World peace

Yoga is very much related to the cause of promoting and achieving 'world peace', which is only achievable via the realization of unconditional peace from within oneself, where the minds that are occupying and sharing this space in the universe, are free from the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Originally, many yoga schools were being founded under the advocacy of promoting and achieving world peace.

World peace is the reflection of healthy minds occupying the world, having clear thinking, correct understanding, self-control, respect and accommodation, that allows all and everyone under different qualities of names and forms to be sharing this space of the universe living in peace and harmony among one another, free from all kinds of ignorant thinking and behavior, greed, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, corruption, discrimination, threat, violence, unrest, bully, abuse, exploitation, offensiveness, oppression, invasion and war.

The world is just being what it is. It is neither peaceful nor not peaceful.

It's the minds that are occupying the world constantly acting and reacting, either wisely and selflessly or ignorantly and egoistically, that is determining whether there is more peace and harmony in the world, or not.

If more minds in the world are in good health, or more minds are being free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, then there will be more peace and less unrest in the world, regardless of the inevitable selfless impermanent changes of the condition in the world, and different life experiences, where sometimes it's desirable and pleasant, and sometimes it's undesirable and unpleasant.

Though yoga is about advocating world peace, it's nothing to do with having an authority or authorization that is about regulating and controlling everyone to behave or not behave in certain way, or to be fighting against what certain human beings or communities categorized as 'bad' or 'evil' human beings, but it's about the minds having awareness and initiative to free themselves from the influence of ignorance and egoism, realizing unconditional peace and selfless compassion in themselves, being independent, having clear thinking, correct understanding and self-control, respecting and accommodating all kinds of names and forms being different from one another, while being kind to one another instead of hurting one another.

Particularly those who have the aspiration, capability and opportunity to become present and future various types of influencers and leaders in the world, that are impacting the world in certain way, they need to be free from the influence of ignorance and egoism. Otherwise there will be less peace and harmony, or more unrest and disharmony in the world, which is what was happening, is happening, and will be continuously happening.

If all minds are free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, the world doesn't really need any influencers or leaders to be influencing and leading other minds. However, not many minds have the awareness and initiative to free themselves from ignorance and egoism. There are very few minds are free from the influence of ignorance and egoism in the world that don't need to be led by any leader or to be inspired by any influencers, to live life in certain way. There are many minds couldn't function or live life independently, where they think and believe that they need to attached towards certain communities and ideas being led by certain leaders, or they need to be inspired by certain influencers, to live life in certain way, or to make certain decision.

And hence, many yoga schools were 'initially' being founded under the cause of expounding the teachings of yoga and promoting yoga practice in the world, that is mainly about the elimination of ignorance and egoism from the mind, in order to help the world to have more selfless, wise and compassionate leaders or influencers, that are greatly impacting the situations in the world. It's really not so much about promoting the physical health and fitness condition, but mainly about looking after the state of the mind, or mental health. Unfortunately, just like everything else that are impermanent, many 'yoga schools' are also evolving or changing into something that is not so much about the elimination of ignorance and egoism, but instead, it's empowering ignorance and egoism, attaching towards and chasing after the qualities of names and forms that the minds like, desire and agree with.

Similarly, 'awareness' is about the mind turning inwards, being aware of what is going on in itself, being aware of ignorance and egoism in itself, being aware of the selfless impermanent restless modification of the mind, and be initiative to eradicate ignorance and egoism from itself, to silent or annihilate the modification of the mind. However, 'awareness' is being practiced as being aware of what is going on in the body (pleasant and unpleasant sensations/good and bad conditions) and in the world (agreeable and disagreeable happenings/desirable and undesirable situations), while chasing after and gratifying the desires of craving and aversion, to attain and empower the sense of satisfaction, goodness, happiness, positiveness, joyfulness and meaningfulness.

It's okay if one doesn't necessarily have very good physical health and fitness condition, being unable to perform many actions in the world, but it's highly important to be having good mental health, be free from all kinds of mental corruptions, being at peace, as one is, going beyond the energy fields (the three Gunas) or the fluctuating hormones and secretions in the physical body, going beyond the selfless impermanent state of the mind, going beyond all kinds of duality, being undetermined and undisturbed by the selfless impermanent qualities of names and forms, the desirable and undesirable life experiences, or the pleasant and unpleasant conditions of the world.

While having very good physical health and fitness condition, but without good mental health, and being able to perform many actions in the world, physically and mentally, functioning under the influence of many kinds of mental corruptions, can be detrimental or even dangerous to oneself and the world.

Having wise and compassionate leaders to lead the ignorant minds is good, however, having wise and compassionate teachers that guide the ignorant minds to be free from ignorance and egoism, to be independent, to be free from corruptions and suffering, is much better.

People talk highly about the liberty of liberation from being ruled by foreign power or authority as what independence is about, however, this type of liberation doesn't stop the world having so much unnecessary man made problems and suffering arising from ignorance and egoism.

The real liberty, or the 'useful' liberation, is about the minds being free from the influence of ignorance and egoism, and there will be less problems and suffering deriving from ignorant egoistic human beings in the world.

Similarly, depression and some other kinds of mental or physical illness and disability, are a great suffering for quite many people, as well as might can be 'controlled' or 'relieved' under certain medical treatments and rehabilitation activities, however, the most serious form of illness in the world of human beings, is the mind that is functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism. Those who don't suffer from depression or any kinds of mental or physical illness and disability, who might be highly energetic, healthy, fit, intelligent, knowledgeable, educated, talented, skillful, successful, wealthy and powerful, but could be under the influence of deep ignorance and intense egoism, they can be performing many actions in the world that cause many kinds of damages to oneself, others, the surrounding environment, or the world.

Inventing and possessing more and more higher technology defense equipment or weapons to protect one's nation or to fight against other nations doesn't stop wars and the consequences of it from happening. It's all the leaders and influencers in the world, or those in position or power to impact the world in certain way, that need to be free from ignorance and egoism.

Looking for yoga school or yoga teacher training course?

Imperfection exists in all and everything including different yoga schools or yoga teacher training courses and the people involving in running the yoga schools and yoga courses.

With an open mind, without expectation, be ready to inquire the truth of everything, including all the teachings and practice presented by the yoga school or in the yoga teacher training course, and without regret towards one's decision of choosing the particular yoga school or yoga teacher training course.

Dealing with all the pros and cons or imperfections existing in the yoga school or the yoga teacher training course with an open mind, and be able to make decision without regret, is indeed the practice.

Follow one's conscience towards finding which lineage of yoga that one would like to explore and experience. It's okay if one finds that after experiencing a particular lineage of yoga, one realizes it doesn't suit oneself. If so, be open to experience some other kind of lineage of yoga, until one finds the most suitable one. In the end, it's not about which lineage of yoga or yoga school that is the best among all, but it's whether the mind is being unattached towards and unidentified with the particular lineage of yoga, the yoga school, the teachers, the yoga teacher training course, and all the desirable/undesirable or agreeable/disagreeable experiences.

Above all, it's not about getting the best 'Internationally recognized yoga teacher certification affiliated with such and such yoga alliance/organization' from the best yoga school and yoga teacher, but it's about being open-minded upon coming in contact with the different kinds of teachings and practice from the different lineage of yoga, to be purifying and quieting the mind, inquire towards the truth of all the teachings, and the truth of 'I' or 'who am I/what is the ego', realizing selflessness/egolessness, be free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness and suffering.

Attending many yoga teacher training courses in certain yoga schools and attaining many yoga teacher certifications and teaching many hours of yoga classes doesn't determine whether the mind is free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, restlessness and suffering, or not.

In the end, one will realize the greatest teacher and the greatest 'yoga course' is the mind itself upon being rendered pure and quiet through the different kinds of persevered practice, being unattached towards and undisturbed by all the mind perception of names and forms or the activities/modification of the mind, of all the agreeable/disagreeable, pleasant/unpleasant, desirable/undesirable experiences, and be able to see the truth of things as it is, be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.

Those who are free from ignorance and egoism don't need to attend yoga teacher training course or attain 'Internationally recognized yoga teacher certification' to be peaceful and compassionate, or to disseminate the knowledge of yoga to those who are in need of the teachings and practice to be free from ignorance and egoism.

The 'real' Guru/teacher is the one without a 'certificate'/'recognition', without a 'school'/'ashram' and without giving 'certification'/'recognition' to anyone.

Self-practice

Developing awareness and correct understanding along with self-discipline and determination, one doesn't need to be continuously attending yoga classes to be looking at and following the instructions of a yoga teacher/instructor to be performing the yoga practice, but out of own freewill and intense yearning for liberation, one retreats into seclusion and solitude to perform self-practice. One takes one's natural pace to perform the practice at ease, without rushing or struggling, or straining the body and mind beyond its limitation, and allowing the fruit of the practice to be there as it is.

Many people who attend yoga classes and those who provide yoga classes or other kind of yoga services, will look at, or take consideration towards, or give importance onto these factors -
- The qualifications/certifications/experience/background of the yoga teachers
- The professionalism and the 'yogi' look/appearance/image of the yoga teachers
- The atmosphere of the yoga practice space, such like the 'spiritual/zen feel', the decorations, the colour theme, the furniture, the fittings, the lighting, the plants, the sub-yoga products of 'yoga attires', 'yoga mats', 'yoga accessories' or 'yoga health supplements', the convenient facilities and other supplementary services, and/or other yoga family members of animals and pets.
- The surrounding environment of the yoga school or yoga studio, such like the scenery and the 'quality' of the neighbourhood.
- The degree of pleasantness of the enjoyment of the senses of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations and imagination/visualization/stimulation, and so on.
- The money-worth element of the fees in comparison with the services or enjoyments provided, and the rewards/benefits/effectiveness/recognition/qualification that one would be getting from attending the yoga classes/courses or performing the yoga practice.

Meanwhile, yoga and the yoga practice has nothing to do with all these names and forms. If the yoga teachers or the yoga classes providers don't get this or don't understand this, then they don't know what yoga is. In the process of the yoga practice of silencing the mind or meditation, the eyes are either closed or the mind is focusing/restraining within, and all the other senses are restrained/withdraw from the objects of the senses. What kind of scenery, or environment, or atmosphere, is irrelevant to one's practice. So as all the other factors.

Yoga of unconditional love and peace and the yoga practice of eliminating ignorance, egoism and impurities, is in the present moment regardless of the mind perception of different qualities of names and forms, environment, experience, time and space. It is not confined in a particular quality of name and form, environment, experience, time and space. If one can only find oneself, or peace, or the truth, in a particular yoga practice environment, experience, time and space, such like being in the nature of forest/mountain/seaside, and doing a particular style of yoga asana practice or physical/mental activity, then one doesn't know what yoga is even though one might feel good, peaceful and meaningful being in that particular environment, experience, time and space, and doing that particular style of yoga asana practice or physical/mental activity. The truth/yoga is always there as it is, regardless of whether one is experiencing a particular kind of yoga asana practice or physical/mental activity, or not, and being in what kind of environment, experience, time and space. Peace, compassion and the ability to forgive and let go what that the mind perceives as 'wrong', 'bad', 'hurtful', 'undeserving', 'painful', or 'sorrowful', is nothing to do with the mind perception of different qualities of names and forms or experiences.

There's nothing wrong and it's very common that most people who attend yoga classes will expect the yoga teacher/instructor to be looking at them and supervising their practice, to tell them to do this and don't do that, to correct their postures, to help them to push/challenge themselves beyond the limitation of their body and mind to make the body become more fit/strong/flexible and be able to do more 'challenging' yoga asana poses, to give positive feedback about their practice, to give encouragements of praise and compliment to motivate them to be continuing their practice, to be interacting in some kind of social conversation, to be involving in some form of social community activities together. Just that they haven't learned/realized what yoga really is about, even after many years of attending many hours of yoga classes regularly, be able to perform the yoga asana practice in perfect alignment, and attaining better health condition, developing fitter, stronger and more flexible physical body, being able to perform many complicated yoga asana poses, and generating momentary good, positive and meaningful feelings in their minds due to the effect of the yoga practice.

All these names and forms are nothing but part of the modification of the worldly egoistic impure minds under the influence of the conditional worldly egoistic thinking and belief and behavior. Yoga practice is mainly to free the mind from the influence of the conditional worldly egoistic thinking, belief and behavior.

One only needs a simple clean space, free from dust or insects/animals, to be practicing external yoga practice of yoga asana and pranayama practice. If there's no clean space available to be practicing yoga asana and pranayama practice, or if the physical health and fitness condition is restricting certain yoga asana or pranayama practices, or if the weather doesn't permit such practice (extreme weather condition), or the environment is not suitable for such external practice (causing inconvenience or disturbance to other beings), then one doesn't have to be practicing any kind of external yoga practice that is limited by certain physical/environmental/weather condition, but it doesn't stop one from performing the unconditional unlimited internal yoga practice of maintaining a calm and quiet mind, allowing the impermanent perceived reality/experience/qualities of names and forms to be what it is, that is not necessarily the way that the mind would like it to be, while be able to forgive and let go something that the mind perceives/recognizes as 'wrong', 'bad', 'hurtful', 'undeserving', 'painful' or 'sorrowful', without craving or clinging towards 'good' condition or pleasantness, and without aversion towards 'bad' condition or unpleasantness.

Contemplate on this and be free.

Yoga classes, yoga courses and yoga retreats?

Those (the minds) who are free, who are peaceful, who are free from ignorance, egoism, doubts and impurities, they don't need to learn or practice yoga. They don't need to attend yoga classes, or yoga courses, or yoga retreats.

Those (the minds) who are not free, who are not peaceful, who are not free from ignorance, egoism, doubts and impurities, they might want to learn and practice yoga, by attending yoga classes, or yoga courses, or yoga retreats, to learn and practice yoga under one or a few yoga practitioner(s) (teachers) who know the teachings and practice of yoga.

Somehow, some of those (the minds) who are not free from ignorance and egoism, who are not peaceful, who are interested in attending yoga classes, or yoga courses, or yoga retreats, are ignorant towards oneself is being over-powered by pride and arrogance. They are not really interested in 'learning' and 'practicing' yoga under the guidance of other yoga practitioners. They think they know quite a lot about the teachings and practice. They think they have been doing yoga for quite some time or a long time. They think they are quite 'experienced' and 'qualified' yoga practitioners or yoga teachers, as they have attended one or many yoga workshops, yoga courses, or yoga teachers training courses. They think they are quite 'advanced' on the path of yoga. They are not 'open-minded' to learn and practice yoga under other people's guidance to be free from ignorance, egoism, doubts and impurities. They attached strongly onto their habitual mind behavior pattern and their way of thinking and belief and practice. They cannot be opened to investigate or experience something that is different from their thinking, belief and practice.

They want to interfere with how the people running the yoga schools, the yoga studios, or the yoga retreat centres, and what the teachers teach and how the teachers teach the classes, or courses, or retreats. They criticize the way of the people running and teaching the classes, courses, or retreats, about the format, the schedule, the accommodation, the facilities, the environment, the staff, or anything that they think it's not the way that they like it to be, or not the way that they think or expect it should be. There are many things that they dislike and disagree with, that they cannot tolerate or accommodate. They reluctant to adjust, adapt and accommodate something that is different from their habitual comfort zone, thinking, belief and practice.

They expect/demand the people to run the yoga schools, the yoga studios, or the yoga retreat centres the way that they like it to be, and they expect/demand the teachers to teach what they like and want to practice and don't teach what they don't like or don't want to practice. They expect/demand the teachers to teach the classes, the courses, the retreats the way that they like it to be. They get very annoyed and irritated when the teachers teach something that they don't like and don't want to learn or practice, or the people running the classes, the courses, or the retreats the way that they don't like and don't agree with. They expect/demand everything about the entire space of learning and practicing yoga to be the way that they like it to be, or the way that they think it should be.

These people (the minds) don't just not really learning or practicing yoga, though they think and believe that they are very 'serious and advanced and certified' yoga practitioners and yoga teachers, but they also generate inconvenience, disturbance, doubt and obstacle for others who are interested to learn and practice yoga, those who 'are aware of' or 'know' their minds are not yet completely free from ignorance, egoism, doubts and impurities. The minds that are free, they won't be affected or influenced by the ignorance and impurities of others, but most minds are not free yet, they will still be affected and influenced by the ignorance and impurities of others. But, it doesn't mean that these minds are bad or negative. All minds are free to behave the way that they want to behave and react the way that they want to react, whether they are aware of their own behavior and reaction, or not.

And hence, when one thinks and believes that oneself is an 'experienced' and 'advanced' and 'certified' yoga practitioner or yoga teacher, and one wants to inform/tell other people about how experienced and advanced one is on the path of yoga, then know that one doesn't know what is yoga, yet. Those who know yoga, they have no attachment or identification towards the experiences or levels of their practice, or be proud and arrogant about what they know or realize from their practice. They mind their own practice and they don't need to attend yoga classes, yoga courses, or yoga retreats.

Those who are not sure or have doubts about their practice or what they think they know, and are interested in attending yoga classes, yoga courses, or yoga retreats to learn and practice yoga under the guidance of other people, must learn how to allow the mind to be opened to learn and practice yoga under another person or other people, while not by pushing away or arguing about something that the mind dislikes and disagrees with, but to investigate the truth of everything that the mind comes in contact with through direct experience.

What the mind agrees with and what the mind disagrees with, are not necessarily the truth.

One doesn't need to like and agree with everything, even if it's part of the teachings and practice of yoga, but remain equanimous, being undisturbed or undetermined by what the mind dislikes and disagrees with, is already what yoga practice is about.

Be free.

The ego exists in all and everyone and anyone

The ego, or more precisely, the idea of 'I', exists in all and everyone and anyone, whether educated or non-educated, intelligent or non-intelligent, knowledgeable or non-knowledgeable, religious or non-religious, wealthy or poor, men or women, young or old, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, yoga practitioners and non-yoga practitioners, yoga teachers and non-yoga teachers, and so on.

If the ego can easily be eradicated, then the entire world would be in peace and harmony.

Though it's not easy, fear not. Keep practicing. Root out the ego and egoism, patiently and diligently.

The entire worldly cultural, educational, religious, spiritual, social and political system is all about empowering the ego and egoism. It is normal and the right thing to do for human beings to empower self-identification, self-image and self-achievement. It would be wrong and strange if one abandons self-identification, self-image and self-achievement.

Even in the world of yoga which is 'supposed' to be all about starving the ego and eradicating egoism and separateness, but now mostly is all about empowering the ego and fueling egoism and separateness.
"I am a yogi."
"I am a healer."
"I am an experienced/good yoga practitioner."
"I am an experienced/good yoga teacher."
"I am X or Y brand yogi."
"I am a Christian/Muslim/Buddhist/Hindu/Atheist/... yogi."
"I am a certified and qualified yoga teacher."
"I am a yoga teacher affiliated with such and such yoga alliance or yoga association or yoga school."
"I have been practicing and teaching yoga for how many years and have taught in such and such yoga schools/ashrams and have taught how many yoga students."
"These are my yogi family/friends/brothers/sisters/gangs."
And all kinds of 'yoga brands', 'yoga lineage', 'yoga schools', 'yoga festivals', 'yoga retreats', 'yoga courses', 'yoga healing products', 'yoga health food', 'yoga apparels' and 'yoga accessories', and so on.

"Do not associate. Do not build ashrams. Do not hoard disciples. Do not mix. Live alone. Walk alone. Eat alone. Meditate Alone." - Swami Sivananda

The importance of self-inquiry and investigation of the truth of everything

Many people would have doubt towards something that are different from their own thinking and belief, or that are unknown/unfamiliar to them, but they don't bother to investigate the truth of the existing thinking and belief in them that has been influencing how they perceive, act, react, behave and feel about all and everything. Different people perceive different reality in the same world due to the different thinking and belief in everyone. And it's okay, as long as everyone keeps their own thinking, belief, perception of reality and their own opinion/point of view to themselves, and respect other people's thinking, belief, perception of everything and opinion/point of view that are being different from theirs. But how many people would keep their perception of everything and point of view to themselves, without interfering with other people's different perception of reality and opinion/point of view?

And hence, all kinds of disagreement, argument, fighting, conflict, discrimination, prejudice and unequal rights/treatments arise in the society, and then it turns into unrest, fear, offensiveness, defensiveness, animosity, hatred, abuse, bully, violence and war among people, areas and countries.

Never underestimate the power of ignorance and egoism.

Even the most educated, intelligent, knowledgeable, talented and skillful people in the world also might not be free from ignorance and egoism.

If it's coming from somewhere, like religious books, school books, philosophical books and history books, written, edited and published by such and such famous writers, editors and publishers, or if it's coming from certain people, like our parents, or elders, or school teachers, or religious teachers, or spiritual teachers, or famous teachers, or famous personalities and celebrities, or whom we think are good people, or our good friends, or our group leaders, or the leaders of a country or the world, or anyone whom we think they deserve respect and trust, then it must be true, and in order to show respectfulness, faith and loyalty, we shall not question the truth of it.

Out of nowhere or somewhere, for no reason or some reasons, someone created and told a story to some others many hundreds or thousands years ago, and the story was passed down from generations to generations, from places to places, and without any hesitation, people would believe that this story must be true, because it has been passing down through many generations to us, and many people from many places believe it's true, and so, it must be true then.

Investigate the truth of the teachings of yoga, or all kinds of religious teachings, or all kinds of cultural and spiritual beliefs, or all kinds of philosophies of mankind. Do not blind-believing or blind-following any teachings from anyone and anywhere. Do not teach or preach any teachings to others just because that was what we were told by our teachers and from the books, or it has been existing since many hundreds or thousands years ago.

This is different from someone being skeptical and defensive all the time, being peaceless from having fear towards trusting anyone, or being unable to trust anyone or anything. Seeing the truth as it is has nothing to do with trusting or not trusting anyone or anything. There is no fear of being mistrusting anyone or anything, but merely seeing the truth of things as it is, without judgment or expectation based on any particular thinking and belief about what is 'true' and 'untrue', 'right' and 'wrong', or 'good' and 'bad'. The truth is nothing to do with 'trust' or 'believe'.

The truth is still what it is, and it doesn't get hurt and wouldn't be damaged, whether we know or don't know about it, whether we think we can or should 'trust' or 'distrust' it, and whether we like and agree with it, or not.

The teacher of truth finding doesn't want anyone to 'trust' or 'distrust' him or his teachings. He doesn't want anyone to believe and follow him. He doesn't want to eliminate or change any of the existing thinking and belief in the world. He only advises everyone to purify one's mind and inquire the truth of everything to attain self-realization. He doesn't condemn or punish anyone who doesn't follow his advice at all or doesn't follow his advice as it is. Contemplate on this and be free.

Certificates for running and attending yoga courses?

Issuing and acquiring 'Certificates' for running and attending yoga courses are not yoga practice.

Yoga is nothing to do with 'certification', 'certificate', 'yoga alliance', 'yoga association', and so on.

All these names and forms are the products of ignorance, egoism, worldly ideas of identity, values, recognition, acknowledgment, fruit of actions, self/professional image, authorization and commercialism.

One doesn't need certificates to have peace and compassion, or to forbear and forgive, or to love all beings unconditionally, or to show or guide other beings towards peace and compassion.

Having many 'internationally recognized certifications' from attending yoga courses affiliated with 'yoga alliance', or having all the knowledge/information about different types of yoga practice and knowing how to perform all the different types of yoga practice, doesn't mean that we are, or will be free from ignorance and egoism and suffering. It doesn't guarantee that one is peaceful and compassionate, or be able to show or guide other beings towards peace and compassion.

We won't find certificates in self-realization of the truth.

We won't find certificates in silence of the mind.

We won't find certificates in selflessness and liberation from suffering.

Be free.

Looking for yoga?

It's common that people who are interested in yoga and have the desire to learn and practice yoga in order to know what yoga really is about, they will try to go to a 'place', or 'school', or 'ashram', or 'person', where they think and expect that it would deliver them what they are looking for. Some people might found what they were looking for. But for some others, they are disappointed as they couldn't find what they are looking for.

It is not whether a particular place, or school, or ashram, or person, has the power or quality to make people 'see' or 'find' yoga, or not. People might go to the same place, or same school, or same ashram, or same person, and some would 'find' yoga there, while others couldn't. This is due to whether our minds are being opened, or not.

Yoga could be 'found' or 'seen' in anywhere and everywhere, but, if we try to look for yoga in a particular place, or school, or ashram, or person, most likely we will be disappointed, because the mind is not opened. But, when we let go of any expectation towards 'finding yoga' in a particular place, school, ashram, or person, and stop trying to look for yoga in a particular place, school, ashram, or person, but, just allowing our minds to be open and observe what is going on in our own minds, in this present, from moment to moment, observing all the impermanent changes of the states of mind, actions and reactions, thoughts and feelings that ceaselessly coming and going which are not in the control of 'I' of how 'I' would like it to be, we will start to 'see' yoga here and there, anywhere and everywhere. There's no separation from yoga. There's no 'I' am looking for 'yoga', or, 'I' found 'yoga'.

The eyes serve as a tool to 'see' lots of names and forms of different shapes and colours, but it can't 'see' itself. And yet, it was never being separated from itself.

Can't help those who don't love or help themselves

The teacher teaches the students how to solve their problems. The teacher doesn't solve the students' problems for them.

The students must know how to love and help themselves to receive the help and guidance from a teacher. Even a teacher with great wisdom and compassion also can't help those who don't love or help themselves, and those who are proud and arrogant and closed-minded.

Those who don't love or help themselves will always put responsibility onto other people for their unhappiness and suffering, blaming this and that for their ignorance and the consequences of their ignorance. Such like, "It's because of this or that, that's why I did this or I didn't do that." or "It's because of this or that, that's why I am unhappy or I hurt myself and others."

The teacher teaches the students how to love themselves and how to help themselves to be free from ignorance and suffering. The teacher doesn't suffer for the students' ignorance and the consequences of their ignorance. The teacher shows the students the way to be free from the cause of unhappiness. The teacher doesn't make the students happy by giving them what they want that they think will make them happy. The teacher doesn't take away the students' unhappiness or the cause of the students' unhappiness. The teacher allows the students to experience unhappiness due to ignorance and take responsibility for their unhappiness.

The teacher allows those who don't love or help themselves to be responsible for themselves, their actions and the consequences of their actions. Allowing them to learn from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance.

Be happy.

Yoga teachers and teaching yoga?

"Who can teach yoga?"

"Anybody, who knows what is yoga, who is peaceful and compassionate, who knows about impermanence and selflessness, who knows what is the cause of suffering and how to be free from suffering. It's not necessarily someone who has been practicing yoga for a long time, who is strong and flexible to do many of the yoga asana poses, or who had attended 'yoga teachers training course', and obtained or possessed 'internationally recognized' yoga teacher certifications."

"But, isn't that all yoga teachers must have recognized yoga teachers certification to be allowed to teach yoga legally?"

"Do you think someone who is free from ignorance and suffering, who is peaceful and compassionate, has to attend some 'yoga teachers training courses' to be trained to be a 'yoga teacher', to be authorized by some 'authorities' and obtains 'internationally recognized certifications' sanctioned and approved by some 'yoga associations', and be allied to some 'yoga alliances', in order to radiate peace and be compassionate, to share the knowledge of yoga and guiding other beings to be free from ignorance and suffering? Is a person not allowed to be kind to other beings because this person hasn't attended 'kindness training' and doesn't have a recognized 'certification of kindness' sanctioned by a 'kindness association or kindness alliance'?"

"I will not learn yoga from someone who hasn't been through professional yoga teachers training, who doesn't have 'internationally recognized yoga teachers certification'. 'Yoga teachers' who don't have a recognized certification are not allowed to teach yoga classes in many countries. Yoga centres in many countries only employ 'internationally certified' yoga teachers."

"Isn't that true... It's your freedom of thinking and freedom of choice then."

Whether people are well-educated and highly intelligent, or not, many would think that those who teach yoga must go through some forms of professional yoga teachers training to be qualified and certified as 'yoga teachers' before they are allowed to teach yoga, and they also think that only those who have been practicing yoga for quite a long time, who are physically strong and flexible to execute many of the yoga asana poses 'beautifully', or who have the 'qualifications of a yoga teacher', are qualified to attend yoga teachers training courses and be certified as 'yoga teachers' to conduct 'yoga classes' to teach yoga to other people.

These are the worldly ideas and values derived from conditioned thinking and belief under the influence of ignorance.

There are many 'internationally certified and affiliated' yoga teachers or instructors conduct many different types of 'yoga classes' everywhere in the world. Most of them teach yoga (asana) classes with different brand names according to the modules, styles and techniques that they learned from one or different types of 'yoga schools'. Some might even invent their own brands, styles, sequences and techniques of 'yoga'. Most of them even trademarked or copyrighted their new invention of 'yoga' that is adopted, modified and transformed from the traditional yoga practice. It's normal that many people are confused and uncleared about the tradition of yoga of its practice and purpose.

"People tell me that I could do all the yoga poses easily and beautifully, that I am strong and flexible, and they say I should become a yoga teacher. Should I?"
"What do I need to do in order to become a yoga teacher?"
"Is there a minimum years of yoga practice in order to become a yoga teacher?"
"How many and which yoga asana poses that I need to be able to perform in order to become a yoga teacher and teach yoga?"
"Do I need an internationally recognized yoga teachers certification to teach yoga in this country?"
"Do these yoga schools and yoga teachers affiliated with internationally recognized yoga association and yoga alliance?"
"Do these yoga courses issue internationally recognized certifications approved and sanctioned by internationally recognized yoga association and yoga alliance?"

In the commercial world of 'education systems', 'qualifications' and 'certifications', a person is obliged to obtain and possess some sorts of qualifications and certifications issued and recognized by 'internationally recognized' yoga association and yoga alliance to work as a 'yoga teacher' or 'yoga instructor' to conduct yoga (asana) classes to be teaching safe and result orientated 'yoga exercise' to other people. No doubt that those who teach yoga exercise fitness classes are better off being conformed and regulated under certain 'rules and regulations' regulated by 'those who know what they are doing', so that they have the basic knowledge to provide safe and effective physical training for other people by teaching varieties of 'yoga (asana) classes' with different brands, styles, techniques and routines, that have been adopted and modified from the traditional yoga asana practice. But, yoga is not about teaching or participating in yoga asana exercise classes. Yoga poses, or asana practice is just one part of the many yoga practice to help to influence the mind, to render the mind calm and quiet for meditation. It's not necessarily that people have to perform yoga asana practice to be practicing yoga, or to be peaceful and compassionate.

If people think teaching yoga to other people is about becoming a certified 'yoga teacher' by attending internationally recognized 'yoga teachers training courses' to attain 'internationally recognized certification' issued and sanctioned by internationally recognized 'yoga association' and 'yoga alliance', or one needs to go through some sorts of professional yoga teachers training to learn how to teach yoga in order to teach yoga, or how many years of yoga practice will qualify someone to be a yoga teacher, or a yoga teacher needs to have certain level of strength and flexibility to perform and demonstrate the yoga asana poses when teaching yoga classes, or teaching yoga is about training the students to push the body beyond its limitations to achieve maximum strength and flexibility, to be able to perform as many yoga asana poses as possible, and to execute the yoga poses in perfect alignment, or a person needs to have recognized certificate(s) to teach yoga, or teaching yoga means teaching different types of yoga asana classes labeled with different levels, brands and styles, then very obviously they don't know what is yoga, and so, how can they teach yoga, even though they possess 'internationally recognized' yoga teachers certifications?

Teaching yoga is not about teaching yoga asana (fitness exercise) classes. It's nothing to do with becoming a 'yoga teacher' by attending yoga teacher training courses to attain internationally recognized certifications or qualifications issued and sanctioned by 'internationally recognized' yoga association and yoga alliance, so that one can teach yoga exercise classes adopted from traditional yoga asana practice. It's dealing with the mind and its modification, the function of the mind, the perception of names and forms (the worldly life existence), the states of the mind, the habits and behavior of the mind, the actions and reactions of the mind, the impurities of the mind, the ignorance and suffering of the mind, and the liberation of the mind.

Yoga practice is about the elimination of ignorance, egoism and impurities, to free the mind from being conditioned by worldly thinking and beliefs, to realize selflessness and unconditional peace beyond all the impermanent qualities of names and forms.

Unconditional peace and compassion is not determined by how good a person can execute the yoga poses, or how long a person has been performing the yoga asana practice, or what type of qualification or certification a person has obtained and possessed from attending yoga classes or courses from yoga schools.

Whether a being is liberated from ignorance and suffering, and is peaceful and compassionate, or not, it has nothing to do with 'yoga associations', 'yoga alliance', 'yoga schools', 'yoga classes', 'yoga courses', 'yoga teachers training', and 'yoga teachers qualifications and certifications'.

There are some qualities which can determine a yoga aspirant - Viveka, Vairagya, Shat-sampat and Mumukshutva. And all these qualities has nothing to do with being in yoga class, attending yoga class, teaching yoga class, being strong and flexible, performing some yoga poses, yoga schools, yoga association, yoga alliance, yoga teachers training courses, and certifications. Yoga practice is about Vichara, to perform self-inquiry to know the truth of names and forms. One can learn and practice yoga anywhere, anytime. One can teach yoga anywhere, anytime. All the names and forms are teaching us yoga, it's not limited to a human being who identifies himself/herself as 'yoga teacher'. Anything and anyone and all our experiences that can teach us about impermanence and selflessness, that allow us to realize compassion and be compassionate, is our yoga teachers. In the end, both the teacher and the student is the mind itself.

The one who is free from ignorance and suffering, who is peaceful, wise and compassionate, doesn't need to attend any 'yoga teachers training courses' to be trained to become a 'yoga teacher' to teach yoga. This being doesn't need to be certified, authorized and approved by 'yoga schools', 'yoga associations', or 'yoga alliance' for being peaceful and compassionate, to radiate peace and compassion, and to guide other suffering beings onto the path of selflessness, attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness, to also realize unconditional peace and compassion. This being doesn't need the title of 'yoga teacher', or naming the act of sharing the knowledge of unconditional peace and compassion as 'teaching yoga'. It's free from egoistic attachments and identifications of 'I want to teach yoga', 'I teach yoga or yoga classes', 'I am a yoga teacher', 'I am an internationally qualified and certified yoga teacher', 'I am qualified and certified to teach yoga', 'I am a good and experienced yoga teacher', or 'I have been practicing and teaching yoga for xx years.'

The realization of 'Selflessness' which leads to unconditional peace and compassion is undetermined by all the worldly impermanent qualities of names and forms. It doesn't belong to a particular being, species, gender, sexual orientation, age, social status, intellect, personality, behavior, impermanent states of the mind, physical appearance, physical condition, limitation and ability, worldly education and knowledge, worldly commercial ideas, thinking and beliefs, worldly achievements and contributions, personal belief, cultural belief, religious belief, spiritual practice, yoga class, yoga school, yoga association, yoga alliance, or how many years of yoga practice.

If people want to think and believe that they will only learn and practice 'yoga' under the guidance of a 'yoga teacher' who possesses and advertises 'internationally recognized' qualifications and certifications, and those who want to teach 'yoga' think that they need to possess 'internationally recognized' qualifications and certifications, and be authorized by 'internationally recognized yoga associations and yoga alliance' to teach 'yoga' to other people, then the 'yoga' that they practice and teach will be what they think what it is. There's nothing wrong with that.

Yoga is not about achieving peace and happiness by having the life or the world to be the way that we like it to be, but, it's realizing the unconditional peace being undetermined by all the impermanent good and bad qualities of names and forms, pleasant and unpleasant or desirable and undesirable experiences.

Whether a person is practicing yoga, or not, it's not determined by being content and happy when everything is the way that we desire it to be, but, it is seen whether the mind is able to be peaceful and compassionate under any challenging, difficult, undesirable and discomfortable conditions and situations, being free from all sorts of impurities, ill-will and ill-thinking when everything is not the way that we like it to be.

Be free.

Want to practice yoga? (8)

Surrender
Perform existing duties, but surrender all forms of attachments, identifications, desires, intentions, motivations, goals, expectations, or acknowledgments. The body and mind are what they are, where they are and how they are, but it's impermanent and will constantly change, and it's not 'I' and there's no 'I' exists in all the impermanent changes. Allowing the path to be what it is, without expecting the path to be what it is not. The path is constantly changing and allow the changes to be what they are.

Abandon
Abandon the fruit of actions, worldly identities, ideas and desires, social and cultural beliefs and practices, and worldly sensual indulgence. Be friendly and non-discriminating towards all, without desire to be accumulating personal friendships or relationships, but allowing all friendships or relationships to be there, or not. All friendships and relationships will change. Allowing all the changes to be there as they are. Abandon the desire of longing to be loved or appreciated, and the fear of being unloved or unappreciated.

Let go of pride and arrogance
Starve the ego, or deprive the mind of the characteristics of egoism, especially pride and arrogance about 'I', about who 'I' am, what 'I' am, or how 'I' am, and what and how 'I' know, 'I' think, 'I' act, 'I' express, 'I' give, 'I' receive, 'I' deserve and 'I' have. Being free from pride and arrogance is not about 'being humble' either. Abandon the idea or identification of "I am being humble." One is just what one is, neither being arrogant nor being humble.

Observe
Observe the mind perception of all the objects of names and forms that the mind comes in contact with, including all forms of living beings and non-living beings and objects with different characteristics, names and forms, without being influenced by worldly social and cultural thinking, ideas, beliefs and practices; without attachment, desire, clinging, judgment, or expectation. Allowing everyone and everything to be what they are, as they are, and for being constantly changing.

Take it or leave it
If you can't just observe, but will generate attachment or desire towards the objects of names and forms, then practice take it or leave it, without generate craving for what you like that you could take, without generate aversion towards what you don't like that you don't want to take. Minds that are impure and ignorant don't just take it or leave it. They want more of what they like, and they want to destroy what they don't like. All kinds of greed, self-righteousness, criticism, condemn, conflict, argument, riot, war, discrimination, hatred, prejudice, violence and insanity exist due to most minds are over-powered by impurities and ignorance.

Minimize social interactions and worldly inputs and outputs as much as possible
Embrace peace, tranquility, silence, solitude, seclusion, self-introspection, self-discipline, self-control, self-effort, self-inquiry and self-realization. Allowing the mind stuffs or thought activities to subside. One can only benefit the society truly and effectively when one's mind is completely be free from impurities, or at least have self-awareness and self-control over the impurities that exist in one's mind. Being aware of the impurities in one's mind and restricting oneself from mixing into the society is being kind and compassionate towards other beings, to minimize generating harmful and disharmony effects into the society.

Stay away from any external substances or influences that will alter or over-power the mind via stimulation or suppression
Only through self-awareness, self-effort, self-discipline, self-control, self-introspection, self-inquiry and self-realization that one purifies and conquers one's mind. Performing yoga asana and pranayama practice is using one's own physical body and the breath as tools to influence the energy field or the state of one's mind without the influence of external substances or influences, such like the usage of drugs to stimulate, or numb, or suppress the function of the mind. Drugs, or any external substances might generate momentary effects onto the mind, but it doesn't remove ignorance and impurities of the mind. One has to rely on self-effort, self-discipline, self-inquiry and self-realization to eliminate ignorance and egoism.

Be persevered
Impurities are what hindering the mind from seeing the truth as it is. They are also the great obstacles on the path towards self-realization. Impurities are one's biggest enemy. Rise above impurities, not to be defeated by impurities within one's mind. Once one curbs the enemy within, there's no enemy without. Be persevered and keep purifying the mind until it sees the truth as it is once impurities are absent.

Want to practice yoga? (2)

All kinds of different yoga practices serve the purpose of influencing and purifying the mind preparing the mind for self-inquiry, or contemplation upon the truth of "Who am I?"

To practice yoga is not necessarily that we have to be doing some yoga asana exercises. Yoga asana practice is one type of the many yoga practices. Some people just do Japa and chanting alone. The practice of Japa and chanting generates harmonious vibrations to serve the purpose of influencing and purifying the mind. Some people just perform selfless service to eliminate egoism and attachment. Some just practice living in the present moment as they are. Some spend most of their time on contemplation. Some focus on observing their thoughts and have self-control over their actions and speech at all time. Same as all the other practices. Some people combine a few practices. Some practice all of the practices. But in the end, all the practices are related to one another when being practiced with non-attachment, non-identification, dispassion, right discrimination, desireless and free from craving and aversion. Ultimately is to free the mind from impurities to see the truth of names and forms as it is, and be free from suffering that derived from ignorance.

Yoga asana and pranayama practice is using the physical body and the breath as tools to influence our mind, to balance the mind, to purify the mind, to calm the mind, and eventually allowing the mind to be able to perceive the truth of things as they are under a pure and calm mind, and be free from egoism and ignorance, going beyond the body and mind, to transcend suffering and be at peace.

Yoga asana practice is very different from the commercialized yoga fitness exercise classes. It’s beyond the physical fitness training. It isn’t about training the body to be able to perform complex exercises or challenging the physical body to go beyond its limitation to become super fit, flexible and strong. We don’t have to be physically fit, strong and flexible to perform the yoga asana practice. Naturally, it enhances people's health and fitness level as one of the by-products when it's being practiced regularly. There's nothing wrong when people use the yoga asana exercises as a form of fitness training. Just that enhanced physical health and fitness level have nothing to do with the realization of unconditional love and peace. One can be very healthy and fit physically, but the mind can be not free from egoism, ignorance, impurities and suffering.

There are yoga centres that teach traditional yogic and meditation practices combine with the practice of dispassion, right discrimination, six fold virtues and the yearning for liberation that would gradually lead to the annihilation of egoism and ignorance. But most of the yoga classes we come across everywhere in the world are only about yoga asana and pranayama practice, and many are about using yoga asana practice as a form of fitness training to achieve fitness results, which isn't a bad or wrong thing.

By doing some yoga asana and pranayama exercises regularly without the practice of dispassion, right discrimination, six fold virtues and the yearning for liberation, will bring some physical and mental benefits to the practitioners, but it doesn't lead to the annihilation of egoism and ignorance, or be free from unhappiness and suffering. And thus, although people might have been practicing yoga and pranayama practice regularly, but if they still have strong attachment and identification with the worldly existence of the body and mind and are over-powered by the desires of craving and aversion, and have attachment towards their action and inaction and the fruit of action, then they would still be disturbed and determined by all the perceptions of name and form and have no peace, as the mind is in a state of restlessness being disturbed by ceaseless impurities arising and passing away in the mind due to the constant reactions coming from the ego towards all the perceptions of name and form generating craving and aversion towards what it likes and dislikes, agrees and disagrees with.

It's not about how much good health, good feelings, physical strength and flexibility that we gain from practicing yoga, but whether there are less impurities and restlessness in the mind. There are less anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, pride, arrogance, ill-will, feelings of hurt, fear and worry. There are more peace and harmony. In the end, there's only unconditional love and peace, be free from egoism, ignorance, desires and suffering.

Traditionally, yoga asana practice is about holding a few different basic postures in stillness and at ease for as long as we are comfortable at. It’s knowing and respecting the limitation of this physical body without generating attachment, identification, craving and aversion towards its impermanent condition and ability. The skill, stamina, strength and flexibility will gradually develop as we practice regularly. In the beginning, when we first put our bodies and minds in certain positions that they aren’t familiar with, there will be certain degrees of discomfort or struggle and we need to exert great effort to perform the yoga asana practice. We need to endure the discomforts and be patient and persevere in our practice until one day the practice becomes steady and we can hold each position effortlessly for a prolong period of time.

There are many different variations of yoga poses that sprung from six basic positions. Yoga asana practice combines with the practice of pranayama serves the purpose of influencing the mind in different ways without using any external influences such like drugs or from another being, but using our own physical body and the breath as the tools. The purpose is mainly to balance and calm the mind so that the mind isn’t being overly elevated or depressed, while purifying the energy centres and channels, and unblocking any blockages, releasing physical, emotional and mental blockages. Instead of exerting energy in strengthening worldly ideas, desires and identifications, yoga practice is channeling the energy for realization of the truth, rendering the mind calm and pure to perceive the truth as it is.

The six basic positions are:-
1.) Inversions like headstand, shoulderstand and plough.
2.) Forward bends like sitting forward bend and standing forward bend.
3.) Backward bends like fish pose, cobra pose, locust pose and bow pose.
4.) Twists like sitting twist, standing twist and lying twist.
5.) Balancing positions like crow pose, peacock pose and tree pose.
6.) Side bends like standing side bend and sitting side bend.

May all be happy, be peaceful, be free.

Om shanti.

Teaching yoga? (2)

The teachings of yoga, the purpose of the yoga classes, and how the yoga teachers teach the yoga classes, are to allow the yoga students to :-

• Become their own teachers

• To know/see the truth by their own self-realization through self-inquiry (Insights)

• Develop self-awareness and mindfulness

• Develop dispassion (Vairagya) and right discrimination (Viveka)

• Develop non-attachment and non-identification

• Develop purity of thoughts, actions and speech

• Develop calmness

• Develop magnanimity

• Develop forbearance

• Develop self-discipline and self-control

• Have right livelihood, right view, correct understanding

• Be self-reliant

• Be vigilant, determined, persevered (stamina)

• Be patient and tolerant (strength)

• Be able to adjust, adapt, accommodate (flexibility)

• Be able to let go of the desire to interfere with the reality, or to control everything to be the way that we like it to be, or to change other people to be the way that we think they should be

• Be simple and content

• Be truthful and straightforward

• Be forgiving

• Be observant towards what is going on in the mind

• Be open-minded

• Be free from blind-faith, blind-belief, blind-agreement, blind-following towards any practice, thinking and beliefs, including the teachings and practice of yoga

• Be free from being conditioned by past pleasant and unpleasant experiences or happy and unhappy memories

• Be free from being conditioned by future imaginations, anticipations, projections, speculations

• Be free from judgment, comparison, expectation

• Be free from craving and aversion

• Be free from egoism

• Be free from duality

• Be free from both worldly and spiritual attachments and identities

• Be free from impurities - Anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, pride, arrogance, feelings of hurt, feelings of guilt, regrets, agitation, depression, anxieties, doubts, fear, worry, ill-will, ill-thinking, violence, wickedness, selfishness, stinginess, and etc

• Be free from restlessness

• Be free from ignorance and suffering

• Be free from actions and the fruit of actions (Inaction in actions - Selfless-actions)

• Be free from the cycle of birth and death (Stop producing good and bad karma through the realization of Selflessness)

• Realize oneness, non-separateness, non-duality, attributelessness, namelessness, formlessness (Neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither happiness nor suffering, neither right nor wrong)

• Realize Selflessness / ego-lessness

• Realize unconditional love and peace (Compassion)

• Rest in silence

Om shanti.

"Professional profile" of a yoga teacher or a yoga school?

"How long have you been practicing yoga?"

"How long have you been teaching yoga?"

"Where and whom did you learn yoga from?"

"Who is your yoga teacher or Guru?"

"What type of recognitions, certifications and qualifications do you have?"

"What type of yoga do you practice or teach?"

"What is the level of this yoga course or yoga class?"

"What type of certifications I can get from attending these yoga courses or classes?"

"What type of results or benefits I can get from attending this yoga course or yoga class?"

All these are the common questions coming from most people who want to practice yoga or to teach yoga. But yoga is nothing to do with all these names and forms...

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

Normally, when people are looking for a yoga school or yoga teacher to learn about yoga, or to do some yoga exercises, most of us will want to know the "professional profile" of the yoga school or the yoga teacher, to know what are the qualifications, certifications, affiliations, past experiences, achievements, types of courses, classes or services of the yoga school or the yoga teacher.

Same as when a yoga school or a yoga teacher wants to "promote" their classes or services, naturally, they want to have a "professional image", and to give a "laudable", "highly recommended", "reliable", "professional", "expertise", "highly experienced", "outstanding", "competent", "recognized", "affiliated", "updated", "distinctive", or "beautiful" type of profile to show to the respective "clientele" or yoga enthusiasts who might be interested to take up yoga courses, yoga classes or yoga exercise classes at this yoga school or with this yoga teacher.

There is nothing wrong with this universal worldly idea and practice in the process of getting a "product" and promoting a "product". Just that, all these "identifications" that identify with certain qualities of names and forms has nothing to do with the practice of yoga and meditation, or the realization of the Truth, or the propagation of Dharma, which is about annihilation of ignorance and egoism, realization of selflessness, fearlessness, oneness, namelessness, formlessness, compassion and wisdom, and transcend suffering, birth and death.

As liberation, or selflessness, or compassion, or realization of the Truth, is undetermined by all these qualities of names and forms that consist of worldly minded business marketing standards, ideas and strategies, qualifications, certifications, affiliations, achievements, past experiences, excellent and extensive services.

All these identifications with qualities of names and forms are irrelevant to what yoga is, or the teachings and practice of yoga, or the realization of yoga, or the beings who learn, practice and realize yoga, or the liberated beings who share the wisdom of yoga with other beings.

Here are some examples of a common profile of most yoga schools and "professional" yoga teachers who provide yoga courses, yoga classes, or yoga exercise classes :-

"Want to teach yoga? Want to be certified as an internationally affiliated and recognized yoga teacher? Come to us, let our professional yoga teachers trainers to train you to be a qualified professional yoga teacher and be certified and recognized internationally"

"Our yoga school is a Yoga Alliance 200 Hour & 500 Hour Registered Yoga School."

"Our yoga school has been established for how long."

"I am a Yoga Alliance 200 Hour & 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher."

"I have been practicing and teaching yoga for how many years."

"I have been to such and such yoga schools."

"I had learned and graduated under such and such yoga teachers and gurus."

"I have attained such and such qualifications and certifications recognized and issued by such and such organizations, or alliances, or affiliations."

"I am a qualified and certified yoga teacher, I teach such and such types of yoga classes."

"The type of yoga classes and practice that I teach will give you such and such benefits and results."

"I am an advance yoga practitioner and yoga teacher, I practice and teach advance yoga."

"I am experienced, knowledgeable and well-trained yoga teacher. Come to my yoga class. I teach you yoga. I teach you yoga exercises."

"I have how many years of teaching experiences."

"I have taught yoga classes in such and such (creditable) yoga schools."

"I am a good, happy, healthy, experienced, knowledgeable, fit, strong and flexible yogi and yoga teacher."

And so on...

There is nothing wrong with all these worldly thinking, ideas, qualities and identifications, and most people want or need to see all these qualities to find what they believe is a "good" and "reliable" yoga school or yoga teacher, that will give them what they want after they have paid some fees to be getting something that they are looking for. As well as most yoga schools and yoga teachers also think and believe that they need to have such qualities to convince themselves and the world that they are experienced, qualified, knowledgeable and good enough to give or provide some forms of services, courses or classes to those who pay them some fees for some services or results in return.

But, yoga is nothing to do with all these worldly image or identifications, or worldly ideas of marketing strategies, business exchange of services and achieving results.

All these names and forms have no meanings or values for beings who truly practice yoga and meditation to transcend suffering, egoism, ignorance, names and forms.

Who is being there to identified with all these qualities of names and forms, to acknowledge ourselves and others that "this" is who I am, what I am, what I do, and what I can give you?

Those who had realized selflessness, who have gone beyond the qualities of names and forms, who are free from egoism, and who can guide anybody towards selflessness from their own direct experience and realization, out of compassion, undetermined nor limited by any worldly individuals or organizations to qualified or certified them to be sharing love, peace, compassion and wisdom with anybody, without intention, without identification, without discrimination, without attachment, they are not determined nor limited by any qualities of names and forms, nor will they strengthen the worldly ideas and attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, when the basic teaching and practice of yoga and meditation is to go beyond all these qualities of names and forms, and realize selflessness, namelessness and formlessness.

Those who are suffering, and are determined to be free from suffering, they will either meet the teacher, or the teacher will come to them naturally, when the time is right, to guide them, to show them the way. And the teacher is not necessary in a form of human beings who bear the title of "experienced, qualified and certified yoga teacher".

Everything else is just a play of some worldly ideas and egoistic desires.

The Truth or Dharma, is always here as it is. It doesn't belong to anyone or any organizations. It is not limited in yoga schools, yoga courses, yoga classes or yoga teachers. It's not tradable nor exchangeable. It can't be sold nor be bought. It is whether we realize it, or not.

Om shanti.

Do our best for ourselves and the world, but without attachment towards our actions and the fruit of actions

When we start to connect with the reality that is beyond our own mind's beliefs, habits, imaginations and expectations, we won't want to waste any efforts or energy in debates, arguments, justifications, or criticism. We will only do our best for ourselves and the world, and appreciate the present moment now as it is, without expecting or try to change the reality to be something that we think it should be.

As the ego shrinks and melts away, who is there to feel being challenged or insulted by who and what? Who is there to agree or disagree with the reality? Who is there to feel disappointed, dissatisfied, angry, hurt, fear and worry?

All the thinking patterns, beliefs, habits, reactions, expectations of the mind are conditioned by ceaseless inputs or programming from the beginning of the forming of this body and mind.

We hold on to all these 'conditioned and egoistic-based thinking and beliefs' to be who we are, and we believe 'that' is who we are, with lots of different qualities that are impermanent, and not in our control at all. We are not able to see the Truth that lies beyond all the names and forms, and the function of the body and the mind, or life existence.

Buddha never mentioned anything about 'God' or 'the creator of the universe'.

It wasn't about whether he realized there was or wasn't a 'God'. He didn't need to talk about 'God'. He didn't need to justify about the Truth, nor needed to argue with anyone as all the minds are being conditioned by different thinking, beliefs, habits, behaviors or reactions.

If someone believes there is a 'God', let him be. If someone believes there is no 'God', let him be. It is their own freedom and choice what they want to believe or not. Why want to control or change others about how they should think and believe? Everyone needs to control their own mind, not controlled by somebody else, not even 'God'. Why? Because if 'God' can control everyone's mind, and 'God' is almighty, all loving and compassionate, then there shouldn't be evil minds or suffering minds exist in the world. Right?

Buddha didn't try to influence anyone with certain ideas or beliefs, nor tried to implant any ideas or beliefs in people's mind, nor tried to convert anyone's mind to abandon their old beliefs and to take up new beliefs, but allowed everyone to explore, and to find out the Truth by themselves. And the Truth is not a belief. It is reality of what things really are, as they are.

The teacher doesn't need to tell us 'This is the Truth', nor 'make sure' that everyone will believe in 'that Truth', but the teacher only shows us the way towards realization of the Truth. There is no need arguments, judgments, expectations, or criticism about anything.

The teacher cannot purify our mind for us. The teacher cannot control our mind for us. The enlightened teacher is of no use to anyone who refuses to purify the mind, to let go of the ego and the attachment towards impermanent qualities of names and forms.

Not even the one whom we believe as a great teacher, whom we have the opportunity to come in contact with in this lifetime, can take away the ignorance in us, nor can remove the egoism in us, nor can free us from suffering that derived from ignorance, attachment, egoism, impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, pride, arrogance, disappointment, dissatisfaction, fear and worry.

Maybe someone can comfort us for a few moments by showing us loving kindness, but not everyone will appreciate loving kindness from anyone, nor will this loving kindness can remove the root cause of suffering or ignorance from us. The moment we are free from suffering is because we have let go of our ego in that moment, we stop resisting or rejecting the reality that we don't like and don't agree with. We start to allow the reality to be what it is, not necessarily the way that we think it should be, or the way that we like it to be. Just like going for a good massage session can give us some relief of physical and mental tension, but it doesn't stop us from continue generating tension into the body and mind due to attachment in everyday life.

No one can take away our ego for us, or else everyone is already free from egoism, and there's no more unhappiness, discrimination or hatred in the world, if one can remove the ego from another being. As there were great saints and sages in the past, and there are many great beings in the world who are wise and compassionate. If they can remove the root cause of suffering, or egoism, or ignorance from other people, they already did so.

And hence, there's no difference between a 'good' or 'bad' teacher. There's no difference between having a teacher or not. All the experiences or perceptions of impermanent names and forms, or the objects of the senses, they all are our Dharma teachers. But due to deep rooted ignorance, we just don't learn anything from all these teachers. Maybe or not, we might learn about letting go of the ego and attachment when we experience extreme suffering or disappointment. But sometimes even if we experience great suffering and disappointment, we still don't learn anything.

We think we need an enlightened or perfect human being to be our teacher, and expect this teacher will help us to be liberated from suffering. But, no one can liberate us from suffering. It is the result of our own self-realization about the Truth.

The teacher can be right beside us all the time, but it is still our own effort and determination to purify our mind, to control our mind, and to be free from ignorance, attachment, egoism and impurities.

It doesn't matter how much teachings coming from the teacher through actions and speech, or how much teachings we have read from many books, it still depends on our own effort, self-discipline and determination in letting go of attachment and the ego. Reading many thousands of books, and attending many yoga and meditation courses doesn't remove the egoism in us, in fact it might empowered our ego, pride and arrogance for being so knowledgeable and have read so many books. Neither being knowledgeable will free us from anger, hatred, jealousy, pride, arrogance, disappointment, dissatisfaction, hurts, fear and worry.

We can be very 'knowledgeable' and know about lots of things about this and that, by hearing, seeing, reading and experiencing, still it doesn't guarantee us peace and happiness. As knowing the Truth is different from knowing many things. We are constantly disturbed by our own egoism reacts towards what we experience through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. We attached strongly onto what our mind believes what things are and have agreements and disagreements, and generate strong aversion towards what our mind disagrees with, and thus, generate anger and hatred towards people, ideas, beliefs and things that our mind disagrees with. We are not peaceful, even though we are very knowledgeable, as we have strong attachment towards all these knowledge to be who we are.

It's because peace and compassion is not attained through all these activities, or experiences, or knowledge. A person can be illiterate, not knowing how to read and write, but still can develop insights through introspection, and it won't determine this person cannot be peaceful and compassionate. Being literate doesn't guarantee peace and compassion. If being literate can give us peace and compassion, then there won't be unhappiness and suffering in the people who can read and write.

It is non-attachment towards all these mind activities or perception of names and forms, and allowing the reality to be what it is, whether it is something very pleasant and agreeable to us, or it is something very unpleasant or disagreeable to us. We are not disturbed, nor determined by all the pleasant and unpleasant experiences. There's no craving or clinging onto the pleasant experiences. There's no aversion towards the unpleasant experiences. And allow everything to go through impermanent changes.

While living in the world as we are, we do our best in performing all our duties and responsibilities, appreciating everyone and everything that come in contact with us, without attachment towards all these relationships and things. Make good use of the knowledge that we have, without being determined by these knowledge to be who we are. Make good use of the good conditions that we have, our talents, physical and mental abilities to perform actions to benefit ourselves and the world, but without attachment towards all the actions and the fruit of actions. Being free, undetermined by all the impermanent qualities of names and forms.

Many people paid lots of money going here and there, attending many yoga classes, courses and retreats, but that doesn't guarantee them liberation, or peace. We can give the teachers some fees, it doesn't matter 'a little' or 'a lot', but the teacher cannot sell us 'the Truth', liberation, peace and happiness.

To have a yoga studio, or a centre, or a classroom, to be conducting or to run classes or courses, there will be some costs involved to maintain the place, and to run any courses or classes. There will be some fees or donations involved to support and to maintain a place that provides some convenient facilities for everyone to get together for a class or a course.

Yoga and meditation is not a business that we can buy or sell. But to organize a course to allow the teacher and the students to come together in a place with certain facilities cannot avoid some costing. To 'transport' a teacher from a place to another place to give courses, there will be some expenses involved. But the fees that we paid to attend any yoga courses doesn't buy us liberation, peace and happiness.

The Truth, peace and happiness is always here. It is the nature of everyone. No one can give us peace and happiness. No one can take away that peace and happiness from us. It cannot be destroyed or damaged. It never increase nor decrease. It doesn't have a beginning nor an end. It is beyond birth and death, existence and non-existence.

Some people don't mind paying money for buying the particular brand of bags, shoes, accessories and clothing that they like, paying for attending parties or social functions once every few days, enjoy eating and drinking, paying for dopes, paying for holidays once in a while, paying for buying the latest phone or camera, paying for furnitures in their home, paying for their higher education, but they reluctant to pay a yoga teacher certain amount of fees for attending yoga classes or courses to support the teacher's living and to maintain the yoga school, as they think yoga should be free to everyone, or should not be paying 'that much' to learn yoga, and no one should get profits out of teaching yoga practice to other people. They think yoga teachers should get a paid job, or beg for charity on the streets to support their living and to maintain the yoga school, and should not take money from teaching yoga classes for living.

Anyway, yoga and Dharma can be shared at anywhere and anytime. It's not necessarily has to be in a yoga school, or centre, or classroom that requires manpower and financial support and maintenance.

If we have strong self-discipline and determination, we don't need a yoga teacher and we don't need to attend yoga classes or courses at yoga school or yoga centre, to learn about yoga, or to be practicing yoga. As when the time is right, we will meet the teacher, and this teacher can be anything. If we think we need to have a teacher, then find the one and only greatest teacher who resides in us all the time. There's no 'fees' involved.

Here is something to be contemplating upon -
Those who have lots of money and strength are not necessarily rich and strong, neither should they be the one who gives, and don't receive anything. Those who have very little or no money and have no strength are not necessarily poor and weak, neither should they be the one who receives, and cannot give anything.

If we think and believe that the rich and strong people should be the one who gives, and receives nothing, and the poor and weak people should be the one who receives, and gives nothing.

Think again...

Om shanti.

Yoga courses or classes is not a business trading object or service that we can sell or buy, even if there is some fees involved...

If we went to an Ashram or a yoga school and found that it is a very good place with good teachers, convenient facilities and conducive environment for learning and practicing yoga, naturally without the people in the Ashram or yoga school asked us to recommend the Ashram or the yoga school to anyone, and without any intention to expect any kind of incentive in return, we will recommend other people who are interested in learning and practicing yoga to go there, but we will never ask for any commission from the Ashram or yoga school for us to do this, nor will we ask for any discounted fees for ourselves to be taking courses there.

As yoga or yoga courses is not a business trading object. It is not like because we like the service from a massage spa centre and we are motivated to recommend it to other people, but we expect the massage spa centre to give us some commission in return or expect them to give us special rate on our future visits for their services. Then this action of recommending something good to other people is not genuine anymore. There are selfish motives or intention behind the action of recommendation, even though it is something good.

We never went to a massage spa near our yoga studio. But due to many of our retreat guests went there before, and had very nice experience, we would recommend it to any other of our guests who ask for recommendation for a good massage spa. We never received any commission from the massage spa centre for us to recommending so many people to go there for massage. We never intend to ask any commission from them, nor do we expect them to recommend anyone to come to us for yoga retreats, nor expect them to give us some sort of discounted rate for us to use any of their services. We recommend it because it has good reputation. If it has bad reputation, we won't be recommend it to anyone, even if they want to give us commission or discount. We do not ask nor expect anything in return for recommending something good to anybody.

If we are looking for some sorts of commission or discounted fees from the Ashram or yoga school by recommending people to go there, as we think that yoga and yoga courses is like a business trading object or service, then we don't really know what yoga is about (even though we have been practicing 'yoga' for a long time). We had no idea what is the yoga practice about selfless service, compassion, loving kindness, generosity, true charity, non-attachment, intention-less, non-expectation and renounce the fruit of action.

It is great virtue and merit for anyone to be supporting an Ashram or yoga school to run yoga courses or classes, to allow other people to be learning and sharing the greatness of yoga, provided that if they give their supports without attachment, without expectation towards any rewards or incentives in return.

An Ashram, or a yoga school doesn't sell yoga, or wisdom, or compassion, or peace, or liberation. They can only provide teachers, teachings, disciplines, schedule or program, methods, guidance, supports, facilities and conveniences to the people to be learning and practicing yoga. It is up to the people's own responsibility, discipline, effort and sincere practice, to realize or attain yoga, or wisdom, or compassion, or peace, or liberation.

The fees or donations from the people is not a business exchange of selling and buying a product or service, but mainly to support the cost or expenses that couldn't be avoided in providing such courses, facilities, conveniences and environment to allow ourselves and other people to be learning and practicing yoga and become our own teacher. At the same time we also provide some supports to the teachers who need to support their own living and perform their own practice. What a great merit, even if we do not greed for attaining any merits by performing great virtue.

I never asked for any discounted rate for the fees of the yoga courses in the Ashram or from any other yoga schools when I didn't have enough money to pay for the total expenses in the beginning, including course fee, flight ticket and visa fees, and my parents living and medical expenses. But I didn't worry, and the money came to me on time when I needed it for paying all the expenses to go to the Ashram in India to learn and practice yoga. As I know yoga or the 'fees' for the yoga courses is not something to be negotiate nor trade about. It is not like we paid some money to a hotel for a hotel room, and expect certain types of service that worth 'how much we had paid' in return.

If we don't have strong self-discipline to follow the tight schedule and curriculum, if we don't have will-power and determination to forbear any difficulties or discomforts physically, mentally, or emotionally that arise in the process of purification, we will give up easily, or drop out and not finishing the course, no matter how much money we had paid for the course or it is a free course.

Especially in real yoga practice about eliminating the egoism is really not a very pleasant experience, it's not like going to a spa massage which is about paying for a service that will give us momentary enjoyment and pleasant experiences, but it doesn't help us to eliminate the egoism, craving and aversion, but in fact, it is empowering them.

Attending 'real' yoga courses is not about chasing after pleasant experiences, or learning to do a few challenging yoga asana poses. It is about letting go of craving towards pleasant experiences and aversion towards unpleasant experiences. It's about letting go of pride and arrogance towards what we think we know about ourselves and things. It's about letting go of what our mind believes what things are. There will be lots of discomforts and aversion manifested physically, mentally and emotionally during the purification process of eliminating the egoism, impurities and ignorance.

If we are able to forbear and withstand all these discomfortable manifestations that arise in our yoga and meditation practice, and be determined to continue the practice until we realize the truth, we will realize the unconditional joy and peace that comes from realizing the truth of things and ourselves, and being free from attachment, ignorance and egoism, craving and aversion, cause and effect, birth and death. There's no fear and worry, anger and hatred, pride and arrogance, dissatisfaction and disappointment, hurtful thinking and feelings, or painful sorrow and suffering.

If our yoga students or retreat guests feel that the yoga courses or retreats were very good for them even though they had to forbear some discomforts during the course, and naturally recommending the yoga courses or retreats to other people, not because with the intention to bring us more 'business', and not because with the intention to get some incentive, commission or discount, but to allow other people to be sharing something really meaningful, then this type of recommendation is welcome.

If somebody says to us, "I love your yoga course/retreat. I will write you a very good review about my experience in your yoga course/retreat, and recommend other people to come to your place, but how much commission or discount can you give me in return?" We will tell them, we don't need 'good' reviews that are not genuinely coming from the heart, nor interested in advertising the yoga courses or retreats to bring in more 'business'.

You may read the story about why and how I went to India to learn and practice yoga with this link - http://mengfoonglai.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-life-stories-part-6.html

Om shanti.

Yogi? Guru? Yoga schools? Ashrams?

A (real) yogi is not determined by all the qualities of names and forms, nor to be judged by their actions and speech, personality or behavior, physical conditions or appearances, attires or accessories, actions or inactions...

If anyone try to look out for a yogi, or try to identify a yogi, and start looking at all these qualities of names and forms to judge and determine whether this or that being is a yogi or not, or is a "good" yogi or not, then we will never find it...

The real search is to realize the "yogi" in ourselves... It is not looking out to see who is yogi and who is not... It is finding or realizing the highest teacher in us, and it's not looking for teachers from the outside to set as an example, or to give us a lift, or to motivate us, or to enlighten us, for us to realize what we are here for.

That is what yoga practice is about. It is for us to realize the attributeless selflessness unconditioned by the qualities of names and forms, in us, beyond our egoistic thinking mind, conditioned and limited physical body, impermanent physical conditions and abilities, appearances, features, shapes, colours, language, personality, characteristic, actions and inactions, short lived or long lived, being in solitude or being among the world, real or unreal, where all are nothing but impermanent and selfless names and forms arising and passing away, governed by the nature law of cause and effect...

Real yoga practice is not necessarily to be found and learned from some other people (so called yoga teachers, or Gurus, or yogis), or from yoga schools, or from Ashrams. The entire (timeless) teachings of yoga is already within us, as the nature of all is identical with the universal selfless consciousness... This is the fundamental essential teachings of yoga. Before the realization of selflessness, our higher pure Self will guide the impure lower self when the time is right. And when the lower self is purified (the ego is eliminated) and it becomes one with the higher Self, there is no more separation or duality. There is no pure or impure self, higher or lower self, teacher or student, inferiority or superiority, good or evil, wise or ignorant, selfish or unselfish...

All the pleasant and unpleasant experiences through this body and mind, of whatever we feel, see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think, are our Gurus. When we experience suffering and painful sorrow, when we experience selfless impermanent changes, that is where the teachings and practice is. We don't need to ask somebody else to inflict pain or suffering onto us, for us to learn about something or to realize about the universal Truth of Selflessness and Impermanence. Our own ignorant impure egoistic mind itself is the origin of all sorts of pain and suffering.

It is not about looking out at other beings, trying to find out, or judge, or determine each and everyone as good beings or bad beings, as saintly beings or evil beings, as selfish beings or unselfish beings, as enlightened beings or ignorant beings, as compassionate beings or discompassionate beings, as yogi or not yogi, as pure yogi or impure yogi, as Guru or not Guru, as real Guru or fake Guru, as yoga teacher or not yoga teacher, as good yoga teacher or bad yoga teacher, and so on...

Look within. That is the only real and pure yogi, Guru, Ashram, yoga teacher, yoga teachings, yoga practice that we can rely on...

Take care of our own mind, our own actions and speech, why be bothered or be disturbed by other people's mind, their actions and their speech?

Om shanti.

Develop self yoga practice outside of yoga classes or yoga centres, beyond names and forms, time and space...

Real yoga practice starts in our own home, in our every moment living space. We should be able to develop self-practice at home, at work, at play, during holiday, being alone or being with somebody, when we are busy or when we are free, because yoga is not to be found only in yoga classes or yoga centres, but in our everyday living space, not separated from our everyday life experiences. Yoga practice is in our heart, in our living space, in our work place, in our playground, on the street, in the shopping malls, in the nature, in the world, wherever our awareness is, in this present moment...

Yoga practice is there when our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind come in contact with the objects of the senses, where the perception of names and forms and qualities begins, where judgment and comparison of good and bad begins, where craving and aversion towards what we like and dislike, agree and disagree, want and don't want begins, where impurities arising and passing away... Every moment purifying our mind, and letting go of the ego...

And yoga practice is not just limited in doing some yoga asana exercises... It's about dispassion, detachment, self-control and self-independence, which are found in our every moment of existence and awareness, unlimited by names and forms, time and space...

What stop us from having self asana practice at home, is self-discipline... It's not about limited space or having distractions from other people who live in the same house, or distractions from all sorts of comforts, enjoyments, interactions and inputs from TV, phones, Internet access, emails, facebook, neighbours and friends, and etc... Even in the tiny space in the kitchen or in the hallway can also be our practice ground... It is an excuse, if we say there is no space in our house for asana practice... If we are really determined, we can let go of the space for the TV or the couch, and make room for a space for our practice...

If everyday we can give ourselves a few moments to be away from Internet access (emailing or chatting or blogging or facebooking), not watching TV, not listening to radio or music, switch off the phone, not reading novels, magazines or newspapers, not talking, not socializing, not speculating or planning anything, not try to do something, just be in the present moment, whether sitting, or lying, or standing, or walking, observe our mind, our thoughts, observe our body and mind's reactions for being restricted, observe our natural breath, no need to perform any asana exercises, no need to have a specific space for any physical practice, letting go of what we think we cannot let go, letting go of all the identifications with what we think who we are, not try to be somebody, not try to be good or bad, not looking for peace and happiness, and those are the great moments of yoga practice...

There is nothing wrong with practicing yoga under a teacher's guidance and doing yoga practice under instructions in yoga classes provided by yoga centres and yoga schools... Especially for those who have no idea what is yoga and what are the practices...

If we think we cannot practice yoga at home, and need to be in a yoga class or yoga centre to practice "yoga", so that we can be temporary move away from our life and duties, so that we can do what we are told to do, depending or relying on the yoga teacher to give us instructions on what to do now and what to do next, then we still haven't connected with the real yoga practice yet, even though everyday, or a few times weekly or monthly we spend 1 or 2 hours in yoga classes in yoga centres, following the instructions of the yoga teacher, doing some "yoga practices"...

If we still need to depend or rely on yoga teachers to give us instructions to be practicing yoga, or rely on the teacher to tell us are we "good" or "not good", or depending on the space in a yoga studio to provide a suitable space for us to practice yoga, even though after years and years of going to yoga classes, then know that we are not getting any further than where we were from the start, even though physically and mentally we are getting some benefits from doing all the physical yoga exercises in the yoga classes, and our body and mind feels great after the yoga classes. We might be practicing yoga for many years but we are still not really peaceful, we are not free from being over-powered by low self-esteem, craving and aversion, anger and disappointment, fear and worries...

It's because we are still attached to the body and mind, still identifying with the body and mind looking for pleasant sensations and good feelings coming from the yoga exercises... There is nothing wrong with this idea of "in love with doing yoga exercises for getting good feelings and pleasant sensations", but know that this is also a form of attachment and craving... Once we don't get to do some yoga exercises, our body and mind feels bad and being agitated... We should learn to go beyond attachment towards the momentary conditional pleasantness coming from doing yoga exercises.

Anyone, after going for some yoga classes learning from yoga teachers, we should be able to develop self-practice already. It is about developing inner observation, self-awareness, self-discipline and non-attachment...

If after many years of learning and practicing "yoga" in yoga classes or yoga centres, and still cannot have self-practice without being in yoga classes or yoga studios, without getting instructions from yoga teachers, then obviously we didn't learn anything at all in those years of "learning" and "practicing" yoga...

No doubts that even there are many yoga teachers still have to go to other people's classes, continue in attending courses after courses, upgrading and improving themselves in all aspects, because we are not "free" yet, we are still learning and being humble, and want to improve in our own practice and our teaching skill... This is nothing wrong... But no matter how many classes and courses that we have attended, it all comes back to our own self-practice and self-realization that derived from self-discipline, self-control and self-awareness that will free us from ignorance, the cause of restlessness and unpeacefulness and be free...

Only in those who are already free, all actions ceased... There's no "teaching", no "learning", no "practicing", even though the actions of teaching, learning and practicing are there... There's no more differences or separateness between actions and inactions...

If there is no "pain", do we still need to do something to remove "pain"?

If our sense of well-being or self-worth or confidence or happiness is coming from how successful we can perform the asana poses that we couldn't perform before, or how many yoga asana poses that we can perform, or how good we look and feel while performing the asana poses, or how good we look and feel after performing the asana poses, or how much we are benefited from the asana poses physically, mentally and emotionally, then we are still a great distance away from our true Self... It indicates that we are identified with the body and mind, and is identified as the doer and the enjoyer of the actions and inactions generated by the body and mind...

We are not the body, we are not the mind. The body is not us, the mind is not us. The thinking, the sensations, the feelings are not us. We are not the thinking, the sensations, the feelings...

We are neither the doer nor the enjoyer of all the actions and inactions... There is neither gain nor loss...

Om shanti.