Want to teach yoga? (5)

One must be free from ignorance and suffering, and has peace, before one can help or guide others to be free from ignorance and suffering, and have peace.

Teaching yoga is without attachment or identification, guiding other beings onto the path of self-inquiry and self-realization to be free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, craving, aversion, and all sorts of impurities, and this leads to the liberation of transcending suffering.

Liberation is nothing to do with freedom of thinking, actions and speech, or gratifying all our desires of what we want and don't want (craving and aversion), but it's being free from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, which is suffering. Suffering exists when ignorance exists. Suffering doesn't exist when ignorance is absent. One can attain liberation even when one's thinking, actions and speech are limited or restricted.

Teaching yoga has nothing to do with righteousness, or changing the world to be the way that we think is good and right, or saving other beings from suffering, or freeing the world from the bad and evil, but it's allowing everyone to go through mind purification or self-evolution in their own pace, and be free from ignorance and egoism, transcending the impermanent worldly life existence through realizing selflessness, and thus, there's no egoistic attachment towards the impermanent world of names and forms.

It's not about expecting the world to be free from what we believe as negative, bad and wrong, or changing everything and everyone to become what we believe as positive, good and right, to give us peace.

It's not about "This is my world. I love my world. I don't want anything negative, bad and wrong to be in my world. I want my world to be what I believe as positive, good and right. I don't want objects and beings that I don't like and don't agree with to exist in my world."

Though the world doesn't belong to anyone or anything, but everyone and everything, whether our minds believe as good or bad, right or wrong, has the right to be existing and sharing this space of the universe.

Peace is there when one's mind is free from ignorance, egoism and impurities. It has nothing to do with whether everything and everyone in the world that we are living in is the way that how we like it to be, or not. Unconditional peace has nothing to do with whether everything and everyone in the world is positive, good and right, or not.

Upon realization of selflessness, there is no identification with the limited impermanent life existence of the body and mind as 'I'. The body is not me, I am not the body. The mind is not me, I am not the mind. There is no 'I' exist to be selfish or unselfish. There's no 'I' to be good or bad. There's no 'I' to do good or bad. There's no 'I' performing action or inaction. There's no 'I' to be giving and receiving the fruit of actions. There's no 'I' to be experiencing happiness or unhappiness. There's no 'I' to enjoy or suffer.

The unconditional peace is always there, undetermined and uncontaminated by any impermanent qualities of names and forms. There's no egoistic attachment towards the qualities of names and forms. There is no attachment towards the physical condition and the function of the mind. There is no clinging or craving towards what the mind believes as positive, good and right. There is no aversion towards what the mind believes as negative, bad and wrong.

Once one is free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, craving and aversion, one will know how to guide others to be free, without the need of acquiring qualification or certification from yoga teachers training courses to be a 'recognized' or 'certified' yoga teacher to teach yoga. Teaching yoga is beyond the worldly thinking and commercial values that are created by the worldly minded for the worldly minded, which is not about eliminating ignorance and egoism, but it's empowering ignorance and egoism.

Om shanti.

Want to practice yoga? (11)

This is a basic yoga practice.

Let go of the attachment towards particular thinking and belief even if we think it's all good and right. Let go of expectation towards others that everyone should think and behave the way that we think it should be - "This is good, this is right, everyone should follow this, do this and be like this."

Or else, we would feel disturbed, upset, angry, unhappy and disappointed when we come in contact with other human beings who don't think and behave the way that we think all human beings should think and behave, or they don't do what we think is good and right, and they do what we think is bad and wrong. There's nothing wrong with this type of reaction, as most people would react in such way, but then know that we are not practicing yoga at all, even though we think we love yoga and like to do some yoga practice regularly.

When majority people are having the similar type of thinking, or beliefs, or behavior, it doesn't mean that this type of thinking, beliefs or behavior is 'right'. When majority people disagree with certain type of thinking, beliefs or behavior, it doesn't mean that this type of thinking, beliefs or behavior is 'wrong'.

It’s okay when other people think, believe and behave differently from us. It’s everyone’s freedom, even when people don’t like or disallow others to be free for being what they are.

How could we fight for freedom of action and speech when we couldn't allow other people to disagree with us, or behave the way that they behave, or being different from us?

That's also why yoga is nothing to do with politics, activism, criticism, or fighting for certain rights and recognition. Though there's nothing wrong with people getting involve in politics, activism, criticism and fighting for certain rights and recognition.

Yoga is not about trying to save the world, or change the world or other people to be what we think it should be, but it's self-evolution to free one's mind from ignorance and egoism, and thus be free from suffering, which has nothing to do with the qualities of names and forms, or the good and bad experiences and condition of life in the world. If people believe in saving the world, or changing the world or other people to be what they think it should be, that's their freedom and nothing wrong with that.

It's being free from egoistic attachment and identification with any qualities of names and forms to be who 'I' am that looking forward to be supported, recognized and acknowledged by other human beings or certain community. There's no need to fight for anything when one's mind is free from ignorance and egoism. One retreats from the worldly affairs that are the games of impure minds under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

It's okay if people dislike or disagree with the yoga practice of non-attachment and renunciation. It's okay if people who think they are practicing yoga, but they are not really practicing yoga. It's okay if people change the yoga practice to be something that they would like it to be. Let them be. We just look after or watch out our own minds and our yoga practice.

Though we can share the knowledge of yoga with others, but one's yoga practice and the fruit of one's practice is not something that can be shared, not even with our teachers, students, soulmate, parents, children, spouse, yoga partner, life companion, friends and etc.

In the beginning, a group of people get together to learn and practice yoga, but sooner or later, everyone will retreat to one's own practice, path and journey. Some people may cross path at one point. People may stay or move together in the same pace for some time, but then sooner or later, everyone will go their own way at their own pace.

One of the many obstacles in the path of yoga is distractions and influences from others, including those who practice yoga and don't practice yoga. And hence, partial or complete solitude and seclusion is very important for a yoga enthusiast who determines to be free from ignorance and suffering. For those who are passionate about worldly life, worldly activities and objects of names and forms, but they love to do some yoga practice to attain some benefits, then solitude and seclusion is unnecessary to them.

Just like there are people (whether yoga practitioners or non-yoga practitioners) who like to get stoned, or high, or chill out from the momentary effects of taking some substances, they have the freedom to do what they want to do with their minds, their bodies and their life existence, but that is not what yoga is about.

If people find that getting stoned from time to time is the meaning of life, that's their freedom. Life can be too hard and people need to have that few moments of 'being away' from hardships, or else their minds couldn't take it and would breakdown eventually. But, yoga practice allows people to realize unconditional peace without the influence of any substances, provided these yoga practitioners are really practicing yoga of non-attachment and renunciation, and hence they don't need to take any substances to unwind, or to relax, or to escape from unhappiness, as there's none. Or else, those who think they like to practice yoga, but they still need to rely on taking substances to unwind, or to relax, or to escape from unhappiness, because there is so much tension and unhappiness built up from time to time due to ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, craving, aversion and all sorts of impurities. Some yoga practitioners might even think that a group of people hangout together to get stoned is what sharing love and peace is about, that's their freedom of thinking and action, but that is not what yoga or sharing love and peace is about.

Om shanti.

Want to practice yoga? (10)

Many people are interested in yoga practice. Some are interested in the yoga asana practice as a form of physical exercise for mental and physical health, for beauty and fitness, for improving quality of life. Some are interested in the spiritual, emotional and physical healing effects of the yoga and meditation practice. Some are interested in the living philosophy of yoga. Some wants to know about the mind and life existence. Some are interested in attaining peace in oneself. Some are interested in achieving world peace and harmony among all beings. Some are interested in attaining transcendental experiences and psychic power. Some are interested in attaining liberation from the cycle of cause and effect, the wheel of birth and death, and be free from suffering. Some just want to have a few moments of 'me time' and quietness away from worldly life routines and activities. Some just follow the trend of yoga in the world. And so on. But, all these different interests have something in common - doing something or attaining something that the different minds could find satisfaction, fulfillment, comfort, freedom, happiness and meaningfulness.

It doesn't matter what is the main or sub interest, intention and motivation for us to be performing some yoga and meditation practice, or how much we think we know or don't know about yoga and everything else, and how long we have been practicing yoga and meditation, or whether we believe in spirituality and God existence, or not, what would lead us to peace is the ability or the understanding that allows us to respect all the different names and forms to be what they are, as they are; allowing everyone to be different from one another, and yet, everyone finds their own version of satisfaction, fulfillment, comfort, freedom, happiness and meaningfulness through different ways and different paths.

Some find peace through actions. Some find peace through actionless. And yet, peace doesn't come from actions or actionlessness.

Some find peace by believing in God. Some find peace by disbelieving in God. And yet, peace doesn't come from believing in God, or not.

There's no contradictory at all.

Whether performing (good and bad) actions, or not, some are peaceful while some aren't.
Whether believing in God, or not, some are peaceful while some aren't.

Whether we think we are good people who do good actions, or we think we are bad people who do bad actions, or we think we are just human beings who do both good and bad actions, or we think we are neither good nor bad people, we are just what we are, some of us are peaceful, while some aren't.

Even in the teachings of Buddhism, the one who had killed thousands of lives intentionally, could be liberated from suffering, and be in peace. It doesn't mean that by killing many lives intentionally will free us from suffering, as some people might comprehend this saying in such way when they come across with this teaching of Buddhism. Meanwhile many human beings who think we are good beings, who think we don't commit any wrong doings or killings, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and we condemn others whom we think they are bad and wrong based on what we think is bad and wrong, but we are not free from suffering, and aren't peaceful. Why?

That is what yoga and meditation practice is about - To find out what causes us not peaceful, or what allows us to be in peace, through our own effort, self-inquiry and self-realization.

Even by reading many books about yoga and meditation, attending many courses, hearing from other people discussing, debating, talking and teaching about yoga and meditation, knowing and memorizing all the teachings, names and terms, and the physical body can perform many movements and positions that require specific skill, technique, strength and flexibility, but, as long as we (the mind) haven't realize the truth by ourselves, we (the mind) are not free from ignorance, we (the mind) would still experience restlessness, dissatisfaction, void, meaninglessness, freedomlessness, hurt, fear or suffering. And if we (the mind) don't have self-control, out of restlessness, dissatisfaction, void, meaninglessness, freedomlessness, hurt, fear or suffering, we might generate actions that would inflict further hurt, unrest and disharmony in oneself and in others.

For example, if we (the mind) think we are somehow more or less superior than some other beings; or we expect everyone should behave according to our own personal thinking and belief; or we think we have to have this or do that, to be happy, or not; or we recognize something as bad and we don't like this bad thing, and we don't want to allow this bad thing to be existing within our existence or awareness, then we are very much under the influence of ignorance, even if we think we are super intelligent, knowledgeable and good beings, and we think we are better beings than some other beings.

Just like peace doesn't come from whether we eat vegetarian food or non-vegetarian food. Whether being a vegetarian or non-vegetarian, it doesn't guarantee that one will be peaceful, or not.

Peace doesn't come from whether our body is strong and flexible, or not. Whether the body is strong and flexible, or not, it doesn't guarantee that one will be peaceful, or not.

Peace doesn't come from whether our relationships with other people are good, or not. Whether the relationships with other people are good, or not, it doesn't guarantee that one will be peaceful, or not.

If we still couldn't understand this, then ask ourselves, "What makes us think that we are not peaceful?" or "What makes us not peaceful?" until we (the mind) are free from ignorance, and be in peace.

Some love and care their spouse, their children and their living environment or mother earth, they do their best for upkeeping the well-being and welfare of everyone and everything, and they are peaceful under any impermanent changes, circumstances, situations and conditions. While some others also love and care for their spouse, their children and their living environment or mother earth, they do their best for upkeeping the well-being and welfare of everyone and everything, but they are not peaceful. Why?

Om shanti.

There's nothing wrong or bad about 'bad', 'negative' or 'unhappy' feelings and emotions

It's normal to have unpleasant feelings or emotions in us from time to time. There's totally nothing wrong or bad when there are feelings or emotions that the worldly thinking people label them as 'bad', 'negative' and 'unhappy' feelings and emotions.

Many people would 'advise' those who are going through some difficult time or emotional moments to stop being emotional as if emotions and being emotional is something not good, or bad, or wrong, or weak.

It's not about "Hey, you should look around you, count your blessings, and be grateful for all the little good things that you have or the bad things that you don't have. Stop being so ungrateful, negative and unhappy. Don't waste your life, time and energy in all these 'bad' feelings and 'negative' emotions. It's not good for you and the people around you."

Yoga and meditation practice is not about push away or avoid certain emotions and feelings that the mind recognizes as 'bad', 'negative', or 'unhappy'. Yoga and meditation practice is not about cultivate good and happy feelings and emotions, and fill the mind with only 'good' and 'positive' feelings and emotions. It's not about don't allow any 'bad' and 'negative' feelings and emotions to arise or exist in the mind.

The teachings of yoga never criticize or tease people who feel low, bad, sad, angry, negative, depress or unhappy from time to time, or once in a blue moon, or most of the time. The teachings of yoga never judge or label any kinds of feelings and emotions as something 'good' or 'bad', 'positive' or 'negative'. It is normal and okay for the mind to experience different types of pleasant and unpleasant feelings and emotions from time to time.

We allow our minds and other people's minds to perceive feelings and emotions that are unpleasant, that are unhappy. It's okay sometimes we don't feel like talking and want to have some time just for ourselves. It's okay sometimes other people don't feel like talking and want to have some time just for themselves. It's okay that we are not always happy all the time. We don't have to be happy all the time.

What we are practicing in yoga and meditation is to be aware of any feelings or emotions, without generate identification with these feelings and emotions as 'I' or 'mine'; without judging these feelings or emotions as 'good' or 'bad', 'negative' or 'positive'; without judging the mind as 'good' or 'bad', 'positive' or 'negative'; without expectation that 'I' only want to feel 'good' and have 'positive' emotions, and 'I' don't want to feel 'bad' or have any 'negative' emotions; without generate craving or aversion towards certain feelings or emotions that the mind likes or dislikes; without being over-powered by these pleasant and unpleasant feelings and emotions to influence our actions and speech; knowing that no matter they are pleasant or unpleasant feelings and emotions, they all are impermanent, that they will pass away; and allowing all these impermanent feelings and emotions to arise, to be there, to change and passing away.

Whether we like it, or not; attach to it, or not, they all will pass away sooner, or later. Just observe, without attachment, identification, judgment, craving, aversion, or expectation.

It's not about not welcoming or pushing away the 'bad' and 'negative' feelings and emotions. It's not about welcoming and cultivating or retaining 'good' and 'positive' feelings and emotions. They are neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, and they are impermanent. And it's not 'I'.

Accepting the reality in the present moment now as it is, whether it's pleasant or unpleasant, whether it's the way that we like it to be, or not. It's impermanent. Allowing all the impermanent changes to be there as they are. Whether the mind is at peace, or disturbed and unrest, it's impermanent and it's not 'I'.

Om shanti.

The yoga poses are neither easy nor difficult, neither comfortable nor uncomfortable, neither safe nor unsafe

The yoga poses or exercises are just what they are. They are neither easy nor difficult. They are neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. They are neither safe nor unsafe. They have no qualities nor intention to be easy or difficult, to make anyone feels comfortable or uncomfortable, to be safe or unsafe. It is coming from each individual physical condition, ability and limitation, the states of their mind, and how different bodies and minds react differently towards the poses and exercises that project the quality of easy or difficult, comfortable or uncomfortable, safe or unsafe onto every pose, or position, or exercise.

While doing the same poses or same exercises, some say it's easy, some say it's difficult. Some say they feel comfortable, some say they feel uncomfortable. Some don't experience any injuries, some experience some injuries.

It is true for each individual about that is how their body and mind reacts towards the poses or exercises, and that is how they feel and experience while doing the poses and exercises. It is their personal truth and individual perception of reality. But it is not the truth of the poses or exercises.

Injuries occur while doing the poses or exercises if the practitioners don't know their own physical ability and limitation, and they push their body to go beyond its limitation. Injuries don't occur while doing the poses or exercises if the practitioners know their own physical ability and limitation, and they don't push their body to go beyond its limitation. And yoga practice is really not about pushing the physical body to go beyond its limitation.

By pushing the body to go beyond its limitation, making the body more strong and flexible, and be able to do many of the yoga asana poses nicely, beautifully and in the perfect 'correct' alignment, doesn't guarantee us peace and compassion, or liberation from ignorance and egoism. It's about non-attachment, non-identification, desireless, non-craving, non-aversion, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, patience, forbearance, tolerance, and be free from ignorance, egoism and impurities, that lead us to peace and compassion. And all these has nothing to do with the physical conditions and abilities and skills to do the yoga poses or exercises. It's nothing to do with the different types of benefits of the yoga poses and exercises either.

If the truth of the poses or exercises is they are something easy or difficult, comfortable or uncomfortable, safe or unsafe, then everyone who do the same poses or same exercises will react and feel the same. But, everyone would react and feel and experience differently from one another while doing the same poses or exercises, and everyone would react and feel and experience differently when doing the same poses or exercises on different practice session.

The poses or exercises are just being what they are. They are neither easy nor difficult, neither comfortable nor comfortable, neither safe nor unsafe.

Different minds perceive the world differently because different minds project different qualities onto names and forms that they perceive under the influence of different thinking and beliefs. Some perceive the world positively and some perceive the world negatively, but the world is neither positive nor negative. No one could debate with one another about their own personal perception of different reality that different minds perceive under the influence of their own personal thinking and belief, as that is what their minds perceive and understand, but, the different perceptions of different minds are not necessarily the truth of what things are.

The world is just what it is. It is neither good nor bad. Everything is subject to impermanence, arising and passing away. Realize this and be free from attachment, pride and arrogance about 'I', 'my' thinking, 'my' belief, 'my' actions and the fruit of 'my' actions.

By understanding this, we let go of judgment or expectation towards everything and everyone. All the names and forms are neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither happiness nor unhappiness, neither right nor wrong. It's just different qualities being projected onto all the names and forms based on each individual mind being conditioned to think and believe about what things are, but it's not the truth of all the names and forms.

Those who don't see the truth or couldn't understand this, they will want to argue with everyone whom is different from them, who has different perception of reality from them, who has different thinking and belief from them about what things are. They will want to prove that they are right and others who are different from them, are wrong. They want to prove that what they believe as good and bad, right and wrong, is true, while any contradictions with their belief about good and bad, right and wrong, is false. 'Good people' who think or label themselves as 'good people', they are not free from ignorance if they think and label those whom they think are bad, or those whose thinking and behavior are different from their own thinking and behavior, as bad people.

Be free.

Om shanti.

Real love is free from bitterness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and hatred

It’s very common to see unhappiness, bitterness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and hatred exist in many of the love relationships. That is because people don’t really love the person who is in the relationship with them, but they only love what they like and want from the relationship, or from the person who are in a relationship with them. These people don’t even love themselves. They expect the ‘appropriate’ treatment and behavior from the person in the relationship with them to give them the love, the attention, the commitment, the companionship, the treatment, the satisfaction and the happiness exactly the way that how they like it to be, or the way that they think it should be, to make them feel good and happy, to feel that they are well-loved and well-deserved. If they are not getting what they like and want from the person in the relationship with them, or they are not getting what they want and what they think they deserved from the relationship, and they are getting something that they don’t like and don’t want, or are getting something that they think they don’t deserve to be getting, they feel unhappy, bitter, dissatisfied, disappointed and angry. They think that their relationship is not good. They think that the person in the relationship with them is not good enough, or is bad. Or some would think that it’s because themselves are not good enough, or are bad, that they don’t deserve to love and be loved, or to be treated in the ‘right’ way that they think they should be treated.

Most of the time, we think we love someone, but actually, we don’t. We only love what we like and want. We love certain qualities that we perceive about that person and the ‘good’ image that we project onto that person which we like very much. We love what we like and want that we could receive from that person. We love what we like and want that is available to us from being in a relationship with that person.

And hence, we would get very angry and unhappy, or feel hurt, bitter, dissatisfied and disappointed, when the qualities or the image that we like about that person has changed into something else that we don’t like and don’t want, or when we are not getting what we like and want from that person anymore, or when the relationship with that person and the companionship of that person that we love very much is no longer available to us.

Out of feelings of hurt, bitterness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and unhappiness, we would do things and say things that would hurt ourselves and hurt the person whom we want to love, or whom we think we love very much and those whom he or she loves. Where is love? There’s no love. Only bitterness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and hatred when we are losing what we like and want, when we don’t get what we like and want, and are getting what we don’t like and don’t want.

Real love is unconditional, being free from bitterness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and hatred. We love the person as he is, as she is. We only wish him or her will have peace and happiness, even though he or she doesn’t love us (anymore), or doesn’t want to be in a relationship with us (anymore). We don’t have to allow ourselves to be abused or taken for granted, but, we could allow other people to love us, or not; to be nice to us, or not; want to be in a relationship with us, or not. Other people have the freedom to treat us the way that how they want to treat us. Other people have the freedom to behave the way that how they want to behave. We have the freedom to choose how we want to react towards other people's behavior, actions and reactions.

It is our own responsibility if we want to react with ill-thinking, ill-feelings, ill-will, and we want to feel hurt, or bitter, or dissatisfied, or disappointed, or angry. It is not because other people's behavior is bad or wrong.

How could we say "I love you" and "Since I love you so much, why don't you appreciate my love for you and why do you disappoint me and betray my love for you?" and "Why don't you love me the way that I like it to be, or how I deserve to be loved?" when we would do things and say things that would hurt him or her out of bitterness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and hatred when we are not getting what we like and want from him or her, or from the relationship we have with him or her? Or we would have ill-will for the person whom we 'love' very much, we wish him or her should be punished or suffered for being 'bad' to us, when he or she doesn't want to love us, or doesn't want to be in a relationship with us (anymore)? Because we don't really love them at all if we would react with ill-will, bitterness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, anger and hatred in a relationship.

We expect that "I love you, you should also love me in return." and "I am very good to you, you should also be good to me." and "I uphold my commitment, duties and responsibilities towards you in our relationship, you should also uphold your commitment, duties and responsibilities towards me in our relationship."

It is not other people or the relationship we have with them is bad and wrong that disappoints us. We are disappointed by our own expectation towards other people or the relationships we have with them. We don't know what is love or how to love. We are being conditioned or brain-washed by our family cultural practice, or religious teachings, or social medias about how people should behave, about give and take, about relationships, and about code of conducts. We expect everyone should follow the same orders and code of conducts. That is what making us so unhappy and dissatisfied in any relationships, as we expect people should behave in certain ways and all relationships should be in certain ways, and if they don't turn out to be the way that how we expect them to be, or how we think they should be, we are unhappy and dissatisfied.

We have the right and freedom on how we want to react and feel. There's nothing wrong if we want to feel hurt, bitter and angry. But know that it's coming from our own reactions towards something that we don't like, don't want and don't agree with. It's not coming from other people being bad and wrong.

Most people don't like to hear all these. They just want to blame everything and everyone to be responsible for their reactions of unhappiness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, bitterness, feelings of hurt, anger and hatred towards something that they don't like and don't want. There's no freedom and there's so much tension in oneself or in all our relationships with anyone, when we want to love others, or be loved by others.

And thus, those who know what is love and how to love, there’s no complaint, or criticism, or talk bad about their partners that they are not good enough, or are bad, even if they are really not good, or are really bad. Only those who don’t really love their partner would want to complain, criticize and talk bad about their partners out of dissatisfaction, disappointment, bitterness, unhappiness, anger and hatred because they are not getting what they like and want, but they are getting what they don’t like and don’t want. And they want to get agreement and support from other people by complaining to other people about their disappointment and unhappiness, to prove to themselves and other people that “I am good enough to deserve to be treated in a better way or in the right way, and it’s because my partner is not good, or is bad, and he or she doesn’t appreciate ‘my love’ and ‘what I’ve done’ for him or her, that is giving me problems and unhappiness, that is hurting me, or making me angry and miserable.”

Om shanti.

About energy conservation in yoga and meditation

There's a cause about energy conservation in the world coming from those who love and care for the mother earth or the living environment. It's about saving natural resources that are supporting all to be living and existing on this planet.

There's also energy conservation in yoga and meditation practice, which is conserving energy and channeling the energy or life force to focus on yoga and meditation practice or performing self-inquiry to attain self-realization. It's an important role in the path of transcending ignorance and suffering.

There's nothing wrong with people being passionate about worldly life, ideas and activities, and people spend most of their energy and effort into worldly ideas and activities.

There's nothing wrong with people being dispassionate towards worldly life, ideas and activities, and spending just enough energy into the maintenance of life existence, and diverting most of the energy, attention and effort into the path of self-realization to transcend ignorance and suffering.

It's just different freedom of choice for what we want to do with our own life existence.

There's nothing to be debate about which way and how we spend our energy is more meaningful or better.

It's okay if people think that they are practicing yoga, but they couldn't or are reluctant to let go of worldly passionate desires, identities, attachments, ideas, objects and activities. They just want to be able keep their head above the water from the help of some yoga and meditation practice that would provide them with some buoyancy to keep floating and keep their head up, so that they won't drown, but they are not determined enough to get out of the water, as they enjoy very much being in the water.

Just like the truth is always the truth, and it's always there, no matter we know about it, or not, whether we like it, or not, whether we agree with it, or not.

Those who don't see the truth as it is, they only see their own truth from their own perspective, conditioned by particular thinking and belief. They want to argue and debate about everything that is different from their own judgment or point of view, to prove that they are right and those who are different from them, are wrong.

Those who see the truth, they don't need agreement, or acknowledgment, or approval, or support from anyone. They allow everyone to argue and debate about different points of view. They allow everyone to think what they want to think, to express what they want to express, and allow them to be ignorant of the truth. They don't try to convince others who don't know the truth to believe that 'this' is the truth. The truth is not a belief. The truth is just what it is, it has nothing to do with what the mind being conditioned to think and believe as right and wrong. It's beyond worldly thinking about what is right or wrong. And hence, there's nothing to be argue or debate about, as everyone is conditioned to think in certain ways, to believe in certain beliefs. If people don't see the truth, no one can make them see the truth.

Om shanti.

Unhappy about something that we don't like or disagree with?

Look into our mind, and see what's really happening when we feel unhappy (about something that we don't like or disagree with).

When we think we are unhappy because of something that we experience, or what we perceive through the senses of what we see, or hear, or smell, or taste, or touch, or think, it is coming from our own mind's reaction towards the names and forms based on what the mind likes and dislikes, agrees and doesn't agree with, it is not coming from the names and forms that the mind thinks is what causing the mind to be unhappy.

This is different from people who suffer from depression. People who suffer from depression is depressed or unhappy is not because they come in contact with something that they don't like and disagree with, or aren't getting something that they like and want. They just feel down and depressed most of the time without any particular reasons, even when everything in life is good and fine. Those who don't suffer depression can never truly understand what is happening in the mind of the people who suffer from depression. We should be compassionate towards people who suffer from depression as they couldn't help themselves for how they feel, and accept them as they are.

For most people who are being unhappy because they are getting something that they don't like and don't want, or they are not getting what they like and want, that is due to ignorance, egoism, attachment, craving and aversion. We also can be compassionate towards these people who could be happy, but they chose to be unhappy because they are under the influence of ignorance.

Om shanti.

Do something that will make us happy?

We hear this "positive and motivational" message very often - "Do something that will make us happy."

There's nothing wrong about want to make ourselves (or the mind) happy by doing something that we (the mind) like to do, that will give us (the mind) some sorts of satisfaction and happy feelings, or to get rid of dissatisfaction and unhappy feelings. But know that if we need to depend on doing something that we like to do, or depend on certain qualities of names and forms to be happy, then it is not what yoga practice is about.

Yoga practice is unattached towards any qualities of names and forms, and be free from craving and aversion which is the cause of dissatisfaction and unhappiness. When the mind is free from dissatisfaction and unhappiness, when the mind is not being dissatisfied or unhappy, it doesn't need to do something to get rid of dissatisfaction and unhappiness, or depend on any qualities of names and forms to be happy.

It's about knowing how to be happy as we are, undetermined by any qualities of names and forms, impermanent changes, what we do or don't do, and what we have or don't have, to be happy, or not.

Om shanti.

Rest(ing) in peace?

Rest in peace (R.I.P) technically means peace after death.

In yoga, one doesn't need to wait until after death to be resting in peace. The mind can be resting in peace when the outgoing tendency of the mind turns inward and resting in the chamber of the heart.

The mind can be resting in peace in the present, when it is free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, craving and aversion, judgment, comparison, expectation and all sorts of impurities.

The outgoing mind doesn't really want to rest in peace. Sometimes the mind might feel tired of restlessness and it thinks it needs to have some rest being free from restlessness and be in peace, but when the mind starts to slow down and has some moments of restfulness and peace, it starts to become impatient and agitated. It wants to runaway from quietness and calmness. The mind gets use to be in actions most of the time to feel itself being existing and alive, and it loves and enjoys restlessness, excitement, stimulation, attention, drama, accumulating worldly credits, merits, acknowledgment, relationships and possessions, interacting, expressing, exchanging, judging, criticizing, expecting, anticipating, scheming, plotting, boasting, gossiping, slandering, argument, conflict and so on.

Turning the outgoing mind inward, and quieting the busy and noisy mind is the major part of yoga and meditation practice.

Om shanti.

Positive thinking is not the goal of yoga practice or the end of suffering

We don't teach positive thinking in our yoga classes and retreats, although for those who are under the influence of 'negative thinking', whom are being very negative towards everything that they perceive, we would encourage them to develop 'positive thinking' to counter the 'negative thinking'. But that is not the goal of yoga practice.

In the beginning of yoga practice, when the mind is still influenced or over-powered by what the mind believes or recognizes as negative names and forms, we need to develop positive thinking to counter any negative thinking, but that is not what yoga is about - liberation from ignorance or the end of suffering.

When people try to be positive, think positive and stay positive, it's because these minds are not free from ignorance and are being ignorant of the truth of names and forms. The mind perceives or recognizes quality of 'negative' in the objects of names and forms projected from the mind based on what the mind believes as something 'negative'. The perception of negativity is still existing in the mind, but the mind tries to push away or deny the perception of names and forms that it believes as 'negative', and tries to convince itself that everything is 'positive' and good. It's denying and running away from the reality that it perceives and believes as 'negative' that it doesn't like and doesn't want.

The mind is not free constantly trying to 'turn' everything that it recognizes as 'negative' into something that the mind believes as 'positive'. But as long as the mind still thinks and believes that there's quality of 'negative' and 'positive', and it doesn't want something 'negative', but it wants everything 'positive', the mind will be forever restless as it tries to maintain 'positive'.

Everything is just what it is, it is neither positive nor negative. But the mind projects the qualities of 'positive' and 'negative' onto everything that it perceives based on what the mind thinks and believes as 'positive' and 'negative'.

Trying to stay positive is not freedom at all. The mind is not free, constantly being in a state of craving towards quality of 'positive' and aversion towards quality of 'negative'.

In the end, we will see that be positive, think positive and stay positive is not the end of suffering.

Yoga is going beyond what the mind believes and recognizes as 'positive' and 'negative'. It is awareness being aware of the perception of names and forms without projecting qualities of 'positive' or 'negative' onto all the objects of names and forms, and allows everything to be what it is - neither positive nor negative.

The realization of non-duality, or attributelessness, or non-separateness, or oneness is real freedom that allows the mind to be in peace, being free from restlessness.

There's no need to generate clinging or craving towards what the mind used to believe as 'positive', and there's no need to generate aversion towards what the mind used to believe as 'negative'. The mind will be free from restlessness coming from aversion towards quality of 'negative', or fear of being negative, and be free from clinging or craving towards quality of 'positive'.

There's no need to think and stay positive to counter negativity as 'negative' and 'positive' doesn't exist in the objects of names and forms. They only exist in the mind when the mind is under the influence of ignorance. There's no need to turn 'negative' into 'positive', when the mind is free.

Om shanti.

Want to practice yoga? (9)

Yoga is the unconditional peace beyond all the qualities of names and forms, where ignorance is absent when one realizes the truth of impermanent names and forms - the worldly life existence of the body and mind, that there is no 'I' existing as an individual being to be in control of any impermanent changes of names and forms - The realization of selflessness, or ego-lessness, or 'I'-lessness.

This self-realization of selflessness seems impossible or non-logical for the impure mind. Due to ignorance, the impure mind cannot perceive or comprehend the wisdom or the truth of selflessness. The mind thinks that if there's no 'I', then who is the one who realizes selflessness? Just like the impure mind is being conditioned to think and believe in certain ways that how life should be lived, or how things should be done, or how humans should behave, or how to think and what to believe, or how to be happy. There's nothing wrong when the intellect questions the logic of everything, including the wisdom of self-realization of selflessness. That is the beginning of self-inquiry - to find out who 'I' am, or who is this 'I' that the mind thinks and believes as 'I'.

The existence of 'I' is when the mind thinks itself has a solid existence who is in control of its existence and function. And thus, the mind would think and judge itself as a 'good' or 'bad' being according to certain qualities of names and forms that it possesses or doesn't possess, and has satisfaction or dissatisfaction, pride and arrogance or low self-esteem about itself. As well as the mind constantly generates ceaseless reactions towards all the names and forms that it perceives through the senses based on the conditioned thinking and belief in the mind that is conditioning it's personality and behavior.

Due to ignorance towards the truth of its own existence and function, the mind experiences or feels separateness, boredom, loneliness, fear, discontentment, defect, imperfection, and etc, and generates attachment, identification, pride, clinging, craving and aversion towards names and forms that it likes and dislikes. And when all its craving and aversion is not being gratified, the mind reacts with unhappiness, dissatisfaction and disappointment. In order to get rid of unhappiness, dissatisfaction and disappointment, the mind keeps looking for attaining some qualities of names and forms that it thinks that will bring the mind satisfaction and happiness, to feel good, confident and meaningful. The mind is forever restless, as it keeps chasing after qualities of names and forms that are impermanent to feel satisfy and happy.

But the truth of all the impermanent names and forms is there is no such solid existence of 'I' in control of one's own existence or function. It's merely a process of forming and deforming of elements. And there's no 'I' existing in all these elements that allow and support the body and mind to be existing and functioning. There's no 'I' existing in all the cells, physical structure, organs and senses that are performing action ceaselessly to be supporting one another to be existing and functioning. There are countless births and deaths is happening within the body and mind from moment to moment. There are countless sensations and thoughts arising and passing away from moment to moment that are not in the control of 'I', if 'I' exist.

There is no ownership to be claimed by 'I' towards the existence and function of this body and mind, and all the impermanent changes that is going on in the body and mind, not to say, there is no valid possession towards all the worldly objects of names and forms that the mind comes in contact with, such like personal relationships with everyone and everything. Through the ceaseless selfless actions of all these cells, organs and senses being supported by energy and elements, the mind perceives names and forms, knows or doesn't know, acts and doesn't act, but it isn't 'I' perceive names and forms, know or don't know, act and don't act.

When the mind realizes the truth of names and forms, or is being free from ignorance, when the idea of 'I' is annihilated, all sorts of defilements like egoism, attachment, identification, desire, craving and aversion, judgment and expectation, pride and arrogance, confidence and low self-esteem, fear and worry will also be absent from the mind, naturally.

To realize the truth of names and forms or be free from ignorance, the mind needs to have a pause from restlessness, or a moment of being free from impurities. To be free from impurities or restlessness, one can practice yoga, which is letting go of the ego, attachment, identification, desire, craving and aversion, judgment and expectation, as well as limit or minimize stimulation of the mind by restricting inputs and outputs of the mind, as impurities or restlessness are the by-products of all these defilements.

There is persistent effort to maintain self-awareness, self-restraint, self-discipline and self-control to free the mind from all these defilements - the purification process of the impure mind. The moment the mind is being free from all these defilements and being free from impurities or restlessness, the mind will be able to see or reflect the truth of names and forms, as they are, uninfluenced by any conditioned thinking and belief that is existing in the mind that is influencing the mind's behavior pattern and reaction towards all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses. Following the annihilation of ignorance, the mind will also be free from all sorts of defilements naturally and effortlessly, without the need of the persistent practice of letting go. Yoga practice is unnecessary. There's no 'I' being there that needs to practice yoga to be free from ignorance, to let go of the ego, attachment, identification, desire, craving and aversion, judgment and expectation, as there is none.

If we haven't realized unconditional peace, if we still rely on either possessing or not possessing certain qualities of names and forms to feel good, happy, satisfy, confident, meaningful and peaceful, then no matter how many yoga poses we can perform, or how long we think we have been practicing yoga, or how strong and flexible is our physical body, we will always be determined by the impermanent qualities of names and forms to be who 'I' am. We are not free and won't have peace.

If the mind knows how to practice non-attachment, non-identification, desireless, non-judgement, non-expectation, non-craving and non-aversion, the mind will have peace under any circumstances, or undesirable conditions and difficult situations. The mind will be free, being undetermined by any qualities of names and forms and impermanent changes that are not in the control of 'I', if 'I' exist, not to say, when this 'I' doesn't exist at all.

Liberation is not about having everything the way that we like it to be, but it is being liberated from the idea of 'I', and all the by-products derived from the ignorance of there is an existence of 'I' to be in control to make everything the way that how 'I' like it to be.

Om shanti.

Go beyond what the mind believes as good and bad, and be free...

There's nothing wrong when we would like to think and believe that we are intelligent, good and kind people, while we would criticize and condemn other people whom we think and believe as ignorant, bad and unkind people. We would like to be acknowledged by other people that we are good beings, while some of us might want to be acknowledged as bad beings. There's nothing wrong also when people want to make everything become 'good', and don't want anything to become 'bad'. When we think we are not good enough, or didn't achieve the standard of good, or didn't possess the good qualities, we will identified ourselves as 'bad' beings, and we dislike and criticize ourselves. We like to show the good qualities that we think we have and hide the bad qualities that we think we have. We would be hypocrite and tell stories to convince ourselves and others to think that we are good beings. But this is not the teachings and practice of yoga.

As long as our minds still attached toward all the qualities of good and bad, and have clinging or craving towards some qualities that our minds think and believe as 'good' and have aversion towards some qualities that our minds think and believe as 'bad', and have identification as 'good' or 'bad' beings, our minds are not free.

Go beyond the conditioned and limited thinking and beliefs in our minds that generate the qualities of good and bad, positive and negative, pleasantness and unpleasantness, happiness and suffering, right and wrong, that based on what the minds believe what things are, which is not the truth of what things really are.

Be free.

Death

For some people, death is a bad or horrible thing to be happening on self or others, especially when life is good and people don't expect death will be happening so soon or sudden to self or those who are close to us in life. There are still lots of things we 'think' we need to do or want to do. We are not ready to face separation with family and friends, or are not ready to let go of worldly life existence. There's resistance or aversion towards death and craving towards longer life span or existence.

For some others, death is a good thing, especially when everything in life or in the world seems to be difficult, depressing or negative, especially when oneself or those whom are close to us in life are suffering from chronic physical or mental illness and are under intensive care of care-takers for everyday life routine for many years. For them, death is a great relief from physical and mental pain and suffering. There's resistance or aversion towards difficult life condition, and physical, or emotional, or mental pain and suffering. There's craving towards death or non-existence.

But, both of these perception of death is due to ignorance and attachment towards the physical body and life existence.

In yoga and Buddhism, death is neither good nor bad. It is just a natural process of the impermanent life existence. The physical body has been forming, growing, changing, decaying and disintegrating from the moment of conception. It is a process of forming and deforming of any names and forms that are subject to the law of nature - the law of impermanence.

Realize this and let go of attachment towards the physical body and the worldly life existence, and be fearless towards 'death' or end of life existence, whether it's happening on self or those who are close to us in life. There's neither craving nor aversion towards existence or non-existence.

Om shanti.

Renouncing worldly social activities

All physical activities should be completely suspended, all attachments should be ruthlessly cut asunder completely for five or six years, if you want to practice Dhyana Yoga, if you want to realise God through concentration of mind. Newspaper-reading and correspondence with friends and relatives should be completely stopped; as they cause distraction of mind and strengthen the world-idea. Seclusion for a period of five or six years is indispensable.

- Swami Sivananda 

The practice of renouncing worldly social activities, as well as seclusion and solitude, is contradicted with the conditioned thinking and belief of the worldly minded sociable community where most people have strong attachment or clinging towards family and friends, worldly identities and social activities.

There's no need justification for oneself and about one's yoga practice, when one is practicing yoga and has the correct understanding of the mind and the mind stuffs. There will be criticism and condemn coming from the worldly minded people who are conditioned to think and behave in certain ways, whom also expect other people should also think and behave in certain ways, to be socially and culturally accepted in the society.

In certain social culture, having a friend or some friends coming together to engage in conversation consisting of boasting, story-telling, flirting, gossip, complaining, mourning, criticism, condemn and back-biting is seemed to be a totally normal and acceptable behavior. While those who choose to stay away from such social interactions and conversations, and stay away from people who like to engage in such activities would be criticized for being unfriendly and impolite. In certain family bring up, acting to be agreeable and speaking lies to say nice things in front of others while they have bitterness, ill-thinking and ill-will towards others, but then, they want to complain and criticize and speak bad about others behind their backs is being recognized as a form of cultural politeness and socially acceptable behavior. But this is not yoga practice.

Those who practice seclusion and solitude and renouncing social activities, they minimize social activities and contacts with other human beings as much as possible including family and friends, as they can generate great distraction, polluting one’s mind with worldly ideas and attachments, pull one away from one’s yoga practice and disrupt one’s regular practice routine by taking up one’s time, space and energy for yoga practice, if one doesn’t have strong self-discipline and certain degree of non-attachment. This would be criticized by the passionate worldly minded sociable community as anti-social, cold, selfish, uncaring and unfriendly, which are being seen as abnormal, or wrong, or inappropriate, or unacceptable behavior to them. And hence, only those who are bold and have strong affirmation in their yoga and meditation practice for self-realization can take up the practice of renunciation, seclusion and solitude. All the others are just clinging onto the worldly names and forms and be happy with what the minds think and believe as worldly achievements, while doing some forms of yoga practice as part of their life activities to relieve stress, to be healthier and to feel better. There’s nothing wrong with that.

In yoga, it’s a noble act to benefit the society by focusing one’s life existence, time and energy for conquering one’s impure and outgoing mind, to be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, so that one can truly benefit and care for the society. Those who take seriously in this practice, they don’t talk much. They don’t mingle. They don’t spread further negativity or impurities into the society through social talking and mingling. They don’t commit actions of gossips, criticism, condemn, back-biting, boasting, flirting, teasing, telling lies, hypocrisy, finger-pointing, blames, complaints, grumble, mourning, and etc. They don't encourage or support others to engage in such activities by keeping themselves away from such activities or conversations.

Those whose minds are tamed, purified, one-pointed, undistracted and free from worldly passionate desires after underwent intense disciplines and restrictions, can then mix freely into the society and perform selfless actions to serve the worldly community without egoism, attachment and identification, while being undisturbed, or unaffected, or uninfluenced, or undetermined by the worldly activities, actions and the fruit of actions.

The worldly minded sociable community including many of those who think they love yoga, who practice or teach yoga, they might not be able to appreciate or understand the great value of renunciation nor will they have any interest in this practice. In fact, they criticize and condemn others who uphold renunciation, seclusion and solitude.

For most people, it's possible for them to cut off from the society for a short period of time, as they know they will be back into the society very soon, but it's impossible for them to be cutting off from family and friends and social activities for a prolonged period of time to allow the mind to have the prolonged period of being free from stimulation, to be quiet, to be in silence. The mind will resist and give itself many 'rational reasons' not to practice renunciation, seclusion and solitude.

Renunciation, seclusion and solitude can be developed through gradual process for most people who have strong attachment towards worldly identities, social activities, family ties and friendships. Such like attending short and long silent meditation retreats from time to time, giving themselves and their family and friends a 'rational reason' that "I will be away or won't be in contact with the society, family and friends for some time." and "It's totally okay if I don't mingle, don't talk, don't read news or books, don't look at others, don't mind about others or the world, and don't interact or associate with anyone, as I am in such a setting for it." Some people will start to appreciate such a great relief from being away from worldly social activities and relationships, but for many others, their minds are like fish out of water. There is no guarantee that after attending some silent retreats one will develop detachment and non-attachment towards worldly names and forms which is what yoga and meditation practice is all about.

Om shanti.

P/S : We can't and won't run yoga retreats when family and friends are visiting us. When we are running retreats, we don't accept any family or social visits as it disrupts the retreats. Personally, when I am not running yoga retreats or teaching classes or writing about yoga, I retreat from the social world as much as possible.

The battlefield, the victory, the refuge, the freedom...

The battlefield is one's mind.

The victory is conquering one's ego.

The refuge is compassion and wisdom.

The freedom is unconditional.

What's the difference between sympathy and compassion?

What's the difference between sympathy and compassion?

Anger, ill-will and ill-feelings might co-exist with sympathy and empathy. While anger or any forms of ill-will or ill-feelings are absent in compassion.

One might be able to feel empathy for other's sorrow and suffering, or show sympathy towards others who are less fortunate or are suffering, but it's not necessarily that one is also compassionate. One who doesn't have compassion might not be able to show sympathy or empathy towards other's suffering when oneself is under difficult condition or critical situation. Out of self-righteousness, one might show sympathy or empathy towards others whom one thinks and believes are 'the victim' of suffering, but at the same time, one can be disturbed by others' suffering and be angry with the cause of suffering and 'the one' who is responsible for the suffering, and one might generate actions and speech that would hurt oneself and others out of anger. One also might not show sympathy or empathy towards others whom one thinks and believes that they don't deserve sympathy or empathy from others.

If compassion is present, there's neither suffering nor the cause of suffering in oneself. It's knowing the truth of suffering. It's not about feeling sorry or feeling bad for others whom our minds think and believe they are experiencing something terribly bad or sad. It's nothing to do with self-righteousness which based on what the mind believes what is good and bad, what is right and wrong, what is should and shouldn't, and who deserve or don't deserve non-discrimination and loving kindness. One who has compassion will be able to show sympathy or empathy towards others' suffering even when oneself is under difficult condition or critical situation. One is undetermined, undisturbed or uninfluenced by the presence of suffering or the cause of suffering in others, and will not generate actions and speech that would hurt others, whether intentionally or unintentionally. One is free from anger, hatred, ill-thinking, ill-will and ill-feelings.

If compassion is absent, there will be perception of suffering, the victim who suffers, the cause of suffering, and the one who is to be blamed, who is responsible for the cause of suffering. There will be anger and hatred towards something that is contradicted with one's social, cultural and religious thinking and belief. There will be expectation or anticipation that others should react with sympathy and empathy towards the existence of suffering and the victim of suffering.

For example -

Conflict broke up between A and B, and B generated actions and speech that were hurtful towards A, while C came to know about this.

A might or might not be hurt or suffered because of B's behavior. While C might think that A should or shouldn't feel hurt by such behavior, or C might assume that A was or wasn't hurt by B's behavior.

In worldly conditioned thinking and reaction - A is a victim, B is responsible for inflicting suffering onto A, while C should get involve by either showing sympathy, or empathy, out of humanity. Or else C is selfish or inhuman, if C choose to be care less and not getting involve at all.

Out of worldly conditioned thinking and reaction, A might feel itself as a victim of other's bad behavior and feels sympathy towards oneself, and also expects sympathy and empathy from others. Or, out of compassion, A didn't feel hurt by B and wasn't angry with B's behavior, and didn't think itself as a victim of other's bad behavior, knowing that B is also a victim of the ignorance and suffering in oneself to behave in such way.

Meanwhile, B might be aware or unaware of it's behavior could be hurtful and cause suffering onto others. B might be regretful and apologetic, or not. But A and C have the freedom on whether they want to react, or not, and how they would react if they chose to react.

Everyone is free to act and react in their own way. Everyone also takes responsibility for the consequences of their own actions and reactions.

If compassion is absent in C, C might feel empathy for A, or show sympathy towards A standing from the point of view of a third party thinking that A is a victim and deserves empathy and sympathy from others, and C might be disturbed and angry with B's behavior, even when A wasn't disturbed or didn't feel hurt by B's behavior, not to say if A was disturbed and felt hurt by B's behavior. Or, C might ignore the situation and be care less and not getting involve at all, thinking that 'It's not my problem." There's nothing wrong in either these reactions. But, neither these reactions have anything to do with compassion.

If compassion exists in C, C is aware of the truth. C is aware of A's reaction, whether sympathy from others is needed or not, coming from A's reaction and it's not coming from C's assumption of how A should react. A is also under the influence of ignorance if A feels disturbed and hurt by B's behavior and expects sympathy or empathy coming from others. C is also aware of B's behavior is out of ignorance and is also a victim of suffering. There's no need to be angry with B or B's behavior at all.

All are the victims of ignorance and suffering except the one who is compassionate.

What do we practice in yoga?

Observing the mind and guarding the outgoing tendency and impurities.

The untrained impure mind needs to be trained, disciplined and purified.
The pure mind doesn't need any training, or disciplinary, or purification.

Counter the negativity in the mind with positive thinking.
Positive thinking is needless when the mind is free from negativity.

Render the busy restless mind to be quiet.

Annihilate egoism - the idea of 'I', attachment, identification, desires of craving and aversion.

Live in the present.

Be in peace.

Be happy.

It's one's free-will, awareness and responsibility towards one's liberation

Buddha didn't go around trying to change other people's thinking and behavior to be the way that he thought it should be, nor did he has intention trying to make the world a better place or to save the world from destruction.

He went around to disseminate the teachings and practice of Buddhism and allowed people to take up the practice, or not, through their own free-will, awareness and responsibility.

He didn't criticize or condemn any kind of thinking and behavior that was under the influence of ignorance. He respected all beings as they were. He didn't tell other people - The teachings of Buddhism was true and all the other teachings were false. He allowed everyone to realize the truth by themselves.

Buddha transformed and liberated himself. He didn't try to transform or liberate other beings. He allowed everyone to transform and liberate themselves, or not.

Look into our own thinking and behavior - are we truly practicing the teachings of yoga or Buddhism?

It's needless to identify oneself as a yogi or Buddhist if one truly practice the teachings of yoga or Buddhism.

It's pointless to identify oneself as a yogi or Buddhist if one doesn't practice the teachings of yoga or Buddhism.

Om shanti.

What do the guests gain from attending our yoga retreats?

A journalist interviewed us with this question recently - What do the guests gain from attending our yoga retreats?

Firstly - Yoga is not about gain and loss, but it's going beyond gain and loss. It's performing all actions without attachment and renouncing the fruit of actions. There's neither gain nor loss.

Secondly - Commercialized yoga retreats are mostly about selling yoga and spa treatment packages targeting for self-pampering in physical and mental indulgence, such like - "Pampering getaway to cleanse, de-stress, rejuvenate and revitalize." Though there's nothing wrong with that, but a retreat is not about pampering one's body and mind through receiving pleasurable physical and mental enjoyments.

Thirdly – Everyone has different personality and mentality, and each has different speed of learning and level of understanding towards the teachings and practice of yoga. It depends on each individual on how, what and where they are looking in a yoga retreat. In most yoga retreats that are available in the world, it’s about looking out at the appearance of the retreat centre, the management and professionalism of the people running the retreat centre and programs, the facilities and services provided, the surrounding environment, social interaction and activities to make the clients feel good, satisfy and happy. In traditional yoga and meditation practice, it’s about looking within one’s mind, find out and eliminate the cause of unhappiness or suffering, be free from ignorance and egoism, and realize unconditional love and peace that is beyond qualities of names and forms, and it’s not about looking out in search for some qualities of names and forms that will make them feel good, satisfy and happy.

Yoga retreats run by Yoga Now Malaysia are catering for those who want to learn about yoga and to have the opportunity to immerse into traditional yoga and meditation practice while retreating or moving away from worldly habitual behavior, senses inputs and social activities. It’s about purifying and quieting the mind to perform self-inquiry to know about the mind and the cause of suffering, to go beyond names and forms, and be free from all sorts of mind impurities that derived from egoism, ignorance, attachment, identification, and desires of craving and aversion.

One learns about one’s mind and takes responsibility for one’s mind reactions towards all the names and forms that they like and dislike, agree and disagree with, want and don’t want.

One learns to be the teacher of oneself by developing self-awareness, self-reliance, self-control and self-discipline. It’s allowing one to realize the greatest teacher from within and seeing the teachers in all and everything that one’s mind comes in contact with, learning from one’s mind behavior and from everyone and everything that one comes in contact with. Everyone and everything has no intention to teach anyone anything, but one learns from everyone and everything once one becomes one’s own teacher.

One learns to go beyond conditioned worldly thinking and beliefs that generate duality of good and bad, positive and negative, happiness and unhappiness, right and wrong, success and failure, gain and loss, praise and condemn. One learns to see the truth of names and forms as it is.

One learns about patience, forbearance, tolerance, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation and accommodation.

One learns to love and be kind to oneself and others not through gratifying the desires of craving and aversion of oneself or others, but through disciplining and purifying one's mind, be free from ignorance, egoism, attachment, identification, desires and all sorts of impurities, stop hurting oneself and others under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities.

It's not about gratifying the worldly desires of craving and aversion by pampering oneself in worldly indulgence of the senses, or getting some pleasurable physical and mental inputs and enjoyments. But, it's limiting and restricting the desires of craving and aversion towards all the perceptions of names and forms of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations and thoughts.

It's not about expecting to receive different types of spa treatment or energy healing from some other people, to feel good by escaping what they don't like and don't want, and getting something that they like and want. But, it's learning how to deal with the impurities in their own minds by knowing what is the real cause of all kinds of tension, unhappiness and suffering, and through one's self-realization one goes beyond all kinds of names and forms, and stop generating or accumulating tension or unhappiness in one's body and mind.

It's not just about performing yoga exercises to relax the body and mind, or to release physical and mental tension, but it's to learn how to stop generating or accumulating tension or unhappiness in one's body and mind in the first place by practicing letting go of the ego, attachment, identification, and the desires of craving and aversion. There's no need to relax or release any tension as there is minimal or no tension building up, when one knows about the truth of one's mind and the cause of suffering.

It's not about gaining or improving one's physical condition and ability of strength and flexibility through the yoga asana practice, but it's allowing the effects of the practice to be there as they are. It's accepting the present physical condition and ability as it is, while being aware of the impermanent changes in the body and the mind and allowing the changes to be what they are, as they are, without attachment or identification with the physical body or the mind to be who 'I' am.

It's not about getting high or pleasant sensations from meditation practice or doing some yoga stretches and poses, but it's to learn how to not attach or associate with the impermanent physical conditions and abilities, the states of mind and thought activities. The calming and centering effect of the yoga asana practice is to prepare the mind for meditation, to reflect upon the truth or the nature of names and forms. It's not about getting some benefits or good feelings.

It's not about expecting the environment to be pleasant and all good to make us feel good and happy by expecting the world or the environment to be the way that we like it to be, but it's learning how to maintain equanimous, stay calm and be in peace under any circumstances, conditions and situations.

It's not about performing actions and expect something in return the way that we think it should be, but it's about performing all actions, duties and responsibilities, and allow the result to be what it is, as it is.

It's not about running away or pushing away the reality that we don't like or don't want, but it's learning how to be undisturbed or undetermined by the reality that the mind likes and dislikes, wants and doesn't want. One learns to be aware of the reality and allowing the reality to be what it is, while knowing that it's impermanent. One learns to stop generate craving towards the reality that is the way that we like it to be, and stop generate aversion towards the reality that is not the way that we like it to be.

It's not about creating a pleasant condition for one to feel most comfortable and enjoyable physically and mentally, but it's allowing one to learn how not to rely on pleasant condition, or physical and mental comforts and enjoyment to feel good about oneself and life existence, or to be happy.

There's no guarantee that everyone will be learning or experiencing the same thing. One might not learn anything at all. It's is up to each individual of their own will, effort and practice.

If people want to join a yoga retreat but they don't want to learn and practice yoga and meditation, but they are more interested in worldly social interaction and self-pampering treatments and enjoyments, then there are many other yoga retreats around the world that will deliver or serve them with what they want.

Be happy.