The mind can have free will towards how it reacts towards everything

No doubt that the genetic inheritance factor, the nutritional factor, and the surrounding environment of all kinds of influences from everyone and everything that the mind comes in contact with, during the conception of the forming of a selfless physical body, before birth, and after birth, the childhood growing up environment under certain parenting method, and family, social, cultural, spiritual, religious, national, political or commercial belief, ideas, values, practice and behavior influences, of all kinds of inputs, educations, trainings, activities and experiences since early childhood, are conditioning and influencing the selfless physical condition (including the selfless function of the brains, or the hardware of the intellectual emotional thinking faculty that is conditioning and influencing certain mentality, personality and behavior even before birth) and the selfless states of the mind to be in certain way, that is conditioning how the selfless mind thinks, feels, reasons, judges, understands, desires, behaves, acts and reacts in certain way.

But then, since it is all about limited conditions and influences that are subject to selfless impermanent changes, where the mind and its modification is being conditioned and influenced by certain genetic inheritance and environmental conditions and influences to be in certain way, that means, certain environmental conditions and influences can be changed, which can be helpful for the mind to develop correct understanding, while some other genetic inheritance conditions that is difficult or impossible to be changed, the selfless mind can transcend or go beyond such 'permanent' yet impermanent conditions, if there's a strong enough will, under the presence of correct understanding. All kinds of seemingly permanent damages are also impermanent, as the names and forms that suffer from any kind of permanent damages, are all selfless and impermanent.

The degrees of will power in a mind is very much being reflected in the degrees of self-awareness, self-discipline, self-control, self-independence, or self-management of the mind.

The weaker is the will power in the mind, the weaker is the self-awareness, self-discipline, self-control, self-independence, or self-management in the mind, and vice versa.

Certain minds that have very weak will power, their thinking, behavior, actions and reactions are very much being influenced by certain existing conditions and influences, a.k.a. the selfless impermanent different energy fields that are existing and changing according to the many existing conditions and influences, unwittingly. As if without any self-awareness, these minds are unaware of the states of their mind or themselves, are thinking, behaving, acting and reacting in certain way, under the influence of certain existing conditions and influences, regardless of whether high or low intelligence, highly knowledgeable or non-knowledgeable, sane or insane.

The minds that have no awareness, or not enough awareness, to be aware of all that, none can do anything about it, not to say, to be discussing, debate or argue about anything, as that is what they are being conditioned to think and strongly believe in, except coming from themselves, starting to be developing the awareness as well as the initiation to inquire and understand towards what is going on in itself.

Even if certain minds have certain degrees of awareness and understanding towards their states of mind, or their thinking, behavior, actions and reactions are being conditioned and influenced by the existing conditions and influences to be in certain way, they insist that it can't be changed. That is the indication of the veil of ignorance and egoism.

That's why the selfless will power that is being reflected in self-awareness, self-control, self-discipline, or self-management is neither good nor bad. Depending on the presence and absence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, or the presence of different degrees of ignorance, egoism and impurities in the mind, on top of under certain degrees of selfless will power, self-awareness, self-control, self-discipline and self-management, some minds are thinking and behaving in the way that is destructive to themselves and others, while some other minds are thinking and behaving in the way that is constructive to themselves and others.

The presence of different degrees of ignorance in the mind is conditioning and influencing the different degrees of selfishness and unselfishness or different priority towards the different things in the selfless impermanent life existence of the selfless impermanent body and mind. There is certain selfishness towards certain things while there is certain unselfishness towards some other things in most minds.

The selfless mind cannot control or avoid the selfless impermanent changes governed by the nature's law of cause and effect, such as decay, old age, weakness, and death or disintegration, and it cannot control all kinds of names and forms that it perceives through the senses being what they are, selfless and impermanent, even though selfless impermanent changes can be modified, influenced and manipulated in certain way up to certain extend. No matter how much effort is being put into the maintenance of the good condition of the physical body and the function of the thinking faculty under certain will power, it doesn't stop the body and mind from passing away, or decaying, ceased functioning, and disintegrating.

Such as the selfless mind comes with the selfless basic instinct of selfless will power that exists regardless of under the presence or absence of the idea of 'I', that can be strengthened, to direct the impermanent changes of the selfless modification of the selfless mind that is under the veil of ignorance towards certain direction that initiates the annihilation of ignorance.

Under certain effort to be strengthening the awareness, correct understanding and will power in the mind during the process of annihilating the veil of ignorance from the mind, the mind can have the free will to choose how it wants to react towards everything that it perceives through the senses, of whatever is being reflected in the mind, or whatever is going on in the selfless impermanent modification of the mind, under the presence of correct understanding and enhanced selfless will power.

That's why certain minds are being determined, conditioned and influenced by the selfless impermanent modification of the mind that is being conditioned and influenced by certain conditions and influences, while certain minds are not being determined, conditioned or influenced by all that, transcending or going beyond the selfless existence and function of the selfless modification of the mind.

No matter what kind of conditions and influences that have been conditioning and influencing the body and mind in certain way, the mind can transcend or go beyond all that, if there's a will. Transcending or going beyond the existing conditions and influences, doesn't mean making or controlling all kinds of existing conditions and influences to change into something else, or to disappear.

Certain minds have been being conditioned and influenced by certain family, cultural, spiritual, religious, national, political or commercial belief, values and practice, to think, behave, act and react in certain way according to those belief, values and practice, but still, they can renounce and transcend all that, if there's a will, even if such conditions and influences are still existing in the mind, but the thinking, behavior, actions and reactions are no longer being determined by such conditions and influences.

That is what the teachings and practice of yoga and buddhism is about, to free the mind from being conditioned and influenced by certain conditions and influences that are not necessarily beneficial to all and everyone.

That is why the importance of the observation of renunciation and dispassion, seclusion, solitude and silence, openness, non-blind believing, non-blind following, non-blind agreeing/disagreeing, non-blind practicing, non-blind propagating, self-independence, self-discipline, self-control, self-effort, self-inquiry and self-realization.

Such as, the mind used to be being conditioned and influenced in certain way to be believing in certain belief, values and practice, but after performing self-inquiry towards those belief, values and practice, one would stop believing in such belief, values and practice that is not necessarily true or beneficial to all and everyone. That's why the importance of inquiring towards the truth of everything via self-effort and self-inquiry to attain self-realization towards the truth of everything.

That's also why many passionate egoistic minds that want to control all and everyone to be in certain way under certain belief, values and practice, they have intense dislike, disagreement, fear and offensiveness towards self-inquiry or the investigation towards the truth of everything, as their belief, values and practice are not necessarily all true or beneficial towards all and everyone. If they know for sure, that their particular belief, values and practice are all true and beneficial to all and everyone, there wouldn't be dislike, disagreement, fear or offensiveness towards the mind inquiring towards the truth of all those belief, values and practice. How can something that is 'real' be contaminated, hurt or damaged by anything? Something that can be contaminated, hurt or damaged by something, it is not real.

If someone truly believes in the existence of an almighty 'God' that represents unconditional love and wisdom, wouldn't have dislike, disagreement, fear and offensiveness towards any doubt, question, inquiry or investigation towards the truth of the existence of that almighty 'God' or its teachings and belief that represents the truth of everything and unconditional love and wisdom. The almighty 'God' that represents the truth of everything and unconditional love and wisdom won't be contaminated, hurt, damaged, offended or disrespected by such doubt, question, inquiry or investigation.

How can the teachings or belief, of an almighty all loving and all wise 'God', as well as the almighty 'God' itself, be contaminated, hurt, damaged, offended or disrespected by anything? The "God" and the teachings or beliefs that would be contaminated, hurt, damaged, offended and disrespected by certain doubt, question, inquiry or investigation, is something else. If the all loving and all wise almighty 'God' exits, 'God' doesn't want anyone to be fearful towards 'God'. It's the ignorant minds themselves are being fearful towards 'God', as well as want other minds to be fearful towards 'God' under certain intention.

The mind can have the will power to be non-attaching and non-associating towards the selfless impermanent modifications or states of the mind, not being determined or disturbed by the selfless names and forms arising, changing and passing away in the mind, or in itself, allowing the names and forms being what they are, as they are, selfless and impermanent, without the need of controlling or changing all kinds of names and forms to be changing into something else or to be in certain way, or to make them disappear, but allowing them to change and disappear at their own cause and pace.

Similarly, in the process of the annihilation of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness. The mind is performing all kinds of practices that will initiate and support the weakening and eradication process of the veil of ignorance and its by-products, but the veil of ignorance and its by-products takes its own cause and pace to be eradicated from the mind.

That is what non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-comparison, non-judgment and non-expectation, or intentionless actions powered by selfless compassion during the entire process or journey towards the annihilation of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness is about.

Performing all kinds of necessary actions while renouncing the actions and the fruit of actions, allowing the fruit of actions being what it is.

There's no frustration, or disappointment, or despair.

Inquire the truth of everything. The truth won't be contaminated, hurt, damaged, offended or disrespected.

In the end, it's the freedom of the mind itself for what it wants to think, believe, understand, feel, desire, behave, act and react, as well as it's its own responsibility towards the consequences of all that.

Be free from feeling being intimidated, offended, disrespected, belittled, insulted, unloved, and etc

If the mind feels being intimidated, offended, disrespected, belittled, insulted, unloved, and etc, by what it experiences/perceives, it's coming from the mind itself reacting in such way towards the perceived names and forms that the mind recognized/categorized as intimidation, offensiveness, disrespectfulness, belittling, insulting, unloving, and so on. It's not coming from the names and forms that the mind perceives/experiences through the senses.

This conditioned reaction is due to the egoistic impure mind is functioning under the influence of pride and arrogance and expectation. The ego doesn't like or doesn't want to come in contact with the unpleasant/undesirable/'hurtful' experiences of what the mind recognizes/categorizes as intimidation, offensiveness, disrespectfulness, belittling, insulting, unloving, and so on.

The ego thinks and believes and expects that it deserves certain kinds of treatment/interaction and doesn't deserves certain kinds of treatment/interaction.

"I don't like this. I don't agree with this. I don't want this." and "I think/believe/expect/want all beings/humans/people should think/believe/react/behave like this and shouldn't think/believe/react/behave like that."

It's the prideful/self-assured/self-glorified ego that feels being intimidated/encouraged, offended/pleased, disrespected/respected, belittled/flattered, insulted/praised, unloved/loved, and etc. When the ego is annihilated, all these qualities of names and forms vanished.

The mind doesn't need to feel/react in such way and just allows all the perceived experiences/names and forms to be there as they are. There's no intimidation, offensiveness, disrespectfulness, belittling, insult, unloving, and etc, if the mind is free from egoistic pride, arrogance and expectation. Other beings/humans/people are just behaving in the way that they want to behave, and their behavior is their own responsibility and freedom of actions.

Why allowing other people's thinking/belief/reactions/behavior to determine one's state of the mind or reactions? Especially if one thinks and strongly believes that oneself is all good and righteous and didn't do anything bad or wrong, but one is suffering/unhappy/disturbed by other people's thinking/belief/behavior that one thinks/believes/perceives/recognizes as bad/wrong/negative/hurtful.

If the mind still couldn't understand this and feels annoyed/offended by this teaching, then this mind doesn't need to practice this teaching. It's the freedom of this mind of how it wants/doesn't want to think/believe/react/behave.

The minds that are not free from ignorance and egoism, that are not free from pride/arrogance/superiority/self-assurance/self-glorification/expectation will always easily be disturbed/offended/intimidated/belittled/hurt/insulted by anything, at anywhere and anytime.

Those who have realized the magnificent of oneness/non-separateness beyond all the different qualities of names and forms, will not spend even a tiny drop of attention/interest/effort/energy onto all these worldly names and forms of thinking/belief/behavior/reaction generated/sprung from ignorance and egoism. There's no difference between intimidation and encouragement, offensive and pleasing, disrespectfulness and respectfulness, belittling and flattering, insult and praise, unloving and loving, and so on. There's neither craving nor aversion towards all these qualities of names and forms.

If the mind tries to ignore or deny the names and forms that the mind perceives as bad/wrong/negative/unpleasant/meaningless, but it doesn't stop chasing after or clinging onto the names and forms that the mind perceives as good/right/positive/pleasant/meaningful, then this mind is not free yet. Though that is the freedom of this mind to be what it is.

One doesn't need to stand there to allow/receive treatments/behavior/interactions that are abusive coming from ignorant impure minds. One can move away or stay away from ignorant minds and ignorant behavior, to conserve energy, to not waste energy into dealing/affliction/conflict with ignorant minds and ignorant behavior. Just like standing under hot sun for more than certain time will burn the skin badly, one moves away from the hot sun and takes shelter under the shade. It's ignorance to think, "I am practicing non-attachment and non-reaction, I should stand here under the hot sun even if it will burn my skin."

Be free.

Criticism?

If what others say or criticize about us is true, why are we unhappy?

If what others say or criticize about us is not true, then we shouldn't be unhappy at all.

And so, either what others say about us is true or not true, there's no reason for us to be unhappy.

It is just a reaction coming from the egoism if the mind feels unhappy about something, it's all because it is something that the ego doesn't like, doesn't want, and doesn't agree with.

A well-trained mind free from egoism will not react the same.

Be happy.

How the mind reacts based on what the mind believes what things are...

If we think we are good and righteous people that we can judge another person's behavior as right or wrong based on what our mind believes what things are, and we think and believe that 'bad' people should be punished as what they deserved, and seeing 'bad' people being punished by somebody else, or by ourselves, will make us feel so good or better, then this is not in accordance with the teachings of Yoga or Buddhism about non-violence, wisdom and compassion anymore. As it will make us not any different from those whom we think that they are ignorance, and cause suffering onto us, or other people out of ignorance.

The mind reacts based on what the mind believes what things are, but it is not necessarily the truth of what things really are.

The story below is to explain sometimes what we see, or perceive, and understand, and react in accordance to what our mind believes what things are, or how we should be reacting, is not necessarily the truth of what things really are. And no matter what, we shouldn't react with violence to fight against violence, no matter how much we 'disagree' or 'angry' with other people's violent behavior that we think and believe as 'wrong' and 'bad'. As that makes us not any different from those whom we think and judge as wrong and bad.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

A and B was fighting. B got knocked out in the fight.

C, who happened to know B, saw this, and 'understood' that A had hurt his friend, B.

C reacted by getting 'angry' with A, and wanted to get revenge for B, and attacked A physically. A was hurt by C.

H, a foreigner who didn't know A, B or C, came in trying to stop C from hurting A, as he thought C shouldn't hurt A, but it turned into a fight with C, as C thought that H was one of A's affiliates, since H was trying to 'help' and 'rescue' A.

By then, another passer-by, D, who didn't know what had happened, came and saw that A and B were injured on the ground, and it 'looked like' H was hurting C, and maybe A and B as well. D reacted out of righteousness, and wanted to stop H for his 'wrong' behavior, and attacked H physically.

E, F and G came along right after D. What they saw and 'understood' was that H seemed like the 'bad' person and was hurting so many people, while they believed that D was the righteous brave man who fought the 'bad' guy to stand up for the other 'victims'. They were cheering when they saw H was being punished and hurt by D, as they think H should be punished for his 'wrong' behavior, and they also joined in to beat up H as well.

Here was what had happened in the beginning before A and B started fighting each other.

B started to attack A physically out of an argument. A fought back out of self-protection, and unintentionally B was hurt physically. H happened to be there and witnessed what was happening.

Then C showed up when B was injured by A out of self-protection, not knowing what happened before that, and reacted immediately in anger to beat up A.

E, F and G were locals who have prejudice and discrimination towards foreigners like H. They think and believe that all these foreigners are 'bad' people who commit crimes in their country.

H, a foreigner who couldn't explain what had happened in the locals language, came forward trying to stop C from hurting A, whom H thought was the 'victim' of the whole scenario, and got into the fight with C, until D came along with E, F and G who were being righteous, thought that H was the 'bad' guy hurting so many people, and joined together to attack H.

The teaching in this story is -

Do not react out of anger or righteousness recklessly before knowing the whole truth, nor react out of the conditioned prejudice discrimination coming from our mind towards other people, as what our mind perceives, thinks and believes are not necessarily what things really are. We must be free from violent thinking, action and speech, in order to help other beings to be free from committing violence, as violence cannot resolved by violence, but will generate more violent reactions or consequences. How can we expect the world to be free from violence when ourselves react violently towards violence?

When our behavior is causing suffering onto other beings, it is because of ignorance. Nobody can remove ignorance from another being. We cannot change or control other beings to be free from ignorance. It has to come from each individual's own realization, and remove ignorance from oneself. We cannot change the world to be free from ignorance, but each being has to free oneself from ignorance, then the world will be changing naturally.

When we are free from ignorance, we are being compassionate towards all beings including ourselves. As we won't hurt ourselves anymore, and won't be hurting other beings out of ignorance.

Ourselves is free from being conditioned by ignorance, and other beings also will be free from being affected or disturbed by the ignorant behavior from us if we are conditioned by ignorance.

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.