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.

Yoga and the yoga practice

Yoga, in simple term, is the basic universal knowledge, understanding, and capability of living in peace and harmony with all kinds of diverse names and forms in this space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, devoid of possessiveness and selfishness, where one is happy and peaceful as it is, under any conditions and situations, regardless of whether having the ability to be looking after some others or having certain limitation that need to be looking after by some others, not being determined or disturbed by the presence and absence of agreeable and disagreeable, desirable and undesirable, pleasant and unpleasant, enjoyable and non-enjoyable names and forms, including the momentary existence and function of this body and mind, that are all selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self.

Yoga, in the context of literary, is the silence of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional self-acknowledged thinking and acting mind/faculty, or, the annihilation or cessation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional egoistic impure restless thought current/thinking process/thought activity/modification of the mind, or the veil of ignorance, devoid of the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, restlessness, and the suffering deriving from all that.

Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodhah

Conquest of the restless modification of the mind, by the mind itself.

It is a journey of conscious mind evolution evolving from the state of ignorance, egoistic, impure, restless, violent, hurtful, and suffering towards the liberation from all that.

Depending on the different states of the minds under different conditions, situations, limitations, and abilities, the journey to reach the final destination can be short or long, can be easy or hard, can be smooth or challenging, can be straightforward or manipulated, can be simplified or complicated, can be enjoyable or non-enjoyable and even painful, can be uplifting or intimidating, and can be disembarking or reembarking before reaching the final destination.

The final destination of embarking the journey on the path of yoga (the activation of conscious mind evolution) - Upon the silence of the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind/the thought current/the thinking process, the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness that is always there, that doesn't increase or decrease, that pervades all and everyone and everything, that is actionless and changeless, that is indiscriminate and unconditional, appears as it is.

Selflessness - There is NO permanent independent infinite immortal individual 'I'/individual existence/individual identity/individual consciousness/personal soul or spirit existing to be undergoing birth (forming) and death (disintegration) as well as the ceaseless impermanent changes (growth and decay) of this body and mind, where there is NO countless reincarnation of any particular permanent independent infinite immortal individual existence of 'I' that is non-existing, that doesn't exist, to be undergoing countless different separate births and deaths of different separate life existences of different bodies and minds transitioning under similar or in between different realms/worlds.

Timelessness - There is neither past nor future, there is only NOW that is ceaselessly changing. There is neither past existence(s) nor future existence(s). Existence, is only ALL THESE in NOW, that is ceaselessly changing. Impermanent changes of formation, growth, ceased growing, decay, and disintegration is ceaselessly happening in NOW.

The ceaseless movement/rotation of the earth or the planet around the sun, generate the interchanging of the presence and absence of light, and the interchanging cycle of the different seasons respectively, as well as the interchanging cycle of asleep and awake (regardless of sleeping or awaking under the presence or absence of light), that gives rise to the false impression of day and night, of the calculation and accumulation of time/seconds/minutes/hours/days/nights/weeks/months/years, or sleeps.

The formation, growing, ceased growing, and decaying process of the selfless physical structure, and the impermanent restless states of mind of countless thoughts/ideas/desires/feelings/emotions/sensations/memories/imaginations/actions/reactions ceaselessly arising and passing away at different pace/speed, that gives rise to the calculation and accumulation of age, experience, learning, understanding, knowledge, skill, interaction, activity, interest, relationship, duty, responsibility, inspiration, aspiration, ambition, action, fruit of action, imagination, planning, projection, and memory.

Time is merely the reflection of ceaseless impermanent changes, under different pace/speed, internally and externally, of both subject and object, of the perceiver and the perceived, of the knower and the knowledge, of the ceaseless process of generation, regeneration, degeneration, decay, and disintegration, and the conscious (voluntary), semi-conscious (semi-voluntary), and unconscious (autonomous/non-voluntary) physical/mental activities and movements under different speed of movements.

The remembrance towards all that or some of the impermanent changes or activities, generate the false impression of past, earlier, yesterday, and so on. While the forward planning/schedule for doing or expecting something that is not happening in NOW, generates the false impression of future, later, tomorrow, and so on.

The realization towards ceaseless impermanent changes of growth, ceased growing, decay, and disintegration in NOW, enables the mind to know that there is only NOW that is ceaselessly changing. In NOW, there is flashing of some memory. In NOW, there is some planning/anticipation/projection that is not happening in NOW. In NOW, all and everything is either ceased existing or disintegrated, or is forming, or is growing, or ceases growing, or is decaying, or is disintegrating.

The realization towards Selflessness enables the mind to know that there is neither past live(s) of different separate mortal limited existence(s) nor future live(s) of different separate mortal limited existence(s) a.k.a. ceaseless past/present/future reincarnations of any particular permanent independent infinite immortal individual being/consciousness/soul/spirit, that doesn't exist.

There is only this particular life existence of this particular body and mind that is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, that doesn't even belong to the body and mind itself, that is ceaselessly changing undergoing different shapes, forms, qualities, states, or conditions in NOW, that is momentary existing and functioning, while ceaselessly changing/decaying/disintegrating, and eventually ceased functioning and existing, upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness that pervades all and everyone and everything, that gives rise to the different states of consciousness and the different degrees of conscious awareness to be interchanging between consciousness/wakefulness/activeness and semi-consciousness/unconsciousness/rest/idleness/sleep/dream/deep sleep/inputs processing to the conscious living organisms that come with the function/mechanism/ability of cognition/perception/memory storage/intellectual thought process of thinking, reasoning, learning, knowing, solution finding, and problem solving/emotion/sensation/action/reaction via the organs of senses (inputs) and the organs of action (outputs), to be attending/acquiring/maintaining the basic needs for the limited and conditional selfless impermanent life existence of the conscious living organisms, for being momentarily existing and functioning selflessly and impermanently as what they are.

If there is no existence or function of the perceptive cognitive thinking and acting mind perceiving the ceaseless selfless impermanent changes in the perceived names and forms, or under the absence of the restless thought current/thinking process/modification of the mind, or in SILENCE, devoid of thought(s) arising and passing away, or in PERMANENCE/changelessness/decaylessness/thoughtlessness/actionlessness/motionlessness, or in the attributeless nameless formless infinite endless space, or under the absence of all kinds of impermanent limited and conditional names and forms, what is time?

Ceaseless births and deaths (arising 生 and passing away 滅) transitioning under different conditions/states (realms)/qualities exists within this particular body and mind in NOW, that is nothing to do with certain worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious ideas, beliefs, values, and practices about the ceaseless reincarnation of a permanent independent infinite immortal individual existence reincarnating in different separate life existences transitioning in between different realms/worlds, but it is merely reflecting about the ceaseless impermanent changes of growth and decay, of ceaseless births and deaths of countless cells generation/regeneration/degeneration for maintaining the limited and conditional selfless impermanent life existence and function of the physical structure of the living organisms, as well as the countless thoughts/ideas/desires/feelings/emotions/sensations/memories/imaginations ceaselessly arising, changing, and passing away, consciously/semi-consciously/unconsciously, transitioning under different conditions of the physical structure and in between different states of mind (different realms), that is ceaselessly happening from the beginning of formation until the disintegration or death of this body and mind.

In NOW, the selfless mind is undergoing different states of mind (transitioning between different realms), that is all happening HERE in the mind that is interchanging in between the different states of consciousness (conscious (wakeful)/semi-conscious (sleep/dream)/unconscious (deep sleep/coma)), of countless thought(s) arising, changing, and passing away upon (under the witness of) the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness (the all time silent witness).

In NOW, the selfless mind is resting in silence/stillness/thoughtlessness (devoid of countless births and deaths/arising and passing away of restless thought current/process/activity), transcending the different impermanent states of mind (different realms) that are formed by the selfless impermanent limited and conditional thought current/process/activity.

The different realms (different states of mind under different states of consciousness) as well as Silence/Nirvana/Nibhana/Stillness/Turiya/The cessation of the restless modification of the mind (Exiting/Transcending the different realms/states of mind) are all happening in HERE and NOW, all these don't exist or happen outside (not here) or beyond (not NOW) the selfless existence and function of the mind.

Yoga and the yoga practice, is all about the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function of the mind and the annihilation/cessation/conquest of the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind (the veil of ignorance).

All these are nothing to do with 'worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious ideas/beliefs/values/practices', or 'spirituality', or 'divinity', or 'mystics', or 'miracle', or 'superpower', or 'superstition', or 'individual soul', or 'the creator of the universe', or 'sin', or 'good and bad karma', or 'merit and virtue', or 'downfall', or 'reincarnation', or 'endless births and deaths in countless different separate life existences', or 'vegetarianism', or 'veganism', or 'clean eating', or 'demonstration of the different yoga asana poses or meditation postures', or 'optimum health and fitness condition', or 'longevity', or 'positive thinking', or 'optimism', or 'hope', or 'rebelliousness', or 'international yoga day', or 'international yoga association/alliance', or 'yoga teachers training course', or 'yoga qualification and certification'.

Attributelessness - Oneness/Non-separateness/Non-duality, where all kinds of names and forms (living organisms and non-living objects) under different qualities/shapes/characteristics/conditions/functionalities are existing and functioning as what they are, under the one same nature of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self, governed by the selfless indiscriminate nature's law of cause and effect, ceaselessly manifesting, arising, changing, and passing away upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness, that is undetermined, undisturbed, unchanged, undamaged, or uncontaminated by the selfless impermanent limited and conditional ceaseless manifestation of countless momentary diverse names and forms being what they are, as they are, ceaselessly coming and going/appearing and disappearing/existing and ceased existing.

Under the influence of the veil of ignorance, the mind is ignorant towards (cannot perceive or comprehend) Selflessness, Timelessness, and Attributelessness.

All these terms are known and understood by the mind naturally, upon Silence of the mind or Clarity of the thinking faculty, a.k.a. the annihilation/cessation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional egoistic impure restless modification of the mind/thought current/thought activity/thinking process, devoid of the veil of ignorance and the suffering deriving from being ignorant towards Selflessness, Timelessness, and Attributelessness.

Yoga can also appear to be anything manifesting under different shapes under different qualities of names and forms that the different minds want/desire/imagine/think/believe/label/identify/acknowledge it to be, depending on the different states of the different minds.

Even though yoga and the yoga practice is about conquering the mind by the mind itself to know Thyself, or knowing the truth of all these that the mind perceives/experiences consciously/semi-consciously/unconsciously, where yoga and the yoga practice is merely what it is, neither useful nor useless, neither spiritual nor non-spiritual, but it can appear to be something useful or useless, something spiritual or non-spiritual for the different minds under different conditions, situations, limitations, and abilities. 

Before the truth of things that is always there, is unveiled upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, then yoga and the yoga practice can appear to be something spiritual for the minds that are being conditioned to believe in spirituality and god existence. While yoga and the yoga practice can appear to be something non-spiritual for the minds that don't believe in spirituality and god existence.

Regardless of whether it appears to be something spiritual or non-spiritual, it is about engaging the mind in conscious mind evolution that leads towards the direct self realization or glimpse towards the truth of everything under the absence of the veil of ignorance via its own initiation and effort, observation and inquiry, determination and perseverance, independently.

Upon the direct experience/glimpse towards Selflessness, Timelessness, and Attributelessness (All are ONE under different names and forms), the mind will know that the manifestation or existence of yoga and the yoga practice is merely a direction (towards the annihilation of the veil of ignorance) and a set of different tools that can help the mind to move (evolve) towards that particular direction. It doesn't matter, when different minds refer that direction differently with many different names and forms.

There is no north/south/east/west/up/down/left/right in this infinite space that doesn't increase or decrease, regardless of where we are, what is up for some, is down for some, or what is left for some, is right for some. There is only HERE and NOW, in this mind. All and everything is happening in this mind that is always HERE and in NOW.

The entire journey (long or short), the path (easy or difficult), and the final destination (the realization/the correct understanding/the clarity/the liberation/the freedom/the knowledge/the peace), is all in the mind, in NOW. It is not somewhere else beyond the mind and NOW.

Even when some minds didn't understand or misunderstood the teachings of yoga and the yoga practice, thinking and believing that in order to portray or achieve stillness and forbearance as well as 'yoga asana' about holding a particular body position for a prolonged duration comfortably, is about challenging the body and mind to go beyond its limitation, or to go against nature, by putting the body, or the limbs, or the facial features in one particular position for a prolonged duration, such as standing on one foot, or not blinking or not closing the eye lids, or not lying down maintaining an upright sitting or standing position, or not sleeping, or not eating, or not breathing, or hanging the body upside down, or raising one or both arm(s) upward above the head and maintaining such position for prolonged duration, or even provoke others to inflict abusive hurtful torturing behavior unto oneself intentionally under the name of 'repent' or 'removing sins' or 'burning-off bad karma', until the body and mind suffers from unnecessary deformity, or injury, or damage, or dysfunction, or even ceased functioning, which doesn't eliminate ignorance at all but empowers ignorance, unless after performing such activity that has no end of challenging difficulty by continuously forcing, harming, or torturing the body and mind, until the body and mind ceased functioning and existing, they might begin to realize the middle path and the real meanings of yoga and the yoga practice, and make use of the momentary life existence and function of the body and mind to be performing selfless service to serve all and everyone, to be doing something beneficial/constructive for oneself and others and the surrounding environment.

The yoga practice is always HERE in NOW, upon the activation of non-grasping, upon the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty is being aware of (coming in contact with) the different names and forms that are ceaselessly manifesting internally and externally, regardless of in action/activeness or in inaction/at rest/idleness, under the different states of consciousness.

Yoga and the yoga practice is non-separated from life existence in all kinds of affairs, duties and responsibilities, ties and connections, relationships, interactions, activities, experiences, conditions, and situations, where the mind is being aware of all that, while consciously activating/performing different kinds of physical and mental practice, or method, or technique, or observation, or influence, that can influence or render the restless impure egoistic state of mind to be calmed and quiet (the thinning-out and annihilation of the veil of ignorance - the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness), that enables the mind to know Thyself, or knowing the momentary mortal limited and conditional impermanent non-independent selfless existence and function of itself, that is not different from all kinds of diverse names and forms, where all are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, which then, enables the mind to see the truth beyond the different qualities of names and forms, of non-duality/non-separateness/oneness/attributelessness/timelessness/selflessness (All are one under different names and forms).

The selfless universal consciousness is merely the actionless changeless timeless indiscriminate unconditional unlimited silent witness, while the many different individual existence and function of the many different individual conscious/sentient and non-conscious/non-sentient living organisms come with the function to perform actions via the organs of action for life maintenance and some other activities.

By knowing Thyself, or knowing the truth of names and forms, upon clarity devoid of the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, will enable the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function of the body and mind to be able to perform beneficial action to look after itself and the surrounding living environment selflessly and independently under the presence of correct understanding, or under the absence of ignorance, or under the presence of unconditional peace in the mind, that contributes peace and harmony among the many diversities in the surrounding living environment that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, that selflessly and indiscriminately supporting all kinds of names and forms to be existing and functioning as what they are.

Yoga and the yoga practice, or the conscious action/observation/practice/influence/evolution, of non-grasping and letting go, or standing as a silent witness, while performing or not performing all kinds of actions or activities, can only be happening, or being what it is, only if it is being activated under the conscious freewill/initiative/yearning towards liberation/effort coming from the mind itself, willingly and wittingly to free itself from the influence of ignorance, to be purifying and quieting itself, to develop/inquire/attain correct understanding, and to realize and be resting in unconditional peace upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness, upon realizing/knowing/seeing/understanding the truth of all kinds of diverse names and forms existing under different qualities manifesting and changing under the one same nature of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self, governed by the nature's law of cause and effect.

Yoga and the yoga practice exists and is valid/useful for the conscious perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional self-acknowledged thinking and acting minds operating/functioning UNDER the influence of ignorance, that gives rise to all kinds of suffering/disturbance/disharmony/restlessness/violence/painful sorrow/grief/fear/doubt/selfishness/possessiveness/greed/anger/hatred/pride/shame/jealousy/envy/longing/craving/clinging/hypocrisy/untruthfulness/manipulation/intimidation/offensiveness/defensiveness/interference/the urge to control everything to be or not to be in certain way, a.k.a. the absence of peace/wisdom/correct understanding/clarity/absolute knowledge.

If the mind is peaceful as it is, unconditionally, devoid of ignorance, being undisturbed or undetermined by the mind perception towards all kinds of pleasant and unpleasant/agreeable and disagreeable/desirable and undesirable/enjoyable and non-enjoyable names and forms, or the presence and absence of all kinds of names and forms being what they are, internally within the body and mind and externally in the surrounding living environment, then yoga and the yoga practice doesn't exist, or is invalid/useless for this mind.

Such mind is one with yoga or non-separated from yoga, a.k.a. the mind is resting in silence upon the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness that is untouched or uncontaminated by any qualities of names and forms that are all selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, of the subject and object, or the perceiver and the perceived, or the knower and the knowledge, or the experiencer and the experience (all are one under different names and forms).

As long as the mind still perceives, or experiences, or acknowledges any kind of disturb, hurt, dissatisfaction, disappointment, fear, separateness, duality of good and bad/right and wrong/positive and negative/superiority and inferiority, unrest, lack of freedom, doubt, insecurity, grief, painful sorrow, difficulty, blockage, meaninglessness, loneliness, or any kind of suffering due to the presence of ignorance, or the absence of correct understanding/wisdom/clarity, then yoga and the yoga practice is available/accessible, naturally, in NOW, for the mind to evolve consciously towards liberation, freedom, knowledge, and peace.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Do not blind-believe, blind-follow, blind-practice, blind-agree/disagree, blind-glorify, or blind-propagate.

Including all the teachings here. 

The minds that understand all these, they don't have to, but if they want, and if there is the opportunity and possibility, they can perform many actions in this world selflessly, indiscriminately, and unconditionally, to help many other minds to also be free from the influence of ignorance out of their own conscious freewill/initiative/yearning towards liberation/effort.

These minds are the teachers of dhamma, or the selfless wise leaders that don't only lead and organize a group of followers that are in need of a leader to lead them, to comfort them, to motivate them, to organize them to be or not to be in certain way, but who have the knowledge, ability, possibility, and opportunity to teach and guide all and everyone to be free from ignorance and become independent, and will no longer in need of any leader to lead them, under the presence of wisdom, or correct understanding, or clarity, or mental and emotional independence, a.k.a. under the absence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.

Yoga, or the dhamma, or the truth of what all and everything are, is never separated from all and everything. And it doesn't change into something else, even if the many different minds see/understand/desire/modify/manipulate it differently under the different states of mind.

Guiding the ignorant minds towards seeing the ignorance in the mind

Because of the veil of ignorance, most minds under the influence of ignorance are not aware of the ignorance in the mind, as the minds simply don't see, recognize, identify or realize the ignorance in itself, or being too prideful to be acknowledging the presence of ignorance in itself, including the minds that are highly intelligent and knowledgeable, or kind and loving. And hence, there arise the cause that give rise to the limited and imperfect impermanent names and forms of certain teachings (that can be misinterpreted and misunderstood by certain minds due to the veil of ignorance) and certain teachers (that can be imperfect and disagreeable, that don't necessarily being recognized and appreciated by the ignorant egoistic minds) that serve the purpose of being the teachings and disseminating the teachings and guiding the ignorant minds towards seeing the ignorance in the mind through certain ways, even though the entire process and effort has to come from the ignorant minds themselves to be initiated of making the effort to discipline, purify and quiet the mind by themselves, to realize or know what is going on in themselves, of realizing or knowing Thyself, to be aware of the veil of ignorance while being limited and conditioned by the veil of ignorance.

Even when there are many people are interested in engaging in certain yoga activities of attending yoga classes and retreats, to be performing some kinds of yoga practice regularly, to attain some momentary sense of goodness and certain physical and mental benefits from performing the yoga practice, however, not many are seriously interested in the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, of renunciation and dispassion, of silence, seclusion and solitude, of discipline and self-reliance, of non-attachment and non-identification, of non-dualism and non-separateness, of 'I'lessness and desirelessness, of non-craving and non-aversion, of self-inquiry and self-realization, to see the ignorance in the mind, and be determined to free the mind from the veil of ignorance, the root cause of all kinds of suffering arising from within, but instead, being enthusiastic towards developing and empowering passionate connection, relationship and interaction among one another to be attaining momentary sense of love, power, control, goodness, righteousness, positiveness, healthiness, wholesomeness, accomplishment, satisfaction, joyfulness and meaningfulness in the world of selflessness and impermanence.

There's nothing bad or wrong with that. It's just that the minds are not working towards liberation from ignorance, and hence, might not be free from generating actions and reactions that cause suffering and damages in oneself and unto others and the surrounding environment, either wittingly or unwittingly, out of ignorance, egoism and impurities (corrupted passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values, practice and desires).

Anyone, either wise or ignorant, kind or unkind, agreeable or disagreeable, and anything, of all kinds of experiences, conditions, situations, relationships and the perception of names and forms through the senses that are either easy or difficult, desirable or undesirable, pleasant or unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable, enjoyable or painful suffering, is the dhamma or the teachings, as well as the dhamma teacher, or the yoga teacher, or the teacher of the mind, for the ignorant minds.

The dhamma, the teachings, the dhamma teachers, the yoga teachers, or the teachers of the mind, as well as the ignorant suffering minds, the students, or the practitioners, are not distinct or separated from one another. They are ONE under different names and forms.

The mind that perceives restless suffering under the presence of the veil of ignorance is the dhamma, the teachings, the teacher, the student and the practitioner itself.

When the mind perceives, recognizes and acknowledges 'certain forms of external teachings and external teachers under certain names and forms', that appeared to be distinct and separated from itself, that seemed to be present externally to be teaching and guiding this mind towards seeing the ignorance in itself, are just being what they are. It's coming from the mind itself, upon perceiving or coming in contact with such names and forms, under the presence of the yearning for liberation, the initiative, the effort, the reflection and the realization arising from within itself, that is why the mind perceives, sees and recognizes such names and forms as the teachings and the teachers of itself. If the yearning for liberation, the initiative, the effort, the reflection and the realization are absent in this mind, then such names and forms are just being what they are, neither 'the teachings and teachers' nor 'not the teachings and teachers'.

A lot of time, the teachings and the teachers are the names and forms that the mind perceives and recognizes as something difficult, unpleasant, undesirable, disagreeable, unsuccessful, or painful suffering. And at other time, they are the names and forms that the mind perceives and recognizes as something easy, pleasant, desirable, agreeable, successful, or enjoyable. As either something that the mind likes or dislikes, or either something that the mind thinks and believes as good or bad, all are selfless and impermanent. All kinds of duality that is selfless and impermanent being perceived by the mind, enabling the ignorant egoistic mind to experience the suffering of the restless selflessness and impermanence under the presence of ignorance and egoism, as well as to reflect and see or realize the truth of selflessness and impermanence in itself and whatever it perceives or experiences (subject and object).

Suffering arise under the presence of grasping or attachment. Suffering doesn't exist upon the absence of grasping or attachment.

All are dhamma. All are teachers. All are not distinct or separated from this perceptive thinking mind. Without this selfless perceptive mind perceiving selfless impermanent names and forms, what is the world of life existence? what is dhamma? What is teacher? What is selflessness and impermanence? What is suffering? What is the end of suffering?

Inquire the truth of everything, including all the teachings of buddhism and/or yoga that the mind comes in contact with.

The most powerful thing in the world, and beyond that

It's unpleasant, disturbing, and even can be life threatening upon coming in contact with difficult situation where one is being discriminated, bullied and threatened with violent abusive behavior, bullying and threats by those who are under the influence of deep ignorance. It's an unfortunate and painful experience, and truly unnecessary event to be happening onto anyone.

One doesn't need to become and behave like those ignorant human beings, where the mind thinks and believes that in order not to be discriminated, bullied and threatened by anyone, one needs to be more powerful than all the others by being more violent, aggressive and cruel than everyone else.

Real power is not coming from being violent, aggressive and cruel to be over-powering all the others, or being charming, persuasive and influential to be captivating all the others to become submissive towards oneself, and to act and behave in accordance to one's commands/desires.

Power is not about the ability of in control of all and everything.

It's about having self-awareness and self-control of not harming oneself or others. One doesn't need to become a bully or a nasty person just because one has been or is being bullied and ill-treated by some others who are ignorant. That's power. Being able to reject or walk away from violent fighting against one another that would cause unnecessary damages towards one another and the surrounding environment, is wisdom. That's power.

The most powerful thing in this world is the nature law of IMPERMANENCE. None, and nothing, can escape impermanence. The so called most 'powerful', 'wealthy', 'knowledgeable', 'successful' person and the champion of all champions in the world, will also have to bow down to IMPERMANENCE.

However, there's something beyond that, which is the knowledge and effort of transcending or going beyond IMPERMANENCE.

One can transcend or go beyond IMPERMANENCE, upon the attainment of the real liberation/independence/freedom in the mind, or SILENCE (selflessness/desirelessness), or the realization of unconditional peace from within, despite all kinds of inevitable impermanent changes and all kinds of 'difficulties', 'ridiculousness' and 'chaos' that are existing in the world, being free from ignorance and all kinds of incorrect thinking, desires or impurities deriving from ignorance, while having the correct understanding/wisdom/knowledge towards the modification of the mind, or the play of ignorance and egoism, and respecting the law of selflessness and impermanence in all kinds of names and forms, that enables one being undetermined and undisturbed by all kinds of impermanent changes, ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the world, without the idea/urge/desire/action to be interfering with or controlling the world and all the others to be or not to be in certain way in accordance to one's commands or desires by intimidation or captivation, while being unattached towards all and everything or the duality of 'goodness and badness', transcending the mind perception of a worldly life existence of the limited adjuncts of a selfless impermanent body and restless modification of the mind.

Want to learn and practice yoga?

The yoga practice that leads to self-inquiry and self-realization towards the truth of impermanence and selflessness in all the names and forms, enabling the mind to be in peace amidst ceaseless changes of the body and mind, and in all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, and hence, allowing the mind to realize/unveil unconditional peace, transcending all the selfless impermanent changes.

The well-trained mind is free from egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation, allowing the perceived reality being what it is, as it is, and respecting all the impermanent changes of the body and mind and whatever the mind perceives or experiences as they are, regardless of whether the changes are desirable or undesirable, pleasant or unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable.

In order to realize unconditional peace, the mind needs to know what is conditional and unconditional peace, by inquiring or investigating towards the root cause of 'unrest', 'disturbance', 'dissatisfaction', 'unhappiness', 'doubt', 'fear', 'worry', 'insecurity', or what give rise to the state of 'peacelessness'.

The entire process of learning and practicing yoga, is indeed about developing non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-comparison and non-expectation.

Upon the annihilation of all these egoistic defilement within the modification of the mind, unconditional peace that is unconditioned by selfless impermanent changes, is unveiled. This 'peace' is always there, as it is, never increase nor decrease, but it's whether the mind is free or not free from egoism and ignorance.

'Peace as it is' doesn't mean that there's no perception of names and forms, or changes, or activities within the mind, but the perceptive cognitive thinking mind has gone beyond itself, or the modification of the mind, and is aware of the selfless perception of names and forms as well as all the impermanent changes, without being determined by the selfless impermanent modification of the mind itself.

The mind 'experiences' or 'perceives' unrest or the state of peacelessness, is due to there's grasping or attachment arise towards the perceived names and forms as well as the selfless impermanent changes, and there's desire of craving and aversion towards 'controlling' or 'changing' the perceived reality that the mind likes and doesn't like, agrees and disagrees with, and desires and doesn't desire.

Due to ignorance, there's an individual identity of 'I', that doesn't really exists, but sort of existing in the form of a continuous stream of the ceaseless thought currents, which then unwittingly attaching onto and identifying with the different qualities of names and forms that are selfless and impermanent, that also gives rise to boundless desires that are awaiting to be gratified, and hence, gives rise to 'unrest', 'disturbance', 'dissatisfaction', 'unhappiness', 'doubt', 'fear', 'worry', 'insecurity', or what give rise to the state of 'peacelessness' from within the modification of the mind.

It's very simple.

Attachment/identification (passion) => unrest, or conditional peace/happiness/satisfaction/meaningfulness, being determined by the selfless impermanent changes of good and bad qualities, of pleasantness and unpleasantness, by coming in contact with desirable and undesirable conditions/situations/experiences, or by the gratification and non-gratification of desires.

Void of attachment/identification (dispassion) => unconditional peace, void of desires of craving and aversion, undetermined by the selfless impermanent changes of good and bad qualities, of pleasantness and unpleasantness, of desirable and undesirable conditions/situations/experiences.

However, most egoistic minds encounter extreme difficulty towards comprehending and developing dispassion or the void of attachment/identification, because the minds are being conditioned deeply by all kinds of worldly passionate egoistic social/cultural/community/religious/spiritual/political thinking, beliefs, values and practice that are under the influence of survival instinct, which propagate "Promoting attachment and identification in order to gain maximum support/power/control to protect/preserve/expand 'our' belief and values, creating 'our' world that we desire, that we think and believe how it should be. Anything and anyone that are different from 'us' and are not inline with 'our' belief and values, are 'the annoying obstacles' towards achieving 'our' world that we desire."

'Dispassion' is the essential teaching and practice of yoga and Buddhism towards inner peace and world peace, that leads to oneness/non-separateness/accommodation among all diversities that are selfless and impermanent, however, it's being recognized by the worldly passionate egoistic minds as something 'negative', 'wrong', 'bad', 'insanity', 'selfishness', 'harsh', 'cold', 'inappropriate', 'meaningless', 'unfriendly', 'backward', 'regressive', and etc.

And hence, all kinds of different yoga practice, breathing exercises, diet restriction, worldly interactive and connective activity restriction, observations, concentration and meditation practice are there, to help the yoga practitioners to develop dispassion through non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-comparison and non-expectation, to purify, discipline and quiet the modification of the mind, to perform self-inquiry, to transcend the modification of the mind, to annihilate egoism and ignorance from the contaminated thinking/acting/reacting mind, to realize/unveil unconditional peace, which is the uncontaminated state of the mind itself void of egoism and ignorance.

It's just ceaseless names and forms arising and passing away, selflessly, including the modification of the mind.

It's not about influencing, changing or controlling the names and forms in the world to be or not to be in certain way, to gratified the egoistic desires of craving and aversion, to make everything to be the way that 'I' think and believe how it should be, but it's about purifying, disciplining, quieting and transcending the modification of the impure ignorant egoistic mind itself.

Those who cannot comprehend this, or don't want this, but believing in promoting passionate 'connection', 'creation', 'action' and 'power' to either 'influence', 'create' or 'control' the names and forms in the world to be the way that they think how it should be, the way that they like it to be, while 'blaming' and 'hating' others for their own dissatisfaction and unhappiness due to non-gratified boundless passionate desires and aspirations, that's their freedom.

Everyone have their own favorite colour that they like and agree with, and it's okay. There's nothing wrong if everyone keep their favorite colour to themselves, without forcing others to also like and agree with their favorite colour, while respecting others to have their own different favorite colour, without trying to make or control the world to be in their own particular favorite colour only. That is truly 'unity for world peace' by respecting the different diversities. The world will be peaceful as it is.

Or else, everyone try to interfere with/convert/change/control/force one another to also like and agree with their particular favorite colour, while not respecting others to have their own different favorite colour, and very passionately trying to make the world to only have their own particular favorite colour while not allowing any other colour that they don't like and disagree with to be existing in the world, thinking and believing in that is what 'unity for world peace' is about, by oppressing and eliminating diversity, and hence, that is what happening in the world, where wars, discrimination and hatred are still happening even in the era of so called advanced science and technology, destroying peace and harmony, nature, lives, things and properties, in order to create 'my/our' world the way that 'I/we' desire it to be.

Yoga is not about learning and practicing some yoga asana, breathing and cleansing exercises, or chanting, rituals and prayers, or vegetarianism and positive thinking, or concentration and meditation practice under particular style and brand, to attain some momentary physical and mental benefits or spiritual healing. But through different kinds of practice, freeing the mind from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance. It's not even trying to achieve world peace, but by attaining liberation from ignorance, there will be less ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the world.

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha - The Dhamma will be manipulated and eventually disappeared. Let it be.

Swami Sivananda - Do not hoard disciple. Do not build ashram. Do not mix.

Those who don't know, will perceive these teachings as a form of non-appreciation, selfishness, negativity, backward or regression. That's their freedom of thinking.

Only those who know, can truly understand the greatness of these teachings, which is not about non-appreciation towards 'The Dhamma' or 'The lineage'. It's indeed great compassion towards oneself and others.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Be free.

Transcending difficulties by understanding, non-attachment and desirelessness

Transcending existing difficulties won't change the difficulties into something else, and won't make the difficulties become less or disappear. But through understanding and non-attachment, one is not being determined by the difficulties. The difficulties are just being what they are. They arise, change and pass away as they are, at their own cause.

Just as knowing the truth of things won't change the things being what they are.

The direct experience of different types of difficulties allows the mind to understand towards the many types of suffering that different minds might go through.

Many people believe in and propagate 'the law of attraction or desire', "Don't think of negative things and there will be no negative things come into your life, or, only thinking about positive things and there will be only positive things come into your life."

That's their freedom of thinking and desire. It's not the practice of Yoga or Buddhism.

The teachings of Yoga and Buddhism teach about the law of nature, the law of cause and effect, the truth of selflessness and impermanence, the relationship between ignorance and suffering, and the practice of non-attachment and desirelessness of non-craving and non-aversion as the path of liberation.

Transcend the thinking mind. Transcend all the names and forms. Transcend the world of ignorance and egoism. Transcend birth and death. Transcend all kinds of dualities. Everything is just what they are. They are neither positive nor negative. Need not pushing away or craving for this or that. Allowing everything being what they are, as they are, and all are selfless and impermanent.

Suffering arise upon the presence of attachment and desire. Free from attachment and desire, there's no suffering.

All kinds of fear exist following attachment and desire. Free from attachment and desire, fear doesn't exist.

Freedom from fear is liberation, is freedom, is peace.

Be free.

Yoga teacher certification and teaching yoga

If one knows yoga, one doesn't need to attend any 'yoga teachers training course' to attain any 'yoga teacher certification' to 'qualify' or 'authorize' one to share the wisdom/knowledge of yoga with anyone and guide others onto the path of yoga to realize yoga of oneness/non-separateness/selflessness/namelessness/formlessness/attributelessness/unconditional peace.

Those who think and believe that one must attend 'Internationally recognized yoga teachers training course' and attain 'Internationally recognized yoga teacher certification' and be affiliated to or be sanctioned/authorized by such and such 'yoga alliance', 'yoga association', or 'sports council' to be allowed or qualified to 'teach yoga', it shows that the 'yoga' that they know/practice/teach is not about 'Yoga of self-inquiry, self-realization, oneness, non-separateness, selflessness, namelessness, formlessness, attributelessness, birthlessness, deathlessness, beginninglessness, endlessness, silence, liberation from ignorance and suffering, the conquest of mind, or the annihilation of the modification of the mind'.

Attending many 'yoga teachers training course' and attaining many 'yoga teacher certification' and studying/practicing/teaching 'yoga' for such and such period of time also doesn't determine/guarantee that the mind is free or will be free from ignorance, egoism and impurities, or one knows yoga.

One who knows yoga, there's no such idea/identification of "I want to be a yoga teacher. I want to teach yoga. Teaching yoga is so meaningful." or "I am a certified and qualified and experienced yoga teacher. I have attended such and such 'yoga teachers training course' under such and such 'teachers' or 'Gurus', and attained such and such 'yoga teacher certification'. I have been practicing and teaching yoga for such and such years."

One who knows yoga, is not necessarily a 'yoga teacher' who 'teach yoga', or what most people understand as 'conducting or teaching yoga classes/courses', but one might be 'teaching yoga', selflessly, intentionlessly and spontaneously.

One doesn't need any 'yoga teacher certification' to be in the present, to be unattached towards all the mind perception of names and forms, to be free from the desire of craving and aversion.

One doesn't need any 'yoga teacher certification' to be undetermined and undisturbed by all the qualities and dualities of pleasantness and unpleasantness, good and bad, right and wrong, positive and negative, success and failure, praise and condemn, enjoyment and suffering, births and deaths.

One doesn't need any 'yoga teacher certification' to forgive and let go what the mind perceives as 'unpleasantness', 'bad', 'wrong', or 'hurtful'.

One doesn't need any 'yoga teacher certification' to be dispassionate and renounce worldly attachment and identification/ideas/thinking/belief/objects/relationships, to free the mind from ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness.

One doesn't need any 'yoga teacher certification' to realize peace, selflessness and compassion, as well as guiding others to also realize peace, selflessness and compassion.

One doesn't need any 'yoga teacher certification' to be kind and compassionate towards all without discrimination of good and bad, likes and dislikes, or deserving and undeserving.

One doesn't need any 'yoga teacher certification' to breathe, to eat, to live, to see/hear/smell/taste/touch/think, to be aware, to be in the present, to be peaceful, to let go, or to be confronting death/disintegration in peace.

After all, none need any 'certification of ignorance/unhappiness/misery/suffering' to be ignorant, unhappy, miserable and suffering.

Be free.

The practice of silence to conquer the restless mind

This teaching is for those who want to conquer the restless mind, but they realize that the mind is so difficult to quiet down, that there will be ceaseless distracting random thoughts occupying the mind, especially whenever they try to sit down quietly limiting the physical movements and refraining the senses from going out chasing after the object of the senses, to train the mind in concentration and meditation.

It's a common reaction of all the untrained impure minds when the physical body is being restricted from bodily movements and the mental habitual activities is being restricted, there will be random thoughts bubbling up to the surface of the mind. It's part of the purification process. People should continue the practice by learning how to be aware of all these random thoughts without association, attachment, identification, craving or aversion, judgment and expectation, and allowing all these random pleasant and unpleasant thoughts arising and passing away, to clear up the past accumulated imprints. People expect that when they meditate, the mind will be free from any thoughts, and so, they'll get very disappointed and demotivated after a few attempts trying to concentrate or meditate, they realize that the modification of the mind is even more agitated and violent whenever they try to concentrate or meditate. And without correct understanding, many people would give up and prefer to just live everyday life as they are, 'happy happy go lucky', be good, do good, without the need to deal with the unpleasant behavior of the mind that they don't like to confront with. And that's their freedom.

The biggest element in aid to conquer the restless mind is the observation of silence, of seclusion, solitude and renunciation from worldly social relationships, activities and interactions.

Some people think that those who want to conquer the mind should take up the challenge of living and mixing among the society, in order to allow the mind to practice concentration and meditation in everyday life having to deal with all kinds of challenging condition and situation, distractions and disturbance, while learning how to remain equanimous without being affected or determined by all the challenging condition and situation in life, without generating craving towards the pleasant life experiences and without generating aversion towards the unpleasant life experiences. And there's nothing wrong with that. But what happens? After many years of 'trying' to practice yoga and meditation to conquer the restless mind, but the mind is still restless, or even more restless under the influence of ignorance and impurities.

Some even say that it's very easy to be calm and quiet being in solitude and seclusion without dealing with other beings and worldly affairs. They think that one doesn't need to deal with pleasantness and unpleasantness, craving and aversion, distractions and disturbance, actions and reactions, when being in solitude and seclusion. What they don't know is that most minds will runaway from solitude and seclusion after some time, like fish out of water, and the modification of the mind is even more agitated and violent being restricted from worldly social relationships, activities and interactions that keep the mind stimulated, entertained, busy, or restless. That's why so many people will say that meditation is very difficult, or they can't meditate, or they don't like meditation, or they don't like to observe silence, of solitude and seclusion.

Whether one is surrounded by many other beings and happenings, or one is alone in solitude away from happenings, this mind has to deal with the impermanent and selfless changes of the physical body and the ignorant impure egoistic modification of the mind. Whether the mind is free, or not free, it's always right here and right now. When the mind practices concentration and meditation, it's always alone, regardless of whether there are other people around, or not.

Do not blind-believing or blind-following any teachings from anyone or somewhere, including all the teachings here. Contemplate and inquire the truth of all teachings and attain self-realization of the truth of all the teachings via direct experience.

Take note that living in the world and mixing in the society are two completely different things. Geographically and biologically, one will have to and always be living in the world, otherwise, this body will not be able to survive for long, but at the same time, know the importance of observing silence, of maximum solitude and seclusion, renouncing worldly social relationships, activities and interactions, in short, refraining from mixing in the society.

While living in the world, one will still have to deal with the impermanent and selfless condition and situation in the world that is ever challenging, and developing the strength of non-association, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment and non-expectation, and one learns how to conserve energy and not wasting energy into worldly affairs/activities/interactions that derived from ignorance and egoism, as well as empowering/feeding ignorance and egoism.

Observing maximum solitude and seclusion while living in the world, and renouncing worldly social relationships, activities and interactions doesn't mean that one is completely isolated from the society and not performing any actions in the world. One can be performing unlimited selfless service in the world to benefit the society efficiently, but being free from mixing, or socializing, or accumulating relationships. One is care-less towards the worldly affairs, but can also be performing actions that benefit the world at the same time. Being compassionate towards all beings doesn't mean that one has to be in a form of relationship with all beings. One can be kind to others without the need of knowing or contacting with the others. Contemplate on this, and be free to observe silence while living in the world and performing actions in the world.

For the 'first class' students of Dhamma, which are very few of them in this world, they don't need to observe silence, of solitude, seclusion and renunciation from worldly social relationships, activities and interactions, as they are already grounded firmly in Dhamma. They can be mixing in the society like everyone else, behaving like everyone else, but their minds are ever pure and quiet. They don't need to practice concentration or meditation at all. They are not separated from meditation. There's no in or out of meditation.

For the other students of Dhamma, which is the majority of us, we do need to observe silence at some stage, of maximum solitude and seclusion, and renounce worldly social relationships, activities and interactions, as whether we are aware or unaware, the mind is constantly absorbing all the inputs of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations and thoughts/imagination/projection/dreams, all the time, unwittingly. All these endless accumulated inputs are the ceaseless random thoughts that bubbling up to the surface of the mind during the practice of concentration and meditation, and many minds that haven't develop a strong foundation of non-association, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment and non-expectation will be greatly disturbed, distracted and demotivated by this purification process. And this will never come to an end, unless we start reducing and limiting all these unnecessary mind inputs deriving from all kinds of worldly relationships, activities and interactions.

It's like someone tries very hard to clean up the rubbish bin, but somehow, rubbish keep pouring into the bin, from someone and somewhere, endlessly. The bin will never be cleaned. The untrained impure egoistic mind is like a rubbish bin, taking in all kinds of rubbish (mind inputs) ceaselessly, unwittingly. And yoga and meditation practice of silence, solitude, seclusion and renunciation, is the most effective and practical way to free the mind from being a rubbish bin, and it's not about to be a clean rubbish bin, but to realize its nature of namelessness, formlessness and attributelessness, that it is neither a dirty rubbish bin nor a clean rubbish bin.

Perform this test to know how the mind works. Sit down without moving the body and limbs, closing the eyes, and observe the natural breath coming in and going out for a few minutes. Very soon, unwittingly, random thoughts will arise and occupying the mind. And one will realize that all these random bubbling thoughts are the strongest imprints during the day, or from the last few days, or even from weeks/months/years before, or even forgotten.

Even Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and Swami Sivananda also had to retreat from the society to be focusing on their practice for some years in solitude, restraining the modification of the mind and attaining liberation. And then they came back to the society to disseminate the Dhamma to the other suffering minds whom in need of the Dhamma to be free from suffering.

By reducing and limiting the mind inputs not just allowing the mind to be purified effectively, but it also helps to develop a great mental strength that allows the mind to be uninfluenced, unaffected, undisturbed and undetermined by all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses. At this stage, the mind is safe and free to be mixing in the society and live everyday life like everyone else, but the mind is ever pure and quiet.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to think and believe, and what they want or don't want to practice.

Still looking for teachers?

The one who thinks one enjoys and suffers, is oneself.

The one who thinks one believes and disbelieves, is oneself.

The one who thinks one performs actions and inactions, is oneself.

The one who thinks one receives the fruit of actions and inactions, is oneself.

The one who is and isn't aware of the impurities in one's mind, is oneself.

The one who identifies with the impurities in one's mind, is oneself.

The one who is over-powered by the impurities in one's mind, is oneself.

The one who purifies and annihilates the impurities in one's mind, is oneself.

The one who attaches and detaches, is oneself.

The one who is passionate and dispassionate, is oneself.

The one who is ignorant, is oneself.

The one who can free oneself from ignorance, is oneself.

The one who perceives good and bad, positive and negative, is oneself.

The one who goes beyond dualities, is oneself.

The one who perceives suffering, is oneself.

The one who can free oneself from suffering, is oneself.

The one who is and isn't influenced by anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, lust and fear in oneself, is oneself.

The one who feeds and starves anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, lust and fear in oneself, is oneself.

The one who lacks of self-discipline and self-control, is oneself.

The one who is determine and persevere, is oneself.

The one whose mind is disturbed and restless, is oneself.

The one whose mind is calm and content, is oneself.

The one who meditates and realizes, is oneself.

What teachers are you still looking for?

Is it important to free the mind from ignorance and impurities?

Someone asked, "Is it important to free the mind from ignorance and impurities?"

It depends on ourselves, about what we want for ourselves in this impermanent life existence, and what we want to contribute to the world from this life existence.

Everyone has their freedom for what they want for their life, or what they want to do with their body and mind.

It's our own choice whether we are aware of the ignorance and impurities in our minds and their influence towards our life experience, whether we want to do something about the cause of unhappiness and suffering, whether we want to free our minds from ignorance and impurities, to attain real freedom and peace.

Everyone has different ways of life and meanings of life to live up to. There's no right and wrong, better or worse. It's just personal choice and preference, and might be influenced by certain circumstances.

There are people who don't mind being restless swaying in between happiness and unhappiness, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, elevation and depression, calmness and agitation, fulfillment and disappointment, and they enjoy being the slaves of passions, desires, craving and aversion.

There are people who are passionate towards the worldly life of impermanence and try to make the most out of it to enjoy life to the maximum, while they can.

There are people who spend most of their life time making a living, to survive and to feed their family.

If people are happy with that, they don't need to do anything other than living a worldly life the way that they like it to be, or the way that they think life should be, while trying to accomplish what they think is their meanings of life.

Meanwhile there were/are people who didn't/don't practice yoga and meditation, but, they did/do many amazing things for themselves and for the world.

In yoga, to conquer one's mind and attaining liberation from ignorance and suffering is being seen as the greatest meaning of life existence and the greatest contribution to the world. But, there are not many indeed.

Om shanti.

Renouncing worldly social activities

All physical activities should be completely suspended, all attachments should be ruthlessly cut asunder completely for five or six years, if you want to practice Dhyana Yoga, if you want to realise God through concentration of mind. Newspaper-reading and correspondence with friends and relatives should be completely stopped; as they cause distraction of mind and strengthen the world-idea. Seclusion for a period of five or six years is indispensable.

- Swami Sivananda 

The practice of renouncing worldly social activities, as well as seclusion and solitude, is contradicted with the conditioned thinking and belief of the worldly minded sociable community where most people have strong attachment or clinging towards family and friends, worldly identities and social activities.

There's no need justification for oneself and about one's yoga practice, when one is practicing yoga and has the correct understanding of the mind and the mind stuffs. There will be criticism and condemn coming from the worldly minded people who are conditioned to think and behave in certain ways, whom also expect other people should also think and behave in certain ways, to be socially and culturally accepted in the society.

In certain social culture, having a friend or some friends coming together to engage in conversation consisting of boasting, story-telling, flirting, gossip, complaining, mourning, criticism, condemn and back-biting is seemed to be a totally normal and acceptable behavior. While those who choose to stay away from such social interactions and conversations, and stay away from people who like to engage in such activities would be criticized for being unfriendly and impolite. In certain family bring up, acting to be agreeable and speaking lies to say nice things in front of others while they have bitterness, ill-thinking and ill-will towards others, but then, they want to complain and criticize and speak bad about others behind their backs is being recognized as a form of cultural politeness and socially acceptable behavior. But this is not yoga practice.

Those who practice seclusion and solitude and renouncing social activities, they minimize social activities and contacts with other human beings as much as possible including family and friends, as they can generate great distraction, polluting one’s mind with worldly ideas and attachments, pull one away from one’s yoga practice and disrupt one’s regular practice routine by taking up one’s time, space and energy for yoga practice, if one doesn’t have strong self-discipline and certain degree of non-attachment. This would be criticized by the passionate worldly minded sociable community as anti-social, cold, selfish, uncaring and unfriendly, which are being seen as abnormal, or wrong, or inappropriate, or unacceptable behavior to them. And hence, only those who are bold and have strong affirmation in their yoga and meditation practice for self-realization can take up the practice of renunciation, seclusion and solitude. All the others are just clinging onto the worldly names and forms and be happy with what the minds think and believe as worldly achievements, while doing some forms of yoga practice as part of their life activities to relieve stress, to be healthier and to feel better. There’s nothing wrong with that.

In yoga, it’s a noble act to benefit the society by focusing one’s life existence, time and energy for conquering one’s impure and outgoing mind, to be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, so that one can truly benefit and care for the society. Those who take seriously in this practice, they don’t talk much. They don’t mingle. They don’t spread further negativity or impurities into the society through social talking and mingling. They don’t commit actions of gossips, criticism, condemn, back-biting, boasting, flirting, teasing, telling lies, hypocrisy, finger-pointing, blames, complaints, grumble, mourning, and etc. They don't encourage or support others to engage in such activities by keeping themselves away from such activities or conversations.

Those whose minds are tamed, purified, one-pointed, undistracted and free from worldly passionate desires after underwent intense disciplines and restrictions, can then mix freely into the society and perform selfless actions to serve the worldly community without egoism, attachment and identification, while being undisturbed, or unaffected, or uninfluenced, or undetermined by the worldly activities, actions and the fruit of actions.

The worldly minded sociable community including many of those who think they love yoga, who practice or teach yoga, they might not be able to appreciate or understand the great value of renunciation nor will they have any interest in this practice. In fact, they criticize and condemn others who uphold renunciation, seclusion and solitude.

For most people, it's possible for them to cut off from the society for a short period of time, as they know they will be back into the society very soon, but it's impossible for them to be cutting off from family and friends and social activities for a prolonged period of time to allow the mind to have the prolonged period of being free from stimulation, to be quiet, to be in silence. The mind will resist and give itself many 'rational reasons' not to practice renunciation, seclusion and solitude.

Renunciation, seclusion and solitude can be developed through gradual process for most people who have strong attachment towards worldly identities, social activities, family ties and friendships. Such like attending short and long silent meditation retreats from time to time, giving themselves and their family and friends a 'rational reason' that "I will be away or won't be in contact with the society, family and friends for some time." and "It's totally okay if I don't mingle, don't talk, don't read news or books, don't look at others, don't mind about others or the world, and don't interact or associate with anyone, as I am in such a setting for it." Some people will start to appreciate such a great relief from being away from worldly social activities and relationships, but for many others, their minds are like fish out of water. There is no guarantee that after attending some silent retreats one will develop detachment and non-attachment towards worldly names and forms which is what yoga and meditation practice is all about.

Om shanti.

P/S : We can't and won't run yoga retreats when family and friends are visiting us. When we are running retreats, we don't accept any family or social visits as it disrupts the retreats. Personally, when I am not running yoga retreats or teaching classes or writing about yoga, I retreat from the social world as much as possible.

What do we practice in yoga?

Observing the mind and guarding the outgoing tendency and impurities.

The untrained impure mind needs to be trained, disciplined and purified.
The pure mind doesn't need any training, or disciplinary, or purification.

Counter the negativity in the mind with positive thinking.
Positive thinking is needless when the mind is free from negativity.

Render the busy restless mind to be quiet.

Annihilate egoism - the idea of 'I', attachment, identification, desires of craving and aversion.

Live in the present.

Be in peace.

Be happy.

Want to join a yoga retreat?

What does the 'retreat' in yoga retreat mean?

Many people think yoga retreats are for people to enjoy a yoga 'treat' or 're-treat' for oneself, where a group of people who like to do some yoga exercises come together to engage in a social 'yoga' meeting and interaction with some other people, and pampering their body and mind in pleasurable enjoyments.

It's normal for people to think like that as there are many yoga retreats in the world that are not about retreating from worldly social interactions and activities, to turn the outgoing mind inward for self-inquiry. These yoga retreats are not about retreating from the social world to allow the participants to focus on their yoga and meditation practice to quiet the mind, but they are more into engaging in social activities and interactions getting to know some other people, and getting a nice 'treat' to pamper oneself in some pleasurable physical and mental indulgence.

But, retreat is about retreating or renouncing from worldly affairs, objects, ideas, habits, social activities and sensual enjoyments, to quiet the mind, to restrict the mind from going out chasing after the object of the senses, to have a period of time and space to focus on one's yoga and meditation practice, to be with oneself, to observe one's mind, to deal with one's mind impurities, to limit mind inputs and outputs, even when there are some other people might be participating in the same retreat. Everyone should minimize social talking or interactions as much as possible, to turn the outgoing mind inward, and allow the mind to have the opportunity to move away from restlessness and its usual habits of actions and reactions, to calm and quiet the mind to know oneself. It makes no difference whether it is a personal private retreat or it's a group retreat with other participants.

If people are more interested in worldly affairs, objects, activities, ideas, social meeting and interactions than their own personal yoga and meditation practice to conquer their minds through quieting the mind and the elimination of ignorance and egoism, and they expect to be meeting with other people in the 'retreat' to be socializing with one another, they can participate in many other kinds of social activities organized by many different people and organizations around the world. As those who expect to have social interactions in a yoga retreat, they might be disturbing other retreat participants who join the retreat for retreat.

Although yoga retreats are not necessarily including the observation of complete silence, but all participants should try to minimize and restrict their speech, mental and physical activities, to conserve energy for yoga and meditation practice, and allowing the mind to have some moments of quietness to contemplate upon the truth of all the teachings of yoga.

Yoga retreat is not a place for mingling or socializing or interaction, but it's a great opportunity to practice simplicity, self-discipline, self-reliance, dispassion and renunciation while living among the society, to be by oneself moving away from worldly social interactions and activities to quiet the restless mind, to be reflecting upon the truth of names and forms, to be aware of the modifications of the mind to know thyself, besides looking after one daily's duty and responsibility such as maintaining the tidiness and cleanliness of the accommodation/living environment/practice space and looking after one's daily meals, while dealing with condition and situation that are not necessarily the way that we would like it to be, so that one can perform Yoga Sadhana at home observing simplicity, self-discipline, self-reliance, dispassion and renunciation while living among the society performing one's duty and responsibility in everyday life. At one stage, Swami Sivananda walked 15 km everyday to the nearby villages for Biksha (obtaining food by alms) besides performing daily Sadhana and selfless service while living a life of renunciation.

Many 'yoga retreats' in the world are not about quieting the restless mind via the practice of simplicity, self-discipline, self-reliance, dispassion and renunciation, but it's about being in an out of the world environment away from dealing with any duty and responsibility in everyday life, indulging in pleasurable enjoyments of the senses of desirable/agreeable/pleasant sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations and visualization/imagination/anticipation/expectation, gratifying the desires of craving and aversion, promoting mingling and socializing, enjoying all kinds of conveniences of hotel facilities and services, which most worldly minds expect what 'yoga retreat' is about. Food is prepared and served by somebody. Cleaning up and laundry are done by somebody. Room tidiness and cleanliness is maintained by somebody. Everyone just needs to enjoy mingling and socializing with the other retreat participants, while indulging in pleasurable yoga activities, spa treatments and all kinds of hotel facilities and services during the retreat.

And this is 'the world of yoga' that is supposed to be about living a life of simplicity, self-discipline, self-reliance, dispassion and renunciation from worldly activities/connections/interactions/enjoyments to free the mind from ignorance and egoism, but many people are unaware of the 'yoga classes' or 'yoga retreats' that they have been attending are not about Yoga Sadhana to free the mind from ignorance and egoism, but it's actually empowering ignorance and egoism instead.

Om shanti.

Addicted to anger and bitterness...

Some people don't like to be angry and bitter, and want to be free from anger and bitterness.

While some people seem to enjoy being angry and bitter from time to time, and have no interest to stop being angry and bitter.

Anger and bitterness can be addictive. Just like most minds are addicted to being busy seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking, they have to be engaging in some sorts of mental or physical activities, or else they will feel very uncomfortable and irritated. Like fish out of water. After being in a silent meditation retreat for a few days observing all the disciplines of the silent retreat, the mind will want to runaway, thinking "What am I doing here? Wasting my time. I better off going back to the outside world doing something that I like to do..."

Some people don't feel good or comfortable, if their minds are not having certain degrees of tension for some time.

The mind is already used to certain degrees of tension occupying the mind. The mind feels comfortable having certain degrees of tension that it familiars with.

The mind doesn't know how to allow itself to be in a relaxed state, without any tension arise in the mind. The mind identifies the relaxed state of mind without any tension as boredom or void. And this makes the mind feels anxious, or out of control about everything and whatever situation that it is encountering. The mind prefers to be in a state of tension as it makes the mind feels safe and comfortable, or be in control and feels good about itself.

By being angry and bitter can generate a particular type of sensation/tension which the mind is craving for, or addicted to.

Due to impermanence, when the anger and bitterness towards something or someone is lessening or fading away from the mind, the mind will start looking for some other objects to be the target for the mind to be angry and bitter at. The mind doesn't feel comfortable if anger and bitterness is absent in the mind. This behavior pattern of the mind exists in those who have the habits of fault finding, moaning, grumbling, back-biting, arguing, criticizing and condemning.

The mind actually takes pleasure in the tension or sensation that come from anger and bitterness. Just like certain people take pleasure in self-harm, and they won't feel good and satisfied unless they induce self-harm onto themselves.

If we are aware of our mind keeps falling into a state of anger and bitterness quite frequently from time to time, while knowing that anger and bitterness is unhealthy for the body and mind, but still it wants to be in a state of anger and bitterness, then know that our mind could be addicted to anger and bitterness.

We think that there is something or someone that we don't like or disagree with that inflicts the anger and bitterness in us. We think that our existing life problems and unhappiness are the responsibility of something or somebody, but not 'I'.

Actually it's our own mind finds pleasure in anger and bitterness, and keeps looking for something and someone to be a target for the mind to express anger and bitterness to satisfy the craving for certain tension or sensation.

No one can free another being from this ignorance and suffering. It has to come from self-realization of what is going on in the mind and understanding the behavior pattern of the mind, and willingly want to get out from the behavior pattern of the mind, or stop all the madness.

Om shanti.

Take a break, have a silent moment...

"What do you do for recreation?"

"What do you do to relax or unwind yourself?"

If we know how to avoid underusing or overusing the body and the mind, there's no such need to relax or unwind the body and the mind.

The well-trained mind unattached to the qualities of names and forms, it will not be disturbed nor affected by the objects of names and forms that it perceives from moment to moment, it won't be in a state of stressed nor being restless, it doesn't need to be relaxed or to be unwind. If the mind is being in the present moment now, free from craving and aversion, free from duality and separateness, there's no boredom or loneliness. It doesn't need to be doing something "special" or "additional" for recreation, stimulation or entertainment to get rid of boredom and loneliness, or to feel good and meaningful. The mind is at ease and content as it is. The mind doesn't run outward to chase after objects of names and forms.

There are so many things going on in the untrained mind, constantly receiving inputs and sending outputs through the senses, sense organs and the organs of action (mouth, feet, hands, organ of excretion and organ of procreation), as well as it keeps wandering to the past memories and future anticipations.

We might think we are like this, "I don't talk much. I am a quiet person. I like quietness..." But, in truth, our mind is so noisy. We can't stop talking most of the time, whether verbally or mentally. The mind is so busy, so wild, so passionate, so restless, so stimulated, so ambitious, so many plans, so much desires, so many things wants to say, so many things wants to do, so many things wants to achieve, and so on.

If we truly want to conquer our own mind to realize unconditional peace, especially if our mind is the type that easily be disturbed, and gets irritated and annoyed by what the ego doesn't like to see or hear, or easily be offended by what the ego doesn't agree with, then it will be conducive for us to reduce talking, or minimize engaging in social conversation, as our mind will be influenced and disturbed by the action of talking, and be disturbed, agitated or depressed by the content of the conversation due to the undisciplined egoistic mind reacts towards what it likes and dislikes, agrees and disagrees with. The mind is in the state of restlessness all the time, being busy thinking, analyzing, judging, comparing, remembering, longing, anticipating, speculating, projecting, expecting, and so on.

The ego wants to assert itself and be acknowledged, "I have some opinions and points of view. I have something to say. I agree with this, and I don't agree with that. I think it should be like this. Listen to me. Why won't you listen to me? Why won't you agree with me? Why won't you believe me? Why do you want to argue with me?" And so on.

If we truly want to practice yoga and meditation, then be persevered and determined to quiet the mind. Allow the mind to have a break from restlessness. Talk less. Reduce the mind activities. Concentrate the mind on fewer objects for start, and then render it to be one-pointedness concentrating at one single object in time. Silent the mind. And peace will surface.

Om shanti.

Freedom of thinking, action and speech?

We want to be able to have freedom of thinking, action and speech. That's what most people fight for from ancient until now. When we want to be able to express ourselves through thinking, action and speech freely, do we also allow other people to express themselves through thinking, action and speech freely, even though we might not like and might not agree with their thinking, action and speech? Do we easily or automatically be disturbed, offended, angry and unhappy when we hear or see something that we cannot agree with or we think it's insulting or disrespecting? Do we want to be free from disturbs, anger, disappointment, dissatisfaction, restlessness and unhappiness? Do we really want to have peace? Or, do we actually enjoy all the disturbs, anger, disappointment, dissatisfaction, restlessness and unhappiness, and don't really like peace (as it seems to be quite boring without excitement and stimulation.)

There's nothing wrong with expressing our thinking and points of view about our agreements and disagreements, about what we believe as right and wrong, and to discuss or debate about certain subject freely. That's the natural habit of the mind. That's what a mind does to 'feel' being existing, to be acknowledged by itself and the world of its existence.

 

It's not just about we want to have freedom of thinking, action, expression and speech, but we must also understand that all actions will bring desirable/undesirable or expected/unexpected consequences of action. There will be agreeable/disagreeable and pleasant/unpleasant reactions coming from other people of different backgrounds reacting towards our thinking, action, expression and speech.

When we only allow ourselves to have freedom of thinking, action and speech, to believe in whatever we want to believe, to do whatever we want to do, and to express or say whatever we want to express or say, even if it appears to be insulting/disrespecting/offensive towards certain things for certain people of different background, but at the same time, we don't allow other people to have freedom of thinking, action, expression and speech, or to react in certain way towards our thinking, action, expression and speech, and we want to 'correct' their thinking, action/reaction and speech to be the way that we think it should be, the way that we like and agree with, and that is what the world is happening now - it starts with disagreements, then arguments, clashes, unrest, hatred, violence, wars, killing, torturing, and etc.

If someone needs to 'change' or 'be corrected', it has to come from oneself being aware of there's something in oneself that needs to be 'changed' or 'corrected', and willingly to 'change' or 'correct' what needs to be 'changed' or 'corrected' by oneself, and it's not coming from other beings trying to 'change' or 'correct' another being.

When we practice yoga and meditation, we are changing the habits of this mind (our own mind, not other people's mind). We are silencing the mind. When the mind is silent, turning inward resting in the chamber of the heart, wave-less/action-less, what is freedom of thinking, action, expression and speech?

Taming and quieting the busy outgoing self-righteous expressive mind is our yoga and meditation practice. The rest are just 'toys' to bring the attention of the mind into this present moment.

That's why the observance of silence is the most important practice in meditation retreat. It doesn't matter whether we are intellectual or not, it doesn't matter we are whom we think we are, it doesn't matter how healthy, strong and flexible is our physical body and what it can do or cannot do, it doesn't matter we have been to a yoga school or not, or have studied and learned under which Guru or which school, it doesn't matter how long we have been studying and practicing yoga and meditation, it doesn't matter how much we know or don't know about this and that, it doesn't matter what we believe what things are and how things should be, we all do one same practice. We silent/withdraw the thought-waves (the mind), the organ of action (the body) and the organ of speech (the expression).

When we see, or hear, or smell, or taste, or touch, or think about something that we like or dislike, agree or disagree with, we observe, be aware. Just observe and be aware, without identification, without attachment, without reacting, without judging, without anticipating, without craving, without aversion, without clinging, without rejecting. This practice might take some time to be effortless. But then our mind will taste freedom and peace. Real freedom and unconditional peace. Freedom from ignorance, egoism, attachment, desire and impurities (in short, suffering).

Freedom of thinking, action and speech is there when we have the clarity and understanding to decide or choose what we want to think, act/react, express and say, or not. Being able to decide/choose what to think, act/react, express and say, and what not to think, act/react, express and say, is the real freedom of thinking, action, expression and speech. It's not about being able to think, act/react, express and say anything and everything freely, even if it will cause painful sorrow/suffering to ourselves and/or other beings.

 

Just like we can choose to keep our hands away from contacting with fire directly because we don't want to suffer injury or pain from being burnt by fire. It doesn't mean that we are lack of freedom of action when we choose not to perform certain action that will cause injury or pain to oneself and/or others, thinking that freedom of action means, "I want to be able to do whatever I want to do, such as be able to put my hands into the fire for as long as I want and I expect myself not getting injury or pain from being burnt." That's ignorance, not freedom at all.

Om shanti.