The hindrance towards self-inquiry and self-realization is coming from the mind itself

There's nothing wrong and it's common that most minds are being proud of the attachment and identification towards their particular ancestral, tribal, social, cultural, spiritual or religious thinking, belief, values and practice that influencing their particular way of living, perspective, reasoning power, judgment and expectation towards themselves and everything, where the idea of letting go those existing attachment and identification in the teachings and practice of yoga and buddhism, is something unthinkable or extremely wrong and insane for these minds.

There are many minds are interested in yoga, and might be practicing and teaching yoga under certain names and forms for some time, however, the presence of intense attachment and identification or pride towards their particular thinking, belief, values and practice deriving from as well as empowering ignorance and egoism, that built around survival instinct, separateness, duality, fear, desire and greed, is indeed the biggest hindrance for the minds to advance further in the path of self-inquiry and self-realization.

For the minds that are aware of ignorance and sincerely want to be free from ignorance, to transcend the inevitable suffering of restless and selfless impermanent changes (ceaseless and countless births and deaths within the modification of the mind, of different states arising and passing away being conditioned and limited by cause and effect), not only that a calm and quiet mind is essential, but an open mind without any attachment and identification towards any particular worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice conditioning the mind to analyze, reason, judge and expect towards everything, is what allowing self-inquiry to be happening as it is, intentionlessly and effortlessly.

Need not going everywhere in searching for a Guru other than the mind itself, to enlighten oneself, to answer one's questions, to remove one's doubts, or to heal one's painful suffering, but one only needs to let go the pride, the attachment and identification towards the existing egoistic thinking and belief in the mind, all and everything is already there teaching and guiding this mind onto the path of self-inquiry and self-realization.

Feel annoyed, disgusted, offended, intimidated, threatened and angry by this teaching or anything that is contradicting with the existing thinking and belief, values and practice in the mind, that the mind categorized as wrong, bad, negative and meaningless? That's the precious moment to reflect towards what is going on in this mind, to know Thyself.

The minds that don't know, they fall in love with what 'amazed' them, they miss what 'they fall in love with' upon their absence, they regret if they did something that they think they shouldn't do or didn't do something that they think they should have done. And that's their freedom of thinking, actions and reactions.

The minds that know, they don't fall in love with anything, they don't miss anything, they don't regret anything. Such minds can be kind and accommodating towards all and everyone non-discriminatively and unconditionally.

Letting go the attachment and identification towards the existing thinking, belief, values and practice, is challenging for the minds that have been conditioned deeply by such names and forms, however, it will become effortless, upon the mind realizing the 'intention' or 'motif' that gives rise to the existence of all the different kinds of passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice in the world of human beings. Such liberated minds can still live life in certain way like everyone else, while living and mingling among all kinds of human beings of different thinking, belief, values and practice, however, the minds are free from attachment and identification towards any thinking, belief, values and practice, and thus, be able to respect and accommodating towards all kinds of diversities in the world, free from separateness and discrimination.

The minds that are not free from attachment and identification or pride towards their particular inherited or adopted thinking, belief, values and practice, will always be conditioned by the sense of separateness and discrimination towards some other forms of thinking, belief, values and practice that the minds dislike and disagree with, that are contradicting with their own particular thinking, belief, values and practice.

The realization of selflessness, that leads to non-separateness or oneness beyond all kinds of different qualities of names and forms, is the only way to achieve world peace under many diversities effectively and non-violently.

Inquire towards any forms of teachings or beliefs that propagate and empower the sense of separateness and discrimination, and the sense of pride towards identity and attachment towards such teachings or beliefs and their particular community, while talking highly about promoting peace and harmony in the world ( what they claimed and possessed as their world) based on their own particular thinking, belief, values and practice, while using temptation, rewards, conversion and education, or else, oppression, force, control, disciplinary, threat, punishment, or violence, with the intention or aspiration of 'uniting' and 'unifying' all and everyone under a particular vision based on their community of particular thinking, belief, values and practice, while eliminating or pushing away all the others that don't 'fit' into the vision of their world. Such 'trace' can be found in all kinds of culture, spirituality, religion, political party, organization, association and authorization. Not that these names and forms are bad and wrong. They have their own purposes and functions. It depends on whether they are run by the minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, or free from the influence of ignorance and egoism.

My life stories - Part 13

My life Stories – Part 13
Stories from my past memories – childhood, family, friends, growing up, poverty, integrity, dreams come true, finding peace and happiness, Buddhism, Yoga, and now…

We were busy organizing our new life in this rented apartment on Penang Island after we moved in on the 2^nd of February. We needed to get the apartment ready to receive Marc’s parents who came to visit us during the 4^th week of February. Two weeks after Marc’s parents left, Malaysia and many other countries declared national and international lockdown due to the pandemic in mid-March. We didn’t get to explore much of the island. At least, I knew the way to the supermarket for grocery shopping every ten days or so during the lockdown. Also, my husband got to swim every day in the condominium’s swimming pool from the day we moved in for about six weeks until the lockdown started. 

One of the main reasons we decided to leave Langkawi and move to Penang Island renting this particular apartment was because it had the 50 metres lap pool and it’s beside a hiking path. Regular swimming and walking is very important for my husband’s over-all well-being. He has some old and new injuries as well as extreme low blood pressure that restricted him from performing yoga asana practice. I myself prefer doing yoga asana practice at home, and hence, the lockdown didn’t cause me much inconvenience and restriction. It was until the RMCO (Recovery Movement Control Order) started in early July, where the swimming pools in many condominiums remained closed due to the strict S.O.P (Standard Operating Procedure), but the public swimming pool started operating again complying with the S.O.P, my husband got to swim regularly again at the Spice Aquatic Centre for a few months until the pandemic second wave hit Penang and many other states in Malaysia in early November, where swimming activities are not allowed, again.

Even so, my husband and I are very glad that we had left Langkawi and moved into this apartment just before the pandemic lockdown, where we can’t travel or run yoga retreats. We really loved Langkawi, and were thinking of living there for as long as possible because of the nature and slow pace of living that we liked very much, but the human related difficulties that we experienced while living and teaching yoga in Langkawi in the last ten years had encouraged me to suggest to my husband that we should go somewhere else.

Similarly, Marc’s parents had made a very sudden decision to change their travelling dates to travel earlier to Australia than their initial plan, to spend a couple of months with their second daughter and grandchildren and then visit us for one week on the way back to Ireland just before the international lockdown began. Or else, they wouldn’t be able to travel anywhere if they had followed their initial travel plan. When they informed us about they had already bought the flight tickets to Langkawi for February 2020, they didn’t know that we had decided to move to Penang, and they didn’t think of we wouldn’t be living in Langkawi anymore one day. Partially it’s our own fault as we didn’t want to inform anyone about our plan to move away from Langkawi until we had found a secured place to live in Penang. And so, we bought them the flight tickets to Penang and paid for their one night accommodation in Langkawi before their connecting flight between Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur – Dublin. That worked out nicely in the end. We didn’t expect pandemic and international lockdown would be happening in March. It was so lucky that they got to see their children and grandchildren before the pandemic, and nobody knows how long this travel restriction will go on.

Many people, including some yoga practitioners and teachers might understand the importance of it, but they couldn’t observe the practice of social distancing during the pandemic, which is the most important way to stop the spread of the virus from human to human. A few reasons why people can’t practice social distancing or avoid any kinds physical social meet up, gathering and interaction for a prolonged period of time such as the sense of loneliness, meaninglessness and boredom, and anxiety building up towards the pandemic and the side-effects of it; people don’t really understand and don’t want social distancing; as well as many people just can’t live without engaging in physical social/cultural/religious practices, celebrations, ceremonies and events in a group more than one person.

People can’t live without physically meeting, mingling, interacting, communicating and talking with some other human beings from time to time, especially with their family and friends who live physically apart from one another. People can’t live without hugging and touching or ‘kiss kiss’, especially with their family and friends.

People, including some yoga enthusiasts and mental health professionals, would actually believe that people will be sick and die if without physical hugging and touching with other human beings. People can’t just be by themselves or with those within the same household after a certain period of time, but they need to go out and physically mingling with their neighbours, relatives and friends, and family members who are not living under the same household.

Social distancing isn’t just about maintaining at least two metres distance of physical distancing, on top of frequent hand-washing and wearing face mask like what most people would prefer it to be, where people need to go out to work to maintain livelihood and get daily needs, but it’s the restriction of all kinds of physical social/cultural/religious activity, gathering, meet up, interaction, communication, celebration, ceremony and event that gather two or more people to be in a particular space, which involves verbal interaction or talking among people, that serves an upmost important role to minimize the spread of the highly contagious virus. Because most people just forget about maintaining physical distance and can’t avoid verbal/physical communication/interaction when there are two people or more being together in the same space.

There’s nothing wrong with people being sociable and talkative and carrying out their all-time social/cultural/religious practices even in the midst of pandemic. Life has to go on. Just that this pandemic won’t end anytime soon, but will keep growing under the ongoing physical social meet up, gathering, mingling, interaction and talking face to face among human beings. People’s lives, movements and livelihoods that depend on the global economy will always be restricted and affected, unless the vaccine is found and accessible/affordable to everyone.

Because the pandemic is still continuing and even worsening throughout Malaysia and in many other countries, we won’t be running yoga retreats anytime soon. We still receive some retreat requests from time to time, but we reject all of them, as we know it’s not suitable to have such activities during the pandemic. And recently, during the second wave lockdown in Malaysia, all kinds of retreat activities are not allowed, which we agree with.

We had been living on Marc’s saving for the last many months, and lately, his writing, editing and proofreading career has started to take off. He got some international writing, editing and proofreading work that brings in some income for our living, even though the amount is not much and isn't enough to cover monthly basic living expenses. Just like many other people who have to work from home, his work depends very much on the internet connectivity. It would be difficult for him if we had stayed in Langkawi, because the internet speed that we had in that house was very slow and we experienced no internet connectivity for a few days from time to time. We also wouldn’t be able to run yoga retreats in Langkawi during the pandemic if we had stayed there. Here in Penang, we can have a high speed internet connection at a lower price than what we had paid in Langkawi.

Just like everything in this world, this apartment is not perfect. It also has some defects. We are not looking for perfection, but appreciating all the good points while accommodating the not so good points. The living condition, the surrounding environment, the natural air flow and the lighting in this apartment are significantly better than the previous house in Langkawi. This is especially important for my husband, as he needs a healthy environment and comfortable space for his writing that requires a lot of concentration and creativity. Proper lighting is a must because he reads a lot throughout the day and night. Our monthly electric bill now is about 70% less than what we had while living in Langkawi.

Even though people’s everyday lives with certain familiar routine and many physical activities or travelling are under restriction at this time being for the sake of flattening the curve of the pandemic, and many people’s livelihood are more or less being affected by it especially if this will go on for a longer period of time, we are grateful with how and where we are.

The pandemic might restrict us from running yoga retreats, but it doesn’t restrict me from performing yoga practice and writing about yoga in my blogs once in a while. There’s a shift in the world of yoga in a good way being benefited from the pandemic lockdown. It’s not so much about appreciating the good things that we already have in life. The pandemic lockdown is creating a great opportunity, time and space to the yoga enthusiasts to develop self-practice, self-reliance, self-discipline and self-inquiry, inquiring the truth of impermanence and selflessness in all the names and forms, and experience the practice of solitude, seclusion and silence, if they want, under the movement restriction. Though not many people would be interested in the practice of solitude, seclusion and silence, as they prefer to continue keeping busy with their social life and activities mentally and emotionally through the social media platforms during the lockdown or the two weeks mandatory self-quarantine.

Some people’s existing livelihood might be affected by the pandemic lockdown and need to find some other way of making a living to support oneself and/or other people under one’s care, and hence, they won’t be thinking of the practice of silence at this time, which is nothing wrong. Just by maintaining equanimous under any condition and situation without being determined by the impermanent changes and challenges in life, while doing one’s best to look after oneself and one’s life is already a great practice. One can also ask for help from some others if needed, without feeling bad about oneself and one’s difficulty, and without expecting sympathetic reaction or treatment from others thinking that other people should provide help to oneself, but allowing voluntary help from others is available, or not.

Not many people are suitable for the practice of solitude, seclusion and silence. Most people need to keep their minds busy engaging in social connection and interaction with their family and friends physically, mentally and emotionally in order to maintain sanity and counter the sense of loneliness, meaninglessness and boredom, to be caring for one another amidst the pandemic. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s better for people to maintain certain degrees of sanity than losing their minds while trying to perform the practice of silence to quiet the restless mind, if they aren’t ready for it, particularly in this time being. Those who don’t have enough understanding towards the teachings and practice of yoga would be disturbed by the sense of guilt, if they think they are not being there physically, mentally and emotionally for other people, especially their close family and friends. People also have fear towards being criticized by other people for trying to practice silence.

Some people have responsibility towards looking after their old parents, or young children, or physical dependent family members, and hence, aren't able to observe the practice of silence, and it's fine. They just need to know how to look after their own well-being, and aren't being frustrated about unable to do something they would like to do while had to be looking after some other people in their lives. That is also part of our yoga practice, if all those worldly responsibilities are being performed selflessly without attachment, identification and expectation towards the action and the fruit of action.

There’s nothing wrong either for those who make use of this time being to go into solitude and seclusion to practice silence even just for a few weeks being completely cut off from all kinds of social connection, communication, interaction and activity physically, mentally and emotionally, if they are ready, being equipped with Viveka, Vairagya, Shatsampat and Mumukshutva. Those who haven’t experience the practice of silence before should start with one week of silence first, and then gradually increase the length of the duration while having a short break in between, to allow the mind gradually gets use to it and realizes the effect of the practice.

Those who weren’t affected financially by the pandemic lockdown and who have developed certain degrees of self-reliance and correct understanding about the teachings and practice of yoga, and who have determination to free the mind from ignorance, restlessness, disturbs and impurities are suitable and ready for the practice of complete silence for a short or prolonged period of time. Those who are suffering from chronic depression and those who are physically, mentally and emotionally dependent on other people in everyday life are not suitable to practice complete silence. Though there’s no harm and it’s beneficial for them or anyone to be practicing some light yoga asana and breathing exercises regularly at home, especially if many outdoor and group activities are not allowed in the midst of the pandemic. 

If the mind still hasn’t developed the basic foundation of non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion and non-expectation, and doesn’t have the basic understanding towards the modification of the mind and the purification process of the mind, even if oneself has been practicing yoga for a long time and is interested to try the practice of silence, then it’s being advised that the practice of silence should only be done under the supervision from some others who had a higher understanding about the modification of the mind and the mind purification process.

Some people might misunderstand that just by staying at home not going out for many days restricting many physical social and leisure activities during the lockdown is not different from the practice of silence. It’s about cutting off all kinds of familiar worldly habits of the mind, including self-pampering with pleasurable enjoyment of the senses, and mental and emotional connections, communications, interactions and activities with other beings, refraining the mind from the habit of going out chasing after the objects of senses to be entertained and stimulated.

The observation of silence is bringing the mind to the present to be focusing within on the internalizing yoga and meditation practice, for quieting the mind and turning the mind inwards for self-introspection, being the witness of the modification of the mind and contemplation towards the truth of names and forms or “I”, while looking after the basic daily needs of maintaining the well-being of the physical body. It’s an intense mind purification process that might generate great discomfort physically, mentally and emotionally. That’s why it’s not suitable for those who are not mentally and emotionally independent. Also, one must be able to take responsibility towards one’s action and the consequences of one’s action. Those who like to blame others for all their unhappiness, pain and discomfort are not suitable for this practice either.

Just by restricting the familiar physical social and leisure activities or not moving the body, but without restricting the mental and emotional craving and longing towards entertainment, stimulation and social connection, communication, interaction and activity, even if being physically isolated by oneself for a prolonged period of time, it won’t work.

While some yoga practitioners might feel that life existence is too precious to be wasting in mind disciplining practice under the threat of the pandemic, and hence, forgoing the yoga practice of disciplining and silencing the mind but indulging in worldly enjoyments of the senses as much as possible. That’s their freedom and there’s nothing wrong.

All is impermanent.

READ MORE

Approaching a teacher asking to be accepted as student of yoga

Traditionally, when someone is interested in finding a teacher to learn, study and practice yoga and meditation under the guidance of this person (the teacher), one needs to approach the teacher humbly asking to be accepted as a student of yoga under this teacher, serving the teacher without asking/expecting "What am I getting from learning yoga under you?" or "What can you (the teacher) give me in return for offering fees/donations to you to be learning and practicing yoga from you and serving you?"

The teacher will then observe and test this person to see whether this person is fit to be a student of yoga. Once the person is accepted to be a student of yoga, this person will live closely to the teacher for many years, where in the first few years are merely doing some random 'work/service' in daily life, such like housekeeping/cooking/gardening/cleaning/washing serving the teacher (very important/efficient initial purification to eliminate worldly habits of egoism and impurities) before being initiated into the practice. There's high degree of segregation/non-physical contact among the teacher and the student. It's not like nowadays, most people are looking forward to be touching and hugging as the way to show friendliness, love and care.

The teacher doesn't advertise/boast about "I am a certified/qualified/experienced/internationally recognized/affiliated yoga teacher" and "What kind of benefits/certification/qualification/result/achievement you will get if you attend my classes/courses learning yoga from me." but instead, "It's a hard-work. There will be lots of unpleasantness/pain and hardships/obstacles that you need to deal with by yourself. You have to walk the path alone by yourself. You need to be determined, persevered and vigilant to discipline your own mind until you attain self-realization." And the students of yoga will be determined to finish their learning under the teacher no matter how much difficulties and obstacles arise during the physical/mental/emotional purification process, while developing discipline and independence in their own practice, as one day, they will have to leave the teacher, or the teacher will leave.

It's not about to be 'qualified' as 'yoga teachers/masters', be 'affiliated' with 'yoga alliance' to be 'conducting yoga classes' to teach 'yoga classes' or 'conducting yoga courses' to be 'training yoga teachers to teach yoga or conduct yoga classes/yoga courses to other people'. As a 'yogi' who knows yoga doesn't need to be 'trained' to be 'qualified' to be 'certified yoga teacher' and 'affiliated with' such and such 'yoga organization/alliance' to be 'recognized/authorized' to teach yoga to anyone. It's neither about 'correct/proper physical alignments', 'teaching techniques', 'effects/benefits of the yoga practice', 'healing', 'connecting', 'sharing', 'hugging' and 'touching'.

Nowadays, this tradition is no longer be seen/practiced/appreciated. One of the reason would be the existence of 'sincere teacher of yoga' and 'sincere student of yoga' is very rare now.

In this modern commercialized world of 'higher education and higher quality of life with worldly social values and practice', the 'yoga teachers' have to 'advertise' or 'boast' about their 'certification/qualification/recognition/affiliation/experiences/achievements' and 'to be presenting' something 'unique, enjoyable, innovative and attractive' to attract people to be interested to come to attend the 'yoga classes' or 'yoga courses' conducted by them, while gratifying the people's desire of craving and aversion, by giving them what they want/like and don't give them what they don't want/like, to make them feel treasured, appreciated, valued, pampered, satisfied and empowered. Both the teacher and the students also want to develop and maintain an inter-dependent 'connection/relationship' where the students ceaselessly need to receive attention, love, care, support, acknowledgement, advice or feedback from the teacher, while the teacher wants to 'be close' to the students, 'be there' for the students, 'be connecting' with the students, or 'be loved/needed/glorified/supported/respected' by the students.

Because most egoistic impure minds are being conditioned deeply by the worldly thinking behavior pattern, almost all of the 'yoga enthusiasts' or the 'prospect/potential students/clients' of the 'yoga school/yoga studio/yoga centre' will have some kind of 'request' or 'expectation' towards the 'yoga school', 'yoga studio', 'yoga center', 'yoga classes', 'yoga courses' or 'yoga teachers' to meet up their 'requests' and 'expectation' in terms of the 'quality' of the 'professional profile/image', 'qualification', 'certification', 'recognition', 'affiliation', 'organization', 'experience', 'achievement', or 'result orientation', and above all, "How much and what do I get from paying this amount of 'fees'/'donation' to the 'yoga school'/'yoga studio'/'yoga centre'/'yoga teacher' for attending the 'yoga classes'/'yoga courses'."

Many of the untrained worldly egoistic impure minds will have doubt/insecurity towards their own 'determination' being determined by whether they will like/enjoy 'the teacher's over-all presentation/image/charm/professionalism/credibility/teaching style' or 'the classes' or 'the practice', or not, where they are unsure/unwilling to pay fees in advance which might be 'non-refundable' if they want to 'give up' when they experience discomfort or difficulty, or when they 'don't like/enjoy' the 'teacher/classes/practice', while the truth of the purification process deriving from performing 'serious/intense/persevered yoga and meditation practice to eliminate ignorance/egoism/impurities/restlessness' is inevitably 'unpleasant' and 'painful' physically/mentally/emotionally for all egoistic impure minds. Even before the students come to the 'yoga school/yoga studio/yoga centre' to begin learning and practicing yoga under the teacher, the test/obstacle derived from the purification process already started. All kinds of obstacles manifest in the form of physical/mental/emotional discomfort and doubt.

Unfortunately, there are quite many stories of 'impure yoga teachers' existing in the world 'taking advantage' of the attention/love seeking 'yoga students', where people looking forward to be 'touched', creating many forms of 'corruption', and then there are 'impure yoga students' who didn't get what they like and want from the teachers and they criticized and bitched about the teachers with the intention to hurt/damage the teacher's reputation, that makes it even harder and more challenging for 'yoga enthusiasts' to 'surrender' all doubts/insecurity, to be opened to approach a teacher to ask to be accepted as 'student of yoga' and to 'serve' the teacher without attachment, identification and expectation, to be effectively purifying and eliminating egoism and impurities, to free the mind from restlessness and the veil of ignorance.

There's neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad. It's just how things are in this world.

Anyway, 'sincere teachers of yoga' and 'sincere students of yoga' will meet each other in due time and due cause. There's no 'attachment', 'identification' or 'expectation' towards each other. The students/practitioners 'serve' the teacher humbly for years, surrendering the ego and worldly passionate desire/ambition/thinking/belief/social behavior pattern, and developing self-discipline. After learning/receiving the teachings from the teachers, the students retreat into seclusion and solitude, working diligently and independently towards purifying and silencing the modification of the mind, to perform self-inquiry upon the truth of everything, to attain self-realization and total annihilation of the mind or the mind perception of an impermanent and selfless worldly life existence of countless 'births' and 'deaths' of names and forms (thoughts/feelings/emotions/relationships) arising and passing away, of ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness and suffering.

 "You are left alone now." - Swami Sivananda

Learn how to free the mind from all kinds of disturbs or hurts

When a mind/person feels disturbed, unhappy, angered, disappointed or hurt by something, usually the impulsive reaction will be expecting some kind of sympathy or empathy from other minds/people, and looking forward to be comforted, loved, looked after, acknowledged, or supported by other minds/people. And most minds/people would also think and believe that that is how people should react towards other people's state of minds that are disturbed, unhappy, angry, disappointed or hurt, to be there to be listening to what they think is disturbing their minds and comforting these suffering minds/people by showing them love, care, acknowledgement and support, to be sharing and lessening their 'unhappiness' or 'suffering', in terms of generating a 'loving kindness' society/community. There's nothing wrong with that and it might give the troubled/disturbed/unhappy/angry/disappointed/hurt minds certain degrees of relieve, to feel better, but it doesn't help them to be free from the root cause of the suffering from disturbs, unhappiness, anger, disappointment, or hurts. Instead, most probably it might be unintentionally empowering or feeding the attachment, clinging, craving or expectation in people’s mind.

Just like giving sugary fizzy drinks to the unhappy kids might make them feel happy, but they would crave for more sugary drinks to make them feel happy. As once the craving is being gratified, it would only intensify the craving. And if their craving is not being gratified, they would be more unhappy. That's not freedom at all.

There's clinging, craving and expectation towards receiving sympathy, empathy, love, affection, care, acknowledgement, or support from others, even though there's nothing wrong with receiving sympathy, empathy, love, affection, care, acknowledgement, or support from others, as this is what most worldly minds/people believe and expect the society/community/family/relationship/friendship should be, but the mind is not free. If for some reasons, the mind doesn't get what it thinks and believes it deserves to be getting from others, it will be more disturbed/unhappy/angry/disappointed/hurt and would do things that would hurt itself and/or others. This is not freedom.

As well as most egoistic minds would want to feel that they are needed by others to feel good and meaningful about themselves and their life existence, that they are capable to give and show love, care, affection, sympathy, empathy, acknowledgment and support to others who 'need' them. Again, there's nothing wrong with that, just that these minds would feel bad or meaningless if for some reasons they think that they are not needed by some others, or when they think that other people do not appreciate what they give. This is not freedom.

Only those who can go beyond worldly thinking and belief can penetrate the real meaning of this teaching and practice. It doesn't mean that everyone in the society will become 'cold', 'heartless' or 'lack of sympathy/empathy', but the minds are free from clinging, craving or expectation towards receiving the 'deserving' love, care, affection, sympathy, empathy, acknowledgment and support from others to feel loved, cared, worthy, comforted, acknowledged or supported, to feel good and meaningful, by knowing what is going on in the mind and be free from ignorance and egoism, and thus, be free from all kinds of disturbs, unhappiness, anger, disappointment, or hurts. One doesn't need anyone to be there to be listening to one's 'troubles', 'unhappiness' or 'hurts', to be 'comforted', as there's no trouble, unhappiness or hurt existing in this liberated mind. One also can give and show sympathy, empathy, love, care and support to others without the attachment, identification, craving, intention or expectation in order to attain good and meaningful feelings towards oneself or one's life existence. That is true freedom and compassion.

Yoga practice such like cleansing technique, breathing exercises, yoga asana exercises, chanting, prayer, or concentration practice, can also give the effects of relieving certain degrees of disturbs, unhappiness, anger, disappointment or hurts in the minds, but again, it doesn't stop the mind from continuing be disturbed, unhappy, angry, disappointed, or hurt by something that they don't like, don't want and don't agree with, that they think is bad, wrong, disturbing, unhappy, frustrating, disappointing, or hurtful, if the mind is not free from ignorance, egoism and impurities.

Those who truly want to learn and practice yoga, it's not about doing some forms of yoga practice to be getting some conditional and impermanent physical/mental/emotional benefits or getting some momentary relief from what they think is painful suffering, but they learn how to free the mind from the root cause of all kinds of suffering, of disturbs, unhappiness, anger, disappointment, or hurts.

Naturally, the society will have more physical/mental/emotional healthy minds/people, where the minds/people realized unconditional love from within, know how to look after themselves and love others unconditionally, being free from clinging, craving, aversion or expectation.

But not many minds/people would understand and appreciate the greatness of this freedom. Most minds/people believe in and want a society/community/family/relationship/friendship that builds on 'needing each other' all the time to feel love, good, happy and meaningful, and to feel less lonely or to escape loneliness. That's how people are being taken advantage by others who have selfish intention being in a relationship or friendship. Even in the world of yoga, some yoga teachers or so called 'gurus' take advantage of the yoga students for their vulnerability when the students longing or expecting to be receiving comfort, sympathy, empathy, kindness, love, care, affection, acknowledgment, or supports from the yoga teachers or 'gurus'.

It's everyone's freedom for what they think or don't think, believe or disbelieve, want and don't want. People don't have to practice yoga of freeing the mind from ignorance, egoism and impurities, but just want to do some yoga practice regularly and engaging in social/community activities, to attain some momentary physical/mental/emotional benefits or relief, to attain some kinds of conditional and impermanent good, positive, loving, happy and meaningful feelings.

Work diligently to free the mind from ignorance, egoism and impurities, if one wants to attain or realize this freedom.