The body is consuming itself upon insufficient energy for basic life maintenance

No doubt that when there is still an idea of 'I' having an identification in the thinking mind identifying with the state/modification of the mind that is very much being determined and influenced by the energy fields in the body, as there is absence of correct understanding in the mind, and lack of non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-comparison, non-judgment, and non-expectation, then this mind can observe a type of diet consumption as well as a way of life or activity that can help to induce more calming effect or less agitating effect in the modification of the mind. But, that is not a guarantee that the mind is, or will be free from the veil of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance.

Yoga, or the self-realization towards selflessness and impermanence, or the annihilation of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, or unconditional peace, is nothing to do with whether one is consuming a particular type of diet consumption (either vegetarian, or non-vegetarian, or mixture of both), or not.

All minds have been adopting a particular type of vegetarian, or non-vegetarian, or mixture of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diet consumption, either since birth or at certain stage in life under different reasons, however, it doesn't determine that whether the minds are free from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, or not.

The body needs to be fed from time to time for maintaining the basic life maintenance, for the selfless bodily systems to be functioning properly, and to have some sufficient excess energy for daily physical and mental activity.

If one stops feeding the body, or stops eating, or is eating too less, over a prolonged period of time, where the body doesn't get enough energy/nutrients/minerals for life maintenance or for the bodily system to be functioning properly, the body will start to consume itself, or 'eating' itself, in order to extract energy from the proteins and fats deposit, as well as nutrients and minerals from within the body parts that are made up of all these components. That's why the body starts to loose body weight, or muscles mass, or fats deposit, or even bone and teeth density, or couldn't function properly as it is, and etc, when the body consumes less energy/nutrients/minerals input than the energy/nutrients/minerals expenditure over a period of time.

How can anyone be a pure vegetarian, if that is a natural process under the selfless survival instinct that is happening within the physical body from time to time, or once in a while, even if the mind is unaware of that?

It's a matter of personal choice under any particular reason for choosing what type of diet to feed the body and mind for maintaining its selfless impermanent existence and function. There's neither right nor wrong in the personal choice of diet consumption that one prefers.

There's nothing wrong, and it's very good to be observing a more healthy option and balanced type of diet consumption, if possible, depending on the logistic, climate, general condition and situation, availability and affordability. But, it's not about whether one is a better or purer human being than the others who have different types of diet consumption.

A yogi is not determined by the state of healthiness or unhealthiness, or good and bad health and fitness condition, or the sense of goodness or badness, positiveness or negativeness, righteousness or wrongfulness, and meaningfulness or meaninglessness, upon the realization of selflessness and impermanence.

The absence or presence of illness, weakness, injury, disabilities, or limitations, and the inevitable process of decay, aging, and disintegration/death of the body and mind doesn't determine one is a yogi, or a liberated mind, or not.

If the mind insists on the availability of specific type of diet (either vegetarian or non-vegetarian) that it prefers, and it will be frustrated and disturbed by the non-availability of that specific type of diet due to certain reasons, as well as be disturbed and angered by others who have different type of diet consumption from oneself, for any reasons, under the presence and influence of the desire of craving and aversion, attachment, identification, comparison, judgment, expectation, specific way of thinking, belief, ideas, visions, values, aspirations and practice, as well as all kinds of impurities, then that is not part of the yoga and/or buddhism practice at all.

Be free.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Never tell people who live in difficult life condition about what they should and shouldn't eat

The realization of unconditional peace is not determined by what people eat or don't eat, or whether one is eating 'pure non-animal products vegetarian food' or 'animal products non-vegetarian food'.

By consuming 'pure and clean food' or 'non-animal products vegetarian diet' doesn't guarantee that one is or will be free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness and suffering. Just like by performing many years of 'yoga practice' also doesn't guarantee that one is free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance. One might still be overpowered by the sense of self-righteousness, pride and superiority, and hence, be disturbed very much by what the mind perceives/recognizes as bad, wrong, negativity, inferiority, hurtful, offensive, insulting, disrespectful, undeserving, disappointing, painful sorrow, or suffering. People can be observing vegetarian diet due to cultural/religious practice for many years, and feel proud for being 'compassionate vegetarian' or being one of the member of a culture/religion, but still the mind might be not free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness and suffering.

People who consume 'particular type of non-animal products vegetarian food' with the sense of self-righteousness, pride and superiority, might be over-powered by self-righteousness and would criticize/condemn others who consume 'animal products non-vegetarian food', or vice versa. This is not part of the yoga practice.

Whether it's part of the spiritual/cultural/religious/environmental/ethical practice, or due to some other reasons that people choose to adopt a particular type of food choice based on one's thinking/belief/thoughtfulness/conscience, but we cannot tell or interfere with people what they should or shouldn't eat, or 'criticizing' or 'condemning' those whom we think they don't adopt 'that particular type of food choice' for some reasons, as we think that we are somehow more superior than others because of our superior food choice.

Just like we ourselves want to practice yoga, but we can't go into people's life and tell people what they should and shouldn't practice, or how people should and shouldn't think/believe/behave/act and react, and we can't criticize/condemn anyone who don't like yoga, or who don't practice yoga, or who aren't interested in yoga, or who don't practice yoga as it is, even though we see yoga as something good and beneficial for many people, provided if people allow their minds to be open, unattached towards any particular thinking and belief that has been conditioning/influencing how they think, judge, feel, expect, act and react towards all the names and forms, as those who attached strongly onto their particular thinking and belief cannot be open to inquire the truth of other teachings/practice that are different from their own thinking and belief, as they would instantly reject and object what is different from and contradicted with their existing social/cultural/religious/spiritual thinking and belief, of what they think they know, and do not want to learn/inquire/know any further about other teachings/practice that they disagree with based on their own thinking and belief, as well as there's fear towards knowing the truth of what if their own thinking and belief from young until now is not necessarily true, but people just blind-believing and blind-following those thinking and beliefs, and fear of 'sin' and 'punishment' due to 'losing faith in their thinking and belief', if they start questioning the truth of their thinking and belief. We can only share our knowledge and experience in yoga with those who are interested in yoga and they want to learn from our knowledge and experience, and they are ready to allow their minds to be open to inquire the truth of everything. Even so, we can't expect anyone of them to practice yoga diligently as it is. It's their own freedom and responsibility whether they want to practice yoga diligently as it is, or not, after we share the knowledge and experience with them.

People have the rights or freedom to choose what they want to eat or don't eat, even if our minds feel disagree with and disturbed by other people's choice of food consumption.

Although it's everyone's freedom if they want to interfere with other people's life, but those who truly practice yoga will not be interested in interfering with other people's life. Never tell people who live in difficult life condition, who are or have been going through many difficulties and hardship in life about what they should eat or shouldn't eat. People might be suffering and dying from hunger and malnutrition or diseases, due to poverty and lack of educational background being bullied, discriminated and exploited by the commercial world, and most probably don't make enough 'money' to buy/get enough food not to say 'clean' and 'nutritious' food even after working very hard for many hours a day. Imagine people who have a rather easy comfortable life, who don't need to suffer much hardship and difficult condition in life, go around and tell other people who have no choice but have to be doing hard labour work with very low income for survival while struggling to provide food and shelter for oneself and/or the family about what they should eat and shouldn't eat.

Keep one's thinking/belief/practice/food choice/way of life to oneself, and respect other people's different thinking/beliefs/practices/food choices/ways of life, even if they are contradicted with our thinking/belief/practice/food choice/way of life. If people want to follow our way of life/practice/food choice, that's their freedom, but not because we expect and believe that everyone should be like us.

There's nothing wrong if out of our own conscience/ethical reason that we want to adopt a particular type of food choice, but we also respect others for their different type of food choice, without criticizing/condemning other people's choices of food consumption that we don't like or don't agree with, that we think is bad and wrong, unethical or unhealthy.

Go beyond the name and form of 'vegetarian' and 'non-vegetarian'. It's not who you are/what you are, as many people, including yoga enthusiasts like to say, "You are what you eat." No doubt that food intake directly influences the energy field, the physical condition and the state of the mind, but the minds that have realized selflessness/namelessness/formlessness/attributelessness/non-separateness, it goes beyond all the identifications, names, forms, attributes, dualities, separateness, energy field, the physical condition, the state of the mind, good and bad karma, easy and difficult life condition, desirable and undesirable life experiences. It's part of the teaching of yoga of 'Transcending all the Gunas, energy field, names and forms, attributes/qualities, dualities, the physical condition and the states of the mind'. Whatever the mind thinks and identifies as 'I', is merely ignorance.

Between compassion & vegetarianism...

We encourage vegetarianism for health and humanity reason, as well as to help calming the mind for meditation, but, I do not relate vegetarianism with compassion, as compassion is beyond what we eat or don't eat, nor to specify compassion as there will be completely no lives will be harmed by the life existence of this body and mind, unless our life existence on earth can be without hurting any living beings at all in our everyday life, whether intentionally or unintentionally, directly or indirectly.

I neither identify myself as 'compassionate being' nor 'not compassionate being'. I support the teaching and practice of compassion, but at the same time, I am aware that the life existence of this body and mind cannot avoid hurting some forms of living being in everyday life, whether directly or indirectly. Just like all the elements of fire, water, wind and earth, they have no intention to be good or bad, to be constructive or destructive, but everything is existing and cease existing due to these elements, at the same time.

If someone believes in the theory of being compassionate means that there shouldn't be any lives be harmed at all by the life existence of this body and mind, then either we shouldn't exist at all if we really want to be compassionate, or compassion is something unfeasible or unachievable in this life existence which cannot avoid hurting some other life forms at all.

Even though we do not wish to hurt any lives, but just by being existing, there will be many lives be hurt by the existence of this body and mind, whether directly or indirectly. Just by eating vegetarian food cannot justify that there's completely no living forms are being harmed by the existence of this body and mind, and during the entire process of food consumption from plowing the earth, planting, harvesting, transportation, until the preparation and cooking the plant based food.

If we are not free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, craving and aversion, we will try to protect the lives and welfare of certain living beings that we like and agree with, but we might hurt other living beings that we don't like and disagree with.

Out of selfish desires, craving, aversion, jealousy, anger, hatred and fear, we might do and say things that will hurt other beings. Just like some people might show intense passionate love towards certain beings, animals, or insects that they like, but they might not be able to show similar loving kindness towards some other beings, animals, or insects that they don't like. It's like, "I don't eat beef or fish as cow and fish are living beings like us and they are so cute, but I will kill rats, mosquitoes, cockroaches, flees, worms, ants, or spiders, as I don't like them, and I think they are bad and nasty," or "I love animals very much and I wish those who hurt any animals would be condemned to hell and suffer a lot," or "I love cats, but I hate dogs," and etc.

Being vegetarian doesn't necessarily mean that we are all nice and kind beings, or we are compassionate beings who are completely free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, desires, craving, aversion, discrimination, ill-will, violence, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, fear, worry, painful sorrow and suffering. While being non-vegetarian doesn't necessarily mean that we are all bad and evil beings, or we could not be free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, desires, craving, aversion, discrimination, ill-will, violence, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, fear, worry, painful sorrow and suffering.

There's nothing wrong if people think and believe that being compassionate means being vegetarian not eating meat or fish products, as everyone has the freedom of thinking and believe, and it does show certain loving kindness towards animals and fish, by not killing any animals or fish for food consumption. But then, we won't be free being conditioned by this thinking, as we are hurting many other life forms in everyday life either intentionally or unintentionally, whether we are aware or unaware of it, whether directly or indirectly.

It is a very hard decision, when life existence comes to a point that we have to choose to kill for food to survive, or rather die from hunger than to kill for food to survive. I do not encourage killing and yet I do not condemn those who have to kill for food to survive. Take a look at those who live in areas that have no basic food and safe drinking water at all, and who are suffering from poverty, extreme difficult condition, hunger and thirst. They have no basic food and safe drinking water for living, not to say to have choices of what type of food that they eat or don't eat.

Everyone might have different understanding and beliefs about what is compassion. One can never argue or debate about what is compassion based on every individual different thinking and definition about what is compassion.

There's nothing wrong if someone say that "To be compassionate, we should not eat meat or fish, nor killing any life forms." But we are not really compassionate even though we don't kill animals or fish for food to survive, or carefully not harming any life forms in the surrounding environment, if we are not free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, desires, craving, aversion, and all sorts of impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, ill-will, ill-thinking, feelings of hurt, defensiveness, offensiveness, obsessiveness, possessiveness, fear and worry, constantly being restless and determined by all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses.

It is up to ourselves to realize what is compassion, and be free.

In the teachings of yoga and Buddhism, to be free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, desires, craving, aversion, and all sorts of impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, ill-will, ill-thinking, feelings of hurt, defensiveness, offensiveness, obsessiveness, possessiveness, fear and worry, to know the truth of things as they are and realize unconditional peace beyond all the qualities of name and form, is being compassionate towards oneself and all beings.

We should appreciate and be grateful towards all beings and everything that is supporting all beings to be existing, to have the opportunity to be existing in this selfless impermanent life form to experience the inevitable restless suffering of the existence and function of a selfless perceptive thinking mind under the limited physical body that needs to be fed and maintained ceaselessly, and thus, be motivated to work diligently towards attaining liberation to be free from ignorance and suffering.

Liberation from ignorance and egoism in the mind, and annihilation/silence of the modification of this mind, is indeed compassion towards oneself and others. Having correct understanding towards the selfless mind perception of an impermanent worldly life existence, where all kinds of suffering are deriving from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, while without being determined by all kinds of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance within the mind perception of the restless world of selfless impermanent names and forms, is compassion.

When we realize what is oneness, non-separateness, attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness, there’s neither vegetarian nor non-vegetarian. All are subject to the suffering of selflessness and impermanence, being governed by the nature’s law of cause and effect.

People can keep debating and arguing about vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism, that's their freedom of expression, action, speech, thinking and belief.

Be happy.

Home cooked vegetarian food recipe - Pasta with fresh button mushrooms in home made tomato sauce

Here is another vegetarian cooking recipe for our yoga retreats guests here in Langkawi.

Pasta with fresh button mushrooms in home made tomato sauce (serve 2-3 people)

500 grams of fresh button mushrooms, sliced

3-4 ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

About 20 cherry tomatoes

4-5 tablespoons home made tomato sauce (Click here for the recipe)

1 medium size onion, chopped finely

1 small red or green chilly, remove seeds and chopped coarsely (optional)

3 cloves of garlic, chopped coarsely

Some dried herbs - Italian Mixed Herbs or Basil

Black pepper & salt to taste

A bit of cooking oil

A bit of butter

A bit of olive oil

Pasta - Penne or Spaghetti

Boiling water to cook pasta

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

Cook the pasta in hot boiling water with a bit of cooking oil and salt until the preferred texture. Drained and keep warm.

Heat up the pot or the non-stick wok in medium heat.

Add some cooking oil and butter. Add in onion, stir well until slightly soften, and then add chopped garlic and chillies. Stir evenly until the onion browned and fragrant.

Add sliced button mushrooms, black pepper and a bit of salt. Stir well until fragrant and slightly changed colour.

Add the tomatoes chunks. Cooked for about 1 minute.

Add 4-5 tablespoons of homemade tomato sauce, a bit of water, dried herbs, salt and black pepper to taste.

Add the cherry tomatoes and some olive oil.

Stir evenly until the sauce thicken.

Remove from the heat.

You can either serve the pasta and the sauce separately, or mix the pasta into the sauce just before removing the sauce from the heat.

Bon Appétit!

Home cooked vegetarian food recipe - Tofu with herbs and home made tomato sauce

Here is another new vegetarian cooking recipe for our yoga retreats guests here in Langkawi.

Tofu with herbs and home made tomato sauce (serve 2-3 people)

5-6 blocks of firm tofu, cut into inch size cube, season with a heap teaspoon of salt, drained off the excess liquid after 10-15 minutes

4-5 tablespoons home made tomato sauce (Click here for the recipe)

1 medium size onion, chopped finely

1 small red or green chilly, remove seeds and chopped coarsely

2 cloves of garlic, chopped coarsely

1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

Some dried herbs - Rosemary & Thyme

Black pepper to taste

A bit of cooking oil

A bit of water

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

Heat up the non-stick wok in medium heat.

Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil into the hot wok, sauté the tofu until lightly browned. Put aside.

Add tiny bit of oil and add in onion, stir well until slightly soften, and then add chopped garlic and chillies. Stir evenly until the onion browned and fragrant.

Add 4-5 tablespoons of homemade tomato sauce, a bit of water, black pepper, dried herbs and balsamic vinegar.

Add in tofu. Stir evenly until the sauce thicken.

Remove from the heat.

Serve hot with rice, or as a snack on its own.

Bon Appétit!

Neither "vegetarian" nor "non-vegetarian"...

I came across many times hearing some “yoga practitioners” who have became vegetarian after taking up yoga practice, criticizing other people who are not vegetarian. They think that they are better human beings and they are good yogi after they have changed from meat eating “non-vegetarians” to become “vegetarians”, and boast about being "vegetarian"…

In yoga practice, the observation of not eating any meat or fish and eat fresh fruit and vegetables is to help us to calm down the mind and to practice love, peace and compassion…

The point is, if we are still being affected very much by what we eat and drink, we need to choose what we want to eat and drink to feed this body and mind. For example, if eating meat and fish and drinking coffee will increase the impurities in our mind, and we don't have self-control over our own thoughts, actions and speech, and are identified with the impurities in our mind, then by not eating meat and fish and not drinking coffee will help us in the path of yoga and meditation for self-inquiry and attaining real peace... But, it loses its meaning for not eating meat when we are being "vegetarian" but we are still being over-powered by lots of impurities in the mind, which do not just derive from meat eating but also derive from some other elements. There's no meanings when we are over-powered by egoism, attachment, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, pride, arrogance, dissatisfaction, disappointment, fear, worry, passionate desires, craving and aversion, even though we don't eat meat products at all... (Such like wanting everything to be the way that we want it to be, and having fear of losing the "good" thing or separation from things and people that we love, and fear of getting the "bad" thing, old age, decay, sickness, injury, pain, discomfort, and death...)

There are some “vegetarian yogis” are getting frustrated by what they want to eat, and being disturbed by what other people eat and don’t eat, and getting so frustrated when they couldn’t get the so called “healthy”, “loving”, “pure”, “environmental friendly”, “organic” types of vegetarian food to feed their body…

I didn’t eat meat products for quite a few years before, during my first few years of yoga practice to help me in my practice, but I never called myself a “vegetarian”, and I never criticized other people who eat meat products. Merely being a "vegetarian" doesn't make me a better person than those who are not "vegetarian". And now, I don’t just eat fruit and vegetables, I also eat some meat and fish. I don’t mind eating meat and fish as I never categorize “meat and fish products” as “bad” and "disgusting" food, nor do I judge anyone by “eating meat” will make someone a “bad” person.

I do not complain when “meat and fish” are not available or when “vegetarian food” are not available. I don’t complain if fresh fruit and vegetables are not available when I want to eat some fresh fruit and meat-less meal. I don’t complain if only meat are available for maintaining this body. I appreciate and be grateful for everything that I eat even though some of the food that I eat might be categorized as “unhealthy” and “inappropriate” by many “health conscious people", “yoga practitioners”, “rich people who can afford imported organic food” or “environmental friendly people".

Merely by eating vegetarian doesn’t give me liberation nor true happiness. Some people might be naming themselves as “vegetarian” and being “vegetarian” for many years, but it is not necessarily that they are peaceful and happy, and be free from ignorance, greed, anger and hatred. It is by controlling my own mind and eliminate the anger, hatred, jealousy, pride, lustful desire, fear, worry, craving and aversion that gave me the true freedom for being who I am, and be truly content, peaceful and happy… It is the practice of non-attachment that free myself from unhappiness and “suffering”.

Slandering, vandalism, gossiping, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, lustful desire, attachments, pride, arrogance, craving and aversion are worst than meat eating.

It is not only non-meat eaters are good and kind human beings, nor do people who are not vegetarian are bad people. There are many good and kind people who eat meat and non-meat products, who don't call themselves “vegetarian” for certain days when they don't eat meat, nor call themselves "non-vegetarian" for certain days when they do eat meat.

It is not that only vegetarian will be peaceful, being loving and compassionate, and it's not necessary that there is no loving kindness and compassion in those people who are not vegetarian. It is not by eating fruit and vegetables without meat products that will guarantee us enlightenment and be free from suffering. It is not by eating vegetarian food, we’ll become happy and peaceful...

It’s because there are people who named themselves as “vegetarians” are being so angry, unhappy and frustrated by other people who eat meat products… I don’t see any calmness, peace and happiness in these people who don’t eat meat and only like to eat fruit and vegetables, and being so “proud” of what they eat and don’t eat.

Do the people who are “vegetarian” do not kill any insects, like mosquitoes, cockroaches, spiders, ants, worms, bugs and etc? Aren’t all these little lives also living beings who need to breathe and eat, just like us?

Some people even said that "Cows are so cute, I don't eat them..." But, they love to eat fish... (Well, maybe fish is not as cute as cow to them...)

Do all the vegetarians are completely be free from greed, anger, hatred, jealousy, fear and worry, craving and aversion? Not necessarily as what we can see around us...

I know some people who don’t like to eat meat or fish, and love to eat fruit and vegetables only, but they will be so angry and frustrated when somebody in the kitchen accidentally put some meat or fish products into their food. Where is peace, calmness, tolerance, patience, forgiveness and compassion in these people who are “vegetarian” shouting at the waiter, “I’m a vegetarian! I want my vegetarian meal to be served without fish or meat! You are stupid idiot!”

Some “vegetarians” are full of hatred towards meat products and towards people who eat meat… “Vegetarians” are “supposed” to be very calm, peaceful and cheerful according to the yoga practice. Even Buddha never told people that to practice Buddhism, we have to be “vegetarian” and to hate eating meat… There are many Buddhist wandering monks are not “vegetarian” nor “non-vegetarian”. Whether it is non-vegetarian food or vegetarian food that is being given to them when they go out to beg for food for the day in the village, they eat with gratefulness and thankfulness. And they do not choose what they want or like to eat. They eat without the craving and aversion towards the taste of the food, or the choices of food.

When we eat without craving and aversion, then food is just food, it is not something "vegetarian" nor "non-vegetarian". It is beyond names and forms, beyond "vegetarian" and "non-vegetarian", beyond "tasty" and "not tasty", beyond "healthy" and "not healthy".

I am grateful and thankful for all the meals that are being served on the table whether it is vegetarian or not... As there are so many people out there who are starving and dying from hunger every day. There are homeless people who just eat whatever they found in the rubbish bin. There are many people who don't have a choice for what they will eat everyday, and struggling to survive day by day...

Being a “vegetarian” or being a "non-vegetarian" does not guarantee a person to be humble, to be enlightened, and to be peaceful, compassionate and happy, and be free from pride and arrogance, anger and hatred, craving and aversion…

Of course we have the freedom of choice to eat "healthily" or not... That is up to us. Sometimes the so called "healthy food" are not necessarily good for our body... And at the same time we also respect other people for what they want to eat... Be happy.

There was a famous human race mass murderer in the history who liked to eat vegetarian food, and he loved animals especially dogs… Even so, I don’t need to “hate” this person either… Whatever he did was nothing to do with whether he was a vegetarian or not, or whether he liked animals or not…

I never condemned those who eat meat when I didn’t eat meat. I respect those who don’t eat meat when I eat food that is being categorized as “non-vegetarian”. I respect everyone has their choices and freedom to choose what they prefer to eat and to put into their body.

I enjoy eating fruit and vegetables, and I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables but I’m not a “vegetarian”...

I don’t need to name myself as “vegetarian” when I don’t eat meat, and I don’t need to name myself as “non-vegetarian” when I eat meat products. I am neither a “vegetarian” nor a “non-vegetarian”. I am who I am.

I’m happy and contented with what I eat no matter it is being categorized as “healthy” or “unhealthy” food. And I respect those who don’t like or “hate” to eat meat and fish or so called “unhealthy” food. Be happy.

It loses the meaning of being a vegetarian to attain peace and to be compassionate, when we want to be “vegetarian” and eat only “vegetarian” food but, we are not really peaceful and happy, constantly being affected and disturbed by the craving and aversion towards what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think, and we don’t have self-control over our own mind and being over-powered by impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, pride, arrogance, fear, worry, passionate desires and attachments in the mind.

Where is peace and compassion when we eat only vegetarian food but, we do things and say things that are hurting other people feelings, and have anger and hatred toward things that we don't like and don't agree with?

Where is peace and calmness that supposed to be the result of eating "healthy" vegetarian food and not eating "unhealthy" meat products, when we are so frustrated and unhappy about what we want to eat and don't eat, and what other people eat?

When we practice namelessness and formlessness, what is “vegetarian” and what is “non-vegetarian”? What is “healthy food” and what is “unhealthy food”?

When we practice non-identification with the body and the mind, what is good condition and bad condition of this physical body?

Even Buddha taught us about the Dharma of impermanence by showing us that this body is impermanent. He taught us about namelessness and formlessness by showing us that our true nature is beyond the condition of this impermanent body. He taught us about there is no "I", there's nobody there to experience good or bad experiences, it is just the body and mind experiencing some conditions that are impermanent. Even after his enlightenment, his body still had to go through impermanence, changes, discomforts, old age, weakness, sickness, and death... But, he was not affected nor determined by the changing condition of this body... He was fearless and worry-less. He was beyond "good" and "bad", "birth" and "death"... There's no fear of old age, sickness and death...

Reviews On Yoga Retreats With Yoga Now Malaysia

Now sitting in front of my laptop I feel I still can hear you say "stretch, stretch....and relax...." :) I really had a great time in Langkawi - probably the best time in my life.

It was a dream come true - my ideal lifestyle - daily yoga practice, simple nutritious vegetarian food... the warm sunny weather, clear sky, fresh air, wooden house, green plants, refresh natural environment (the beach, mountain, waterfall....)..... I just want this dream to last for the rest of my life. Wonderful teachers! Great retreat! What I learned on this 10 day retreat will benefit me for the rest of my life.

Jane Lu Zhen Hui - Guangzhou - 10 days intensive yoga retreat.

Reviews On Yoga Retreats With Yoga Now Malaysia

Before I left Ireland to travel for 8 weeks I decided that as part of my trip I’d build a yoga retreat into it. Partly because I knew I’d be missing my weekly classes and partly because I wanted to treat myself. So when I was in Vietnam I decided to do the retreat in Langkawi and just did the usual googling. Luckily for me Yoga Now came up on the search engine and I sent off a mail looking for information ( I saw it as a good sign that Marc was Irish). In the vein of treating myself I decided to go for the option of staying in Sunset Valley and I wasn’t disappointed. The Malay House was lovely, super comfy and cute. Having the frog that was living outside the house chatting to me at various times during the day was a nice touch too :-) The views in the valley were amazing and changed constantly throughout the day. Having the pool to take a dip in whenever I felt like it was a nice touch too.

From the moment Marc and Meng Foong picked me up from the airport they made me feel welcome and that it was their objective to ensure that I enjoyed the retreat from start to finish. As with anything new I was a bit anxious at first as I didn’t know what to expect but from the first class I felt at ease as they made me realise that during the practice I would be encouraged to take my practice as far as I could ,it would be no further than I was comfortable with.

Speaking of being anxious I was really dubious about doing Neti, I am not a person who deals very well with snot but once I got the knack it was grand I could feel the benefits of doing it.

I had never really done any meditation before the retreat but now that I’ve been introduced to it by Marc it's something I want to explore in more detail and I’ve made a commitment to myself to do a few mins every day. Thanks to Marc I now also have an interest in exploring chanting, there is something very soothing about repeating those words over and over. For the most part this retreat has reaffirmed for me that I love doing yoga. Before the retreat if someone was asking me about my practice I would have said that I enjoyed doing yoga but I wasn’t “very good” but Meng Foong has showed me that it's not about being good or bad, it's just about being in each pose in that particular moment, concentrating and trying your best. Once we let go of our fears we can achieve anything, this is something I have to work on but at least now I recognize that fact can make some steps to over come mine.

As well as the classes I thoroughly enjoyed the chats over tea and dinner. Marc is a great cook and the food was YUMMY! Finishing the retreat at the waterfall was great with the monkeys and all.

I would recommend doing a retreat or just one class with this lovely friendly couple for whom teaching yoga isn’t a job its just a way of life. Whether you spend four days or just 2 hours with them your bound to go away from the experience taking away something positive.

Brenda Lawlor

Long Yoga Retreats

Join us for a personalized long intensive yoga retreat on the beautiful tropical paradise island of Langkawi, Malaysia.

No matter what your level a longer retreat with Yoga Now will help you deepen your practice by fully immersing yourself in a peaceful and nurturing yoga environment.

You can start your yoga retreat on any date you choose, with a minimum of 5 days / 4 nights and a maximum of 14 days / 13 nights. If you only have a short holiday you can also join one of our regular 4 days / 3 nights yoga retreats.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Upcoming Long Intensive Yoga Retreat In Langkawi

* July 18th – 25th 2011 (8 days / 7 nights Intensive Yoga Retreat)

* August 18th – 28th 2011 (11 days / 10 nights Intensive Yoga Retreat)

* Please book early as places are limited to 6 participants only

Ten Days Langkawi Intensive Yoga Retreat

Today is the last day of the 10 days Langkawi Intensive Yoga Retreat with Jane Lu from Guangzhou, China.

This was the first time we organized a 10 days intensive retreat. It was a great opportunity for us to experience and to learn as well. It all went very well. Jane was very contented and she left us a note that she is benefited from the 10 days intensive yoga retreat for the rest of her life.

She had been practicing yoga for many years all by herself at home and is self-taught from reading yoga books. Her great enthusiasm about yoga and its philosophy had generated a strong urge in her heart to look for a yoga school to learn yoga from a teacher. And through searching on the internet, she had found us, Yoga Now Langkawi, Malaysia. She was attracted by our yoga blog about yoga Vedanta – yoga philosophy. Since we are very flexible in arranging personal yoga retreat starting on any dates and for any durations for anybody who are interested in learning yoga, we had arranged for her to come to Langkawi in less than a week time. It is peak season now in Langkawi, and so it was not easy for us to find a hotel or a guest house that can put her in for ten nights. After running in between many hotels and guest houses around Pantai Cenang enquiring for room availability, we managed to find her a nice place at the end but she needed to move room on the third day. And that’s not a problem at all especially for a sincere yoga practitioner who are practicing non-attachment, adjustment and accommodation.

She is very patient and humble. She also has very strong self-discipline. All these are some of the very important qualities that a yoga student should possessed if we want to walk in the path of yoga. During the 10 days intensive retreat that starts in the morning 7:30am and finished around 9:00pm with more than 6 hours of yoga asana practice and relaxations, one and a half hours of pranayama and meditation a day and a few hours of yoga philosophy discussion throughout the whole day, and yet she had not show any fatigue or reduction in her enthusiasm to learn and to practice yoga. And thus, she had learn so much and had improve tremendously in her understanding in yoga practice and yoga philosophy. As well as her self-confidence and physical ability in performing all the basic yoga asanas had improve a lot, although we never intentionally emphasizing on physical ability in our yoga classes.

During the retreat, we had a short break in the afternoon on every third day. We went to the beautiful waterfalls in Langkawi to dip in the refreshing cool water and charge up our bodies and minds with the great fresh energy from the nature. We also visited the Pantai Pasir Tengkorak beach and Tanjung Rhu beach. Everyday we had very delicious simple nutritious vegetarian food prepared by my husband, Marc, who is also one of the teachers in all our yoga retreats. We also had fresh coconuts, fruit juice and fresh local tropical fruit throughout the retreat upon availability.

Tonight, Jane wanted to show appreciation to Yoga Now and treated us a very nice dinner at Chenang Boat Quay.

At the beginning, another person joined us in this intensive retreat but only for the first 3 days. She is a yoga teacher, Kee Boi Jing from Kuala Lumpur. This was her second yoga retreat with us. Due to her dedication for yoga, she went back to Kuala Lumpur on the third day afternoon of the retreat. As soon as she arrived in Kuala Lumpur, she was on her way to teach a yoga class.

Although it was just a short 3 days intensive yoga workshop cum retreat for her, but she told us that it was a great recharge for her to continue sharing yoga with her students physically, mentally and spiritually.

It was a great retreat for both the teachers and the students. Seeing the great benefits that everyone is getting from a long retreat, we will be organizing more of such longer duration’s yoga workshop cum retreat for anybody who are sincerely in learning yoga and practicing yoga.

May we all move forward in the path of yoga with great enthusiasm and energy.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

One Day Yoga Workshop

Full day, full on yoga workshop

You can choose to join a one day relaxed or intensive yoga workshop (6.30am - 7.30pm) which includes Asana, Pranayama, Meditation, Kriyas, and a strength and flexibility session for the intensive yoga workshop.

One-day intensive yoga workshop outline

• 6.30 Jala Neti
• 6.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
• 7.45 Break
• 8.15 Yoga class
• 10.45 Free time
• 14.30 Strength and flexibility workshop
• 16.30 Break
• 17.00 Yoga class & Guided meditation
• 19.30 End

Workshop fee - 700 rm inclusive of water refill and neti pot.

One-day relaxed yoga workshop outline

• 6.30 Jala Neti
• 6.45 Pranayama & Guided Meditation
• 7.45 Break
• 8.15 Yoga class
• 10.45 Free time
• 17.00 Yoga class & Guided meditation
• 19.30 End

Workshop fee - 550 rm inclusive of water refill and neti pot.

Please book at least one week in advance.

Yoga mats will be provided. Help reduce unnecessary plastic waste by bringing your water bottle for refill. We keep our workshops deliberately small to ensure that you receive individual attention.

Contact us on yoganow@hotmail.com for further details.

A few things to keep in mind before booking your yoga workshop

• Yoga can help with many ailments, but if you have any particular concerns or health issues, or are suffering from any illness or injury, we advise you to consult a qualified medical practitioner beforehand.
• The intensive yoga workshop is quite demanding physically and mentally and as such is more suitable for yoga practitioners who already have some experience and wish to go deeper in their practice.
• It is important to refrain from eating at least two hours before class and not to drink at least 30 minutes before class. We strongly discourage drinking anything during Asana practice; however, it is important to drink plenty of water after your session.
• You should wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing, preferably made of natural fibres. Bring a towel, a sense of humour and an open-minded willingness to learn.
• For your own peace of mind, and out of respect for other participants, we request that your telephone be kept switched off during classes and ideally for the entire duration of the workshop. Please refrain from using perfume or strong smelling deodorants. We expect our course participants to be non-smokers - at least for the duration of the workshop.

About Vegetarianism

There are a few reasons why vegetarianism (non-meat eating) is being promoted strongly by Buddhism and Yoga practice.

It is supporting the idea of non-harming or non-killing and compassion towards all beings including animals and insects.

It is more healthy to eat lots of fruit, nuts, beans and vegetables than to eat meat especially nowadays the meat is not really as healthy as before because most of the animals that are being breed for food consumption are not healthy physically and mentally due to poor living environment under the mass productivity in factories and farms. These animals are being treated badly and being fed with unnatural food and being injected with hormones. Even though most of the fruit and vegetables that we get from the market are not really healthy either due to chemicals and pesticides that farmers are using nowadays for their farms to induce growth and to protect their crops from insects. But still meat eating is causing more harmful effects to our body and the mind than non-meat eating.

There are lots of unhealthy food (meat or non-meat) in the market nowadays contain substances which can cause illnesses and cancers, such like colourings, preservatives, conditioners, artificial flavourings, MSG, sugar and so much more other chemicals that is in the food and drinks. Even in all the daily personal cleaning products or housing cleaning products are full of harmful chemicals. As well as all the high-tech electrical products and conveniences are bringing so much pollutions and damages into the nature and the living environment.

No doubt that vegetarianism is more environmental friendly. By supporting non-meat eating can help to maintain the nature as healthy as possible because massive meat productions do contribute to the global warming through lots of lands had been used to produce corn to feed the animals instead of having plants and trees that work as a filter system for the air that we breath in.

Vegetarianism is also conducive for controlling the mind and to control the strong lustful passionate desires. Anyhow not only meat eating can stimulate the passionate desire, violence and anger in us, but even some non-meat products like alcohol, garlic, onion and chive also have the substances that can stimulate the passionate desire and anger in us. While drugs that are plants origin is having the substances that can affect the mind and the body, causing psychology and physical health problems in us such like addiction, dullness and depression. No doubt that the energy that comes from fresh fruit and vegetables have the calming effects in the body and the mind.

But most important in Buddhism and yoga practice for supporting and promoting vegetarianism is for people to develop compassion and non-harming towards all beings and to have control over the mind to achieve tranquility and sharpness in the mind to allow wisdom to arise within us.

In Buddhism and yoga practice, the main practice is to deal with the strong desire of cravings and aversions towards what we see, hear, smell, taste, feel and think. It is the sensual pleasure enjoyments of likes and dislikes that is over powering most of the people’s mind, that creates greed and attachment in us which contribute to the unhappiness, frustration, dissatisfaction, irritation, disappointment and painful suffering in us.

Because most of us are still being influenced and affected strongly by the food and drinks that we consume as well as other inputs that we are receiving through our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and thinking faculty which influence the energy fields in our body and affect the state of our mind, either agitating, stimulating or depressing. As long as we are still being influenced by all these substances, we need to choose what type of inputs that we put into our system in order to achieve control of the mind.

At the end, it doesn’t matter if it is vegetarian or non-vegetarian food that we eat, it is the non-attachment towards the taste of the food that matters most. And no matter what type of food that we eat, we should eat with appreciation and should show gratitude that these food are providing energy for us to survive and to maintain this body and to have the life for us to be here to learn, to experience and to become enlightened.

When we are not being influenced by the energy fields in our body anymore, and we are free from duality and are fully mastering our mind; have eliminated the ego and ignorance, and we have gone beyond all the names and forms; and there is no more differences between birth and death; and we are one with the universal consciousness that is without any attributes or intentions, and then we will know that the true self in all living beings are not touched by names and forms, and are beyond birth and death, good and evil. Until then we can go beyond “vegetarian” and “non-vegetarian”.

If we eat with our taste of likes and dislikes and being influenced by our cravings and aversions towards all the objects that we get in contact with through the senses, then we are still bound by names and forms, there is still a huge difference between meat eating (non-vegetarian) and non-meat eating (vegetarian). And by eating meat we are directly or indirectly involved in harming and killing the animals and caused fears, hatred and pain onto these animals’ minds.

But for someone who is truly enlightened and had gone beyond all names and forms, the entire world is nothing but just a projection of his own mind, and then what is “live” and “death”? What is “cravings” and “aversions”? What is “meat” and “not meat”? What is “vegetarian” and “non-vegetarian”? What is “healthy” and “not healthy”? What is “good food” and “bad food”? What is “hunger” and “survival”? What is “pure” and “impure”? What is “energy” and “elements”? What is “limitations” and “conditions”? What is “past” and “future”? What is “actions” and “karma”? What is “existence” and “non-existence”?

But for many of us who are still not at that level of enlightenment yet; still have lots of impurities and ignorance of anger, hatred, jealousy, arrogance and greed; still being influenced by energy and elements; still being affected by all the inputs that we received through the senses, and still have strong cravings and aversions; still have lots of needs and wants; still have fears and worries; still have the differences of happiness and suffering, success and failure, birth and death; and still being bound by the duality in all the names and forms, then know that we are still bound by what we should do and should not do.

Vegetarianism is one of the steps of purification for the body and the mind. But if we still have the idea that “this is good, and I like it” and “that is bad, and I don’t like it”, know that we are still not even at the first step of the real practice of non-attachment and non-dualism of namelessness and formlessness, but no doubt that eating good and healthy food that is bringing harmony to the body and the mind will still be a good purification process for the body and mind to move towards non-attachment and namelessness and formlessness.

Most important is the practice of self-control and eradication of anger, hatred, jealousy, arrogance, lust and greed. And also non-harming in thoughts, actions and speech towards all beings. And if this physical body is dead, “who” will mind that the worms and germs will be eating the flesh of this body and feed whatever animals that are in hunger. At least there is still a contribution towards other living beings and allowing other living beings to have the opportunity of life to evolve spiritually and be free from the conditions of life existence.

Merely by eating vegetarian will not guarantee a person to become enlightened or being happy in life and will be free from suffering. Neither by eating meat will stop a person from attaining enlightenment, being unhappy and unkind, or cannot be free from suffering. It is all in the mind.