Prosperity is nothing if without looking after the mental health of the people

When the world is focusing largely on the importance of basic survival, living skills, livelihood, family, relationships, friendships, education, job, career, business, personal growth, community growth, all kinds of empowerment, economy growth, infrastructure development, township, modernization, convenience, comfort, architecture, history, welfare of the environment, welfare of the animals, prosperity, financial security, national security, politics, religion, culture, sports and fitness, health and beauty, enjoyment, entertainment, social medias, investment, medical health care, insurance, holiday travelling, property ownership, advanced technology, gadgets, lifestyles, old age retirement plan, and etc, many people have been neglecting towards looking after the mental health of oneself as well as all the others in the society.

Prosperity, financial security and national security is nothing, when more and more people in the society are losing their mental health, and most people are not even aware of themselves are losing their mental health.

There will be increasing unrest and disharmony in the world, if more and more people are losing their mental health, losing the clarity of thinking, reasoning power, conscience, self-control, or peace in oneself that affects the peace and harmony in the surrounding environment.

Physical illness or injury is nothing, it can't do much harm, as those with certain physical illness or injury most probably don't have the enough energy or attention to be engaging in many kinds of physical and mental activities, and especially if the minds still have very good mental health with the clarity of thinking and reasoning power that is free from the influence of any corrupted thinking and belief, that give rise to correct understanding and self-control, they don't, and wouldn't create additional unnecessary suffering or damages unto oneself and others, or into the surrounding environment. Even if they are under certain physical limitations due to certain physical illness or injury, but they can still make good use of the knowledge, creativity and skills that they have, to be performing certain wholesome mental activities for oneself and/or others within their limited energy level, under the presence of good mental health.

Meanwhile, people with certain mental illness, who have lost the clarity of thinking or self-control, where the reasoning power is under the influence of certain corrupted thinking and belief, that give rise to incorrect understanding and corrupted behaviors, actions and reactions, even if the mind can be highly intelligent and have been receiving higher education, where the mind is well-equipped with many different types of knowledge, creativity and skills, and they might have very good physical health and fitness condition, and have very high energy level, that enabling them to be performing many kinds of physical and mental actions that could create lots of unnecessary suffering or damages unto oneself and others, and into the surrounding environment, either wittingly or unwittingly, intentionally or unintentionally, directly or indirectly.

This mental illness is not about depression.

Suffering from depression due to certain abnormal condition and function in the brains, does not necessarily mean that they don't have, wouldn't have, or couldn't have the clarity of thinking and reasoning power that is free from the influence of any corrupted thinking and belief, that give rise to correct understanding and self-control. One can be suffering from mild or intense depression, but still can maintain certain degrees of clarity of thinking and reasoning power that is free from the influence of corrupted thinking and belief, to be having correct understanding and self-control, if there's a will.

Similarly, most of the minds that are under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, and are suffering from the restless selfless modifications of the mind, might still can have certain degrees of self-awareness being aware of the presence of ignorance, egoism and impurities in their mind, being aware of the suffering of restlessness, and might have the will power to help oneself, to be doing something about it, or not.

The most serious and destructive form of mental illness, is when the mind is functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism, that is suffering under the presence of impurities and restlessness, and is being over-powered by the ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness, while being ignorant towards what is happening in one's restless and corrupted modifications of the mind, being ignorant towards the presence of ignorance, egoism and impurities in one's mind, void of any self-awareness and self-control, and generates lots of random ignorant damaging behaviors, actions and reactions under the influence of such ignorance and the disturbed suffering restless state of the mind.

There are plenty of such minds in the world in all levels and all fields. That's why the world is being what it is now, the consequences of the many corrupted understanding, thinking, beliefs, desires, behaviors, actions and reactions of the many corrupted minds that either have lost or are losing their mental health.

One can still be do something to help oneself to be looking after the mental health of oneself before it's too late, if there's a will, or there is the presence of the yearning towards liberation from all these ignorance and suffering, or corruptions, or disturbed states of the mind.

Depression, or any levels of mental illness, doesn't determine the mind as good or bad.

None should be discriminated because of the suffering of depression or the suffering of certain type and level of mental illness.

Nobody want to be ill. Nobody want to be ignorant. Nobody want to be in any kinds of suffering. Those who intentionally want themselves and others to be ill, to be ignorant, and to be suffering, are very ill indeed.

All are suffering, under the absence of good mental health, or under the presence of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness or the corrupted and disturbed states of the mind, suffering from and being over-powered by pride, arrogance, attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, fear, worry, greed, jealousy, hostility, defensiveness, offensiveness, anger and hatred, and have no idea towards what is going on in the mind.

It's merely whether the mind has correct understanding and self-control, or not, that contribute to certain unnecessary damages, unrest and disharmony in oneself and others and into the surrounding environment, or not.

Even those who think and believe that they are highly compassionate, empathetic or loving human beings, that their religion or belief is centered in love and loving kindness, and they want to show loving kindness to others whom they perceived as suffering beings, would also be empowering ignorance and egoism, empowering the mental and emotional dependency among one another to attain certain degrees of momentary relief but doesn't help to root out the cause of suffering, out of such ignorance and egoism.

What compassion, love, or loving kindness, when there's ill will towards those whom they dislike and disagree with, to be deserving and receiving all kinds of badness and painful suffering or be sent to 'hell' for undergoing punishment and painful suffering, while thinking and believing that oneself and those who are good, compassionate and loving, would be deserving all kinds of goodness and enjoyments, and will go to 'heaven' for enjoying all kinds of goodness?

Similarly, by gratifying the desire of craving and aversion via doing something and being with somebody that oneself likes and agrees with, might be empowering the momentary sense of confidence, goodness, happiness, positiveness and meaningfulness, that might give certain degrees of momentary relief, but it doesn't help to root out the cause of suffering or the disturbed restless states of the mind.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Free the mind from craving towards love, acknowledgement, appreciation and/or validation from anyone

There's nothing wrong with receiving love, acknowledgement and appreciation from some other beings in our life, if it's there. It's the social/cultural/psychological thinking and belief about human beings 'need' to be receiving love, acknowledgement, appreciation and/or validation from some others or a community for being existing in this world to feel meaningful, love, high self-esteem, worthy, satisfaction, happiness, and so on, that is why so many people are 'suffering' from the sense of loneliness, missingness, meaninglessness, lovelessness, low self-esteem, low self-worth, disappointment, unhappiness, and so on, when they think they are not receiving/getting 'enough' love, acknowledgment and appreciation from some others to fuel/boost their sense of meaningfulness, love, self-esteem, self-worth, satisfaction, happiness, and so on.

Though the 'legal' validation and authorization by some self claimed/community supported 'authority' for being existing, living, doing something and moving around in this world is something else, which is truly unnecessary and shouldn't be existing at all, as well as it's the main source of all kinds of discrimination, unrest and humanity cruelty, but we all are being 'legally bound' by it the moment we were being born into this world, reluctantly. When people actively fight for freedom of anything in this world, it's actually about freedom from being 'controlled' by any 'corrupted' legality/authorization/authority. The world would be a much better place if without any so called legality/authorization/authority that create borders and separation among human beings, while discriminating and oppressing all and everyone 'legally'.

Regardless of the many different types of ethnic, cultural and social background in the world, it's common that many people were being brought up/educated in the way of developing intense attachment and identification towards a personal, family and community identity that fueled by a strong sense of belonging and recognition coming from attaining or receiving love, acknowledgement, appreciation, acceptance, accreditation, validation, liking and support from some others, or family, or a community. This is part of the play of ignorance and egoism that relates to the many kinds of mental and emotional suffering in this world.

The basic practice of yoga and Buddhism is to free the mind from such ignorance and egoism through the practice of dispassion, renunciation, non-attachment, non-identification, desireless, non-craving, non-aversion and non-expectation.

It's normal that many people, including yoga practitioners and yoga teachers, who never practice dispassion, renunciation, non-attachment, non-identification and non-craving/clinging/aversion towards all and everything, would be disturbed very much by the sense of loneliness, missingness, meaninglessness, low self-esteem, unworthiness, disappointment, unhappiness, grief, sorrow, and so on, upon the presence and absence of certain experience, condition and situation that they think and believe is the cause of loneliness, missingness, meaninglessness, low self-esteem, unworthiness, disappointment, unhappiness, grief and sorrow in their life existence.

Self-esteem and self-worth shouldn't and doesn't need to be existing in this life existence of impermanent and selfless names and forms, but that's the way human beings were/are being 'conditioned' to develop 'self-esteem' and 'self-worth' to be somebody who constantly needs to be 'loved', 'accepted', 'acknowledged', 'appreciated', and/or 'validated' by some others, their family and community, from the moment being born until the moment of death.

No one can 'help' those who are reluctant to help themselves to be free from all kinds of mental and emotional suffering by freeing their minds from ignorance and egoism, not to say, those who feel being 'offended' very much by this teaching of yoga and Buddhism about freeing one's mind from ignorance and egoism, alone by oneself, but only looking forward to be giving and receiving love, acknowledgement, appreciation, acceptance, accreditation, approval, agreement, liking and support between one another, to attain certain 'validation' of being 'existing' in this worldly life existence, to chase away the sense of loneliness, meaninglessness, missingness, unworthiness, disappointment, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, and so on.

Upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, one doesn't even need any 'validation' from oneself, not to say, from anyone else.

胜不骄 败不馁

胜不骄 败不馁 parenting method vs "Good job, well done, we are so proud of you and you should be so proud of yourself" kind of parenting method.

If more people understand 胜不骄 败不馁 rather than "I need to achieve something and be somebody that will make myself and other people feel proud of", then the psychologists in the world will be out of job.

In the end, it's what matters most to oneself

For some people, to be able to contribute to humanity, to help and serve other beings selflessly is what matters most.

For some people, to be able to think and move freely, to go everywhere freely is what matters most.

For some people, to have peace and harmony is what matters most.

For some people, to have joy and happiness is what matters most.

For some people, to be able to love and be loved is what matters most.

For some people, to have good health is what matters most.

For some people, to have a shelter from harsh weather and be free from hunger and thirst is what matters most.

For some people, to have a complete and happy family is what matters most.

For some people, to have a successful career that support a stable income and comfortable living is what matters most.

For some people, to have one or many good friends to support each other is what matters most.

For some people, to be able to achieve all their ambitions, to do whatever they like to do and enjoy whatever they want to enjoy is what matters most.

For some people, to accumulate wealth and power is what matters most.

For some people, they want to have all and everything, if possible.

For some people they don't know what they want or what matters most.

For some people, they thought they know what they want and what matters most, but not really.

There's neither right nor wrong, it's just about what matter to oneself in the end.

For those who practice yoga and meditation, to live in the present being free from desires of craving and aversion, to free the mind from ignorance and egoism and the suffering of the consequences of ignorance and egoism, is what matters most.

For many people, "If people don't kill themselves out of tiredness, restlessness, unhappiness, depression, dissatisfaction, disappointment, loneliness, boredom, hurts, guilt, regret, painful sorrow and meaninglessness, and be grateful for being alive and appreciating life, family and friends, be positive keep on fighting for the values of life or what they think is 'humanity', try to create or contribute to a 'better world', and be optimistic never give up searching for happiness, satisfaction and meaningfulness through engaging in 'constructive' ideas/objects/relationships/friendships/activities in this impermanent worldly life existence, it's good enough for existing as a 'human being'."

There's nothing wrong with passionate worldly desires/ambitions/relationships/activities, as it's what most people think and believe what (lively and meaningful) life existence is about. In the end, it's what matters most to oneself.

Meanwhile, for those who sincerely want to practice yoga and realize yoga, silencing/annihilating the mind to attain Self-realization to know the truth of the mind/thyself/what the mind thinks is 'I', or liberation from ignorance/suffering, is what matters most.

Stop feeding worldly passionate thinking/beliefs/ideas/objects/ambitions/social interactions/activities/relationships/desires to the mind, to annihilate the idea of 'I' existing in a selfless worldly life existence of the objects of the senses of impermanent names and forms, is the essence of the traditional yoga practice. For many people, including yoga practitioners and yoga teachers, would perceive this kind of yoga practice of dispassionate/disinterest towards 'worldly life of ambitions, enjoyments, relationships, interactions and activities', and renouncing 'worldly social affair and family life' as 'lifelessness' or 'meaninglessness', and they would not like to practice 'this kind' of yoga.

One can think and believe that one has been practicing many different types of yoga practice for some time or a long time, and receiving the many benefits of the regular and persist 'yoga practice', but at the same time, the mind is still very much engaging/entangling in the passionate worldly life of worldly affairs/objects/activities/thinking/beliefs/ideas/ambitions/relationships/desires under the influence of egoism of attachment and identification towards certain qualities of names and forms, then this mind is not free, even though one might feel good, happy and satisfied with having certain desirable achievements and relationships in the present, upon coming in contact with the qualities of names and forms that the mind likes and desires, and not coming in contact with the qualities of names and forms that the mind doesn't like and doesn't desire.

Some yoga practitioners would think and believe that they are quite 'dispassionate' and 'being unattached' towards all the worldly affairs/contacts/objects/ideas/relationships/activities/interactions while they are living/mingling among the society/community and actively engaging in 'what/how all 'good, normal and healthy' human beings do in everyday life.'

If one wants to know the truth of one's mind, one can practice serious solitude and seclusion for at least 5 to 6 years, being away from all kinds of worldly affairs/contacts/ideas/objects/activities/relationships/interactions, and one will see the truth of this mind. Fear, doubt, loneliness, emptiness, boredom and meaninglessness kick in and most minds will want to run away from the practice of solitude and seclusion after a prolonged period of time due to the under current of ignorance and subtle attachment and identification towards worldly life of names and forms. They will tell themselves and others that it's not necessary to practice solitude and seclusion as part of the yoga practice, and it's better and more meaningful to practice yoga of living a 'good, normal and healthy' everyday life just like all the other 'normal' human beings, building relationships and accumulating friendships, enjoying and engaging in worldly interactions and activities, mingling into the society to 'serve other beings', do some work to make a living, do some yoga and breathing exercises, do some meditation practice, do some healthy recreation activities, go for holidays from time to time to unwind.

"Helping/sharing with others makes me happy, good family relationships and friendships makes me happy, being with family and good friends makes me happy, experiencing or doing this makes me happy. They give me the sense of meaningfulness in life existence." What happens when all the 'names and forms' that make me happy and give me the sense of meaningfulness changed into something else and is no longer available?

Some people had the ability and opportunity to do all the things that they wanted to do, went and travel everywhere that they wanted to go, met with many other people and experienced many different cultures, obtained the vast knowledge of many things in this world, attained great success in their career and had a nice family and friends circle and wide social networks, being admired by many people in the world, had a comfortable lifestyle, but still, the mind was not free from suffering.

Be free.

Learn how to be alone and do nothing, without feeling lonely, left out, unloved, unworthy or bored

Solitude or aloneness is being perceived by many people as something terrible or wrong that can happen to a human being. That is because people's minds are being conditioned to think and believe in that way. And there's nothing to be argued about as people's minds are thinking in certain ways and believing in certain beliefs. That's how people are being taught and brought up by their parents or the society for how people think and what to believe.

Many people never learn how to be alone by themselves and do nothing, without clinging onto other people, to be surrounded by other people to be interacting or communicating with them physically and mentally. They will feel lonely, left out, unloved, unworthy or bored, if there is a prolonged period of time that there are no people around them to be interacting with. They constantly looking/craving for physical and mental attention, love, interaction and companionship. A lot of time this is because the parents never teach or allow their children to learn how to be alone by themselves and do nothing, without feeling lonely, left out, unloved, unworthy or bored. The parents try to give maximum love and attention to their children and make sure their children always be busy with doing something and interacting with some other people, either mentally or physically, or both. They think this is good for them, this is the proper way of growth development and to show that they are good parents who love and care for their children very much.

That is also one of the important elements why there are people suffering from loneliness, low self-esteem, depression, boredom, unloved, unworthiness, meaninglessness, and so on. The children are being brought up in the way of building up intense attachment towards the love, attention, interaction and companionship from one or both of their parents or caretakers, but the parents or caretakers will not be always being by their side, and there will not be always somebody there to give them the attention, love and companionship that they like and want, that they cling onto and crave for. They never learn how to be alone by themselves and do nothing. Their minds are being used to interactive stimulation, receiving inputs and expressing outputs. These minds can't stand being silence without any inputs or outputs for a few moments. The sense of loneliness, left out, unloved, unworthiness, depression, meaninglessness and boredom kicks in as soon as they are being away from family and friends that are always being close by physically, to interacting with and doing things together all the time.

Just like for the children without a father or both parents, people might think that by showing them lots of love and attention will help them and benefit them. People like to say, "People need love." and they think that it means giving or showing love (affection) to other people who need love. But what people really need is realizing the unconditional unlimited love in themselves, without expecting love (affection) through receiving love (affection) from others. If people don't know how to teach or allow the children to be independent, about how to realize love in themselves and how to be alone by themselves, that they can be happy and live life meaningfully as they are, even without one or both of the parents being by their side physically or mentally giving them personal love, attention and companionship, then when the children think they don't get enough of love, attention and companionship from the parents who are not being there for them all the time, these children will try to cling onto other people looking for attention, love, interaction and companionship.

It's okay that one doesn't have one or both of the parents being with them or to be there for them. Even if there is one or both of the parents being there for them, it doesn't mean that the parents have to or will be there all the time, that there are times that one or both of the parents might not be there for them temporary or permanently. And it's okay.

It's okay that one doesn't have anyone or friends and family members being with them or to be there for them. One can love oneself, whether doing something or doing nothing by oneself, and be happy and live life meaningfully being alone by oneself without anyone beside them to interact or communicate with physically or mentally. One has no craving for love, attention, interaction and companionship from other beings. One is peaceful as it is, being free from attachment and craving.

But all these children grow up without learning or knowing know how to be alone by themselves, and do nothing, without feeling lonely, left out, unloved, unworthy or bored. They suffer from loneliness, low self-esteem, unworthiness, boredom, depression and meaninglessness, if they think there's no one there being with them or to be there for them, to interact with them, to give them love, attention, interaction and companionship.

Sooner or later, everyone will have to deal with solitude or aloneness at some stage in life whether we like it, or not. It is a natural process of life. It's something wonderful if one knows the truth of aloneness or solitude. Only those who know this, will know.

Those who don't know, they have strong aversion or fear towards solitude, afraid of being alone by themselves, and they will be suffering from loneliness, low self-esteem, unworthiness, boredom, meaninglessness and depression if there's a gap in life where there's nobody being with them to be interacting or communicating with, physically or mentally. They think and believe that it's because they are not good enough, that's why they are being left out, unloved and being alone by themselves, that they are so pitiful without anyone, friends or family being with them, to give them love, attention and companionship, physically or mentally. They always feel that they are not good enough, that they need to be in competition with other people especially their brothers and sisters to get the maximum love and attention from their parents. They need other people to show thankfulness and appreciation for what they have done for others to feel that they and their effort of doing something are being appreciated and acknowledged. They always try very hard to please everybody to make everyone love them and acknowledge them that they are good enough and well-deserved with love and happiness. They always do things trying to make other people feel proud of them. But, they don't realize that they don't have to please anyone to make other people love them, or be proud of them. People who love them will love them as they are. Those who don't love them will not love them even if they try to please these people. And many people will take advantage of the people who want or need to be loved by other people.

Most parents or caretakers don't realize that it's how they bring up the children that had caused the children to think and believe like that, to be suffering from love seeking, attention seeking, lack of something, missing something, or craving for something, and suffering from loneliness, low self-esteem, depression, boredom, meaninglessness, and so on, through out their entire life, unless/until they realize the truth that they don't have to think and believe and suffer in such way. When they have their own family, that is also how they are going to bring up their children the way that how their parents brought them up, and most probably, their children will also end up like them, unless the children start to think for themselves and realize what is unconditional love from within oneself towards oneself.

People also perceive the state of fullness or non-separateness, where one doesn't need any other beings to be there to show love, attention and companionship, to be interacting with, to feel loved and meaningful, as something horrible or wrong. They think that these people who don't need other beings being with them to be there for them, without feeling lonely, unloved, unworthy, meaningless, left out or bored, are impossible or insane or hard, and that these people must be so lonely and unhappy and live life meaninglessly for not needing anybody being there for them, where in truth, these people are peaceful, happy and live life meaningfully without being depending on other beings' love, attention, interaction, acknowledgement and companionship to life live meaningfully, or to feel loved and worthy, or to be free from loneliness and boredom.

Those who think and believe that they need to have other people's love, attention, interaction, acknowledgement and companionship to feel loved and worthy and meaningful, to not feel lonely and bored, are not free at all. But people don't see that. And that's their freedom of thinking and believe.

Doesn't need anyone to be there for one to be happy and live life meaningfully, doesn't mean that one is rejecting love and companionship from others, but, one will enjoy and appreciate all the love and companionship from others that are available in the present moment, without craving or clinging onto the love and companionship from others to be who they are, to feel happy and meaningful, or not. And when there is absence of love and companionship from others, one is still peaceful and happy and live life meaningfully as one is.

If people still can't understand this, no one can make them understand. One has to realize this by oneself through direct experience and self-realization. Even some yoga and meditation teachers also don't understand this. They teach about in order to counter loneliness, boredom, meaninglessness, depression, low self-esteem, or unworthiness, people need to have more friends to interact with, to play with, to communicate with, to share with. And it's okay.

Be free.

When the mind is greatly disturbed by the inputs from social medias

Compassion is reflected in an equanimous mind that remains undisturbed under any difficult or challenging conditions and situations.

If the mind is greatly disturbed by the inputs from social medias, may it be worldly issues or regional issues or personal issues, then out of compassion towards oneself and others, it's better for the mind to stay away from social medias for some time. Be kind to this mind and take care of this mind.

Losing the balanced state of the mind doesn't help the world that one loves and cares very much to be better or to be free from suffering, no matter how intense that one loves and cares towards other beings or the world. It's everyone's freedom for how they feel and what they want to do. Those who practice yoga is to maintain equanimous and undisturbed under any condition and situation, that allows the mind to be compassionate and have the clarity to perform necessary actions out of wisdom.

One doesn't need to react with great disturbance of anger, hatred, disappointment, distress, depression, ill-thinking and ill-will, to show that one cares a lot for the world or sympathizes towards other people's suffering. The disturbed reactions of the mind towards something that the mind dislikes and disagrees with is nothing to do with compassion.

Being compassionate towards oneself and others, is reflected in a peaceful mind, where there is awareness of the inputs or the knowledge of names and forms, and there might be action need to be performed to deal with difficult condition or situation, but there's no disturbed reaction of impurities arise in the mind towards something that the intellect recognizes as 'bad', 'horrible', 'terrible', 'negative', 'wrong', 'depressing' or 'sorrowful'.

When the mind doesn't react with anger, hatred, disappointment, distress, depression, grief, or sorrow, it doesn't mean that this mind is unconcerned or cruel or discompassionate. The mind can be compassionate and sympathize towards the suffering of oneself and others, but it doesn't has to be reflected with impurities of anger, hatred, disappointment, distress, depression, grief, or sorrow. There's nothing wrong with the reflection of anger, hatred, disappointment, distress, depression, grief, or sorrow in the mind towards something that the intellect recognizes as 'bad', 'horrible', 'terrible', 'negative', 'wrong', 'depressing' or 'sorrowful', but it has nothing to do with compassion.

Impurities are the product of ignorance and egoism. When the mind is under the influence of ignorance and egoism, this mind is unable to be compassionate, even though it might show sympathy and empathy towards the suffering in oneself and others, while being disturbed by the unpleasant difficult condition and situation.

To realize the distinct between compassion (that is undisturbed by the object of suffering) and passionate sympathy/empathy (that is physically, mentally, emotionally be disturbed by the object of suffering), is the yoga practice.

Many people who attached onto worldly thinking and belief might interpret this undisturbed state of mind as unsympathetic or unempathetic, as they think and believe human beings should react with anger, hatred, disappointment, distress, depression, grief, or sorrow towards something that they think is 'bad', 'horrible', 'terrible', 'negative', 'wrong', 'depressing' or 'sorrowful', otherwise, it's abnormal, uncivilized, insane, inhuman or wrong, if people don't react in such way. And that's okay. It's everyone's freedom for what they think and how they want to feel and react towards everything that they perceive.

Those who know, they know. Those who don't know, they don't know. Can't do anything about it.

Obsession

Obsession is a form of attachment or clinging. Being obsessed with particular type of food, physical appearance, body shape and composition, body weight, muscles definition, attire, brand, fitness training, diet trend, healthy option, living standard, living environment, social media, selfies, smartphone, relationship, idol, activity, social interaction, cultural practice, religious practice, superstitious belief, ritual, position, number, colour, timing, cleanliness, and anything that can become a form of obsession. It becomes a form of mental illness, when the state of the mind is being conditioned or determined or affected by the obsession towards something, where the mind would be greatly disturbed when the obsession is disrupted or inaccessible, and without awareness, one might hurt oneself or others out of the disturbed state of the mind.

There's nothing wrong with different people having their own particular type of thinking and belief to set as a guideline to live a particular way of life, or engage in a particular activity, or consume a particular type of diet, or do things in a particular way, that the mind thinks and believes is the best and beneficial for oneself, or for other people and the world, that would make the mind feels good, meaningful, happy and pleased.

But when the mind starts to become overly obsessive towards a particular thinking and belief to live a particular way of life, or engage in a particular activity, or consume a particular type of diet, or do things in a particular way, where the mind would feel disturbed, or bad, or anxious, or worried, or guilty, or upset, or angry, or depressed, or disappointed, if for some reasons, the particular way of life, the activity, the type of diet or the way of doing things is disrupted or is not the way that the mind wants it to be.

Even if the object of obsessiveness is something that the mind or the society believes as 'good', 'positive', or 'meaningful', any kind of obsessiveness is still a form of mental illness.

Such like, there were/are artists, musicians, actors, entertainers, designers, scientists, writers, or sportspeople suffered from restlessness, or sleep deprivation, or depression, or mood swing, or anxiety, or self-harm, or drug/alcohol abuse, and etc, due to being obsessed with pushing their body and mind beyond its limitation to attain success or higher achievement and improvement in their respective profession.

There are yoga and meditation practitioners developed obsessiveness towards their particular type of practice, or lineage, or diet, or ritual, or accessories, or the order of things and practice, or yoga pose, or physical alignment, or energy field, or astrology, or dreams, or making connection, or self-identification, or self-image, or spiritual achievement, or psychic development, and so on.

Many people are being obsessed with personal identity, self-image, social status and professional image. Some people are being obsessed with the collection or accumulation of certain objects. Some people are being obsessed with attaining greater improvement. Some are obsessed with orderliness while some are being obsessed with disorderliness. Some people are obsessed with particular type of smell or fragrance and taste. Some people are obsessed with meat eating or non-meat eating. It can be anything that determining or conditioning the state of the mind very much, that people would be greatly disturbed or upset or depressed when their obsession towards something is disrupted or unattainable.

A little bit of obsessiveness would eventually grow into a form of mental disorder, if there's no awareness towards what is going on in the mind, but the mind is under the influence of the egoistic desires of craving and aversion being obsessed with personal, worldly, spiritual, mental and physical achievement, development and enhancement for attaining the sense of success, goodness, meaningfulness and happiness.

Those who truly understand the practice of yoga and meditation do not push their body and mind beyond its limitation out of egoistic intention and expectation of "I want my body, my mind and my life to be like this and not like that, to achieve a particular goal or perfection." but out of compassion, there are necessary actions being performed to take care the well-being of the body and mind, being kind to the body and mind and appreciating life existence, without hurting or straining the body and mind beyond its limitation to be the way that the ego wants it to be, to achieve what the ego wants to achieve. The mind is at peace and equanimous, being undisturbed or unaffected when it is not able to come in contact with the object that it likes, or when it is not able to do what it likes to do. There's nothing wrong with having enjoyment or doing something that the mind likes to do, but there's no attachment or clinging or obsessiveness, without being determined by what the mind likes to enjoy, being the slave of endless desires and the objects of enjoyment.

The mind that is not free, it depends on attaining, or possessing, or coming in contact with certain names and forms to attain the sense of meaningfulness and well-being. The ego needs affirmation from itself and others to be existing and feel meaningful.

The mind that is free, it doesn't need to attain the sense of meaningfulness or well-being, at all. The mind performs necessary actions and allowing the fruit of actions to be what it is, without attachment or identification towards the actions and the fruit of actions, without clinging or craving towards pleasantness and achievement, without aversion towards unpleasantness and non-achievement.

Be free.

Go beyond the balanced or imbalanced state of the mind

Depression is not uncommon and is a sensitive subject to deal with, and it doesn't exclude those whom the society believe are good, loving, generous, friendly, physically active, fit and healthy people, as well as those who have been doing yoga and meditation practice. It's a form of mental illness.

Mental illness or mind blockage is neither a good nor a bad thing, and there's nothing to be ashamed about. Different people might suffer different level of depression and might require different approach/counteract to counter the depression.

Though there is nothing wrong or bad or negative or shameful about someone is suffering from depression, there are people might not know how to deal with their own depression or with other people around them who are suffering from depression.

For many people, it's normal that occasionally, the mind would feel unhappy, sad or down about something that they experience that their minds recognize as something 'sad' or 'depressing', or when they are not getting what they like and want or they are getting what they don't like and don't want, or when they think their lives are lack of something that would give them the sense of liveliness, goodness, positiveness, happiness, or meaningfulness. Once they found or attained something that would give them the sense of liveliness, goodness, positiveness, happiness and meaningfulness, when they experience something that they like and want, and when they don't experience something that they don't like and don't want, they would stop feeling unhappy, or sad, or down. But this is not the same as those who suffer from depression.

For those who suffer from depression, depression is just what it is that is not in their free-will or control towards how they feel. The mind is just being in a 'involuntary' state of depression under the influence of chemical hormonal imbalanced that may require the help of medical treatment to get out of depression, as depression is not determined by whether their life experiences are 'lively or lifeless', 'good or bad', 'positive or negative', 'joyful or sorrowful', or 'meaningful or meaningless', or whether they have a cheerful and positive personality, or whether they are surrounded by positive and cheerful people who love them and care for them. The depression is there, even though life is all good and there are many people around them that are cheerful, loving and caring.

Those who suffer from depression are getting the direct experience of the teaching of yoga that the function of the body and mind is not in the control of 'I', they don't belong to 'I', and they are not 'I'. Even though the function of the body and mind is not in the control of 'I', but out of compassion, people can perform necessary actions that can influence the state of their minds to regain stability or balance.

There are people don't understand depression and they might get impatient with or be annoyed by other people's state of depression, and they 'advise' or tell people who are suffering from depression to be grateful for the good things that they have and to stop being depressed, because they think it's wasting time and energy, and it's meaningless to be depressed most of the time, especially when there's no reason to be depressed, as they feel that it's quite 'depressing' for them to deal with or be with people who suffer from depression. Some close family members or friends might feel guilty that they couldn't help much no matter how much they show love and care for their loved one who suffers depression or any kind of mental illness.

We can't tell people who suffer depression to 'just get over it' or 'please stop being depressed' as it is really not in their control or free-will towards how they feel or the state of their mind. Maybe there are some people in the world enjoy being depressed, but most people don't like to be depressed. Most people want to feel good and happy most of the time.

Everyone has their freedom for how they feel and think. The people who suffer depression are allowed to feel depressed and be depressed, even though they don't want to feel depressed, but they have no control over it. While the people who get annoyed by other people's depression also are allowed to be affected and feel annoyed. There are people don't have empathy or compassion towards other people's suffering, and that itself is also a natural form of mental illness or mind blockage as well. If we understand that there are different types of mental illness or mind blockage, we won't be just being compassionate towards those who are suffering from depression, but we would also be compassionate towards those who are lack of empathy and compassion towards other people who suffer from depression.

Yoga practice such like 'proper' yoga asana practice with correct understanding (non-judgmental, non-perfection, non-competitive and non-fitness challenging), breathing exercises, chanting and etc, can help to balance the state of the mind and relieve the state of depression up to a certain extent, but even the balancing effect derived from the yoga practice is impermanent, and it's not a guarantee that after we have been doing yoga practice for some time, we will be immune to depression or any other kind of mental illness, even if our physical body is becoming more fit and healthy from the regular yoga practice.

If the yoga practitioners actually practice yoga according to the essential teachings of yoga of freeing the mind from ignorance and egoism, learning how to go beyond the balanced and imbalanced state of the mind through the realization of the truth of the mind and suffering, and realized SELFLESSNESS and unconditional peace and love that is beyond all states of the mind and the impermanent function and condition of the physical body, and all the mind perception of different qualities of names and forms, then depression is just one of the condition of the mind that is not 'I' and it's not a suffering.

When the mind is free from ignorance and egoism, then it doesn't matter whether the mind is occasionally be affected or disturbed by the perceived qualities of names and forms, and feel unhappy, sad or depressed about something that the mind recognizes as 'unhappy', 'sad', and 'depressing', or there is depression in the mind caused by the chemical hormonal imbalanced, there is an awareness being aware of the mind is in a state of unhappiness or there is depression in the mind, being aware of what is going on in the mind, but there's no judgment, attachment, identification, craving or aversion, and most importantly, knowing that it's impermanent and it's not 'I'.

The realization of the truth of the mind and suffering, being free from ignorance and egoism doesn't stop the truth of changes, decay, old age, sickness, and death or decomposition. All the saints and sages in the past had showed us the truth as it is. The mind could be liberated from ignorance, egoism and suffering, but, the life existence of the body with the function of the mind will still have to go through impermanent changes of decay, old age, sickness, pain, weakness, and death or decomposition. And upon the realization of the truth, all impermanent changes, decay, old age, sickness, pain, weakness and death, are not 'suffering'. There is no suffering even though the body and mind are going through changes, decay, old age, discomfort, pain, unpleasantness, or some other limitation.

The mind that is not free from ignorance and egoism, would perceive depression as something 'horrible' and have aversion towards 'depression', and either it would hate itself for suffering from depression or it would generate self-pity, and would expect sympathy and empathy from others. And it feels more depressed if it doesn't get the sympathy and empathy from others. And others who show sympathy and empathy towards those who suffer from depression might criticize others who don't show sympathy or empathy, which they think and believe as 'normal' human being, everyone should have sympathy and empathy towards other people's suffering.

The mind that is suffering from depression, but is free from ignorance and egoism and suffering, doesn't need self-pity or sympathy and empathy from others, as that is unnecessary for a liberated mind. Meanwhile this mind allows other people to show sympathy and be empathetic towards this mind that suffers from depression, or not. And those who are free from ignorance and egoism might show sympathy and empathy towards other people's suffering but there's no expectation that other people should also or be morally obliged to show sympathy and empathy towards other people's suffering, and they won't be disturbed by other people being non-sympathetic or non-empathetic, because they understand that under the influence of ignorance and egoism, or being unable to be sympathetic or empathetic is also a form of mental illness or mind blockage.

Out of compassion, the selfless mind will help itself with necessary actions or even receiving medical treatments that can help to counter depression if required, to influence and balance the state of the mind, and if the mind is still not free from the state of depression after all kinds of effort being done, there's no judgment, disappointment and criticism. There's no expectation that the mind has to be in a good and balanced state or be completely cleared from depression after all the efforts and actions have been done to help to counter depression.

It's okay if the mind is not okay in this moment. Be compassionate towards this mind that is not okay in this present moment, even though this condition might last for a prolonged period of time, but still, it's impermanent and it's not 'I'.

Be free.

Take good care of the body and mind?

Learning and practicing yoga actually is also about learning how to take good care of the overall well-being of the body and the mind in everyday life, but without attachment and identification towards the impermanent condition of the body and the mind.

It's not just about doing some yoga asana and pranayama and meditation practice for a couple of hours a day regularly as a form of taking good care of the body and the mind, but more importantly in the rest of the time in everyday life, when the body and mind are not performing physical postures, breathing exercises, concentration and meditation practice, we need to know how to live in simplicity, how to conserve energy, when to take rest, when to work more, when to work less, when to eat more, when to eat less, how to relax or let go, how to stop generate unnecessary tension into the body and mind, how to stop pushing the body and mind beyond its limitation, and etc, to truly taking good care of the overall well-being of the body and mind.

Out of laziness, or stinginess, or particular obsessive compulsive disorder, or great ambition, or sociable personality, or caring personality, or lack of self-control and self-discipline, or some other issues, people might not rest well, eat well, work well, or relax properly, and the body and mind are either being in a state of lethargic or agitation due to accumulated strain and stress or restlessness, even though people try to do yoga asana and pranayama and meditation practice regularly. It's like, now we sweep and mop the floor, and then, we bring more dirt and dust onto the floor, and repeat this process again and again.

When the condition of the body and mind be affected by the improper or imbalanced way of living, the mind becomes tired, cloudy, unfocused, short-tempered, depressed, irritated, impatient, aggressive or anxious easily. This will affect the yoga asana and pranayama and meditation practice, as well as the ongoing function of all the support systems in the body, the sleep quality, the mood, the thinking faculty, the clarity of the mind, the physical mobility, the health condition, the energy level, and the relationships with everyone and everything.

Learn how to live a simple yet balanced lifestyle is as important as doing the yoga asana and pranayama and meditation practice regularly. Simple yet balanced lifestyle has nothing to do with the commercial products of branded and trendy hype of 'luxurious organic living', or 'organic clean eating', or 'calorie counting eating', or 'precise daily consumption limits of different food intake', or 'health and fitness products and supplements', but it's about incorporating the teachings of yoga of 'Do our best', non-attachment, non-identification, desireless, dispassion, right discrimination, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-comparison, non-expectation, renunciation, seclusion, solitude, silence, concentration or one-pointedness, contentment, generosity, forgiveness, patience, determination, perseverance, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation and accommodation into everyday life activities, to stop or minimize accumulation of unnecessary tension into the systems.

If one knows how to live a simple yet balanced lifestyle, if one knows how to conserve energy and doesn't put unnecessary stress or strain into the body and mind, there's no tension accumulated, and there's no need to go anywhere or do anything to release tension, as there's none.

"I am so busy and so stressed and so tired. I have not enough time to eat or sleep properly. I have so many friends and relatives. I need to care for so many people in my life. I have so many personal and social functions I need to attend. There's so many things I want to do for myself and for everyone. My mind can't turn-off. I would love a holiday but I will need time and energy for it, as I would be exhausted after coming back from holiday doing all the holiday activities and eating so much. I know I need complete rest. I need to stop doing things, physically and mentally. But then I will feel so guilty and unhappy if I didn't manage to do my fitness workout everyday, if I didn't meet up with my friends to stay connect, if I wasn't there for my friends who need me to listen to their problems and complaints, if I didn't achieve all my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. So how?"

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their life or how they spend their time and energy.

Be free.

Body image issue, where it shouldn't exist in the first place

In the areas where people are struggling everyday to attain the basic food and water resources to survive, to have a place to rest and be sheltered from harsh weather, to be free from hunger, thirst, exhaustion, discrimination, hatred, war and violence, there won't be such body image issue existing.

Meanwhile, in the modern commercialized society with higher technology and comfortable or fancy lifestyle, where economy and spending power is stable and strong, where basic and higher education came with various subjects and interests is accessible for everyone, where people have the luxury to indulge in physical and mental enjoyments of the senses of sights/visuals, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations and thoughts/ideas/creativity/imaginations, where food is easily and excessively available in various forms and tastes, where food has gone beyond being a basic necessity of life but becoming an enjoyment of taste, where water and electricity supply and various modern facilities are available easily, where clothing is no longer a basic material to keep warm and be protected from insects and cuts but plays as an important role for self-image and self-esteem, where people are being presented with different choices of lifestyle and leisure activities, where people are interested in promoting health, beauty and fitness, and put importance into personal and general hygiene, where people can travel easily from one place to another, where people can have dreams and ambitions to be fulfilled, where countless opportunities are available for everyone, but then ridiculously, many people are being troubled by body image issue, which is truly unnecessary.

It doesn't matter people are being knowledgeable, or intelligent, or talented and skillful in certain subjects, or highly educated, or having a successful career, or having a high profile in the community or society, or having a generous income and an easy comfortable high technology living standard, many people are being troubled very much by body image issue, unwittingly.

People's state of mind, the sense of meaningfulness, confidence, self-esteem, happiness and sense of self-worth and well-being are very much determined by the body image consists of facial features, skin condition, hair condition, physical appearance, body shape, body composition, physical condition, physical ability and achievement, that they like or dislike, satisfied or dissatisfied with, based on a particular standard that they set for themselves to comply to.

People get depressed when they think they have a body image issue, that they are dissatisfied with and dislike their facial features, skin condition, body hair, hair condition and style, physical appearance, body shape, physical condition and ability as it is, that they prefer or desire their body to be something different from what it is now, according to what they think is better, nicer, healthier, fitter, stronger, younger, prettier, or more attractive.

To counter this body image issue, most people will try to achieve the body image that they would like to have, that they think is the best body image, that would give them the sense of satisfaction and good feelings about their bodies and themselves.

Even many of the yoga classes in the world are emphasizing on promoting improvement in physical appearance, physical condition and ability, to boost people's self-esteem, confidence, sense of self-worth and well-being. And the yoga teachers/instructors aspire to portray a body image of 'good' or 'fit' or 'healthy' or 'attractive' or 'high performance' kind of physical appearance, condition and ability to inspire or motivate the yoga students to also achieve the similar form of body image (enhanced physical appearance, condition, ability and performance.) - "I can achieve this, so can you!" or "Yoga makes you look better and feel better!" But this is not the teaching and practice of yoga. This is empowering ignorance and egoism. It might give them momentary good feelings and confidence about their body and themselves (the ego) by achieving the kind of body image that they prefer, but it doesn't help people to be free from the suffering of low self-esteem and depression derived from attachment and identification with the impermanent physical appearance, condition and ability to be who they are. Once the quality of the body image that they like, that they attached onto and identified with, that makes them feel good and confident about themselves starts to change into something else or is no longer available due to impermanence, they will suffer from disappointment, dissatisfaction, self-hate, self-criticism, low self-esteem, depression, self-harm, and so on.

When people think they are disturbed by body image issue, that is mainly due to ignorance and egoism. There is great identification and attachment towards the physical body and all that is related to the physical body, to be 'I', or what they think is who they are.

Realize yoga or selflessness, be free from identification and attachment towards the physical body, and body image issues won't be existing at all. One will take good care of the well-being of the physical body, out of compassion, without attachment towards the impermanent physical appearance, condition and ability, without identification with the physical body as 'I', or 'Who I am'. Be kind to the body, live a healthy lifestyle to benefit the physical body, and allowing the physical body to improve and change to be what it is, as it is, without any egoistic desire or intention or expectation to make or transform or change the physical body to be the way that 'I' would like it to be, so that 'I' will feel good, happy, satisfied and confident about 'my' body and 'I'. This truly is loving our body, accepting the body as it is, while allowing all the changes to be there as they are, to be what they are.

Expecting the body to be the way that we like it to be, and constantly straining and forcing the physical body with intense physical training so that it will be able to do what we want it to do, and to look the way that we want it to look, to achieve the body image that we prefer/desire, is not loving our body, but it's the ego loving what it likes and wants. "I want my body to be like this or to be able to do that." Again, it's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their body, and how they want to treat their body.

Be free.