What make the yoga practice appears to be difficult or unpleasant?

The presence of certain physical and/or mental weakness, illness, injury, limitation, inability, and disability, doesn't make the yoga practice difficult or unpleasant.

Cannot, or don't know how to perform certain, or many, or all of the yoga poses, breathing exercises, concentration exercises, or some other forms of yoga practice, either being limited by certain limitation physically and/or mentally, it doesn't make the yoga practice difficult or unpleasant.

Cannot understand some, or many, or all of the teachings of yoga, due to the limitation of intellectual reasoning or language barrier, also doesn't make the yoga practice difficult or unpleasant.

It's the presence of intense mental blockage that make the yoga practice appears to be difficult, or unpleasant, or even wrongful and painful to the mind, especially in the beginning of the purification process, where more and more impurities are being exposed, or appearing to the surface of the mind. Such as -

Deep ignorance and egoism.

Intense impurities and restlessness.

Intense ego, or idea of 'I'.

Deep rooted pride and arrogance.

The over-powering sense of superiority or inferiority (intense high self-esteem or low self-esteem).

Closed minded.

Intense clinging, craving, or longing.

Obsession towards certain names and forms.

Intense superstitious.

Intense physical or mental addiction towards certain names and forms.

Intense attachment towards worldly knowledge, ideas, thinking, belief, values, and practice.

Intense passion.

Intense anger, hatred, bitterness, vengeance, and resentment.

Intense selfishness, possessiveness, separateness, prejudice, greed, and desire of craving and aversion.

Intense personal and group identification towards particular quality of names and forms.

Intense attachment towards the physical and mental condition, ability, and achievement.

Intense judgment, comparison, competition, and expectation towards oneself and/or others.

Unable and/or unwilling to let go the past and/or the future.

Unable to accept the reality as it is, or the selfless impermanent changes, as they are.

Reluctant to learn.

Reluctant to surrender or let go the urge to 'control' and/or to 'be in control' towards everything to be and not to be in certain way.

Reluctant to make adjustment, adaptation, and accommodation.

Reluctant to forbear or withstand even the slightest unpleasantness or difficulty.

Lack of patience, determination, and perseverance.

Lack of self-discipline and self-management.

Lack of minimal degrees of self-independence.

Expecting everyone and everything to be exactly the way that 'I' like it to be, or the way that 'I' think how it should be.

Intense resistance or aversion coming from the mind towards what it dislikes, unfamiliar with, uncomfortable with, and disagrees with.

Hypersensitivity.

Intense defensiveness and offensiveness.

Laziness (idleness).

Hyperactivity (restlessness).

Unable or unwilling to observe the middle path or to let go extremity.

Chasing after pleasurable enjoyment or indulgence of the senses.

Chasing after love, attention, agreement, liking, acknowledgement, recognition, acceptance, validation, sympathy, empathy, name, fame, admiration, glorification, status, respect, power, wealth, and etc.

Uncontrollable lust.

Blind-believing, blind-following, blind-agreeing/disagreeing, blind-practicing.

Chasing after perfection, fairy tales, rituals, miracles, super extraordinary power, and transcendental mystical experiences.

Being over-powered by the worldly practice of politicking, hypocrisy, and untruthfulness.

Boundless desires, ambitions, or aspirations.

And so on.

The basic yoga practice in the yoga class

What do the yoga students learn and practice in the yoga class?

Regardless of what are the different backgrounds, experiences, physical and mental conditions, and intentions of the yoga students, all and everyone are learning and practicing about compassion and non-violence without forcing the body and mind beyond its limitation, respecting the body and mind in the present moment now as they are, desirelessness/intentionlessness, detaching from worldly passionate egoistic traits, turning the mind inward focusing on the yoga practice, being in the present moment, letting go the past pleasant and unpleasant experiences, letting go the future hopeful or fearful anticipation, observing the impermanent changes, observing what is going on in the body and mind, going beyond the impermanent physical condition and the impermanent state of the mind, developing patience, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, forbearance, determination, perseverance, self-discipline, self-responsibility, self-independence, non-blind agreeing/disagreeing, non-blind believing, non-blind following, non-blind practicing, non-blind propagating, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-comparison, and non-expectation, during the process of learning and performing the different yoga asana poses and exercises, the breathing exercises, the concentration exercises, the sound vibration exercises, and the relaxation.

What the body can do or cannot do in the present moment, is not important.

What the mind knows or doesn't know in the present moment, is not important.

What the mind likes and agrees with or dislikes and disagrees with, is not important.

The mind doesn't need to do or practice what it dislikes and disagrees with, or feels uncomfortable with.

It's about not attaching towards what the mind perceives in the present moment now. Without craving towards what is pleasant and agreeable. Without aversion towards what is unpleasant and disagreeable. All and everything is impermanent.

Allow the mind to take its own pace to be opened, or not.

Do one's best while performing all actions, and allow the fruit of actions being what it is.

Open minded - Non blind-believing, non blind-following, non blind-agreeing or blind-disagreeing, non blind-practicing, and non blind-propagating.

Inquire towards the truth of everything, including all the teachings of yoga, coming from anyone and anywhere.

The different intentions for learning and practicing yoga

There's neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad with all kinds of different intentions.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention of wanting to be able to perform many of the yoga asana poses, particularly the yoga poses that are physically and/or mentally more challenging for them.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for empowering their sense of confidence, self-esteem, or self-worth.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for enhancing their physical health or mental health, or both.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for enhancing their physical fitness appearance and condition, stamina, strength and flexibility.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for losing or gaining body weight.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for rehabilitating from certain physical injury and/or illness.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for recovering from certain mental disturbance or emotional hurt.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for dealing with certain mental health issues.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for attaining physical and/or mental relaxation, or to be releasing certain physical tension and/or mental stress.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention of merely to be following or keeping up with the latest 'trends' in the world.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention of engaging in certain leisure activities for passing time.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for attaining 'spiritual healing', or 'spiritual connection', or 'spiritual achievement'.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention of to be attending yoga teachers training course for becoming a certified yoga instructor to be teaching yoga fitness exercise classes of particular style or many different styles as a profession/job/career.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for wanting to know what is yoga.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for wanting to be free from suffering, or to escape from something that are unpleasant and undesirable.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for knowing Thyself, to understand about themselves, and life existence.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention of to be experimenting yoga.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for attaining inner peace.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention for upholding peace and harmony in the world of diversities that doesn't belong to anyone.

Some minds have a combination of different intentions that motivate them to start learning and practicing yoga.

Some minds begin their yoga practice because they were being 'forced' into it not out of their own freewill or interest, such as for their own reasons, certain parents want their children to be engaging in some yoga activities, or certain people want their spouse or partner to be engaging in some yoga activities.

Some minds begin their yoga practice just because they have accepted a challenge from someone else, or for any kind of reason, other than oneself is being interested in yoga under certain intention.

Some minds begin their yoga practice without any intention, or don't even know why they want to learn and practice yoga, but somehow they ended up in learning and performing some kind of yoga practice.

Some minds don't even interested in the teachings or practice of yoga, but only interested in knowing enough about the many different types, brands and styles of yoga classes to be running a 'franchise' yoga school, yoga centre, yoga studio, yoga club, or yoga retreat centre, to use yoga as a type of 'commercial product and service' for a commercial money making business.

Some minds begin their yoga practice with the intention of trying to attain some sort of 'super extraordinary mind power', to be chasing after 'transcendental mystical experiences', or under certain reasons, to be able to 'control' or 'influence' some other minds for something.

Some minds are interested in doing some research about yoga, however they don't necessarily want to learn and practice yoga, but they are interested in knowing about the mind and the mind behavior pattern or the human's behavior pattern.

Regardless of what are the different intentions or motivations that has initiated the minds to be learning and practicing yoga, or to be interested in knowing what is yoga or the mind, in the end, it will still be about leading the minds towards weakening and eradicating egoism of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison, and expectation, to be developing correct understanding, to be reflecting upon the mind itself (oneself), to be realizing the truth of selflessness and impermanence, that leads to be annihilating ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.

It's about being grateful for all kinds of intention or reason that had initiated the mind into the yoga practice, but then eventually dropping off any kinds of intention or reason, while allowing the effect, or the result, or the fruit of the practice, to be there as it is, without attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison, or expectation.

It doesn't matter in the end, the mind still hasn't attained correct understanding towards the teachings and practice of yoga. There's no judgment or expectation that all minds will be evolving in certain way or not in certain way. All minds are responsible for their own intentions, and their actions and the consequences of actions.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Be free from selfishness, possessiveness, pride, discrimination, petty-mindedness

Selfishness, possessiveness, pride, discrimination, and petty-mindedness, or greed, is not distinctive from self-destruction. It hurts others, and it will hurt oneself.

When a mind, not to say, the minds of a group of community, is being over-powered by selfishness, possessiveness (of claiming ownership and authority towards certain space and nature that don't belong to anyone), pride (towards their particular identity and possession), discrimination (towards the others that the mind(s) perceived as 'foreigners' or 'not one of us'), and petty-mindedness (of unwilling to be sharing the space and nature that don't belong to anyone with all and everyone, or unwilling to look after the general physical and mental welfare of the others, but depriving and destroying the general physical and mental welfare of the others), and under the influence of all these names and forms, the mind(s) generate desires, thoughts, actions and expressions that project the aspiration of either unwelcoming, pushing away, chasing out, and hating towards 'the others', or charging/taxing all others for their existence and all kinds of basic needs for survival in this space that doesn't belong to anyone, it all will come back unto oneself (themselves).

How people (the minds) desire to 'build' their 'living space' that doesn't belong to them or anyone (either full of peace, openness, kindness and harmony that give rise to prosperity for everyone, or full of unrest, selfishness, unkindness and disharmony that give rise to desperation and suffering for everyone), that's the 'living space' that they will be living in.

All kinds of basic survival needs that are available for all kinds of names and forms to be existing and surviving here in this space that doesn't belong to anyone, are coming from the selfless universe or the selfless nature, absolutely available for all and everyone to be existing and surviving here in this space that doesn't belong to anyone, unconditionally and limitlessly, provided that each and everyone needs to be exerting certain effort or energy to be maintaining and looking after their own existence and survival. All and everyone still needs to find food and water, and eat the food and drink the water, which requires certain effort or energy, where the energy is also coming from the selfless support of the selfless universe or nature, unconditionally and limitlessly, until the end of the existence of any particular name and form.

However, the many ignorant selfish possessive discriminating greedy minds thought that they could just claim ownership and authority towards the space and all kinds of basic survival needs that don't belong to anyone as much as they can, keeping for their own existence and survival, while at the same time, either forbidding others from existing and surviving in this space that doesn't belong to anyone, or restricting others' existence and survival by charging/taxing others for being existing and surviving in this space that doesn't belong to anyone.

It's like the air or oxygen. It doesn't belong to anyone. Similarly, the sun, the earth, the space, the land, the water, the nature or natural resources that exist selflessly and unconditionally for the existence and life maintenance or survival of all kinds of names and forms, don't belong to anyone.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Is the mind progressing on the path of yoga?

It doesn't mean that the mind is not practicing yoga correctly, or is not progressing on the path of yoga, if the mind is not peaceful or is being disturbed by something sometimes, or most of the time, being determined, or affected, or influenced by something.

It requires certain degrees of (precious) self-awareness coming from the perceptive thinking and acting mind itself to be aware of itself, or its own modification, or the state of mind, as well as it requires certain degrees of correct understanding and truthfulness to have doubt about itself, and questioning towards its own progress on the path of yoga. It's a sign that this mind is on the right path, and is doing quite well.

Being aware of, and acknowledging the presence of ignorance and doubt or restlessness in oneself, is highly precious. Being initiative to free oneself from ignorance, doubt, and restlessness, is even more precious, even if the mind is unable to be completely be free from all that. There would be more peace in the world with less disturbing hurtful damaging behavior/action/reaction, unrest and violence, if more minds have the initiative to be engaging in the process of trying to free themselves from ignorance, doubt and restlessness, even if the minds don't attain complete annihilation of ignorance by the end of their limited duration of selfless impermanent life existence in this world.

If the mind doesn't even aware of itself, or its own modification, or the state of mind, but is being over-powered by the idea of 'I', 'my', 'mine', the thought activities, and the pride towards certain identities, qualities, abilities, inspirations, aspirations, knowledge, experiences, and achievements, not to say, to be questioning towards its own progress on the path of yoga, or the mind conquest towards knowing Thyself, then it indicates that the mind hasn't 'found' the path of yoga yet, or it hasn't really started practicing yoga, or conquering itself to be knowing Thyself, even if it is practicing some kind of yoga practice enthusiastically and regularly under certain reason. And it's okay.

Such as there are certain minds are being over-powered by pride and arrogance, thinking and believing that themselves are in 'very good' state, because they have been performing many actions that lead to certain or many achievements in life, even when the mind is being over-powered by ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness. Thinking and believing that "I am good, smart and intelligent, and highly successful." These minds have no initiative to be looking into themselves, to see what is really going on in themselves, but merely feeling good and proud about themselves based on their personal and/or group identity, attaching and identifying towards (holding onto) all kinds of identities and qualities, inspirations and aspirations, abilities and achievements that they acquired and possessed, as well as identifying with their actions and the fruit of their actions, to be who they are, to feel satisfied, confident, good, happy, positive, accomplished, successful, or meaningful about themselves and their life existence. That's their freedom.

If the mind is aware of its own state of mind, regardless of whether it has many, or little, or none achievements in life (academic/career/financial/social/physical/mental/family/relationship/material/spiritual, and etc), then even though sometimes, or most of the time, the mind is aware of itself is being in a state of restlessness, or disturbance, or tiredness, or dullness, or unpleasantness, or agitation, or doubt, or ignorance, or suffering, or hurt, or violence, or pride, or meaninglessness, or fear, and so on, being determined, or affected, or influenced by the mind perception of names and forms of agreeable and disagreeable, desirable and undesirable, or pleasant and unpleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, thoughts, feelings, emotions, energy field/level fluctuation, hormonal changes, physical or mental blockage or illness, physical or mental over-active/over-stimulation, physical or mental stagnant/idleness, physical positions or movements, mental thought activities, memory flashback, wild imagination, daily affairs, family and relationship affairs, social affairs, national affairs, regional affairs, global affairs, and etc, and it has this doubt or question towards whether itself is or has been practicing yoga correctly, or not, and whether it is progressing on the path of yoga, or not, then it indicates that this mind is already on the right path, and is indeed progressing very well.

Most important, is that the perceptive thinking and acting mind knows how to be unattached towards, and non-identifying with the selfless impermanent modifications or states of the mind, standing as an observer observing all kinds of desirable or undesirable thought activities, or the pleasant and agreeable calmness and peacefulness, or the unpleasant and disagreeable disturbance and restlessness, without craving towards the impermanent state of calmness and peacefulness, without aversion towards the impermanent state of disturbance and restlessness, without judgment towards the different states of mind that are impermanent, without comparison with the previous state of mind or with some other minds, and without expectation towards the state of the mind should or shouldn't be in certain way, while at the same time, there's awareness, correct understanding, and self-control of not behaving, acting and reacting under the influence of the different impermanent states of mind, or not being over-powered by all kinds of impurities or restlessness.

Even this, is impermanent, it will pass away.

Calmness or disturbance, it will change, and pass away.

Peacefulness or restlessness, it will change, and pass away.

Go beyond the impermanent states of the mind.

It's not 'I', and there's no 'I'.

As the mind keeps practicing this, the more it can understand this, and without attachment, identification, craving, aversion, judgment, comparison, or expectation, it will realize yoga, or selflessness, or know Thyself.

It will realize unconditional peace, that is beyond the impermanent modifications or states of the mind.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Developing correct understanding

Developing correct understanding towards the relationship between identity, separateness, possessiveness, selfishness, fear, greed, desire, anger, hatred, discrimination, unrest, and violence.

All these terms are inter-related or 'good friends' to one another.

All these names and forms are the products of ignorance, the idea of 'I', and egoism.

The presence of the idea of 'I', and egoism, gives rise to individual, family, social, community, and group identity, attaching towards certain similar qualities of names and forms to be identifying as 'I' and 'us'.

The presence of identity gives rise to separateness between 'I' or 'us' and the others that are 'not I' or 'not us'.

The presence of separateness leads to possessiveness towards names and forms that don't belong to anyone as 'my' and 'our', or to be 'mine' and 'ours'.

The presence of possessiveness gives rise to selfishness (these are mine or ours), fear (of losing the possession), and greed (towards possessing more and more possession, and there are endless desires and ambitions).

The presence of selfishness, fear, and greed gives rise to self-protectiveness, defensiveness, offensiveness, dissatisfaction, anger, hatred, intimidation, invasion, occupation, oppression, and discrimination towards ideas, values, practice, activities, affairs, or those that are detrimental to or going against 'my' or 'our' desires and ambitions.

The presence of dissatisfaction, anger, hatred, intimidation, invasion, occupation, oppression, and discrimination leads to unrest and violence, a.k.a. devoid of peace at all levels.

Devoid of peace, or the presence of unrest and disturbance feeds ignorance that fuels the idea of 'I' and egoism.

To be free from all that - Annihilate the veil of ignorance.

To annihilate the veil of ignorance - Attain self-realization, or know Thyself.

To attain self-realization - Perform self-inquiry towards what is 'I', or towards the truth of names and forms (selflessness and impermanence).

To perform self-inquiry towards what is 'I', or towards the truth of names and forms - Purifying the intellectual reasoning and understanding, calming and quieting the restless thought-wave, or thought-current, or thought activities, or annihilating the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind.

To purify, calm, quiet, and annihilate the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind - Annihilate or let go the idea of 'I' and egoism.

To annihilate or let go the idea of 'I' and egoism - Stop feeding or fueling the idea of 'I' and egoism.

To stop feeding or fueling the idea of 'I' and egoism - Freeing the mind from attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment, and expectation, by developing non-attachment, non-identification, desirelessness, non-craving, non-aversion, non-comparison, non-judgment, and non-expectation.

To facilitate or implement all that - Observe or practice dispassion, renunciation*, seclusion, solitude, mental and emotional independence, simplicity, truthfulness, straightforwardness, contentment, gratitude, generosity, non-possessiveness, non-hoarding, non-greed, kindness, non-violence, non-blind believing/disbelieving, non-blind agreeing/disagreeing, non-blind following, non-worshiping, non-glorifying, non-blind practicing, non-blind propagating, mental strength and stamina (patience, forbearance, perseverance, determination), mental flexibility (acceptance, adaptation, adjustment, accommodation, forgiveness, cheerfulness), mental skill (openness, intentionlessness, desirelessness, correct understanding, right discrimination, right attitude, right effort, right focus, self-discipline, self-control, reasoning, inquiring the truth of everything), Yama (Restraint), Niyama (Observation), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdraw the senses from the sense objects), Dharana (concentration, or being in the present moment), Dhyana (meditation - prolonged concentration/non-grasping/non-association), Samadhi (silence/stillness/timelessness/non-separateness/devoid of 'I' or separateness), the middle path (moderation/balance), self-introspection, and self-inquiry.

Inquire the truth of everything.

*Renunciation - It's nothing to do with becoming a monk or nun living in a monk or nun community. It's about giving up, or letting go, or renouncing the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, restlessness, the fruit of action, worldly passionate egoistic way of living, identities, titles, status, desires, inspirations and aspirations, ambitions, ideas, values, beliefs, superstitions, practices, affairs, ties and connections, social interactions and activities, glory and fame, pride and arrogance, superiority and inferiority, authoritarianism, grouping, power and control, the sense of belonging, self-esteem and self-worth, guilt and regret, fear and worry, grief and sorrow, clinging and longing, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, positiveness and negativeness, goodness and badness, appropriateness and disappropriateness, accomplishment and non-accomplishment, self-righteousness, possessiveness, separateness, discrimination, prejudice, ill-will, offensiveness, defensiveness, day dreaming, building castle in the air, wild imagination, the past and the future, pleasurable enjoyments of the senses, luxurious indulgence, wealth hoarding/accumulation, extreme hardship, hypocrisy, story telling, fairy tales, lies, slandering, back-biting, gossiping, vain talk, self-glorification, boasting, attention/praise/compliment fishing, lust, jealousy, anger, hatred, feelings of hurt, dissatisfaction, disappointment, resentment, bitterness, vengeance, cruelty, violence, fighting, conflict, debate, argument, justification, selfishness, petty-mindedness, stinginess, corruption, bribery, blaming, competition, comparison, judgment, expectation, intention, interference, self-blame/self-harm/self-torture, extremity, intoxication, obsession, physical and mental addiction, under-active, over-active, over-eating, under-eating, over-sleeping, under-sleeping, mental and emotional dependence, blind faith, blind believing, blind agreeing, blind following, blind worshiping, blind practicing, blind propagating, glorification, admiration, love seeking, praise seeking, acceptance seeking, approval seeking, recognition seeking, agreement seeking, and etc.

Responsibility, commitment engaging, risk taking, and decision making

Responsibility, commitment engaging, risk taking, and decision or choice making, can be difficult or troublesome for some minds. There's nothing wrong or bad with that, as life is still what it is, selfless and impermanent, regardless of whether the mind has or doesn't have difficulty in having certain responsibility, engaging in certain commitment, taking certain risk, or making certain decision and what are the decisions made.

It's okay, sometimes the mind doesn't like and doesn't want certain responsibility or commitment, or doesn't want to take certain risk, or doesn't want to be responsible towards making certain decision. More importantly, is that the mind has no attachment, identification, comparison, or judgment towards all that, and is still peaceful as one is.

But there are quite some minds are being disturbed by all that, and have no peace, as they are being over-whelmed by the sense of guilt or regret most of the time. No matter what or how, taking or not taking certain responsibility and commitment, making or not making certain decision, and choosing this or that, the minds will always feel regret, thinking that maybe the other option is better than this option that it has taken or chosen.

All and everything has inevitable risk that is not necessarily pleasant, desirable and agreeable. Just by being existing here in this world, has certain risk. Not making any movements or not going anywhere, also has certain risk. Being here has certain risk. Being somewhere else also has certain risk. Every single choice/decision/desire/movement/step/action/reaction/non-action/non-reaction also has certain risk, either common or uncommon, expected or unexpected, directly or indirectly.

Most of the time, one gains something while loosing something in any decision or choice.

The mind that is not spending most of the time and energy into working or making a living in the present, might not be generating any income, but then it can have the free time and energy to be doing and enjoying certain things that it didn't manage to do or enjoy while it was being busy generating income, and vice versa.

When the mind knows how to live in the present moment, and appreciates what is here in the present moment, devoid of craving towards something that is not here, devoid of aversion towards something that is here, it will have no problem being here or there, doing this or not doing that.

Making decision, or having desire, or performing action, is not that difficult, as well as 'claiming' the responsibility towards 'the desirable and agreeable consequences or outcome of one's desire, choice and action that is the way that how one thinks and desires it to be' is not troublesome at all.

It's 'the reluctance' or 'the fear' towards taking 'the responsibility' or 'the risk' towards 'the possible consequences or outcome of one's desire, choice and action that are not necessarily desirable or agreeable the way that how one thinks and desires it to be', or 'the reluctance' towards being responsible for 'the consequences that come along with engaging in certain commitments out of one's own desire and choice', that is why the minds think and feel that they have difficulty or trouble with commitment engaging and decision or choice making.

It's something in common that many minds have difficulty towards making certain decision or choice, or taking certain responsibilities, or engaging in certain commitments, particularly when there are more and more confusions, lies, hypocrisy and disappointments arising and existing in this world of ignorance, egoism, separateness, discrimination, fear, greed, possessiveness, and selfishness, where people don't know, or can't really tell the difference between true and false anymore, or what they should believe or disbelieve anymore.

The mind needs to realize what is selflessness, in order to understand about responsibility, as well as not to be afraid towards taking responsibility, even though all and everything are selfless, and impermanent (uncertainty).

Selflessness, where there's no 'I', or an infinite existence of a permanent independent individual identity to be responsible towards all kinds of selfless impermanent changes, or cause and effect, as well as, all and everything depending on the supportive selfless elements and selfless energy to be existing and functioning, it doesn't mean that there's no responsibility in anyone (the selfless body and mind) towards their own life existence, their own thinking, belief/disbelief, reasoning, understanding, choices, desires, behavior, actions and reactions, and the consequences of all that.

Coming into this selfless impermanent worldly life existence of the selfless function of a selfless impermanent body and perceptive thinking mind, it's not out of anyone's own desire or choice, because there were/are many minds didn't/don't intent or desire to be existing here (in a selfless impermanent world of inevitable suffering of restlessness or selfless impermanent changes, that is also full of unnecessary suffering deriving from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance), but they were/are here, selflessly and reluctantly, under the cause generated out of the desire and action of the parents, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Merely by being existing and functioning selflessly and impermanently here in this world, there come along with certain inevitable duties and responsibilities towards upholding the survival or life maintenance of this body and mind, towards looking after the over-all well-being of oneself and/or some others, and towards looking after the surrounding living environment that support the life maintenance of this body and mind.

No doubt that, if without the parents generated the cause that gives rise to the forming of this selfless body and mind, this body and mind doesn't exist, and hence, the parents are indeed responsible for the initial cause for the existence and function of this body and mind.

The parents' genetic inheritance, mentality, behavior, and parenting method can be influencing the genetic condition, the physical and mental ability and limitation, way of thinking, belief/disbelief, reasoning, understanding, desire and doesn't desire, behavior, actions, and reactions of this body and mind, up to a certain extend, particularly before this body and mind developed physical and mental maturity or independence.

While upon reaching certain degrees of physical and mental maturity or independence, the mind has the basic awareness, understanding and cognition towards this body and mind can have choices towards choosing and building its own particular way of living, different types of commitment or responsibility, way of thinking, belief/disbelief, reasoning, understanding, desires or doesn't desires, behavior, action and inaction, and to be making its own decision on many things in life, that will give rise to certain consequences that are not necessarily exactly the way that how the mind thinks, desires and expects how it should be, but that's okay. The selfless mind can choose whether it wants or doesn't want to be looking after the over-all well-being of this body and mind in certain way or not in certain way, or how it wants and doesn't want to think and behave, under its own way of thinking, reasoning, understanding, desire, choice, and action. All that are not the responsibility of the parents, but this body and mind itself.

The selfless elements and energy are only being what they are, selflessly forming and supporting the selfless existence and selfless function of the physical body and mind out of an existing cause that doesn't come from the selfless elements and energy at all, but it's deriving from the desire and action of the parents of this body and mind, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Without the supportive selfless elements and energy, all bodies and minds don't exist or function. The selfless elements and energy are responsible for forming and supporting the existence and function of all bodies and minds, but they are not responsible for the particular way of thinking, belief/disbelief, reasoning, understanding, decision and choice making, desires and don't desires, behavior, actions and reactions, as well as the consequences of all that, of any particular body and mind. It's the responsibility of each and every selfless mind itself. 

There are many minds would justify upon behaving/acting/reacting hurtfully and destructively unto oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment and objects out of disturbance, dissatisfaction, disappointment, unhappiness, anger, and vengeance, "It's not me. Don't blame me. It's the energy. It's the elements. It's the hormones. It's all those bad people. It's my bad and irresponsible parents. It's all those bad and wrong things that have been happening to me in my life. It's because of you, that's why I am doing this. It's because of them, that's why I am behaving/acting/reacting like that."

Even if there are certain decisions and choices, desires and don't desires, or action and inaction in life might be made in accordance to the wish/desire/influence of the parents or some others, with the intention to be pleasing the parents or some others in life, or not to be offending the parents or some others, or to be gaining certain things or reactions in return, or merely to be surviving, or to have less complications in life, but all those decisions, choices, desires, don't desires, action and inaction out of any kind of intention or reason, is still the responsibility of the mind itself.

This body and mind feels happy or unhappy about something or someone, and reacts and behaves in certain way out of happiness or unhappiness, it's its own responsibility. It's not the responsibility of its parents or the selfless elements and energy that are selflessly supporting the existence and function of this body and mind. It is also not the responsibility of that something or someone that the mind feels happy or unhappy about.

The mind is the one that decides whether to be determined or undetermined by certain names and forms. The mind is the one that decides whether to be disturbed or undisturbed, to feel hurt or unhurt, to be attached or unattached, to let go or not letting go, to be happy or unhappy, to make certain decision, or not, to have certain commitment, or not, and to behave/act/react ignorantly and hurtfully or wisely and compassionately.

There are certain physical discomfort or inevitable muscular soreness/tightness during and after certain physical activities or training, or there are certain mental discomfort or inevitable mental/emotional disturbance/pain during and after certain mental activities or training.

The mind has the desire and choice to be learning and performing certain fitness training, or not, and to be participating or not participating in a fitness training session or exercise class under the instructions or guidance of certain instructor. It's the full responsibility of this mind for its engagement in the fitness training session or exercise class, to be looking after its own well-being, without forcing or hurting itself, during the process of learning and performing the fitness training or exercises, regardless of whether it is self-learning and self-practice, or there is an instructor being there giving certain instructions or guidance to be performing certain movements, exercises, or training. It's the full responsibility of the mind itself whether to be performing all, or partial, or none of the movements or training (taking rest), at what timing, speed and intensity, depending on the condition of the body and mind in the present moment.

Similarly, in the process of learning and performing certain yoga practice or implementing certain teachings of yoga in everyday life. The yoga student or practitioner takes full responsibility towards itself for all its action/inaction and consequences of action/inaction. The teachers and the teachings are just being what they are, delivering the teachings and practice to the students, but it's the student's full responsibility towards what it wants or doesn't want to practice, depending on the condition of the body and mind in the present moment.

The minds that know non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment and non-expectation, that are not being determined by duality of success and failure, or good and bad, or accomplishment and non-accomplishment, or agreeable and disagreeable, or desirable and undesirable, they can take the responsibility towards the consequences or outcome of all their decisions, choices and actions as it is. They will have no difficulty or problem in decision or choice making, risk taking, commitment engaging, as well as performing all the existing 'not by one's own desire or choice' inevitable worldly duties and responsibilities that come along with this selfless impermanent life existence in this world.

That is also why the teachings and practice of yoga and/or buddhism about self-inquiry, self-realization, meditation, mental and emotional independence, renunciation, dispassion, seclusion and solitude, that is mainly about self-compassion, self-effort, self-reliance, or self-help, is more and more relevant in this time being, before the mind loses its precious sanity, or the precious ability and clarity to be reasoning everything, to have peace during the momentary limited life existence of being existing and functioning here, that directly and indirectly affecting the over-all well-being of the body and mind, that is influencing the behavior, action and reaction of the perceptive thinking and acting mind in certain way, that affects the surrounding living environment of a world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone.

To have peace in oneself, is indeed the biggest duty and responsibility of all minds that are momentarily co-existing and sharing this space of the universe that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

Peace isn't being built on, or be obtained through 'controlling' or 'making' the world and life existence in this space that doesn't belong to anyone to be the way that 'I' and/or 'we' think and believe and desire how it should be.

Peace is always there, as it is, upon the minds are free from the influence of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, where no mind tries to claim ownership/possession/authority/control towards the world of many diversities in this space that doesn't belong to anyone, to be the way that 'I' and/or 'we' think and believe and desire how it should be, while respecting all kinds of diversities being what they are, to have their own way of everything, allowing all minds whether to take their own initiative to be free from the influence of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness, or not, at their own cause and pace, or to have the most important FREEDOM of existence to be existing in this space, and to have the FREEDOM of being, to be what they are, and not being discriminated, threatened, oppressed, prosecuted, punished, intimidated, bullied, or hurt, for being existing in this space, and being what they are.

The existence of OPENNESS, or the FREEDOM of existence and being, to be what all and everyone are, is the only way that enabling the ignorant egoistic impure confused suffering minds to have the opportunity or the initiation to reflect upon itself, to be initiative to free itself from the influence of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness, and the consequences of all that - all kinds of destructive hurtful damaging behavior, actions and reactions that hurt oneself and others and the surrounding environment during their momentary existence and function in this world, out of its own freewill via its own awareness, understanding, self-discipline, and self-effort.

It doesn't matter if the mind cannot 'trust' or 'rely on' anyone or anything anymore, but one cannot loose 'the trust' or 'the self-reliance' that is always there accommodating itself unconditionally during its selfless impermanent limited existence.

Need not to be afraid of 'Aloneness', 'Solitude', 'Seclusion', 'Renunciation', 'Dispassion', 'Silence', 'Mental and emotional independence'. It's the way that leads towards the non-discriminating and all accommodating source, or peace, or dhamma, or knowledge, or teacher, or guru, that the selfless impermanent mind can 'trust' and 'rely on', when all and everything are falling apart (it will, sooner or later, because of the nature of impermanence in all and everything). That selfless, timeless and changeless, nameless and formless source/peace/dhamma/knowledge/teacher/guru is always there, being what it is, even when this particular selfless impermanent body and mind is constantly changing, decaying, and disintegrating, not to say, all kinds of names and forms being perceived through this selfless mind are constantly changing, decaying, and disintegrating.

"You are left alone now." - Swami Sivananda

The practice of non-attachment and independence

There is nothing wrong to enjoy and appreciate the presence of agreeable companionship, support and interaction from some other beings, however, the mind that is endowed with non-attachment and independence, can also enjoy and appreciate aloneness or solitude under the absence of agreeable companionship, support or interaction from some other beings, where the mind has no problem, or unhappiness, or suffering, upon the absence of agreeable companionship, support and interaction from some others.

One's peace and happiness doesn't come from the presence of agreeable companionship, support and interaction from some other beings.

One is peaceful and happy as one is, regardless of whether with or without the company, support and interaction from some other beings.

That is indeed the basic foundation of the yoga practice.

All kinds of enhanced physical health, fitness, ability, skill, stamina, strength and flexibility through performing some kinds of yoga practice regularly don't determine that the mind is practicing yoga, or realizes yoga, if without the basic essential non-attachment and independence.

Just do our best in what is possible now

Doing our best in whatever we do that is possible now, but without forcing the body and mind beyond its limitation, and without the idea of 'I', attachment, judgment and expectation towards the actions and the fruit of actions, is the important yoga practice for annihilating the idea of 'I' and egoism, that will thin-out the veil of ignorance.

Regardless of whether in the yoga practice session or in everyday life affair, it's not about who/what is the best among all, but all and everyone are doing their own very best in what they can do that is possible in the present moment, and what everyone can do or cannot do in the present moment, is very different from one another.

Doing our best in all our pursues, is not about trying to achieve perfection in everything that we do, or trying to be the best performer or achiever among all and everyone.

Knowing that there's no perfection can be found in the world of selfless impermanent names and forms, particularly when many minds are functioning under the influence of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, ceaselessly acting and reacting generating lots of consequences of actions and reactions in the world that are inter-affecting one another, but we still can do our best for what can be done that can be promoting peace and harmony into the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone.

All these actions for promoting peace and harmony in oneself and in the world of diversity, are being performed out of selfless compassion, without egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment, or expectation.

It's not even about being hopeful towards the world that it will have more peace and harmony after we do our best in performing certain actions, but it's merely doing our best to contribute less unrest and disharmony, while contributing more peace and harmony, in ourselves and into the surrounding environment, without attachment or expectation, and let the fruit of actions being what it is.

Most importantly, it begins with looking after this mind itself, to have peace and harmony in oneself.

The world will be peaceful and harmony as it is, if more minds know how to look after themselves, to maintain certain degrees of openness, clarity and correct understanding, however, it's the freedom of the minds whether to be looking after themselves, or not.

To be looking after the mind, it's not so much about gaining or achieving something, but it's about being able to let go many ideas and things that most minds strongly attached onto and identifying with, that the minds think and believe is what things are, and how life should be like, where most minds find it very difficult or even impossible to let go.

It's like the mind is already familiar with, and being comfortable living with all kinds of 'madness' in oneself and in the world, and hence, the mind would find it very strange, wrong, or mad, to let go all kinds of 'madness'.

Once the mind is able to let go many worldly passionate egoistic ideas and things, naturally, it will realize what yoga, or selflessness, or non-separateness, or unconditional peace, is about.

Embracing simplicity, openness, desirelessness, ambitionlessness, truthfulness, straightforwardness, non-hypocrisy, non-pridefulness, non-possessiveness, and non-greed, are the basic steps for looking after the mind.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

Understanding

Understanding is an important element for peace in oneself, that is also essential for maintaining peace and harmony in the world of diversity that doesn't belong to anyone.

Not about expecting all minds to understand one another.

But, it's about the mind understands itself, or understands towards its own function and modification, or what is going on in itself.

Understanding how this mind functions, behaves, acts and reacts, and why does this mind function, behave, act and react in certain way.

There won't be any problem, disturb, hurt, discontentment, disappointment, anger, hatred, offensiveness, defensiveness, vengeance, fear, or unrest, in this mind, when this mind understands itself, even if there is no other mind can understand this mind, or any other minds, or themselves.

How other minds function, understand, behave, act and react in certain way or not in certain way, is everyone's own freedom.

One is not being determined, or influenced, or disturbed by how other minds function, understand, behave, act and react in certain way or not in certain way, if the mind understands itself.

The mind doesn't understand another mind is not that relevant, as most minds don't even understand themselves, and so, how can they understand other minds, even when they think and believe that they understand themselves and other minds, while expecting other minds to understand them.

Most important is that the mind understands itself, and has peace in oneself, regardless of all kinds of chaos in the world that is nothing but the reflection of all kinds of chaos in the minds.

Upon the presence of peace in oneself, one won't be generating disturbing hurtful damaging behavior, action and reaction into the world of diversity, which simultaneously contributing to maintaining peace and harmony in the world of diversity that doesn't belong to anyone, even if the world appears to be peaceless and disharmony due to the presence of unrest and disharmony a.k.a. the absence of peace and harmony in most minds, because of the absence of understanding towards oneself.

The yoga practice is mainly for the mind to develop and attain understanding towards itself, or know Thyself a.k.a Self-realization.

Inquire the truth of everything.

The infinite space and the selfless universal consciousness

The genuine yogi/buddhist, or the adept yoga/buddhism practitioner, or the selfless impermanent mind that has intense yearning towards liberation, inquires towards the truth of everything under a calm, quiet, purified, and open mind, including all the teachings of yoga as mentioned in the Scriptures or the Yoga/Buddhism Sutras, being commentated or interpreted by anyone, of many different Gurus or teachers under different lineages from different timings, without blind-believing, blind-following, blind-agreeing, blind-worshiping, blind-practicing, or blind-propagating.

To inquire towards the all-pervading selfless universal consciousness as mentioned in the teachings of yoga, the mind can inquire towards the selfless impermanent limited existence of the limited conditional physical body with the perceptive thinking mind, that cannot exist or function independently by itself, where it needs to depend on many different selfless elements and selfless energy to be supporting its selfless impermanent existence and function, as well as depending on certain autonomous functions of the bodily systems for it to be surviving or keep existing and functioning up to a certain extend.

The existence and function of the limited conditional physical body with the perceptive thinking mind is selfless and impermanent. Without the existence and function of this particular physical body with the perceptive thinking mind, there is no worldly life existence of this particular selfless impermanent body and mind.

Anything that cannot and doesn't exist permanently, independently, or infinitely, that exists depending on certain supportive elements and energy, that is made out of substances, that comes under certain qualities of names and forms, that has a limited period of existence where it is constantly changing and decaying, and eventually disintegrating, that is limited and conditioned by time, space, and causation, that has a beginning of existence (birth/arising) and an end of existence (death/passing away), is selfless and impermanent.

If there is something infinite and timeless, that exists or stands alone independently unchanging and non-decaying, that is undetermined, or uninfluenced, or unlimited by anything, that cannot be hurt or be destroyed, that is not being limited or conditioned by time, space, and causation, then it is something substanceless, attributeless, nameless, formless, beginningless, endless, changeless, timeless (beyond time, space and causation, devoid of births and deaths a.k.a. impermanent changes), unlimited, unconditional, permanent, and selfless, even if it exists independently and infinitely before, during, and after the impermanent existence of all kinds of selfless impermanent names and forms (devoid of an individual existence, or identification of 'I', that generates separateness between 'I' and 'mine' as well as 'what is not I'.)

The infinite space is selfless, substanceless, weightless, limitless, attributeless, nameless, formless, beginningless, endless, changeless, and/or timeless. Devoid of inside or outside, or separateness, as it pervades all and everything, while not being affected/contaminated/increased/decreased by all and everything being what they are.

One cannot see, or hear, or smell, or taste, or feel, or touch, or influence, or contaminate, or hurt, or destroy, or detect, or measure the space, but the space is always there as it is, hosting or accommodating all and everything being there as they are, without separateness or discrimination. As if without the space to host/accommodate all and everything, all these selfless impermanent names and forms, all kinds of selfless elements and selfless energy, and all kinds of protons, electrons, neutrons, atoms, neurons, cells, and etc, that come under certain attributes, names and forms, that are inter-supporting and inter-influencing all and everything to be arising, changing, and passing away, cannot be here.

The space doesn't belong to any selfless impermanent names and forms, and vice versa.

Regardless of whether there is goodness or badness, positiveness or negativeness, purity or impurity that is occupying the space, but the space is neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither pure nor impure.

Regardless of what is the content of the images or movies that is being reflected/screened/played on the projector screen, the projector and/or the projector screen is never being determined or contaminated by the content of the images or movies. The content of the images or movies can be good or bad, positive or negative, pure or impure, but the projector and/or the projector screen is neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither pure nor impure.

The selfless universal consciousness (the selfless projector of the universe) pervades the infinite space (the selfless silent projector screen that hosts/accommodates/reflects the universe), or is identical with and non-separated from the limitless space. The projector and the projector screen is non-separated. All kinds of names and forms arising from and passing away upon the selfless universal consciousness.

The selfless consciousness of the perceptive thinking mind (the selfless projector of the modification of the mind perceiving a selfless impermanent worldly life existence) pervades the modification of the mind (the selfless silent projector screen that hosts/accommodates/reflects the mind perception of names and forms or the selfless impermanent worldly life existence), or is identical with and non-separated from the modification of the mind. The selfless consciousness of the perceptive thinking mind (the projector) and the selfless modification of the mind (the projector screen) is non-separated. All kinds of perceived names and forms arising from and passing away upon the selfless consciousness of the perceptive thinking mind.

All and everything are manifested/forming and disintegrating/deforming selflessly upon the limitless space (the selfless silent projector screen). Just as each and every single thought, arising and passing away selflessly upon the selfless modification of the mind (the selfless silent projector screen).

The thoughts activities, or the impure egoistic modification of the mind, or the mind perception of a worldly life existence can be good or bad, positive or negative, pure or impure, but the selfless consciousness of the perceptive thinking mind (the projector) or the modification of the mind (the projector screen) is not being determined or contaminated by all that.

The selfless consciousness of the perceptive thinking mind (the projector) or the modification of the mind (the projector screen) is neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither pure nor impure.

The selfless universal consciousness is the selfless 'projector of the universe'. The space is the selfless silent 'projector screen' that hosts/reflects all kinds of names and forms (the universe) upon it.

Without the space, what is the universe? Similarly, without the selfless modification of the mind, what is the mind perception of a worldly life existence of selfless impermanent names and forms?

The selfless consciousness of the perceptive thinking mind is identical with or non-separated from the selfless universal consciousness.

The selfless universal consciousness or the space doesn't belong to any names and forms, and vice versa.

The selfless consciousness of the perceptive thinking mind or the modification of the mind doesn't belong to any perceived names and forms, and vice versa.

Without the selfless 'projector' and/or the selfless 'projector screen' being what they are, that projects and hosts/reflects all kinds of names and forms as they are, what is the world of names and forms?

Without the selfless universal consciousness, what are all kinds of selfless elements and selfless energy?

Without the selfless elements and selfless energy, what is the selfless physical body with the selfless function of a perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind?

Without the selfless physical body with the selfless function of a perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind, what is the mind perception of a selfless impermanent worldly life existence?

Without the space, there is nothing.

Without the modification of the mind, there is no world of selfless impermanent names and forms.

And hence, the essence of the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism, or the aim/goal of the yoga and/or buddhism practice - All kinds of practice lead towards the annihilation of the modification of the mind, or Silence, or Samadhi.

Devoid of selfless impermanent changes (a.k.a. timelessness).

Devoid of restless thoughts activities, or restless modification of the mind, or ceaseless births and deaths (a.k.a. peace, or birthlessness and deathlessness, or devoid of restlessness).

Above all, there is no 'I' (a.k.a. selflessness).

Even when there is no 'I', it's highly essential for the selfless minds to be free from ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism and impurities, so that the minds won't be generating unnecessary hurtful damaging behavior/action/reaction out of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism and impurities, that hurt oneself and others and the surrounding environment, ignorantly, during their momentary selfless impermanent existence and function.

All kinds of separateness and discrimination, selfishness and possessiveness, discontentment and greed, dissatisfaction and disappointment, anger and hatred, fear and worry, offensiveness and defensiveness, violence and unrest, hurtful and damaging behavior/action/reaction, and the consequences of all that, of all kinds of unnecessary suffering, are the by-products of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness (the absence of correct understanding and peace). And hence, the highly importance of looking after the mental health of all minds, even when all minds are selfless and impermanent.

Peace, is a very basic, and yet, upmost important element in the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

Inquire the truth of everything.