The practice of silence to conquer the restless mind

This teaching is for those who want to conquer the restless mind, but they realize that the mind is so difficult to quiet down, that there will be ceaseless distracting random thoughts occupying the mind, especially whenever they try to sit down quietly limiting the physical movements and refraining the senses from going out chasing after the object of the senses, to train the mind in concentration and meditation.

It's a common reaction of all the untrained impure minds when the physical body is being restricted from bodily movements and the mental habitual activities is being restricted, there will be random thoughts bubbling up to the surface of the mind. It's part of the purification process. People should continue the practice by learning how to be aware of all these random thoughts without association, attachment, identification, craving or aversion, judgment and expectation, and allowing all these random pleasant and unpleasant thoughts arising and passing away, to clear up the past accumulated imprints. People expect that when they meditate, the mind will be free from any thoughts, and so, they'll get very disappointed and demotivated after a few attempts trying to concentrate or meditate, they realize that the modification of the mind is even more agitated and violent whenever they try to concentrate or meditate. And without correct understanding, many people would give up and prefer to just live everyday life as they are, 'happy happy go lucky', be good, do good, without the need to deal with the unpleasant behavior of the mind that they don't like to confront with. And that's their freedom.

The biggest element in aid to conquer the restless mind is the observation of silence, of seclusion, solitude and renunciation from worldly social relationships, activities and interactions.

Some people think that those who want to conquer the mind should take up the challenge of living and mixing among the society, in order to allow the mind to practice concentration and meditation in everyday life having to deal with all kinds of challenging condition and situation, distractions and disturbance, while learning how to remain equanimous without being affected or determined by all the challenging condition and situation in life, without generating craving towards the pleasant life experiences and without generating aversion towards the unpleasant life experiences. And there's nothing wrong with that. But what happens? After many years of 'trying' to practice yoga and meditation to conquer the restless mind, but the mind is still restless, or even more restless under the influence of ignorance and impurities.

Some even say that it's very easy to be calm and quiet being in solitude and seclusion without dealing with other beings and worldly affairs. They think that one doesn't need to deal with pleasantness and unpleasantness, craving and aversion, distractions and disturbance, actions and reactions, when being in solitude and seclusion. What they don't know is that most minds will runaway from solitude and seclusion after some time, like fish out of water, and the modification of the mind is even more agitated and violent being restricted from worldly social relationships, activities and interactions that keep the mind stimulated, entertained, busy, or restless. That's why so many people will say that meditation is very difficult, or they can't meditate, or they don't like meditation, or they don't like to observe silence, of solitude and seclusion.

Whether one is surrounded by many other beings and happenings, or one is alone in solitude away from happenings, this mind has to deal with the impermanent and selfless changes of the physical body and the ignorant impure egoistic modification of the mind. Whether the mind is free, or not free, it's always right here and right now. When the mind practices concentration and meditation, it's always alone, regardless of whether there are other people around, or not.

Do not blind-believing or blind-following any teachings from anyone or somewhere, including all the teachings here. Contemplate and inquire the truth of all teachings and attain self-realization of the truth of all the teachings via direct experience.

Take note that living in the world and mixing in the society are two completely different things. Geographically and biologically, one will have to and always be living in the world, otherwise, this body will not be able to survive for long, but at the same time, know the importance of observing silence, of maximum solitude and seclusion, renouncing worldly social relationships, activities and interactions, in short, refraining from mixing in the society.

While living in the world, one will still have to deal with the impermanent and selfless condition and situation in the world that is ever challenging, and developing the strength of non-association, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment and non-expectation, and one learns how to conserve energy and not wasting energy into worldly affairs/activities/interactions that derived from ignorance and egoism, as well as empowering/feeding ignorance and egoism.

Observing maximum solitude and seclusion while living in the world, and renouncing worldly social relationships, activities and interactions doesn't mean that one is completely isolated from the society and not performing any actions in the world. One can be performing unlimited selfless service in the world to benefit the society efficiently, but being free from mixing, or socializing, or accumulating relationships. One is care-less towards the worldly affairs, but can also be performing actions that benefit the world at the same time. Being compassionate towards all beings doesn't mean that one has to be in a form of relationship with all beings. One can be kind to others without the need of knowing or contacting with the others. Contemplate on this, and be free to observe silence while living in the world and performing actions in the world.

For the 'first class' students of Dhamma, which are very few of them in this world, they don't need to observe silence, of solitude, seclusion and renunciation from worldly social relationships, activities and interactions, as they are already grounded firmly in Dhamma. They can be mixing in the society like everyone else, behaving like everyone else, but their minds are ever pure and quiet. They don't need to practice concentration or meditation at all. They are not separated from meditation. There's no in or out of meditation.

For the other students of Dhamma, which is the majority of us, we do need to observe silence at some stage, of maximum solitude and seclusion, and renounce worldly social relationships, activities and interactions, as whether we are aware or unaware, the mind is constantly absorbing all the inputs of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations and thoughts/imagination/projection/dreams, all the time, unwittingly. All these endless accumulated inputs are the ceaseless random thoughts that bubbling up to the surface of the mind during the practice of concentration and meditation, and many minds that haven't develop a strong foundation of non-association, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment and non-expectation will be greatly disturbed, distracted and demotivated by this purification process. And this will never come to an end, unless we start reducing and limiting all these unnecessary mind inputs deriving from all kinds of worldly relationships, activities and interactions.

It's like someone tries very hard to clean up the rubbish bin, but somehow, rubbish keep pouring into the bin, from someone and somewhere, endlessly. The bin will never be cleaned. The untrained impure egoistic mind is like a rubbish bin, taking in all kinds of rubbish (mind inputs) ceaselessly, unwittingly. And yoga and meditation practice of silence, solitude, seclusion and renunciation, is the most effective and practical way to free the mind from being a rubbish bin, and it's not about to be a clean rubbish bin, but to realize its nature of namelessness, formlessness and attributelessness, that it is neither a dirty rubbish bin nor a clean rubbish bin.

Perform this test to know how the mind works. Sit down without moving the body and limbs, closing the eyes, and observe the natural breath coming in and going out for a few minutes. Very soon, unwittingly, random thoughts will arise and occupying the mind. And one will realize that all these random bubbling thoughts are the strongest imprints during the day, or from the last few days, or even from weeks/months/years before, or even forgotten.

Even Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and Swami Sivananda also had to retreat from the society to be focusing on their practice for some years in solitude, restraining the modification of the mind and attaining liberation. And then they came back to the society to disseminate the Dhamma to the other suffering minds whom in need of the Dhamma to be free from suffering.

By reducing and limiting the mind inputs not just allowing the mind to be purified effectively, but it also helps to develop a great mental strength that allows the mind to be uninfluenced, unaffected, undisturbed and undetermined by all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses. At this stage, the mind is safe and free to be mixing in the society and live everyday life like everyone else, but the mind is ever pure and quiet.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to think and believe, and what they want or don't want to practice.

Friendliness towards all beings without discrimination, intention and expectation

This teaching is a contemplation for those who are interested in learning and practicing yoga and meditation, to silent the restless impure egoistic mind. Those who are not interested in practicing yoga or meditation to silent the mind don't need to observe or contemplate on this teaching.

Friendliness in yoga is nothing to do with outgoing sociable talkative personality or behavior, or being sociable to be accumulating personal connection and friendship with as many people as possible.

Being friendly to all beings doesn't mean that one has to be sociable and talkative, or accumulating many personal friendships that involve engagement in physical/verbal/mental interactions and activities from time to time.

Being sociable and talkative doesn't necessarily mean that one is being friendly towards all beings without the influence of egoistic discrimination of likes and dislikes, selfish intention and expectation.

Quite many people, including health professionals think and believe that being alone by oneself, or being quiet or not being talkative, especially in young children, is something 'sick/unhealthy', 'bad', 'negative', or 'wrong'. The best time for yoga and meditation practice is when everyone else has gone to sleep. Why? Because it's the only precious time of quietness and peacefulness available on earth in that time zone without people doing things, playing, arguing, negotiating, making noises, shouting, scheming, plotting, or talking. Does that quietness and peacefulness on earth when everyone/the minds being away in sleep, being non-interacting, non-socializing, non-talking, or non-action causes more chaos in the world? Nope. Instead, when people/the minds are awake, many people criticize other people who don't talk much as being unhealthy, disturbing, rude and unfriendly.

The friendliness in yoga and meditation practice is about respecting all beings as they are, being free from the sense of superiority or inferiority, without egoism of attachment, identification, possessiveness, discrimination of likes and dislikes, desire of craving and aversion, intention or expectation, without dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, fear, offensiveness, hostility, ill-thinking, or ill-will towards all beings, be undisturbed and without interference towards other people being what they are, being different from oneself, or having different thinking, belief, practice, values, behavior, action and reaction from oneself, without intention of accumulating friendship or companionship from other people to get rid of boredom or loneliness, or to be accessible for support and help whenever one needs one, without expecting other people have to live life, behave, act, or react in the way that one thinks how it should be, or expecting other people to treat oneself in the way that how one would like to be treated.

People who would feel disturbed or offended if other people do not join in their conversation, or are disinterested in their invitation to a function or event, are due to their own expectation towards how other people should response towards their 'friendliness'. People get unhappy, disappointed, or offended when they don't get the response that they expect to be getting from other people. Those who are truly friendly won't mind at all if other people are not interested to participate in any of their conversation or event.

Those who are truly friendly, it's not necessarily that they are sociable, or talkative, or actively engaging and interacting with other people. They might be very quiet and mind their own things. But, they have no ill-will, ill-thinking, ill-talking, judgment, criticism, condemn, gossip, slander, disrespectfulness, animosity, offensiveness, interference, or expectation towards other people's different way of life, thinking, belief, practice, values, behavior, action, and reaction.

Take a look into most of the common conversations among people, we will see that these conversations are mostly full of talking about hanging onto the past, projecting into the future, planning, plotting, scheming, worldly/personal attachment, worldly/personal identification, pride, desire, fear and worry, and lots of complaint, moaning, dissatisfaction, disappointment, blame, ill-will, ill-thinking, ill-talking, criticism, condemn, gossip, slander, back-biting, hypocrisy, lies, story telling, untruthfulness, justification, boasting, manipulation, as well as interference or expectation towards other people's way of life, thinking, belief, practice, values, behavior, action, and reaction. It's not that all these human social activities are bad or wrong, but the yoga and meditation practice is to free the mind from all these worldly habits of physical/verbal/mental/emotional activities/restlessness of impurities.

It's very common that when people want to talk to other people and they expect other people to talk to them in response to their 'friendliness', but then they would feel greatly disturbed or offended if other people don't response to their 'friendliness', or when other people talk to them but they are talking about things that they don't like and don't want to hear, that they disagree with.

The most effective way to help oneself or anyone to be free from all the 'problems' or 'suffering' that one thinks and believes is what disturbing one's mind, that one feels and thinks that one needs to talk to other people to talk about one's problem or suffering to seek help or advice, is to be quiet and listen. Listen to the Dhamma that is here and everywhere when the mind is quiet, and the mind will see the truth of 'unhappiness', 'problems', or 'suffering'. It's not about expecting someone, or other people, or guru, or God to be there to listen to one's problems, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, frustration, hurt, fear, worry, complaint, blame, moaning, or bitching about other people that one feels angry or unhappy with, that one doesn't like and doesn't agree with, so that one will feel slightly relieved or feel better about oneself for a few moments, but then the mind continues to be restless and disturbed by the ongoing worldly life experiences that are not necessarily the way that one likes it to be, or the mind perception of names and forms that the ego doesn't like, doesn't want, and doesn't agree with, while thinking and believing that one's 'unhappiness', 'problems' or 'suffering' are caused by the experiences or qualities of names and forms that the mind thinks and believes as 'bad', 'wrong', or 'negative'.

Performing yoga and meditation practice, especially attending silent meditation retreats or courses, will allow people with a disturbed/unhappy/suffering mind to learn to be quiet and listen to or seeing the Dhamma that will free the mind from ignorance, egoism, and impurities, and thus be free from all kinds of 'unhappiness', 'problems' or 'suffering', and one doesn't need to talk/complain/boast about anything. One doesn't need someone, or other people, or guru, or God, to be there to listen to one's complaints, as there's none. The mind is silent and peaceful, so as the surrounding environment is also undisturbed by a silent peaceful mind. That is true friendliness towards all beings and the environment.

Be free.

The practice of silence - Mauna (2)

For those who want to experiment what is the practice of silence is about, it's not necessarily that they have to be living in the forest or in a cave, as that can create many inconveniences, challenges and difficulties for the novice. They can experiment the practice of silence by attending a silent meditation retreat (not the commercialized luxury yoga retreat that emphasized on pleasurable enjoyment of the senses) at a dedicated retreat centre that provides the environment and facilities that allow people to be engaged in the practice of silence for a period of time - https://www.dhamma.org

For others who would like to observe silence in everyday life while living in a village or town or city, where one needs to look after one's everyday living/livelihood and/or looking after other people under one's care, it's not possible to observe complete silence at home for a prolonged period of time, as one still have to be regularly engaging in the worldly activities of coming in contact with other people from time to time, to live everyday life of getting to work, or doing business, and getting to shops to get supplies for daily needs and feeding oneself and/or those under one's care, and etc, though it's still possible to observe a few hours of complete silence being away from stimulation of worldly activities of mind inputs and outputs of talking/outing/interacting/communicating/messaging/phoning/shopping/discussions/debates/worrying/physical fitness training/munching outside of basic meal times/playing musical instrument or games/reading news, magazines, or novels/listening to songs, music, talks or story telling/watching TV programs, advertisements, movies, shows performance, theater, or entertainments, and all forms of social contacts and activities during that few hours (even just for half an hour, if time and space constraint) when staying awake outside of sleeping hours.

Sleeping doesn't count as observing silence as the mind will be unconsciously/involuntary being actively processing the memories or imprints of inputs, outputs, actions, reactions and emotions via dreams, except during the deep sleep mode where thought activities ceased, even when all the bodily systems still continue to be functioning autonomously/ceaselessly for maintaining life or staying alive.

Practicing partial silence in everyday life beside the few hours of complete solitude and seclusion restricting the mind inputs and outputs as mentioned above, it's about filtering the inputs and outputs by:-

- Choosing inputs and outputs that will bring more correct understanding, quietness, peace and harmony to the mind of oneself and others. Avoid inputs and outputs that will inflict greater attachment, identification, expectation, craving and aversion, passionate desire, restlessness, stupidity, greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, lies, untruthfulness, hypocrisy, dissatisfaction, disappointment, grief, depression, hurt, hostility, violence, ill-thinking, fear and worry, and other impurities in the mind of oneself and others.

- Reducing and limiting the physical and mental engagement in social life interactions and activities as much as possible, such like disinterest or care less towards worldly affairs, or other people's affairs, allowing everyone to develop correct understanding, self-introspection, self-discipline and self-realization, to know what is going on in their minds, to learn to love themselves and to look after their own minds and life independently (many passionate friendly sociable good people would disagree with this, as they don't know/understand what is beyond the worldly thinking and belief of the 'normal', 'friendly', 'caring', 'good' and 'appropriate' human behavior. Looking after one's mind by purifying and silencing one's mind to be free from ignorance and egoism, to stop unwittingly and constantly 'hurting' oneself and others out of ignorance and egoism and impurities is the most efficient, compassionate and friendliest way to truly care for the world and other beings)

- Talk only when necessary of something important or in the case of emergency.

- Talk less by minimizing and cutting short conversation using simple words of 'Hello', 'Good morning/afternoon/evening/night/day/bye' and 'Thank you' upon coming in contact with other people in everyday life.

- Learn how to be free from boredom, loneliness, left-out or meaninglessness.

- Stop feeding the desire of craving and aversion.

- Give up the worldly nature/tendency of curiosity, busybody, minding other people's affairs, heroism, gossiping, discussion, debate, commenting, flirting, bonding, connecting, networking, relationship building, teasing, blaming, fault finding, back-biting, criticism, argument, justification, complaining, moaning, mourning, day dreaming, building castle in the air, and etc.
Looking after the overall well-being and livelihood of oneself and/or those under one's care, perform daily tasks of maintaining the living space, without attachment or expectation, and performing social selfless service of pure and compassionate actions without attachment, identification, discrimination, bias, judgment, comparison or expectation and renouncing the fruit of action, without personal/political/commercial/religious agenda and ambition, or selfish intention and desire, doesn't contradict to the practice of silence.

- Give up personal friendships accumulation, but be friendly to all by freeing one's mind from ignorance, egoism and impurities, without discrimination of personal likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, desires of craving and aversion, possessiveness or expectation towards others, develop understanding and respect towards other people's different ways of life and values of life, thinking, belief, practice, action and reaction, or behavior under different life condition and situation, and develop tolerance, forbearance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, forgiveness and letting go.

- Do not interfere with other people's freedom of thinking and belief and way of life, or intrude other people's privacy and personal or living space. Do not try to convert or change or correct other people's thinking/belief/way of life that we don't like or don't agree with. Mind our own mind and life. What other people want and don't want to think, feel, believe, practice, behave, act or react, and the consequences of their actions are their freedom and responsibility. Let everyone learn to take the responsibility for their actions and looking after themselves.

- Stay away from ignorant trouble-makers if possible, if it's not possible to stay away, then endure the challenges or difficulties that arise due to other people's ignorance and the consequences of their ignorant behavior, instead of trying to control or change or correct them or hoping that they will go away. Even this 'challenging and difficult' situation out of other people's ignorance is also impermanent. Do not feed ignorance with ignorance. Confronting people under the influence of ignorance will only generate greater ignorant reactions and unnecessary damages. It's the prideful arrogant ego that thinks and believes that "I can control or change or correct/educate these ignorant people to stop behaving ignorantly." It's up to everyone to be aware of ignorance in themselves, and want to be free from ignorance or stop behaving ignorantly. Buddha can only guide people who are aware of ignorance and suffering in themselves on how to be humble to look into their mind to see the truth, but Buddha can't remove the veil of ignorance in anyone, so that they will be aware of ignorance in themselves. Trying to control/change/correct ignorant people by fighting or conflicting with them will only provoke more ignorant reactions. It's like telling most arrogant people, "Hey! Don't do this. You are so stupid." they will be more determined to do it.

- During the practice of silence in everyday life, if the mind is struggling with boredom, loneliness, or meaninglessness, one can divert the time, energy and attention/importance into the inquiry or contemplation of the truth of names and forms, study the teachings of yoga and the existing thinking and belief in one's mind to investigate the truth of it, or developing one-pointedness of the mind focusing at one object internally or externally, or perform Japa or chanting, or do some light yoga asana practice, until the mind starts to be at ease without much usual habits of worldly physical or mental activities, one can then channel the time, energy and attention into meditation, starting with observing the natural breath as it is, when this practice becomes effortless/non-struggle, one can then observe the physical sensations moving the awareness from point to point through out the body, without attachment, judgment, expectation, craving or aversion towards the pleasant or unpleasant sensations arising and passing away. When the practice become effortless, when the mind becomes quiet, naturally, the mind sees the truth as it is, insights or wisdom will arise upon the vanish of the veil of ignorance.

It's absolutely possible to not having (or turn-off) TV, internet connection, phone connection, radio, music player, games and other convenient entertainments for the senses at home. Or, not going to the cinema, theaters, concerts, invitations, parties, events, functions, amusement park, entertainment centres, fancy restaurants, clubhouse, social interactive cafe, pleasurable enjoyment outlet, commercial malls, and so on.

It's also possible to reduce and minimize social communications, interactions and activities, the accumulation of friendship and relationship, minimize contact with family and friend circle and the neighbours, minimize engaging in the community activities of the village/town/city, maximize solitude and seclusion outside the time when one has to come in contact with other people for work or getting daily needs for living/survival or in the case of emergency. Family and friends who truly love and accept us as we are, will not be offended or unhappy by our non-sociable way of life, or the practice of silence, seclusion and solitude. Those who truly know what is love will let go the people whom they loved. The family and friends who will complain and be offended, that's their freedom for how they think, feel and react, but then we understand that it's their ignorance, egoism and impurities that cause them to think, feel and react in such way. We can let them be and be unaffected and undetermined by their ignorance.

Basically, one must know how to be undisturbed or not be bothered by how the society/other people perceive, think and judge about one's practice of silence and renouncing social interactions and activities, as there will always be some kind of non-understanding, non-acceptance, non-accommodating, disrespectfulness, interference or intrusion towards other people's privacy and freedom of life, judgment, disagreement, dissatisfaction, disappointment, expectation, gossip, criticism or condemn coming from people of family, friends, relatives, community, or those who don't even know the practitioner personally, due to ignorance, egoism and impurities. If one doesn't know how to be undisturbed by all these worldly reactions from other people, it will only cause more unhappiness and disturbance in one's mind being determined and disturbed by other people's thinking and belief, and other people's expectation and intrusion towards one's way of life or practice. If so, the practice of partial silence in everyday life becomes impossible or being contradicting towards the 'normal' way of life of the society or the worldly minded people.

Both sociable and non-sociable way of life is neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong. Just that for one who is aware of the ignorance and suffering in one's mind, who wants to be free from ignorance and suffering, the practice of silence is essential, though not everyone is suitable for this practice. It requires tremendous will power, perseverance, self-discipline, mental and emotional independence, fearlessness, dispassion and non-attachment deriving from the basic understanding of yoga, suffering and the cause of suffering, ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, the mind and the modifications of the mind, the ego and egoism, and the not necessarily easy or comfortable, but 'correct' and 'efficient' way/path to be free from ignorance and suffering.

People who don't talk much, don't interact much, who are not responsive towards other people's 'friendliness' or 'interest to be interacting with other people', are being perceived or understood by the society/worldly minded people as 'abnormality', 'rude', 'unfriendly', 'unhealthy', or 'uncaring'. Even many yoga enthusiasts of yoga practitioners and yoga teachers are also not free from this type of perception, thinking and belief.

Non-sociable is not the same as anti-social. It's normal that people would perceive or think that the practice of silence is anti-social, or non-contributing to the society or the world, or being selfish. But they don't know that silence of the mind is the highest and purest form of contribution towards humanity and the society or the world and our loved ones, by freeing one's mind from ignorance, egoism and impurities, stop hurting oneself and/or others out of ignorance, egoism and impurities, and being non-intrusive/non-interference/respectful towards other people's freedom of different ways of life, thinking, belief, practice and behavior. If people want to judge, that's their freedom. Let them be.

If one seriously wants to implement the practice of partial silence into everyday life, then one can try one's best to avoid coming in contact with or staying away from worldly minded people who strongly believe in and advocate 'certain thinking and beliefs of how human beings should and shouldn't behave and live life', 'ideal of building a perfectly all good and bad-free world', 'ideal of changing the world to be the way that they think it should be', 'be in control', 'be in power', 'be strong', 'be passionate', 'be sociable', 'be inspired', 'be interactive' and 'community values' way of life, or those who attached strongly onto and be proud towards their own way of life and values of life, who want to convert and correct other people whom they dislike and disagree with, and they get offended or disturbed by other people's different ways of life or values of life, and they expect other people should also be like them having the similar way of life and values of life.

Those who truly practice yoga and meditation, who are truly friendly, kind and compassionate, is nothing to do with being outspoken, talkative, sociable or interactive, and actively engaging in worldly social, community, cultural, family and friends affairs, interactions and activities. They have no identification as 'friendly, kind and compassionate people'. They might be performing actions that would benefit the world silently, but they don't intent/aspire to change the world to be all good and nothing bad. They don't expect other people to also be like them. They have no attachment or identification towards their actions and they have no expectation towards the fruit of their actions, allowing the fruit to be what it is. They don't interfere with or intrude other people's freedom of different ways of life, thinking, belief, practice and behavior, even though the mind might dislike or disagreeable with those ways of life, thinking, belief, practice and behavior. They don't try to covert or change or 'correct' other people who are different from them to also be like them. They allow the law of nature to be what it is. They are free from craving or clinging towards 'goodness' and aversion towards 'badness'. They respect everyone to be what they are, as they are, even if they are not very nice, or behave nastily or destructively, due to ignorance. They allow everyone to experience, learn and evolve at their own cause and pace, even if the entire world or humanity will be destroyed by ignorance. Because none can free another being from the consequences of their own actions or their own suffering deriving from ignorance, egoism and impurities, but oneself.

One will be very disappointed if one expects everyone to be good and do good and nothing bad and evil. The world is a platform for human beings under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities to 'play', to 'have fun', to 'procreate', to gratify their desires of creating something that they like and destroying something that they don't like. Greed, dissatisfaction, discrimination, bias, unjust, corruption, anger, hatred, jealousy, lust, hurt, offensiveness, hostility, ill-will, fear, worry, hunger, thirst, conflicts, violence, wars and etc are everywhere. There are also some goodness, good deeds, kindness, empathy, sympathy, charity, assistance, higher technologies, pleasurable enjoyments and entertainment, good family, good relationship, good behavior, good understanding, good friendships, good community, good companion, good life, good environment, good condition, good situation, good people, and so on. But no matter how much badness and how much goodness, all are impermanent. Appreciate and support all the goodness but without attachment, clinging or craving towards goodness, and do not appreciate or support badness but without aversion towards badness, if one wants to be free.

Those who are free and peaceful, they don't need to observe all the above practice or observation of silence to render the mind pure and quiet to allow the mind to see the truth of names and forms, to be free from ignorance and be peaceful. They can live alone away from the society, or live with other people among the society, but they are not influenced or disturbed by what is happening in the world, or the ignorance, egoism, impurities, or interference of other people, remain equanimous in peace.

The practice of silence is for those who sincerely want to know the truth of one's mind and suffering. Those who have no interest in knowing the mind, who don't need to be free from suffering, who are happy with everything as it is, they don't need to do this practice.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to do with their life, body and mind.

Unconditional happiness beyond qualities of names and forms

Most people are looking for happiness, or want to be happy. Those who are happy, they don't need to look for happiness, or desire to be happy. When we think and feel we want to be happy, it's because we are not happy. We are not happy is because we think we are not free. We think we are not free is because ignorance.

Under the influence of ignorance, we think happiness is coming from freedom of thinking, action and speech, and doing what we like to do, be who we want to be, achieve what we want to achieve, receive love and support from other people, be acknowledged and approved by other people, have good health, good livelihood and good living condition, and being with people whom we loved and who love us. But, all these qualities of names and forms will only give us momentary happy feelings that are impermanent. We fall into great misery and painful sorrow when impermanence strikes, when we lose all the good qualities that we think will make us happy, if we are determined by all these names and forms to be who we are, to be happy, or not. It's not the unconditional happiness that is beyond all the qualities of names and forms, when the mind is free from ignorance and egoism.

When we seek happiness through certain qualities of names and forms that we like and desire, and we will feel happy when we get what we like and want, it doesn't mean that we won't experience unhappiness anymore, or we will be free from impurities of anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, pride, arrogance, feelings of hurt, guilt, regret, fear and worry. By achieving happiness through doing and getting what we like and want doesn't mean that our surrounding living environment will be free from names and forms that we don't like and don't want. And thus our minds are constantly restless being in a mixture state of happiness and unhappiness. There's no permanent satisfaction. The craving for what we desire and the aversion towards what we don't desire is what hinders the mind from realizing the unconditional happiness beyond qualities of names and forms.

If we know how to be free from the desire of craving and aversion towards happiness and unhappiness that comes from ignorance and egoism, we will be happy as we are. We do not rely on any qualities of names and forms to be happy, or not. Even when there is restriction or limitation of thinking, action and speech, and we are unable to do what we like to do, unable to be who we want to be and not achieving what we want to achieve, or, we are not receiving love and support from other people, unacknowledged and disapproved by other people, not having good health, good livelihood and good living condition, and not able to be with people whom we loved and who love us, we are still happy as we are. This happiness isn't determined by or coming from any qualities of names and forms.

Ignorance is not knowing the truth of names and forms.

To free the mind from ignorance, we need to free the mind from impurities. To free the mind from impurities, we need to free the mind from egoism. To free the mind from egoism, we need to free the mind from ignorance, as egoism derives from ignorance. It is a loop that has no beginning or ending.

Due to ignorance and egoism, the ego attached towards the impermanent physical condition and ability, the impermanent states of the mind, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements based on certain conditional thinking and belief, knowledge, achievements, possessions, and all kinds of relationships, to be identifying as 'I'. This 'I' is constantly disturbed by the craving and aversion towards all these impermanent qualities of names and forms, and being restless and experience suffering when the craving and aversion is not being gratified the way that it likes it to be. The ego is determined by the gratification of its craving and aversion to be happy, or not. There is no possibility for contentment and peace, due to the truth of impermanence in all the names and forms, as well as this 'I' is a false understanding and identification. This constant restlessness hinders the mind to be free from ignorance.

That's why it's not an easy task to be free. But, it's possible if we know how to discipline and purify the mind by restricting the mind activities and quieting the mind by moving the mind away from worldly objects of names and forms, to breakdown this loop of ignorance. And hence, retreat for observing silence exists to help to discipline and purify the mind efficiently.

Retreat for the observation of silence is to disconnect with our worldly life connections, family and friends, social interactions, habits, personal or religious and cultural belief and practice. It doesn't mean that we abandon our life, family and friends, and our personal or religious and cultural belief and practice, but, it's to allow our minds to have the opportunity to be free from the contact with the objects of names and forms that are directly and indirectly related to restlessness, distractions, cares and anxieties, and allowing the mind to be opened for contemplation on the truth.

It's normal that people have fear towards letting go certain religious or non-religious thinking and belief that influence the way of life and conduct, self-image and personal identity. There is fear of the unknown consequences of letting go those thinking and belief. There is fear of exile, criticism and condemn from the 'group' that we think we belong to. There is fear of being unaccepted by the society. There is fear of non-existence. The ignorant minds constantly seek recognition, agreement, approval, support and acknowledgement from the society to be who we think we are, or who we want to be. This is one of the obstacles that hinders the mind to see the truth of names and forms as it is.

Those who have gone beyond the idea of 'I', or the identification with qualities of names and forms to be identifying as 'I', they don't even attach onto their devotion towards the teachings and practice of yoga to identify oneself as 'yogi', not to say to attach onto certain conditional worldly thinking and belief. Meanwhile other beings can have the freedom of thinking to refer or label them as 'yogi'

Many people who think they love yoga and practice yoga might think and believe that yoga is to connect with all and everything. We think we need to connect with other people or something that we think is not 'I', which are separated from 'I', is ignorance. Upon the realization of selflessness and non-separateness, there's no connection with anything that is not 'I', as there's no 'I' that generates separateness. Just like when people think they want to make connection with God, it's because they think they are something separated from God. Oneness is beyond connection that consists of more than one party.

The essential yoga practice of silence, is to retreat and disconnect the mind from the society and all sorts of worldly life connections and social activities. Retreat from worldly life connections and social activities, and isolation from other people including family and friends, help tremendously to turn the mind inward for self-introspection and self-inquiry to see the truth of names and forms, to be free from ignorance, and thus be free from unhappiness and suffering.

Though freeing the mind from ignorance is the greatest contribution to the society and world peace, the practice of silence in solitude and seclusion might appear to be 'selfishness', 'anti-social' or 'abnormal behavior' by the worldly minded people who attached to worldly life conditioned by certain thinking and beliefs about how human beings should and shouldn't behave. Most minds would want to runaway after a few days of observing the practice of silence in solitude and seclusion, not to say to be completely cut off from the social world for many years.

In the tradition of yoga, to be isolated from the society and be in seclusion for a long period of time for at least five to six years is a very important observation. One should learn how to be happy and comfortable with oneself in solitude, being isolated from all other beings, before one mixes into the society, or gets involve in any kind of relationships with anyone, without expecting someone or something that is not 'I' to make us happy, or give us happiness. Or else we generate so much tension and unhappiness in ourselves and those whom we want to love and be loved.

When one is free from ignorance and egoism, one doesn't need to be loved, be supported, be acknowledged, be approved, or be connected, to feel meaningful or be happy. One will be free whether being in a relationship, or not. There's no loneliness. When one knows how to be happy as one is, the society will be benefited tremendously by the existence of this being, without any intention from this being to benefit anyone or anything.

But, many yoga practitioners nowadays who attached strongly to their worldly social life don't just not interested in observing this traditional practice, but they condemn this practice. And that is their freedom of thinking, action and speech.

Be free.

Silent Retreat...

Silent retreat.

A period of renunciation.

Retreat from worldly affairs, social activities, personal duties and responsibilities, and from other beings/minds.

To perform the greatest duty and responsibility of mankind.

To focus on oneself.

To look after the well-being of oneself.

To find peace within, to make peace with oneself and others.

Some don't like it. It's normal.

Some have fear and anxiety towards the idea and practice of silence. It's normal too.

Some have high expectation from it. It's okay.

Some runaway from it. It's okay too.

Some fall in love with it. Not surprise either.

Some neither like it nor dislike it. It's just another experience.

Whatever it is, it's just the mind.

Attending one or many silent retreat(s) doesn't guarantee anything.

The mind can be even more restless and turbulent for being restrained in silent retreat.

Confronting impurities within one's mind can be quite unpleasant.

It's like try to clean up a long time blocked drainage system.

As we begin the cleaning process, more unpleasant stuffs being released and come up to the surface during the process.

Keep cleaning up the existing blockage little by little, and stop building up more blockage.

Fear not.

Be bold.

Be indifferent.

Be determined.

May all be free, be peaceful, be happy through silencing one's very own restless mind.

Seclusion comes gradually and naturally...

Seclusion for a period of time, is important in the path of yoga and meditation for emancipation, although there's no guarantee of liberation, if it wasn't being carried out with correct understanding and right effort.

It is not the same as somebody who has Anthropophobia or Social phobia, and they want to be alone. Sincere yoga and meditation practitioners who go into semi-secluded life style, or complete seclusion for a few years are not anti-social. In fact they have so much loving kindness for the society that they want to attain liberation through focusing on intense Sadhana, so that they can serve humanity efficiently.

Most minds try to avoid seclusion with many excuses, as the worldly minded egoistic outgoing attention seeking mind doesn't like it.

If we still have some worldly duties and responsibilities need to be carried out, or we still have something that we have to do, or there's something that need to be achieved in this life existence, then we should perform all our duties and responsibilities, and give full attention and maximum effort to pursue all our dreams.

Seclusion, or complete renunciation from worldly social activities and interactions comes gradually and naturally, when Vairagya / dispassion and Viveka / right discrimination is firmly rooted in the mind of the Sadhaka, seeing the highest meaning of human existence is serving humanity by attaining liberation from ignorance and egoism.

Only when one attains liberation from ignorance and egoism, one can truly serve humanity efficiently, without being affected, influenced or determined by all actions and the fruit of actions.

Retreats are supposed to be disciplining the mind and training the mind to get use to seclusion and to move away from worldly ideas and objects. But, many of the yoga retreats in the world nowadays are not about seclusion at all, in fact, it is about ego-pampering, worldly sensual indulgence and gratification of desires.

Om shanti.

8 Days / 8 nights Silent Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course with Meng Foong in Langkawi

Silent Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course with Meng Foong in Langkawi

This is an opportunity for those who already have some experience in yoga practice and want to practice yoga and meditation in a conducive space with retreat facilities.

Our yoga studio will be closed for a few weeks from running yoga retreats in June (8 days 8 nights) and July (7 days 7 nights) 2015 to allow this practice space to be reserved for sincere yoga practitioners to participate in one of the Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course with Meng Foong.

There are only 6 places available for each course - (4 female participants and 2 male participants due to limited accommodation)

If you have been learning and practicing yoga for some time, but you are not sure whether you know what to do when you are by yourself without a teacher's instructions, that's okay. Meng Foong will give you a simple guideline for you to follow, and will supervise your practice from time to time. That's one of the objective of this Intensive Sadhana Course - To be able to develop independence on self-practice, as well as to develop self-discipline. Without self-discipline, even if there's a great teacher in front of us is also useless.

Fitness level is not important and it's not an issue at all in this Sadhana Course, as yoga and yoga practice is nothing to do with fitness level, or how many yoga asana poses we can perform. Everyone perform the yoga practice according to their own temperament and capability.

It's definitely not a stage for competition among the yoga practitioners, to compare and judge one's practice and abilities. Neither it is to admire somebody's practice, abilities and achievement, or aspire to become the one whom we admire. Peace and compassion has nothing to do with all these names and forms.

Everyone learn to focus on their own practice without looking at others, without comparing with others who are being different from one another, without judging others and oneself, without expectation towards the fruit of action. Just practice, without attachment towards the practice, and allow the fruit of the practice to be there as it is.

The course is to help the practitioner to learn how to let go of the egoism, attachment, identification, craving and aversion, to purify and quiet the mind, which is what yoga practice is about. All the other physical or mental benefits derived from the yoga practice are just some side effects.

About the course:-

Silent Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course Outline

Please arrive on the eve of the first day of the Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course before the orientation and dinner (anytime before 6.00 pm)

Day 1 – Day 6 or Day 7 – Observe Silence full day
Day 7 or Day 8 – Silence ends at 10.30 am
Departure day – Departure after Karma yoga

Arrival Day
6.00 pm – Orientation
7.30 pm – Dinner
9.30 pm – Meditation (Observation of silence starts)
10.00 pm – Rest (Lights off by 11.00 pm)

Day 1 – Day 6 or Day 7
6.00 am – Wake up
6.30 am – Neti kriyas (Self-practice)
6.45 am – Pranayama & meditation (Self-practice)
7.45 am - Tea break
8.30 am – Yoga asana practice (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)
10.30 am – Break
11.00 am – Brunch
12.00 am – Washing / cleaning / Karma Yoga
1.00 pm – Rest / self-study / free time
3.00 pm - Tea break with fruit served (optional)
4.00 pm – Yoga asana practice (Self-practice)
6.00 pm – Break
7.30 pm – Dinner
9.00 pm – Chanting & Meditation (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)
10.00 pm – Rest (Lights off by 11.00 pm)

Day 7 or Day 8
6.00 am – Wake up
6.30 am – Neti kriyas (Self-practice)
6.45 am – Pranayama & meditation (Self-practice)
8.30 am – Yoga asana practice (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)
10.30 am – Break (Silence ends)
11.00 am – Brunch
12.00 pm – Washing / cleaning / Karma Yoga
1.00 pm – Rest / free time
7.30 pm – Dinner
9.00 pm – Chanting & Meditation (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)
10.00 pm – Rest (Lights off by 11.00 pm)

Departure day
6.00 am – Wake up
6.30 am – Neti kriyas (Self-practice)
6.45 am – Pranayama & meditation (Self-practice)
7.45 am - Tea break
8.30 am – Yoga asana practice (*with Meng Foong / Self-practice)
10.30 am – Break
11.00 am – Brunch
12.00 pm – Washing / cleaning / Karma Yoga
Intensive Yoga Sadhana ends

During the self-practice session, you may practice any types/styles of yoga asana practice that you prefer. The entire course is to strengthen one's self-discipline in self-practice, it doesn't matter what types/styles of yoga, or yoga asana practice that you are practicing now.

*If you prefer to perform your own self-practice during the session with Meng Foong, you may do so in your room.

*There's no minimum or maximum time for performing your yoga asana practice during the yoga asana session. It depends on that present moment. You may perform some other types of yoga practice other than yoga asana practice, if you prefer. Be your own teacher, and be responsible for taking care of your mind. Be vigilant and self-initiative to perform your Sadhana. Make good use of the opportunity provided here.

Hari Om Tat Sat

Accommodation

You will be staying at the yoga studio with the other yoga practitioners.

Male participants will be staying in a temporary bedroom with fan converted from the store room at the yoga studio with outside bathroom and toilet. If there is no male participant, this room will be available for other female participants.

Female participants will be staying in a studio apartment with en-suite bathroom.


– Simple basic accommodation.
– Please look after your personal hygiene.
– Observe the rules and time table.
– Do your own laundry by hand. There will be washing powder and buckets available at the washing area. No laundry washing or shower is allowed during yoga and meditation practice and between 11.00 pm and 6.00 am.
– To ensure everyone to have a good night rest, we suggest everyone to keep noise volume to the minimum after 11.00 pm.
– If you want to stay up or to do some reading after 11.00 pm, you may do so at the terrace or at the garden quietly so that you may not disturb your housemates or the neighbours.
– Take care of your personal belongings and please do not bring unnecessary ‘valuable things’.
– Everyone should stay within the living area and compound area between 10.00 pm and 6.30 am. Strictly no outing during this period of time.
– No strenuous physical activities are allowed before morning sitting meditation.
– No chanting between 10.00 pm and 8.30 am as it might disturb the neighbours.

Facilities in the studio apartment:-
– 4 single mattresses
– Terrace for sitting out
– Laundry washing area
– Sharing en-suite bathroom with shower and toilet
– Water heater for hot shower
– Fan and air-conditioning in the room. Please save electricity by turning off all the lights, fans and air-conditioning in the rooms when leaving the room
– Drinking water
– Tea making facilities
– Hair-dryer (not to be used in the bathroom)
– Desk
– Shelves

Please bring along your own personal toiletries and bath towels.

Please bring along your own neti pot and neti sutra if you have, or else you can borrow a neti pot from us.

Everyone will be assigned with Karma Yoga everyday, maintaining the cleanliness and tidiness of the yoga hall, the library, the studio apartment, the bathroom and toilet, the terrace, the garden area and the kitchen.

Karma Yoga (selfless service) will be distributed among the participants.

One should not exert too much energy in physical activities to conserve energy.

You may keep some light snacks with you, but, please keep them in airtight containers to avoid attracting ants and insects.

You may keep your food in airtight containers in the studio apartment, or in the fridge in the kitchen. Please ask for a container if you need one.

Throughout the entire stay, everyone takes care the well-being of oneself.

This is a great opportunity for practicing tolerance, patience, adaptation, adjustment, accommodation, acceptance, forgiveness, selflessness and compassion while staying with other yoga practitioners under the same roof.

If you have any problems, or special requirements you may talk to the teacher privately during free time (between 3.00 – 4.00 pm).

Meals will be simple nutritious vegetarian food.

Please bear in mind that this is a place for Yoga Sadhana, it’s not a luxury holiday resort.

Om shanti

Observations

Observe Mauna/Silence from Day 1 to Day 8

Activities that are not allowed during the entire stay:-

– No smoking
– No illegal drugs
– Certain herbal based medicine for illness or skin irritation, or daily medications prescribed by your doctor are allowed
– No alcohol
– No sexual misconduct
– No strong smelling and stimulating body spray, or fragrances, or mosquito repellent spray, or moisturizers, or lotions – except oil free and fragrance free products
– No novels, or magazines, or newspaper reading – except yoga and meditation books that are provided in the library
– No movie watching or radio listening
– No gossiping or slandering
– No socializing or mingling
– No Internet
– No phone calls or communication with the social world – except in case of emergency
– Not leaving the studio compound between 10.00 pm and 6.30 am
You are here to quiet the mind and not stimulate the mind.

Activities that are allowed during your free time:-
– Keeping a spiritual diary about your yoga and meditation practice. This is not obligatory.
– Reading and writing – only about yoga and meditation
– Self-practice in the yoga hall

Om shanti

Meal Times

Meals provided will be simple nutritious vegetarian food.

We do not cater for raw food diet.

We can cater for gluten-free or dairy-free diet.

Please inform us before hand if you have any food allergies or food that you don’t eat.

Everyone will be given one set of dining utensil consists of a plate, a bowl, a mug, a glass, spoon, knife and fork. You will keep the same dining utensil for your own use for the entire course. Please take care of them and wash them after meals.

Chopsticks are available upon request.

There is a refrigerator in the kitchen for the course participants to keep some food or drinks, or medications.

Tea and coffee will be provided. There are different types of tea bags on the shelf in the kitchen, please feel free to take any. There are coffee plungers to make coffee.

Lemon will be provided everyday. Please feel free to make lemon water for yourself.

Fresh fruit will be provided during brunch and tea break.

Please observe moderation in food intake. Extreme fasting is not advisable during the course.

You may take your time to come into the dining hall for meals, but please finish your meal within the meal time given.

If you prefer to be on your own when taking your meal, you may bring your food and eat at the terrace or at the garden.

Please inform the teacher in-charge of the course earlier if you want to skip a particular meal.

Please take the same seat at the dining table for all meals. And after finished eating, please wash and dry your dining utensil and put it back onto your place on the dining table for your next meal.

Please observe silence through out the entire course until the observation of silence ends on the 8th day after the morning yoga asana practice session.

Please close the kitchen door every time you come in and out from the kitchen to keep animals and insects out of the kitchen. Please do not lock the kitchen door as other people might want to come into the kitchen.

Please maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen by cleaning up immediately after meal.

Morning tea break will be served at the terrace between 7.45 am – 8.15 am.
Brunch will be served at the dining hall between 11.00 am – 12.00 noon.
Afternoon tea break will be served at the terrace between 3.00 pm – 3.30 pm.
Dinner will be served at the dining hall between 7.30 pm – 8.30 pm.
Kitchen will be closed from 11.00 pm – 7.45 am.

Be happy.

Mauna – Silence

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 stopped 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 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 ourselves, instead of being the slave of the mind and being controlled by 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. 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-interacting and non-communicating with the social world, and just stand as a witness or the observer, witnessing or observing all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, we also refrain the mind from reacting or expressing through physical gestures, 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 quiet.

The practice of reducing or purifying senses inputs – sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations (touch) and thoughts, and letting go of 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 that derived from past cravings and aversions, will appear to the surface of the mind to be purified, or to be letting go. And hence, there might be physical, mental and emotional discomforts arise during the course and after the course. Some people may experience purification process even before the start of the Sadhana. Be tolerant, be persevere, be determine to finish the course equanimously.

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 is not limited to:-

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

- No eye 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, touch and thinking) 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 (except keeping a spiritual diary), not doing intense physical activities, not sleeping on soft bed, not using perfumes or fragrances, and divert the mind to contemplate on Dharma 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.

Above all, observe all these observations without judgment, comparison and expectation. Just do our best.

May all 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 self-realization to know the Truth.

Om shanti

Course Dates

8 Days / 8 nights Silent Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course

June 20th to 28th, 2015 – Arrival on June 19th before 6.00 pm. Departure on June 28th after 3.00 pm.

Course Fees

2000 RM per person

Course fees are inclusive of – airport pick up and drop off, accommodation, meals, and facilities.

300 rm deposit is required to confirm a place for the course when your application is accepted. It is refundable if cancellation is made one month before the start of the course. Please inform us as soon as possible if you want to cancel your reservation to allow other people on the waiting list to take your place.

Full payment (the outstanding balance) must be paid one month before the start of the course.

All payments shall be made via bank transfer. Bank details will be provided when your application is accepted.

Where

The space for Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course:-

Yoga Now Malaysia
Langkawi
Kedah
Malaysia

Application

Please bear in mind that the Intensive Yoga Sadhana Courses are for serious Yoga practitioners (Sadhaka). If you cannot commit to the timetable and are not very serious in performing yoga practice, please allow other yoga practitioners who take seriously of their yoga practice to have the opportunity to get a place in the Intensive Yoga Sadhana Course.

Please read through the Observations before applying for the course. Do not apply if you are not capable to observe the observations.



Please send us an email with the following details:-

1.) Name
2.) Current home address, phone number and contact details of person to contact in case of emergency
3.) Which course dates do you wish to participate
4.) Any medical history – physical injuries or illnesses
5.) Any food allergies
6.) Why you wish to participate


Om shanti
 

Pratyahara - Withdraw the senses from the sense objects

When we observe the practice of Silence or Mauna, we are restraining the mind from going out through the senses to chase after the objects of the senses, of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations and thoughts, and thus reducing comparisons, judgments, expectations, imaginations, anticipations, projections, scheming, plotting, arguments, justification, and etc.

This is part of the yoga practice of Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the senses from the objects of the senses.

When one limits or reduces the activities of the sense organs and the senses, the mind has less objects to perceive, to compare, to judge, to comment, to argue, to generate likes and dislikes, to generate agreements and disagreements, to generate desires of wants and don't wants, to expect, to be disturbed, to be restless, and thus it helps to allow the mind to quiet down to the maximum.

It is being care 'less' about the world and the surrounding beings and things. Most important it is being care 'less' towards what the mind thinks and feels. Some might think and judge that this is a 'selfish' behavior or practice for being 'uncaring' for what is going on in our surrounding environment, about other beings and happenings. But it is not so at all.

This is a great noble action to take care the well-being of oneself, so that when one is liberated from ignorance and realize unconditional love and peace, one can contribute to the society by being at peace, without generating disharmony and violence in oneself or into the surrounding atmosphere. And hence, one is able to care for the world efficiently.

The untrained mind is always chasing after the objects of names and forms to be stimulated, to enjoy, to be existing, to express, to be acknowledged, to take pleasure in the sense objects of names and forms.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the mind wants to see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think, unceasingly chasing one after another one. It is always busy with seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking. And thus the mind is ever restless. Restless state of mind doesn't allow the mind to see the truth as it is.

And hence, in the beginning, we need to limit and reduce the inputs of names and forms to quiet the mind, by withdrawing or retreating the senses from the sense objects, to allow the mind to have a break from seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking, to have moments of stillness to see the truth. When the mind starts to see the truth as it is, then there is no need to limit any kinds of inputs, as the mind won't be chasing after the objects of names and forms anymore.

The mind is aware of all the sense objects of names and forms perceived through the senses, but without generate attachment, identification, clinging, craving or aversion. It doesn't take pleasure in the sense objects anymore, it doesn't need to be acknowledged, to be stimulated, to be existing, but it is resting in peace, in silence.

Om shanti.

The observation of silence?

The observation of silence is a very important practice for those who are sincere and determined in the path of self-inquiry, and take seriously about their yoga and meditation practice.

The observation of silence is not just about not talking for a specific duration, but it is every moment observing the mind perception of names and forms without generate attachment, identification, craving and aversion towards all these names and forms.

When one observes silence for a particular duration, during those hours/days/months one

• doesn't talk,
• doesn't waste energy in vain talk, or social conversations that strengthen the worldly ideas, passionate desires and attachment,
• doesn't be curious,
• doesn't ask questions,
• doesn't discuss,
• doesn't interact with others,
• doesn't argue,
• doesn't criticize,
• doesn't comment,
• doesn't judge,
• doesn't compare,
• doesn't expect,
• doesn't anticipate,
• doesn't hold on to the past,
• doesn't project into the future,
• doesn't look at others to find out how they behave, what they do and don't do, or how is their practice,
• doesn't have physical or eye contact with others,
• doesn't express through verbal speech, body gestures or facial expression,
• doesn't be ambitious,
• doesn't plan, scheme, or plot,
• doesn't read,
• doesn't write,
• doesn't exert too much energy,
• doesn't involve in verbal, or physical, or mental activities that will stimulate, or agitate, or strain, or drain, or depress the mind,

Moving the mind away from its usual habits and things that it familiars with or is addicted to, checking the desires of wants and don't wants, and letting go of craving and aversion, limiting and restricting the inputs and outputs of the mind.

Restricting the mind to express or project itself verbally, physically and mentally, limiting physical or mental activities to conserve energy and to calm down or quiet the thought waves, develop mindfulness, turning the mind inward for self-introspection and self-inquiry, to allow the mind to be able to see things as they are, without generate judgment, comparison, expectation, attachment, identification, craving and aversion.

Allow the mind to be aware of the reality as it is, without interfering, nor changing or controlling the reality to be the way that it likes it to be.

There is exception in the case of emergency, one speaks and acts when it is necessary.

If one practiced all these observations with the correct understanding, right effort and right attitude, one will develop great mental strength and flexibility to tolerate any conditions and situations, remains equanimous, undisturbed and undetermined by all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses. One will have clear understanding of what is happening in the mind, and have self-control over one's actions and speech, not being over-powered by any impurities to influence one's actions and speech.

Serious yoga and meditation practitioners who see the attainment of self-realization (be free from ignorance) is the greatest duty for the well-being of oneself and for all humanity, who show disinterest or dispassion towards worldly activities and enjoyments, they don't just occasionally observe silence when attending some courses in some retreat centres, but they also observe silence in everyday life with some adjustments to accommodate whatever that need to be accommodated, to strengthen self-awareness and self-control, and to quiet the mind while living everyday life in the midst of the society.

Ask ourselves, how much time and energy we have spent on engaging in conversations with others everyday, and found ourselves have not enough time and energy to perform our duties and responsibilities, or to perform yoga and meditation practice?

This is not selfish at all. One must know how to take care of oneself before one can truly benefits others in the society. When one has attained a great foundation for non-attachment, then it is not necessary for one to observe complete silence, as one's mind won't be affected, nor disturbed, nor influenced, nor determined by all the perception of names and forms. One can blend into the society without being disturbed nor influenced by the society.

If this is not the path that we would be interested in, we don't have to take up this practice. It doesn't make us 'bad' or 'less good' than others if we are not interested to practice some or all of the teachings of yoga and meditation. It doesn't make us 'good' or 'better' than others if we decided to take up yoga and meditation practice.

May all be free through self-inquiry.

Om shanti.

Eating by oneself? Enjoy the silent moment and be aware of the eating process...

We think and believe that eating by oneself is somehow 'not right' or 'not healthy'. We think there should be some kind of social conversation or interaction with some other people while having meals. We don't feel 'happy' to be having our meals by ourselves. We think it is strange and anti-social to be having meals by oneself.

But nobody would think and believe that when we do big and small 'business' in the toilet by oneself is anything 'not right' and 'not healthy'.

In the Ashram, we eat in silence. Even though there might be many people eating together at the same time in the huge dining hall, we should maintain silence and concentrate on our eating process. We don't talk nor socialize while eating. Same as during chanting session, yoga asana practice, or meditation practice, we don't talk or socialize. We don't think there's any anti-social elements in it. We don't think it is 'not right' or 'not healthy'. There must be reason why it is conducive for our yoga and meditation practice to be in silence most of the time.

When we realize what is oneness and non-separateness, beyond names and forms, there's no separation between ourselves and everyone and everything, even when we appear to be alone by ourselves in this moment now.

Minds...

"Do you think non-attachment is possible?"

"Do you think non-attachment is possible?" Someone asked.

What if somebody tells us "No."

Does this prove to us that non-attachment is impossible, or unrealistic, or impractical? Nope.

What if somebody tells us "Yes."

Does this guarantee and assure us that we will be free from doubts, attachment, egoism and ignorance, and will not be disturbed, nor affected, nor influenced, nor determined by all the qualities of names and forms? Nope.

What if somebody tells us "It depends on each individual's effort and determination to purify the mind, to free the mind from all kinds of desires, restlessness, egoism and ignorance, to turn the mind inward, to allow the mind to perceive the truth of names and forms as they are, without being contaminated nor influenced by any impurities or conditioned and limited thinking and beliefs. Only through oneself realizing the truth of things as they are, not being influenced by any thinking and beliefs in the mind, then naturally one doesn't even need to practice non-attachment, as there won't be any attachment towards any names and forms will arise in the liberated mind."

Will this answer clear all our doubts and make all our attachment, fear and worry disappear? Nope.


It doesn't matter what answer we get,  we will still need to find out the answer of our doubts, or find out the truth through our own effort, through our own direct experience and realize the truth by ourselves, to clear all our doubts.

Whether other people or our teacher is completely be free from ignorance, egoism and attachment or not, it's nothing to do with our own practice of letting go of attachment, nor has anything to do with our own realization of the truth, or our own liberation from ignorance, egoism and attachment.
That's why in (serious) silent meditation retreat, we are basically being on our own to contemplate upon the truth, through observing noble silence throughout the entire retreat. There's no conversation, nor interaction, nor discussion about this and that. Talking and discussing about non-attachment doesn't free us from ignorance, egoism and attachment, nor will give us liberation.

Whatever doubts we have, the only answer that will remove all our doubts is to turn the outgoing mind inward, and find the answer from within, and it's not coming from somebody else telling us about what they know or don't know, nor it's coming from reading books with all the information about this and that.

Even if a liberated being is right in front of us, and talks to us about Dharma (The truth), it still won't remove our doubts or ignorance, unless we realize the truth by ourselves, through our own effort of self-inquiry or contemplation.

Silent the mind, and meditate...

Om shanti.

The practice of silence is not just about not talking...

The practice of silence is not just about not talking or silencing the speech organ, but it is silencing the thought currents of unceasing desires of craving and aversion derived from egoism...
Speech and actions are the external reflective expression of all these egoistic thought currents.
Affirmation or assertion of a self-image with certain qualities and personalities are the ego expressing and empowering itself...
Guard our thoughts, actions and speech.
Om shanti.

Retreat ourselves in everyday life, not just during silent retreats...

What are we doing in silent retreats?

We practice intense or serious non-attachment...

Retreat from the worldly attachments in our life. Retreat from names and forms that we always see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think... Retreat from our everyday worldly activities, actions and speech... Retreat from our conditional behavior pattern or familiar routine... Retreat from our daily life worries and cares... Retreat from worldly interaction, communication, discussion, debate, argument, expression, reaction, expectation, wanting, talking, mingling, socializing, mixing, gossiping, criticizing, judging, comparing, justification, worldly sensual pleasure and enjoyments, and etc...

We stop giving the mind what it wants and likes... We stop gratifying the desire of craving and aversion of the mind... We move the mind away from its usual activities and enjoyments... This will not be easy or comfortable for the mind... It will reject and resent... It will experience irritation and frustration... It will want to runaway from the retreat and go back to its usual habits, familiar activities and enjoyments...

Meditation is not about making the mind to become creative and artistic, no doubt that many people who practice meditation regularly will naturally be developing the creativity and artistic side of the mind... They will have many creative ideas and imaginations... But, this is not the purpose of meditation. It is just one of the side-effects of meditation... Those who are not careful about this, will tend to attach onto the "side-effect" of meditation, attach onto the increasing creativity and ideas, and hence, spending their energy and time into worldly social activities...

Meditation is freeing the mind from the longing towards stimulation and creation. It is about absorbing or entering into silence, into birthlessness, deathlessness, beginninglessness, endlessness, attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness... There is no colours, no shapes, no forms, no qualities, no sights, no sounds, no smells, no tastes, no sensations, no thinking, no thoughts, no creativity, no ideas, no imaginations, no interactions, no passions, no desires, no perception, no reaction, no happiness, no unhappiness, no good, no bad, no birth, no death, no fear, no worry, no gain, no loss, no ignorance, no excitement, no depression, no enjoyment, no suffering, no cessation of suffering, no ego, no mind, no intellect, no body...

The mind absorb into its source - The selfless consciousness or the universal consciousness.

There is no meditator, no meditation, no fruit of meditation... And this practice should not just be practice during or being limited in silent retreats... It should be practice in our everyday life moderately, if we really want to be free from the bondage of birth and death, be free from inevitable suffering that co-existing with the existence and function of the body and the mind...

Talk less... If we really need to talk, may it be the speech of Dharma or the Truth... Even though most of the time, the Truth is not something that the egoistic ignorant minds want or like to hear... Sometimes, the Truth can be hurtful and painful for the egoistic minds, but it will help to free the minds from further and heavier suffering and ignorance...

Reduce or limit worldly passionate activities, socializing, interacting, gathering, stimulation of the mind...

There is no more attachment or clinging onto worldly materials, relationships, objects and affairs... There is no more craving for love, care, support, acknowledgement, approval, recognition and attention from the world or relationships with anyone... There is no more depending on any worldly qualities and achievements to be confident, to be happy, to be somebody... Not even depending on any spiritual qualities and achievements to be confident, to be happy, to be somebody... The one who is beyond all names and forms, is a free being... Those who retreat themselves moderately in everyday life but still living amid the busy and "interesting" world, might be criticized by worldly minded people as loner, non-sociable, unfriendly, strange, arrogant or care-less, but it doesn't matter... Because the wise will not argue with the ignorant, and will not mind about worldly perception, judgment, criticism and comment coming from the worldly minded... They will only be compassionate towards the beings who are over-powered by ignorance... In those who had tasted the joy of detachment and dispassion, only they will know and appreciate the joy of fearlessness that comes from non-attachment and retreating from worldly passionate activities... And they are not interested to attain some sort of momentary satisfaction or happy/meaningful feelings that come from worldly passionate relationships, connections and activities...

They will spend their existing energy in their own practice and to help the world in silence, without getting any attention, acknowledgment or appreciation from the world... They are the beings who really know how to help the world but without being known of who they are and what they do, and without being affected by the world and the result of their selfless compassionate actions...

It is common that during or immediately after a silent retreat, we will be able to taste the momentary joy of retreating ourselves from worldly passionate activities and relationships, experience care-free and worry-less, but very soon once we step back into our daily life in the worldly society, we start to attach onto our worldly activities and relationships, and move away from detachment and dispassion, and be restless and miserable again... Om shanti.