Meditation?

When we are 'stuck' at somewhere (at home, or else where), no matter due to any reasons (sickness, injuries, storm, riot, haze, and etc), when our physical body and our mind is being restricted in a certain situation or condition, that's the great opportunity or moment for us to contemplate or meditate on the truth, be aware of the reality in the present moment now, and accepting the reality as it is, without generate craving towards something that is not here, that our mind likes. Without generate aversion towards something that is here, that our mind doesn't like...

Meditation is rendering the mind turning inward, quieting the mind or thought waves, refraining it from running out chasing after names and forms. It's not about looking outside at all the names and forms, colours and shapes, concrete buildings, or beautiful forest or scenery, and generate thoughts of likes and dislikes, wants and don't wants towards all these perceptions of names and forms.

Meditation is not only can be practiced in a beautiful nature, or in a quiet environment, or in a meditation retreat centre, or in an Ashram, but it is everywhere and every moment where our awareness is.

It's being aware of the reality of the present moment now, and accepting the reality as it is, not necessarily the way that we like it to be, free from attachment, identification, desire, judgment and expectation.

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.

Elimination of the egoism requires great forbearance, determination and perseverance...

To make the mind happy is not very difficult, we just need to give the mind what it desires, likes and wants. But the mind seems like always dissatisfied and greedy. Its desires, likes and wants are endless.

To let go of the identification with the egoistic mind that is swaying between craving and aversion all the time, and to eliminate egoism (realizing selflessness, and unconditional love and peace), is not as easy as making the mind happy. In fact, the mind will experience extreme pain and discomfort in the process of letting go of attachment. There will be great aversion and resistance coming from the mind (the ego).

It really takes great amount of patience, perseverance, determination, will-power, non-judgment, non-comparison, non-expectation, self-discipline, self-control, self-introspection, humility, acceptance, adjustment, accommodation, adaptation, cheerfulness, faith and courage, for us to realize unconditional peace and love.

Adequate amount of discrimination of the real and the unreal, and dispassion towards worldly objects and enjoyments are also very important.

Truly, if we attached strongly towards what our mind is being conditioned to believe what things are (being closed minded), and are strongly rooted in ignorance, dualism and egoism (self-righteousness - having strong aversion and hatred towards what is contradicted and different from our own beliefs), even though we would like to learn and practice yoga, but when we go deeper into this path of eliminating the egoism, to realize unconditional peace and love through yoga and meditation practice, it is like drinking extreme bitter medicine. It is not a pleasant experience.

It is a process of self-destruction of the lower impure self (the egoism). There will be lots of struggles and topples. If we don't have strong self-discipline, forbearance, will-power or determination, we might give up yoga and meditation practice, and would rather chase after momentary satisfaction that comes from keeps giving the mind what it likes and wants.

The easier path to eliminate the egoism is Karma yoga (selfless service without attachment towards the action and the fruit of action) and Bhakti yoga (complete surrender or devotion towards the highest consciousness). But even so, obstacles may arise to test our faith, forbearance and perseverance.

The truth is not coming from intellectual analyzing, thinking or beliefs. It is being aware of the reality of things as they are, when ignorance and egoism is removed, when the mind is calm and free from impurities. Just like a still and clean mirror will reflect the image of the object placed in front of it as it is. If the mirror (the mind) is shaking (desires, craving and aversion, action and reaction) and dirty (impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, fear and worry, etc), then the image of the object appears on the mirror will be distorted.

There are many people really love and enjoy the 'effects' of the yoga asana practice, but there is also intense fear and aversion in us in letting go of the ego, or the worldly identification as 'I'. We are reluctant to let go of what we think who we are. We are afraid of losing this 'I' and all that belongs to 'I'. Just like all living beings have fear towards death and the unknown, the ego has fear towards self-extinction.

Those who can forbear any obstacles, difficulties and discomforts, and know that only by destroying the lower impure self (the egoism), we will then be truly free being who we really are, as we are, not because 'I' am somebody with such and such qualities, will persist in the practice and reach the end of practice. All kinds of fear and dissatisfaction will disappear, due to the presence of wisdom and compassion, when the veil of ignorance is removed along with the extinction of egoism.

As now, who we think we are (the ego), is being conditioned and determined by our worldly self-image, physical appearance, physical condition and abilities, social status, material belongings, relationships with family and friends, career, as well as the conditioned and limited perceptions of names and forms, knowledge, thinking, culture, religion and beliefs in the mind, to be who we are.

All these objects and qualities are conditioned and limited by impermanence, ignorance and impurities. It is non-satisfactory and emptiness in its nature. Even though occasionally we will feel good, satisfied and happy when we give the mind what it likes and wants, but due to attachment towards all these impermanent qualities to be who we are, we are full of pride and arrogance, fear and worry, greed and dissatisfaction, anger and hatred, frustration and disappointment, restlessness, craving and aversion, action and reaction that are bound by cause and effect, or Karma, or birth and death.

In the end , it is up to ourselves about what we really want with this life existence. Maybe we just want to enjoy life as much as we can, and are not interested about transcending suffering, birth and death. That's our choice and our own responsibility. If we don't want to let go of the self-identification that has a worldly image with certain qualities of who we think we are, then be happy, and continue to be that 'person'.

If we are getting tired of the restless and dissatisfied egoistic mind, being aware of the fleeting impermanence or emptiness in worldly objects, the body and the mind, and realizing all our 'problems' and 'suffering' is derived from egoism, ignorance and attachment, craving and aversion, action and reaction, and thus, we are determined to realize something that is real and unconditional, then we shall persist in our yoga and meditation practice until we are free from ignorance and egoism, transcend the body and mind, birth and death.

Om shanti.

Teaching yoga, neither good nor bad...

The truth is the same, no matter we realize the truth from which type of yoga practice or meditation techniques. It doesn't matter if it was realized by some beings in many thousands years ago, or if it is realized by some beings in this very moment. It's the same egolessness, wisdom and compassion in all beings.

There is a slight difference, when we haven't realize the truth yet, but we teach yoga according to the truth or the teachings that we have heard from attending some yoga teachers training courses or yoga classes, or from yoga books that we have read, or when we teach yoga from what we have realized through our own effort from our own practice.

When we realized the truth by ourselves, it is the same as the truth as the other beings had realized. There's no separateness nor contradiction when we realized our true nature as it is, nameless and formless, beginningless and endless, birthless and deathless, attributeless and non-separateness. Unless we thought we had realized the truth, but we haven't really realize the truth yet.

If we really had realized the truth as it is, and realized wisdom and compassion, all kinds of fear and worry disappears. Restlessness and dissatisfaction disappears. Anger and hatred disappears. Craving and aversion disappears. All doubts and afflictions disappears. All these impurities doesn't exist in the presence of wisdom and compassion. They can only manifest themselves when wisdom and compassion is absent. And so, if we are still not free from all these impurities yet, then know that we still need to keep practice until we are completely free from all these impurities, or realize wisdom and compassion.

Some might can memorize most of the teachings from hearing, reading, learning and studying, and some may not have good memory towards what he or she had heard or read, learned or studied, but when come to practical experiences in everyday life condition and situation, whether our mind is free from attachment and will stay calm, uninfluenced and undetermined by the qualities of names and forms, be free from craving and aversion, anger and hatred, fear and worry, that will be a complete different story that is nothing to do with how much we know in our mind.

As knowing the truth of things and knowing many things is a different story.

One is knowing the truth and share with other beings, and the other one is borrowing the teachings and share with other beings. Even though there's a difference, but it is still sharing a great wisdom (whether realized or borrowed) with many other beings. And sometimes the teacher has not realized the truth yet, but the students might realize the truth through their own practice according to the teachings they learn from the teacher.

But that's the greatest part of it.

It is not about the teacher has to realize the truth before the students, nor the teacher gets any priority or superiority than the students. All are equal beings, all are the students of Dharma or Dhamma, striving to eliminate the ego and ignorance. The teacher will realize his or her own ego during the action of teaching. The students will realize their ego during the action of learning. One compliments one another, and is helping each other to eliminate the ego, without intention nor expectation.

The teacher who is not free yet, doesn't need to feel low confident nor feel bad, as this is nothing wrong at all, as long as the teacher knows that he or she is not perfect yet, and is humble to learn and be sincere in his or her own practice while sharing with other beings to walk the path of liberation together.

But, if the teacher is not free yet, but with the ego thinks himself or herself is knowing more than the students without being aware of his or her own pride and arrogance, and expect the students to 'behave' in certain ways, and to 'response' to his or her teaching accordingly, then there'll be some problems might arise.

But again, it is all a learning process for both the students and the teacher. The students actually will learn a lots from practicing under a teacher who is not perfect yet, and learn about action and reaction of the mind, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements coming from the ego. They will learn and realize about non-attachment, non-judgment, non-expectation, egolessness and compassion, through his or her own observation towards his or her own mind reactions towards the teacher's imperfection.

The teacher's realization has nothing to do with the student's realization. Same as the student's realization is nothing to do with the teacher's realization. Everyone is responsible for their own realization. A liberated teacher doesn't guarantee all his or her students will be liberated. A teacher who is not free yet, won't stop the students from attaining liberation.

In the beginning, Buddha had many different teachers, and some of them might not completely free yet then, but that didn't stop Buddha from realizing the truth. As everyone and everything is our teacher. It is not limited in a liberated being in human form. And the greatest teacher above all, is our own Self.

Buddha was liberated, but he never intended and couldn't make other beings to be liberated. He was peaceful and was free from suffering, but he couldn't make other beings peaceful, nor could he make other beings suffering to disappear.

That's why there is no good or bad teachers, nor good or bad students. Everyone is here to help each other to evolve, to transform, to be free from our own egoism and ignorance.

Om shanti.

Strength and Flexibility?

The greatest strength and flexibility is realizing the truth of our true nature, which is wisdom and the unconditional love or compassion, which also manifested, or can be found or seen in patience, tolerance, perseverance, determination, forbearance, forgiveness, adaptation, accommodation, adjustment, acceptance, non-violence, non-hatred, non-discrimination, non-judgment, non-expectation, non-attachment, non-possessiveness, non-dualism, non-separateness, namelessness and formlessness, egolessness or selflessness, beyond the identification as 'I' and all the mind perceptions with all the different qualities of names and forms.

This can be illustrated as being free from egoism or ignorance, or being free from craving and aversion, or being free from all the impurities and restlessness, or being free from desires of want and don't want, or being free from fear and worry, or being free from anger and hatred, or being free from being conditioned by the mind and the perception of names and forms through the senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking.

Realize this real strength and flexibility, there is even no need to forbear nor to endure anything that the mind thinks or believes as 'bad', 'negative', or 'suffering'. There's no longing nor clinging onto what the mind thinks or believes as 'good', 'positive', or 'happiness'. As in truth, all the perceptions of good and bad, positive and negative, happiness and suffering, they don't really exist at all. It is all manifested in the mind itself and will dissolve in the mind itself once the mind realizes its true nature, which is nameless and formless, attributeless, beginningless and endless, birthless and deathless.

The optimum physical strength and flexibility that we can attain through this physical body cannot be compared to this real strength and flexibility that allow us to be existing and living in this world of names and forms, but being able to 'forbear' and 'withstand' any 'difficult' and 'discomfortable' conditions and situations, and being unaffected, undisturbed, uninfluenced, undetermined by all these names and forms, but able to fully utilize this life existence, or the body and mind, to be performing some beneficial actions for all beings, but knowing that everything is impermanent, there is no attachment at all towards all the actions being performed and the fruit of the action.

There's no disappointment nor depression about "Why bother and waste energy in performing actions, as everything is impermanent, everything will come to an end?"

In Buddhism, the monks spend lots of time, doing 'something' occupying the mind with 'something', so that the mind doesn't have spare 'space' or 'room' for any 'evil' thinking, or speculation, or imagination, or projection. As the mind is being restrained to be in the present moment on the physical actions being performed.

Same as when we perform yoga asana practice, it is not so much about gaining some physical or mental benefits from spending some time and energy doing the practice, but mostly it's to engage the body and mind in some wholesome activities, as there are energy in the body and mind that needs to be directed to 'somewhere'. At the same time, refraining the body and mind from some unwholesome activities while engaging in the yoga asana practice. And that itself is a great purification process for the mind, as well as it is benefiting the whole world of life existence, as this body and this mind is not generating any harmful thoughts or actions into the world during that time being.

There is a very efficient practice in Buddhism about realizing and accepting impermanence, and practicing non-attachment and letting go. Everyone will spend lots of time and energy, sincerely and attentively to make 'complicated' and 'beautiful' mandala using coloured sand or different colours beans on the ground, and as soon as it is finished, they will mess it up with their own hand, to realize what is perform all our actions for the benefits of all beings, but without attachment towards the action or the fruit of the action.

If we don't know the truth, we will feel very meaningless and wasting energy or effort to perform actions but then in the end it is nothingness or emptiness. But when we know the truth, there is no gain when we perform any action, nor there is any loss when the fruit of our actions experience impermanence and disappear. There is no wasting energy or effort at all. It is beyond creation and emptiness. There is nothing being created. There's no actions being performed. Names and forms are not different from emptiness. Emptiness is not separated from names and forms.

Perform Karma yoga, or selfless service is what we can do for ourselves and others with this body and this mind, to make good use of them. Karma yoga is not just about performing beneficial actions for others, but it is not separated from performing beneficial actions for ourselves. There's no difference whether the actions being performed is for ourselves or for others, there's no priority nor less priority, superiority nor inferiority, as whether it is for ourselves or for others, it is the same and is benefiting everyone. There's no intention to be good, or to do good, or to be benefiting anyone, or to be receiving anything good in return. Just perform action and let go. And that is selflessness or compassion.

It doesn't matter everything will come to an end, we do our best and let go. As this body and this mind has some 'spare time' and 'energy' that doesn't belong to them, to be spent without gaining or losing anything. Why not use it for something constructive and beneficial for all beings?

Om shanti.

Advancing or improving in yoga and meditation practice?

How do we know if we are advancing or improving in our yoga and meditation practice?

When somebody come to a yoga class, we all want to know the different levels of yoga classes and what level are we being categorized into.

Nowadays in most of the yoga clubs, yoga centres or yoga studios, yoga (asana) classes are being separated into beginner level, intermediate level and advance level. And usually the different levels of these yoga classes are being categorized, or determined, or judged by the degrees of difficulty or complexity of the yoga asana poses that requires certain degrees of skills, physical fitness level, stamina, strength and flexibility.

The yoga students are being categorized into beginner level, intermediate level or advance level by themselves or by the yoga teachers based on their physical condition and abilities to perform the yoga asana exercises. The people who are physically fit and are able to perform the complicated yoga asana poses are being put into advance level yoga class, and call themselves advance yoga practitioner. And those who has a weak and inflexible physical body, and are only able to perform some simple and easy yoga asana poses, they are being put into beginner level yoga class, and call themselves beginner yoga practitioner. But this is not what yoga practice really is about.

A person who has a very fit, strong and flexible physical body, who only goes to 'advance level yoga classes' can still be a very 'beginner' yoga practitioner even after many years of 'advance yoga practice'.

A person who doesn't has a fit, strong or flexible physical body, who can only goes to 'beginner level yoga classes' can be a very 'advance' yoga practitioner even he or she hasn't done many, or never done any 'yoga practice' before.

It is about the state of mind. It's about how pure is the mind and how well the mind is tamed. Even if the physical body can be trained to perform many 'difficult' asana poses, but it doesn't determine whether the mind is well-controlled as well.

In the end, beyond names and forms, there's no level at all.

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

If the mind is becoming more peaceful, cheerful, clear and open-minded, whether being in comfortable or discomfortable condition and situation. The mind starts to be able to be balanced in both pleasure and pain;

If calmness of the mind is able to sustain for longer period of time, being less disturbed, or less affected, or less determined, or less influenced by the qualities of names and forms, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements;

If the ego (the idea of 'I' and 'mine', pride and arrogance) is getting smaller or weaker;

If selfish desires, or wants and don't wants are getting less;

If attachment is becoming less, while non-attachment is getting stronger;

If impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, fear, worry, disappointment, dissatisfaction, frustration, irritation, agitation, aggressiveness, pride, arrogance, craving and aversion are becoming less, and are losing their strength to influence our action and reaction, and eventually all these impurities are disappearing from the mind;

If argument, criticism, complaint, defensiveness, offensiveness and self-justification are becoming less and disappearing;

If greed, possessiveness, ill will, petty-mindedness, hypocrisy, evil thinking, actions and speech are becoming less and disappearing;

If patience, perseverance, determination, forbearance, forgiveness, humility, contentment, acceptance, adaptation, adjustment, accommodation and tolerance are getting stronger;

If we start to becoming more aware of all the activities in the mind, without identification or association, without judgment or expectation;

If we start to be able to accept the reality of everything as it is, even if the reality is not something that we like it to be, and stop trying to control or change the reality that we don't like into something that we prefer;

If the mind starts to turn inward and performs self-introspection towards the mind activities, and less going outward chasing after worldly objects of names and forms, material and sensual enjoyment;

If we start to see our own defilements and being aware of the ego, and know how to take full responsibility for our own physical and mental well-being, happiness and unhappiness;

If we are able to respect everyone as they are, without discrimination or trying to change other beings to be the way that we like them to be, or what we think they should be;

We are able to have certain types of beliefs, disciplines or principles of life, but we keep it to ourselves, and allow other beings to have different types of beliefs, disciplines or principles of life from us;

We are able to let go of emotional turbulence a little faster and easier than before;

We can go to sleep without being worried or mentally disturbed by what we had experienced in the day;

We have less projections into the future, less imagining or anticipating about what is going to happen next;

We start to be able to forbear or withstand insults, criticism or condemn without generate anger and hatred;

The mind can be in the present easier and longer than before; And etc;

Then we are advancing or improving in yoga and meditation practice. It doesn't matter if it is a huge improvement, or just a small little improvement.

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

Even though our physical body fitness level and health condition are improving due to the regular yoga asana or pranayama practice; and the body is developing physical stamina, strength and flexibility, and is capable of performing many of the yoga asana poses that it couldn't perform before; but due to certain 'reasons' that the mind has not been getting any of the above mental and spiritual improvements significantly, then we are not really improving in the yoga and meditation practice.

If so, we need to find out why we haven't really improve anything at all, and work on it. Without judgment or expectation, nor comparing with other yoga practitioners, just keep practice.

As during and after the yoga practice, the mind might feels good and experiences some sorts of contentment, or pleasant sensations, or relaxation in the physical body, but very soon this contentment, pleasant sensations and good feelings will be disturbed and disappearing, and there are more tension continue to be accumulated in the body and mind coming from our everyday life experiences, or derived from the reactions of the egoistic, impure and untrained mind towards what it likes and dislikes, agrees and disagrees with, of what it sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches and thinks.

The mind is constantly swaying between the states of elevation, calmness and depression, being restless and dissatisfied even though sometimes it experiences momentary contentment and peacefulness coming from performing the yoga and meditation practice.

This is because we haven't really been practicing yoga in our everyday life experiences.

We didn't know what is non-identification with the body and mind, but instead we attached strongly to the body and mind, and identified with the body and mind as 'I'. We didn't know what is perform all actions without attachment, or what is renounce from the fruit of action, but instead we attached strongly to our actions, and have great expectation towards the fruit of action, and be determined by the fruit of action to motivate or demotivate us to perform action.

We think, "The thinking mind is 'I'. The physical body is 'I'. 'I' am the one who sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches and thinks. 'I' am the one who feels good or bad, happy or sad. 'I' am a good person. 'I' do good actions and 'I' will be receiving something good in return. 'I' am a yogi. 'I' am a meditator. 'I' am the one who is performing all these yoga and meditation practice, and 'I' will be getting the benefits from performing the yoga and meditation practice."

How many people who practice yoga will think and say this, "I practice yoga. I have been practicing yoga for how long. I am a yoga practitioner or a yogi. I am a yoga student or yoga teacher. I love yoga. I can do this yoga asana. I cannot do that yoga asana. I like this yoga asana pose. I don't like this yoga asana pose. I like to do this. I don't like to do this. I am not strong or flexible. I want to be strong and flexible. I want to be like him or her. I like this type of teaching and classes, I don't like this type of teaching and classes. I prefer a more gentle practice. I prefer a more intense practice." And so on.

We didn't know what is the ego or how to let go of the ego, but instead we are constantly empowering the ego while performing our yoga practice. We didn't know what is letting go of craving and aversion, but instead we are generating more craving and aversion in our yoga practice, towards the yoga asana poses that we like or dislike.

We didn't know what is real and unreal, but instead we are being over-powered by ignorance and selfish desires, constantly chasing after for the unreal or impermanent objects of the senses, such like pleasant sensations and good feelings, and good condition of the physical body, which are the 'side effects' of the yoga practice, but not the main objective of performing the yoga practice.

We didn't know what is non-judgment, but instead we are constantly judging ourselves and other people, and judging the practice all the time while performing the yoga practice, and be determined and troubled by our own judgment about everyone and everything. We judge the yoga class or yoga session as good or bad. We judge the yoga teacher as good or bad. We judge the type of yoga teachings or practice being taught in the class as good or bad. We judge our performance as good or bad. We judge the yoga asana exercises as good or bad.

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

Yoga and meditation practice is not limited in a yoga or meditation class, but to be practiced in everyday life existence.

As the entire yoga and meditation practice is a purification process for the mind to eliminate impurities, ignorance and egoism. It is about conquering our own mind, changing the conditioned habits of the mind, realization of the truth, going beyond the qualities of names and forms or duality, be free from craving and aversion, and be free from restlessness or affliction that derived from attachment towards the body and the mind, and the qualities of names and forms. This is not determined by the fitness level, or health condition, or strength and flexibility of the physical body.

Purification of the mind, controlling the mind, eliminating the egoism and ignorance, eliminating craving and aversion, is not a 'pleasant' experience for most people. Especially during the purification process. The egoistic mind will rejects, generates great resistance towards its own destruction. And this resistance is manifested in the physical body as discomfortable sensations, or tiredness, or low energy level.

In fact, the purification process is quite discomfortable, or even painful or difficult for some people. Depending on the strength of the ego, and the past accumulated tension, impression or impurities in the body and mind, there will be different layers of physical, mental and emotional discomfort manifesting in the body and mind. We need to have patience and perseverance to forbear or endure all these discomfortable experiences being part of the purification process of eliminating the egoism and ignorance.

The mind will see a lot of 'ugly' sides of itself. Sometimes due to pride and arrogance, the mind does not want to admit or confront with all these defilements, and wants to avoid or reject the purification process coming from yoga and meditation practice. It will give itself many excuses or reasons why the body and mind should not continue practicing yoga and meditation, or to take a break from the practice for some time. This is a common obstacle in the journey towards realization of the truth.

If we are able to forbear or endure all the discomfortable manifestations during the purification process without any expectations, it will be followed by unconditional and unlimited joy and peace, and real contentment or satisfaction coming from being free from attachment, egoism, ignorance and impurities.

Om shanti.

Go beyond positive and negative, there's no craving or aversion, there's no fear and worry...

Yoga is not really about being positive, or try to think positive, or want to attract positive things into our life by thinking positively. Although there's nothing wrong with want to be positive, and having positive things in our life.

Even if we don't have intention to find a teacher to teach us something, naturally the teacher will be there when the time is right.

When we say the thoughts in our mind will determine our life experiences, it actually means that the positive or negative thinking will determine how our mind perceives all the names and forms that the mind comes in contact with through the senses. If our mind is positive, then it will perceive everything positively. If our mind is negative, then it will perceive everything negatively. But the mind being positive or negative doesn't really make the objects to become something positive or negative. Everything will still be what it is. It is neither positive nor negative.

If the mind is positive and endowed with good qualities, it can't change the world or other beings to become positive or good, just like Buddha was peaceful and free from suffering, but he couldn't change the world or other beings to be peaceful and be free from suffering.

Same as if the mind is negative and endowed with evil qualities, it can't change the world or other beings to become negative or evil. Just like there are many people doing bad and evil actions in the world, but there are still many people performing good and kind actions in the world.

The point is, once the mind is purified, and ignorance, impurities and egoism are eliminated, and it realized the truth about all the names and forms, and goes beyond dualities or judgment of good and bad, positive and negative, happiness and suffering that come from what the mind believes what things are, but which is not the truth of things of what they really are, then naturally there will be no craving towards something that the mind believes as 'good', 'positive' and 'happiness'. There will be no aversion towards something that the mind believes as 'bad', 'negative' and 'suffering'.

That is real freedom.

If we try to avoid negative thinking, and try to cultivate positive thinking, as we believe that if our mind is having negative thinking, it will attract negative things into our life. And if our mind is having positive thinking, it will attract positive things into our life. We only want to have positive things, and don't want to have negative things in our life. It shows that we are not free.

We are being conditioned by what the mind believes what things are (categorizing and labeling everything into positive and negative), and have craving towards the 'positive' things, and have aversion towards the 'negative' things. Our mind also will be tensed all the time, as we have fear that once there is some 'negative' thinking appears in the mind, then something negative will come into our life sooner or later. There is no peace, as fear arise in the mind due to attachment (craving and aversion) towards the qualities of good and bad, positive and negative, happiness and suffering, which is not the truth of what things really are.

In yoga and meditation practice, we are letting go of attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, and stop generating craving towards qualities that our ego likes and agrees with, and stop generating aversion towards qualities that our ego doesn't like and disagrees with.

Being aware of all the qualities of names and forms, but not being affected, nor disturbed, nor influenced, nor determined by the qualities of names and forms. And allow all the names and forms with different qualities to be what they are, and allow everything with different qualities to be exist at the same time under the perception of worldly existence.

There is no fear and worry towards bad experiences, negative things or suffering.

When fear disappears, compassion will be there naturally. When we realize compassion, fear will disappear naturally. They don't exist at the same time. If one of them manifests in the mind, the other one disappears from the mind.

When there is attachment towards the qualities of names and forms of the body, the mind, the ego, the intellect, relationships, actions and objects exists in the mind, fear follows tightly, and compassion is absent. When all kinds of attachment disappear from the mind, fear disappears as well, and compassion takes over our life existence.

Om shanti.

How to practice non-attachment or non-identification with the body and mind?

There are many people who are interested in practicing yoga and meditation, but they say it is not easy for them to practice the basic teaching of non-attachment or non-identification with the body and mind. They will be easily being determined by the attachment towards the body and mind, and couldn't help themselves being disturbed physically, mentally and emotionally all the time. They are affected, disturbed, influenced and determined very much by what they see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think. They want to have peace, but it seems like very difficult for them to be peaceful.

The body and the mind is just like a car and the driver. And the life experience in this world is like the experience of driving on the road.

We cannot expect everyone will drive, follow the same rules, act and react on the road like us. We can pay full attention on the road and try to drive safe, but we cannot have expectation onto other drivers also should do the same. We will be risking ours and other beings safety, and be very frustrated and disappointed, if we expect everyone to drive, follow the same rules, act and react on the road like us.

It's the same in life. We cannot expect everyone to think, behave, act or react in the same way as we think, behave, act or react. We can do our best trying to perform what our mind believes is good and right, but we cannot expect other beings to have the same ideas and mentality. We cannot control or change other beings to think, behave, act and react like us. We will only hurt ourselves by getting disappointed, frustrated and angry, and will cause further tension and harmful effect onto other beings when we react out of disappointment, frustration and anger, if we expect other beings to be the way that we want them to be.

Without the car, there's no need of a driver. Without a driver, the car doesn't go anywhere. Having the car and a driver, but it still depends on fuel, battery, air, water, and all the parts of the car to be functioning properly, and etc for the car to be moving and go where the driver wants to go.

Without the body, there's no need of a mind. Without the mind, the body is useless, it doesn't act nor perceive anything. Having the body and a mind, but it still depends on energy, oxygen, water and nutrients for it to be functioning.

The car needs maintenance and so does the physical body. The car will have problems if it is being over-used or idled and not well-maintained, so does the physical body. And no matter how well we take care of the car or the physical body, the car or the body will still be conditioned by impermanence, and will go through 'old age', 'weakness', 'injury', 'illness', and 'death' or 'decomposition'. They belong to the elements of fire, water, wind, earth and ether. The car owner doesn't own the car, and the mind (what we think we are) doesn't own the body. It is the body that is made of elements and being conditioned by qualities who is experiencing impermanence and 'death'. The perceptive thinking mind perceives the disintegration of names and forms as it happens, but there is no 'I' being there to experience impermanence and 'death'.

The driver needs to be endowed with certain qualities for him to drive the car safely and responsibly. Such like proper driving skill and ethics, calmness, attentiveness, responsibility, patience, thoughtfulness, clear vision, obeying the traffic rules, and etc, so that his action of driving the car doesn't cause any intentional or reckless harmful casualties or damages to himself or other beings, or people, or the environment. If the driver is reckless and irresponsible, he is risking his own and other beings safety as well.

Same as the mind, it needs to be endowed with certain qualities for it to use the physical body, hands and feet, and the organ of speech, morally and responsibly. Such like purity of thoughts, calmness, concentration, responsibility, patience, forbearance, perseverance, self-control, self-discipline, thoughtfulness, respect, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, forgiveness, generosity, open-mindedness, loving kindness, clear thinking, right conduct or action, right speech, right view, right intention, right understanding or knowledge, right livelihood, right effort, right concentration, right mindfulness, and etc, so that its action and reaction through the physical body doesn't cause any harmful damages to itself or to other beings, people, or the environment.

The one who needs to be purified, and who is performing the yoga and meditation practice, is the mind. The one who needs to practice non-attachment and non-identification with the functions, conditions and abilities of the body and the states of mind, is the mind itself. The one who needs to let go of the egoism, is the mind itself. The one who needs to realize the truth and be free from ignorance, is the mind. The one who is observing the thoughts, actions and reactions, feelings, emotions, and sensations, and not generate craving and aversion towards all these experiences or perceptions of names and forms, is the mind itself. But there is no 'I'. There is no 'I am'. There is no 'I am performing action'. There is no 'I am receiving the fruit of action'.

Ignorance generates the delusive self-identity or self-existence in the form of thought or thinking, and causes the thinking mind to attach and identify with the physical body and the thought activities or the states of the mind. The mind thinks and believes that the conditions and the abilities of the physical body is what it is. It feels good and bad, happy and unhappy, positive and negative, meaningful and meaningless, being influenced and determined by the impermanent conditions and abilities of the physical body, as well as being determined by whatever it perceives through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and thinking.

The mind thinks and believes that the body belongs to it, and thus, it thinks and says, "This is my body. This body is mine".

The mind thinks and believes that all the sensations, feelings, emotions, beliefs and thinking belongs to it, and thus, it thinks and says, "These are my sensations, my feelings, my emotions, my beliefs and my thinking".

The mind attached to the appearance, conditions and abilities of the physical body as 'I', and thus, it thinks and says, "This is my look, my conditions and my abilities". As well as attachment towards all the ideas of "This is my life, my study, my knowledge, my pride, my confidence, my self-esteem, my culture, my religion, my country, my happiness, my problems, my point of views, and etc". And so, whatever changes and experiences that is happening in the body and in the mind, the mind attached onto them and identified with them, and be disturbed, affected, influenced and determined by all these selfless changes and experiences of the qualities of names and forms.

But all these pleasant and unpleasant, desirable and undesirable changes and experiences are impermanent and they don't belong to the mind, and there's no 'I' existing to claim ownership towards these names and forms. They come and go as they like, without asking any permission from the mind. That's why all the idea of 'I' and 'my', is incorrect understanding as all these names and forms don't belong to the mind at all.

From the attachment towards the physical body, the mind attached onto all the relationships that come in contact with this physical body, and thus, it thinks and says, "My family, my partner, my children, my friends, my enemies, and etc". And this generates separation and distinction of superiority and inferiority, priority and less priority, likes and dislikes, wants and don't wants. And hence, the mind is being conditioned by all kinds of relationships with people, animals, insects, plants, nature, material belongings, jobs, and etc, and being determined to be happy or unhappy according to the conditions of all these names and forms, whether they are something that the ego likes or dislikes, agrees or disagrees with.

And the mind becomes restless, anxious, agitated, depressed, dissatisfied, disappointed, frustrated, irritated, have fear and worry, as it attached onto all the impermanent qualities of names and forms that it perceives from moment to moment.

The point is, all the different qualities of names and forms have no intention or power to affect, or disturb, or influence, or determine the mind to be happy or unhappy, to feel good or bad. All the names and forms are not something good or bad, positive or negative, meaningful or meaningless, happiness or suffering. It is coming from the mind itself, being attached onto what the mind thinks and believes what things are, categorizing and labeling everything with the judgment of good and bad, positive and negative, meaningful or meaningless, happiness and suffering, based on a particular way of thinking and belief. And what the mind thinks and believes what things are, is not necessarily the truth of things. What the mind thinks and believes is being contaminated or influenced by ignorance and impurities, as well as likes and dislikes, agreement and disagreement coming from the ego.

When the mind comes in contact with what the mind recognizes as good, positive, meaningful and happiness, the mind will feel good and happy. When the mind comes in contact with what the mind recognizes as bad, negative, meaningless and suffering, the mind will feel bad and unhappy.

The car doesn't belong to the driver. The driver doesn't own the car, as it is not in his control of the function of the car. The car doesn't drive the driver. The driver drives the car. The driver will be affected by the condition of the car, if the driver attached onto the car. But the driver will not be affected by the condition of the car, if the driver doesn't attach onto the car. The driver make full use of the car for conveniences, but the driver shall not be determined by the car.

Same as the body and mind. The body doesn't belong to the mind. The mind doesn't own the body, as it is not in the mind's control of the function of the body. The body doesn't make use of the mind. The mind makes use of the body. The mind will be affected by the condition of the body, if the mind attached onto the body. But the mind will not be affected by the condition of the body, if the mind doesn't attached onto the body. The mind makes good use of the body for performing beneficial actions in the world, but the mind shall not be determined by the body. And there is no attachment towards all the actions being performed through the body. And thus, the mind is free from being conditioned by the action and inaction, and the fruit or the result of the action.

By understanding the truth of things and who we really are, there is no gain or loss whether it's coming from action or inaction. There is no guilt or pride whether it's coming from action and inaction. As this body and mind is not 'I', and there is no 'I' being here to gain anything or lose anything. But this life, the body and mind, have all the opportunities to be doing something that is beneficial for ourselves and others. There is also plenty of 'time' that doesn't belong to 'I' waiting to be spent, without attachment, without expectation, without the idea of giving or receiving. Make good use of this life existence to do something beneficial without attachment or identification, and not being determined by impermanent life existence to be who we are and how we feel. There is no success or failure, gain or loss when we understand this.

There is no fear and worry about getting the things that we don't like and don't want, or not getting the things that we like and want, or losing the things that we love. There is no craving or clinging towards 'good' things, 'good' happenings, 'good' experiences, or happiness. There is no aversion or fear towards 'bad' things, 'bad' happenings, 'bad' experiences, or suffering.

Free from craving and aversion. Free from egoism. Free from being conditioned by the subjective conditional beliefs and thinking in the mind. Free from anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, pride, arrogance, agitation, depression, frustration, irritation, anxiety, defensiveness, offensiveness, fear and worry. Free from generating good or bad karma. Free from being conditioned by the qualities of names and forms. Free from being conditioned by the impermanent condition of the body and mind. Free from duality, attachment, judgment and expectation. Free from ignorance.

These are the real freedom for the mind. And the mind will dissolve itself into its true nature of without qualities and dualities, without birth and death, without existence and non-existence.

The true nature of all beings doesn't need to be liberated from suffering, as there is no suffering. The one who experiences suffering is the selfless impermanent perceptive thinking mind. The mind needs to be free from ignorance. The mind is not something good or bad. The mind is just being what it is, and it is not 'I'. There is no 'I' being here that needs to be liberated.

And thus, there is no attachment towards the mind or the self-identity of 'I'.

Contemplate on this teaching and be free.

Om shanti.

Yoga?

When we think of yoga, it can be a picture of anything for different people.

Some may picture a happy face. Some may picture images of life related to joy and happiness. Some may picture a person or a group of people meditating in a particular meditation posture. Some may picture a person or a group of people performing some yoga asana poses, or breathing exercises, or cleansing techniques. Some may picture the character or symbol of 'OM'. Some may picture an Ashram or a famous great Guru. Some may picture men or women with weird design tattoos and dreadlocks. Some may picture vegetarianism. Some may picture the image of one or many different Hindu Deities. Some may picture a person or a group of people chanting and praying. Some may picture different types of brand names of yoga. Some may picture it as a form of acrobatic contortion exercises. Some people may picture it as money making business empire. It really can be anything depends on what people want to believe or think what it is.

Yoga and meditation practice can be something very 'good' and 'divine' for people's spiritual, physical and mental well-being, or it can be something very 'bad' and 'evil' for people who believe that the teachings of yoga and the asana exercise are detrimental for people's body and mind.

Even some people who are interested in practicing yoga, they also have doubts and intense fear and worry when they perform the yoga practice, being afraid of the yoga practice might cause injury or harmful effects on them. One part of them knows that yoga practice is very beneficial for their physical and mental well-being, but another part of them are reluctant to surrender themselves to the yoga practice, having so much fear and worry towards the yoga practice. Instead of releasing and letting go tension by performing yoga practice, they are in fact building up more tension into their body and mind.

Anyhow, it is up to our own realization about what yoga really is about.

Just by picturing, or imagining, or looking at other people performing some sorts of yoga practice through their body and mind, doesn't liberate us from ignorance, restlessness, impurities, or suffering. We have to be practicing yoga or meditation through our own body and mind with correct attitude and understanding, for us to realize the truth, eliminate ignorance and egoism, transcend the qualities of names and forms, and be free.

When the egoism disappears, we'll go beyond the qualities of names and forms, realize namelessness and formlessness, all is one or non-separateness. Birth is not different from death, death is not separated from birth. Happiness is not different from suffering, suffering is not separated from happiness. Everything is just what it is. It is neither good nor bad, positive nor negative, happiness nor suffering. When we realize this, all kinds of fear and worry disappear. Absence of fear and worry is great peace.

When we talk about yoga with qualities of names and forms, naturally we will relate it with some sorts of yoga practice. It can be anyone or combination of these practice - morality and right conducts observances and restraints, yoga asana practice, pranayama practice, withdrawal of the senses from the sense objects, chanting and prayers, concentration and meditation practice, karma yoga (selfless service), study and contemplation on the teachings of yoga, dispassion, discrimination of real and unreal, renunciation, non-attachment, solitude, silence, austerity, simplicity, loving kindness, non-violence, selflessness, patience, perseverance, forgiveness, forbearance, adjustment, accommodation, adaptation, and some other forms of practices. All these practices serve the purpose of purifying the mind, to remove ignorance and impurities, to eliminate egoism, to be free from craving and aversion, to be free from attachment, and to transcend suffering, or birth and death, or cause and effect, or the existence of body and mind.

It is beyond performing some good actions to attain good Karma to have a good life in return. It is beyond attachment towards what our mind believes is good and bad, positive and negative, happiness and unhappiness.

When a person is feeling happy in the present moment, it doesn't mean that he or she is free from ignorance and impurities. Craving and clinging onto good and happy life condition is not real freedom. Not coming in contact with bad people, bad condition, bad happenings, or bad experiences is not real freedom. Sitting in meditation posture try to meditate doesn't guarantee us liberation. Performing some yoga asana poses doesn't guarantee us liberation. Being a vegetarian doesn't guarantee us liberation. Having a strong and flexible, and healthy physical body doesn't guarantee us liberation. Being in an Ashram or having an enlightened Guru doesn't guarantee us liberation. And so on with all the other names and forms which our mind relate to yoga, or refer as yoga practice.

One thing for sure, yoga practice is not separated from life. The entire life existence is the yoga practice training ground to attain yoga, or self-realization, or non-separateness, or attributelessness, or namelessness and formlessness, or unconditional and unlimited peace.

Yoga practice exists for worldly beings to transcend life existence, or birth and death, or the existence of body and mind, to realize the true nature of all beings is non-separateness, attributelessness, namelessness and formlessness. As the entire life existence is happening through this body and mind. If there is no body and mind, there is no perception of worldly life existence with all the impermanent perception of physical sensations, feelings, emotions, thinking, action and reaction, likes and dislikes, craving and aversion, attachment towards the qualities of names and forms, and all the relationships connected with everything and everyone, and so on.

If there is no life existence, there is no birth and death, there is no body and mind, there is no egoism, there is no craving and aversion, there is no action and reaction, there is no ignorance, there is no impurities, there is no suffering, then there is no need of yoga or yoga practice.

Nowadays, most of the yoga classes conducted in yoga centres or yoga clubs are very much based on yoga asana practice. There is nothing wrong with this, as all these physical exercise does bring some physical and mental benefits, and we can make good use of the good condition coming from the yoga asana practice to improve the quality of life and to serve other beings. It would be better, if we implement the teaching of yoga into the asana practice, such like non-attachment and non-identification with the body and mind, as well as not looking forward to the benefits or effects of the yoga asana practice. Perform all our actions or yoga practice without attachment towards the actions or the yoga practice, and renounce the fruit or the result of our actions or yoga practice.

Naturally, as we perform yoga asana and meditation practice regularly, the physical body will gain some benefits and improvement of physical health, stamina, strength and flexibility. And the mind will gain some sorts of peaceful calmness and joyfulness. This will motivate us to continue to perform yoga asana and meditation practice, as it makes our body and mind feels good, or it helps to relieve certain illness, or discomfort, or weakness, or pain, or anxiety, or depression and etc. But this is not the objective of performing the yoga asana and meditation practice. Most important, it is through a calm and pure mind that derives from the purification process due to the regular yoga asana and meditation practice, we are able to perceive the truth of names and forms as they are, not being contaminated by any impurities, or incorrect judgment, or selfish desires and expectation, and then all kinds of attachment towards all kinds of names and forms will start to disappear or dissolve, naturally. It is going beyond the clinging and craving from the ego towards the benefits, or the effects, or the pleasant feelings and sensations coming from performing the yoga asana and meditation practice, and going beyond the aversion from the ego towards what it doesn't like and disagrees with.

Physical health, stamina, strength and flexibility mean nothing, if we are influenced by egoism, ignorance and impurities in the mind, not knowing the truth of names and forms, and are determined by all the qualities of names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses, constantly being affected and disturbed by sights, sounds, smells, taste, sensations and thinking. And physical health, stamina, strength and flexibility, are some impermanent qualities or conditions, that is subject to change. We don't really, and can't 'possess' physical health, stamina, strength and flexibility. No matter how much effort we put into to maintain the good condition of this body, it is still subject to illness, pain, injuries, weakness, stiffness and eventually it will stop functioning, and decompose. But the impermanent condition and abilities of the physical body doesn't contaminate nor determine the true nature in all beings.

The greatest 'strength and flexibility' that everyone already has, or 'possessed', disregard how is the physical condition, is compassion, the unconditional love and peace, which is the true nature of all beings. Compassion allows us to be able to accept the reality of everything as it is and not being disturbed nor determined by all these impermanent changes and experiences. It allows us to perform unlimited actions for the benefits of all beings, without attachment, without identification, without selfish desires or intentions, without expectation, and is free from generating Karma, or cause and effect.

We are disconnected with this compassion in us due to egoism and ignorance. And thus, we have, and are disturbed and affected by fear, worry, anger, hatred, anxiety, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurts, and all the other undesirable or unpleasant experiences that arise in our own mind, coming from ignorance and egoism. If we realize compassion, it also means that we are free from egoism and ignorance. There is no fear, worry, anger, hatred, jealousy, desires, greed, dissatisfaction, frustration, irritation, agitation, depression, anxiety, disappointment, hurts, pride, arrogance, discrimination, separateness, judgment, expectation, selfishness and all types of defilements that derive from egoism and ignorance, which generate so much tension and restlessness in ourselves and into the environment.

It is our own responsibility for everything that we experience in this life existence. If there is no such cause, there is no such effect.

Yoga is about realizing namelessness and formlessness, or non-duality, or non-separateness, or egolessness or selflessness, or compassion, and knowing how to accept and love ourselves as we are, be kind and compassionate towards ourselves, stop hurting ourselves with ignorance and egoism, and then extend this unconditional love towards other beings, able to accept and love other beings as they are.

And this is nothing to do with the good or bad condition and abilities of the physical body, or how many things that we know from reading or hearing, or how intelligent is the mind, as by having a good physical condition and abilities, and knowing a lot of things, and being highly intelligent doesn't guarantee us peace and liberation. It is through the help of the yoga and meditation practice, unceasingly purifying the mind with the correct attitude and understanding to eliminate egoism and ignorance, that allows us to be free from being conditioned by our own mind and life existence.

Just by doing some yoga and meditation practice without the correct attitude and understanding, it doesn't bring us any further than enjoying some impermanent benefits, pleasant sensations and good feelings that come from performing the yoga practice, but we are not free from egoism and ignorance, and be influenced by impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurts, pride, arrogance, craving, aversion, fear and worry, and etc. There's no peace or real happiness, forever restless swaying between momentary good feelings and bad feelings. It's just like regularly attending yoga classes to attain relaxation or to release tension from the body and mind won't bring us liberation, if we keep generating more tension and impurities into the body and mind all the time. Any good things that we put into an uncleaned pot will be contaminated by the impurities in the pot.

Om shanti.

Home cooked vegetarian food recipe - Oven Roasted Courgettes & Carrots

Here is another vegetarian dish that sometimes we prepare for our yoga retreat guests here in Langkawi.

Oven Roasted Courgettes & Carrots (serves 3-4 people)

3 carrots, rinsed, peeled and cut into bite size chunks

1 green courgette, rinsed and cut into bite size chunks

1 yellow courgette, rinsed and cut into bite size chunks

8-10 cherry tomatoes

6-8 garlic cloves (optional, if you don't like garlic)

About 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

About 2 heaped teaspoons of mixed herbs

Salt and black pepper to taste

Hot boiling water

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

Boil the carrots with hot boiling water for 5-6 minutes and drained.

Pre-heat the oven at 250 degrees Celsius.

Put the courgettes, cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves and boiled carrots into an oven dish.

Add in olive oil, mixed herbs, salt and black pepper. Mix well.

Put into the oven for about 35-40 minutes. Stir from time to time, to make sure the vegetables are cooked evenly.

Serve hot.

Bon Appétit!

Home cooked vegetarian food recipe - Stir-fried Chinese Cabbage with baby sweet corns

Here is another vegetarian dish that sometimes we prepare for our yoga retreats guests here in Langkawi.

Stir-fried Chinese Cabbage (serves 3-4 people)

One whole Chinese Cabbage rinsed and drained well, and cut into 1 inch width

About 10 baby sweet corns, halved

2-3 small red or green chillies, seeds removed

About 10 slices of peeled and sliced ginger, cut into matchsticks

2 tablespoons of cooking oil

1 tablespoon of sesame oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

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

Heat up the wok at medium heat. Add cooking oil.

Add sliced ginger and chillies, sautéed until fragrant.

Add baby sweet corns. Add a bit of salt and black pepper. Stir evenly for about 1 minute.

Add Chinese cabbage. Stir evenly for a few seconds. Add salt to taste. Keep stirring until cabbage turn soft. Add sesame oil, stir well and turn off the heat.

There will be a little bit of juice coming out from the cabbage, there's no need to add water at all.

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

Bon Appétit!

Reflection at the waterfall on loving kindness...

On the way walking back from the waterfall to the car park, an old Malay man asked us, "Is the waterfall very far away?"

We told him it's only less than 5 minutes walk and it's easy to walk there.

And when he started walking towards the waterfall, we heard someone calling, "Pakcik (Uncle)!.... Pakcik (Uncle)!"

We then saw a Malaysian Chinese man who was working for the renovation project at the waterfall was calling for the uncle.

Assumed that he must have something to say to the uncle, I helped him to call the uncle also, but seemed like the uncle didn't hear us and kept walking away.

The Malaysian Chinese man spoke to me in Chinese, "The uncle's family had went up to the top of the waterfall and I heard the family told the uncle to wait for them here. He is old and alone. He shouldn't go anywhere. I worry if something happen to him and no body is with him."

I said to him, "Maybe you can go and check him out in 10-15 minutes time later to make sure he is alright."

He said, "But I will be going back soon."

I said to him, "为人为到底，送佛送到西， (It means that when we show concern and kindness to other people, we have to complete doing what we have started), please go and check him out before you go back to make sure he is alright."

He then laughed, and said, "Okay. I will go to check him out before I leave."

A small story, but it was very touching, as this Malaysian Chinese man doesn't know this old Malay man. The old Malay man's family left him alone there, and the family didn't ask this Malaysian Chinese man to watch out for this old man. He has no obligation to look after this old man. But just because he overheard their conversation and out of concern for the old man's safety, he showed concern and care for him.

And most important, there's no difference about race or people whom we know or not. We show concern and care to anyone disregard we know them or not, and without any obligation.

Marc laughed out loud after I explained to him about our conversation. He said it's funny for me to tell people, if we want to be good, we have to complete the good actions that we have started. And that man actually listened to what I said to him.

Om shanti.

Home cooked vegetarian food recipe - Stir-fried eggplants or aubergines with mixed herbs

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

Stir-fried Eggplants or Aubergines with mixed herbs (serve 2-3 people)

2-3 medium size eggplants or aubergines, rinse and halve lengthwise, then cut into about 1 cm thick slices

4 small red or green chillies, remove seeds and chopped finely

5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped

About 2 teaspoons of dried mixed herbs

Salt and black pepper to taste

A bit of cooking oil

About 1 and a half cups of hot boiling water

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

*Non-stick wok is very important in this recipe. I don't know if it will work on a normal wok, as the eggplants might keep sticking onto the wok.

Heat up the non-stick wok in medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.

When the oil is hot, add in chopped garlic and chillies. Sautéed until fragrant.

Add in the eggplants or aubergines. Stir evenly. The eggplants will absorb the oil and look dry. Sprinkle some salt over the eggplants evenly, and stir well. Add 1 and a half cups of hot boiling water and stir. Again the eggplants will absorb all the liquid and become dry. It should be moist but dry. The eggplants might break into smaller pieces as we stir. It's fine.

Add in mixed herbs and black pepper.

Keep stirring or tossing until the eggplants cooked evenly, or until the eggplants turn soft and browned, almost slightly burnt. This process takes some patience, cooking at medium heat.

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

Bon Appétit!

Righteousness that is associated with anger and hatred is different from compassion...

Do not mix up compassion with the feeling of righteousness that is very much associated with extreme aversion, negativity, disappointment, anger and hatred towards something that our mind disagrees with, especially what our mind believes is "bad" and "wrong". As they are not the same.

If we are truly compassionate, there is no aversion, negativity, disappointment, anger or hatred.

Next time when we think we are very loving and kind hearted beings, and believe we are good people, but we are also being very angry and hating some other people who we think, believe, judge and criticize them as "bad" and "inhuman" people, then know that we are not in the compassionate 'zone', but we are in the righteousness 'zone'. There's nothing wrong with being righteous, but we are hurting ourselves mentally, emotionally and physically, as well as unintentionally inflict unnecessary tension and unhappiness onto other people while we react out of anger and hatred.

Being compassionate will allow us to perform whatever actions or inactions that need to be performed for the best benefit of everyone without discrimination, intention or expectation. There is no attachment towards the actions, and the fruit or the result of the actions. There is no disappointment nor unhappiness. Just give, and let go.

Sometimes, in certain situations, the best action could be inaction. We need to have a calm and clear mind that is free from aversion, negativity, disappointment, anger and hatred, for us to know what is the best action that needs to be done.

Om shanti.

Non-possessiveness & non-attachment...

Non-possessiveness is being practiced side by side with non-attachment. In fact they are not separated from each other. There is non-possessiveness in non-attachment, and there is non-attachment in non-possessiveness.

In non-possessiveness, we understand that nothing belongs to "I". We also understand that there is actually no "I" being there to possess anything. The body and mind is just the product or combination of elements. Without fire, water, wind, earth and space, this body and mind doesn't exist.

Without the function of the mind, the body and the senses doesn't perceive any names and forms.

It is not the eyes who see, it is the mind sees or perceives sights through the function of the sense organ of eyes. It is not the ears hear, it is the mind hears or perceives sounds through the function of the sense organ of ears. And so on with all the other sense organs. If the sense organ of eyes doesn't function properly or doesn't exist, or in the absence of light, the mind doesn't sees or perceives sights, colours or shapes. And so on, with the other sense organs. If energy depleted, even there is a body with all the sense organs, the mind doesn't function. There is no perception of anything. And without energy, eventually the body with the sense organs will decompose. Who am "I"?

If there is an "I", then this "I" is totally power-less and has no control over the existence and the function of the mind, the body and the sense organs. This "I" doesn't possess the mind, the body and the sense organs. As if the mind, the body and the sense organs belongs to this "I", then they should be under the control of this "I". But, it is not in the control of this "I" at all about what the mind can perceive and cannot perceive, want to perceive and doesn't want to perceive. It is not that "I" only want to feel good and happy, think only positive thinking and experience only pleasant sensations, and do not want to feel bad or unhappy, nor think about negative thinking, nor feel any unpleasant sensations. All these feelings, emotions, thoughts and sensations don't belong to "I". They come and leave as they like and without asking for permission from this "I" to come or to leave.

As well as all the reactions in the mind towards what it perceives through the senses, or when the mind comes in contact with the objects of the senses, are just the intellect and the ego functioning, which is part of the function of the mind. The intellect analyzes all the objects of the senses that the mind perceives, and the ego asserts like or dislike, agreement or disagreement, and generates craving and aversion towards all the experiences, and feels good or bad, happy or unhappy when this craving and aversion is being gratified or ungratified. The one who thinks it is "I" who is experiencing all these experiences, is the ego.

The function and the existence of the body and mind is totally depending on energy and elements. They belongs to energy and elements, they don't belong to "I". Then how can this "I" possess the body and mind, and all the relationships with everything else that come in contact with this body and mind in this life existence?

And thus, "I" can't even own or possess this body and mind, how can "I" own or possess anything else beyond this body and mind. All the ideas of "my mind", "my body", "my family", "my parents", "my children", "my partner", "my friends", "my relationships", "my country", "my world", "my universe", "my feelings", "my emotions", "my hurts", "my disappointments", "my injuries", "my job", "my wealth", "my health", "my things", "my name", "my fame", "my power", and etc, don't really exist and it's coming from incorrect understanding, not knowing the truth. All these things or objects exist in life existence, but none of them belongs to "I", nor in "my" control how "I" want them to be.

Everything is just fleeting momentary impermanent experiences. They don't stay forever unchanged. We can be aware of all these experiences whether they are pleasant or unpleasant, when they exist in the present and being what they are, and let them go when they change and stop existing, without being influenced nor determined by all these good or bad experiences in this life existence.

And hence, through the correct understanding of the truth, non-attachment happens naturally without any efforts. (Many people say it is not possible or it is very difficult for them to practice non-attachment in their everyday life or in what they think is "reality", it is incorrect understanding and the veil of ignorance that make them feel and think this way. There are also people practicing yoga and meditation for long time, but still being disturbed and affected very much by restlessness or anxieties that derives from ignorance and attachment. There's nothing wrong with this, but just need to keep purifying the mind to deeper level.)

There is no attachment towards all the experiences that the body and mind is experiencing from moment to moment. There is no attachment towards what the mind perceives through the senses of what it sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches and thinks.

There is no attachment towards what the mind believes what things are, what the mind feels and thinks.

As all these things that are going on in the mind are not necessarily the truth of what things really are. It is just a projection coming from the mind about things. If the mind is not pure, then whatever the mind projects will be contaminated by impurities in the mind, it is not the truth of things.

And so, purification of the mind is the most important thing to be happening all the time. So that the mind is free from impurities, and allow it to see or know the truth of things as they are, and not being influenced nor contaminated by any impurities or the veil of ignorance.

The mind will be free from suffering or unhappiness that arise due to the incorrect understanding of things or being ignorant about the truth.

Peace is there, when the mind is free from anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, dissatisfaction, disappointment. frustration, irritation, agitation, depression, anxiety, low-self esteem, pride, arrogance, craving, aversion, clinging, longing, imagination, anticipation, fear and worry, and etc, when it sees or knows the truth, being free from ignorance.

Contemplate on these teachings, and realize the truth by ourselves, not just by hearing or reading from somebody or some books written by some great beings, and be truly free. As just by knowing about the teachings by hearing or reading about the truth of things doesn't liberate us from suffering or unhappiness. The mind will still have doubts and be influenced and determined by the veil of ignorance and impurities that arise due to ignorance. The mind will still be disturbed and over-powered by fear and worry, anger and hatred, greed and jealousy, agitation and depression, being over-powered or determined by craving and aversion towards what the mind likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, wants and doesn't want.

When we practically in one with the truth, we will know how to love and accept everyone and everything out of compassion, without possessiveness. We will be able to allow the reality of everything to be what it is, without attachment, interference, judgment, expectation, nor try to control or change the reality that the mind doesn't like or doesn't want to be what it likes it to be. We just do our best for the well-being of everyone, and let go the result or the fruit of all actions.

There is no "I" being there to perform any actions. There is no "I" performing good or bad actions. There is no "I" giving or receiving something good or bad.

Be free.

Om shanti.

快乐充满爱的幼年成长时期,是世界和平最关键的影响因素

当我们的社会里出现了动荡，憎恨，暴力，歧视或种族主义冲突，起因是来之于无知，不满，愤怒和憎恨，并且极有可能，它是来自一个不快乐，压迫环境之下成长的童年影响。

毫无疑问，学校教育，社会接触，社会媒体，商业和政治操纵是其中非常重要的 ''洗脑'' 因素，对我们的思想，信念和行为有很大的影响力。但人类的思维，信念和行为最重要的影响因素，是从幼年成长时期就开始了。

一个健康仁慈充满爱心的家庭成长环境的重要性，和正确的人生价值观教育，是实现家庭和谐，社会和世界和平最关键的，最有影响力的元素。

不歧视和尊重一切众生，善良和慷慨，慈爱与和平，无暴力和无仇恨的品质，都是从童年就开始造就。

如果孩子成长在一个充满爱心和无暴力的培育环境之下，他们一般都是独立和快乐的。

在不受压迫和没有暴力的培育环境之下，和拥有正确的人生价值观之家庭教育，是非常重要的。就好像：－

对一切众生无条件的慈爱，宽恕，宽容，包容，耐心，为他人着想，尊重，不歧视，广阔的胸襟，开放的视野，谦让，无暴力，无评判，无占有性，诚实，坦白，慷慨，知足，感恩，珍惜，体育精神与道德，等等；

纯洁的思想，行为和语言，无有愤怒，仇恨，骄傲，狂妄，贪婪，嫉妒，恐惧和担忧；

来之他们自己的意愿，不被压迫之下的启发自我控制和自律；

将所有行动转化成不期望回报的无私服务；

最重要的，无论他们的表现如何，他们可以完全的被接纳与被爱；

他们被允许去考证询问一切事物的正确性，并没有被强迫去服从或遵照他人的指示；

他们被允许犯错误，并从自己的错误中学习；

那么这些孩子将可以充满自信和自由的成长，拥有不被动摇的自信心和伟大的人生价值观，懂得自爱和自我接纳，拥有个人的信念，自我约束和控制。

他们不会生起冒犯性和防御性的念头和行为，没有愤怒和仇恨，没有恐惧和担忧。

他们将不会受到那些“不良好”或“不正确”的学校教育，社会接触，社会媒体，商业和政治操纵的影响。因为这些孩子们拥有强烈的推断能力，懂得自己辨别是非，善恶。

而这些所有的人生价值观从早期的童年就开始培养了。

这并不是“我希望我的孩子是善良的人，或者是好人，或者是圣洁的人”。这也不是为了我们自己的私欲，希望他们成为我们想要他们成为的那一种人。而是让孩子有很大的自由空间去探索，体验，学会如何自己对自身和宇宙负责。

即使我们已经尽了最大努力，我们可以给孩子提供最好的指导，但是，他们的思维，信念和行为，仍然是他们自己的责任。家长应该完全豪无条件的仁爱和接纳他们当下真实的自己。

这也不是不要给孩子们暴露于，或接触到某些不良因素。反而，让孩子们接触和知道所有好和坏的因素，使他们自己能够开发的推理推断能力，辨别是非，善恶，并让他们为自己的决定和行动负责。

他们成为自主的人，懂得对他们自己的思想，信念和行为负责。

父母或监护人或照顾者本身是需要拥有这些正确人生价值观，那么他们才可以引导这些孩子（未来的领导人）培养这些正确的人生价值观。

如果孩子们因为成长在一个充满爱心和快乐的童年而拥有强烈稳固的正确生命价值观，那么将没有其他来自社会可能会造成任何不良或有害的杂质元素可以影响到他们个人的思想，信念和行为。因为这些孩子们从小就拥有强烈的推理能力，懂得自己辨别是非，善恶。

在提供指导和支持给予自己的孩子的同一时间，可以允许孩子有很大的自由空间，让他们有想成为什么的自由，而他们也知道如何明智的使用自由。没有一个父母会说教育孩子和给他们自由空间去发展开阔智慧是件很容易的事。

对于每个不同类型的孩子有着各人的性格和特点，我们提供不一样的指导方法和教育方式。要懂得大自然的规律是无常。每个人的思维，信念和行为无时无刻的在改变。我们的个性和兴趣可能会不时改变。我们要学会接受所有的变化。因为这就是懂得无条件的接纳和爱自己和其他的众生。

愿一切众生自在，快乐，和平。

Om shanti.

Well loved children and happy childhood is very crucial for world peace and harmony...

When there are unrest, hatred, violence, discrimination or racism happening in our society, it is derived from ignorance, dissatisfaction, anger and hatred, and most probably, it is coming from an unhappy oppressive childhood bringing up environment.

There is no doubt that schooling education, mixing in the society, social media, commercial and political manipulation are very big influential elements of 'brain washing' towards our thinking, belief and behavior. But the most crucial influential elements in 'influencing' human beings thinking, belief and behavior start from childhood bringing up.

The importance of a healthy loving bringing up environment and correct education on values of life are the most crucial influential elements in achieving peace and harmony in the family, in the society and in the world.

Non-discrimination and respect all beings, non-violence and non-hatred, loving kindness and generosity, love and peace are all start from childhood bringing up.

If the children are well loved, growing up in a loving and non-hatred nurturing environment; they are generally happy and cheerful, being free from oppression, suppression and violent treatments; and the family cultural values of life is very much based on unconditional love towards all beings, forgiveness, forbearance, patience, accommodation, tolerance, thoughtfulness, respect, non-discrimination, open-mindedness, humility, non-violence, non-judgmental, non-possessiveness, honesty, truthfulness, generosity, contentment, gratitude, appreciation, sportsmanship, purity in thought, action and speech, free from anger and hatred, pride and arrogance, greed and jealousy, fear and worry; they develop self-control and self-discipline on their own free-will, transform all actions as selfless service without expectation; and most important, the freedom to be who they are, being accepted as they are and being loved as they are, and they are allowed to reason everything and not being forced to obey or follow instructions, and they are allowed to make mistakes and learn from their own mistakes; then these children will grow up confidently, having their own confident immovable great values of life, having self-acceptance, self-belief, self-discipline and self-control. They will be free from offensiveness and defensiveness, anger and hatred, fear and worry. They will not be affected, nor determined, nor influenced by 'poor' or 'incorrect' schooling education, mixing in the society, social media, commercial and political manipulation.

And all these values of life start from the early childhood bringing up.

It is not about "I want my children to be good people, or to be well-behaved people, or to be saintly people". It's not about our selfish desires wishing them to be the kind of people that we want them to be. It is allowing the children to explore, to experience, and to learn to be responsible human beings towards themselves and the universe.

Even if we have tried our best to give the best guidance that we could give to the children, it is still their own responsibility towards their own thinking, belief and behavior. Parents should love and accept them as they are.

It is not about keeping the bad elements away from the knowledge of the children, not allowing them to be exposed or get in touch with certain bad elements. But to allow the children to be aware of all the good and bad elements, and allow them to develop reasoning power to discriminate right and wrong, good and evil; and allow them to take full responsibility for their own decisions and actions made.

They become self-independent and be responsible for themselves on what they think, believe and behave.

The parents or the care takers are the ones who need to be endowed with such values of life, then they can guide their children (future leaders) to be endowed with such values of life.

If the foundation of the values of life is strongly established in a loving and happy childhood bringing up, then there is no other impure elements coming from the society can cause any bad or harmful influence into one's thinking, belief and behavior. As these children grown up with reasoning power to discriminate right and wrong, good and evil.

No one who have been through parenting will say it's easy to give guidance and support to their children, and at the same time to allow their children to have the freedom to be what they want to be, and they know how to use the freedom wisely.

Methods of guidance and ways of parenting can also be different in each child with different types of personality and characteristic. The law of nature is impermanent. Every beings thinking, belief and behavior can be changing from time to time. Our personality and interests might be changing from time to time. We learn to accept all the changes as it is, and love ourselves and other beings as we are, as they are.

May all beings be free, be happy, be peaceful.

Om shanti.