Being At The Present Moment – No Fear, No Worry

I would like to share with you something about the present moment now and how it can help us to remove fear and worry.

One day, one of our students asked us whether we are happy to have moved to Langkawi, living in a small village rather than living in Kuala Lumpur, a big city. He also asked us whether teaching yoga in Langkawi is any less opportunity or less “business” than in Kuala Lumpur? He also asked how could we give up our life, jobs, family and friends in Kuala Lumpur just like that without feeling fear and worry about the new living environment and to start a new livinghood?

It was so strange (but not surprised) that I realized that I couldn’t really give definite answers to these questions. Simply it’s because they are irrelevant questions for me. I couldn’t give an answer of “yes” or “no”. Because the moving from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi is not something better or worst. There is nothing to be compared about. There is no comparison or expectation in me. It is not making me happy or unhappy. I am just being at the present moment now. Everything just happens naturally due to a cause. It is not something that I want or don’t want, like or don’t like.

For start, I never felt that I had to give up anything. My life is not in Kuala Lumpur nor in Langkawi. Life is not being bound by a place. It is unlimited by time and space. Life carries on wherever I go, whether staying permanently at one place or visiting places or on holidays.

This is not a new life for me. Life goes on but just being at a different place and having different routines. I still eat, drink, act, rest, share and be happy.

About jobs, I never see that teaching yoga is a job nor as a business. It is merely sharing, giving and receiving. Through the grace of the universal consciousness, we share the knowledge and joy of yoga with the people who need the knowledge and joy that derive from wisdom and compassion. At the same time, these people who learn yoga from us support us to continue in this sharing of knowledge and joy with some other people by giving us some fees for our living and for the maintainence of the yoga centre so that other people can have the opportunity to come here to learn yoga. This is giving and receiving, or energy exchange to keep the wheel of dharma continues to turn. This is a great merit. Both the teacher and the students are sharing by giving to each other and receiving from each other. There is no gain and no loss.

Teaching yoga or sharing the knowledge and joy is not limited by a place. It is unlimited and unconditioned by time and space. I can teach or share yoga with anyone who are in need of knowledge and joy, at anywhere and at anytime. It is not limited in a yoga centre, nor limited in the two or three hours yoga asana class. It is in life every moment. It is not about the asana exercises at all. It is about unleashing the wisdom in everyone by realizing the Self. With wisdom, there is no ignorance. Without ignorance, there is no unhappiness or suffering. It is not about the fees also. Those who could not afford to give anything, still can receive the gift of dharma, the knowledge and joy from anyone who are practicing yoga without name and form in the heart, in life, every moment. While those who can give and support the wheel of dharma continues to turn, can provide the teacher and the yoga centre with some fees to keep them survive and to share with more people who are in need of knowledge and joy.

Whether in Kuala Lumpur or in Langkawi or in somewhere else, I still share yoga with all. There is no differences at all for me to teach yoga in Kuala Lumpur to a group of Chinese Malaysian who come for classes regularly or teach yoga in Langkawi to people who are coming from many different countries just for one or a few classes. Everyone still gets the same benefits from the classes. Wherever people need “me” to be there, I will be there happily. It is not about I want to live in certain place and start teaching yoga there to make a living so that I can live in a place that I like. It is the sharing of yoga that brings me to wherever I am and allows me to live at that place. I don’t need to worry about living, money or anything at all. Even if there is nobody coming for classes, it still doesn’t stop me from having yoga in me and sharing yoga with all. Even if I have to suffer hunger and die of hunger, and if that’s my karma, let it be.

I am very grateful and appreciate what I am having now and what I am doing now. In the past, maybe I was selfish, unhappy and grumpy, but it was already the past. Now, is the only reality. Now is what matter most. And the future not yet come, why worry about what I am going to become? Now, I am fine. Now, I am peaceful.

I never thought of teaching yoga before I started teaching yoga. I never thought of living and teaching yoga in Langkawi before we moved here. Everything just happened. This house that we live in and teach yoga was there waiting for us to come. It was empty for nine months before we moved in, despite all the houses around here were fully occupied and this is a popular area for tourists to rent a holiday home for short stay and long stay.

Yoga is not a “business”. It is not about how much money we can make from teaching yoga. It is not about less people or more people coming to learn yoga from us. It is not about the price of a yoga class that we charge people. It is not about whether we can teach a “good” class or not. It is not about the people are satisfied with our teachings or not. It is not about “thank you” or being”ungrateful” or not. It is sharing, giving and receiving at the same time. It is unlimited and unconditioned by name and form, good or bad, big or small, success or failure, praise or condemn. It is all about selflessness, compassion and wisdom. It is beyond all the names and forms. It is beyond likes and dislikes. It is beyond “teachers” and “students”.

About family and friends, I never felt any separation from them at all even though we are not together in the same place or not living under the same roof. I also have no craving for love and attention or companionship from anybody. I have all beings as my family and friends anywhere and anytime, it is not limited in the family ties or in personal relationship or friendship. My “relationship” with everyone is not limited in this life time also. Or more precise is that I don’t see myself are different from anybody and are not separated from anyone or anything. I am never lonely, even though I am alone all by myself. Once I am beyond all the differentiations of name and form, and beyond the separateness and different relationships with all, there is no more “attachment” nor “detachment”. There is no more fear and worry. There is no more togetherness or separateness. There is no more loneliness or needing love and attention.

Attachment only exists when there is separateness. When there is no more separateness and all are one, where is the attachment? Attachment happens when there is “something” separated from us, for us to attach to. And if there is no attachment, there is no need of detachment. It is the same, if my thoughts, action and speech are purified, there is no need of self-control, self-restraint or observances.

I had never “left” anyone even though I am not with them at the same place anymore, or not seeing them and not being with them at all. To care for somebody and to share love and joy is not necessary to be with somebody, being together all the time and do things together. In the heart, in our consciousness, we can give and share so much but it is unseen by the eyes, unheard by the ears, unsmelled by the nose, untasted by the tongue, untouched by the physical body and unlimited by the thinking mind. I am with all, all the time, through out the causeless universal consciousness. There is no boundaries. There is no separateness of space, time and form.

I am happy and contented being here in Langkawi or when I was being there in Kuala Lumpur. I don’t feel living in the city is a problem nor do I feel living in a small village is any less than living in the city. Some people say that living in the city is very nice and comfortable, very convenient, and lots of things happening. Some other people say that living in the village is better than in the city because it does give us a better quality of life. They all are right.

For me, it is not about to live in a better place or not, or to obtain a better quality of life or not, but as long as my heart is peaceful and happy, wherever I am, it is just fine. Everywhere has its pros and cons. There is no perfect place in the world, if we are not satisfied with our own self. But everywhere is fine when we are satisfied with our own self. Yoga is everywhere, in and out, up and down, exist and non-exist.

I wasn’t unhappy about living in Kuala Lumpur when we moved to Langkawi. I wasn’t looking for a place to move away from where I was. I wasn’t looking for doing something differently from what I was doing. I just be. Be at where I am now. Be at the present moment now. There is no fear, no worry about different environment or about the future. I surrender completely, allowing life and yoga to bring me to wherever I am.

If Kuala Lumpur is not the place for me now, let it be. If Langkawi is not the place for me later, let it be. Most important and the only reality is, at this present moment Now, Langkawi is the place for me. That’s why I am here, and not somewhere else. Why do I need to worry? Why do I need to compare the past and now? Why do I need to project so much for the future?

Yes, I am happy living in Langkawi now, but that doesn’t mean that I was not happy living in Kuala Lumpur. I am happy anywhere, even when I was living in the “lowest” quality of living environment in Sri Sentosa where there were many gangsters, drugs dealing, fighting, violence, family problems and community gossiping. It didn’t change me into a bad being or made me a better being than other people. It didn’t bother me, my life and my peacefulness. The poor hygiene in that area also didn’t make me sick or unhealthy. I am still what I am. In fact living in a worst environment can be a good training ground for compassion and wisdom. I had no fear at all. Most of the times I came home late at night after teaching classes, walking alone on the street from where I parked the car and I was living by myself alone. The only apartment there that has no grills on the door and windows is my apartment. One of the students stopped coming for yoga class because she has lots of fear and she felt insecure when she was in my apartment. She has the right to feel like that because in the past she had been robbed just in front of her house. From then on, she was full of fear whether she was at home or on the street. I wish her peace and wisdom, may she be free from this great fear one day.

Teaching yoga in Langkawi is not any less or any more than teaching yoga in Kuala Lumpur. There is no gain or loss teaching yoga here or at somewhere else.

I didn’t give up anyone or anything at all. No past, no future, I am just being at the present moment now, being at where I am now, doing what I am doing now.

All are impermanent. There is no certainty in everything. Life is transitory. Why worry then?

When we are selfless and compassionate, there is no fear, no worry. Fear and worry exist when we are attached strongly to our body and the mind. Fear and worry come from the mind. When we are no more identifying with the body and the mind, fear and worry will vanish.

May all beings be happy.

Om Shanti.

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

My Life – “Dedicated” To Yoga And Dharma

Om Namah Sivayah.

What is the most precious thing that we all are having with us all the time eternally that has never been separated from us and never will?

Not my decaying body, not my unrest mind, not my breathing, not my heartbeat, not my knowledge, not my memories, not my family, not my parents, not my children, not my spouse, not my friends, not my teachers, not my senses, not my ego, not my feelings, not my thoughts, not my house, not my job, not my success, not my achievement, not my duty, not my responsibility, not my wealth, not my health, not my beauty, not my youth, not my learning, not my happiness, not my unhappiness, not my birth, not my death, not my things, not anything that will change and disappear. Not the life, not the world, not the sun, not the air, not the water, not the earth, not the space, not the universe, not the heaven, not the hell. All these things will change and disappear also. Anything that will change and impermanent, is just temporary and momentary existing.

It’s my Self, the pure Self, not my selfish egoistic “self”. The only thing that is unchanging, unconditioned by impermanence, forever exist, pure existence, pure awareness, pure knowledge and pure bliss, is the Self – Satchidananda.

Even if we come to a stage that we are so tired with impermanence and all the unhappiness and suffering in life and had lost all the faith on all the things so called “family”, “friendships”, “education”, “community”, “relationships”, “religion”, “belief”, “faith”, “ancient teachings”, “culture”, “myths”, “fairy tales”, “science”, “black magic”, “dharma”, “meditation”, “enlightenment”, “the Truth”, or “God”, and stop searching for anything, feeling so meaningless and exhausted, don’t want to believe in anything at all, and don’t care about what is going to happen to ourselves and the entire world anymore, we will always know that this Self has never abandon us, never condemn us, never judge us, never give up on us and never expecting anything from us.

It is forever here with us, being absolutely faithful and loyal to us, comforting us, guiding us and supporting us. It is our one and only greatest teacher and companion, because all the other teachers and everything else (both living beings and non-living beings) that we perceive in this life existence is also a manifestation from the Self. There is no separation between the Self and “I”, and everything else (living beings and non-living beings).

I am that I am. I am not this, I am not that. No name, no form, no shape, no colour, no sound, no smell, no taste, no feel, no thought, no good, no bad, no past, no future, no cause, no effect, no likes, no dislikes, no craving, no aversion, no attachment, no detachment, no purity, no impurity, no birth, no death, no beginning, no ending, no ignorance, no wisdom, no fears, no worries, no realization, no enlightenment, no happiness, no unhappiness, no suffering, no end of suffering. Emptiness is form. Form is emptiness. The Self is everything. Everything is the Self.

Free, unlimited, unconditioned, eternal, content, peaceful silence.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

When we stop identify with anything that is impermanent, and stop looking at other people’s good and bad, what other people do and don’t do, how other people act and react, and stop all the judging, comparing, competing, criticizing and expecting towards other people and our own self, we will be at peace immediately. No more fears, worries, irritation, frustration, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, arrogance, low self-esteem, aggression, depression, disappointment and unhappiness. No more looking for something to fill up the “emptiness” in us – the meaning of life existence, because we are full, whole and content.

Because at the end, nothing really matters. The world will still be what it is going to be. Everything will still be what it is going to be. Everyone will still be what they are going to be, either happy or unhappy, content or discontent, attaching or letting go. If we want to change “the world”, we just need to change “ourselves”. It is our own perception of the mind that is moulding the world that we are having now. If my mind is not there, the world doesn’t exist for me at all. There is no world when there is no mind. The world is a projection of the mind. It is because of my own mind and the senses, that I feel pain, pleasure, comfort, discomfort, happy and unhappy. If we don’t know this, we will be in unhappiness and suffering, full of irritation, frustration, anger, hatred and disappointment. We can’t control anything out there but we can control our own self.

The only existence is the present moment now from moment to moment where the awareness is. The past and the future doesn’t exist at this present moment now. We can only explain that now is the future for the past, and now is the past for the future. But the only existence is the present moment, from moment to moment.

By knowing this, I am sharing this understanding with others through giving yoga classes and giving dharma talk without the limitation of time and place. Anywhere and anytime I am not separated from yoga and dharma. Even when it seems like I am not doing anything, I am still having yoga and dharma in my heart all the time and through my thoughts, I continue to share yoga and dharma with all. Life is not separated from yoga and dharma. The entire life existence is yoga and dharma. It is not something that I do or believe or practice, it is what I live, the existence of “I”, the knower of the awareness of everything.

I am learning unceasingly while I am teaching. I gain or lose nothing while I am sharing. There is no gain and no loss. The path is no more just a path for me to walk on, but it is already one with me and not separated from me. I am no more doing the practices but I am the practice itself.

When I “dedicated” myself to yoga and dharma, I am dedicated to the Self, dedicated to all and everything, because all and everything is not separated from yoga and dharma. Yoga and dharma is not separated from the Self. When I am no more separated from the Self, there is no more “dedication”. Because I am the Self, I am yoga, I am dharma.

Stop looking for the differences in everything or finding distinction between everything. Look for the sameness in everything. Stop finding faults in everything. Look for the true essence in everything behind all the names and forms. You will be free.

May all beings be happy.