and without any identification as 'compassionate beings', all and everyone unveil the selfless nature of compassion upon the absence of egoism, knowing all and everything is impermanent and selfless. There's neither craving/clinging towards love/goodness/positiveness/meaningfulness nor aversion towards lovelessness/badness/negativeness/meaninglessness.

As long as egoism prevails in the thinking mind, where there is attachment/clinging towards love and/or compassion under the perception of "Life or the world is bad, wrong and meaningless without love and compassion," where there's egoistic identification of "I am a loving compassionate being/We are loving compassionate beings," and there's egoistic desire and expectation of "All beings need to cultivate love and compassion. Everyone should be loving and compassionate towards one another," there will always be impurities of self-righteousness, pride, dissatisfaction, disappointment, frustration, anger, hurts, offensiveness, fear and worry over-powering the mind, being disturbed by all the others that seem to be 'loveless and non-compassionate', and have aspiration trying to interfere with all the others to control/change/influence them to become 'loving and compassionate' the way that the egoistic minds think and believe how it should be, in order to create a world of love and compassion that the minds desire and expect the world should be like.

Not that having a loving and compassionate community in the world is wrong or bad, but the presence of egoism where there's egoistic identity/idea/existence desiring and expecting or demanding the world to be 'the way that I think and believe how it should be (loving and compassionate)' is not freedom at all.

There's absence of egoism of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation in compassion, where actions are being performed without the desire or expectation to influence/change/control the world to be something that is not what it is, but allowing the world to change and evolve as it is, not necessarily the way that 'the ego' thinks and believes and desires how it should be.

The difference between love and compassion

Question - What's the difference between (passionate feeling of) love and compassion (selflessness)?

One doesn't necessarily must have passionate feeling of love towards all and everyone for enabling one to be compassionate and kind towards all and everyone, or not to be hurtful and unkind towards all and everyone.

Having lots of passionate feeling of love towards certain beings or objects doesn't necessarily mean that one will be compassionate and kind, or wouldn't be unkind and hurtful towards all and everyone.

Without feelings of love towards anyone or anything doesn't necessarily mean that one isn't compassionate or couldn't be compassionate, or one will be unkind to others, or one wouldn't be kind to others.

Under the presence of compassion, one can be compassionate and be kind to all and everyone, and won't be hurtful and unkind to anyone or anything, even though one doesn't have passionate feeling of love towards certain beings or objects.

Under the absence of compassion, one even can be hurtful and unkind towards certain beings or objects that one loves out of ungratified desires and impurities of dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, feelings of hurt, offensiveness, defensiveness, fear and worry, either intentionally or unintentionally, not to say one could be hurtful and unkind towards certain beings and objects that one doesn't love or disagrees with, intentionally.

Even though compassion can be present or absent due to the presence or absence of ignorance, but compassion is always there, never appear or disappear, regardless of whether the mind is free or not free from ignorance, where compassion is 'unveiled' upon the absence of ignorance and compassion is 'hidden' under the presence of ignorance.

Passionate feeling of love is influenced and determined by desire of craving and aversion, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements towards the different quality of names and forms, and is conditioned by impermanence and will change, while compassion is unconditioned by desire of craving and aversion, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, beyond all the qualities of names and forms, and it doesn't change, neither increase nor decrease.

The sun, the earth, the water, the air and the space don't have passionate feeling of love towards all and everything for them to be there supporting all and everything to be here, selflessly, intentionlessly and ceaselessly.

Contemplate on this and realize selfless/intentionless/ceaseless compassion. Be free from attachment/craving/clinging towards conditional passionate love deriving from ignorance and egoism.