Inquire towards the different paths of yoga

There are four major paths of yoga as well as their many branches of different lineages to suit the many different individual minds that have different physical and mental abilities, limitations, and conditions, having different personalities and characteristics, being conditioned by the many different genetic biological inheritances, ways of thinking, ways of living, ideas, beliefs, values, practices, visions, inspirations, and aspirations, of different conditional mind thinking behavior patterns, as well as coming in contact with different surrounding environment, growing and learning process, parental inputs, family inputs, community inputs, educational inputs, public social media inputs, commercial inputs, political inputs, financial inputs, non-scientific creative fictional stories, fairy tales, superstitions, myths, novels, television programs, and movies inputs, and undergoing different types of suppression and empowerment, conditions, situations, affairs, experiences, activities, or interactive relationships and friendships with some others, that influence their state of mind and behavior in certain way and not in certain way.

It is also normal and nothing wrong that the same path or the same teachings and practice are being interpreted or understood differently not only by the different minds under different degrees of clarity and different reasoning power that is being conditioned by the many different sets of ideas, beliefs, values, visions, inspirations, aspirations, or different mind thinking behavior patterns, but also by the same mind that is being conditioned by particular set of ideas, beliefs, values, inspirations, aspirations, or particular mind thinking behavior pattern, under the different degrees of clarity in different stages throughout the conscious process of purifying and sharpening the cognitive intellectual reasoning faculty and quieting the restless egoistic impure modification of the mind consciously, under the presence of the limited and conditional conscious awareness, conscious freewill, conscious initiation, and conscious effort.

More importantly, the different degrees or layers of understanding towards the same teachings or the universal dhamma, will keep evolving towards greater/deeper/clearer understanding under greater degrees of clarity throughout the persistent prolonged process of thinning-out the veil of ignorance by consciously starving the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, until absolute understanding appear as it is under the presence of absolute clarity, or stillness, or silence, upon the complete annihilation of the veil of ignorance.

At certain points, the mind might be confused and puzzled and demotivated by the different teachings from different paths and different lineages, or by the different interpretations of the similar teachings that appeared to be contradicting against one another, as well as by its own different realization and understanding throughout the different stages. But as the mind develops greater degrees of clarity and sharper/purer intellectual reasoning power, the mind will start to see the one common non-distinctive existence/function/meaning/purpose/reason in the existence of all the different teachings and all the different interpretations of the similar teachings that appeared to be distinctive from one another. There is no more contradiction, or confusion, or doubt existing in the mind that sees things as they are, under the state of clarity.

In the path of devotion (Bhakti Yoga), "Focusing on 'God', by performing daily rituals/chanting/reciting japa and mantra/prayers to praise and worship 'God', to only think about 'God', and oneself will be looking after by 'God' naturally." - Surrender to 'God'

In the path of action (Karma Yoga), "Focusing on the well-being of others or the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, by performing action to serve others or serve the world (if disbelieve in 'God') where all and everyone and everything are inter-supporting, inter-influencing, and inter-affecting one another, directly or indirectly, or to serve 'God' (if believe in 'God') where the mind sees 'God' in all and everything, where serving all and everyone means serving 'God' in all forms, and channel the entire life existence to be giving, supporting, and benefiting others and the surrounding environment, and oneself will be looking after by nature or the universe, naturally." - Surrendering the ego and egoism

In the path of mind conquest or self discipline (Raja Yoga), "Focusing on oneself, by attending and perfecting one's daily yoga practice of asana, pranayama, yama, niyama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi, by channeling the outgoing tendency to be focusing within to render and conquer one's own modification of the mind, to empty Thyself (clearing out all kinds of mental and emotional rubbish/blockage), to look after the over-all well-being of oneself and perform one's duty and responsibility towards oneself devoid of egoism of grasping, attachment, identification, craving, aversion, comparison, judgment, intention, desire, or expectation, in solitude and seclusion, in silence, and the universal truth/dhamma or the unconditional peace will be revealing to oneself eventually and effortlessly." - Looking after the over-all well-being of oneself is the highest duty of mankind, as looking after oneself is indeed looking after all the others, where peace in the surrounding environment, or in the world (in the relationship, in the family, in the neighbourhood, in the particular community, among the diverse communities, among the diverse Eco-systems, in anywhere and everywhere) begins from peace in oneself, where oneself is kind to (doesn't harm) oneself, or others, or the surrounding environment under the presence of peace under the absence of restlessness

In the path of wisdom and right discrimination (Jnana Yoga), or science, "Focusing on attaining or knowing the absolute truth of everything via self-effort and self-realization, through self-investigation, self-introspection, right discrimination, and self-inquiry, by contemplating and reflecting towards the truth/nature of everything via uncontaminated intellectual reasoning power, under the state of absolute clarity, under the absence of the veil of ignorance (A selfless flawless motionless intentionless non-discriminative mirror that reflects the image of everything in front of it, as it is) - Seeing the universal truth/dhamma of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self in all kinds of names and forms including living organisms and non-living objects (the subject and the object, the perceiver and the perceived, the thinker and the thinking, the observer and the object of observation, the awareness and the object of awareness, the nature's law of cause and effect, the suffering and the cause of suffering, the ignorance and the cause of ignorance, the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the pleasurable enjoyment and the painful suffering, and etc), that also gives rise to the direct realization towards Oneness, Non-duality, Non-separateness, Timelessness, Attributelessness, Namelessness, Formlessness, Birthlessness, Deathlessness, beginninglessness, and endlessness." - Neither about 'God', nor about 'others' or 'the world', nor about 'oneself'

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Due to the different degrees of clarity that give rise to the different degrees of understanding in the many different minds that have different personalities and characteristics, that have different conditions, situations, experiences, impermanent voluntary and involuntary changes, obstacles, energy levels, hormonal changes, states of mind, and the different speeds of conscious and unconscious evolution of the mind, that are undergoing different stages of different degrees of clarity and different layers of understanding, where the minds are evolving at their own particular cause and pace, and hence, there are different teachings and practices (the different paths) existing to suit each and every individual mind at the different stages of conscious/voluntary/intentional/freewill by choice evolution and unconscious/involuntary/intentionless/non-freewill not by choice evolution, under different degrees of clarity and understanding, where the mind needs to make adjustment and adaptation from time to time to accommodate the ceaseless impermanent changes in the body and mind, in life, and in the surrounding environment.

It doesn't matter which path that the mind prefers and partakes, or changing path at different stages, or keeping one same path throughout the different stages, or changing teachers/gurus/schools/lineages of the same path or in some other paths, it is about the absence of grasping/attachment/identification/clinging/craving/aversion towards all and everything while being diligent, persistent, and determined in the practice under any circumstances, ceaselessly making necessary adjustment and adaptation, be able to move around obstacles, be able to avoid what can be avoided, be able to forbear what cannot be avoided, be able to accept and respect the reality of everything as it is, not necessarily pleasant, desirable, or agreeable, not being distracted by pleasurable enjoyments and not being hammered by painful difficulties, devoid of possessiveness or the sense of belonging and ownership, that will eventually lead the mind towards the annihilation of the veil of ignorance a.k.a. the absence of the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, where the mind perceives/sees/knows/understands/reflects things as they are, under the state of clarity or stillness (non-distracted one-pointedness), and resting upon unconditional peace, that contributes peace and harmony to the surrounding environment, that benefits all and everyone and everything in the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

It doesn't matter by the end of life existence, the selfless impermanent limited and conditional perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind is still not free, still in doubt, and still peaceless or restless under the presence and influence of the veil of ignorance. That is also impermanent and non-self. At least during the prolonged process of practicing yoga regularly, to be quieting the mind, to be free from ignorance, and to have peace, or merely to be gaining certain physical and mental health and fitness benefits, is already benefiting oneself and others and the surrounding environment up to certain extend.

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The four paths of yoga - Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga

The minds that are free from the influence of ignorance and are peaceful as they are, they don't need to practice yoga or anything, not to say, to consider which path is suitable for them. They may or may not perform certain yoga practice or activity that benefits the body and mind and/or others and the surrounding environment, if they want.

Bhakti Yoga

The path of devotion is the easiest path for many minds that are not mentally and emotionally independent, as there is either non-development of mental and emotional independence/maturity (mental disability) either due to genetic biological formation by birth, or (mostly) due to deprived/suppressed/prohibited development of mental and emotional independence after birth being conditioned and limited by the surrounding ignorant egoistic possessive ties and connections, either wittingly or unwittingly, under certain limited and conditional conditions and situations.

Instead, the minds are being conditioned and empowered to become highly mental and emotional inter-dependence (intense mental and emotional attachment/clinging/craving), being empowered to develop the need (cultural/family/community/spiritual/religious/national/political/commercial values and practice) to depend on receiving love and support, acknowledgement and recognition, agreement and approval, appreciation and togetherness, or praise and compliment from some others to develop, possess, maintain, and empower the sense of success, accomplishment, satisfaction, deserving, worthiness, righteousness, positiveness, togetherness, powerfulness, purposefulness, usefulness, happiness, joyfulness, and meaningfulness, as well as to depend on something better/higher/purer, or more superior, or more perfect, or more powerful than themselves, to give them the sense of hope, or direction, or purpose, or meaningfulness, or to have a refuge.

These minds are being conditioned to believe in the existence of an almighty 'Creator/Controller/Judge/Authority of the universe', or to believe in the existence of 'the wheel of ceaseless births and deaths or reincarnation of a permanent independent immortal infinite individual consciousness/soul/spirit being reincarnated into many different separate mortal impermanent limited and conditional life existences transitioning between different realms/spheres/worlds being determined by the inexhaustible past accumulated boundless good/bad/neutral karma or merits and virtues and sins that keeps bringing forward to the next and next continuous separate mortal life existences', in order to not getting 'lost' or 'drowned' in the ocean of restlessness, ignorance, and suffering, in order to be good and do good as well as not to be bad and not to do bad (out of fear), in accordance to the particular belief, values, and practice about what is good and bad, or what is right and wrong, as well as to justify many things and behaviors that are unknown or painful to the mind.

However, under the influence of the veil of ignorance or incorrect understanding, the minds under this path might also easily be over-powered by the sense of self-righteousness, that is hurtful to oneself and/or others, where the mind might punish and hurt itself and torture the physical body under the name of shame, guilt, repent, or penance, as well as, might be hurting others out of self-righteousness, pride, possessiveness, sense of belonging, upholding, and protectiveness towards what it thinks is its belief/values/practice/identities/home/family/brotherhood/origin/country/belongings/spirituality/religion/'God'/'gods'/temple/holy place and space, based on its own belief, values, and practice about what is right and wrong, what is good and bad/evil, what is should and shouldn't, what is appropriate and inappropriate, or what is respectful and disrespectful, and etc, being offended and disturbed by as well as being angry and hating or violent and destructive towards what they don't agree with, don't like, and don't desire, that is against or threatening their particular desire, vision, aspiration, ambition, belief, values, and practice, or upon their comforting daily ritual or routine (physical and mental inputs and outputs) that is part of the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (intense craving and aversion towards any particular names and forms), is being disrupted by someone or something.

These minds are living under the presence of fear or tension in themselves being limited and conditioned by such belief, values, and practice, as well as intentionally or unintentionally, they impose/inflict/threaten/intimidate/oppress/limit all the others with fear, hurtful treatment, threat, intimidation, oppression, or limitation based on their own belief, values, and practice about 'The almighty creator/controller/judge/authority of the universe will be judging all and everyone upon death by punishing, sentencing, or inflicting painful suffering unto those that have been disobedient, bad, and wrong,' or about 'The next reincarnation upon the end of this life existence to be reincarnating/transitioning into lower inferior realms/spheres/worlds to be reaping the past accumulated bad karma, or the seeds of painful suffering.'

These minds can be free from all THAT, (only) if they want, out of their own limited and conditional but highly precious conscious awareness, conscious initiation, conscious freewill, and conscious effort, under the presence of intense yearning towards liberation from all THAT, under the presence of perseverance and determination.

However, under the path of devotion that is devoid of the sense of self-righteousness, without imposing its own belief, values, and practice unto any others, where the mind spends most or all of its energy/attention/effort/life existence onto performing all kinds of rituals/chanting/japa and mantra reciting/prayers/scriptures studying/thinking and focusing about 'God', regardless of under what type of names and forms/spirituality/religion/belief/values/practice, where there is no extra energy/attention/effort/space left for engaging in any kinds of harmful activities that harm oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment, that is already what the path is about.

Karma Yoga

The path of action is the most effective path for many minds to be eradicating the ego and egoism practically under the notion of "Perform actions/duties/responsibilities/yoga practice, and let go instantly," a.k.a. "Non-attachment towards the actions, and renouncing the fruit of actions." Or else, the mind will never be free even after many years of performing many good actions to serve and benefit others, if the actions are being performed under the egoistic idea and attachment/identification/craving/aversion/judgment/expectation/desire/intention of, "I have been doing many good actions, and I will receive or experience everything good in return (I will go to heaven, or I will be reincarnated in higher realms), and I won't receive or experience anything bad in return (I won't go to hell, or I will not be reincarnated in lower realms)."

But that's okay too, because just by spending most of the energy/attention/time/effort/life existence to be performing many beneficial actions that will benefit others and the surrounding environment, where there is no energy/time/attention left to be engaging in unwholesome or destructive activities that hurt oneself, or others, or the surrounding environment, regardless of under the presence or absence of grasping, regardless of with or without intention/desire/expectation to be gaining something or anything, is already what the path is about.

If the mind understands about Non-grasping, then there is no difference in all kinds of actions that are being done for oneself, or not for oneself, or for others, as all actions are beneficial to all and everyone and everything that are inter-related to as well as inter-supporting and inter-influencing the existence and function of one another, directly and indirectly. It is not only actions that are being done for others and the surrounding environment, is Karma Yoga. Being alone by oneself to be focusing unto oneself to be looking after the well-being of oneself, is also Karma Yoga. Refraining oneself from engaging in harmful activities that harm oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment, is Karma Yoga. Every single action regardless of involving some others, or not, is all Karma Yoga, under the absence of the idea of 'I' and egoism, or grasping.

Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Jnana Yoga, are not separated from one another and they exist in one another, but they appear to be distinctive and different from one another for the mind that is still functioning under the presence and influence of the veil of ignorance.

Raja Yoga

There are minds that are neither devotional nor desire to accumulate good karma and merits, but they have some energy/time/interest/initiation/inspiration/desire/aspiration/ability/possibility for doing something that benefits the over-all well-being of their own body and mind.

There might be something that they want to attain from engaging in some kind of yoga practice.

- There is certain degrees of yearning towards liberation to be liberated from doubts and painful suffering,

- There is the initiation and desire of "I want to be free", "I want to be happy", "I want to have peace", or even, under wishful desire of "I want to develop and possess super physical and mental power to do and achieve everything that I desire and to control everything to be the way that I desire",

- To be recovering from certain existing physical and mental illness/weakness/injury/limitation and to avoid certain preventable physical and mental illness/weakness/injury/limitation,

- To be maintaining and empowering physical and mental health and fitness condition,

- To improve the over-all physical appearance and mental state, to look good and feel good about themselves,

- To be able to perform and demonstrate many of the challenging yoga asana poses,

- To empower the sense of self-esteem and self-worth or meaningfulness,

- To overcome negative thinking and the disturbed unhappy state of mind,

- To improve concentration to enhance study and work performance,

- Having the conscious awareness and initiative of want to stop hurting oneself and/or others,

- To expand one's social networking and friends making, to be socializing and interacting with some others of similar interests,

- There is free time and energy to learn and do or experience something or anything,

- Challenging oneself, or being challenged by some others,

- Being inspired and aspire to become 'yoga teacher', or to become like 'some others that oneself admires',

- Want to change the world to be a better place,

- Want to have some peaceful quiet moment and space for oneself, to be away from the over-whelming madness in the surrounding environment or in the world, 

- And under any particular type of inspirations, aspirations, desires, and intentions.

These minds are being restless and exhausted swaying back and forth between happiness and unhappiness, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, goodness and badness, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, joyfulness and joylessness, positiveness and negativeness, hopefulness and hopelessness, togetherness and separateness, enjoyment and suffering, and so on, however, if they have the basic physical and mental function and ability and energy to be learning something physically and mentally, and to perform certain physical and mental activity, and have certain opportunity and possibility of engaging in certain physical and mental yoga practice such as Asana, Pranayama, Yama, Niyama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi, where all these practices and observations served as the tools to turn the outgoing tendency of the mind inward, to render the mind calm, quiet, focus, and clear.

The path of mind conquest or self discipline, is the most common and all rounded path of yoga, that suits most minds that are interested to be learning and engaging in some kind of yoga practice regularly, especially the inspired and aspiring minds that aspire to become 'yoga teachers' under their own particular reason. But this is also the path of yoga that is easily being contaminated, misused, and/or commercialized widely, even though there is nothing wrong in making an honest livelihood from conducting yoga classes or teaching yoga to others.

The different types/styles/brands of yoga classes/workshops/teachers training courses deriving from and attaching onto different schools/lineages/teachers/gurus, exist for the yoga enthusiasts to learn the basic teachings and practice from certain yoga teachers by attending the yoga classes/workshops/courses that are available easily in everywhere, even if these yoga classes/workshops/courses are heavily commercialized being transformed into a form of commodity/trade/service, and there's neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, but after learning about the basic knowledge and understanding on the teachings and practice of yoga, the yoga students need to develop independent self-practice, without the need to be attending ongoing yoga classes, or to be accompanying by and interacting with some others, or to be supervised and encouraged by some others, in order to be self-independent, self-initiative, and self-discipline to perform the yoga practice diligently and regularly by oneself, alone, in solitude and seclusion.

There is neither right nor wrong, if after many years, one still needs to rely on attending ongoing yoga classes/workshops/courses, to be physically and mentally motivated to perform the yoga practice under the company of some others in the group yoga classes, as well as under the supervision/instruction/encouragement of the yoga teachers in the group or private yoga classes, or else one doesn't know what to do and/or isn't motivated to perform the yoga practice by oneself, alone. Or, to be continuously reminding oneself on the basic teachings and practice of yoga. Or, merely to be continuously learning more new styles or routines. Or, maybe there is no suitable conducive space available to oneself at home or anywhere for performing the yoga practice except in the space provided by the yoga teachers/schools/centres/studios, even if oneself can perform the yoga practice independently by oneself, alone, without the need of companionship, interaction, instruction, supervision, or encouragement from any others. By attending ongoing yoga classes/workshops/courses regularly, regardless of under any particular reason, regardless of highly/slightly commercialized or non-commercialized, and regardless of whether the mind develops correct understanding, or not, it is already a great wholesome activity that benefits oneself and others.

The path of devotion and/or the path of action also can be contaminated, misused, or commercialized, where under the name of highest devotion towards 'God' or 'Guru', and under the name of serving 'God' or 'Guru' or 'others', unconditionally, many desperate suffering disturbed minds are wittingly and/or unwittingly being exploited and/or abused physically, mentally, emotionally, sexually, and/or financially, by the other minds that are highly corrupted.

The minds that are undertaking any of these paths to begin with, might change path later on, or might be undertaking more than one path or all paths simultaneously at different stages under different reasons or just want to experience different paths and/or all paths to see which one suits oneself most, or eventually, the minds start to realize that there is no separateness or distinction among the different paths, where all paths exist among one another, where there is no this path and that path, but all are one, as the minds evolve further and develop greater clarity and understanding towards the universal teachings of Yoga Vedanta, or the dhamma.

It is all about preparing the mind to be focus, calm, quiet, and clear, that enables self-inquiry and self-realization to be happening, naturally, intentionlessly, and effortlessly.

The paths of Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Raja Yoga (if being practiced diligently and persistently under correct understanding and right attitude) will eventually merge into Jnana Yoga, intentionlessly, effortlessly, and naturally.

The passionate mind will become dispassionate.

The non-intellectual mind will become highly intellectual.

The mentally and emotionally dependent mind will become mentally and emotionally independent.

The irrational and superstitious mind will become rational and scientific.

The fearful mind will become fearless.

The outgoing wandering wavering indecisive mind will become one-pointed, firm, and precise.

The doubtful mind will become doubtless.

The non-understanding mind will become understanding.

The close-minded will become open-minded.

The ignorant egoistic impure possessive obsessive lustful jealous violent angry hating hurtful greedy ambitious prideful selfish uncomfortable distracted disturbed restless suffering murky mind will become silent and clear.

Wisdom (the absolute knowledge, the correct understanding, the universal dhamma) is there as it is, under the absence of the veil of ignorance under the state of absolute clarity, regardless of being rendered under which type of practice under any path.

Jnana Yoga

The rare minds that are naturally dispassionate and rational being endowed with or that have developed certain degrees of clarity and basic correct understanding under the presence of higher intellectual reasoning power as well as mental and emotional independence, either genetically and biologically inherited by birth, or developed from young after birth, or after have been engaging in the other paths of Bhakti Yoga, or Karma Yoga, or Raja Yoga, to be rendering the mind focus, calm, quiet, and clear (one-pointedness being in the present), to be thinning-out and eradicating the ego and egoism, or have been purifying and sharpening the intellectual reasoning power via the observation of renunciation, dispassion, solitude, seclusion, and silence, to be free from the influence or contamination of worldly egoistic conditional and influential ideas, beliefs, values, practices, actions, reactions, behaviors, visions, inspirations, and aspirations to reason everything, then these minds are suitable for undertaking directly, or evolving indirectly and eventually onto the path of right discrimination and wisdom, or the path of self inquiry and self realization - Jnana Yoga, to know Thyself, or to attain direct self realization towards the truth of all these names and forms that the mind comes in contact with.

The path of Jnana Yoga cannot be contaminated, misused, or commercialized, even if some corrupted impure minds try their best to do that.

The minds that don't have the basic correct understanding or mental and emotional independence won't be taking the path of Jnana Yoga, because it is too difficult, intimidating, impossible, unreachable, non-comprehensible, non-interesting, or even too boring for them. Meanwhile, the minds that are taking the path of Jnana Yoga, are already endowed with some essential basic correct understanding (right discrimination and dispassion - Viveka and Vairagya) as well as mental and emotional independence or maturity, where these minds won't be fooled, or influenced, or manipulated, or threatened, or intimidated, or bullied, or lured, or exploited, or determined by the corrupted activities and behaviors of the corrupted minds.

How can anyone trade/sell/buy wisdom, or liberation from ignorance, or unconditional peace, or absolute knowledge, or self realization, or enlightenment, or the universal dhamma, or the universal truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self that exists in all and everyone and everything, within and without?

The yoga teachers don't and couldn't sell all THAT to anyone, but there is nothing wrong to be making an honest livelihood to support the momentary life existence and function of the body and mind, while exerting energy/time/effort/inevitable cost into engaging in certain activities to transmit the knowledge, teachings, and practice of yoga to some others who are interested in learning and practicing and realizing yoga.

Even after paying some fees, or donations, or offerings to the yoga teachers to learn about the teachings and practice of yoga, the yoga student (the mind) still needs to perform all the practice physically and mentally, regularly and diligently, under its own continuous effort and perseverance, all by itself, to prepare itself for self inquiry, and to attain direct self realization through intense willpower, effort, perseverance, and determination, via direct experience towards the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self within the body and mind and in the surrounding environment in all kinds of names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, while may or may not be undergoing additional evitable and inevitable obstacles or difficulties, of undergoing unpleasant and undesirable difficult conditions and situations internally and/or externally, or coming in contact with painful suffering directly or indirectly, that are all neither good nor bad.

The minds on the path of right discrimination or wisdom, they can be and might be, but they don't need to be engaging in any forms of chanting, prayers, japa and mantra reciting, or serving 'God'/others/the world under particular name and form, or observing yama and niyama, or performing asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, and dhyana practice regularly or irregularly under particular name and form, or coming in and out of Samadhi.

All and everything, all kinds of impermanent abilities, limitations, and conditions, all kinds of experiences, all kinds of easiness and difficulties, all kinds of uncertainty and impermanent changes, all kinds of impermanent pleasurable enjoyments and painful suffering, all kinds of goodness and badness, the entire physical structure operating by different bodily systems, and all the impermanent states of mind, are the dhamma/teachings/teachers/gurus/realization/knowledge/wisdom.

All and everything, in action or inaction, understanding or non-understanding, known and unknown, agreeable or disagreeable, true or untrue, perfection or imperfection, pure or impure, contaminated or non-contaminated, finite or infinite, including the existence and function of the different paths of yoga and/or buddhism and their different brunches/lineages, all kinds of pleasurable enjoyments and painful sufferings, all kinds of ignorance and consequences of ignorance, the direct experience and realization, realized or non-realized, wise or ignorant, peaceful or peaceless, long-lived or short-lived, easy life or difficult life, knowledgeable or non-knowledgeable, intelligent or non-intelligent, educated or non-educated, aware or unaware, healthy or unhealthy, good or bad, right or wrong, happiness and unhappiness, positiveness and negativeness, success and failure, gain and loss, accomplishment and non-accomplishment, and etc, all kinds of manifestations under whatever types of cause and effect and impermanent changes, and the existence and function of the modification of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind under different states of consciousness, are all Selfless, Impermanent, Limited, Conditional, and Non-self.

The violent disturbed minds that would hurt themselves and others and the surrounding environment, as well as the minds that ignite, provoke, and promote others to hurt themselves and others and the surrounding environment, are all functioning under the presence and influence of the veil of ignorance.

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The presence and experience or manifestation of all kinds of obstacles or difficulties on the path of yoga and/or buddhism, or in daily life, are not because of 'bad karma' or 'sin', but merely the consequences or by-products of ignorance coming from the presence and influence of the veil of ignorance in the mind that gives rise to corrupted and ignorant thinking, reasoning, understanding, ideas, beliefs, values, practices, inspirations, aspirations, desires, actions, reactions, or behaviors that are hurting or limiting/affecting/impacting oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment. But more importantly, the veil of ignorance is not something bad, or wrong, or negative, or short-coming, or weakness, or shame deserving, or suffering deserving, but it is a common natural manifestation in all minds under the presence of conscious and semi-conscious awareness upon the state of consciousness and semi-consciousness.

Although the veil of ignorance is something common and natural, and there is neither right nor wrong, but the minds that are functioning under the presence and influence of the veil of ignorance are most probably not aware of that, or might be aware of that but don't understand towards all THAT, and hence, either wittingly and/or unwittingly, the minds keep generating actions and reactions (behaviors) that might hurt itself and/or others and the surrounding environment, intentionally or unintentionally, directly and indirectly.

That's why it is the highest duty of all minds to be engaging in the mind purification and silencing process (conscious mind evolution towards liberation from ignorance), to be free from the influence of the veil of ignorance, to know Thyself, to know the universal truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self, where the mind will stop hurting or doesn't hurt itself and/or others and the surrounding environment.

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Upon the mind is rendered calm, quiet, focus, and clear, contemplate or reflect upon the truth of the essential teachings of yoga and/or buddhism -

"A yogi or vedantin is not determined by the impermanent limited and conditional condition, ability, disability, limitation, eat or doesn't eat, do or doesn't do, think or doesn't think, feel or doesn't feel, has or doesn't have, known or unknown, and achievement or non-achievement of the physical and mental function of the body and mind. All 'karma' will burn in toto (disappear), the 'wheel of ceaseless births and deaths' will come to a stand still (disappear), the world of names and forms (of duality/separateness/impermanent changes/decay and disintegration/limitation/conditional/restlessness) ceased existing (disappear), in silence, upon self realization, upon reaching the state of Turiya - beyond the three states of consciousness/semi-consciousness/unconsciousness, beyond the three Gunas/energy fields/energy levels/elements/states of mind/hormonal changes/impermanent changes, limitations, and conditions." - The essence of Yoga Vedanta.

"All are selfless. All are impermanent. All are limited and conditional. All are non-self. Non-believing/following/worshiping/glorifying, not to say, non-blind believing/following/worshiping/glorifying, as well as non-blind practicing and non-blind propagating. Inquiring and attaining the truth of everything under the limited and conditional impermanent selfless conscious awareness, conscious freewill, self-initiation, self-effort, self-discipline, self-control, self-introspection, self-investigation, and self-inquiry, under the presence of non-grasping. Silencing the restless mind, a.k.a. removing the veil of ignorance, and attaining direct self realization towards the truth of everything." - The essence of Buddhism.

"You come alone. You go alone. You are left alone now. Live alone. Eat alone. Walk alone. Meditate alone. Do not mix. Do not associate. Do not hoard disciples. Do not build ashrams." - The repeated advice of Swami Sivananda

"The only one book to read is the heart." - The advice of Ajahn Chah

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Both the teachings and practice of Yoga Vedanta and Buddhism are grounded in non-grasping, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-comparison, non-expectation, perseverance, determination, forbearance, patience, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, intense yearning for liberation/freedom/knowledge/peace, renunciation, dispassion, right discrimination, solitude, seclusion, mental and emotional independence, desirelessness, non-violence, non-greed, non-hatred, the middle path, simplicity, non-hoarding, non-possessiveness, truthfulness, non-interference, respect, self-control, self-discipline, self-effort, self-inquiry, self-realization, direct experience, non-believing/following/worshiping/glorifying, non-blind practicing, non-blind propagating, open mind, silence, non-dualism, oneness, non-separateness, unconditional peace, the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, a.k.a. the absence of the idea of 'I'/conscious self acknowledgement/sense of separateness between 'I' and 'not I' (the ego), egoism, impurities, and restlessness, or the stillness/silence of the restless egoistic impure thought current/thinking process/thought activity/modification or state of the mind, or Samadhi, as well as the universal timeless intentionless changeless permanent infinite truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self, and the intentionless and attributeless nature's law of cause and effect (that is widely being misinterpreted as the 'good/bad/neutral karma' or 'merits and virtues and sins').

There is neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, where most minds are being conditioned more or less by all those worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, justifications, values, practices, actions, reactions, behaviors, visions, inspirations, and aspirations, to analyze, evaluate, understand, behave, and desire or expect everything in certain way. 

As the mind evolves towards greater degrees of clarity as well as deeper and clearer understanding, the mind starts to understand the meanings of the essential teachings of Yoga Vedanta and/or Buddhism, as well as about all those worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, justifications, values, practices, actions, reactions, behaviors, visions, inspirations, and aspirations.

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Neither right nor wrong in the different understanding towards the same teachings 

There is neither right nor wrong in the function of the mind that is being determined/affected/influenced/disturbed/conditioned and limited by the perception of duality.

Upon reaching the state of absolute clarity, those same minds transcend all kinds of duality, where they perceive, acknowledge, and see things as they are, neither positively nor negatively, neither meaningfully nor meaninglessly, where all and everything are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self. There is neither grasping nor non-grasping at this stage, as there is no ego being there to assert grasping or non-grasping.

Suffering arise upon the presence of grasping. There is no suffering upon the absence of grasping, or there is neither grasping nor non-grasping.

There is nothing wrong with the many different understanding and the evolution of the understanding towards the same teachings by the same mind at different stages, not to say, by the many different minds at different stages.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Looking after one's mind living in the present embracing silence

In the path of yoga, looking after one's mind, through observing maximum silence and seclusion, renouncing 'worldly connections/relationships', retreating from 'worldly affairs/activities', to be focusing on freeing one's mind from ignorance, egoism, restlessness and impurities of pride, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurts, regret, guilt, desire, longing, craving, offensiveness, defensiveness, intimidation, hostility, agitation, depression, bitterness, misery, fear and worry, to be developing and maintaining the sanity, clarity and serenity of the thinking faculty, living in the present as it is, being at peace unconditionally, undetermined/undisturbed by the impermanent and selfless quality of names and forms, without violating/interfering/intruding all the different people/communities with different kinds of thinking/belief/disbelief/ideas/values/practice/way of life/behavior/action and reaction, without claiming ownership towards the world expecting 'my world' or 'our world' has to be in certain ways that the mind would like it to be, or the way that the mind thinks and believes how it should be, is the greatest form of selfless/unconditional love towards 'the world'.

Many people including 'yoga enthusiasts' might disagree with this, where they perceive 'silence'/'renunciation'/'non-association'/'dispassion' as a form of 'selfishness'/'irresponsibility'/'wrongfulness', as they believe everyone's duty of humanity is to be actively/passionately engaging in the worldly/social affairs/activities performing actions to 'create' a world/society the way that they like/desire/aspire, to 'make'/'control'/'influence' the world/society to be the way that they think how it should be, to be all 'good' and 'right' according to what they think and believe is 'good' and 'right', to be empowering/protecting/propagating their own particular ideas/visions/values, while either intentionally or unintentionally, condemning/interfering/intruding/oppressing/intimidating/eliminating/fighting/declaring war against others who are different from them, who don't embrace the similar ideas/visions/values, who might be obstructing 'my desire/aspiration towards 'having' a world that I think how it should be'. And that's their freedom of thinking, action and reaction.

Looking after one's mind embracing silence being at peace unconditionally free from ignorance, egoism, restlessness and all kinds of impurity, it's the purest selfless/intentionless form of 'karma yoga' contributing to the society, even without much contact/involvement/association with the society and allowing the society being what it is.

Actions that arise/come from intention/desire/aspiration to 'influence'/'change'/'control'/'create' a world/society to be the way that 'I' desire it to be, that 'I' think and believe how it should be, are nothing to do with 'karma yoga', even if it's out of what the mind thinks and believes as 'good' and 'rightful' intention/aspiration.

All and everything being here forming 'the world' being what it is, where the mind perceives 'a world of names and forms through the senses', but the world doesn't belong to anyone or the mind. Once the mind generates attachment and claims possession/ownership towards the world, taking the perception of a worldly existence/manifestation of impermanent and selfless names and forms as 'my world' or 'our world', there will be intention/desire/expectation/aspiration/protectiveness to 'make'/'influence'/'control'/'limit' the world to be the way that the mind would like it to be, or the way that the mind thinks and believes how it should be, which unwittingly lead to the existence of all kinds of discrimination, interference, intrusion, intimidation, oppression, clash, conflict, violence, and etc.

Once the mind is free from ignorance and egoism, transcending all the different qualities of names and forms, being unattached towards or undetermined by 'goodness' and 'badness', 'rightfulness' and 'wrongfulness', 'positiveness' and 'negativeness', 'meaningfulness' and 'meaninglessness', this mind could be performing selfless/intentionless 'actions' in the world that promote peace and harmony effectively among the different names and forms, while allowing the world to be what it is, being impermanent and selfless, without possessiveness towards the world, without expectation/aspiration towards the world has to be in certain ways that 'I' like/desire/aspire, that 'I' think and believe how it should be, is truly 'loving' the world.

Peace manifest as it is when the mind transcends 'goodness' and 'badness', 'rightfulness' and 'wrongfulness', 'positiveness' and 'negativeness', 'meaningfulness' and 'meaninglessness', 'action' and 'inaction'. But for that to happen, the mind needs to know how to look after itself that would free the mind from ignorance, egoism, restlessness and all kinds of impurity. Or else, the mind thinks and believes that everyone needs to perform actions to achieve 'goodness', 'rightfulness', 'positiveness' and 'meaningfulness' and getting rid of 'badness', 'wrongfulness', 'negativeness' and 'meaninglessness', in order to have peace and harmony in the world/society.

Beware of the hidden/subtle 'ambition'/'desire'/'aspiration'/'intention' that feed ignorance and egoism, that pulls the mind further away from yoga, while thinking and believing that "I am a good yogi performing lots of karma yoga to help the world to be a better place."

Look into the world, where most countries need to have 'authority' and 'law enforcement' to 'control' the society to behave and not behaving in certain ways, to 'create' a world/society that conform to certain ideas/values/visions/beliefs/practice. Peace cannot be achieved by 'controlling' people to behave and not behaving in certain ways, or to think and not thinking in certain ways.

Peace is there as it is, when everyone has self-control out of own free-will, minding their own mind and have peace in themselves, without interference/intimidation/intrusion towards others who are being different from one another, and there's no need the existence of 'authority' or 'law enforcement' to 'control' people should and shouldn't behave or think in certain ways, that leads to further ignorant actions and reactions, violence, unrest and disharmony.

Be free.

Learn to be alone and independent

If one wants to practice yoga and meditation, one needs to learn to be alone and independent, as well as allow others to also learn to be alone and independent, learning to look after oneself.

Somehow quite many people think and believe that 'aloneness' of solitude and seclusion is something 'wrong' and 'selfish'. Many people, including health professionals and yoga teachers, would think and believe that it's 'abnormal' and 'unhealthy' for the body and the mind if someone is being 'isolated' from other human beings for a prolonged period of time, that people would get sick and die due to loneliness and without any 'physical touch/contact' or 'mental connection/interaction' with other human beings. So they believe, and so they become. It's everyone's freedom for what they want to think and believe.

For yoga practitioners, one must inquire the truth of everything. Do not blind-agreeing, blind-believing, blind-following, or blind-sharing any information of anything coming from anyone or any source.

Look into the history, of those who had been observing serious prolonged solitude and seclusion, voluntary being isolated from other human beings in the society to cut-off social activities, communication and interaction, to minimize mind inputs of worldly ideas, habits, thinking and belief, to quiet the restless modification of the mind, they were able to conquer their minds and attained the knowledge that liberates the mind from ignorance and suffering. These liberated minds were no longer be influenced or determined by all the others in the society of all kinds of thinking and belief and behavior.

Yoga practitioners who truly want to be free from ignorance and suffering, must inquire the truth of all those worldly thinking and belief coming from someone and somewhere, while letting go the worldly habit of minding other people's worldly affair, allowing others to learn to be independent to look after their own minds, or not.

No doubt that all living beings must depend on nature to provide the source of energy in the form of food, water and air for survival, and human beings living in the modern society are limited by necessary dependence on some others for certain things. Such as those who don't farm or cook, will have to depend on those who involve in farming, transporting, food processing, handling and cooking, to allow food to be available to them. Or, people who don't know how to build a house need to depend on house builders to build houses for them. Or, babies, toddlers and young children need the attentive care and guidance from others who are physically/mentally/emotionally matured. Or, those who have physical or mental limitation or illness, also need to depend on other people to look after their everyday living and to rehabilitate. Or, most people depend on clean treated running water, gas and electricity supply to their home for modern living convenience. Or people who are critically sick need to depend on health professionals who have the knowledge of medicines and treatments for all kinds of critical illness, and depending on the availability of the medicines or treatments to counter that particular illness.

Otherwise, most people could be physically, mentally and emotionally independent most of the time for most of the things in everyday life, but people just wouldn't, where people are either reluctant to look after themselves physically, mentally and emotionally even when they could, but they rather depending on other people to be there for them physically, mentally and emotionally, or people have fear and aversion towards the sense of lovelessness, companionlessness, loneliness, boredom and meaninglessness.

Survival instinct, love seeking, companion seeking, loneliness, boredom and meaninglessness are some of the significant reasons why people don't like or don't agree with 'aloneness' and 'independence'. Meanwhile there are selfish greedy people in the world also don't like the society to be 'independent' as that means they can no longer easily 'manipulate' or 'control' the society to get what they want.

It's common that many people want to think and believe that all human beings somehow NEEDING each other in life. People like to think and feel, "My children need me", "My family needs me", "My friends need me", "My partner needs me", "My students need me", "My pets need me", "My country needs me", and so on. Or "I need my children/my family/my friends/my partner/my students/my pets/my country being there for me, or else my life is empty, lonely, bored, joyless and meaningless."

It makes the egoistic minds feel good and meaningful about themselves when they think they are needed by other people or beings, that they can contribute something to other beings. If everyone is physically, mentally and emotionally independent and doesn't really need anyone to be there for them physically, mentally and emotionally, then this 'craving for needing one another in life' will not be gratified. People are no longer be able to attain that kind of good and meaningful feelings coming from the perception of "I am needed by some others. I am a useful being. I can contribute to the family/society/country/world/humanity." But, this is only because of ignorance and egoism.

The mind can be free from the idea of "I am needed by some others" or "I want to be there for some others" and be free from the craving for attaining good feelings and the sense of meaningfulness coming from being needed by others, but still being kind and generous and helpful to those who really need physical, mental and emotional care and support from others, unconditionally without discrimination of 'superiority or inferiority', 'people whom I know or don't know', 'people whom I like or don't like', or 'people whom I agree with or disagree with'.

And then there are those who become physically, mentally and emotionally frustrated, exhausted and restless deriving from pushing oneself beyond one's limitation to look after other people who want to or need to depend on the others physically, mentally and emotionally. This is because the egoistic mind would feel bad, guilty and regret if they think they are not always there or couldn't be there for people who want to or need to depend on them. And if their body and mind breakdown due to over exhaustion from looking after others, themselves need to be looked after by some others. If one can't even look after oneself properly, then how can one look after the others efficiently?

When the mind is free from ignorance and egoism, it can truly serve the world efficiently, selflessly and unconditionally, under a pure, calm, dispassionate, desireless and selfless mind.

In the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre/Ashram, most people see the sequence of the teachings of Swami Sivananda as SERVE, LOVE, GIVE, PURIFY, MEDITATE, REALIZE. That is also what Swami Sivananda taught and had written in most of his books.

SERVE, LOVE, GIVE is when the mind turning outward performing selfless actions in the world (Karma Yoga) to serve the purpose of purifying the mind via the elimination of egoism through selfless service. While PURIFY allows the mind be free from impurities and restlessness to meditate and realize the truth of selflessness. MEDITATE is when the mind turning inward ceased all actions or studies in the world, stands as the silent witness towards the mind perception of a world of names and forms. And REALIZE is the fruit of meditation.

SERVE, LOVE, GIVE are supposed to help in the elimination of egoism while performing karma yoga/selfless service, however, it's because most minds are not free from ignorance and egoism, that's why they need to be purified. While SERVE, LOVE, GIVE under the influence of ignorance and egoism could actually empowering ignorance and egoism, and would generate more impurities and restlessness into the mind than to purify the mind, which in fact, hindering the mind to meditate and realize.

And so, the more efficient way might be first taking care of PURIFY (by turning the mind inward via dispassion, renunciation, solitude, seclusion and silence), MEDITATE and REALIZE, and then this mind that is free from ignorance and egoism can truly SERVE, LOVE, GIVE through performing selfless actions or Karma Yoga in the world, efficiently, selflessly and unconditionally. At this point, even though the body and mind is performing actions in the world, but the mind is unmoved/unaffected/undetermined by the actions and the fruit of actions. This mind is void of restlessness or exhaustion. This is INACTION in ACTIONS that doesn't bind the mind to karma.

In fact, meditation practice being done with the correct understanding and attitude is the best mind purification, as during the time of sitting quietly by oneself, moving the body and mind away from worldly interactions and activities, turning the attention inward, withdrawing the senses from the sense objects, witnessing/observing the mind activities without association/identification with the modifications of the mind, without craving, aversion, judgment and expectation, without intention, the mind is being purified naturally and efficiently.

PURIFY, MEDITATE, REALIZE is indeed the mind SERVING, LOVING, GIVING the mind itself, and thus, purifying itself. Upon the realization of Selflessness, this mind can truly SERVE, LOVE, GIVE to others.

And hence, the importance of silence, solitude and seclusion, aloneness and independence for those who truly want to practice yoga and realize yoga.

One must look after one's mind before one can truly benefit the others.

Those who disagree with this don't have to take up this teaching. Be free.

Go beyond the sense of contentment, joy and meaningfulness

This teaching is for those who want to go beyond the limited mind perception of 'good and bad', 'right and wrong', 'meaningfulness and meaninglessness', who are interested in transcending worldly life existence of the function of an impermanent and selfless physical body and the mind perception of names and forms that is subject to the suffering of ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness, birth, hunger, thirst, ungratified desires, separation from people and things that one loves, coming in contact with people and things that one dislikes and disagrees with, impermanent changes, decay, old age, illness and death, but somehow, the mind is still being determined by the qualities of names and forms, and be disturbed by the situation in the world that is not the way that the mind would like it to be.

Those who have already gone beyond 'goodness' and 'badness', 'meaningfulness' and meaninglessness', being peaceful as they are, being undisturbed or undetermined by all the qualities of names and forms, they don't need this teaching.

Those who are aware of the truth of impermanence and selflessness, but they are not interested in silencing the modification of the mind to transcend the mind perception of a worldly life existence of restless ceaseless births and deaths, instead, they just want to enjoy life to the maximum. That's their freedom.

Those who are not interested in transcending the worldly life existence of a body and mind that is subject to suffering, who believe in positive thinking/mind power to change the world to be a better place, who attached onto the presence of 'goodness' or 'meaningfulness' and the absence of 'badness' or 'meaninglessness', to feel good, content, happy and meaningful in life, they don't need to take up this teaching and practice. Be happy.

The teaching and practice of yoga to eliminate ignorance and egoism is beyond the desire of craving and aversion towards names and forms. There's neither clinging onto pleasant/desirable worldly life experiences nor aversion towards unpleasant/undesirable worldly life experiences. But merely seeing the truth of impermanence and selflessness of the body and mind as it is, and making use of this worldly life existence as the precious platform to transcend the mind perception of a worldly life existence of an impermanent selfless body and mind that is subject to the suffering of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness.

One can develop great tolerance and forbearance to endure suffering when suffering arise, repeatedly, without aversion, but one doesn't have to endure any suffering at all. Suffering doesn't exist upon the annihilation of the cause of suffering - The modification of the mind under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities.

There is hidden attachment that bind the mind to worldly life existence that is unaware by the mind that attached onto 'goodness' and 'righteousness' that give rise to the sense of 'contentment, joy and meaningfulness' towards the 'achievement' of "I am living a good and meaningful life doing the good and the right things. Life is good and meaningful."

Just as the impure mind easily falls in love with or attached onto the objects of names and forms that appear to be good, pleasant, attractive, beautiful, lovable, enjoyable, fun, or cute. The mind naturally attached onto the sense of 'contentment, joy and meaningfulness' deriving from "I am doing the good and the right thing" achieving what the mind perceives as 'goodness' and 'righteousness'.

There's nothing wrong with appreciating 'goodness' and it's very good to feel 'contentment, joy and meaningfulness' due to the presence of 'goodness' and the absence of 'badness'. Just that the mind could unwittingly attached onto the presence of 'goodness' that give rise to the sense of 'contentment, joy and meaningfulness', where the mind will be disturbed/disappointed/dissatisfied when the presence of goodness is disturbed/interrupted/unavailable.

Many people like to engage in community works because the minds can easily find the sense of 'contentment, joy and meaningfulness' working or serving in a particular community, to be able to contribute to the community and seeing others getting the help/assistance that they need to achieve a similar goal. This is very good especially for those who suffer depression.

Within a particular community, even though everyone is not perfect and there might be conflicts of different opinions and personal desires of want and doesn't want, but all are following the similar values, thinking and belief, and are doing their best to work their way towards the same goal under the same vision of that particular community. For example, a Buddhist engaging in selfless service/karma yoga to serve the others in the Buddhist community, or a Muslim engaging in serving the others in the Muslim community, or a Christian engaging in serving the others in the Christian community, or someone engaging in serving a particular community in need of shelter, food, love and care.

It's even better, as what most people would hope for, if regardless of all the different religious/cultural/spiritual/social/national/political thinking and belief, everyone has one similar universal goal of achieving the similar 'good and meaningful life', where everyone works together to maintain peace and harmony in the diverse world of different groups of communities with different thinking and belief, values and way of life, while respecting each other for being different from one another without interference/intrusion towards others who are different from 'I' or 'my thinking and belief' and 'my community of a particular values, thinking and belief'. That would be so nice, a world without fear, discrimination, prejudice, hatred, unrest, animosity, invasion, intrusion, clashes, violence, wars, killings, and etc.

But the reality is not necessarily the way that the mind would like it to be. For those who don't know yoga/dharma, this is depressing and negative. For those who know yoga/dharma, this is not depressing or negative. It's just the truth of the world of impure minds functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

The different communities of different thinking and belief, values and way of life, goal and vision that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism will most likely being protective/defensive towards their own community out of survival instinct, discriminating/condemning/bullying/attacking others who are not from one's community, and treating the other communities that are different from oneself as potential enemies that might generate threats to one's community. There is always unrest, distrust, offensiveness, animosity, tension and fear towards the others might offend/intrude/invade/conquer oneself. This is truly unnecessary, but that's the way it is in this world due to ignorance and egoism.

It's not difficult to attain the sense of 'contentment, joy and meaningfulness' while serving in a particular community that has the similar goal and vision, thinking and belief, even though everyone is not perfect. But when come to the reality of a world of diversity, of different communities with different thinking and belief about what is right and wrong/good and bad, having different ways of cultural/religious/social/spiritual practice, different values and ways of life with different goals and visions that give rise to different meanings of 'good and meaningful life', where most of the minds are not free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, there will be many challenges and difficulties and frustration.

The mind would feel disappointed, tired, frustrated and depressed about the situation in the world that is under the deep influence of ignorance and egoism, that is not in the control/desire of 'I' about how 'I' would like it to be, no matter how good 'I' am, how much good actions/sacrifices 'I' have done, how positive/optimism is my mind, or how much 'I' want to help to bring peace and harmony into the world.

The mind will be in great disappointment, tiredness, frustration and depression, if one has 'wishful thinking' or expectation towards all beings in the world should put aside all the differences and work together towards living in peace and harmony among all the different communities.

If the mind can be free from attachment and 'wishful thinking' or expectation, and goes beyond that 'disappointed, tired, frustrated and depressed' reaction in the mind, and starts to see the truth of the nature of the impure minds and understand that this is the nature of the beings in the world under the influence of ignorance and egoism, it will let go the 'wishful thinking' of hoping everyone will be free from selfishness to work together to make the world a peaceful harmony place that is free from fear, discrimination, hatred, prejudice, unjust, corruption, violence, bullying, oppression, invasion, intrusion, killings, wars and all sorts of human religious/cultural/racial/national/social/political tension, clashes and conflicts.

When the mind is free from ignorance and egoistic attachment, there's no difference between 'good life' and 'not good life', or 'meaningfulness' and 'meaninglessness'. Life is just what it is. It's neither good nor not good, neither meaningful nor meaningless. This mind will be free from disappointment, tiredness, frustration and depression towards the reality of a world of diversity under the influence of ignorance and egoism that is not necessarily the way that it would like it to be based on certain thinking and belief about what is 'good and bad', 'right and wrong' and 'meaningful and meaningless'.

Once the mind is free from the attachment towards a particular thinking and belief about 'goodness or badness' and 'righteousness or wrongfulness', this mind can serve the world of different diversities, without attachment towards a particular thinking and belief, without discrimination/interference towards the different thinking and beliefs, without being disturbed by the reality that is not necessary pleasant or nice. There's neither contentment nor discontentment, neither meaningfulness nor meaninglessness. The world is just what it is. Minds are just what they are, mostly behaving under the influence of ignorance and egoism restlessly.

Even those who are highly educated are not necessary free from ignorance and egoism that generate discrimination, prejudice, hatred, violence, or intrusion towards others who are different from them whom they disagree with and dislike, as they attached onto their own thinking and belief about what is 'goodness and badness' or 'righteousness and wrongfulness' to judge and condemn everyone and everything. And that's their freedom. But they have no peace due to the egoistic reactions and impurities in their minds towards names and forms that they dislike and disagree with.

One can be doing lots of selfless service/karma yoga to serve others in a community under one similar thinking and belief (not too challenging), or serve others in the world of different communities under different thinking and belief (extremely challenging), but one is undetermined or undisturbed by one's action and the fruit of action.

Not even attached onto, "Even if I can bring joy/goodness/happiness/meaningfulness/awareness to just one person, and change this person's life, it's already good enough." Let it go.

There's no disappointment, tiredness, frustration or depression, if the world is still full of fear, discrimination, hatred, prejudice, unjust, corruption, violence, bullying, oppression, killings, wars and all sorts of human religious/cultural/racial/national/social/political tension, clashes and conflicts everywhere, even though one has done a lot to serve others in the world, to bring awareness, peace and harmony into the world.

Keep practice...

A yoga student was very excited coming into headstand after practicing regularly and told his teacher, "Teacher, I can stand on my head now!"

The teacher asked him, "Are you now free from anger, desires and worries?"

The student answered, "Not really..."

The teacher compassionately said to him, "Keep practice..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This is reflecting about peace, desire-less, compassion and wisdom is nothing to do with whether we can stand on our head or not, or whether we are able to do and achieve what we want to do and achieve or not...

"Keep practice" also doesn't necessary mean keep practicing the asana poses until we manage to perform the asana poses, or we can hold the poses longer than before, but what it really means is, keep practicing non-identification and non-attachment, and even after we devote lots of time, efforts and energy into our yoga asana practice, we are not attached to the efforts nor the fruit of the efforts...

What's the point if we are now able to perform the asana poses that we were not able to perform in the past, but we are not free from continue being disturbed and conditioned by anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, ignorance, fear and worry that derive from attachment and identification with the body and mind?

When anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, ignorance, fear and worry are subjugated due to non-identification and non-attachment towards the body and mind, the yoga student doesn't even need to announce that he is now free from impurities... So as yoga asana practice. The yoga asana practice is supposed to be rendering our mind calm and pure, to prepare the mind for meditation upon the Truth... It is not about how good we look and how good we feel in performing the asana poses... it is accepting the physical ability in the present moment now as it is, and knowing that even this condition and the ability of the physical body now whether it is in good or bad condition, it is impermanent... We do not identify with this impermanent condition and ability of the physical body to perform the yoga asana poses... There is nothing to be excited about when our body is able to perform certain asana poses after some practice, and there is nothing to be frustrated about when our body is not able to perform the asana poses even after a long time of practice...

After we are able to catch our feet with our hands in the sitting forward bend, we'll ask, "What next?"

After we are able to balance on our hands in Bakasan or Kakasan, we'll ask, "What next?"

After we are able to stand on our head and our hands in headstand and handstand, we'll ask again, "What next?"

Then we try to stand on the head without hands support, and we'll ask, "What next?"

Maybe we can try to invent more challenging poses then? Such like "one finger handstand" since many yoga teachers like to say that "everything is possible", just need to keep practice... Kindly note that this physical body has its limitations and is conditioned by impermanence. We cannot force the body to go beyond its limitations or else we will be injuring the body, but what the sentence "everything is possible" means, we can go beyond the identification with the physical body and be free from being conditioned by the conditions and ability of the physical body, that we are not determined by this physical body, as we are not this body and this body is not us. It is just an instrument for us to realize this Truth...

This craving for "What next?" can keep going until the moment our body is not able to do any poses any more... Then we'll start to realize that this ceaselessly chasing after the sense of achievement that come from being able to perform the asana poses, is not what we are looking for, after spending years and years in trying to perform all the yoga asana poses...

This voice that keep asking "What next?" is coming from the never satisfied nature of the mind...

That's why even though if our physical body is capable to perform many complicated asana poses, it never bring us to real unconditional contentment, as we have wrong identification with the impermanent body and the dis-satisfactory mind... Always not satisfied, always wanting more and more, just like drug and alcohol abuse, one dose is not giving any effects anymore, we need double dose, and then triple dose, and so on....

As all these achievements in performing the asana poses are "dis-satisfactory" in its nature - impermanence".

If during and after the yoga asana practice, whether we are able to perform the yoga asana poses or not, but we are not identified with the ability of the physical body in performing the asana poses, and there is no expectation whether our body will be more flexible and strong or not after the practice, nor expecting our body will be able to perform the asana poses much better in the next or future practice, nor expecting what are the benefits from performing the asana poses, nor expecting ourselves will be more peaceful and calm... But, allowing all the benefits, strength and flexibility, skills to perform the asana poses, peacefulness and calmness to come by itself naturally as it is, not because we are expecting any of these to happen the way that we want it to be, then this will bring us towards unconditional peace...

In traditional yoga class, the teacher doesn't tell the students what are the benefits when they perform the asana poses, as yoga asana practice is supposed to help us in developing non-identification with the body and mind, and non-attachment towards our actions or efforts, not attaching to or not expecting for the fruit of our actions or efforts. And even if the students don't know what are the benefits from doing the asana poses, the benefits will still be there as it is, it won't disappear nor decrease...

The practice of intention-less which is the key to the practice of non-expectation and non-attachment, is to let go of any intentions, even if it is good intention... If there is a good intention, we attach to the idea of "we are doing something good", and will "expect" someone will be benefited from this good intention, and "expect" something good in return... Attachment is there... We are not free yet.

This is to eliminate the craving habit of the egoistic mind of "I want something good... I don't want something bad..."

And by practicing yoga asana together with the practice of non-attachment in the mental level, will definitely bring us towards freedom, or unconditional peace and real happiness that is not being conditioned by any qualities of names and forms...

This is the yoga practice while performing the asana poses or while trying to learn to perform the asana poses...

Able to accept the condition and the ability of the physical body in the present moment now as it is and allow the benefits to come and improvement to happen naturally as we practice regularly everyday few hours a day, without  identification, attachment, judgment, comparison and expectation...

This is Karma Yoga being perform onto ourselves... Being kind and compassionate towards ourselves by bringing our body and mind to concentrating in a few hours of yoga asana practice daily... As all the yoga asana poses require huge amount of concentration in the present moment now, and this will not let the mind wanders into the past or the future within the time of practice, and there is no opportunity for the body and mind to get involve in immoral or unkind thoughts, actions and speech... During the time of practice, we are controlling and restricting our thoughts, actions and speech, and this is already benefiting the world by not committing any selfish, harmful or negative thoughts, actions and speech into the surrounding environment. This is being kind and compassionate towards the world...

Beside controlling and restricting the thoughts, actions and speech as our main practice by devoting our energy, effort and time into yoga practice as many hours as possible everyday in life, another main reason to perform all the yoga practices (Not limited to Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi, Kriyas, study of the scriptures, chanting and prayers, selfless service, developing divine qualities such like patience, perseverance, will-power, determination, courage, positive thinking, cheerfulness, generosity, truthfulness, straightforwardness, sexual energy conservation and channeling for spiritual realization, acceptance, adjustment, accommodation, adaptation, forgiveness, non-judgment, non-comparison, non-expectation, non-attachment, non-identification, letting go, and etc...) is to purifying, unblocking, balancing, conserving, generating, and channeling the energy fields in the body for spiritual realization or self-realization...

But all these practice has to work with letting go of desires and attachments that come from the ego... Such like, having the idea of "I am doing this practice, so that I will gain such and such benefits or achievements..." or "I am practicing "non-attachment", so that I will be free from suffering and unhappiness..." It doesn't bring us to peace...We can be performing all these yoga practices for many hours everyday for many years, but as long as we have attachment and identification with the doer of the actions and the enjoyer of the fruit of the action, we are not free and be restless being disturbed by what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think...

The body and the mind will be benefited in performing the yoga practice, but... Our true nature doesn't need all these benefits to be what it is or to "make" it peaceful... It is unconditional peace... The mind needs the yoga practice to experience peace, but our true nature is always peaceful...

There is no "I". There is no practice. There is no fruit of the practice. There is no "I" am doing the practice. There is no "I" will be enjoying the fruit of the practice...

The ego gets a momentary excitement and the sense of success or achievement when it gets the benefits or results as what it was expecting while performing any actions... And the ego gets disappointment and frustration and sense of failure when it doesn't get the benefits or results as what it was expecting while performing any actions...

Such like, "I did a lot of yoga practice, and thus I am healthy, strong and flexible and I feel good..." or "I didn't practice much or didn't practice at all, and thus I am not so healthy, not strong and not flexible, and I don't feel good..." As all these identification and expression is coming from the egoistic mind - the idea of "I" and all that "I" experience and all that "I" get and don't get from "my" actions and inactions, good and bad actions... It is the mind feels good or doesn't feel good... It is not us. We are just the observer or the witness being aware of what the mind is experiencing from moment to moment through the body with the functions of the sense organs and the senses, which is being conditioned by impermanence, the qualities of names and forms, thought patterns, actions and inactions, and speech...

So, whether our body can perform all the poses level by level or not, or our body cannot perform many of the yoga poses, it really doesn't matter... As What the body capable to do and not capable to do, it is just the body... And the condition and ability of the physical body to do this or that, is nothing to do with the unconditional real peace that comes from our true nature...

A person who's body cannot perform headstand or handstand can still be selfless, peaceful, wise and compassionate...

Some people ask, "Why some people can do all the "complicated" yoga poses and some people cannot do the "simplest" yoga poses?"

Simply it’s because whether their body can do or cannot do these poses, depends on their individual physical condition and abilities, as well as the state of their mind. Everyone has very different physical condition and physical abilities from one another. Everyone has a different state of mind from one another… And through constant practice, their body will gain physical and mental strength, flexibility, stamina, confidence, faith and courage, and might be or will be able to perform some or all of the asana poses, simple or complicated… But whether their body can do or cannot do these poses, is nothing to do with whether they will be peaceful or not…

Another effect that comes from holding the body being in the yoga poses for a period of time, can help to influence the energy fields in the body effectively, either activating, stimulating, energizing or calming and balancing… And this will make the body and mind feel good during and after the practice, but again this is just the body and mind experiencing some impermanent conditional good feelings… And if the mind is rendered calm and still during or after the asana practice, that is the moment to meditate and contemplate on the Truth, and not getting lost in attachment of craving and clinging towards that good feelings and pleasant effects of the asana practice…

And to render the mind calm and still doesn't need to have a strong and flexible body to perform the most complicated asana poses, but just by performing some very simple poses that even a sick person with weak bones and muscles also can perform will give the same effects of calming and stilling the mind... It is through will-power and breath control...

People who are flexible and strong can be peaceful if they know non-identification and non-attachment... People who are inflexible and not strong can also be peaceful if they know non-identification and non-attachment...

People who are flexible and strong can be not peaceful if they don't know non-identification and non-attachment... People who are inflexible and not strong can also be not peaceful if they don't  know non-identification and non-attachment...

At the end, no need to compare or compete with anybody in the yoga asana practice, as liberation or peace is not attain through comparison or competition... It is not like, "I am better than you in performing the asana poses, and I can do more asana poses than you can, and so, I should be more peaceful, selfless, wise and compassionate than you..."

This is the test - If now everything happened is all good and according to what we wished for, and so we are peaceful and happy... But if one day, we experience some "bad" things that we don't want and don't like in our life, and we will be disturbed or determined by it, and are not peaceful and not happy anymore, then know that we still need to keep practice...

Om shanti.

Swami Sivananda's words of wisdom - Concentration and Meditation (8)

Social nature is good for doing Karma Yoga. But it is extremely bad for practicing Dhyana Yoga (meditation). It drags you out. It makes your mind restless. It invites many friends who disturb you in a variety of ways.

社交的性格品质是适合修练无私行动瑜伽。但是对于练习禅那瑜伽（打坐／静坐）是极其恶劣的。它将你往外拉扯出去。它导至你的心灵不安。它邀请了许多朋友以多种型式来干扰你的修行。

Concentration and meditation - Swami Sivananda