Yoga is unconditioned and unlimited by names and forms and qualities…

Yoga is nameless and formless. Yoga is unconditioned and unlimited by any names and forms or qualities or boundaries.

It doesn’t need anybody or association or affiliation to give permission to anybody to share the experience in the path of yoga with any beings who need yoga or who are sincerely interested in learning and practicing yoga according to the teachings of yoga in search for the Truth to transcend suffering that arise due to ignorance or impurities. Nor does it bound by any so called “legal” business license law that is created by human beings or does it required any religion or local council or government’s approval to be exist in the universe.

Having love and peace, as well as sharing love and peace are nothing to do with having a recognized certificate and qualification or not, or having a “legal license” or not…

Nobody needs nor requires a business license or internationally recognized certificate or qualification to be sharing the path of yoga with any beings who need yoga and who are sincere in treading the path towards Self-realization or the path of transcending the mind or the ego or ignorance or suffering… We can share yoga with anyone at anytime, at anywhere. Just that due to having a building or a place to conduct yoga classes at a particular place in the world is being bound by the local administrative law of rules and regulations, it makes teaching yoga becomes something that required permission and license to be able to conduct yoga classes at certain place. But yoga is not bound by anything even though the physical act of sharing yoga is being bound by some “law”, “rules” and “regulations” in the local community…

If there is some “rules and regulations” in certain places that do not allow certain types of race or religion people to learn and practice yoga or the “rules and regulations” do not allow certain yoga centre or yoga school to accept any certain race or religion people to learn and practice yoga in that place, but that won’t stop anybody to share yoga with everyone and it won’t stop anyone from learning and practicing yoga. It’s because yoga is not limited in a yoga class or yoga centre. Yoga practice is everywhere and it’s in the heart every moment, it’s not just limited in performing some external form of physical movements or postures or chantings and prayers…

Yoga is there in every beings disregard the differences of appearance, race, sex, sects, caste, behavior, personality, social status, financial and educational background, religion, culture, nationality, or any names and forms and qualities, whether we know and practice yoga or not, or heard about yoga or not.

Yoga exists in every beings from the moment the body and mind exist. Love and peace is universal. Every beings have love and peace in their true nature. Whenever there is misery and suffering that arise due to ignorance in the mind, yoga practice exists to help the beings to transcend suffering and be free, be liberated from suffering.

Love and peace as well as suffering exist in every single being, except for those who had transcended their own mind or their ego, they are free from suffering.

If those people who only interested in learning and practicing the physical exercise taken from the yoga asana practice but they refuse or do not really interested in learning and practicing the philosophy of yoga (partly due to the philosophical part of yoga might be contradicted with their existing religion teachings, or mainly because they are not ready yet to practice non-attachment or non-identification with the body and mind, or because their mind and ego cannot accept that our true Self is identical with God, or simply because of the ignorance hinders them from getting rid of the ego and attaining Self-realization, or any other reasons), then they can just do the exercises. Be happy. There’s no harm. There’s nothing wrong. It is a very good and beneficial physical and mental activity to engage in life. But when they approach a yoga teacher with their strong attachment towards their ego and what they want and don’t want, and “telling” the teacher that they only want to learn and practice the yoga asana, but they are not interested at the teachings of spirituality approach in yoga, and they do not want to hear anything about the philosophy or the chantings and prayers (because it might be contradicted with their religion or what they believe in)…

They want to learn and practice “yoga” but they are conditioning and limiting themselves and the teacher about what the teacher should teach them… Hmmm…

Well, there are many yoga teachers would be just teaching the physical exercises of yoga asana practice and do not want to get involve with the teachings of yoga (about non-attachment and annihilation of the ego) or the chantings and prayers. It’s fine. Then those who just want to do some physical exercises through the asana practice can approach these yoga teachers and yoga centres to learn and practice the “pure asana practice” that doesn’t “involve” spirituality that will contradict with their religion or believes.

Anyway, a yoga teacher who teaches all the aspects and elements in traditional yoga practice will not force anybody to take up any practice that they are not comfortable with and do not expect everyone to accept and believe in the teachings of yoga… The “yoga students” have the freedom to refuse or reject the essential teachings and spiritual practice of yoga, but how can they limit and condition what the yoga teacher should teach?

In the asana practice itself, it’s already containing the philosophy in it whether the teacher mentions about it or not. It is the physical and practical part of the philosophy. It is part of the entire path of yoga. They are not separated. You hold the handle of a knife to cut something, you are taking the entire knife on your hand, you do not separate the handle from the blade. A knife handle without the blade cannot cut anything. A blade without a handle is inconvenient to cut things. Merely hearing the philosophy without practical practice is of no use.

Even when there is no hearing of the philosophy or chantings and prayers involved in the yoga asana practice, but the asana practice is still a very powerful practice that can purify and stimulate the energy centres and energy channels in the body for higher spiritual realization. And spiritual realization can happen in anyone disregards all the differences of religion, race, sects, caste, culture, sex, social status, financial and educational background, behavior, personality, nationality and any other names and forms and qualities… The only difference is the one who can let go of the attachment towards the body and mind or let go of the identification with the ego, will attain spiritual realization easier than the one who identify with the ego and attached strongly towards the body and mind…

Yoga exists for transcending the ignorant lower self and become identical with the universal consciousness or God consciousness. It is about realizing our true nature or true Self is not separated from the universal consciousness or God consciousness. When the mind is not pure, being over-powered by ignorance or impurities or selfishness, we are disconnected with our true nature or true Self, the pure and higher consciousness. Once ignorance or impurities disappeared, Self-realization takes place and our true Self is not separated nor different from the universal consciousness or God consciousness. This is the essence of Self-realization, the path of yoga and meditation. How can we deny God consciousness in everyone and everything when everyone and everything depend on external energy and elements to be exist?

The people who don’t want to hear or learn or practice the philosophy of yoga, have this strong resistance in getting to know or identify with their true nature or true Self, which is the mean of all yoga and meditation practice…

Yoga is about Self-realization. It’s about unite and identify with the universal consciousness or God consciousness. It’s about letting go of who and what we think we are. It’s about letting go of all the wrong identifications with names and forms and qualities… Such as “I” am good, “I” am bad, “I” am happy, “I” am suffering, “I” am success, “I” am failure, “I” gain, “I” loss, “I” am ‘certain religion’, “I” am ‘certain race’, “I” am ‘certain sect’, “I” am ‘certain personality’, or “I” am this or that, and etc…

It’s about attaining real peace, unconditional and unlimited peace that already exist within our true Self. It’s about knowing what is real and unreal. It’s about getting to know the Truth and able to observe and accept the reality as it is…

For people who cannot perceive or does not want to know anything about the teaching about Brahman is real, the world is unreal, the individual soul/consciousness is identical with Brahman, but still want to practice yoga asana practice and telling themselves and other people that they are practicing “yoga”, is only deceiving themselves. There is nothing wrong with people just want to enjoy doing the yoga asana practice but refuse to connect with the teachings of yoga or do not want to hear anything about the yoga philosophy. Be happy and enjoy doing the yoga asana practice. It is good for anyone to do the exercises that are beneficial for health and mental peace.

The Truth will always be the Truth. The Truth is always within everyone… There is God consciousness in everyone and everything. There is unconditional love and peace in every beings. We just need to remove ignorance or impurities to realize the Truth of ourselves and this worldly existence. These are the teachings of Yoga.

Even if some people do not want to relate themselves with yoga teachings or yoga philosophy or yoga practice, but if they know selflessness and compassion, if they have unconditional love and peace, then it is not any different nor separated from yoga… It is just a name and form. We don’t have to call it “yoga” or any names…

It doesn’t matter we have a religion or not, whether we belongs to any race and culture or not… We all have a mind and an ego. And whoever has transcended the mind and the ego, no matter through what type of practice, it’s all not separated from yoga.

Om shanti.

In certain countries, some meditation centres are not allowed to accept certain race and religion people in that place to come to these centres to learn and practice meditation. But there are many other meditation centres in other places in the world that are not limited by these local “authorities” restriction. People who are sincere in learning and practicing meditation can go to these meditation centres to learn and practice meditation… At the end, yoga and meditation practice is in our heart, unlimited and unconditioned by time and space, names and forms…

Reactions of the ego when we hear something that we don’t agree with…

Have you ever experienced irritation and anger when you heard something (ideas, stories, concepts, believes, behaviors or philosophies) that you (the ego or the mind) don’t agree with? We (the ego or the mind) think that our thinkings are right and other thinkings that are different from ours, or thinkings that are contradicted with our thinkings are wrong. And we would want to argue about it to prove that, or to emphasize that we are right and they are wrong.

This is a normal reaction of the ego or one of the habits of the mind.

In yoga and meditation, at the beginning we learn to observe all these reactions in the mind and do not identify nor associate with them, and keep practicing non-attachment towards all the names and forms until one day we are able to control the mind to stop reacting towards any thing that is different from us, that our mind doesn’t agree with. We learn to accept and respect anything that our mind doesn’t like or doesn’t agree with. We don’t have to upset ourselves over something that are different from our ideas and believes. We don’t have to generate disharmony or conflicts with anyone and anything… Be at peace… This will prevent the mind from being agitated or disturbing the equanimity or tranquility of the mind for meditation.

There is nothing wrong with anyone who like to argue or enjoy arguing with other people over something that they don’t like to hear or cannot accept or don’t agree with. Be happy arguing…

At the end, we will realize that it is not what other people say or do that generate disharmony and unhappiness in us. It is ourselves attached to our own mind, and attached to whatever the mind like and doesn’t like, and attach to all the names and forms that the mind come in contact with through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and thinking, and being disturbed or affected or influenced or determined by all the names and forms that either our mind likes or doesn’t like, and generate craving and aversion. And when this craving and aversion is not being gratified or satisfied, the mind or the ego get agitated or irritated or angry…

It is meaningless to waste our energy in vain arguments for a few minutes to prove that “we are right” or “we are good”, and disturb the equilibrium of the mind for a few days depending on how fast or how efficient that we can let it go. It will take many days for the mind to calm down and return to tranquility and peace…

Without tranquility or peace in the mind, it is not possible to meditate…

Note that this practice of letting go of arguments or to prove that we are right, only apply to those who are really interested and sincere in the path of yoga and meditation for Self-realization. This is part of the practice to annihilate the ego and purify the mind which is the main practice of yoga and Buddhism. It is not possible for us to attain real peace as long as we are still attached strongly to the ego, identifying with the ego, and being influenced by the ego, the pride and arrogance, the cravings and aversions in the mind. We might be enjoying momentary peace and happiness that come from doing the things or getting the things that we like and want. But we might be getting upset and become restless with all the impurities that arise in the mind whenever the mind come in contact with all the names and forms and generates countless and endless cravings and aversions. There is restlessness, doubt, fear and worry. There is no peace.

Anyone who are not really interested to tread the path of yoga and meditation to control the mind, or to know the Truth, or to attain eternal unconditional and unchangeable peace and happiness, they can choose to do whatever they like to do and don’t do, and react in whatever ways that they like… Be happy.

Anyone who really wants to learn about yoga must first let go of pride and arrogance, be very humble, to put down what we have learned in the past, to let go of what we think we know and who we think we are, to be open-minded to receive the teachings of yoga and try to practice the teachings sincerely. And then slowly we will realize whether the teachings of yoga is true or not true, whether it can help us to attain real peace and happiness or not…

If a person with so much pride and arrogance about what he or she knows in the past, goes to a yoga teacher to hear about the teachings of yoga, he or she will have strong rejection and arguments with the teacher when the teacher talks about the teachings of yoga that are contradicted with what he or she used to believe in. He or she will get very irritated hearing what they don’t like to hear or don’t agree with. There is nothing wrong with that. We don’t have to agree with everything that we hear. Even the Buddha didn’t want anyone to believe in what he taught but everyone has to practice and find out the Truth by themselves through their own effort. And it doesn’t matter whether the people get the benefits from the teachings or not. It is up to the people themselves to realize the Truth. Just by hearing the teachings will not make a person transcends suffering. But we do need to be open-minded to try to practice the teachings accordingly to find out whether it is true or not true.

If we (the ego) get angry when hearing the teacher says something that we cannot accept or cannot agree with, that is nothing to do with whether what the teacher says is right or wrong. It is the attachment towards what we know and what we believe in and the ego doesn’t like it and gets irritated or feels being challenged when we hear something that are different from what we know or what we agree with. In hearing the same teachings, somebody will generate irritation, while some other people will generate contentment and gratefulness. But the teachings itself has no quality or intention to make anyone irritated or contented. It is up to our own mind on how it reacts towards something that it perceives…

And this is what we are practicing, learn to observe whatever the mind comes in contact with and stop generate cravings or aversions towards all the different names and forms whether our mind agree or disagree with. Learn to know who is getting irritated, angry or upset when we hear something that we don’t like to hear or don’t agree with. And find out actually what makes us getting angry? Is it the objects out there or is it coming from the pride and arrogance from our own ego, and the attachment and disagreement from our own mind (being attached to our own ideas, believes, thinkings)?

If we are being arrogant about what we believe in and have strong rejection towards some other things that are different from what we believe in, and argue with other people, and try to change other people to be like us, to think like us, to behave like us, then we are only creating more disturbance and disharmony in our mind.

And yet, whether we can understand the teachings or not, whether we can practice the teachings or not, and whether we agree with the teachings or have strong rejection and disagreement with the teachings, we all already have the opportunity to come in contact with the grace of Yoga. We will start to contemplate on higher thinking eventually. Disagreement arise due to the intellect comes in contact with something that it doesn’t recognize or doesn’t familiar with, and the ego rejects whatever the intellect cannot perceive or comprehend. But this also means, the teachings of yoga has already went into the mind… One day, when the time is right, when the body and the mind is ready, all these teachings will bubble up to the surface of the mind and help the person to transcend the egoistic mind… And be free.

Om shanti.

The practice of mind control (Raja Yoga) – renunciation and silence

There are many different types of personalities or temperaments in those who are interested in learning and practicing the ancient techniques of how to control the mind and how to be really peaceful and happy through the path of yoga and meditation.

It doesn’t matter what type of personality that we have, some of us (the mind and the ego) might prefer a passionate outgoing life and like to be active and sociable, some of us might prefer to live a quiet inner life and have less social activities for conserving energy and focus on yoga and meditation practice for Self-realization, and some of us find a balance point between the active sociable outgoing life and the quiet inner life (this exists in those who have self-discipline and self-control).

There is nothing wrong with all these different types of temperaments in different people.

That’s why there are many different paths in yoga to suit all types of temperaments people.

People who are outgoing and like to be active and sociable are suitable for Karma Yoga (the path of selfless action or renounce from the fruit of action) and Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion).

People who are not outgoing are suitable for Raja Yoga (the path of mind control) and Jnana Yoga (the path of wisdom).

All paths are not separated from each other and will lead to mental peace, contentment and annihilation of the ego (selflessness and compassion) if the practice is being performed with correct attitude and effort. You’ll see Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Raja Yoga in connection with each other. You’ll be practicing all these paths at the same time when you come to the state of purity and selflessness.

But, no matter which type of yoga or what type of path, the practice of non-attachment, dispassion and right discrimination, having intense yearning for liberation and the cultivation of the sixfold paths – tranquility of mind, control of the senses, satiety (renounce from worldly objects, enjoyments and activities), the power of endurance and forbearance, immovable faith (in God, in the teacher, in the teachings), and indifference (balance of mind or equanimity), are the essential basic qualities or cultivation in a Sadhaka or Yogi.

The path of mind control is to turn the outgoing mind inward and make the mind introspective.

In order to achieve this inward state of mind, the observation of Self-restraint (control of our own thoughts, action and speech), morality, silence (Mauna) and celibacy (control of sexual desire), the practice of Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses from the objects of the senses) and one-pointedness of mind (concentration), lessening the number of thoughts, the cultivation of mental non-attachment and reduction of wants and desires, avoid too much talking or walking, avoid too much eating or fasting, avoid too much physical activities, avoid too much mixing with worldly minded people, avoid novel and newspaper-reading, avoid visiting cinemas or movies watching, develop Antarmukha-Vritti (making the outgoing tendency of the mind turn inward upon itself), and etc, all these are the very important practice in the path of yoga and meditation.

These practice are not just to purify and calming the mind, but also to conserve energy and channel the externalizing energy turn inward for spiritual Sadhana to realize the Truth.

All these practice can be performed and should be performed while living in the midst of the distracting world of names and forms. If we only can observe these practice while in an Ashram or in a retreat centre for a short period of time, but once we go back into the worldly life, we cannot or do not follow and continue all these practice, and are constantly being distracted and disturbed by all the names and forms, then whatever practice we perform will not bring us to the real peace (free from doubts, ignorance, fear and worry).

At one moment we might feel peaceful and at some other times, we might feel unpeaceful and restless due to the fluctuation of the mind activities or mental thought-waves (come from all the inputs – perception of names and forms through the senses; and outputs – expression of ideas, thoughts, feelings, emotions and egoism through action and speech, physically and mentally).

Yoga and meditation is to starve the mind or deprive the mind from activities (ideas and thoughts) by Vairagya and Tyaga (renunciation of desires, objects and egoism).

But this type of inner life is being criticized by the passionate worldly people as “anti-social”. But a true Yogi or Sadhaka is not a bit disturbed nor moved by this type of criticism that comes from the worldly minded people, it’s because they cannot understand the importance of the practice of renunciation and silence, and they have not yet experience the eternal and real inner peace that comes from renunciation and silence. Worldly minded passionate people seek after the momentary and conditional satisfaction and happy feelings that come from doing the things and getting the objects that we want and like. There is nothing wrong with this. But when things don’t turn out the way that we want them to be, we’ll get disappointed, frustrated and unhappy, forever restless being influenced and over-powered by all the attachments, and the craving and aversion in our own mind.

When the mind is rendered pure, calm and at peace, undisturbed nor distracted by all the names and forms, then this Yogi or Sadhaka can mix freely in the world to perform selfless service but will not be influenced nor affected by the world and the fruit of action, as he is firmly established in non-attachment and renunciation. He can be truly compassionate when he knows non-attachment and renunciation. He won’t be disturbed nor affected by the result of his compassionate actions. There is no difference between respectful and disrespectful, success and failure, good and bad beings, censure and praise, happiness and suffering. He is unconditioned by all the names and forms of good and bad.

Be free. Be really peaceful and happy.

Om shanti.

When the outgoing tendencies of the mind are arrested, when the mind is restrained within the heart, when all its attention is turned on itself alone, that condition is Antarmukha-Vritti. The Sadhaka can do a lot of Sadhana when he has this inward Vritti. Vairagya and introspection help a lot in the attainment of this mental state.

He who has controlled his mind is really happy and free.

from Concentration and Meditation – Swami Sivananda

There’s no meanings in our yoga practice if we are constantly being disturbed by the object of the senses…

It doesn’t matter for how many years we have been doing yoga practice, or sitting for meditation everyday, there’s no meanings in all these practice if we are constantly being disturbed or affected or influenced or determined by all the names and forms that our mind perceives through the senses of what it sees, hears, smells, taste, touches, and thinks…

We may go for yoga classes regularly, or go for some yoga retreats or yoga courses for many times, or do our own self-practice at home everyday, or teaching yoga classes to many other people for years, but if we didn’t practice non-attachment towards all the names and forms that our body and mind is experiencing from moment to moment, and are constantly being unhappy and complain about things that we don’t like or don’t agree with, and constantly criticize other people who think, speak and act differently from us, then we are not practicing yoga at all…

Pride and arrogance is one of the characteristics of the ego…

To practice yoga is to annihilate the ego. And to annihilate the ego is to eliminate the pride and arrogance in us…

Guarding our own eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind is our every moment yoga practice and meditation…

Not generate craving and aversion towards the names and forms that the mind likes and doesn’t like, agree and disagree with…

This is our yoga practice.

When there is no more pride and arrogance, we will find that there’s nothing to be complained about in our life.

How to become a confident yoga teacher?

We cannot create confidence. We cannot “become” confident. It’s because once we become confident, and very soon, we will become not confident anymore due to conditional circumstances…

“Confidence” is there when all our doubts, fear and worry disappear.

“Confidence” is there when we are no longer determine by the condition of our body and the state of our mind, what we have and don’t have, what we are and are not, what we do or don’t do, what we can do and cannot do, where we are, how we are, what we are, who we are and etc…

“Confidence” is there when we know the Truth of thing as it is, not necessary the way that we want it to be, or the way that we think it should be…

“Confidence” is there when we let go of the ego and are no more influence by it.

“Confidence” is there when we are not attached to anything, are not being disturbed nor affected by all the dualities of good and bad, positive and negative, happiness and suffering, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, respectful and disrespectful, pleasant and unpleasant, praise and censure, success and failure, heat and cold, birth and death, young and old, weak and strong, healthy or unhealthy and etc…

“Confidence” is there when the mind is just the mind, the body is just the body, the world is just the world… They are not something “good” or something “bad”…

“Confidence” is there when we know exactly what we are doing, what we should do and should not do.

“Confidence” is there when we know what is real and what is unreal.

“Confidence” is there when we are not determine by worldly judgments, expectations, achievements, awards, acknowledgments, qualifications and certifications and etc…

“Confidence” is there when we are no longer being over-powered by the craving and aversion that come from the ego, and are not being affected nor determined by whatever the mind perceives through the senses about all the names and forms that form the worldly experiences and life existence.

“Confidence” is there when we are able to let go of the past experiences and future anticipations.

“Confidence” is there when we know how to love ourselves, have love and peace, and able to share love and peace with others.

“Confidence” is there when we are no longer determine by what we represent ourselves in our family, in the society, in our work, in our duties, in our responsibilities or in the world.

“Confidence” is there when we are no longer determine by our religion, culture, ethnic, believes, personality, characteristic, appearance, colours, race, education, languages, skills, contributions, performance, imperfections and mistakes…

“Confidence” is there when we are no longer determine by how much knowledge that we know and don’t know, how much we have studied, how many books we have read, how many awards and achievements that we attained, how many and what type of qualifications and certifications that we have, how is the condition of our body, how many friends we have, how many people agree with us, respect us, like us and love us, how other people think of us and look at us…

“Confidence” is there when we are no longer determine by what we or other people think how we should be, and what we or other people want us to be… But we are able to accept ourselves as we are, at this present moment now, and able to accept that all these “things”, “elements” and “energy” that put together of this body and this mind, that they all are impermanent and allow changes to happen from moment to moment.

“Confidence” is there when we have completely surrendered to the universal consciousness.

“Confidence” is there when we drop all the pre-conception and pre-judgment about things and how they should be.

“Confidence” is there when we have true compassion and wisdom.

“Confidence” is there when we identify with who we really are.

“Confidence” is there when we “see” God in everywhere and everything…

“Confidence” is there when we don’t see ourselves are separated from the entire universe…

“Confidence” is there when we start taking full responsibility for our own self and stop blaming other people or the things out there for our unhappiness.

“Confidence” is there when we stop running away from what we don’t like or don’t agree with our own self, and stop pushing away “unhappiness” or things that are “not good”…

“Confidence” is there when we know what is yoga, not from books and studies, not from what the teachers and Gurus told us and taught us, not from given by somebody who is enlightened, but it is from within, from our own self-realization of what yoga really is…

Take a look at the world…

Many people have studied a lots, have read a lots, have attained many qualifications and certifications, have many years experience of practice and teaching yoga class, know a lot of names and terms in anatomy and bodily functions and mechanisms, know a lot of words in Sanskrit, memorize the entire Scriptures and Sutras, know a lot of Asanas, Mudras, Mantras and Bhajans, know all the names and stories of the past saints and sages, know everything that we should know about how to teach yoga and how to give instructions in a yoga class, but still…

Not all of them are truly confident about themselves and are completely be free from doubts, fear and worry when giving or teaching a “yoga class”…

Because all these knowledge are not coming from within, from our own self-realization…

And as long as we are identify with this worldly experiences, identify with this ego, this body and mind, identify as “yoga teacher” or “yogi” or “yoga practitioner” or “yoga master”, or “yoga Guru”, and etc… We will always be determined by all the experiences that we experience from moment to moment. We will be disturbed, affected, influenced and determined by how the ego thinks and feels about ourselves and the “image” that we put on ourselves, how other people think and feel about us, how other people like us, support us, agree with us, respect us, acknowledge us, and judge us…

“True confidence” is hidden when our mind is full of all these “names” and “forms”, good and bad, like and dislike, success and failure, happy and unhappy feelings… But when all these “names” and “forms” disappear from our mind, “true confidence” reveals itself unconditionally through out our entire consciousness…

Not because we want to learn to be confident, that we will become confident…

Not because we do something or not do something, that we will become confident…

Not because how many students that we have, or how much is our pay, or how the students like our class or agree with what we teach, or how the students like us, praise us, and support us, or how the students are benefited or improved, or how many years of experience that we have, or how much qualifications and certifications that we have and don’t have, or how many asana poses that we know and can perform, or how flexible and strong we are able to perform the asana poses…

I am what I am, not because who I am, where I am or how I am…

We share what we are with other beings without discrimination, intention, expectation and conditions.

Anyone can share yoga with anybody… if we know yoga.

Anyone can teach yoga unlimitedly and unconditionally to anybody… if we know yoga.

If we don’t have “confidence”, then very obvious that we don’t know yoga… If we don’t know yoga, how do we share and teach yoga to others…

This body and this mind are just instruments for the universal consciousness to act in this world of impermanent names and forms…

There is no “I”, no “yoga teacher”, no “yoga students”, no “yoga classes”, no “good”, no “bad”, no “praise”, no “censure”, no “success”, no “failure”, no “experienced”, no “inexperienced”, no “qualifications”, no “certifications”…

There is no need to have “confidence”… to teach yoga, if we know yoga…

“Confidence” or “low-confidence” doesn’t exist when the ego is annihilated…

Keep working on our own Self-realization, annihilate the ego, experience what is selflessness or ego-less. No need to emphasize on whether we can teach a “good” yoga class or not, whether we are a “good” yoga teacher or not…

There’s no “good” or “bad ” yoga teacher… Everyone and everything is our yoga teacher. The people that are unkind to us or things that annoy us very much are the best teachers for us to know forgiveness and compassion. The people that are kind to us or things that are pleasant to us are the best teachers for us to know gratefulness and thankfulness and appreciation. The conditions and situations that are difficult are our best teachers to know patience, perseverance, determination, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation and acceptance. Impermanence is our best teacher to know what is real and unreal, non-attachment, letting go, appreciation and gratitude. The body, the mind, the ego, the thoughts, the feelings and the sensations are the best teachers to know the Truth about ourselves of who we really are…

Teaching yoga comes naturally, not because we want to teach yoga to some other people.

We’ll share what we experience and what we realize with others naturally, without the intention of want to share and teach… All the sharing and teaching are out of compassion without attachment to the action and the result of sharing or teaching…

Be happy.

If the body is still, the mind is also still? Not necessarily…

Some people who practice yoga and meditation believe that if the physical body is moving or is in action, then this indicates that the mind is also moving, is agitated or is not calm… That’s why they believe that by controlling the physical body, by not moving the body or by slowing down the physical movements of the body will render the mind calm.

Well, definitely there is an intimate relationship between the mind and the body that they both are very much influencing each other, affecting each other in many ways.

That’s why we have yoga practice to use the physical body as a tool to influence the state of the mind. In yoga practice, we have sitting meditation practice to restrict the bodily movements, we have pranayama to control the breath (related directly to the vital energy), and in yoga asana practice, we are holding still in the asana poses for as long as possible comfortably to help to influence the mind to make it calm.

But, for those who really know what is yoga and meditation, they also know that it is not necessarily that if the body is still and not moving, that the mind will definitely be still and not moving as well. Like wise, it is also not necessarily that if the physical body is moving and in action, that the mind will also be moving and be agitated.

It means that, even though the physical body is in motion, is moving, is in action, the mind can still be calm as well. For those who have mastered the mind or have gone beyond the mind, and undisturbed by the condition of the physical body, then there is no difference whether the physical body is performing some actions or not, the mind is always calm, being free from agitation or stimulation…

It doesn’t matter when we are lying, sitting, standing, walking, resting, playing, driving, talking, eating, the mind remains calm, not wavering here and there, being aware of the very present moment now, being free from the past and the future, free from duality, free from attachment, free from craving and aversion, free from impurities, then we are meditating…

That is what real meditation is about…

This life existence having this impermanent physical body, cannot avoid physical activities or movements or actions. But for those who really know what is meditation, then there is not a single moment that we are not meditating, even though the physical body is full of actions most of the time. If there is one moment that we had stopped meditating, it means that we had lost the awareness of being an observer but had identified with the mind and associated with its activities, and are being disturbed by the attachment towards all the names and forms.

The Truth is, even though our physical body is not moving, it is sitting or lying still, its bodily actions is being restricted, but the mind can still be full of activities, having lots of thought waves arising and passing away unceasingly, thinking about this and that, full of impurities…

By sitting for meditation and observing the mind, we’ll find out that even when our body is not moving, not doing any activities, but the mind can still be very busy with thoughts and imaginations, is being agitated and is moving all the time.

And so, it is not about not moving the body, or moving in slow motion, that will determine that the mind will also be calm…

And hence, when we see someone who is very active in life, always in motion and speedy, but know that his or her mind might be very calm…

And when we see somebody who moves slowly or not moving at all (being lazy or low energy or asleep), but his or her mind might be full of actions all the time, thinking about this and that…

It is possible that some people are performing some very “good” actions from the appearance but deep inside their mind, it might be full of impurities and selfish intentions…

That’s why, there shouldn’t be any judgment or expectation towards anybody from their appearance, about what they do and don’t do.

Om shanti.

Non-dualism – no craving, no aversion – true confidence & Happiness

There is only a fine “line” in between being happy and being unhappy, if we are identifying with the mind, the body and the worldly self-image, which generates the duality of good and bad, positive and negative, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, happiness and suffering, likes and dislikes, craving and aversion towards all the names and forms (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and thoughts).

If we can “erase” that separation “line” with wisdom or correct knowledge, we will realize that there is no difference between the two extremities. They both are impermanent and they derive from the mind attaching to names and forms which have no intention nor quality to be good or bad, to be positive or negative, to give us happiness or suffering… True happiness is beyond the mind perception of happiness and unhappiness that come from names and forms.

We will stop categorize things or happenings into good or bad, enjoyment or suffering. We’ll stop longing for happiness or rejecting unhappiness. We will stop craving for something called “good” and stop rejecting something called “bad”. That’s where the true contentment and confidence, unlimited and unconditional peacefulness and happiness are.

People come for some yoga retreats or yoga classes in search of happiness or hoping and expecting that “yoga classes” or “yoga retreats” or “yoga teachers” can or will give them happiness or make them happy or chase away their unhappiness. But they will be very disappointed because “yoga classes” or “yoga retreats” or “yoga teachers” cannot make these wishes come true. This is because true happiness or peacefulness is coming from within when we are able to let go of the ego (craving and aversion, selfishness, pride and arrogance) and not by looking outward expecting something “good” from the external to give us happiness or to make us happy or to make unhappiness disappears.

As long as we still rely or depend on something external (including yoga practice) to give us peacefulness or to make us feel good about ourselves, we will be disappointed because it won’t satisfy our craving or longing for happiness or good feelings, unless we are willingly to let go of the identification with the ego and stop chasing after all the transitory names and forms to give us momentary satisfaction or happiness (which is the fundamental yoga practice every moment in us, dealing with our own mind and the ego, in our daily life experiences)…

Yoga practice (asana, pranayama and meditation) does give us momentary peacefulness and calmness of the mind, but this state of peacefulness and calmness is subject to impermanence and is conditional. We won’t be at peace anymore if we don’t do any external yoga practice. We will feel bad or be agitated or depressed when we don’t do any yoga practice consists of asana, pranayama and meditation, because we identify with the body and the mind which is subject to impermanence and is influenced by energy and elements (which can be influenced by asana, pranayama and meditation practice to render it calm and quiet).

Yoga is to go beyond the identification with the body and the mind, and free ourselves from the influence of the energy and elements. Which also means that we are no longer being disturbed nor affected nor determined by the forever changing condition of the body and the mind which is influenced by energy and elements. Yoga practice like asana, pranayama and meditation are there to help us to purify the impurities in the mind, harmonize the energy field in the body and calming the mind, so that the mind is prepared and ready for deeper meditation (complete stillness of the mind – annihilation of thoughts (disappearance of duality that derives from perception of names and forms).

If we are free from the identification as the body and the mind, then no matter we are being in a positive or negative condition (surrounded by positive or negative people and environment), it won’t affect us, nor determine us, nor change us for who we are or what we are or how we are (the practice of Pratyahara – Not affected nor disturbed by sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and thoughts)… We can be with people who have a very negative mind but we are not being affected nor influenced by them. Instead, we can help them by uplifting them away from negativities and share positive energy with them without being disturbed by them and we are not attached to our action and the result of our action (selfless and compassionate action).

Go beyond the craving for happiness and the aversion towards unhappiness, and stop identifying with the body and the mind, and we will realize that true happiness and unconditional peacefulness (which is not subject to the state of the mind or the condition of the body) is here and always within us. It never disappears nor fades away. It doesn’t increase nor decrease. It is not affected by all the experiences that experience by the body and the mind…

*Some people are still being disturbed very much by the past unhappy happenings, and continue to be unhappy and be in fear at the present moment now, and will want to know how to be able to let go of the past unhappy memories that keep disturbing us emotionally at this present moment now even though those unhappy happenings are already finished or don’t exist anymore?

The simple way is to know why we couldn’t let go. Most people couldn’t let go of any unhappy happenings is because they cannot forgive themselves nor forgive those who had inflicted or are related to the unhappy happenings that we experienced in the past.

Practice loving kindness and compassion. Be forgiving. Forgive ourselves and other beings whom had intentionally or unintentionally had caused us painful and unhappy experiences. Learn to accept the reality of the past as it is, not necessary the way that we want it to be. Accept that we cannot change the past nor undo it. Forgive everyone including our own self, and accept that we all are imperfect and we cannot please everybody nor can everybody please us the way that we want it to be. This will allow us to be able to let go of the past unhappy memories and move on our life without being disturbed by our past experiences.

Live at the present moment now, and have gratitude and appreciation towards all the “good” and “bad” experiences that we’ve been through which serve as training ground for us to realize compassion and selflessness (the path of yoga or self-realization), is the secret for true freedom, true confidence and true happiness.

Forgive and forget…

Om shanti,
Meng Foong

A little note about “luck” or “karma”…

What is “luck”? (Most Chinese or Asian people believe in “luck”)

It can be bad. It can be good…

In terms of Buddhism and yoga, we can link this “luck” with karma, cause and effect. Good luck equal to good karma. Bad luck equal to bad karma.

We might know that we and other people whom we know in our life, are going through different experiences in life. Some experiences bring us joy and happiness, and some experiences bring us painful sorrow and unhappiness.

When we experience painful sorrow and unhappiness in life, naturally we will think, “Why do we have such bad experiences even though (we think) we didn’t do anything really bad in life and had tried to live a life with lots of good thoughts, actions and speech?”

And looking at some other people who didn’t do much good deeds and have been doing lots of wrong and evil actions and speech but they are having all the “good things” in life, and that will make us think, “This is so unfair!”

That’s when we think that either that must be something has to do with “luck” or “karma”…

Well, indeed it is the law of karma. Nothing is not karma.

If we believe in ourselves and our heart is pure and bright (loving, optimistic and cheerful), everything will turn out to be good luck for us… Things that seem to be obstacle or not good for other people, it is actually “good luck” for us and are helping us in someway and somehow…

We are the one who creates our own luck (karma). No one can give us good luck or bad luck (good karma or bad karma).

When we frown at ourselves and frown at other people (being angry and hating ourselves and other people, and being unhappy about ourselves and other people), we are creating “bad luck” for ourselves… If our heart is full of anger and hatred, we are inviting “bad luck” or “negative energy” to come into our life… The more we complain about anything, the more the bad luck will grow in our heart…

When we smile at ourselves and smile at other people (being loving and compassionate towards ourselves and other people, and being happy about ourselves and other people), we are creating good luck for ourselves… If our heart is full of love and compassion, our good luck will be over flowing and other people will also share our good luck which is endless and unlimited or will never be exhausted…

The more we give and share without asking for rewards in return, the more the good luck (virtue and merit) will grow in our heart even if we are not craving for any good luck or are not looking for any good karma…

If we have been doing lots of good deeds in actions and speech, but our mind is still full of impure thoughts and is over-powered by anger, hatred, jealousy, greed and lustful desire, then it is like we are building a beautiful wooden house with “good deeds”, but at the same time, we are also inviting lots of termites into the house with “impure thoughts”. Just by doing good is not enough, but we also need to stop creating bad karma (negative energy) and not just at the physical actions and speech level but also cultivate light and purity in the mind.

Be grateful and thankful, stop complaining… We will see the change of “luck” in our life very soon.

Endure or withstand all the bad karma (bad luck) that are ripen and are happening to us in our life now without resistance or complaint. Let go of the past unhappy happenings, don’t let them continue to haunt us or affect us. We have to take full responsibility for our own past karma that we had created for ourselves through our thoughts, action and speech, whether consciously or unconsciously, whether we remember or don’t remember, whether we are aware of or are unaware of.

At the same time, be loving, compassionate and forgiving towards our own self and towards all other beings… Be patient, generous, cheerful, thoughtful, motivative, supportive and uplifting towards ourselves and towards other people either through our thoughts, actions and speech or just through any one of them, without asking for anything in return, without craving for good karma or good luck in return.

And be very patient… A tree needs time and nurturing to grow into a mature state to have flowers and fruit.

This will change our life by creating good karma and stop creating bad karma, without being attached to our good deeds, without craving for good karma or aversion towards bad karma.

If we continue to create bad karma along side with creating good karma, it is like, planting a tree on a dry land with no water or nutrients. Or it is like, planting a tree on a good land but there are lots of insects and animals that are eating the leaves, or the flowers, or the fruit even before we can actually harvest the fruit and taste the fruit.

If we still are not happy and not satisfied with our life experiences now, after doing lots of good deeds, then ask ourselves, “Are we really selfless and pure in all our thoughts, actions and speech? Or are we still have some selfishness and impure thoughts, actions and speech?”

And ask ourselves, “Are we still complaining about something even though we are actually more lucky than lots of other suffering beings in the world?”

If we are truly selfless and pure, then there shall be no complaints at all, because we will be grateful and thankful for everything that we are having now (the tiny little good things such like able to sleep, can breath freely, can move the fingers and toes, or can go to the toilet) or not having (there are so many people are suffering because they cannot sleep, cannot breath freely, cannot move their fingers and toes, or cannot go to the toilet!), and we will appreciate whatever that we are having now and not complain about the bad things or the things that we wanted to have but we couldn’t have or didn’t have…

We are so much lucky than lots of people in the world. Even if we don’t have anything that we want and have all the things that we don’t want, we still have our own Self…

At the end, there is nothing is “good” or “bad” when we know the truth of everything, that everything is the manifestation of cause and effect, and everything is just being what it is…

“Illness”, “old age”, “injury”, “accident”, “conflict”, “separation from the loved ones”, “failure”, “unhappy experiences”, “obstacle”, “ignorance”, “death” and etc… They all are not “bad luck”. They are not something “bad”. They are the manifestations from our past karma. They are just being what it is. They all are subject to impermanence, and eventually they all will be gone. We are the one who had created all these karma, and now we harvest the fruit of our past deeds… Good taste or bad taste, still it is our own products produced by ourselves…

Be happy…

Cry for the dead? Cheer for the new born?

This body is awaiting death from the moment it was being given birth into this world…

This statement is not negative at all… It is the truth of everything…

It teaches us to be grateful and appreciate each moment of life that we have and not being attached strongly to this impermanent body…

When there is birth, there will be death…

Every moment there are billions of cells experiencing birth and death within this body without us being aware of it… Does anyone cry for the death of those dead cells? Does anyone celebrate the birth of those new born cells?

Each moment passing by is each moment closer to death…

Don’t be frightened, no need to be sad…

Birth and death is not a good thing nor bad thing..

Birth and death only happens to this body…

Our true Self is beyond birth and death…
It is beyond existence and non-existence…
It is not affected by birth and death…
There is no birth and no death…

Treasure each moment of our life. Be grateful that all the organs and senses in our body still functioning and operating, and appreciate every breath that we are breathing in and breathing out…

Make good use of this body to perform selfless actions for the benefits for ourselves and for all beings in the world…

Be happy, be cheerful…

Waste not this precious life existence…

Love and peace to all…

Non-attachment?

Non-attachment doesn’t mean that we cannot have or shouldn’t have or don’t want to have possession of things or don’t perform any actions. It is not about running away from our duty and responsibility, or runaway from the world and our problems.

We can have things or perform a lots of actions in our life, but we do not attached to the fruit of action and without craving and clinging towards the things that we have or don’t have. When these things changed or disappeared due to impermanence, we are fine and are not being disturbed or affected by the loss of the things that we have had and liked.

We can have the desire to want to have things or want to perform actions. But when we are not able to get what we want or do the things that we want to do, we are fine and are not being disturbed or affected by all these “not what we want” happenings.

We can have relationships, family, children, friends, material belongings, property, career, job title, social status, wealth, health, beauty, knowledge, and etc. But our confidence and happiness do not come from or based on all these things. When all these things changed or disappeared, we are able to let go and are not being disturbed or affected by it. We are still who we are and are confident and happy.

The real non-attachment is about not attached to our mind and whatever the mind perceives through the senses. We don’t attached to what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think. We remain undisturbed, unaffected and not being influenced by all the names and forms that the mind perceives through the senses. We treat all names and forms equally, remain equanimous and at peace, being aware of all the names and forms but not being affected by them.

We think that if we let go of all our relationships, our family and friends, our material belongings, our job or career, our property, our social status, our wealth, health, beauty and knowledge, and etc, we will be free or care free and be happy. We don’t want to have anything to do with all these “things” and “people”, and live alone in the secluded cave and do nothing. We don’t want to have any duties or responsibilities. We don’t want to perform any actions (good or bad) because we think that if we stop performing actions, then we won’t create any cause and effect or good and bad karma for us to be reborn again and again. But the truth doesn’t happen like this. It still doesn’t and cannot free us from ignorance and attachment, the cause of suffering.

It’s because we are still attached to the mind, the ego, the likes and dislikes, the wants and don’t wants, the craving and aversion, the duality of good and bad qualities, and are still being disturbed or affected or influenced by whatever the mind perceives through the senses of what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think. We are affected very much by the duality of good and bad, positive and negative, pleasant and unpleasant, likes and dislikes, success and failure, praise and censure, heat and cold, birth and death, happiness and suffering, and etc…

This mind and the ego is still here with us even though we are alone by our own self and possess nothing.

We are constantly being controlled by the likes and dislikes about what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think. We get unhappy and frustrated when we don’t get what we like and are getting what we don’t like, or when we lost what we like and couldn’t get rid of what we don’t like. Our mind is constantly being agitated and disturbed by this likes and dislikes. There is no peacefulness and stillness in the mind to allow wisdom to arise.

Even though we live alone and not seeing or being with anyone, not doing anything, the mind is still constantly having unceasing activities going on in it every moment. We are being disturbed by our own thoughts, feelings and sensations in the mind even if we are alone, don’t perform any “actions” and not having any possessions in life. The mind, the ego and its activities are the only things that we really need to let go and not attached to.

There is no progress in our yoga practice (yoga asana practice, pranayama, meditation, study of the scriptures, reading a lots of books on philosophy, chanting, restricting our possessions and worldly activities, move away from worldly companies of men and women, eating vegetarian, doing karma yoga and etc…) if we are still attached strongly to the mind and are identified with the mind, associate with the activities in the mind, react towards the ego, the likes and dislikes, the wants and don’t wants, the craving and aversion, and constantly being disturbed, affected and influenced by what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think. Being angry, upset, jealous, arrogant, frustrated, irritated, dissatisfied, disappointed, anxious, depressed, aggressive, fear and worry all the time, and are being controlled by what the ego likes and doesn’t like, wants and doesn’t want, to act or not to act. Being influenced by the never ending cravings and clinging in the mind. And have no peace in the mind at all.

Real yoga practice is non-attachment. Real non-attachment will lead us to our true Self – love, peace, compassion and wisdom.

Real non-attachment happens in the mind. Not at the surface or from the appearance of how we are, what we do and don’t do. Never judge a person from the appearance. A person can be non-moving, the body being stilled and speechless, but the mind can be full of activities and impurities. A person can be moving all the time, the body is in motion and are speaking, but the mind can be calmed, concentrated, being at the present and free from impurities.

Not being attached to the impurities that arise in the mind from moment to moment. Not react towards anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, lustful desires, arrogance, frustration, irritation, aggression, depression, anxiety, fear and worry, and etc, and let them go without craving or aversion, without judgment. Know that all these impurities are momentary. They are subject to changes and impermanence. They arise, they stay, they change and they will pass away eventually. They are not us and they don’t belong to us. This is real non-attachment.

If we really know who we really are, we will know that the mind is just the mind, the ego is just the ego, impurities are just impurities, they have no power to influence us for our actions or non-actions. That is truly freedom. That is real non-attachment. Out of compassion, selflessly, without intentions or expectations, we perform all actions or are not performing any actions. It is beyond action and action-less.

May all be free and be happy. Be truly happy because our true Self is beyond the mind and the ego, beyond all the names and forms, beyond the state of good feelings, calmness and peacefulness that come from our yoga practice and non-attachment. The Self is whole, full, content and complete.

Be free from all the pleasant and unpleasant sensations, good and bad feelings, positive and negative thoughts, happiness and unhappiness. Throw away the craving and aversion. Enjoy and appreciate the present moment now without attachment, clinging, craving and aversion.

Accept ourselves as we are, at the present moment now, this is the condition of the body and the mind, this is where we are, this is what we are doing and not doing, this is what we can do and cannot do, this is what we know and don’t know, this is the condition of our life, and this is the condition of the world that we are living in. But at the same time, allow changes, evolution and improvement to happen. Without fear and worry, without intention and expectation. We will be free from the conditions that come from our own mind.

We are who we are. We are not “this”, we are not “that”, we are not “not this” or “not that”. I am who I am. Everything is just being what it is. The mind is just being what it is. The world is just being what it is.

Om shanti.

Gossip And Criticism

The path of yoga is love, peace, compassion and wisdom.

If we have love and peace in our heart, if we have compassion and wisdom, we will not indulge in meaningless chatting about gossips and criticism.

It is when we have anger, hatred, frustration, dissatisfaction and disappointment, our ego wants to express its frustration through speech and action. If we identify with the ego and attach to the mind’s activities, we will want to express all these frustration through gossiping and criticizing. This might give a momentary satisfaction to the ego to feel better and to feel good about itself by criticizing other people’s imperfection and weakness which might “show” that we are somehow smarter, stronger and better than the people that we are criticizing.

A person who is humble, confident and content will not criticize other people even though in truth, this person is much wiser and better than the other people. Nobody should criticize anybody because we all are imperfect and we all are subject to impermanence and changes.

By gossiping and criticizing about this and that will not help the world to become better, but it will generate more negative energy into ourselves and into the surrounding people and environment, creating more tensions and hatred among people.

The path of yoga teaches us to move away from gossiping and criticism and not indulging in these activities which will generate more tensions and hatred into ourselves and other people.

The mind will get agitated and stimulated by gossiping and criticism and this will make the path of mind control much harder.

That’s why for people who want to get serious in the path of yoga and meditation, they will go into seclusion, refrain from any contact or communication with the worldly people, and observe complete silence to restrict the activities and stimulation of the mind, and to reduce the excessive unnecessary inputs from the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and think. This will help to quiet the mind and still the thought waves.

When the mind is free from agitation and stimulation; free from impurities of anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, lustful desire, craving, aversion, fear, worry, frustration, irritation, anxiety, disappointment, dissatisfaction and depression; and the mind is free from intention, judgment, comparison and expectation; free from debate, conflicts, criticism and argument, and with the calm mind, we will see the truth of things and know who we really are.

Wisdom will arise when the mind is calm and still. When we realize wisdom, we will not be disturbed or affected by the worldly activities and surrounding people and environment anymore. It doesn’t matter if we are in the world or out of the world, it won’t change who we really are, and the wisdom and compassion is still the same wisdom and compassion.

Gossiping and criticizing about other people bad behaviors or ignorance will not stop these people from behave what they are behaving and do what they are doing. This will only put us in the same ignorance level as these people that we want to criticize. When we criticize other people who we think they are bad, then we ourselves are not any different from them at all.

The path of yoga is being aware of what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, but without attachment, without craving and aversion. And not being disturbed or affected by all the wrong doings and bad happenings in the world. With this non-attachment, we are able to transform negative energy into constructive energy to perform appropriate actions to help to improve the bad situation in the world and to help other beings to become wiser and happier, and to help make everything better, without frustration, anger, hatred, disappointment, fear and worry.

Only through loving kindness, compassion, wisdom, non-attachment and forgiveness, we can perform all the actions that need to be done for the well-being for ourselves and for the world, without getting disturbed or affected by the happenings in the world.

Out of selfless compassion, we perform all actions for ourselves and for other beings without intention and expectation. And thus we will be free from tensions, stress, fear, worry, frustration and disappointment.

We cannot stop ignorance and hatred by provoking anger and hatred in ourselves and in other people’s mind. What is our intention behind all these gossips and criticism about somebody in front of some other people? What benefits are we going to get from gossiping and criticizing? Are we helping the world to become better by gossiping and criticizing? Or is it just to satisfy our own big ego to feel more superior than other people?

Discussion about some other people’s wrong doings and behavior is nothing wrong, if we can develop awareness and learn something from that discussion. But if we are caught up in the uncontrolled heated discussion about “this is bad” and “this is wrong”, and generate negativity, anger and hatred in ourselves and in other people who are involve in the discussion, then this won’t help ourselves to become better or to help the people who we are criticizing to become better.

Quiet and calm down our own mind, everything will take care by itself.

Don’t be upset and worry so much for other people’s wrong doings and ignorance. The law of cause and effect will take care of everything.

Om shanti.

“What type of yoga are you teaching?”

A woman called me yesterday.

I answered the phone and said, “Hello”

She said, “I want to ask about your yoga class.”

I said, “Yes.”

She said, “How much is one session?”

I said, “50 for 2 hours class.”

She said, “2 hours…!? Are you teaching different types of yoga in the 2 hours class?”

I said, “Just yoga. Yoga is only one. There’s no different types of yoga, my dear…”

She said, “I know yoga is one type only… But what type of yoga are you teaching?”

I said, “Yoga…”

She said, “What I mean is, is it power yoga? hot yoga?…?”

I said, “Aah…, hatha yoga. Traditional hatha yoga…”

End of conversation.

Well, nowadays not many people can understand or accept the word “yoga” as it is, unless there is something in front of it to clarify what “type” of “yoga”. Such like “power” yoga, “hot” yoga, “ashtanga” yoga, “iyengar” yoga, “sivananda” yoga, “acro” yoga, “flow” yoga, “vinyasa” yoga, “dance” yoga, “restorative” yoga, “yin” yoga, “hatha” yoga, “Adidas” yoga, “Nike” yoga” and so on…

People can only grasp the word in front of yoga but not just the word yoga…

I told her we are teaching “yoga”, she couldn’t understand what is “yoga” and couldn’t accept that the class is about “yoga”, just yoga. In her perception, there are many types of yoga classes… but not “yoga”.

There’s nothing wrong about people to think like that. It’s because they were being told and being given so many different choices of “xxxxx yoga” in the yoga “industry”, or yoga “market”, or yoga “business” nowadays.

There’s nothing wrong with many different types of yoga class to cater different types of individual’s needs and personality. But then not many people can understand what is a “yoga” class, unless there is another word or name in front of the word yoga…

It’s just like, people are looking for the features or characteristics of yoga but don’t know about the meanings or the heart of yoga. It is like we are longing to see the eyes, or the nose, or the mouth, or the hands, or the feet of God, but we don’t know who is God…

The point is, yoga is so great, unlimited, unconditioned. It embraces all and everything, it doesn’t matter if it is authentic or not, spiritual or physical. Everything is manifestation of yoga…

Om shanti.

Not A Single Moment That We Are Not Practicing Yoga…

Many people like to say, “I didn’t practice yoga today.” or “Many months or years I haven’t been practicing yoga.”

There is nothing wrong to say like that. This is because they think yoga practice means doing a session of yoga asana, pranayama and meditation practice.

But real yoga practice (observation, awareness, non-attachment, letting go) is happening unceasingly every moment in our heart, in our life.

There is not a single moment that we are not practicing yoga. It is like the breath. Each inhalation and exhalation is yoga. If we say that we didn’t practice yoga, it is like we have stopped breathing.

Even when some people think that they didn’t know what is yoga practice, or had never heard of yoga in their life before, or they refuse to practice “yoga”, they don’t practice asana, pranayama and meditation, it doesn’t mean that they are not practicing yoga.

Anyone who knows how to be happy in life without hurting themselves or other beings, and are not being disturbed or affected by the condition of impermanence, have love, peace and compassion in their heart, has no discrimination towards all the different types of nationality, religion, believe, race, sect, caste, sex, language, skin colour, educational level, family background, social status, past experiences, behaviors, personality, and etc. And they respect and embrace all including the lowest of all, then they are practicing yoga whether they are aware of it or not.

Anyone who knows what is selflessness, compassion, wisdom and non-attachment, they naturally are practicing yoga. In fact they already have attained yoga in them. Yoga is not separated from them.

The difference of practicing yoga and not practicing yoga is, whether we are aware of ourselves being selfish or not.

When we are practicing yoga (observation, awareness, non-attachment, letting go) from moment to moment, naturally we will be in a state of equilibrium, balanced, peacefulness and calmness. Being happy and free from tensions. Full of confidence about our own self. Not being disturbed by whatever the mind perceives through the senses and not being affected by the condition of the world, the life, the body and the mind.

And when we didn’t practice yoga (observation, awareness, non-attachment, letting go), very naturally, we will be in a state of imbalanced, instability, either under agitation or depression. Being unhappy and full of tensions. Lack of self-confidence. Being disturbed by whatever the mind perceives through the senses and being affected by the condition of the world, the life, the body and the mind.

And so, whether we are practicing yoga or not, it is not determined by whether we did a session of asana, pranayama and meditation practice or not.

It is whether we are attached to all the names and forms and being disturbed or affected by all the conditions of names and forms or not.

It is whether we are being influenced by the positive and negative energy or not.

It is whether we are attached to the body, the mind, the intellect and the ego or not.

It is whether we are free from impurities or not.

It is whether we have self-control or not.

It is whether we are developing awareness, selflessness, compassion, wisdom and non-attachment or not.

It is whether we are being controlled by the craving and aversion in us or not.

It is whether we are free from the duality of good and bad, praise and censure, happiness and unhappiness, success and failure, superiority and inferiority, like and dislike, want and don’t want or not.

It is whether we are being influenced by the thoughts, feelings and sensations or not.

It is whether we are being at the present moment now, letting go of the past and the future, not being disturbed by the past memories or the future imaginations or not.

It is whether we are able to be free from fear and worry or not.

It is whether we are able to observe everything as it is and able to accept the truth as it is or not.

It is whether we know how to love ourselves and others, be kind and compassionate towards ourselves and others or not.

It is whether we have love and peace in ourselves or not.

It is whether we are able to perform all our duties and responsibilities without intention, without expectation and renounce from the fruit of our actions or not.

It is whether we are surrendering our selfish ego or not.

It is whether we know who we really are or not.

It is whether we can accept the present moment now as it is and accept ourselves as we are or not.

At the end, nothing is not yoga. Everything is yoga…

Be happy.

Go Beyond Negative And Positive, We’ll Be Happy…

Negative mind projects negative world and perceives everything negatively… It doesn’t matter when other people are nice or say positive things and think positively…

Positive mind projects positive world and perceives everything positively… It doesn’t matter when other people are not nice or say negative things and think negatively…

Pure mind that is beyond negative and positive, projects neither negative nor positive world and perceives everything as it is, neither negative nor positive…

The same world that we are living in, being perceived as negative or positive by different mentalities…

The world itself is not negative nor positive…

Be free from negative and positive…

Go beyond negative and positive…

People who attached strongly to “this is negative” and “that is positive” not just create tensions and unhappiness in themselves but also create tensions and unhappiness for other people…

Om shanti.

A Frequent Question About Daily Yoga Practice

People frequently ask us about do we have a fixed “yoga practice routine” on certain time during the day to do our own yoga practice beside teaching yoga classes, to maintain our physical strength and flexibility as well as to upkeep our “skill” in performing the asana poses.

This is what I tell them.

Yoga is not about the physical strength and flexibility but it’s about the inner strength and inner flexibility.

Someone who is not strong and is not flexible, and who cannot perform any physical activities like asana practice or cannot perform sitting postures for meditation due to physical limitation or injuries or illnesses are still able to be practicing yoga. While someone who is very fit physically, and can perform lots of complicated movements or skillfully required kind of yoga poses may not be practicing yoga at all.

Yoga is nothing to do with the condition or the ability of the physical body to perform such and such actions. It is nothing to do with what our bodies can do and cannot do.

No doubt that yoga practices are important sequences or steps for helping us to reach to the higher state of consciousness, but they are not the guarantee of true happiness if we didn’t know what is the law of impermanence, non-attachment, acceptance, letting go and surrendering the ego.

But a person who is constantly practicing non-attachment, acceptance, letting go and surrendering the ego, is the guarantee of true happiness even if this person doesn’t know or cannot perform any “yoga practices”, such like asana practice, pranayama and meditation.

Non-attachment, acceptance, letting go and surrendering the ego are the real meditation in our heart from moment to moment in everyday lives.

Even if we practice a lot of asana poses and our bodies become very strong, flexible and healthy, this still won’t change the truth of impermanence and the law of cause and effect. We will still be affected by our past accumulated karma and are affected by all the impermanent changes in our bodies and minds all the time, unless we are practicing non-attachment, acceptance, letting go and surrendering the ego. This body will still have to go through impermanence, changes, decaying, weakening, illnesses, pain and decomposition sooner or later, no matter how much we try to preserve it through the good and beneficial yoga practices. The mind is still going through impermanence, changes, experiencing happiness and unhappiness, having craving and aversion, and is continuing having tensions that derive from impurities like anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, arrogance, dissatisfaction, disappointment, irritation, frustration, expectation, fear and worry.

From moment to moment our bodies are going through changes. The condition of the physical body may vary from time to time. How can we have a fixed “routine” to meet the requirement of the different conditions of the physical body. Everyday we may be doing different practices at different timing to adapt to the needs of the present condition of the body and mind.

Of course all the asana poses, pranayama, concentration exercises and meditation practice are there to help us to balance up the energy in our bodies and minds, to help purifying the body and mind, so that the body and mind get relieved from physical and mental tensions and becoming calm and relax. But what is the meaning of making effort to relieve tensions, when we continue to generate tensions into the body and mind all the time if we don’t know what is non-attachment, acceptance, letting go and surrendering the ego?

If we are practicing non-attachment, acceptance, letting go and surrendering the ego from moment to moment, and are at peace, free from tensions, undisturbed by all the changes that are happening in our bodies and minds, unaffected by whatever is happening in our lives and in the world, then what are the “fixed routines” that we need to “practice” everyday?

Non-attachment is not about running away from our lives, our families, our responsibilities and duties, but it is about not attaching to the body and mind, not attaching to our actions, not attaching to what the mind perceives through the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and thinking), remain equanimous and peaceful not generating craving towards the pleasant experiences or aversion towards the unpleasant experiences.

Acceptance and letting go are not about giving up ourselves and not improving ourselves, but it’s about accepting the truth or reality as it is without any dissatisfaction and yet continue to strive for improvement to become better without any tensions that derive from expectation, fear and worry. When we cannot accept the truth as it is, and are dissatisfied with the present moment now of how we are, who we are and where we are, and we are looking for changes or try to runaway from what we don’t like about, then we will be full of tensions that derive from judgment, comparison, expectation, dissatisfaction, fear and worry. And so, we again try to free ourselves from tensions by doing some yogic practices but at the same time, we are continuing generating more tensions into the body and mind endlessly. The bucket that has a big hole underneath can never fill up whatever we want to put in.

Surrendering the ego is not about negating or neglecting ourselves and put ourselves in a bad condition, but it is about letting go of selfishness, fear and worry, and allowing the universal consciousness to take care of everything. We just do our best in whatever we are doing for the benefits for ourselves and for other beings, but without the identification as the doer of the actions without any judgment and expectations. Just like the sun, the air, the water, the earth and the space. They give, provide and support all and everything to be exist in the world motivelessly, intentionlessly, selflessly, endlessly, unlimitedly, unconditionally, tirelessly, without any discrimination of good and bad beings, and without any expectation for the results or rewards.

All these are great compassion and wisdom. These are the essence of yoga practice. This is the goal of yoga practice.

So, does the sun or the air or the water or the earth or the space practice any so called “yoga routines” everyday? Or are they performing nameless and formless compassionate actions all the time unceasingly?

Doing adequate of yoga exercises for maintaining the good health and the fitness level of the physical body is certainly a very good thing to do, so that we can appreciate this body and its life existence for us to continue to perform selfless service to ourselves and to other beings. We follow whatever the needs of the body and mind are, when it is needed, and practice accordingly to the present condition of the body and mind. And when the time comes for us to let go of this body, we have no clinging towards this body and the relationships with others that spring from this body and its life existence.

Never see ourselves as separated or different from other beings. There is no superiority or inferiority. There is no giver and receiver. There is no “teacher” and “student”. There is no “I’m helping somebody” and “somebody is benefited from my action”. There is no motive and expectation. Every action is out of compassion and egoless. We wish all beings be free from ignorance and be happy including “this” being. Be compassionate towards all beings including “this” being also. “This” being is also one of all beings.

Be the witness witnessing whatever the body and the mind are experiencing from moment to moment. The mind feels good or bad, it’s just the mind, not us. The mind feels comfortable or discomfortable, it’s just the mind, not us. The mind gets agitated, it’s just the mind, not us. The mind feels peaceful and happy, it’s just the mind, not us. The body is in pain and is ill, it’s just the body, not us. We are the witness of all these phenomena but we are not identifying nor associating nor affected by them.

Be the witness of the body and mind, and not being overpowered by the body and mind.

This is the yoga practice that we all are practicing unceasingly from moment to moment. There’s no trace of “doing yoga practice” and no one knows nor needs to know but “myself”.

Be Happy.

Yoga Is Not For Sale

Yoga is not a competitive money making business. It cannot be sold or be bought by anybody. It is within every beings whether we know about it or recognize it or not. It can only be experienced and be shared. It is not something to be trade about.

Yoga cannot be given or sold by someone to us, but it is by knowing our Self and return to our true nature or our original state of pure consciousness.

There is nothing bad about using yoga exercises to make it into a commercial money making business. At least many people especially people who are not interested in spirituality are being exposed to yoga even though it is just for the physical and mental level. It is better than taking drugs to feel good and to relax.

There is nothing wrong about doing a business making some money for living. Money is not evil. But yoga is not something to be exchanged with money. It is priceless and yet it is the most precious thing that we all are having in our hearts.

The teachers are just there to show us the path, guide us in the practice and help us to “see” our Self. We all need to realize it in us by ourselves. There is nothing wrong also if we want to show appreciation to our teachers’ compassionate acts, by provide food or a place to stay or some money for our teachers to get food and a place to stay for living. And so, our teachers can have a place to live in and continue to evolve and to share with others.

“Good” people, “bad” people, rich people, poor people, educated people, non-educated people, healthy people, sick people, wise people, ignorant people, happy people, unhappy people, and all other non-human beings, everyone is having yoga in their hearts. Everyone can attain yoga and return to our true nature – unlimited and unconditioned true happiness.

Be Happy

I wish all of you love and peace…

No need to look at other people’s do or don’t do, good or not good…

Just take good care of our own hearts and be happy…

This is the one thing that will benefit other people and ourselves…

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Live Yoga

Please share with us about live yoga here.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

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Many people do yoga or practice yoga asana everywhere in the world nowadays. It is a very good thing. It doesn’t matter if people are doing it for spiritual enlightenment and peacefulness, or as a fitness training to improve strength and flexibility, or as an exercise for good health, or as a hobby for passing time, or as a slimming program to achieve a desirable body image, or the combination of the above all. Because even if there is no yoga philosophy being mentioned in a yoga asana class, the exercises of different asana poses and the breathing exercise will still have an effect on the body and the mind. It helps to relax the body and calming the mind. It gives fresh energy into the system and brings cheerfulness or positivity into people’s personality. It is really great. It is life transforming even when we didn’t have the intention to transform anything.

For people who are really into yoga and wish to go deeper into the actual practice of the teachings and to cultivate the meanings of yoga, then we are not just talking about doing a few hours of asana practice or going for some regular yoga sessions in a yoga class and do some yoga once in a while or everyday, but we are actually live yoga every moment in our lives even when we are asleep.

Yoga is not so much about the ability of the physical body to perform some asana poses and it is not about the strength and flexibility of the physical body at all. The asana practice and breathing exercise is just a tool for us to influence the body and the mind for us to be able to practice concentration and meditation with a calm mind and having a strong and healthy body for us to perform all the practices for our own spiritual growth and to engage in selfless service to benefit other beings.

Yoga is every moment in our life, in our heart, practicing concentration and awareness on what we are doing at the present moment now, letting go the past instantly from moment to moment, not projecting into the future, not having fears and worries, remain peaceful and calm all the time unaffected/uninfluenced/undisturbed by what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and think. We stand as a witness towards all the thoughts, feelings and sensations that is happening in the body and the mind all the time and stop identify ourselves with the body and the mind. We also observe all the phenomena of impermanence that is happening in our life and in the world and not being affected or disturbed by them. We practice detachment from the ego, the likes and dislikes, the cravings and aversions from moment to moment. We practice cheerfulness, fearlessness, determination, perseverance, tolerance, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, humility, forgiveness, patience, loving kindness and compassion in our heart, in our thoughts, actions and speech in our daily lives.

Our self-confidence and happiness is not determined by what we can do and cannot do. It has got nothing to do with all the names and forms or activities or happenings in our lives and in the world. It is not about us feeling good or feeling bad about ourselves or about other people. It is not determined by all our feelings and thoughts. It is the true confidence and real happiness that come from within, not from the outside world of many names and forms.

We are always content with simplicity and worry-less. We are not being lead by our body, the mind or the ego. We are not being determined by the ever-changing  mood swing or mix feelings in the heart and not being controlled by the craving and aversion of the body and the mind. We are not being determined by the impermanent conditions of the physical body, its ability and its state of health, and remain peaceful, calm and content all the time. We accept the conditions of our body and the mind as they are, as it is, at this present moment now for what we can do and cannot do, for what we did and haven’t done. We accept the world and everyone as they are, not trying to interfere, or to control, or to change the law of karma and the impermanence. We can do our best for the benefits of the world and to share wisdom and knowledge with all the living beings, and be kind and compassionate towards all beings and give what we can give, do what we can do, but remain unattached to all our efforts and the results. We should be wise, compassionate and generous to give and share, and do everything without any intentions or differentiations, just like the sun, the space, the air, the water and the earth provide everything to all but without any intentions or differentiations of likes or dislikes, favorable or not favorable, good beings or bad beings, spiritual or not spiritual, wise or ignorant, healthy or not healthy, fit or not fit, beautiful or not beautiful, young or old, men or women, friends or enemies, can move or cannot move, normal or abnormal, and all other qualities of different names and forms etc. And above all, give without any expectations of the result. Just give and let go. Not attached to the actions and the fruit of action.

We also let go any judgments, comparisons, competitions, criticisms, and vandalisms. We only have good wishes and good will for all beings. We are not affected or disturbed by other people’s judgment, comparison, competition, criticism and vandalism. We don’t mind about all these things and not pay any interests in what other people do and don’t do. It doesn’t mean that we don’t care, but simply because we cannot control how other people want to think, act and speak. We can only control our own thoughts, actions and speech, and watch our own mind all the times, minding about our own practice of what we should do and should not do.

We are totally aware of the wrong doings or evil doings that is happening in the world, but we don’t have to be influenced or affected or disturbed by them. We don’t have to be irritated, agitated, frustrated, angry or hate, and disappointed by all these happenings. But we can try our best to prevent more wrong doings and evil doings in the world, and to share the knowledge of selflessness and educate people about the awareness of right conducts, right views, right thinking, right thoughts, right actions, right speech, right living hood, right understanding, and be kind, be compassionate, be selfless and be wise. We can perform all these selfless service for mankind and humanity, but remain calm, peaceful, happy, cheerful and energetic. Most important is detached from our efforts and the results.

We cannot stop the earth from spinning. We cannot stop anyone from being good or being bad. We cannot interfere, control or change the law of impermanence and the karma of other people, we can only control or change our own karma and accepting the law of impermanence. Once we were born, we cannot avoid growth, changes, weakening, decaying, old age, illness and death to this physical body. We cannot stop other people from feeling happy or unhappy, doing good or doing bad, but we can choose to be happy or unhappy, to do good or do bad, in ourselves.

It is up to each individual to be aware, to change, to evolve, to improve, to be happy, to be kind, to be compassionate, to be wise, to be selfless and to know the Truth. We can only help the world by engaging in selfless service sharing the wisdom and educating the people with right knowledge, sending our compassionate thought waves and good will into the world to all beings wishing all beings peace, selflessness, compassionate and wise. Do whatever we can with our thoughts, actions and speech for the well-being of  all but without attaching to it. Be happy, be free. Be ourselves, be true.

We do not just “do” yoga for a few hours a day. We live yoga every moment in our lives, like the breathing and the heartbeat, unceasingly even when we are asleep. Keep purifying our mind, watching our mind, detaching from our mind, the ego and the senses, be kind and compassionate to all and to our own self. Not attached to all the names and forms – fame, wealth, health, appearance, knowledge, titles, achievements, relationships, success or failure, good or bad feelings, happiness and unhappiness, likes and dislikes, craving and aversion, praise and censure, birth and death, past and future. Not attached to “I”, “myself’, “my life”, “my believe”, “my practice”, “my understanding”, “my knowledge”, “my achievement”, and “my world”; not attached to all beings, happenings, good and evil, and the world.

Live yoga.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Yoga And Buddhism

Please share with us about Yoga and Buddhism here.

Om shanti,

Meng Foong

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The essential teachings of yoga and Buddhism is about selflessness, impermanence, the wheel of birth and death, transcending suffering, egoism and ignorance as the root cause of suffering.

Cultivate detachment, dispassion and discrimination of the real and unreal, purification, loving kindness, charity, generosity, selfless service, eradication of the impurities of anger, hatred, jealousy, passionate lustful desire, greed and arrogance.

Practice self-control over the thoughts, actions and speech; control over the sexual desire/sexual energy, morality, right conduct, right view, right understanding, positive thinking, gratitude, patience, perseverance, tolerance, adaptation, acceptance, adjustment and accommodation.

Following the middle path, finding a Guru/teacher, renunciation from worldly life, retreat from worldly sensual pleasure and material enjoyments.

Detach from likes and dislikes, craving and aversion.

Philosophy about sameness/equality/non-dualism, the consciousness, the perceiver and the perceived, perceptions, limitations and conditions of life existence and the physical body, and the bondage of karma – cause and effect.

Practice concentration, meditation, self-reliance, self-discipline, fearlessness, faith, truthfulness, calmness, compassion and wisdom.

Everything is non-self/existence of life depends on the element of ether, fire, earth, wind and water.

Practice control and withdrawal of the senses from the objects, stand as a witness towards the worldly phenomena and impermanence, non-identification with the body and the mind, non-attachment/renounce from the fruit of actions.

Philosophy about namelessness and formlessness, attributeless, energy vibrations, samadhi, lower consciousness and higher consciousness, transcend good and evil; positive and negative.

The nature of the true Self is pure existence, pure knowledge, pure bliss, peaceful silence, oneness/non-separation – universal consciousness and individual consciousness is the same consciousness.

Practice eradication of mental defilements, do good and stop doing bad, non-harming, non-violence, simplicity, contentment, Satsanga/company of the wise, right livinghood, right thoughts, right actions, right speech, Mauna/the power of the speech.

Controlling the thought waves, practice one-pointedness of the mind, stilling the thought waves.

Philosophy about food energy influence the mind, and controlling the basic craving of hunger and thirst.

Seeing and accepting the truth in everything as it is, being at the present moment from moment to moment, letting go the past and the future. The only reality is the present moment now. The past is just histories and memories. The future is just imaginations project into the future.

The path of self-realization/enlightenment, is knowing the ultimate Truth – who am I? Beyond existence and non-existence. Transcend time, space and causation.

Wisdom and self-realization is arising from within, not coming from the outside, not from studying, but from purification and eradication of the impurities in our mind and stilling the thought waves.

And thus, we can see there are many paths with different practices and different names and forms and terminologies, but they all came from the same origin/root and will lead us back to the same place/our real home/eternal peace. If we don’t know what is non-attachment and namelessness and formlessness, then we will not understand what is non-dualism and oneness. We will only see lots of differences in this and that, but we cannot see beyond all the differences of names and forms, that everything  is one consciousness and there is no differences in the essence of everything.

One of the habits of the mind is to find faults and differences in everything, and have judgment and comparison towards everything. But this is the biggest hindrance in the path towards realizing the Truth. It is bringing the self further away from the Truth. We can never grasp what is non-duality and oneness. One of the ways to understand this teaching of oneness from the wise, is to let go any judgments, comparisons and faults finding towards everything. Accept everything as it is. Quiet the mind. And then we will start to see the truth of no differences beyond all the names and forms.

If we are becoming more calm, cheerful, positive, fearless and worry-less, not being affected by our likes and dislikes, and having less cravings and aversions, then know that we are on the right path. If we are becoming more grumpy, agitated, unhappy, depressed, negative, full of fear and worries, easily being affected by our likes and dislikes, and having more cravings and aversions, then know that we have moved away from the right path. If so, just be aware, let go the past, move back onto the right path, and move on with more vigor and understanding. There is no need to keep watching other people’s practices and progression, but always be aware of our own practices and progression on the path.

Om Shanti,

Meng Foong

Share Your Thoughts With Us

Dear yogis and yoga practitioners,

Please share with us about your understanding in yoga practice and philosophy. All languages are welcome.

We all can learn from each other because everyone has different points of view and level of understanding of the yoga philosophy. But there is one thing in common, we all are promoting peace and love, and are walking on the same path of Yoga.

This is a blog I set up for all sincere yoga practitioners to share their experiences and understanding with everyone around the world. I may not know you personally but that is not important. Everything are just names and forms only. What we see beyond that names and forms is one pure consciousness that has no differences and separation.

Please send in your thoughts and understanding through the comments. Many other yoga practitioners may learn something from you. Thank you.

Om shanti,

Meng Foong