The point of focus

Some minds focus a lot onto thinking about, or remembering the past memories of some pleasant and unpleasant, desirable and undesirable, agreeable and disagreeable, or enjoyable and non-enjoyable experiences.

Some minds focus a lot onto remembering the pleasant memories of some desirable and agreeable and enjoyable experiences, that were soothing to the mind.

Some minds focus a lot onto remembering the unpleasant memories of some undesirable and disagreeable and non-enjoyable experiences, that were hurting and painful to the mind.

Some minds focus a lot onto thinking about, or anticipating and projecting into the future of what could be happening, maybe something wishful/hopeful or fearful, maybe something pleasant or unpleasant, maybe something desirable or undesirable, maybe something agreeable or disagreeable, and maybe something enjoyable or non-enjoyable.

The adept yogic minds only focusing onto what is happening here in the present moment NOW, while being aware of all and everything are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, without grasping onto what is here in NOW, internally and externally, of all kinds of experiences/conditions/situations/relationships/activities/affairs/causes and effects, that are all selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, regardless of constructive or destructive, pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable, agreeable or disagreeable, enjoyable or non-enjoyable, and soothing or painful.

In the beginning on the path of yoga and/or buddhism, it's common and natural that it is quite challenging for the mind to keep the entire focus onto the present moment NOW without grasping.

The egoistic and restless selfless mind has been being conditioned by the habitual mind behavior pattern that is restless, egoistic, impure, impatient, and inattentive, and that keeps running out everywhere to be chasing after the objects of the senses, to be busy gratifying the boundless desires of craving and aversion of what it likes and doesn't likes, as well as keeps going back and forth between past memories and future anticipations/imaginations/projections, while there is the presence of grasping, where there is clinging/association/attachment/identification towards all these selfless impermanent limited conditional and non-self perceived names and forms (objects of the senses) as well as phenomena/manifestation in the restless modification of the mind, of random ceaseless thoughts/ideas/sensations/feelings/emotions/desires/urges/inspirations/aspirations/reactions/wild imaginations/flashing of past memories/the current internal and external impermanent conditions and situations, that keep arising, changing, and passing away.

And hence, the mind is autonomously being occupied by the selfless manifestation of endless and boundless ideas, desires (waiting to be fulfilled), inspirations, aspirations, visions, anticipations, projections, imaginations, fear, worry, clinging/attachment, longing/craving, aversion, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, pleased and displeased, offensiveness and defensiveness, fleeting satisfaction, dissatisfaction, disappointment, discontentment, greed, missingness, envy, jealousy, hurt, frustration, irritation, bitterness, resentment, anger, hatred, guilt, regret, pride, shame, boredom, emptiness, loneliness, attention and affection seeking, scheming, planning, plotting, manipulating, politicking, interfering, justifying, story making and telling, commenting, creating, destroying, criticizing, condemning, slandering, back-biting, shaming, glorifying, blaming, achieving, possessing, hoarding, identifying, associating, connecting, interacting, communicating, doubting, enjoying, suffering, or unrest, that are truly unnecessary.

In this beginning stage of activating the conscious mind evolution by engaging in certain genuine yoga and/or buddhism observations and practices, the mind can begin with diverting its focus or attention onto what is constructive, elevating, easy, achievable within one's capability, pleasant, desirable, agreeable, and enjoyable or soothing to the mind (Rajastic), instead of focusing onto what is destructive, depressing, difficult, non-achievable beyond one's capability, unpleasant, undesirable, disagreeable, and non-enjoyable or painful to the mind (Tamasic), while developing and empowering non-grasping towards the internal natural phenomena/manifestation of the selfless impermanent limited conditional and non-self modification of the mind, as well as towards the external surrounding environment of all kinds of experiences/affairs/activities/ties and connections/relationships/interactions/communications/conditions/situations being perceived through the senses via the organs of the senses. This process might take as much effort and practice as it needs.

After that, the mind needs to move forward by developing focus or attentiveness onto what is here in the present moment NOW, internally and externally, that are all impermanent, by focusing onto where one is and what one is doing, without grasping onto what is happening or the actions and fruit of actions, whether it's some form of yoga and/or buddhism practice or it's some form of daily affair/activity/duty/responsibility that are wholesome and beneficial to all and everyone and everything (Sattvic), that are all impermanent, that are constantly changing, regardless of easy or difficult, possible or impossible, pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable, agreeable or disagreeable, enjoyable or non-enjoyable, and soothing or painful, while not wasting life existence and function or energy onto wandering into the past memories or getting lost in the future projections/imaginations/anticipations/building castle in the air/day dreaming, that don't exist, but only exist in the form of thinking.

This process would take as much continuous effort and practice/perseverance/determination/patience/forbearance/adjustment/adaptation/accommodation that it needs to take, without expecting/anticipating the result to be or not to be in certain way, allowing and respecting the fruit/outcome/effect/side-effects/changes to be there as it is.

Naturally and eventually, under the presence of such understanding and non-grasping, the selfless impermanent limited conditional and non-self restless impure egoistic thought process/modification/state of the mind will be rendered quiet and resting at peace unconditionally (going beyond Rajasic, Tamasic, and Sattvic, or transcending the Gunas/attributes/qualities/dualities/energy fields/states of mind), effortlessly.

Countering Tamasic state of mind (negative thinking/idleness/depression/low energy) by rendering the mind Rajasic (positive thinking/activeness/elevation/high energy).

Countering Rajasic state of mind by rendering the mind Sattvic (calmness).

Under the Sattvic state of mind that is also impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, and under the absence of grasping/clinging/association/attachment/identification towards the momentary pleasant/desirable/agreeable/soothing Sattvic state of mind, then eventually and naturally, devoid of expectation/anticipation, the selfless perceptive/cognitive mind under the presence of conscious/semi-conscious awareness transcends all three impermanent states of mind effortlessly, as it is, resting upon the timeless changeless unconditional peace that doesn't appear or disappear, that doesn't increase or decrease, that is undetermined/uncontaminated/unaffected by all kinds of impermanent qualities of names and forms that are pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable, agreeable/disagreeable, enjoyable/non-enjoyable, or soothing/painful to the mind, but was/is unknown by the selfless perceptive/cognitive mind when it was/is functioning under the veil of ignorance.

Unconditional peace is always there in all and everyone and everything, never increase nor decrease, even in the most evil/ignorant/violent/restless/destructive/disturbed mind.

It's not something manifested under certain cause, or can be developed, attained, and possessed, or tradable and exchangeable, or can be empowered and weakened. It is timeless and attributeless (changeless) beyond time, space, and causation.

It doesn't belong to anyone or anything that are all selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, but it is always there in all and everything, within and without, before/during/after the manifestation of all kinds of names and forms that come and go, that exist and ceaselessly changing and ceased existing under respective cause and pace, but it is unknown to the mind that is functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance.

Just as the truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self exists timelessly and changelessly in all kinds of names and forms (living organisms and non-living objects). It is what all and everything are. It is not an idea, or a belief, or a philosophy, or a theory, or a wishful thinking, or a set of values.

The truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self doesn't change, and is always there in all and everything, as it is, regardless of what and how all and everything are (good or bad/right or wrong/kind or unkind/happy or unhappy/peaceful or peaceless/useful or useless/constructive or destructive/meaningful or meaningless/long-lived or short-lived/functional or dysfunctional), regardless of whether the mind knows or doesn't know, agrees or disagrees, likes and doesn't like, desires or doesn't desire, praises or condemns, or understands/doesn't understand/misunderstands towards the truth of itself and all and everything that it perceives internally (self awareness/the perceiver/the experiencer/the thinker/the enjoyer and sufferer) and externally (being aware of the surrounding environment within and without/the perceived/the experience/the thinking/the object of enjoyment and suffering).

To know the truth of everything means to know Thyself, and vice versa.

To be free from ignorance, is by studying and inquiring towards the existence and function of oneself (the existence and function of the physical body operating under different bodily systems with the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty under different states of consciousness), and vice versa.

This is nothing super extraordinary, spiritual, religious, mystical, miracle, magical, or unreachable.

All genuine highly enthusiastic, attentive, intelligent, and knowledgeable scientists or biologists 'should' know this, unless the mind is still being conditioned by certain worldly egoistic ancestral/family/cultural/social/spiritual/religious/educational/philosophical/political/commercial/personal/communal/tribal/regional/national/traditional/new age ideas, beliefs, values, visions, and practices.

It is merely the science of the selfless mind and the selfless modification of the mind, and the conquest of the restless impure egoistic ignorant turbulent disturbed/elevated/depressed suffering impermanent states of mind, by the mind itself.

The highly enthusiastic, attentive, intelligent, and knowledgeable minds that are free from the influence of the veil of ignorance can truly benefit the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, effectively, in many ways, especially the highly inspired ambitious minds that are holding or will be holding certain duty/responsibility/position/power of parenting/educating/teaching/coaching/influencing/empowering/acting/working/researching/investigating/inventing/engineering/managing/organizing/town planning/country developing/law making/law enforcing/governing/leadership of any kind.

One stops hurting oneself and others and the surrounding environment.

Such mind is not being determined, influenced, manipulated, pleased, displeased, promoted, demoted, motivated, demotivated, intimidated, offended, belittled, humiliated, or hurt by anyone or anything.  

It's okay, if the mind is not free/happy/peaceful in this present moment NOW. This is also impermanent. 

Keep practicing.

No judgment. No comparison. No expectation.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Inquire towards all the teachings of yoga and buddhism

All the existing teachings of yoga and buddhism, that are available under certain names and forms, regardless of authentic or contaminated, are existing for the minds to have a guidance, or a direction, or a subject to perform self inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything.

There is neither right nor wrong in all kinds of authentic or contaminated teachings, where many of the teachings are contaminated by the many worldly passionate egoistic impure ideas, beliefs, values, desires, and practices.

The upmost important teaching and practice, is the engagement in the mind purification process (annihilating the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, a.k.a. the veil of ignorance) to be preparing the mind for performing self inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything, free from the influence of worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, practices, or desires, to be attaining direct self realization towards the truth of all kinds of existing teachings and practices in the world of yoga and buddhism, as well as in all kinds of existing beliefs/ideas/values/practices/desires/inspirations/aspirations in the world of passion and egoism, regardless of whether it is the truth as it is, or it is false information/incorrect understanding/misinterpretation/lies/story telling/fairy tales/myths/hypocrisy/justification/manipulation/propaganda, and etc, under a purified and calmed/quiet/focused mind, that enables the mind to see things as they are, where all and everything (true or untrue) are just what they are, neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, neither positive nor negative, which will allow the mind to be free, to be liberated from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance.

A calmed and quiet and focused mind (attentiveness), is also neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, neither positive nor negative, as even a calmed and quiet and focused mind might not be free from evil intention and generating harmful activity, under the undisturbed and focused state of mind.

There might still be the idea of 'I' and egoism in the modification of the mind being conditioned by certain worldly egoistic impure ideas, beliefs, values, practices, or desires, to behave, act and react, even though the mind can be in a momentary state of calmness, quietness, focus, or attentiveness.

There are many well-trained soldiers are performing their task or duty of engaging in violence fighting and killing and destruction unto many other lives and things, as well as selfish power greedy ambitious prideful politicians and world leaders, or even highly intelligent and knowledgeable ambitious scientists, could be passionately engaging in many creative ideas, propaganda, manipulation, activities, dealings, and affairs that involved all kinds of selfishness, cruelty, and violence, under intense attentiveness of a calmed and quiet and focused state of mind, directing the entire energy and attention onto one single object or issue.

Similarly, intense hatred is also a form of intense attentiveness towards the object of hatred. The mind is focusing fully unto something that it hates very much, as well as focusing unto the planning about how it can hurt and destroy the object of hatred, undisturbed by all the other things and happenings in the surrounding environment.

That's why the importance of the basic correct understanding (the seed of wisdom and kindness), right effort, right attitude, and right attentiveness.

That's why the importance of non-blind believing, non-blind following, non-blind practicing, non-blind agreeing/disagreeing, non-blind glorifying, non-blind admiring, and non-blind propagating.

That's why the importance of dispassion, renunciation, solitude, seclusion, silence, Satsanga (wise company) and Asanga (aloneness/devoid of company), mental and emotional independence.

That's why the importance of "I don't know and don't understand many things, and I am confused and not sure about the truth of many things," regardless of the continuous accumulation of all kinds of knowledge and experiences, and not "I know something or many things. I am highly educated and knowledgeable. I have many experiences. I did a lot of research. Needless to lecture me about what I know and don't know."

Doubt, regardless of doubting oneself or doubting others and everything, is something highly essential in yoga and buddhism, as it activates the process of self inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything, to attain direct self realization towards absolute knowledge (the truth of everything as it is), and to know Thyself, be free from blind-believing, blind-following, blind-agreeing/disagreeing, blind-practicing, blind-glorifying, blind-admiring, and blind-propagating, however, it is being seen or referred as a form of badness, or wrongfulness, or weakness, or shortcoming, or failure, or low confidence/self-esteem, or lack of faith, or disobedience and disrespectfulness towards the existence of so called 'authority/superiority' which is the by-products of ignorance, or even 'sinful and punishable', under the many worldly egoistic impure beliefs, ideas, values, desires, and practices.

Similarly, to be able to step back and let go, or to not hurt others under any circumstances, is the greatest strength in yoga and buddhism, while it is being seen or referred as weakness, or humiliation, or failure, under the many worldly egoistic beliefs, ideas, values, desires, and practices.

This 'right' in the right effort, right attitude, and right attentiveness, is nothing to do with the right and wrong in the many different worldly egoistic ways of thinking, ideas, beliefs, values, and practices, or the right and the left or the center in the worldly politics and political parties.

It's about what promote wisdom (correct understanding) that gives rise to peace in oneself and in the surrounding environment, which is the highest essential or crucial supportive element for all kinds of names and forms that are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, non-self, and momentary, to be sharing this space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, without attachment, greed, possessiveness, separateness, or discrimination.

Just as all the different individual selfless cells/bodily structures/organs/systems/components in the selfless physical body that work together selflessly that allows the body to be existing and functioning as what it is. If each individual cell/bodily structure/organ/system/component is not selfless, but is functioning under the idea of 'I' and egoism, it will be exactly like what is going on in this world of human beings, where most minds are functioning under the idea of 'I' and egoism, and hence, the world is full of destructive hurtful activities against each other - complete man made disaster, or self destruction.

Even the most ignorant impure restless minds in the world, can also be free from ignorance.

These are the basic education for all humanity, for healthy minds, for responsible and understanding human beings, for healthy environment, for self independence, for happy parents, for happy children, for happy young people, for happy adults, for happy elders, for happy family, for happy relationships, for personal peace, for peaceful and harmonious community of diversity, for world peace. All these are inter-related to one another.

Inquire the truth of everything. 

The practice of being in the present

In this present moment, focusing on what is here now, or what is needed to be done now.

If the body and mind is at work, the mind focuses on what is here at work.

If the body and mind is at home, the mind focuses on what is here at home.

If the body and mind is having a meal, the mind focuses on having the meal.

If the body and mind is performing some yoga practice, the mind focuses on performing the yoga practice.

If the body and mind is having an interaction with another, the mind focuses on the interaction with another.

If the body and mind is driving a car, the mind focuses on the driving.

If the body and mind is here doing some reflections about something, then be attentive towards the reflections in this present moment, and not while doing something at work, or doing some housework, or having a meal, or performing some yoga practice, or interacting with someone, or driving, and so on.

The mind doesn't think, anticipate, fear and worry about something else at somewhere else, but being attentive to what is here now, or what is needed to be done now. If there are a few things that needed to be done, then focusing on one at a time, even if it is needed to be done as fast as possible. Paying full attention towards what we are doing, doesn't necessarily mean doing everything very slowly.

It's something in common among many minds that the mind doesn't focus on what is here now, or what is needed to be done now, and keeps wandering here and there and everywhere while doing something in the present moment, that give rise to many unnecessary disturbance, anticipation, imagination, fear and worry, and even mistakes, injuries or accidents that could have been avoided.

By having disturbance, fear and worry in the mind towards something or anything regardless of it's here or somewhere else, regardless of it is something that had happened, or is happening, or not yet happening, it doesn't change the things being what they are.

If there are certain necessary actions that needed to be done in this present moment to be dealing with something or anything that is here or somewhere else, then just focus on whatever that are needed to be done in now, without anticipation, imagination, fear and worry.

Actions that are being done under a disturbed state of mind being distracted by fear and worry wouldn't be as efficient as being done with full attention without fear and worry.

There's no fear and worry, if the mind knows how to be in the present, and hence, the actions that are being done with full attention in this moment void of fear and worry will be more efficient.

That's why the practice.

Inquire the truth of everything.