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.

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.

Observe our own mind and know how the mind works...

A man had a dream. In his dream, he felt he was in danger, and so, in the dream he screamed loudly for help. This resulted he was screaming loudly in the middle of the night.

His house-mate came to wake him up and asked him was he having a "bad" dream.

He told the friend, "It was not a "bad" dream. It was just a dream. In the dream, I screamed for help as I felt being in a danger situation in the dream, that's all..."

But the friend insisted that it must be a "bad" dream if he had screamed so loud in sleep (according to what his mind was being conditioned to believe about what things are/should be. Everything has to be labelled as either "good" or "bad"...)

This is a little life story to teach us about our mind perception about things are being conditioned by what the mind being conditioned to believe or what the mind wants to believe, even though it is not necessarily the Truth of things. In a same happening, some people perceive it as something "positive", some people perceive it as something "negative", but the happening itself, it is not something "positive" nor "negative", it has no qualities or intention to be "positive" or "negative"...

Anyway, the person who had the dream, didn't perceive the dream as something "bad", the "scream" was just a spontaneous reaction coming from him shouting for help in his dream, and he was not disturbed by the dream at all when he woke up from the dream... But the other person who has nothing to do with the dream, who had heard the "scream", had attached to his own perception about "It must be a "bad" dream..."

This friend insisted that what himself perceived is true, is right, and he also thinks that other people should be thinking the way as how he thinks... Or the mind is being conditioned by "How can there be other different ways of thinking other than this one". And even if there are different ways of thinking, then all those thinking must be "wrong", because the mind believes that its way of thinking is right, if there is something different from this one, it must be wrong. The mind is being conditioned to think, "Chillies are spicy, how can chillies be not spicy?", or "Good people should be in happiness, how can good people be in suffering?", or "He was a bad person, how can he be a good person now?", or "He was a good person, how can he be a bad person now?"....

When the friend heard him said that "It was not a bad dream...", the friend cannot accept that he could perceive differently from his friend's perception... The mind is being conditioned by "It was a bad dream, how can it was not a bad dream, he must have perceived it wrongly", and so, the friend told him to "correct" him, "How can it was not a bad dream? It was a bad dream since you screamed in your sleep..."

This simple happening or interaction between two minds also reflects about, the mind is not just keep imposing the qualities of "good" and "bad, "positive" and "negative", "happiness" and "suffering" onto its own perception of what things are or what the world is, but it also wants to impose its own way of thinking onto other people's thinking, or being "nosy" about how other people mind should perceive or behave or function or react, the same way as how it perceives or behaves or functions or reacts according to what it thinks it true, is right and real...

And thus, arguments, conflicts, frustration, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anger, hatred, and etc, arise in that mind itself due to it cannot accept any other way of thinking other than its own, if the mind attached strongly to what it thinks or believes is "true" and "right", and anything that is different from this one must be "wrong" and "false"...

Like wise, there will be no arguments, conflicts, frustration, disappointment, dissatisfaction, anger, hatred, and etc, arise in that mind itself due to it is ready to accept the many possibilities of different ways of thinking other than its own, if the mind is aware of the thinking process in itself and doesn't attach to its own thinking or believes about what is "true" and "right".

The mind can function as it is or think the way that it thinks, or to believe what it wants to believe, but the awareness that is knowing or being aware of what is going on in the mind, is beyond the mind's thinking process, and this awareness stands as a silent witness or the observer watching the mind, without attaching or identifying or associating with the mind perception of names and forms, without judging the mind as "good" or "bad", without expecting the mind to behave in certain ways... And this awareness will also allow other people's mind to function as they are, or think the way that they want to think, or to believe what they want to believe, without trying to argue or to control or to change something that is different from what our own mind thinks and believes.

This awareness is untouched or uncontaminated by whether the mind is thinking about something "good" or "bad", "happy" or "unhappy", "right" or "wrong"... This awareness is also untouched or uncontaminated by the "good" and "bad" actions that derived from this life existence of the body and the mind... The awareness is being what it is, it is not affected nor determined by the "good" and "bad" actions performed by the body and mind, nor will it change, increase or decrease according to the impermanent changes of the body and mind, nor being influenced by the impermanent changes of the qualities of names and forms that the mind perceives from moment to moment...

This is real freedom...

The mind is doing some thinking, while the awareness is being aware of the mind is doing some thinking without react towards the thinking. This awareness is also being called the Higher Self or the higher mind. The higher mind is observing the lower mind. Or The pure part of the mind is watching the impure part of the mind. The mind is watching itself, controlling itself, purifying itself, transforming itself through dedication of consistent "yoga and meditation" practice... This will benefit the whole universe even though when the mind has no interactions with the "world" at all... As the entire worldly experience exists when the mind starts functioning and perceiving sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches and thinking. When the mind ceases from "moving" or "going out" through the senses, when the mind is silent, worldly experience doesn't exists...

What is "happiness", what is "suffering"?

Some people perceive the world as a "suffering" place, as the mind is being in a state of "suffering"... Some people perceive the world as a "happy" place, as the mind is being in a state of happiness... Some people perceive the world as neither a "suffering" nor "happy" place, it is just being what it is, as the mind has gone beyond the qualities of names and forms about "happiness" and "suffering"...


Be aware of how our own mind functions, and free ourselves from this conditioned way of thinking in the mind. We will stop judging anyone or arguing with anyone on different points of views, it doesn't matter if it is something what the mind strongly believes in about what is "good" and "bad", "right" and "wrong"...

This is nothing to do with whether we are being a "good" person or not...

Yoga and meditation practice are here to help us to change this habit or condition of how the mind thinks, in a gradual process... From being impatient transforming into less impatient. From being selfish transforming into less selfish. From being attached to names and forms transforming into detachments from names and forms. From being angry and hating transforming into forgiving, accepting and compassionate...

Restrict the mind from desires, wants, craving and aversion. Restrict the mind from reacts immediately towards whatever it perceives through the senses from moment to moment. Allow the mind to pause for a few moments before placing any judgment about things... At the end this few moments of pause will become longer until there is no need of reaction at all...

The thinking about "I am this or that", "I am good or bad", "I am happy or unhappy" is just a conditioned way of thinking in the mind, it is not who or what we really are... The mind also imposes the same qualities and judgments onto other people, perceiving this person or that person as "He is this or that", "He is good or bad", "He is happy or unhappy", but that is not who or what he really is...

Here's another example in life. While driving on the road, some of us "expect" the other drivers also drive according to the rules and regulations that we follow, and we get angry when other drivers didn't follow the rules and regulations like we do... And some of us know that and accept that other drivers might not be following the same rules and regulations as we do, we don't expect other drivers to drive like us, and we don't get angry when other drivers don't drive like us... We pay full attention on the road without expecting the other drivers on the road will follow all the rules and regulations like us...

We perform all our duties and responsibilities accordingly, but we do not expect other people will also be performing all their duties and responsibilities accordingly...

Love and peace to all of you. May all of you be free from the conditioned way of thinking in the mind.

Om shanti.

The practice of Silence - Mauna

The observation of silence - Mauna, is not just limited to the restriction of speech but it’s also about reducing and restricting the senses inputs and stimulations of the mind. It is calming down the thought current and free the mind from restlessness. It is not merely practicing silence of speech, but also silence of the mind.

This will help to purify the mind to a deeper level.

It is like emptying and cleaning the rubbish bin. Stop putting in more rubbish and bringing out the existing rubbish from the bin and give it a good clean up. It is stop stimulating the mind and allow it to have a moment of stillness.

It is about changing the habit of the mind that likes to react towards all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses every moment. It is restricting the mind to react whenever it wants to react towards whatever it perceives.

This will lead our mind to stop reacting towards what it likes and dislikes, what it agrees and disagrees with, and allow the mind to develop inner qualities, such like patience, forbearance, non-attachment, letting go, tolerance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, acceptance, forgiveness, self-introspection and self-control over the thoughts, actions and speech. All these inner divine qualities will lead the mind to realize "God" consciousness or the universal selfless consciousness - Selflessness and compassion.

It is not just about not talking.

By controlling the speech organ not to talk or speak whenever the mind wants to express itself through speech or verbal expression, it is actually controlling the mind from its egoistic habitual reaction towards all the objects of the senses or whatever it perceives through the body and mind.

It is about being the master of the mind and be "the one" in control of the mind, instead of being the slave of the impure egoistic mind activities and being over-powered by the impurities of the mind. It's about stop generating craving towards what the mind likes and agrees with, and stop generating aversion towards what the mind dislikes and disagrees with. Allowing the mind to be open towards all the perceptions of names and forms through the senses, being free from attachment or identification towards the perceiver and the perceived. Through this practice, the ego will be annihilated.

Beside stopping the mind from reacting towards the sense objects by refraining the mind to express itself through speech by observing non-talking, non-justification, non-arguing, non-interaction and non-communication with the world, and just stand as a witness or the observer witnessing or observing all the names and forms that are being perceived in the mind, we also refrain the mind from reacting or expressing through physical actions, body language and facial expression, during the practice of silence - Mauna.

It is a total restrain over the thoughts, actions and speech. The mind becomes silent.

The practice of reducing or purifying senses inputs – sights, sounds, smells, taste, sensations (touch) and thoughts, and stop generate craving and aversion towards all these names and forms, is observing Mauna. When we stop generate new reactions of craving and aversion towards all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, the old accumulated tensions or karma (actions and the consequences of actions) that derived from past cravings and aversions, will appear to the surface of the mind to be purified, or to be letting go.

The practice of Mauna is a very efficient and important way for us to realize the Truth of ourselves and about suffering.

The practice includes but not limited to:-

- No verbal or written communication and interaction with other people.

- No eyes contact or body contact with other people. Not looking at other people nor take interest in other people’s affairs.

- No body language or facial expression to make any communication or interaction with other people.

- Reduce and limit the inputs (sight, sound, smell, taste, sensation and thoughts) and outputs (ideas, communications and interactions) of the mind. Such like not reading novels, magazines and newspaper, not watching movies and TV programs, not listening to music, not playing sports games, not writing, not doing intense physical activities, not sleeping on soft bed, not using perfumes or fragrances, and divert the mind to contemplate on Dharma only whenever the mind thinks of any worldly objects, and etc.

- Control and minimize the habit of self-talking in the mind (talking to ourself in the mind). The speech organ maybe not performing any talking verbally, but the mind continues to talk to itself in the mind. This is very common for many people. It shows that how restless the mind is, and it doesn't like to be in silence for a single moment, even though from the appearance the body is silent and stilled, not performing any speech and actions.

- Controlling sexual desire. Transform or channel the sexual energy for spiritual practice and spiritual realization.

- Conserve energy by limiting worldly mental, physical and speech activities, and use the energy for spiritual practice and to perform selfless service for ourselves and for other beings.

- Reduce wants and worldly desires and sensual enjoyments.

- Restricting the usual daily habits of the body and mind. Such like dependent on "taking" certain "substances" or "doing" certain "things" to feel good...

- Restricting the usual reactions of the body and mind towards all the names and forms. Such like when we hear something that we don't agree with, we would like to argue about it...

- By limiting and reducing verbal, physical and mental activities. This will stop any stimulations of the mind. Allowing the whirlpool of the restless mind to have the opportunity to "settle down". When the mind is pure and calm, we will be able to "see" the Truth of everything as it is, not being contaminated by the impurities and restlessness in our mind...

- Restrict the mind from trying to express itself at anytime through verbal speech, facial expression and body language/sign. Such like learn to observe anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, arrogance, anxiety, agitation, depression, fear and worry, and let them go without react towards any of these impurities...

- Observe the thoughts (thinking) and not identify nor associate with the thoughts.

- Make the outgoing mind turns inwards concentrating and resting in the chamber of the heart.


May all spiritual aspirants be determined to observe Mauna – Silence of thoughts, actions and speech for some period of time in the path of yoga and meditation for spiritual realization to know the Truth.

Note that this practice of silence is "possible" for those who really want to know how to transcend suffering. For people who never suffer, or haven't experience any suffering, or don't know what is suffering, and are not interested in transcending suffering, this practice is not possible for them. It's because this practice will generate some "discomforts" or "pain" or "suffering" in the body and the mind, due to we stop feeding the body and the mind with what it usually likes to think, do, say, see, hear, smell, taste, and touch... It is "not fun" but "miserable" for the mind that likes to chase after worldly sensual enjoyments...

We will see our mind's true behavior when we start to restrict the mind from getting what it usually gets in everyday life... We will notice that we are not actually "the person" whom we think what we are... All the anger and frustration kick in as the body and mind is being cut off from its usual addictions, activities, lifestyle and enjoyment, and when its craving is not being gratified...

We will find out that our own mind is not actually as "obedient" as what we thought it was. And we will become humble and stop judging and criticizing other people whom we think that they have a "bad" mind that is not as "good" as ours... It's because we will realize that our own mind is not any better than anyone else mind...

We thought that we are super nice and calm people, but not really...

We thought that we are patient and compassionate people, but not really...

We thought that we are loving and unselfish people, but not really...

When we stop giving the mind what it likes and wants...

And so, this confrontation with the "ugly dark side" of our own mind, is not a "good" thing for someone who is very proud and arrogant... But it is a very good thing for someone who is willing to give up pride and arrogance...

This is simply because we start to see the truth of our own mind when we practice Mauna for a period of time, and turn the outgoing mind inward for self-introspection...

When come to the point if we are able to perform all our actions and speech out of selfless compassion, without any attachment, selfish desire and expectation, when all our thoughts, actions and speech are pure, then even though we are performing some thinking, actions and speech, but it is not contradicting with the practice of silence at all... That is what the teachings talk about inaction in action...

Om shanti.

Reactions of the ego when we hear something that we don't agree with...

Have you ever experienced irritation and anger when you heard something (ideas, stories, concepts, believes, behaviors or philosophies) that you (the ego or the mind) don't agree with? We (the ego or the mind) think that our thinkings are right and other thinkings that are different from ours, or thinkings that are contradicted with our thinkings are wrong. And we would want to argue about it to prove that, or to emphasize that we are right and they are wrong.

This is a normal reaction of the ego or one of the habits of the mind.

In yoga and meditation, at the beginning we learn to observe all these reactions in the mind and do not identify nor associate with them, and keep practicing non-attachment towards all the names and forms until one day we are able to control the mind to stop reacting towards any thing that is different from us, that our mind doesn't agree with. We learn to accept and respect anything that our mind doesn't like or doesn't agree with. We don't have to upset ourselves over something that are different from our ideas and believes. We don't have to generate disharmony or conflicts with anyone and anything... Be at peace... This will prevent the mind from being agitated or disturbing the equanimity or tranquility of the mind for meditation.

There is nothing wrong with anyone who like to argue or enjoy arguing with other people over something that they don't like to hear or cannot accept or don't agree with. Be happy arguing...

At the end, we will realize that it is not what other people say or do that generate disharmony and unhappiness in us. It is ourselves attached to our own mind, and attached to whatever the mind like and doesn't like, and attach to all the names and forms that the mind come in contact with through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and thinking, and being disturbed or affected or influenced or determined by all the names and forms that either our mind likes or doesn't like, and generate craving and aversion. And when this craving and aversion is not being gratified or satisfied, the mind or the ego get agitated or irritated or angry...

It is meaningless to waste our energy in vain arguments for a few minutes to prove that "we are right" or "we are good", and disturb the equilibrium of the mind for a few days depending on how fast or how efficient that we can let it go. It will take many days for the mind to calm down and return to tranquility and peace...

Without tranquility or peace in the mind, it is not possible to meditate...

Note that this practice of letting go of arguments or to prove that we are right, only apply to those who are really interested and sincere in the path of yoga and meditation for Self-realization. This is part of the practice to annihilate the ego and purify the mind which is the main practice of yoga and Buddhism. It is not possible for us to attain real peace as long as we are still attached strongly to the ego, identifying with the ego, and being influenced by the ego, the pride and arrogance, the cravings and aversions in the mind. We might be enjoying momentary peace and happiness that come from doing the things or getting the things that we like and want. But we might be getting upset and become restless with all the impurities that arise in the mind whenever the mind come in contact with all the names and forms and generates countless and endless cravings and aversions. There is restlessness, doubt, fear and worry. There is no peace.

Anyone who are not really interested to tread the path of yoga and meditation to control the mind, or to know the Truth, or to attain eternal unconditional and unchangeable peace and happiness, they can choose to do whatever they like to do and don't do, and react in whatever ways that they like... Be happy.

Anyone who really wants to learn about yoga must first let go of pride and arrogance, be very humble, to put down what we have learned in the past, to let go of what we think we know and who we think we are, to be open-minded to receive the teachings of yoga and try to practice the teachings sincerely. And then slowly we will realize whether the teachings of yoga is true or not true, whether it can help us to attain real peace and happiness or not...

If a person with so much pride and arrogance about what he or she knows in the past, goes to a yoga teacher to hear about the teachings of yoga, he or she will have strong rejection and arguments with the teacher when the teacher talks about the teachings of yoga that are contradicted with what he or she used to believe in. He or she will get very irritated hearing what they don't like to hear or don't agree with. There is nothing wrong with that. We don't have to agree with everything that we hear. Even the Buddha didn't want anyone to believe in what he taught but everyone has to practice and find out the Truth by themselves through their own effort. And it doesn't matter whether the people get the benefits from the teachings or not. It is up to the people themselves to realize the Truth. Just by hearing the teachings will not make a person transcends suffering. But we do need to be open-minded to try to practice the teachings accordingly to find out whether it is true or not true.

If we (the ego) get angry when hearing the teacher says something that we cannot accept or cannot agree with, that is nothing to do with whether what the teacher says is right or wrong. It is the attachment towards what we know and what we believe in and the ego doesn't like it and gets irritated or feels being challenged when we hear something that are different from what we know or what we agree with. In hearing the same teachings, somebody will generate irritation, while some other people will generate contentment and gratefulness. But the teachings itself has no quality or intention to make anyone irritated or contented. It is up to our own mind on how it reacts towards something that it perceives...

And this is what we are practicing, learn to observe whatever the mind comes in contact with and stop generate cravings or aversions towards all the different names and forms whether our mind agree or disagree with. Learn to know who is getting irritated, angry or upset when we hear something that we don't like to hear or don't agree with. And find out actually what makes us getting angry? Is it the objects out there or is it coming from the pride and arrogance from our own ego, and the attachment and disagreement from our own mind (being attached to our own ideas, believes, thinkings)?

If we are being arrogant about what we believe in and have strong rejection towards some other things that are different from what we believe in, and argue with other people, and try to change other people to be like us, to think like us, to behave like us, then we are only creating more disturbance and disharmony in our mind.

And yet, whether we can understand the teachings or not, whether we can practice the teachings or not, and whether we agree with the teachings or have strong rejection and disagreement with the teachings, we all already have the opportunity to come in contact with the grace of Yoga. We will start to contemplate on higher thinking eventually. Disagreement arise due to the intellect comes in contact with something that it doesn't recognize or doesn't familiar with, and the ego rejects whatever the intellect cannot perceive or comprehend. But this also means, the teachings of yoga has already went into the mind... One day, when the time is right, when the body and the mind is ready, all these teachings will bubble up to the surface of the mind and help the person to transcend the egoistic mind... And be free.

Om shanti.

Try changing the habits of the mind by learning another foreign language or adopting new interests...

For those who are being troubled and influenced strongly by negative emotions and feelings (such like anger, jealousy, depression, anxiety, fear, worry, low self-esteem and etc...), and don't know how to come out from it because we don't know how to stay detached from all these activities in the mind, then we may try to change this stubborn habit of attachment in the mind towards these negative feelings and emotions by learning and speaking another language that we are not familiar with, or adopting new interests...

It will shift something in the brain and without any expectation, we might find ourselves suddenly or gradually becoming more positive and cheerful...

If we are not interested in learning languages, then we can try to learn something new and interesting that we are not familiar with (of course these new interests should be something that will bring positive effects and peaceful harmony to our body and mind)...

Or gradually break a long term stubborn habit of our behavior (such like switch on the TV as soon as we step into the house, or open the door of the fridge even though we know there is nothing that we want from the fridge, or looking at the watch frequently, or have the need of a cup of coffee at specific time, and etc)...

Or try to perform some selfless service (to ourselves and other beings without discrimination and attachment) without asking any rewards in return. Just give and let go...

It will still give the same effect of changing the habits of the mind. Of course it takes time, patience and perseverance to see any result (without expectation).

Give it a try, if we are tired of negative feelings and emotions that persistently troubling us, and we really want to make a change of ourselves, want to be kind and compassionate towards ourselves, and want to live to the fullest, be more positive and cheerful...

Be happy.