Want to learn and practice yoga? (20)

The four basic qualifications of a yoga practitioner or Sadhaka, which are Vairagya, Viveka, Mumukshuttva and Shat-sampat, is nothing to do with the so called internationally recognized qualification or certification of attending and graduating from 'yoga teachers training courses' being issued or sanctioned by the many different yoga schools/organizations under different lineages, branches, names and styles, being affiliated to so called 'international yoga alliance', being associated to so called 'yoga association', or being a registered member of certain yoga school, yoga alliance or yoga organization, where all these names and forms are being introduced into the world of yoga under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Even though there are many people are doing some kind of yoga practice regularly, and there are many yoga enthusiasts have been attending one or a few 'yoga teachers training courses', as well as regularly attending different types of ongoing certified and accredited yoga workshops and courses to enhance or upgrade one's yoga practice as well as teaching skills to be conducting yoga classes, it doesn't mean that there are many yoga practitioners or Sadhaka in the world, nowadays. As the path of yoga is nothing to do with all those names and forms, activities and qualifications.

When people's minds are being conditioned and empowered to take highly importance towards all those worldly egoistic names and forms, activities and qualifications, to be determining and acknowledging oneself or someone as a qualified yoga practitioner or yoga teacher, it only moves the mind further away from what yoga practice is about.

All the 'yoga teachers', 'yoga schools', 'yoga organizations', 'yoga courses', 'yoga workshops' or 'yoga retreats' that introduced and advertised themselves as 'Certified yoga teacher', or 'Internationally certified and accredited yoga courses', or 'Yoga teacher and yoga school affiliated to such and such yoga alliance or yoga association', that are enforcing the attachment and identification towards such names and forms, and emphasizing on the achievement towards the fruit of action, about what kind of benefits/results people will be getting from doing the yoga practices being taught by them of their particular yoga lineage/brand, in their yoga classes/workshops/retreats, at their yoga school/centre/studio, are nothing but empowering the egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment and expectation in the people who are initially interested to be learning and practicing yoga. All those 'names and forms' that attract and motivate them to be learning 'yoga' under the attachment and identification towards those qualities of names and forms, don't help to free the minds from ignorance and egoism, but it's empowering ignorance and egoism, unwittingly.

That's why renunciation is an important observation in one's yoga practice, particularly for the passionate egoistic minds to be developing the fundamental practice of dispassion, detachment (Vairagya) and right discrimination (Viveka), in order to free the mind from unwittingly being conditioned by all those worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, to reason, think, behave, act and react.

Renouncing worldly affairs, connections, interactions and activities, embracing seclusion and solitude, moving the mind away from the company of the passionate egoistic minds, including those in the world of yoga, minimizing distraction and disturbance arising from coming in contact with the ceaseless ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the world, to be conserving energy and focusing on one's yoga practice for quieting the restless modification of the mind, disciplining the outgoing tendency of the mind that restlessly chasing after the objects of the senses, and purifying the intellect or reasoning power, to be performing self-inquiry or investigation towards the truth of names and forms, free from the influence of worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice.

After the mind has developed the basic foundation of dispassion, detachment and right discrimination, this mind can choose to come back into the world to perform selfless service that help to bring correct understanding into the world, or not, but it is no longer being determined, influenced, affected or disturbed by all kinds of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the world as well as selfless impermanent changes, upon coming in contact with all kinds of qualities of names and forms.

Such 'yogi', 'Sadhaka', or 'the teacher of yoga', that doesn't attach towards or identify with any names and forms, doesn't need to attend 'Yoga teachers training courses', to be attaining, possessing and carrying 'Internationally recognized yoga teacher qualification and certification affiliated to International yoga alliance/association', and doesn't need to introduce or advertise oneself or one's action of delivering the teachings of yoga with all kinds of worldly egoistic qualities of names and forms, of 'Certified yoga teacher', or 'Internationally certified and accredited yoga courses', or 'Yoga teacher and yoga school affiliated to such and such yoga alliance or yoga association' that comes with the intention/aspiration/desire to be attracting more people to be interested in learning and practicing yoga from oneself.

If the mind is still being determined, influenced, affected and disturbed by certain names and forms upon coming in contact with the objects of the senses, particularly the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the world, it means that it still hasn't developed the important basic foundation yet, regardless of how many internationally recognized qualifications and certifications that it has been attaining, possessing and carrying, or not.

Some minds might even argue that it's non-appreciation, ungratefulness and disrespectful towards all those teachers, teachings, courses, organizations and qualifications. What kind of teachers or teachings is that, if it would be 'disrespected' and 'depreciated' by certain action or inaction from anyone?

Guru/Buddha/Dhamma/Teacher of Dhamma doesn't need to be receiving respect, gratitude or appreciation from anyone through any action or inaction, for being what they are.

If certain 'Guru', or 'Buddha', or 'Dhamma', or 'Teacher of Dhamma' can be 'disrespected' or 'depreciated' and be 'offended' or 'hurt' by certain action and inaction of someone, especially the one who would claim 'authorization' to be 'threatening' and 'punishing' anyone who appeared to be 'non-appreciative' and 'disrespectful', by saying that "This is your karma for being ignorant, bad and wrong," then it's not Guru, or Buddha, or Dhamma, or Teacher of Dhamma.

Coming from the mind itself, to be freeing itself from ignorance and egoism, is the greatest form of 'needless' respect, gratitude and appreciation towards Guru/Buddha/Dhamma/Teacher of Dhamma.

Upon the realization of selflessness, oneness, non-separateness, attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness, what is 'qualification', 'dispassion', 'renunciation', 'Guru', 'Buddha', 'Dhamma', 'Teacher of Dhamma', 'respectful', 'disrespectful', 'grateful', 'ungrateful', 'appreciation', 'depreciation', 'positive', 'negative'?

Whether someone wants to practice yoga, or not, is practicing yoga, or not, and will be free from ignorance and egoism, or not, it's its own freedom and effort. It's nothing to do with right or wrong. Neither it has anything to do with any teachers or teachings. Without any advertisement of one would be receiving specific benefits/results/effects/healing from doing specific practices, or one would be free from ignorance and suffering after how long and how much one has been performing certain practices, or any kind of guarantee towards what people will experience or don't experience, and without any 'positive words of motivational encouragement', trendy fashionable branded yoga attires, props and accessories as well as ongoing yoga event, celebration, festival, or community social gathering that empower the egoism, the students of yoga learn and practice yoga as it is.

Some 'yoga practitioners' think and say, "I have been practicing yoga under my yoga teachers for many years using specific props. Without the specific props while doing the yoga asana, pranayama and meditation practice, I cannot and will not practice yoga. I don't want to hurt myself from practicing yoga without the props. It's so unprofessional that there are no props available in the yoga class." That's their freedom of thinking and action/inaction. However, it only indicates the ignorance and egoism in the minds of the teachers and the students, even after many years of so called 'practicing yoga' or 'teaching yoga'.

It doesn't stop one from practicing yoga of self-inquiry and self-realization, of the elimination of ignorance and egoism, even if the body is being restricted by certain limitation for doing many of the yoga practices. One doesn't need to be doing any specific yoga practices that are being restricted by certain limitation, and still can be free from ignorance and egoism, if one knows what is practicing yoga. By using many different props that help to reduce certain limitation/discomfort and allowing the body to be doing certain yoga practices more comfortably with lower risk of injury, and getting the specific benefits from performing those yoga practices under the help of props, also doesn't guarantee that the mind is or will be free from ignorance and egoism, even after many years of doing all those yoga practices under the help of props, enforcing strong attachment, identification, craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation.

Before attending the yoga class - "Oh, you'll need to get some high quality yoga attires and accessories, yoga mat and props, especially those bio-organic ecological environmental friendly type of material and production, that will make your practice more comfortable and efficient, and you will achieve maximum results that you desire. Oh, you will also need to get some healthy bio-organic yogic dietary supplements and put on some mystical incense and music in your practice space, maybe download some yoga apps as well, that will detoxify and cleanse your body, mind and soul as you practice yoga in your yogic space." No, you don't need all those things. You just need some basic understanding and common sense to start learning and practicing yoga, and be able to let go, to be free from ignorance and egoism.

Swami Sivananda - "Do not hoard disciples. Do not build ashrams."

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (15)

The power of ignorance.

Being ignorant towards ignorance.

Ignorance isn't only existing in the minds that wittingly or unwittingly think, behave, act and react ignorantly in the way that inflict unrest, painful sorrow and suffering to oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment.

It's also being reflected in the minds that wittingly and intentionally want to be good and do good, while unwittingly attaching onto and identifying with 'purity', 'goodness', 'righteousness', 'positiveness', 'kindness', 'love', or 'meaningfulness', passionately attaching towards the actions of 'good, kind and loving' and the fruit of actions, and identifying as 'I am a good, kind and loving being', while being aspired to also 'influence' or 'motivate' other minds to also be good and do good, as well as attaching onto and identifying with 'purity', 'goodness', 'righteousness', 'positiveness', 'kindness', 'love', or 'meaningfulness'.

It's neither right nor wrong. It's just the power of ignorance.

That is what most people who are interested in yoga are learning and practicing when they learn and practice yoga under the many 'yoga teachers' who are teaching 'yoga' classes in such way, as that is what these 'yoga teachers' have been learning and practicing from their 'yoga teachers' who also teach 'yoga classes, yoga workshops, yoga courses or yoga retreats' in such way, where yoga is not about silence, oneness or non-separateness, but it's about empowering interaction, relationship and connection (the reflection of separateness), where yoga practice is not about developing dispassion and renunciation to eliminate egoism, but it's about developing mental and emotional dependency among one another and empowering egoism, where self-inquiry is not about inquiring towards Selflessness of the impermanent life existence of the selfless body and mind, but it's about being inspired to be attaching onto and identifying with "I am pure, good, righteous, positive, kind, loving and meaningful," as well as, "My actions are pure, good, righteous, positive, kind, loving and meaningful that benefiting other beings and bringing goodness and meaningfulness into the world, and together we are making the world a better place."

The 'yoga students' are being encouraged to be attached towards their 'yoga teachers' and all the others in the community, as the 'yoga teachers' are also being encouraged to be attached towards their 'yoga teachers' and all the others in the community. That's why the importance of renunciation, dispassion, seclusion and solitude for those who sincerely want to free the mind from ignorance, by moving away from the minds that are being conditioned by passionate egoistic worldly thinking, belief, values and practice.

The passionate egoistic minds, including many yoga practitioners and yoga teachers, attached towards what they perceived as 'goodness and positiveness', and propagating staying away from what they perceived as 'badness and negativeness', in order to be staying positive and be aspired for developing and attracting goodness and positiveness. As they think that is the goal of the yoga practice. That's their freedom.

The yoga teachings and practice is about transcending all kinds of dualism, freeing the mind from ignorance and egoism via the practice of dispassion, renunciation, seclusion and solitude by staying away from the worldly passionate minds and their conditioned worldly thinking, belief, values and practice which is about chasing after and attaching towards what they believed and valued as 'goodness' and 'positiveness', in order to allow the mind to go beyond and transcend 'goodness and badness' or 'positiveness and negativeness'. As it's too difficult for the mind to go beyond all kinds of worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, while being constantly mingling among the passionate egoistic minds. Once the mind is free from being conditioned by such worldly passionate egoistic thinking and belief, the mind can mix freely among the worldly passionate minds without being influenced by all those worldly passionate egoistic thinking and belief.

It doesn't mean that everyone shouldn't be good and do good, or shouldn't be motivated to be good and do good. However, minds that are not aware of the subtle attachment and identification in the minds towards all kinds of 'goodness' and 'positiveness', are not free from ignorance and egoism, even after many years of yoga and meditation practice, as well as teaching 'yoga' classes that is under the influence of worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice. Thinking that "I feel good and positive. I am good and positive. I will only attract goodness and positiveness. Everything is good and positive," is an important practice and meaningful achievement on the path of yoga.

When so called 'badness' is absent and 'goodness' is present, the minds are pleased and celebrating 'goodness', but when so called 'goodness' is absent while 'badness' is present, the minds are displeased and condemning 'badness' for all kinds of painful sorrow and suffering.

All kinds of 'war', 'discrimination', 'hatred', 'oppression' and 'violence' that are still happening in this era of advanced science and technology, are deriving from what the passionate egoistic prideful minds think and believe as carrying out duty and responsibility to be punishing and eliminating what they think and believe as 'badness' and 'wrongfulness', while empowering and protecting what they think and believe as 'goodness' and 'righteousness', where they are being recognized and glorified as 'Heroes' by their 'followers' and 'admirers'. They don't see it as 'ignorance' and 'actions under the influence of ignorance'. So as the minds that have passionate attachment and identification towards what the minds think and believe as 'goodness', 'positiveness' and 'righteousness'.

Think again, if the mind still have the idea of thinking and believing that oneself is "I am a good and unselfish being. I am not a bad and selfish being. I want myself and others to be good and do good. I don't want myself and others to be bad and do bad," and "I am a selfless being and I am performing selfless actions that benefit the world. I feel so positive and meaningful to see others are being benefited by my selfless actions," where performing all kinds of 'good' actions, including the yoga practice, and attaining the desired fruit of 'good' actions, is about developing and boosting the sense of goodness, meaningfulness, self-esteem, confidence, positiveness, worthiness and righteousness, which are the reflections of egoism.

Inquire towards the truth of everything. 

Everything is just what it is. All are selfless and impermanent. Be free from passionate aspiration to 'influence' or 'change' the world to be in certain way in order to boost the sense of goodness and meaningfulness in oneself and/or others.

Perform all kinds of actions void of attachment and identification, and free from the desire of craving towards goodness/positiveness and aversion towards badness/negativeness, and renounce the fruit of action.

There's no 'I'.

There's no "I am, or I want to be selfless, pure, good, positive, meaningful, kind and loving." Not to say, "I want to influence and motivate others to also be selfless, pure, good, positive, meaningful, kind and loving."

The selfless mind being free from the idea of 'I' and egoism doesn't need to be developing and boosting the sense of goodness, meaningfulness, self-esteem, confidence, positiveness, worthiness and righteousness.

The one that needs to be motivated to be doing and achieving something by constantly receiving positive words of encouragement and acknowledgement, in order to be developing and boosting the sense of goodness, meaningfulness, self-esteem, confidence, positiveness, worthiness and righteousness, is the mind that is under the influence of the idea of 'I' and egoism.

The passionate egoistic minds strongly think and believe that these are the upmost important values and practice in life, including yoga teachers whom themselves are not free from the idea of 'I' and egoism, while acting and reacting under the influence of worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, where they teach yoga classes that emphasized on developing and boosting the sense of goodness, meaningfulness, self-esteem, confidence, positiveness, worthiness and righteousness by constantly giving positive words of encouragement and acknowledgement to the yoga students while they are performing certain actions, experiencing certain obstacles/failures and achieving certain results/improvement/success, which is indeed empowering the idea of 'I' and egoism of the yoga students, as well as the yoga teachers themselves, who feel good and meaningful towards themselves, boosting the sense of self-esteem and confidence, for being good, kind and loving yoga teachers. It's completely moving away from the means of yoga practice to be starving and eliminating the idea of 'I' and egoism.

Yoga teachers are those that allow the students of yoga to be developing mental and emotional independence via the practice of renunciation, dispassion, seclusion and solitude, and to inquire towards selflessness and impermanence in all the names and forms, including the existence and function of the body and mind, to free the mind from ignorance and egoism. Somehow, many 'yoga teachers' nowadays are practicing and propagating the opposite of all that, where 'mingling' is highly important to develop connection and relationship, as well as mental and emotional dependence among one another, where 'yoga retreats' are not about being in solitude and silence to perform self-inquiry, but it's about mingling among the community and building connection and doing activities that boost the sense of goodness, positiveness and meaningfulness.

Swami Sivananda - "You are left alone now. Live alone. Walk alone. Eat alone. Meditate alone."

Buddha - "You come alone. You go alone."

That is compassion.

However, for the passionate minds, including many 'yoga teachers', "This is too 'harsh' and very 'wrong'," and "How can any beings be left alone? They will be suffering from loneliness. They are in painful suffering. They might hurt themselves or others. Everyone needs love, support, comfort and encouragement from one another, to stop hurting themselves or others." The sympathetic mind thinks and believes in such way. These minds don't reflect, "Ah! Ignorance. All minds need to be free from ignorance, and they will be free from suffering. And hence, they won't hurt themselves or others, upon liberation from suffering and ignorance."

"As yoga teachers, we need to constantly give encouragements and positive words of acknowledgement to the yoga students, as they need such ongoing encouragement and positive words of acknowledgement to be practicing yoga and progress," say the 'yoga teachers'.

Actually, from the beginning of teaching yoga, regardless of the degrees of ignorance in the student's mind, especially the minds that felt disturbed or hurt, and still feeling disturbed or hurt by something, the yoga teachers just need to guide the students to look into their own minds to see the play of ignorance and egoism in the mind, and find out the truth of 'disturbs' and 'hurt', and how to free their own minds from ignorance and egoism through self-inquiry, telling the students of yoga that they don't need to receive encouragement or positive words of acknowledgement to motivate them to perform their yoga practice and progress, and become independent mentally and emotionally. The 'yoga teachers' argue that, "We need to give some sorts of sweets to the students to motivate them to practice yoga, or give them some comforts to ease their suffering." And hence, keep giving them sweets and comforts with the intention of encouraging these minds to keep practicing yoga, but somehow, these minds will never be free from the root cause of suffering after years and years of practicing yoga under these yoga teachers who believe in giving sweets and comforts is 'loving kindness' and the best way of teaching yoga. And once they don't receive such sweets and comforts anymore, they won't have the motivation to be practicing yoga that is not so sweet or comfortable, but will free them from the addiction towards sweets and comforts that give them momentary relief, but doesn't stop them from perceiving/experiencing all kinds of disturbs and hurts due to ignorance.

It's like the 'loving and caring' parents who hold their children hands tightly 'all the time, day and night' afraid of their children might somehow fall and hurt themselves, while thinking and believing that the children need their 'loving and caring' guidance and encouragements 'all the time, until they die' in order for them to grow and prosper, and never want to let go their hands to allow the children to experience falls and hurts, learning how to stand up by themselves, and not to fall and hurt themselves anymore, and become independent as well as moving away from their parents or their home, to live an independent life without the need of their parents holding their hands all the time. The parents tell the children, "Make sure you let me know if you are hurt. I am always here for you. I will condemn and punish those who hurt you. I will protect you from hurt. I will look after your wounds with love and care, and I will heal you from any hurts." If the children never learn how to be independent to look after themselves, they will be suffering a lot when the 'loving and caring' parents are gone. "Oh! Mammy/daddy, someone/something is hurting me. I am hurt. Where are you, my loving and caring mammy/daddy? I need you. I am in suffering, and I think I want to hurt myself or maybe also hurt others because I am in painful suffering."

Does this mind see what is the play of ignorance? Most minds that are in painful suffering or unhappiness have the tendency of want to 'hurt' themselves, as well as hurt others or the surrounding environment out of painful suffering or unhappiness in oneself? How ignorant is that. "You are bad and wrong, and your badness and wrongfulness is hurting me. And because I think I am hurt by you and your badness and wrongfulness, I am now hurting myself and others." Why such thinking and behavior? Ignorance. Being hurt by what the mind thinks and believes as 'other people's badness and wrongfulness', is ignorance. And then, out of the perception of "I am hurt by what I think and believe as 'other people's badness and wrongfulness'," and hence, I want to hurt myself and others, is deeper ignorance.

And more ignorant is that, those who are 'loving and caring' think and believe that providing support of 'healing' and 'protection' to the suffering minds is the solution to prevent the suffering minds from hurting themselves and others, instead of guiding the mind to free itself from the root cause of suffering, where it cannot be hurt by anything and it won't hurt oneself or others, and it doesn't need any healing or protection at all?

There's nothing wrong with the mind that reacts towards the teachings here as, "This is so negative. I don't want this type of yoga," but then, that is the opportunity to look into this mind, to see why this mind reacts in such way, instead of pushing away, "Nope. I don't want to hear this negativity. I need to stay away from negativity like this."

Whenever the mind reacts towards something and judges, "This is right, positive and meaningful," and "This is wrong, negative and meaningless," that's the moment for contemplation towards the reactions of this mind. Just as many minds think and believe that 'non-attachment', 'renunciation', 'aloneness' or 'solitude' is something 'negative' or 'wrong', being conditioned deeply by worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice. There's nothing wrong, and it's the freedom of the mind for what it thinks and believes, or doesn't think and doesn't believe, but that is what ignorance is about.

The truth of selflessness and impermanence, is just what things are. It is not a belief or value. It is neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, neither positive nor negative, neither meaningful nor meaningless. Whenever the mind reacts with this is good or bad, right or wrong, positive or negative, meaningful or meaningless, while chasing after and attaching (clinging and craving) towards goodness, righteousness, positiveness and meaningfulness, know that it's ignorance.

The minds that know this, that are working on eliminating ignorance and egoism from the mind, don't need to receive any encouragement or hearing 'positive words of acknowledgement' to be practicing yoga and progress. Neither will they be discouraged if there's no encouragement or 'positive words of acknowledgement' from anyone at all or if hearing some 'negative words' from somewhere. These minds won't be disturbed or hurt by anything. They don't need to receive 'healing' from anyone or anywhere, as they don't need to be 'healed', as there's no hurt. They don't need to practice yoga asana, breathing exercises or relaxation in order to influence and calming the restless state of the mind, as the mind is undisturbed by all the perceived names and forms regardless of what the worldly egoistic minds perceived as goodness or badness, positiveness or negativeness.

The practice of non-attachment and non-identification, or dispassion and renunciation, doesn't mean that everyone should stop being kind, helpful, loving and caring towards one another, especially those who are in need of certain kind of physical/mental assistance for doing something, but the mind is okay if one is alone, when there's no others being there to provide mental or emotional support, or the specific help that is needed.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want to practice or don't practice and teach or don't teach, how they want to act and react, and what they realize and don't realize. There's neither right nor wrong. It's just whether the mind is free from ignorance, or not.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (13)

Everything and any experiences, regardless of pleasant or unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable, that allows the mind to reflect upon the truth of selflessness and impermanence, is Dhamma, is the teachings, is the teacher.

If one keeps looking out for an enlightened guru or a spiritual being to be receiving some sorts of blessing or miraculous touch of mystical healing power, and/or attaining certain kind of transcendental power through some 'prayers, mantras or rituals', with the expectation of hoping the enlightened guru, the spiritual being, or the prayers, mantras or rituals can remove all the doubts, ignorance, badness, hurts and suffering in oneself and in the world, one will never be free.

If one, or a few, or many enlightened/spiritual beings can remove all the doubts, ignorance, badness, hurts and suffering in anyone and in the world through some sorts of blessings and mystical power, there wouldn't/won't be any ignorant beings, ignorant consequences, or suffering in the world.

If one, or a few, or many minds/people can generate some sorts of 'positive mind power or vibration into the surrounding environment or the world' to change the undesirable and unpleasant conditions and situations in the world, there wouldn't/won't be any bad conditions and situations in the world.

If one, or a few, or many kinds of 'prayers, mantras or rituals' can remove all kinds of badness, wrongfulness, selfishness, cruelty, violence, discrimination, hatred, greed or suffering in the world, there wouldn't/won't be such things existing in the world.

None can remove the ignorance in other beings or in the world. None can remove all kinds of suffering in other beings or in the world sprung from ignorance and governed by the nature law of cause and effect.

One can definitely contribute to positive changes/improvements in oneself and into the world, by freeing one's mind from ignorance and egoism. There will be less an ignorant mind/human being generating ignorant consequences into the world, without any intention or aspiration to change or make the world to become a better place. That's all.

None can discipline/purify/conquer/liberate any other minds but the mind itself.

It's not that there's any superpower in any particular kind of 'prayers, mantras or rituals' or 'vibrations'. The purpose of performing any kinds of 'prayers, mantras or rituals', generating certain way of 'vibrations', breathing exercises, yoga asana practice, concentration exercises or meditation practice, and/or just by focusing the mind in any particular type of mental/physical activity, might can act as a tool to help gathering the wavering/distracted thought currents into the state of one-pointedness, and/or bringing the attention of the mind into the present moment, void of wandering into the past memories or future imaginations that don't exist in NOW, where the restless mind gets some momentary relief from restlessness of thinking, judgment, actions/reactions, disturbs, desire of craving and aversion, or fear and worry, void of the idea of 'I', without any intention/aspiration of controlling the perceived names and forms to be in certain way or changing the perceived reality into something else that it is not, without any expectation of silencing the modification of the mind, but spontaneously, the modification of the mind is subdued, resting/dissolving in selflessness/oneness/attributelessness/namelessness/formlessness/birthlessness/deathlessness. There's no 'I' being there to be identifying as "I am meditating. I am in silence. I am selfless. I am ONE. I am nameless, formless, birthless, deathless. I am whole." Not to say, the idea of "I am right or wrong," or "I am good or bad," or "I am deserving or don't deserving."

If all those mental and physical practices/activities requiring certain degrees of focus/attention over certain duration that gather the wavering/distracted thought currents, are not free from the idea of 'I', 'the performer of action' and 'the receiver of the fruit of action', with the intention/aspiration/expectation to be controlling the perceived names and forms to be in certain way or changing the perceived reality into somethings else that it is not, and/or silencing the modification of the mind, then it doesn't serve the purpose of leading the mind towards SILENCE (void of 'I' and all kinds of thought activities or desires that sprung from the idea of 'I'). Just as paying maximum attention into doing any kinds of mental/physical activities in daily life under the idea of 'I', regardless of wholesome or unwholesome activities, it doesn't free the mind from ignorance and restlessness, except, maybe during certain 'precious' moments, upon the absence of the idea of 'I' and 'I-ness'.

What is 'good' or 'bad', 'deserving' or 'don't deserving', 'positive' or 'negative, 'meaningful' or 'meaningless', 'pleasing' or 'displeasing', 'superiority' or 'inferiority', 'love' or 'loveless', 'enjoyment' or 'suffering', upon the absence of 'I', or in the state of 'I'lessness?

Still want to debate or argue? 

Still in doubt? 

Still being disturbed, hurt, angered or disappointed by this or that? 

Still trying to look for someone to answer/clear one's doubt? 

Still longing to receive blessing, or comfort, or healing from someone or something? 

Still emphasizing on what are the benefits/effects of doing the yoga and meditation practices? 

Still think that 'yoga practitioners, especially yoga teachers' should be super healthy, super fit, super strong and flexible, superhuman, super youthful, and never getting old, weak, stiff and sick? 

Still trying to defy the nature law of selfless impermanence changes, of decaying, illness, weakness, immobility, limitation, or old age? 

Still trying to do and achieve something for pleasing someone or everyone to attain love and acceptance, understanding and agreement, interaction and connection, friendship and companionship, acknowledgement and appreciation, praise and compliment?

Still wishing/praying everything will only be good and nothing bad? 

Still thinking and believing that people should behave like this and shouldn't behave like that? 

Still think that 'yoga teachers' should know and be able to perform many different yoga asana poses and their variations, and possess certain 'internationally recognized yoga teacher certification' being 'authorized by and affiliated to certain yoga alliance' to be 'qualified' for teaching yoga? 

Still think that if one didn't manage to do and achieve what one would like to do do and achieve before one dies, one will be regret and won't be peaceful?

Still think that if one didn't manage to see and be with one's family and friends for a prolonged period of time, especially before someone dies, then one is a bad person, and one would feel terrible, guilty and regret, and have no peace?

Still think that birth is something good, positive and joyful to be celebrated, while death is something bad, negative and sorrowful to be mourned?

It's normal and nothing wrong. That's what ignorance and egoism is about. Just keep practicing.

Wishing the world to be immaculate void of rubbish?

One can restrict oneself to stop generating rubbish while maybe also being a good and helpful person trying to clean up other people's rubbish, utilizing higher technologies and scientific methods to collect and treating rubbish, but that doesn't make the world 'rubbish-free', as all others are continuously generating rubbish unwittingly and endlessly.

Letting go the world of endless rubbish, without trying to control or make the world to be 'rubbish-free', but one may just do one's best to help minimize generating rubbish into the world.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (12)

One of the common egoistic behaviors of the mind is discontentment, or greed, or craving. One may be being contented with certain things while being discontented with some other things, depending on the degrees of attachment towards different things.

Either contentment or discontentment is neither good nor bad. It depends on the degrees of understanding and self-control of not doing anything that would be hurting oneself, and/or others and the surrounding environment, out of discontentment or greed. Just as many other things are neither good nor bad, but then why are yoga practitioners being taught to practice contentment and be free from discontentment?

Contentment might be seen as a form of negativity or regression under the worldly thinking, belief, values and practice, as certain 'contented' people being 'contented' with what and how things are, might not be motivated to perform actions that could lead towards certain improvements in oneself, and particularly, to be contributing and supporting the world of capitalism and commercialism, but actually, that's the state of idleness/laziness/disappointment/meaninglessness being misunderstood as contentment.

More and more people are being highly disappointed by the messiness in the world due to corruptions and failed leadership, and feel that it's useless and meaningless to perform actions that might or might not bring certain improvement in the world of ignorance and egoism, as they think and believe that it's not possible or too difficult for the world to change for better, being pushed by the current of ignorance and egoism.

Discontentment towards 'what and how things are' and 'what is available now' is being seen by the worldly passionate minds as a good and motivational thing that can lead towards ongoing improvement in many things in life, endlessly, until one stops living, or dies. Especially it's good for the world of capitalism and commercialism that needs and welcomes ceaseless 'discontentment' in many people in order to sustain and prosper.

Contentment in yoga and Buddhism doesn't mean that one stops performing actions that could lead towards certain improvement in oneself, or in one's life existence and in the world. The contented minds that are being contented with 'what and how things are, without being determined by the impermanent changes in the quality of names and forms', can be making use of this life existence to be performing actions that would benefit the over-all well-being of oneself and/or others, without attachment, identification and expectation, and void of greedy ambition/aspiration/desire of craving and aversion that could end up hurting oneself and/or others in certain ways while trying to achieve certain goals/results that one desires.

Meanwhile, growing motivational discontentment in the passionate egoistic minds could easily turn into a form of greedy ambition/aspiration/desire of craving and aversion unwittingly, that might motivate the mind to be performing certain actions that could end up hurting oneself and/or others, and the surrounding environment, either wittingly or unwittingly, just as some people generate certain damages to their body and mind by pushing their body and mind beyond its limitation in order to achieve certain results that they desire, as well as some people who have certain influential power are hurting/damaging many lives, things and nature in the world as the minds are being over-powered by greedy ambition/aspiration to control the world to be in certain way, to gain higher power or wealth, to seize and possess space/lands/resources, or to create a world that they desire.

Discontentment isn't just existing in the worldly life, but either wittingly or unwittingly, it also comes into the yoga practice.

Quite many yoga practitioners, particularly yoga teachers, would think and believe that they need to keep learning and performing as many yoga asana poses and their different variations as possible, as well as studying and memorizing as many names and forms of the different yoga practices and their respective consequences/effects as possible, or the names and forms of different body systems, muscles, bones, organs, glands and nerves, and their respective functions, for their own particular reasons, or to be a 'well-informed', 'knowledgeable', 'qualified', 'competitive', 'professional', 'confident' or 'responsible' good yoga teacher, but all these are nothing to do with the realization of selflessness, compassion and unconditional peace, or the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, or the ability of letting go, as well as performing self-inquiry inquiring towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all the names and forms. In fact, it's empowering ignorance and egoism in the mind.

People who cannot see, or hear, or read, or speak, or sing, or sit up, or stand, or move, or know and perform any particular 'yoga practice under certain names and forms', 'chanting and prayers', 'breathing exercises' or 'yoga asana poses', can still inquire towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence, be free from ignorance and egoism, and realize unconditional peace and compassion, void of painful sorrow and suffering. Not to say, whether knowing what are the names and effects or benefits of the different practices, or be able to perform all the different poses 'beautifully'/'gracefully' and in perfect alignment, and be able to pronounce all the names or chanting and prayers 'precisely', or not.

Being knowledgeable towards many things and being capable to do many things physically and mentally, and utilizing those enhance physical/mental condition and accumulated knowledge for doing something in life, is nothing bad or wrong, but one doesn't need to be able to know or do many things, or know and do many different types of yoga practices, or know and do many different yoga asana poses as well as the many different variations of the yoga asana poses, throughout the path of yoga for self-inquiry and self-realization, to free the mind from ignorance and egoism.

In order to help purifying, influencing and calming the restless state of the mind, one just needs to know and do a few basic yoga asana poses regularly, where each practice session might be slightly different from one another, where certain basic yoga asana poses are being practiced on that particular day and time, and certain poses might be held for slightly longer or shorter time, while there might be a need to take complete rest from physical or mental training on certain day and time, according to what the body and mind needs in that particular moment, based on the physical condition and the state of the mind on that day and at that time.

Performing just a few basic yoga asana poses on each practice session being practiced under the correct understanding and attitude, in a relaxed manner without forcing the body and mind beyond its limitation, without straining/hurting/damaging the body and mind, is sufficient enough to serve the main purpose of performing the yoga asana poses, which is for purifying the energy centers and channels, to be calming the restless state of the mind or energizing the idle state of the mind, as well as to be developing certain degrees of awareness and concentration, and maintaining certain degrees of vitality and mobility preparing the body and mind to be fit enough for performing self-inquiry and meditation practice, as well as to have the sufficient health and energy for performing selfless service, duties and responsibilities towards oneself and/or others in everyday life.

Somehow, the passionate egoistic minds are getting bored and aren't contented with just doing a few basic yoga asana poses regularly, where the mind is being inspired and aspiring to be able to know and do as many yoga asana poses and the different variations as possible, due to boredom and discontentment, and most probably, to attain the sense of confidence, positiveness, goodness, satisfaction and meaningfulness that is being determined by the accumulation of knowledge towards this and that or the mental ability to do and achieve certain things, and being determined by the physical condition and ability to perform as many yoga asana poses as possible, especially some of the challenging yoga asana poses that required certain degrees of skill, strength and flexibility, where the mind feels good and satisfied upon being able to perform certain actions/positions that it couldn't do before, where the self-esteem and confidence is being determined by the physical and mental condition, ability and achievement.

Some yoga teachers as well as the yoga students also think and believe that, as 'yoga teachers', they need to be able to know and do as many yoga asana poses and the different variations as possible, as well as accumulating and possessing as many 'recognized yoga certifications' as possible, to show that they are 'highly qualified', 'well-trained', 'competitive', 'creative' and 'professional' yoga teachers to conduct 'variety', 'enjoyable', 'safe' and 'effective' yoga (asana) classes. That is also being propagated in many of the 'yoga teachers training courses' in the world, which is not what yoga is about.

It's neither right nor wrong, as it is something good for anybody to be engaging in any kinds of educational learning or sports and fitness training activities regularly for enhancing physical/mental condition and ability. It's better than spending time and energy engaging in unwholesome activities. However, the yoga practitioners or yoga teachers need to know that the mental ability to do and achieve certain things with the accumulated knowledge about this and that, and the 'enhanced' physical condition and ability to perform many different kinds of physical actions, positions and movements, doesn't determine the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, or the ability to let go, or whether the mind will attain the realization of selflessness, compassion and unconditional peace, and be free from painful sorrow and suffering, or not.

Inquire the egoistic behavior of the mind under the influence of ignorance and egoism and worldly passionate thinking, belief, values and practice.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (11)

Letting go what is impossible, what cannot be undone or changed for better, what is/was pleasant/unpleasant or agreeable/disagreeable, the past memories of desirable/undesirable experiences and relationships, the future anticipation, success and failure, right and wrong, good and bad, positive and negative, strength and weakness, improvement and deterioration, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, superiority and inferiority, ability and disability, achievement and non-achievement, contribution and non-contribution, dissatisfaction and disappointment, anger and jealousy, hatred and discrimination, all kinds of worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, and all kinds of attachment, identification, desires of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation, as well as unattached towards what is possible and what can be done/improved in the present moment, is the yoga practice, before/during/after the physical yoga practice, and within every moment in everyday life.

Letting go the desire of craving and aversion and expectation towards everything to be and not to be in certain way, and letting go the aspiration or intention towards 'interfering', 'controlling', 'influencing' or 'changing' everything to be and not to be in certain way according to the desire and don't desire of the thinking mind. It's letting go craving, longing and clinging towards agreeable, pleasant and desirable condition, situation, experience, relationship, interaction, activities, abilities and achievements, while letting go aversion, anger and hatred towards disagreeable, unpleasant and undesirable condition, situation, experience, relationship, interaction, activities, disabilities and non-achievements.

Void of craving and aversion doesn't mean that one has to like and agree with everything. It's non-attachment towards the likes and dislikes, enjoyable and non-enjoyable or agreements and disagreements. The mind is being undetermined and undisturbed upon coming in contact with names and forms that the mind doesn't like, doesn't enjoy and disagrees with, and upon not coming in contact with names and forms that the mind likes, enjoys and agrees with.

Respecting the perceived reality in the present moment now as it is. Being aware of the physical condition and the state of the mind in the present moment now, without forcing the body and mind beyond its limitation, without injuring/hurting/damaging the body and/or the thinking faculty out of dissatisfaction, greed, ambition, or the desire of craving and aversion. The condition of the body and the state of the mind is changing selflessly, where there's no 'I' in the impermanent changes of names and forms, of the body and mind.

Without 'I' being there generating possessiveness towards the physical body and the modification of the mind as 'my body' and 'my mind'. Without 'I' being there generating the desire of craving and aversion 'aspiring' to be 'intentionally' controlling or changing the physical condition and the state of the mind, as well as the condition of the world to be something else that it is not, of "I want my body and my mind to be like this and not like that, to be able to do this and achieve that, and I want the world to be the way that I desire," void of attachment, identification and association towards the impermanent existence and function of the body and mind, and the perceived limited world of selfless names and forms.

Without 'I' being there being disturbed or determined by the condition of the body and the state of the mind as well as the condition of the world that is selfless and impermanent, regardless of in good health or sickness, in pleasantness or painful sorrow, in good or bad condition, in calmness or restlessness, it's not 'I' and 'not mine', and it's impermanent. Eventually, the body and the mind as well as the perceived world of selfless names and forms will also be disintegrating into the nature of selfless elements.

Out of the power of nature, which is selfless non-sympathetic non-discriminating intentionless compassion, just like all the elements that selflessly/intentionlessly existing and performing ceaseless actions supporting each other as well as supporting the existence and function of all and everything in this space, influenced by cause and effect, void of the discrimination of likes and dislikes, agreement and disagreement, pleasure or displeasure, or the desire of craving and aversion, of "I want this and I don't want that, aspirationally and passionately interfering, controlling and changing everything to be in certain way that I desire," performing actions that support and nourish the existence and function of this body and mind, which in then, the 'nourished' body and mind will also be 'unintentionally' benefiting the surrounding environment and all and everything, while allowing and respecting the nature of impermanent changes to be what they are, as they are.

Letting go, is neither something easy nor difficult, but depending on the degrees of ignorance and egoism, it can be rather easy for some, while extremely difficult for some.

Letting go, is not just about letting go what the mind perceived as 'badness', 'meaninglessness', 'disturbing', 'hurtful' or 'sorrowful', but also about letting go the attachment/clinging towards what the mind perceived as 'goodness', 'meaningfulness', 'comforting', 'soothing' or 'joyful'.

Letting go egoism, unveiling the nature of selflessness/'I'lessness/egolessness in all and everything, is compassion.

Compassion is widely being misinterpreted as 'sympathetic and empathetic loving kindness', with the aspiration/intention/desire to give happiness/joy and take away unhappiness/sorrow to and from others, which is not liberation at all, but it's merely the power of nature in ceaseless actions that selflessly and intentionlessly influencing all kinds of names and forms to be arising (births/existing) and passing away (deaths/ceased existing) and ceaselessly changing in between existing and ceased existing, influenced by the nature law of cause and effect. There's neither 'good' nor 'bad', neither 'joyfulness' nor 'painful sorrow', neither 'deserving' nor 'non-deserving', in the births and deaths of all and everything, regardless of the different impermanent qualities projected to and from the names and forms.

The mind that realized this, is void of painful sorrow, disturbs, hurts, or suffering. This is nothing to do with 'emotionlessness', 'ungrateful', 'unappreciative', 'uncaring', 'unloving' or 'negativity' out of emotional dysfunction, mental sickness, selfishness, meanness, cruelty, anger, hatred or discrimination. It's merely the presence and absence of attachment/grasping/clinging/craving/aversion.

No others/teachers/gurus/liberated minds and no huge amount of information/knowledge/borrowed wisdom accumulated from reading, hearing, studying and memorizing can free the mind from ignorance and suffering. It has to come from the mind itself to realize selflessness and compassion. The teachings is there. The teacher is there to disseminate the teachings through various ways. Everything is there to allow the mind to reflect upon the truth of selflessness and impermanence. But it's still up to the mind itself to practice and realize the teachings.

In the beginning of the practice, the ignorant egoistic passionate restless mind needs some sorts of methods/practices to 'influence', 'control', 'conquer', 'quieting' and 'calming' the state of the mind, to 'purify' and 'discipline' the egoistic behavior pattern of the mind, by itself through its free-will and effort, in order to allow the mind to develop the initial understanding and foundation to perform self-inquiry. While during the process of self-inquiry, it's void of 'influence', 'control', 'conquer', 'purification' or 'discipline', to see things as they are, and respect everything as it is. It's not a contradiction. It's merely part of the process. It's also not about 'healing'. There's no 'I' being there that needs to be 'healed'. More importantly, it's nothing to do with 'influencing', 'controlling', 'conquering', 'quieting', 'calming', 'purifying', 'disciplining', or 'healing' and 'liberating' other minds.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (10)

All minds under different degrees of ignorance and egoism will take their own pace depending on their effort, discipline, understanding, determination, perseverance, condition and situation to learn, practice, inquire, understand and realize what is going on in their own mind.

There's nothing to be comparing and judged about among the different minds on the different paths of yoga.

All the different types of yoga paths and lineages under different names and forms, with different ways of styles, approaches and practices, to suit different minds of different temperaments and degrees of understanding, are all about Self-realization, the annihilation of ignorance and egoism. If it doesn't lead towards the elimination of ignorance and egoism, then it's just some physical and mental health and fitness activities, just like many other physical and mental health and fitness activities in the world, still benefiting the body and the thinking mind to certain extend.

Most minds begin their journey of Self-realization under an impure egoistic modification of the mind, being conditioned by worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice, to behave, act and react, to analyze, compare and judge. Somewhere along the path or lineage, somehow, some minds that weren't/aren't pure might behave, act and react under the influence of ignorance and egoism and impurities, and hence, there might be some 'mischievousness' occurred/occur in the different yoga lineage/school/ashram/organization.

Minds that have certain degrees of understanding, will not be disturbed, affected or determined by the different types of 'mischievousness' that existed/exist in certain yoga lineage/school/ashram/organization, either experiencing by oneself or some others, and move on in one's journey towards Self-realization, knowing that the corruptions or mischievousness of the impure minds are deriving from the ignorance and impurities in the minds, and are nothing to do with the teachings and practice of yoga.

While the minds that don't have such understanding would be disturbed, affected and determined by such disagreeable/unpleasant experiences, thinking and believing that the 'mischievousness' of certain minds within the yoga lineage/school/ashram/organization are due to there's something 'imperfect'/'wrong'/'bad' about the teachings and practices of yoga, and hence, they condemned/condemn the teachings/practices/lineage/school/ashram/organization, and generated/generate aversion or resentment towards the path of yoga. That's their freedom of thinking, understanding, action and reaction.

That's why the development of self-reliance, mental and emotional independence, and the practice of openness, non blind-following, non blind-believing, non blind-practicing, non blind-propagating, self-inquiry, renunciation, dispassion, seclusion and solitude are very important, even in the beginning of the yoga practice, along with the practice of non-attachment, non-identification, non-judgment, non-comparison, non-craving, non-aversion and non-expectation.

There are many different kinds of 'distractions' and 'obstacles' on the path of Self-realization.

The yoga practitioners need to be aware of certain worldly habits of unintentional or intentional random chit-chatting while socializing and interacting with some others, either being aspired to care for others and vice versa, or with the intention of building personal connection or friendship, want to know about others and be known by others, by talking about oneself, one's origin/background/knowledge/identities/attachments/expectations, one's desires and don't desire, one's agreements and disagreements, one's satisfaction/achievement and dissatisfaction/non-achievement/disappointment, talking about other people this and that, wandering into the past pleasant/unpleasant memories and the future desirable/undesirable anticipations, talking about 'I', 'My', 'You', 'He', 'She', 'They', 'This and that', where the conversation is all about the justification and empowerment of a personal and community identity, judging, comparing, admiring, envying, complaining, bitching, back-biting, glorifying, slandering, boasting, desiring, aspiring, inspiring, anticipating, speculating, scheming, plotting, feelings, emotions, ideas, beliefs and values, or else, there's nothing to be talking about other than saying "Hello", "Good morning/evening", "How are you", "Goodbye", which is 'inappropriate', 'awkward', 'cold', 'inhuman' or 'uncaring' for certain social cultural practices. Some yoga practitioners and/or yoga teachers might not be aware of they might be engaging in such physical/mental/verbal activities most of the time when they meet up, gather, socialize and interact with some others.

Unless the mind is already be free from ignorance and egoism, where there's no attachment, identification or expectation towards all kinds of names and forms in the conversations, one can be talking about this and that without being determined, affected, influenced or disturbed by any conversations about anything, however, how many minds are void of passionate egoism?

Talk less. Talk only when necessary. Talk only Dharma, that leads the mind towards reflection upon itself, if this mind really wants to be free from ignorance and all kinds of disturbs, as well as wants to help other minds to be free from ignorance and all kinds of disturbs.

Those who are not interested in practicing yoga, it's their freedom for what they think, behave, act and react, desire and don't desire, or what they want to do or don't do.

Many passionate minds, including some long time yoga practitioners/yoga teachers as well as mental health practitioners might disagree with this, as the minds are being conditioned deeply in worldly egoistic way of thinking, belief, values and practice, where talking and listening among one another, being mentally and emotionally dependent on one another, is a form of 'caring', 'sharing', 'loving kindness', 'meaningfulness', 'empathy', or 'healing'.

Talking and listening to be sharing, is the 'healthy' common values and practice for many kind and caring people that put upmost importance onto 'family/friends/community mental and emotional support and dependence', where they never thought of the importance of developing mental and emotional independence in oneself and in all and everyone, where mental and emotional independence is being recognized as 'selfishness', 'unhealthy', 'lovelessness', 'closed mind', 'harshness', 'bad', 'wrong', or 'insanity'. There's nothing wrong, as it gives momentary relief to most minds, and helps to prevent certain self-harm/harm others incidents, as many minds are never being trained to find out what is going on in the mind, and hence are not capable to look into the mind to see what is going on in one's mind. Instead of curing and preventing 'the mental disturbance/pain/problem/illness' from the root, it's still good to provide some emergency momentary relief by 'talking' and 'sharing' among one another.

While in the yoga practice, is about self-inquiry looking into one's mind, alone in solitude by oneself, curbing the 'urge'/'need'/'desire' to look out for answers, comfort, love, support, sympathy, empathy, encouragement, and so on, to see what is really happening in the mind whenever there are names and forms arising and passing away, when there are pleasant/unpleasant thoughts, actions/reactions, craving, aversion, ideas, feelings, emotions, memories, anticipations, goodness, badness, rightfulness, wrongfulness, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, agreements, disagreements, unrest, hurts, sorrow, anger, hatred, love, sympathy, guilt, shame, pride, loneliness, fear, worry, and so on, where the mind thinks and believes that there is a 'need' for the presence of some others, or 'specific individuals that one is attracted to and admires', to be talking, sharing, listening, interacting, acknowledging, affirming, accepting, understanding, agreeing, attracting, loving, caring, supporting, encouraging, comforting, giving and receiving, among each other. Where the mind feels good, positive and meaningful when all these are available, and the mind feels bad, negative and meaningless when all these are not available.

This teaching and practice is neither good nor bad, but it might not be suitable for certain minds (yet) that haven't develop certain degrees of independence, openness, awareness, dispassion and renunciation, and still have intense mental and emotional dependence on some others, even though they might have been 'practicing yoga' and/or 'teaching yoga' for many years. But, it would lead the mind towards unconditional peace, being free from being determined by the selfless impermanent modification of the mind.

Inquire towards the truth of everything, especially what is going on in the mind, to know Thyself. No other can liberate oneself from ignorance and suffering, but through the mind's self-effort, self-discipline, self-inquiry and self-realization, to know Thyself.

When the mind is void of ignorance and egoism, is in peace unconditionally, is void of disturbs or impurities, who is there that needs to be sharing, listening, interacting, acknowledging, affirming, accepting, understanding, agreeing, attracting, loving, caring, supporting, encouraging, comforting, giving and receiving, to and from some others, to feel good, positive and meaningful, to not hurt oneself and/or others?

Why many minds need to be sharing, listening, interacting, acknowledging, affirming, accepting, understanding, agreeing, attracting, loving, caring, supporting, encouraging, comforting, giving and receiving, to and from some others, to feel good, positive and meaningful, to not hurt oneself and/or others? Because the minds are disturbed and in suffering, is under the influence of impurities and not at peace, due to the veil of ignorance and egoism. The 'problem' is not because of lacking some others being there to be talking and sharing about this and that all the time, but it's ignorance and egoism in the mind.

Teach and guide the minds to be free from ignorance and egoism, is teaching yoga, is compassion, even if it might not necessarily be pleasant or enjoyable.

Learn and practice how to free the mind from ignorance and egoism, is practicing yoga, is compassion, even if it might not necessarily be pleasant or enjoyable.

All experiences in this impermanent worldly life existence, regardless of pleasant or unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable, desirable or undesirable, joyful or sorrowful, enjoyable or non-enjoyable, meaningful or meaningless, right or wrong, good or bad, are just 'great' opportunities for the mind to reflect, inquire and realize the truth of selflessness and impermanence, to be able to let go and unattached.

The yoga teacher doesn't need to ask, talk, listen, know or share about 'what are the personal problems/disturbs' in the different minds, as all kinds of 'problems/'disturbs' are all due to ignorance and egoism in one's mind, where the yoga teacher just needs to guide the minds to look into their own minds, to know what is going on in the mind, to let go attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, comparison and expectation, letting go what the mind thinks and believes is their 'problems'/'disturbs', to free their own mind from ignorance and egoism, and realize unconditional peace. That is compassion, however, the passionate minds might not know or agree with this.

It's common and normal that the minds that have some sorts of doubts/disturbs/troubles/hurts/painful sorrow, which ignited their interest to be joining yoga retreats or yoga classes, expecting to be talking and sharing to the yoga teacher about their 'problems', as well as expecting the yoga teacher to be asking and listening towards their 'problems', while hoping to be receiving some sorts of 'comforting' and 'agreeable' response from the teachers, thinking that the yoga teacher should be giving them 'the desirable/agreeable answers/healing to all their doubts/disturbs/troubles/hurts/painful sorrow, and take away all their 'problems'. This might be practicing in many yoga retreats or yoga classes in the world, as well as outside of the retreats and classes, in social/community meet ups, where many 'yoga teachers' emphasized about 'connecting', 'sharing', 'talking', 'listening', 'hugging', 'touching', or 'healing'. However, these minds would be very disappointed, when the yoga teacher didn't ask them anything about what is 'troubling'/'hurting' them, or not showing any interests in 'listening' and 'sharing' their 'problems'. They thought that the teacher is unfriendly, cold, uncaring, unsympathetic and absurd, or is lack of empathy, compassion or professionalism, and hence, they criticized the teacher as 'bad' yoga teacher. What they didn't know is that this kind of yoga teachers, are the real yoga teachers that can teach and guide them towards unconditional peace, void of all kinds of mental or emotional suffering. But, many passionate minds don't like or agree with this. And that's their freedom of thinking, action/reaction and choice.

The yoga teacher doesn't even need to be deliberately doing/saying anything that would be offensive towards the minds, but merely didn't deliberately give the minds what they would like to see or hear, or what they expect to be experiencing, and hence, the minds react and feel offended and disappointed by the yoga teacher who is truly wise and compassionate. But, that's the point. The minds are being given the great opportunity to look into their own minds, to see those ceaseless egoistic actions/reactions under the influence of ignorance. Some minds would start to be aware of the modification of the mind, which is a good start or uplift for their yoga practice. While some minds would still be unable to look into their own mind, and generate dislike and disagreement towards the teacher for not being the way that they think how it should be, or not giving them what they expect to be receiving/experiencing, the way that they desire. That's their freedom of action and reaction.

Either the mind will see what is going on in itself, or not, and be thankful and appreciative, or be offended and unappreciative, it really doesn't matter, the teacher is just delivering the teachings, and it's up to the minds themselves to practice and realize, or not.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (9)

The practice of letting go judgment, comparison and expectation in the teachings of yoga, is exactly the opposite of the worldly thinking, belief, values and practice, in the competitive world of various forms of intelligence, talents, sports, skills, business and professionalism, that is mostly result, success and achievement orientated, that is about the development/empowerment of personal, family, community, school, company and national pride, determining the sense of self-esteem, self-worth, satisfaction and meaningfulness, through constant judgment, comparison and expectation from oneself and others towards the qualities of names and forms in oneself, and between/among different individuals and groups.

There's neither right nor wrong, it's just different approach, mentality, understanding and goal towards exerting energy into performing certain actions/practices/trainings that would lead towards what different minds defined as the highest development, improvement, transition, achievement or purpose for oneself and/or for others, in this life existence.

In the worldly thinking and practice, in order to motivate and inspire oneself to work harder and be better, one should constantly comparing oneself with oneself in the past, as well as comparing with all the others, to have great expectation towards oneself to become better and better, to be better than oneself in the past and be able to stand out among the others, and there's no end to continuous growth, improvement and achievement. That is deriving from egoism as well as empowering egoism. While in yoga, one can still be constantly improving one's physical and mental performance without the need of judgment, comparison and expectation.

No doubt that the body and mind is subject to decay and deterioration, and will stop 'growing' and followed by gradual decaying process at certain point, however, the body and mind can be maintaining certain degrees of good health and fitness level up to certain extend through engaging in certain regular healthy routine of mental and physical training and maintenance in moderation. Either over-use or under-use is not good for anything.

That's why in the teaching and practice of yoga, there are certain physical and mental training that could help to maintain certain degrees of physical and mental health and fitness level, if being practiced regularly under the correct understanding and attitude, but there's no attachment or identification, judgment or comparison, desire of craving and aversion or expectation towards the impermanent condition of the physical body and the state of the mind, knowing that it's the nature of the body and mind for being impermanent, as well as deterioration/decaying is the inevitable truth of all kinds of selfless names and forms, no matter how much effort being put into the maintenance of this body and mind. There's no dissatisfaction, disappointment, unhappiness or painful sorrow when the body and mind are losing youth, strength and mobility, experiencing aging, decaying, weakening, illness, injury, pain, discomfort, and approaching towards old age, death or decomposition.

In the yoga practice, one is practicing non-judgment, non-comparison and non-expectation in one's yoga practice as well as in daily life affairs, actions, activities and relationships with everyone and everything, either from oneself towards oneself, or towards others and among all kinds of names and forms. Respecting the perceived reality in the present moment now, as it is, as it changes from moment to moment, not necessarily pleasant, agreeable or desirable, without attachment or identification towards one's efforts and actions, and the fruit of one's efforts and actions.

Those who are free from judgment, comparison and expectation towards oneself and others, can still be doing one's best while engaging in various types of 'healthy' competitions, that promotes good health and fitness for the body and mind, as well as promoting sportsmanship and friendship among the different diversities in the world through the engagement of various forms of 'healthy' competitions. It's not so much about 'winning', but the entire process of persevered training and constant improving, physically and mentally, as well as the importance of sportsmanship in any competitions.

'Unhealthy' competitions are those that emphasized on the result, where 'winning'/'victory'/'success'/'effort well paid off'/'fame' is the highest goal of the persevered training, that promotes personal/group/national identity pride, and the sense of superiority, satisfaction and meaningfulness, where the minds might have difficulty in accepting 'failure', and would generate disappointment or shamefulness in oneself, and generate jealousy, resentment and hatred towards others who perform better than oneself, who beaten oneself in any kinds of competitions, while being demotivated to keep training or keep improving, after experiencing 'not winning'/'losing'/'failing' for certain times.

Healthy competitions are those that are about sportsmanship, and constant improvement of certain physical and mental talents, skills, performances and abilities, of certain business/professional strategies and services, to be using those enhanced talents, skills, abilities, strategies and services that can contribute to the world in certain way.

Healthy minds participating in healthy competitions are able to accept failure/not winning/losing, and don't generate disappointment or shamefulness in oneself, and don't generate jealousy, resentment or hatred towards others who perform better than oneself, who beaten oneself in any kinds of competitions, while still be persevered in one's learning/practice/training to continuously keep improving and keep trying, until one's retirement from such competitions. And it's okay, if after trying one's best, one still never win any competitions until one's retirement. That is actually more important than the one who is the best in one particular moment, who beats all the other competitors, or who stands out among all the others at that particular moment. And all are impermanent. The all time winners of any particular physical or mental competitions, will also have to retire, or passed way one day, as the body and mind is subject to decay or deterioration, even among the strongest or smartest people.

While being free from judgment, comparison, or expectation, just do one's best, without attachment and identification, will allow the mind to be free from unnecessary tension/pressure that would be affecting the physical and mental performance, and allowing the mind to be in the moment during the entire process of persevered physical and/or mental practice/training/development/improvement, and/or while engaging in any forms of competitions in the competitive world, without being distracted by judgment, comparison or expectation.

The relaxed/tension-free body and mind while engaging in physical and/or mental yoga practices will allow the mind to be fully attentive on the practice, being aware of the impermanent ability and limitation in the present moment, without forcing the body and mind beyond its limitation, which can help to minimize the risk of injury, as well as allowing the body and mind to be absorbing the effects/benefits of the practice more efficiently, without any expectation, craving or aversion towards the ability and disability of the body and mind in the present moment, or towards the effect/benefit/result/fruit of the practice, allowing the effect/benefit/result/fruit of practice being what it is.

Everyone has a different condition of the body and state of the mind, and it's impermanent. What the body and mind can do or cannot do, can achieve or cannot achieve in this present moment, is impermanent, and might be different from all the others. There's nothing to be comparing and judging about. Especially the yoga teacher and the yoga students in the yoga practice. The yoga teachers cannot say, "I can do this, so can you." Or in certain yoga teachers training courses, all students of 'aspired yoga teachers' are required to be able to do certain yoga asana poses, in order to pass the examination, and be graduated and qualified as 'certified yoga teachers'. That's pure ignorance.

The mind that is aware of ignorance and egoism, that is free from ignorance and egoism, that realized selflessness, compassion and unconditional peace, doesn't even need to be able to perform any yoga asana poses/chanting and prayer or possessing any 'recognized yoga teacher certification' to be guiding others onto the path of yoga.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (8)

The practice of non-attachment and non-identification, or letting go all kinds of worldly identities with certain names and forms, and the worldly family ties/connections/relationships with all and everyone, can be challenging and painful for many minds.

It doesn't mean that throwing out all our worldly personal identity security certificates or documents, be a stateless illegal undocumented person, or throwing out all our stuffs, or abandoning and stop loving our family and friends, or resigning from our existing work, duty and responsibility, or not doing anything that would benefit the well-being of this body and mind.

It's the mental detachment and non-identification towards all the existing identities of what the mind thinks and believes is 'I', 'This is me', 'This is who and what I am', and 'These are my ...', as well as mentally and emotionally renouncing all forms of existing family ties, connections and relationships with everyone, objects, possessions and past memory of pleasant and unpleasant experiences, seeing all and everyone are merely selfless impermanent beings and objects of names and forms, without discrimination of family and not family, friends and not friends, mine and not mine. Seeing all the past pleasant and unpleasant experiences are merely existing in the form of memory, they don't exist in now, one doesn't need to be continuing be determined by them, where there's no missing/longing towards the pleasant experiences or relationships, and there's no 'painful sorrow', or 'hurts', or 'anger' towards the unpleasant experiences or relationships. One would be able to let go 'missingness', 'longing', 'painful sorrow', 'hurts', or 'anger' once the mind starts to see or know what is going on in one's mind.

One can still be physically carrying all kinds of 'personal legal documentations of different worldly identities' wherever one goes, as it's part of the compulsory procedure to be living and moving on this planet for convenience, but there's no mental/sentimental attachment, identification or expectation towards all these different legal documents with a particular name of an individual, as 'I'.

One can be making good use of things and objects that are available in the present, for certain purposes and convenience, but there's no physical/mental/sentimental attachment, identification or possessiveness towards all these things and objects, where the mind is not being determined by the impermanent changes of the availability and non-availability, or the good and bad condition of all these things and objects. Such as a car, where one can make good use of it for certain convenience with care and responsibility, but one can also let it go easily without any difficulty when it's time to let it go.

One can still be physically living or interacting among family, friends, relatives and communities, carrying out one's worldly duties and responsibilities towards family, friends and communities, but there's no mental/emotional attachment, identification or expectation towards all these family ties/friendships/connections/relationships, where one treats all the same without discrimination or separation of my family, my friends, my relatives and my communities, or not. There's no sense of meaningfulness or meaninglessness being determined by the presence and absence of family, friends, relatives and communities.

One can still be physically engaging in business/investment, or having a job, or doing some kind of volunteering work, but there's no mental/emotional attachment, identification or expectation towards one's efforts/actions/duties/responsibilities/contributions and the fruit of one's efforts/actions/duties/responsibilities/contributions.

One can still be physically and mentally performing many actions that would benefits oneself and/or others and/or the world, but there's no physical/mental/sentimental attachment, identification or expectation towards all kinds of actions and the fruit of actions.

One can be looking after the well-being of this body and mind, and making good use of the good condition of the body and mind, to be doing something for oneself and/or others and/or the world, but there's no attachment, identification or expectation towards the impermanent and selfless body and mind has to be and not to be in certain way. There's no expectation towards the body and mind has to be able to do and achieve this or that, by respecting what is possible and impossible in the present moment now. It's okay when certain things are not possible in the present moment. Focus on what is possible. While both possibility and impossibility are impermanent. Respect all the impermanent changes of the physical condition and the state of the mind as they are. Allow the body and mind to be what it is, after doing one's best performing actions to look after the well-being of the body and mind. Without forcing the body and mind beyond its limitation. It's impermanent, and it's not 'I'.

There's no sense of confidence or lack of confidence being determined by the impermanent condition, abilities and disabilities, achievements and non-achievements of the body and mind. There's no sense of positiveness or negativeness, the sense of pride or shamefulness, or the sense of superiority or inferiority, being determined by the action/inaction and the fruit of action/inaction, the different worldly identities/titles/positions/achievements, the pleasant/unpleasant or desirable/undesirable experiences, the good/bad relationships, the success and failure, the possibility and impossibility, or the agreeable/disagreeable condition and situation in the world.

The minds that know how to non-attaching and non-identifying towards the body and the modification of the mind, without expectation towards the body and mind has to be or not to be in certain way according to certain thinking and belief, values and practice, while making use of the opportunity of this selfless life existence to be doing something for the benefits of all and everyone, but without attachment or expectation towards the actions and the fruit of actions, will also be free from discrimination, interference, control and expectation towards all and everything in the world has to be or not to be in certain ways. Respecting the world being what it is, even if it's a mess due to the ignorance and egoism of the impure minds. Respecting all kinds of diversities, of different names and forms, colours and shapes, thinking and beliefs, values and practice. Respecting everyone being what they are. And all are impermanent. Regardless of people who do good or bad, who are rightful or wrongful, who are kind or unkind, who are happy or unhappy, who are selfish or generous, who are healthy or unhealthy, who are knowledgeable or not knowledgeable, who realize or don't realize Selflessness/Peace/Compassion, who are short-lived or long-lived, all are impermanent. Those who are not aware of ignorance and egoism, and those who are aware, but don't want to be free from ignorance and egoism, is their freedom.

It's not complicated, and yet, it could be absurd, or mad, or inappropriate for the minds that are being conditioned by worldly thinking and belief, values and practice.

It will take some time for the mind to get use to this practice, and until the mind be able to unattached and unidentified towards names and forms effortlessly, without judgment, comparison or expectation. If after some time doing one's best trying to unattached and unidentified towards all kinds of names and forms, but the mind is still not free from attachment and identification towards certain names and forms, it's okay. Accept that in this present moment now, the mind is still not free from attachment and identification, and this is also impermanent. And keep practicing.

For those who have certain degrees of understanding and mental/emotional independence, who's worldly duties and responsibilities have came to an end, such as there are no elders or young children that need to be looked after (parents who are physically/financially dependent had passed away or are being looking after by some others, and/or children have already grown up), who have intense yearning for liberation, they may also gradually renounce or retreat from worldly life, duties and connections, to go into seclusion and solitude for a prolonged period of time, and this will allow the mind to actually realize the truth of selflessness and all kinds worldly ties, connections and relationships, practically.

The practice of non-attachment and non-identification, as well as renunciation, is neither easy nor difficult, but it appears to be not so difficult for the dispassionate minds, while it appears to be not so easy for the passionate minds.

The difficulty is not just arising from within the mind couldn't let go certain attachment and identification, but it's the pressure coming from the family, relatives, friends and the communities who don't understand and don't respect one's freedom and choices for one's practice, where they criticize and condemn such practice as 'wrongfulness', 'inappropriateness', 'selfishness', 'madness' or 'insanity'. Only those who are determined, and are not being disturbed or influenced by such egoistic reactions coming from the world, can proceed further in the yoga practice towards the annihilation of the modification of the mind.

The minds that are free from disturbs and restlessness, that are resting in unconditional peace, being undetermined by any names and forms, remain equanimous under all kinds of pleasant and unpleasant condition and situation, they don't need to practice yoga, or perform any practice of renunciation, dispassion, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-expectation, and so on, as the mind is void of such impurities. There is no grief or painful sorrow towards the deterioration/weakness/disabilities/illness/death of oneself or loved ones.

If the mind is not free, is disturbed and restless, is drowning in painful sorrow and suffering, being determined by certain names and forms that the mind perceives and recognizes as unpleasant, undesirable, disagreeable and undeserving, and it wants to be free from such disturbs and restlessness, painful sorrow and suffering, this mind may take up yoga practice, and start practicing.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Want to learn and practice yoga? (7)

In the beginning of the yoga practice, no doubt that many impure minds are being conditioned by worldly thinking, belief, values and practice to behave, act/react and expect in certain way, and hence, they needed to rely on certain 'intention', 'inspiration', 'aspiration' or 'encouragement' to ignite the interest and motivation to be practicing yoga, to set a goal/resolution to be the inspiration of one's practice. However, this is neither the entire practice nor the end of practice.

There's a very common values and practice among the many different types of worldly egoistic thinking, beliefs, values and practices, where many people believe that most human beings don't have initiative and discipline to be doing and achieving something, and so, people need to be 'pushed' or 'lured' to perform and engage in certain actions/activities. In order to 'attract' and 'encourage' people to be doing and achieving something, they needed to be given some kind of 'sweets', or 'advantage', or 'pleasant rewards', to motivate them to do and achieve something, or else people won't have self-initiative and motivation to do or achieve anything if without any 'nice rewards' in return. Most people are being brought up in such way, and hence, being conditioned to act and react and expect in such way. "Well done!", "Good job!", "I'm so proud of you!", "Yeah!", "Fantastic!", "Congratulation!", "Thank you!", "Your work is much appreciated!", "I'll give you something that you want, if you do this or achieve this," and so on. While some people even use discipline, punishment or threat to threaten the people to perform or engage in certain action/inaction. "I won't give you what you want, or I will 'hurt' you (or your loved ones), if you do this (or don't do this.)"

This is not yoga practice at all, but somehow, someone under the worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice had introduced this type of practice into the path of yoga.

The yoga students or yoga practitioners must inquire towards what is egoism, and how to eliminate egoism.

The one that needs to set a specific intention or goal, and constantly receiving some kinds of motivational praise and encouragement and rewards to be performing actions that would benefit oneself and/or others, as well as to keep going, is the ego. The one that would be threatened by certain threats to engage in certain action or inaction, being fearful towards not getting something that one desires or losing something that one loves, is the ego.

Either by temptation (something pleasant and enjoyable) or threat (something unpleasant and painful) to 'influence', 'attract', 'lure', 'make' or 'force' some others to do or don't do something, either out of good or evil intention, are merely the play of ignorance and egoism.

Many 'yoga teachers' were learning and being trained in the 'yoga teachers training course' to teach about 'setting intention, or goal, or resolution (Sankalpa)' in the 'yoga class' as part of the yoga practice, such as "I am strong", "I am pure", "I am good enough", "I am healthy", "I am whole", "I am positive", "I am this and that". And then, somehow it turns into "I can achieve this and that" or "All my desires will be gratified." It's not about right or wrong, however, most minds aren't aware of this practice doesn't help to eliminate egoism from the mind, but instead, it's empowering egoism and ignorance.

'Yoga teachers' are also being trained to be equipped with the knowledge or information about what are the mental and physical 'effect' or 'benefit' of the different yoga practices, and to teach 'yoga classes' by explaining all kinds of benefits and goodness of each practices or yoga asana/pose/position/movements (If you do this, you will receive certain pleasant rewards in return), as well as precautions and badness (If you do this, you will receive certain unpleasant rewards in return), to indicate that they are well-trained, well-informed and professional enough to teach yoga classes. They are also being trained to say 'positive' and 'motivational' words and sentences, in order to motivate/compliment/please the ego, or not saying anything that the ego doesn't like and doesn't want to hear in order not to demotivate/offend/displease the ego. All these are nothing but part of the worldly egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice.

Meanwhile, yoga practice is indeed about 'starving' and 'breaking' the ego to its annihilation, by the mind itself. That's why in the very few and rare traditional yoga schools, many worldly passionate egoistic minds would feel 'disturbed' and 'offended' by the teachings and the teachers' certain way of teaching and guiding the minds to be aware of and eliminate the ego. It's not the teacher being the one that 'breaks' the student's ego. The teacher is only guiding the student to be aware of what is going on in the mind, and out of the student's own awareness and will, it 'breaks' its own ego by itself. The egoistic minds need to be guided to look within, and see how the mind is behaving/acting/reacting, functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism, and of course, it's not a pleasant process, and even could be extremely painful for certain passionate egoistic minds, but it's an inevitable process to free the mind from ignorance and egoism.

It's not about "Being afraid of offending/displeasing the ego, and they don't want to practice yoga anymore," but then the 'yoga practice' that the passionate egoistic minds love, that pleases them, that makes them feel good and meaningful, doesn't lead them towards what yoga is about, no matter how long they have been 'practicing yoga'.

The main reason that supports the idea of "Do not offend/displease the students/clients, keeping their ego happy and satisfied," is about not wanting to hurt 'the business' or 'the income' from running and teaching 'yoga classes', 'yoga courses', or 'yoga retreats'.

It's the mind's own responsibility and will, whether it will or will not practice yoga, as it is. If they don't want to practice yoga to eliminate ignorance and egoism, because they reject and couldn't allow the teachings and practices being what they are, not necessarily being the way that they like and agree with, it's their freedom and choice. The teachers don't have to manipulating/modifying the teachings and practices to 'attract' and 'lure' the minds to be practicing 'yoga' that is not what it is. The mind might think and believe that this is compassion, to treat the minds carefully, don't offend/hurt the ego, but it's not compassion, but mere ignorant egoistic loving kindness, sympathy and empathy. Just as how some children are being 'pampered' and 'ruined' by the 'loving' parents.

Life is uncertain, selfless and impermanent. Life doesn't change or modify or adjust itself into the way to adapt and accommodate the different desires of all and everyone. All and everyone learn how to respect life as it is, and learn how to adjust, adapt and accommodate life being what it is, as it changes selflessly, under the law of cause and effect. The Truth cannot be contaminated and doesn't change into something else to accommodate everyone's desire and don't desire, even if ignorant egoistic minds could 'manipulate' everything into something else under selfish intention and aspiration.

From the very beginning in the path of yoga, it's very important to be taught about what is self-inquiry and how to allow the mind to be opened, to investigate the truth of everything, without blind-following, blind-believing, blind-practicing, or blind-propagating anything that we learned from different types of teachers in life, including everything that we learned from the yoga teachers training courses, even when the mind is under the influence of ignorance and egoism strongly. If the mind will be offended and rejects, let it be, it's their freedom and choice for what they want and don't want.

All minds that want to learn and practice yoga, regardless of the degrees of ignorance, must develop the basic understanding towards "All the action and reaction in one's mind is the responsibility of the mind itself." Where, "It's because of you/him/her/them/this, that's why I behave, act and react in certain way, and it's because of you and your wrongful behavior, that's why I feel good or bad, I am happy or unhappy, I am pleased or hurt," is mere ignorance. The very basic foundation to be engaging in yoga practice, is to be aware of one's actions and reactions is one's own responsibility. The mind wants to be happy, none can make it become unhappy. The mind wants to be unhappy, none can make it become happy. The mind wants to be free, none can stop it from being free. The mind doesn't want to be free, none can liberate it.

The real 'teachers' won't be offended, if the students are offended and rejecting the teachings and practice of yoga, not to say, if the students are practicing non blind-following, non blind-believing, non blind-practicing and non blind-propagating, and be initiative to purify the intellect and reasoning power, to discipline and quite the mind, to develop self-inquiry, to investigate and reflect the truth of everything, to attain direct realization towards the truth of the teachings. It's not like certain 'teachers' and 'teachings' that demand their followers to be blind-following, blind-believing, blind-practicing and blind-propagating their teachings, while prohibiting their followers to question or investigate towards the truth of the teachings, or else, one is considered sinful, and would be condemned and be punished, if one questions or investigates the truth of the teachings.

Letting go the intention or aspiration of trying to influence, change or control the world to be in certain way, even if it's out of 'good and positive' intention to be creating a 'good and positive' world. It doesn't mean that one doesn't perform or stop performing any actions that would benefit the world in certain way, if without 'intention' or 'aspiration'. The sun, the earth, the wind, the water and the space don't have any intention or aspiration, but their selfless existence and intentionless action is allowing everything else to be existing and changing.

Without the intention or aspiration to influence, control or change the world to be or not to be in certain way, just do one's best utilizing one's opportunity, knowledge, experience and ability to be performing selfless actions that could benefit the world in certain way, without attachment, identification, craving, aversion, judgment, comparison, or expectation.

Reflect and realize the ONE nature of everything, which is selflessness and impermanence.

There's no "I am strong", "I am pure", "I am good", "I am positive", "I am deserving", "I am meaningful", "I am healthy", "I am this or that", not to say, "Gratifying all my desires, where everything is the way that I desire it to be."

Inquire the truth of everything, including all the teachings here.