Inquiry towards selflessness and impermanence

In the teachings of yoga, breath (prana/energy) is life, life is breath (prana/energy). If no breath (no prana/energy), there's no life. Similarly, in science, if no oxygen, no food, no nutrients, no minerals, no water, no energy, no supportive systems that take in, breakdown, digest, filter, modify, absorb and distribute energy/oxygen/chemical compounds/nutrients/minerals that supports life, there's no life.

The life, or the existence and function of the body and the perceptive cognitive thinking mind, is not possible if without the breath coming and going, as well as many other different body parts, organs, senses, nerves, neurons, blood vessels, glands, skins, bone structure, joints, muscle groups, tendons, ligaments, hormonal secretions, systems and elements working together to provide the supports that enabling this life existence of the body and mind being what they are, to be existing and functioning, selflessly and impermanently.

The breath is not the thinking mind, and it doesn't belong to the thinking mind. Each different component, system and element, are not the thinking mind, and they don't belong to the thinking mind, while all the different components, systems and elements are working together, supporting and influencing each other, that enable everything to be existing and functioning as they are, selflessly and intentionlessly.

The existence and function of the breath is only possible under the support of many other parts of the respiratory system, that is also relying on the support of many other body systems, where all kinds of systems also relying on one another as well as the many different supportive components and elements, where all kinds of supportive components and elements also wouldn't be available if without some other supportive elements respectively, and so on.

The breath is selfless and impermanent. So as all the other supportive components, systems and elements are all selfless and impermanent. There's no 'I' in the breath, as well as there's no 'I' in all kinds of supportive components, systems and elements that enable the life of this selfless and impermanent body and mind to be existing and functioning.

There's no 'I' existing in the existence and function of this selfless impermanent body and mind. The function of the thinking faculty is selflessly being influenced by energy, relying on the support of many different supportive components, systems and elements. Even when the thinking mind has certain freewill command over the physical movements, thinking, actions and reactions, speech and expression, it still depends on the selfless function of the central nervous system connecting to the peripheral system, provided if the central nervous system as well as the peripheral system is functioning normally under the support of all kinds of supportive components, systems and elements respectively. Even when the thinking mind has certain freewill power to exert as much energy as possible into performing certain actions to maintain the good condition of the physical body, it still doesn't change the truth of selflessness and impermanence in everything, including the existence and function of the physical body as well as the thinking mind itself.

It's only the ignorant egoistic impure thinking mind has an idea of 'I' existing in the form of thinking, out of ignorance and egoism, believing that 'I' exists as an individual being, claiming a personal identity attaching towards certain qualities of names and forms that are selfless and impermanent, to be identifying as 'I', as well as claiming possession or ownership towards all kinds of selfless impermanent names and forms that don't belong to anyone as 'mine' or 'my'. From the idea of 'I', arise all kinds of impurities, intentions, desires, possessions, discontentment, fear, pride and greed, that give rise to so much unnecessary disturb, unrest and suffering arising from within the modification of the mind, as well as projecting into the surrounding environment, while proudly thinking and believing that, "I am in control of myself, my life, my body and my mind, I achieve everything by my own freewill, intention and effort, and everything is according to my desire of how I want it to be."

If without all kinds of supportive components, systems and elements enabling this mind being what it is, then what is this thinking mind? What is pride and arrogance?

The thinking mind is being aware of the existence and function of the breath, which the breath itself is one of the supportive influential elements for the thinking mind to be functioning, where all kinds of supportive elements are selfless and impermanent, without egoistic intention to be working together being one of the supportive influential elements for enabling one another and everything else to be happening, existing, changing, and cease existing.

Most of the time, the thinking mind is not aware of the breath and/or any other components, systems or elements at all, being occupied with the restless selfless modification of the mind, being busy with the perception of names and forms through the senses and the thought process of ceaseless reactions reacting towards the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, imaginations, projections, anticipations, memories, and so on, that give rise to attachment, identification, comparison, judgment, desires of craving and aversion, expectation, and so on. But, the breath and all the other components, systems and elements are still ceaselessly performing selfless intentionless actions, working together, supporting and influencing one another being what they are, as they are, until they cease performing action at due time and cause.

The thinking mind is also one of the selfless impermanent components. It's selfless and impermanent, existing and functioning under the support of all the other supportive components, systems and elements. It's not 'I', and there's no 'I'. There's no 'I' existing in control of the existence and function of the thinking mind. Similarly, if without the function of the perceptive cognitive thinking mind under the support of many different supportive elements, what is worldly life existence, what is pleasurable enjoyment and painful suffering?

Meanwhile, from the selfless impermanent thinking mind itself, there might or might not be an awareness being aware of the veil of ignorance, and there might or might not be arising a desire to be liberated from ignorance and the suffering that derived from ignorance.

Initiated by the thinking mind itself, it can be performing all kinds of disciplinary to discipline, purify and quiet the modification of the mind, which enabling self-inquiry and self-realization to be happening, through the annihilation of the idea of 'I' and the veil of ignorance.

Peaceful and happy as it is, transcending impermanent feelings and emotions

A happy mind or an unhappy mind, is not about whether the mind is feeling happy or unhappy most of the time, or all the time. A happy mind can be unhappy some of the time, and an unhappy mind can be happy some of the time. The mind is neither happy nor unhappy. It's merely some impermanent feelings and emotions arising and passing away. It's about whether there's attachment and identification arising in the mind attaching and identifying towards the impermanent feelings and emotions, and hence, swaying restlessly between feeling happy and unhappy under certain conditions, or the mind is being content and happy as it is, unconditionally, transcending the impermanent happy and unhappy feelings and emotions that ceaselessly arising and passing away.

The minds that are free from ignorance and egoism, that are not being conditioned or determined by the presence and absence of certain qualities of names and forms, or the perception/experience of something pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable, or agreeable/disagreeable, or the gratification/non-gratification of desires to be happy or unhappy, they are resting in the state of unconditional contentment, being content as they are and happy as it is, unconditionally, transcending all kinds of pleasant/unpleasant experiences, void of attachment and identification towards the impermanent modification of the mind, while respecting the selfless impermanent changes as they are.

It doesn't mean that these minds don't perceive anything as something pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable or agreeable/disagreeable, or wouldn't be having and/or expressing any understanding or emotion of like and dislike or agreement and disagreement, however, all kinds of reactions under different emotions that are impermanent, don't determine, influence, affect, disturb or change the state of the mind that is being content and happy as it is, unconditionally.

Such minds can be perceiving and reacting towards certain ideas, behaviors or events, expressing agreement or disagreement towards certain ideas, behaviors or events, and there are different feelings and emotions arising and passing away in the mind, but, it doesn't mean that these minds are happy or unhappy minds, as there's no attachment, identification or association towards the impermanent modifications of the mind.

Healthy minds are capable of being peaceful and happy as they are, where they are not being determined by the presence and absence of interaction, attention, love, care, support, encouragement, acknowledgement, appreciation, agreement, praise, compliment, sympathy or empathy from others, to feel happy, love, good, positive and meaningful, or not. They don't need any others to keep checking on them, "How are you?", "Are you OK?", "Are you happy?", and so on. 

These minds are peaceful and happy as they are, regardless of the different impermanent feelings and emotions arising and passing away in the mind, under any circumstances, conditions and situations, void of grasping, or attachment and identification, transcending the intellectual cognition towards rightfulness and wrongfulness, goodness and badness, happiness and unhappiness, agreement and disagreement, like and dislike, achievement and non-achievement, easiness and difficulty, success and failure, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, and etc.

These minds don't need to rely on any external influences of pleasant/desirable/agreeable experiences that give rise to the momentary sense of satisfaction and happiness, or rely on the momentary effect of certain physical exercises or positions, breathing control, mental control, sound vibrations, or drugs and intoxicants that induce momentary calmness, relaxation, unwind, contentment or happiness, for being peaceful and happy as they are, unconditionally.

There's awareness towards some impermanent happy or unhappy feelings and emotions arising and passing away, but there's no attachment or identification of "I am happy or unhappy." Neither there's desire of craving and aversion of "I want to be happy," or "I don't want to be unhappy."

Meanwhile, due to ignorance and egoism, the egoistic minds need to have specific 'happiness deserving' reasons/factors to feel happy and be happy, or will be unhappy being determined by specific 'unhappiness deserving' reasons/factors, being influenced and determined by the presence and absence of pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable, and agreeable/disagreeable experiences, relationships, interactions, events, places, environments, conditions and situations, swaying between the state of being happy and the state of being unhappy, restlessly.

There's attachment and identification towards the happy and unhappy feelings and emotions of "I am happy or unhappy." There's also desire of craving and aversion of "I want to be happy," and "I don't want to be unhappy."

The minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, that couldn't go beyond the attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation towards the presence and absence of certain qualities of names and forms to be the specific reasons to be happy or unhappy, can also realize this unconditional state of the mind that is "peaceful and happy as it is," upon the weakening, thinning out and annihilation of ignorance and egoism.

Seclusion and solitude is highly important for self-inquiry and self-realization

Renunciation must be observed along with seclusion and solitude, especially in this era, of the end of dhamma, where ignorant passionate egoistic thinking and behavior are predominant in everywhere.

Some yoga practitioners might think that renunciation is about renouncing or retreating from their worldly life, not living and mingling among the worldly community, but then, they are attaching towards the yoga family or community, engaging in many kinds of yoga activity regularly interacting with many others who are like-minded, to be accompanying, supporting and motivating one another on the path of yoga, physically, mentally and emotionally, however, after spending some time living a life of 'renunciation from the worldly community', the mind is still not free from the worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern.

This is because ignorance and egoism exists even in the yoga community, where many yoga activities, yoga events, yoga classes, yoga courses, yoga retreats, yoga schools, yoga ashrams, yoga organizations and yoga associations are not free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, that empowers passion, attachment, identification and desires of craving and aversion, instead of developing dispassion and desirelessness. Having similar interest and being like-minded, as well as passionately engaging in yoga activities regularly, doesn't mean that the minds are free from ignorance and egoism. By continuously mingling among and interacting with the yoga community that is not free from the passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern under the influence of ignorance and egoism, it couldn't serve the purpose of renunciation effectively, because the mind doesn't get the chance to move away from the worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern, continuously thinking and behaving in such way unwittingly, while mingling among and interacting with the yoga community and learning and practicing yoga that is not about the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, but empowers passionate egoistic attachment, identification, desire, comparison, judgment, intention, expectation, as well as mental and emotional dependence.

The essence of renunciation, is for the mind to stay away from such passionate egoistic influences completely for a prolonged period of time, that serves the purpose of thinning out the attachment and identification towards the worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, which allowing the mind be able to develop the basic foundation of dispassion and right discrimination, as well as mental and emotional independence, for inquiring towards all kinds of worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior, actions and reactions, and their consequences.

Unless the mind has already developed or be endowed with a strong foundation of non-attachment, non-identification, dispassion and correct understanding (right discrimination), if not, it's highly important for the sincere yoga practitioners who have intense yearning for liberation to be observing seclusion and solitude during the practice of renunciation, not just renouncing from the worldly affairs and the worldly community that are mostly under the influence of passionate worldly egoistic thinking and behavior pattern, but also retreating from the world of yoga community and yoga activities that are not necessarily be free from the influence of worldly passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern.

Some minds believe that they only need to renounce the world mentally, while physically mingling among the worldly passionate egoistic minds, engaging in passionate egoistic interactive activities and affairs, however, there are not many minds have such strong foundation of non-attachment, dispassion and right discrimination, as well as mental and emotional independence, to be living and mingling among the passionate egoistic minds, and not being influenced by the passionate egoistic way of thinking and behavior.

There will be some non-understanding reaction and even criticism and condemn coming from family and friends, as well as some others in the yoga community when the mind renounces not only the worldly community, but also the yoga community, however, it only shows that these minds are very much thinking, behaving, acting and reacting under the influence of passionate egoistic thinking and behavior pattern. Some minds will be puzzled, disappointed, and even offended, when a mind stops engaging in any family and friends social cultural activities, as well as not participating in or associating with any yoga organizations, associations, gatherings, activities and events. There's neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, in all these egoistic reactions towards the mind that observes renunciation, seclusion and solitude. All minds take their own time to evolve, at their own cause and pace.

Inquire towards the truth of everything, including the different teachings and practice of yoga deriving from the world of yoga, as well as all the teachings here.

It's everyone's freedom whether they want to observe seclusion and solitude, or not, that allows the mind to develop the foundation of dispassion and right discrimination, and mental and emotional independence, effectively. However, such intense practice might not be suitable for all and everyone.

After developing a strong foundation of non-attachment, dispassion and right discrimination, one can live and mingle freely among the passionate egoistic minds, and not being influenced by them at all, while performing selfless service to disseminate the teachings that leads other minds onto the path of self-inquiry and self-realization, to be free from ignorance.

The power of thoughts?

Yoga is indeed all about the mind, and there are quite many yoga enthusiasts strongly believing in the power of thoughts for their own particular reasons.

There are people believing in, "Things will manifest as you think and desire. If you gather the power of thoughts to be focusing on something that you desire, and strongly believing that all your desires will come true, and it will come true as you desire." That's their freedom of thinking and desire. However, it's not part of the yoga practice.

The essence of yoga is about the annihilation of the modification of the mind. It's about silencing the thought activities. It's about the annihilation of desire, or the state of desirelessness. It's about realizing selflessness through the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation. It's about realizing non-separateness or oneness, transcending duality, of good and bad, positive and negative, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, success and failure, happiness and unhappiness, pleasurable enjoyment and suffering. It's about respecting the law of cause and effect, and the truth of selflessness and impermanence, which also leads to respecting the perceived reality as it is, not necessarily pleasant, desirable or agreeable, and it's changing at its own cause and pace. Free from the egoistic desire and intention to be controlling or changing the perceived reality to be or not to be in certain way.

Somehow, yoga practice has been being manipulated into a tool for developing mind power to be gratifying all kinds of desires.

Here is a simple inquiry towards the power of thoughts.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in the earth is square, doesn't make the earth become square.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in those who had passed away will come back alive, doesn't bring back the dead to be alive.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in the world will be free from all kinds of ignorance and suffering, doesn't make all kinds of ignorance and suffering disappear from the world.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in "(I) am the champion of any competition who will win all competitions even without the need of any effort of training and preparation," doesn't make (I) become the champion of all competitions.

By focusing and thinking very hard and strongly believing in "This apple will become an orange," doesn't make the apple turn into an orange.

Regardless of how positive and optimistic is the thinking mind, it doesn't change the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all kinds of names and forms being what they are, as they are, and constantly changing, arising and passing away, governed by the law of cause and effect.

What everyone want to think and believe is their freedom, however, for the sincere yoga practitioners, they must free the mind from ignorance by inquiring towards the truth of everything.

One can be appreciating good condition or good health when it's available, but without attachment towards good condition or good health. One can do one's best to maintain good condition or good health and avoid sickness or injury, but there's neither craving towards sickness/injury-free nor aversion towards sickness and injury. If there is sickness or injury arise in this body, then either it can do its best to take rest, allowing the system to heal itself, or it can receive certain medical treatment if necessary, if available, and allowing the medical treatment to do whatever it needs to do, while respecting the body will be recovering at its own cause and pace, or not. There's no fear or aversion towards selfless impermanent changes of decay, old age, weakness, sickness, injury and death, or separation from the world of family and friends and things that one loves and appreciates. There's no need the power of thoughts to be desiring this or that, and to be controlling or changing the perceived reality to be or not to be in certain way.

The power of thoughts is more about from the rise of thoughts/intentions/desires that are whether under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, or not, that influencing the minds generating actions/reactions/expressions that could be beneficial or harmful to oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment.

There's nothing bad or negative about incorrect understanding due to ignorance

There's nothing bad, wrong, negative or shameful about having incorrect understanding due to the veil of ignorance.

Under the veil of ignorance, the minds feel offended or shameful upon being related to the presence of ignorance.

Even Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was having incorrect understanding and doubts under the influence of the veil of ignorance before the attainment of self-realization towards the truth of suffering.

Many saints and sages were thinking, behaving, acting and reacting under the influence of impurities deriving from ignorance and egoism, before attaining self-realization towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence in the mind perception of the world of names and forms.

All and everyone has to go through imperfection, doubts and incorrect understanding before and during the path of self-inquiry and self-realization, before the annihilation of ignorance.

The only difference is, whether the minds have awareness and acknowledgement towards the presence of ignorance and have the yearning for attaining liberation from ignorance, or not.

Some minds were initiated by the experience of suffering, and hence, igniting the yearning towards the liberation from suffering, and thus, the path of self-inquiry and self-realization begins. While some minds were initiated by the experience of pleasurable enjoyment, and hence, igniting the yearning towards the attainment of absolute enjoyment, and thus, the path of self-inquiry and self-realization begins. In the end, either the desire to be free from suffering or the desire to attain absolute enjoyment, drop off naturally, upon the realization of selflessness/oneness/non-separateness, upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism.

Before the realization, there is suffering, the path of transcending suffering, and the end of suffering. Upon the realization, there is no suffering, no path of transcending suffering, and no end of suffering.

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is not distinct from emptiness, emptiness is not distinct from form. There's no contradiction. What generates the separateness or distinction, is the veil of ignorance.

The hindrance towards self-inquiry and self-realization is coming from the mind itself

There's nothing wrong and it's common that most minds are being proud of the attachment and identification towards their particular ancestral, tribal, social, cultural, spiritual or religious thinking, belief, values and practice that influencing their particular way of living, perspective, reasoning power, judgment and expectation towards themselves and everything, where the idea of letting go those existing attachment and identification in the teachings and practice of yoga and buddhism, is something unthinkable or extremely wrong and insane for these minds.

There are many minds are interested in yoga, and might be practicing and teaching yoga under certain names and forms for some time, however, the presence of intense attachment and identification or pride towards their particular thinking, belief, values and practice deriving from as well as empowering ignorance and egoism, that built around survival instinct, separateness, duality, fear, desire and greed, is indeed the biggest hindrance for the minds to advance further in the path of self-inquiry and self-realization.

For the minds that are aware of ignorance and sincerely want to be free from ignorance, to transcend the inevitable suffering of restless and selfless impermanent changes (ceaseless and countless births and deaths within the modification of the mind, of different states arising and passing away being conditioned and limited by cause and effect), not only that a calm and quiet mind is essential, but an open mind without any attachment and identification towards any particular worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice conditioning the mind to analyze, reason, judge and expect towards everything, is what allowing self-inquiry to be happening as it is, intentionlessly and effortlessly.

Need not going everywhere in searching for a Guru other than the mind itself, to enlighten oneself, to answer one's questions, to remove one's doubts, or to heal one's painful suffering, but one only needs to let go the pride, the attachment and identification towards the existing egoistic thinking and belief in the mind, all and everything is already there teaching and guiding this mind onto the path of self-inquiry and self-realization.

Feel annoyed, disgusted, offended, intimidated, threatened and angry by this teaching or anything that is contradicting with the existing thinking and belief, values and practice in the mind, that the mind categorized as wrong, bad, negative and meaningless? That's the precious moment to reflect towards what is going on in this mind, to know Thyself.

The minds that don't know, they fall in love with what 'amazed' them, they miss what 'they fall in love with' upon their absence, they regret if they did something that they think they shouldn't do or didn't do something that they think they should have done. And that's their freedom of thinking, actions and reactions.

The minds that know, they don't fall in love with anything, they don't miss anything, they don't regret anything. Such minds can be kind and accommodating towards all and everyone non-discriminatively and unconditionally.

Letting go the attachment and identification towards the existing thinking, belief, values and practice, is challenging for the minds that have been conditioned deeply by such names and forms, however, it will become effortless, upon the mind realizing the 'intention' or 'motif' that gives rise to the existence of all the different kinds of passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice in the world of human beings. Such liberated minds can still live life in certain way like everyone else, while living and mingling among all kinds of human beings of different thinking, belief, values and practice, however, the minds are free from attachment and identification towards any thinking, belief, values and practice, and thus, be able to respect and accommodating towards all kinds of diversities in the world, free from separateness and discrimination.

The minds that are not free from attachment and identification or pride towards their particular inherited or adopted thinking, belief, values and practice, will always be conditioned by the sense of separateness and discrimination towards some other forms of thinking, belief, values and practice that the minds dislike and disagree with, that are contradicting with their own particular thinking, belief, values and practice.

The realization of selflessness, that leads to non-separateness or oneness beyond all kinds of different qualities of names and forms, is the only way to achieve world peace under many diversities effectively and non-violently.

Inquire towards any forms of teachings or beliefs that propagate and empower the sense of separateness and discrimination, and the sense of pride towards identity and attachment towards such teachings or beliefs and their particular community, while talking highly about promoting peace and harmony in the world ( what they claimed and possessed as their world) based on their own particular thinking, belief, values and practice, while using temptation, rewards, conversion and education, or else, oppression, force, control, disciplinary, threat, punishment, or violence, with the intention or aspiration of 'uniting' and 'unifying' all and everyone under a particular vision based on their community of particular thinking, belief, values and practice, while eliminating or pushing away all the others that don't 'fit' into the vision of their world. Such 'trace' can be found in all kinds of culture, spirituality, religion, political party, organization, association and authorization. Not that these names and forms are bad and wrong. They have their own purposes and functions. It depends on whether they are run by the minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, or free from the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Self-control vs controlling the body and mind to be and not to be in certain way

It's the ego that has the urge or desire to be in control of anything or everything.

Void of the ego, or the idea of 'I', there's none being there urging or desiring to control anything, but merely the law of cause and effect influencing all kinds of selfless impermanent names and forms being what they are, as they are.

Some minds think and believe that 'self-control' is about the ability to be controlling the body and mind to be and not to be in certain way, according to the desire of craving and aversion of the mind under the influence of passionate egoistic behavior pattern, rejecting selfless impermanent changes that are not necessarily the way that the mind desires it to be. "I am in control of myself, my body, my mind, my feelings, my life and my world. Everything is in my control to be the way that I desire it to be." Neither it's about to behave and not behaving or to live life and not living life in certain way according to certain worldly thinking, belief, values and practice about what is right and wrong, good and bad, or meaningful and meaningless.

In yoga or buddhism, the practice of self-control is referring to the will-power and determination to purify, discipline and quiet the mind, to prepare the mind for self-inquiry and meditation. It's more about letting go the egoistic urge or desire to be in control of anything, developing non-attachment and preparing the mind to stand as a witness or observer towards the selfless impermanent modification of the mind.

In the beginning of the practice, the impure egoistic mind has many impure thoughts, actions and reactions out of selfish intention or desire under the egoistic behavior pattern, that leads to restlessness, distraction and disturb in the mind, which hindering the mind from performing self-inquiry and meditation, and hence, there's a need to have certain degree of self-control or will-power to restrict or filter its own thoughts, actions and reactions, to purify, discipline and quiet the mind by weakening and removing egoism and impurities, for rendering the mind turning inwards and be open, not running out chasing after the objects of the senses, and being unattached towards any particular worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice to analyze and judge everything, to be ready for self-inquiry and meditation.

It's not so much about do good and don't do bad, based on certain worldly egoistic thinking and belief, however, in the process of focusing onto purifying and disciplining the mind, filtering and restricting the thought activities, actions and reactions, naturally, there's no intention or desire, energy or effort, to be performing any actions that will be harming oneself and/or others.

Upon reaching a purified undisturbed egoless and desireless state of mind, there's no need to have self-control towards the modification of the mind that is free from impurities and disturbs, where the thought activities, understanding, actions and reactions are free from the influence of egoism and impurities, or selfish impure intention and expectation.

The importance of mental and emotional independence for self-realization

Mental and emotional independence is the reflection of a mind that is free from craving, longing and expectation towards receiving any kind of external mental and emotional support and acknowledgement to feel love, good, happy, satisfied and meaningful about oneself or life existence, who doesn't need to feel love, good, happy, satisfied and meaningful about oneself or life existence at all, as it is happy as it is, unconditionally, who is free from ignorant egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation, who is not being determined by the selfless impermanent qualities of names and forms, who is not being influenced by all kinds of duality, the pleasant and unpleasant experiences, the agreeable and disagreeable relationships, or the good and bad condition and situation in one's personal life and in the world, who respects the law of cause and effect, who embraces the truth of selflessness and impermanence, who knows how to accept the perceived reality as it is and the impermanent changes as they are, who knows how to love oneself unconditionally as one is, which allowing oneself to love others unconditionally as they are, void of craving and expectation towards receiving certain reasonable or deserving reactions from others upon being kind and loving towards all and everyone unconditionally, being free from possessiveness, who is free from the sense of self-esteem, confidence, connection, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, intimidation, humiliation, victimized, unloved, left out, self-pity, loneliness, boredom, meaninglessness, insecurity, guilt, regret, shame, pride, and etc, void of fear and disturbs, understanding that all kinds of ignorant selfish and hurtful behaviors and affairs in the world, are deriving from ignorance, and that it has to come from the minds themselves to be aware of ignorance, and be initiative to be free from ignorance.

Many minds, including some enthusiastic yoga lovers, yoga practitioners and yoga teachers, might think and believe that, "Everything that I do, is for everyone to be happy. I want everyone to be happy. If you are happy, I will be happy," is a kind and loving sentiment, or a form of selfless compassionate gesture or action, or even, one of the yoga practice. It's not. It's pure ignorance, as well as empowering ignorance in oneself and in others.

Yoga practitioners and yoga teachers need to inquire towards the truth of everything, including all kinds of worldly passionate 'positive', 'uplifting', 'inspiring' and 'motivational' words of encouragement or inspirational quotes, that derived from ignorance and egoism, as well as empowers ignorance and egoism.

A mind is craving for sweets and drugs, and will only be happy if sweets and drugs are available, and if the sweets and drugs are not available, it will be unhappy. Some other minds who think and believe that they are kind and empathetic beings, where they will be unhappy when seeing others are unhappy, where they don't want others to be unhappy and only want others to be happy, and hence, they will give this mind whatever it wants that will make it happy. That's not compassion. That's pure ignorance.

It's understandable that many compassionate actions and reactions or the state of mental and emotional independence, are being seen as a form of 'selfishness', 'uncaring', 'unloving', 'unkind', 'harshness', 'non-sympathetic', 'non-empathetic', 'madness' or 'emotionlessness', by the minds that are righteous, kind, loving, caring, sympathetic and empathetic, but are under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

It's also understandable that even when there are quite many good, kind, loving, sympathetic, empathetic and righteous minds in the world, who want to be good and do good, who are performing many good and kind actions in the world, however, all these qualities don't stop the minds from thinking, acting and reacting under the influence of ignorance and egoism, that bring along the consequences of actions/reactions out of ignorance and egoism, while being disturbed by the many things or happenings in the world that are indeed the consequences of the mass actions and reactions out of ignorance and egoism, that the minds themselves don't like, don't agree with and don't desire.

One can be engaging in yoga and meditation practice for many years, and/or teaching yoga and meditation to many other minds, being enthusiastic towards adopting and propagating a healthy way of living and clean eating, who wants to be good and do good, who upholds righteousness and goodness while strongly against wrongfulness and evilness, who is well-educated and knowledgeable about many things under different topics, being brought up in a well-mannered family background, as well as be endowed with a friendly, kind, caring, loving, sympathetic, empathetic, gentle, non-violent and peace loving personality, however, if the mind is not free from ignorance and egoism of attachment, identification, passionate desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation, where the mind doesn't have mental and emotional independence, while encouraging mental and emotional dependence among one another, and it doesn't know what is or how to develop mental and emotional independence, where it doesn't know how to love itself unconditionally as it is, or love all and everything as they are, being attached towards and determined by the actions and the fruit of actions, being determined and influenced by the perception of duality in all kinds of experiences, relationships, conditions and situations in life and in the world, being determined and disturbed by the sense of self-esteem, confidence, connection, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, intimidation, humiliation, victimized, unloved, left out, self-pity, loneliness, boredom, meaninglessness, insecurity, guilt, regret, shame, pride, and etc, where the mind is occupied by fear and disturbs, then this mind is not free.

Mental and emotional dependence among one another, is something in common among the many different types of beliefs, values and practice in the world, as the survival of those beliefs, values and practice are very much depending on the mental and emotional dependence among one another within the family, tribe, followers or community of any particular belief, values and practice. Children growing up under such condition being encouraged to be developing mental and emotional dependence among one another, and passing down such belief, values and practice to the next generations. This extends to an area, a state, or a country, where mental and emotional dependence among the community of a particular area, state or country, is highly being encouraged and developed as something good, normal and healthy. Many leaders, teachers, supporters or followers of certain organizations are strongly against mental and emotional independence, which is something that the mind should inquire and reflect upon, if the mind really wants to free itself from ignorance.

Mental and emotional independence doesn't mean that one will not be kind and loving towards others.

Mental and emotional dependence doesn't mean that one will not be hurting oneself and/or others out of ignorance and egoism, upon the non-gratification of desires, or upon the presence of unpleasant, undesirable and disagreeable experiences, relationships, conditions and situations, and upon the absence of pleasant, desirable and agreeable experiences, relationships, conditions and situations.

The minds that understand this, they are happy as they are. They don't need anyone or anything to make them happy. They don't need to experience, do, attain or possess something that will make them happy. None and nothing can make them unhappy, even when they are being aware of, disagreeing with and non-supporting many things that derived from ignorance and egoism, that empowers ignorance and egoism.

The minds that don't understand this, then none or nothing can make them happy, if they want to be unhappy. If they feel happy because of experiencing, doing, attaining or possessing something that they like and desire, it is merely the conditional and momentary sense of love, righteousness, confidence, goodness, happiness, satisfaction, accomplishment or meaningfulness upon the gratification of desires, that is impermanent.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

The teachings of yoga and buddhism is universal

The teachings of yoga and buddhism is universal.

The realization towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all and everything being perceived through this perceptive mind, as well as the perceptive mind itself, is universal.

If there's something non-universal, bias, prejudice or discriminative that appeared to be coming from someone who is identifying oneself as a yoga or buddhism practitioner or teacher, that discriminates certain qualities of names and forms that the mind dislikes or disagrees with, based on one's particular worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, know that it has nothing to do with the teachings of yoga or buddhism. It's deriving from the mind that is still functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Without the direct realization, but only through impure intellectual understanding towards the teachings of yoga or buddhism about selflessness and impermanence, the intellectual kind and thoughtful minds might be worried about the teachings of yoga and buddhism might be misunderstood as well as misused by the selfish ignorant minds to be 'the justification' or 'the way of by passing the consequences of actions' for performing intentional selfish actions out of selfish intentions, or performing random ignorant actions out of ignorance, that might hurt oneself and/or others.

The minds that are kind and thoughtful, but are still under the influence of ignorance and egoism, might be thinking and believing that there's a need of discrimination towards or distinction between good beings and bad beings, goodness and evilness, or good behavior and bad behavior, particularly to be imposing certain control, oppression, rules and regulations, as well as condemn, disciplinary and punishment towards bad beings, evilness and bad behavior, to keep the world in proper order.

These minds might be disliking, disagreeing with, rejecting and going against the teachings and realization of 'non-duality', 'non-separateness', 'non-discrimination', 'neither good nor bad', 'identificationlessness', 'selflessness', or 'all and everyone can attain liberation regardless of the different states of the minds and behaviors'.

This is due to the minds are functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, that are analyzing and understanding these terms from the teachings of yoga and buddhism from the intellectual level under the impure intellect, and not through direct realization.

Imposing certain control, oppression, rules and regulations, as well as condemn, disciplinary and punishment towards bad beings, evilness and bad behavior, doesn't eliminate ignorance from the minds and doesn't stop the ignorant minds from being ignorant and behaving ignorantly. The history in this world and what is happening now, has been reflecting that. A world that is in 'proper order', where the minds don't hurt one another either intentionally or randomly, has to come from the minds themselves be free from ignorance.

The nature law of cause and effect, of actions and the consequences of actions is indeed the selfless governor of everything. The truth of selflessness, and the realization towards the truth of selflessness, non-duality, non-separateness, non-discrimination, neither good nor bad, identificationlessness, or all and everyone can attain liberation from the veil of ignorance and suffering deriving from ignorance non-discriminatively, doesn't change, or remove, or by pass the law of nature, of cause and effect, of actions and the consequences of actions in this world of selflessness and impermanence. Realizing the truth of selflessness and impermanence doesn't change the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all the selfless impermanent names and forms.

The minds that truly attained direct realization towards the truth, that are free from the veil of ignorance and egoism, don't intentionally escape or by pass the law of cause and effect, or the consequences of actions. They have no intention or desire to perform any actions that would benefit or hurt oneself and/or others. It's only the minds that are functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, would be having the desire and intention to be performing selfish actions out of selfish intentions and desires, or randomly performing ignorant actions out of ignorance, while thinking that they would be escaping, or untouched by, or by passing the law of cause and effect, or the consequences of actions, using the terms of selflessness, selfless actions, inaction in actions, non-duality, non-separateness, non-discrimination, neither good nor bad, identificationlessness, and so on, under the impure intellectual understanding, to be justifying their selfish or ignorant actions as 'non-action in actions' out of selflessness.

Obviously, the minds that are thinking in such way, they are under the influence of the veil of ignorance and egoism.

The ignorant and egoistic thinking and believing that "I am selfless, my actions are selfless and are neither good nor bad, and are free from the consequences of actions," while either intentionally performing selfish actions out of selfish intentions and desires, or randomly performing ignorant actions out of ignorance, doesn't remove or change the law of cause and effect, or make the consequences of actions disappear or non-existing. Similarly, the 'positive thinking' of 'thinking and believing that everything is positive', doesn't change the truth of what things are. 'Positive thinking' doesn't remove ignorance or ignorant actions and their consequences in the world.

The selfless elements of fire, water, air or earth have no intention or desire to be existing and being the influencing elements that are supporting or destroying anything or anyone to be arising, changing, and passing away, but selfless actions are ceaselessly happening, out of selflessness, followed by selfless consequences deriving from the respective selfless actions out of selflessness. But these elements are untouched or undetermined by the actions and the consequences of actions, due to its nature of selflessness.

Even though the teachings of yoga and buddhism is universal, however, it appears to be non-universal for certain minds coming from the minds themselves attached strongly onto certain worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, being conditioned to think and judge everything based on those thinking, belief, values and practice, and hence, arise the autonomous reaction of dislike, disagreement, rejection, or even offensiveness in the minds towards the teachings that appeared to be contradicting with their particular thinking, belief, values and practice.

The path of self-inquiry appears as it is, upon the minds have awareness towards the ignorance in themselves, and be ready to let go attachment towards the existing worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice in the mind, to be opened towards inquiring towards the truth of everything, free from agreements and disagreements based on particular thinking and belief, without blind-following, blind-agreeing/disagreeing, blind-believing/disbelieving, blind-practicing or blind-propagating any teachings or belief and practice, including the teachings of yoga and buddhism.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Inquire towards identification with anything pure or impure under the truth of selflessness

If the truth of everything, particularly the selfless impermanent body with the function of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind, is selflessness, or 'I'lessness, then "who" is there to be identifying with anything, regardless of something pure or impure, lower consciousness or higher consciousness, conditional or unconditional, mortal or immortal, finite or infinite?

As long as there's an idea of 'I' existing in the form of thinking within the modification of the mind, either identifying with something that is IMPURE or LOWER, such as the qualities of names and forms that are conditional and impermanent, or identifying with something that is PURE or HIGHER, beyond qualities of names and forms, that is attributeless, nameless and formless, that is birthless and deathless, which is changeless, infinite, unconditional and limitless, the mind is not free.

Who is there to be identifying as an ignorant, uncompassionate, unloving, unkind, egoistic, impure, conditional and restless being, or an ignorant free, compassionate, loving, kind, egoless, pure, unconditional and peaceful being?

Either a disturbed being or a peaceful being, that behaves, acts and reacts in certain way, it's merely the reflection of the different states of the mind that is selfless and impermanent, either under the influence of ignorance and egoism, or void of ignorance and egoism.

Void of the idea of 'I', or the selflessness in all and everything, there's none existing to be identifying with anything. If there's still an identification of "I am This or That," or "I am limitless, birthless, deathless, attributeless, nameless and formless," and etc, it's deriving from the idea of 'I' in the mind that is still functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

The impermanent existence of a selfless impermanent body and the modification of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind, is nothing contradictory with the truth of SELFLESSNESS in all and everything, about "There's no 'I' existing in the impermanent existence of a selfless impermanent body and the selfless impermanent modification of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind."

Anything that exists under the influence, support and interdependence of something else, that cannot exist independently and permanently on its own and at its own freewill, where it's nature is ceaselessly changing and decaying unwittingly, that is non-permanent, is SELFLESS. If 'I' exists, then this 'I' and everything that is 'mine', is in the control of 'I', but there's no 'I' in control of anything where the nature of such existence is ceaselessly changing and impermanent. No matter how much money and effort being put into maintaining and enhancing the condition and quality of an existence under certain name and form that is selfless and impermanent, this 'existence of certain name and form' is still changing, decaying, and eventually disintegrating. All past and present Kings and Queens, and the most perfect, successful, powerful, wealthy, intelligent, knowledgeable, talented, skillful, fit, strong, flexible, healthy, beautiful, happy human beings, all kinds of famous people and celebrities, all kinds of enlightened minds, saints and sages, as well as in every household of close family members, friends and relatives, are the perfect teaching examples or reflections towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence. - Arising, changing, and passing away, gracefully, or not.

If it's something selfless, it's void of any kind of identification.

Similarly, which is permanent and unchanging, that exists independently without any inter-dependency or supports, can be referred as real. The entire mind perception of a selfless impermanent worldly life existence in a world of selfless and impermanent names and forms, doesn't exist without the existence and the function of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind. And hence, the teachings of yoga - The world is unreal. As both the perceiver (the perceptive mind) and the perceived (the world of names and forms) are selfless and impermanent.

The mind that hasn't realized this, it is stuck with the intellectual understanding of "How can I (an existence that is existing, perceiving, thinking, feeling, understanding, analyzing, realizing, enjoying or suffering) realize that 'I' doesn't exist (non-existence of an individual being of I)?" and "I am perceiving, sensing, seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, feeling and living in this world of names and forms, how can it be unreal?"

Self-inquiry is the essence of yoga practice. All kinds of yoga practice must lead towards self-inquiry towards "What is 'I'?", and upon the selfless mind attaining self-realization towards SELFLESSNESS, this mind is void of all kinds of misery and suffering deriving from ignorance and egoism, even when the body and mind is still going through selfless impermanent changes of decaying and disintegrating that is inevitable in all kinds of selfless impermanent existence under certain names and forms.

Even the presence of attachment and identification towards the notion of, "I am what I am," or "I am absolute knowledge, absolute existence and absolute bliss," not to say, "This is who I really am," the mind is not free.

SILENCE, upon the absence of ignorance and egoism. There's none or no identification existing to be identifying as "I am free, or, I am enlightened." It's merely the absence of the veil of ignorance and egoism and their by-products of impurities or corruptions in the mind. The mind is void of ignorance and the suffering deriving from ignorance. Void of duality or separateness. Void of superiority and inferiority. Void of desire. Void of "I want this, I don't want that." Void of attachment. Void of fear or painful sorrow deriving from attachment. Void of identification. Void of pride and shame deriving from identification. All are selfless and impermanent.

The limited and conditional body exists, selflessly and impermanently. The function of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking mind exists, selflessly and impermanently. Intentional or unintentional actions and reactions exist, selflessly and impermanently. Consequences of actions and reactions exist, selflessly and impermanently. All kinds of sensation of pleasantness and unpleasantness exist, selflessly and impermanently. Imperfect, partial and corrupted memories, agreeable and disagreeable experiences, and all kinds of desirable and undesirable relationship or connection exist, selflessly and impermanently. All kinds of ignorant and egoistic worldly affairs, and the suffering deriving from ignorant and egoistic worldly affairs exist, selflessly and impermanently. Without energy and all kinds of supportive elements, all these selfless impermanent names and forms of certain qualities, cannot exist. All kinds of names and forms arising, changing, and passing away, influenced by nature's law of cause and effect. Above all, 'I' doesn't exist. There's no 'I'. The idea of 'I' only exists in the mind, under a stream of continuous thoughts, generating the false existence of an individual being, attaching and identifying with the selfless impermanent physical body and the restless modification of the mind as 'I', due to the presence of the veil of ignorance and egoism.

The realization of the truth of selflessness, oneness or non-separateness beyond all the impermanent different qualities of names and forms, is beyond spirituality or non-spirituality. It's neither spiritual nor non-spiritual. It's universal. It doesn't matter whether the mind identifying itself as spiritual or non-spiritual, no matter what are the different qualities of names and forms, of different types of social, cultural, spiritual or religious thinking, belief, values, practice, or way of living, regardless of what are the different states of the different minds, of different behaviors, actions and reactions, peaceful or peaceless, wise or ignorant, kind or unkind, selfish or unselfish, all and everything are selfless and impermanent.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

The sense of pride and shame exists for one another

Under the veil of ignorance and egoism, based on certain worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, the mind thinks, believes, judges and feels towards certain qualities, possessions and identities as either 'pride deserving' or 'shame deserving'.

The mind that is free from ignorance and egoism, there's no such thinking, belief, judgment and feeling towards any qualities of names and forms.

Most of the social cultural or religious teachings, beliefs, values and practice in the world deriving from the minds under the veil of ignorance and egoism, is about human beings and their behaviors need to be controlled or regulated by the sense of pride towards the presence of certain 'pride deserving' qualities, possessions and identities or upon the absence of certain 'shame deserving' qualities, possessions and identities, as well as the sense of shame towards the presence of certain 'shame deserving' qualities, possessions and identities or upon the absence of certain 'pride deserving' qualities, possessions and identities.

Many minds have great difficulty towards understanding that they don't need to be conditioned by the sense of pride and shame at all. None need to be 'good' or 'good enough', where they need to have many 'pride deserving' qualities, possessions and identities, and don't have any 'shame deserving' qualities, possessions or identities, either coming from one's own expectation and judgment towards oneself and others, or coming from others' expectation and judgment towards oneself and others.

People would think and believe that the sense of shame will stop human beings from having something and behaving in the way that is 'shame deserving' according to their particular thinking, belief, values and practice. Not really.

People would think and believe that the sense of pride will motivate human beings for achieving something and behaving in the way that is 'pride deserving' according to their particular thinking, belief, values and practice. Not really.

More importantly, is that what certain thinking, belief, values and practice judging and labeling as 'pride deserving' are not necessarily something beneficial for the over-all well-being of all and everyone non-discriminatively. While what certain thinking, belief, values and practice judging and labeling as 'shame deserving' are not necessarily something bad or wrong at all.

Meanwhile the sense of pride and shame is hindering or even destroying the mental clarity and correct understanding, where many people are suffering from certain degrees of mental illness or having issue with self-esteem that affect their interactions and relationships with others, as well as gives rise to the existence of discrimination and hatred in the world, due to the sense of pride and shame. People are hurting themselves and/or others violently and cruelly because of that. The minds are not free, being conditioned by feeling good or bad about oneself and/or others, which doesn't help oneself to evolve towards liberation from ignorance and egoism, or doesn't help the world to be a better place, even when oneself tries to do good and be good (enough), according to certain worldly thinking, belief, values and practice, being influenced by the sense of pride and shame.

Without the sense of pride, there's no sense of shame, and vice versa.

The sense of pride is the shadow of the sense of shame, and vice versa.

The mind that is being conditioned by the sense of pride and shame will also be perceiving and judging all and everything under the perspective conditioned by that sense of pride and shame.

It's the presence or absence of ignorance and egoism in the minds, that is influencing the thinking, desires, intentions, actions and behaviors of human beings.

Without the sense of pride and shame, it doesn't mean that one will be performing action or inaction that will be harming oneself and/or others, or won't be performing action or inaction that will be benefiting the over-all well-being of all and everyone, non-discriminatively and unconditionally.

If one really wants to help the world to be a better place, for now, and for the next generations, then one must be free from the sense of pride and shame, as well as stop instilling and empowering the sense of pride and shame in the younger generations, so that they don't grow up keep hurting themselves and/or others out of the sense of pride and shame.

Once the mind is free from the sense of pride and shame, all the other sense of goodness/badness, positiveness/negativeness, righteousness/wrongfulness, meaningfulness/meaninglessness, or joyfulness/sorrowfulness, will also drop off from the mind. All kinds of craving and aversion also will drop off. All kinds of suffering deriving from the perception of duality or the sense of separateness will also drop off. That's liberation.

Inquire the truth of everything.

The minds that would be offended by this teaching, or judging this teaching as something 'wrong' or 'negative', as it is contradicting with their particular social cultural or religious thinking, belief, values and practice, where they strongly believe in humans need to be controlled under the sense of shame and one should be receiving condemn and painful punishment for something shameful, that's their freedom of thinking and reaction. They don't have to practice yoga.

For sincere yoga practitioners, this is one of the subjects for self-inquiry, especially for the minds that still have many doubts, that are still being determined and disturbed by the mind perception of selfless impermanent qualities of names and forms unwittingly, even after many years of performing some kind of yoga and meditation practice regularly, or trying to live a life of positive thinking, pure intention, good conduct, healthy living and clean eating.

The most dangerous place is in the minds functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism

The most dangerous thing or place, is existing and happening in the minds that are functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, where the minds would be harming itself and/or others and the surrounding environment, either intentionally or unintentionally, via the arising or the presence of impure thoughts, ideas, intentions and desires, and externalizing or materializing these impure thoughts, ideas, intentions and desires through the physical body of sense organs and the organs of action and speech.

The world, or the existence and function of the perceptive minds, is just what it is, neither dangerous nor not dangerous. It depends on whether the minds are being conditioned by and functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism, or not, that is determining the presence or absence of all kinds of dangerous or destructive thoughts, desires, aspirations, intentions, expressions and actions, that makes certain things, areas or situations being dangerous/threatening/damaging/unsafe/hurtful towards anyone and anything, or not.