Dakini Dance

Randy Pausch Last Lecture

2008-09-19T00:16:00.001+08:00

Dancing around the world

2008-08-27T22:57:00.004+08:00

My friend gave me this link.
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/videos.shtml

I embedded the video from YouTube.

This is the description of the video:
14 months in the making, 42 countries, and a cast of thousands. Thanks to everyone who danced with me. Make sure to click "watch in high quality" right underneath the video.

He also gave me more information of the song in the video, Praan.

Beautiful, beautiful song in video is entitled "Praan", with lyrics adapted from the poem "Stream Of Life" from Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore (Bengali transliteration, English translation below):

Bhulbona ar shohojete
Shei praan e mon uthbe mete
Mrittu majhe dhaka ache
je ontohin praan

Bojre tomar baje bashi
She ki shohoj gaan
Shei shurete jagbo ami
(Repeat 3X)

Shei jhor jeno shoi anonde
Chittobinar taare
Shotto-shundu dosh digonto
Nachao je jhonkare!

Bojre tomar baje bashi
She ki shohoj gaan
Shei shurete jagbo ami

"The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment."

Real Love Secret

2008-07-24T15:06:00.001+08:00

The

Real love

I always keep a secret.

All my words

Are sung outside Her window,

For when She lets me in

I take a thousand oaths of silence.

But,

Then She says,

O, then God says,

What the hell, Hafiz,

Why not give the whole world

Address.

~ Hafiz

Meridians and Health

2008-07-17T22:18:00.005+08:00

Finally got the chance to post videos of Hao Ran being massaged online (see end of previous post).

It has been a hectic two weeks, with my teacher Susan-Hla from Bowie, Arizona, USA here in Singapore to catch me up on studies I've missed at Diamond Mountain University while pregnant with Hao Ran and immediately after my delivery.

What was greatly satisfying for me was learning about the Meridians from Susan-Hla last weekend. While it is fascinating to learn the effects of meridians on our physical health from a live teacher with live demonstration, it was even more exciting for me to learn about the relationship of meridians with our mental and emotional aspects, and how they are linked to certain personality types. It was fun when I could instantly recognize my personality type and the mental and emotional characteristics associated with that type. I even have the physical condition associated with my personality type!

The most profound teachings, however, were on how to change our world karmically when we are doing self-acupressure. This is based on the understanding that our world comes from our karmic seeds. In other words, our body, our personality types, the people around us, the environment we live in, the way we experience our planet earth and its inhabitants and so on...comes from actions we have done, words we have spoken and thoughts we cultivate in our mind.

So when we perform self-acupressure, if we can remember that the way it truly works is when we do it with the intention of helping others, we will receive more benefits from it than merely getting our physical health back. We see the people in our world getting more healthy, interacting more kindly to one another and generally, the world becoming a better place to live in.

Thank you, Susan-Hla, for sharing such profound and precious teachings with us! And thank you for teaching so skilfully and making it so fun for us! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! May You have a long and healthy life and continue to be of immense benefit to all those around You!

Life before Death

2008-05-11T02:01:00.003+08:00

A friend Mich, shared this website with me. Which I like very much.

http://www.lensculture.com/schels.html

From Mich:
Thought I will share with you some beautifully captured series of people portraits shortly before and just after they die. If you feel that it is going to be depressing for you, I would suggest you not click on the link otherwise, just view it as it is and you might just be pleasantly surprised.

New World-View website

2008-04-26T14:58:00.007+08:00

There is a new website for World-View Teachings and Travels!!!

You can find teachings by Geshe Michael and Lama Christie in countries all over the world, including Israel and Prague...

Click here:
http://worldviewteachingsblog.blogspot.com/

Enjoy! Yippeeee

Baby photos

2008-03-21T20:46:00.009+08:00

"Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

==========================================================================================

A sharp tongue can cut my own throat.

If I want my dreams to come true,
I mustn't oversleep.

Of all the things I wear,
my expression is the most important.

The best vitamin for making friends..... B1.

The happiness of my life depends on
the quality of my thoughts.

The heaviest thing I can carry is a grudge.

One thing I can give and
still keep...is my word.

I lie the loudest when I lie to myself.

If I lack the courage to start,
I have already finished.

One thing I can't recycle is wasted time.

My mind is like a parachute...
it functions only when open.

The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!
It is never too late to become what I might have been.

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right..

Forget about the one's who don't.

Believe everything happens for a reason.

If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.

If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy,

they just promised it would be worth it.

Friends are like balloons;
once you let them go,
you might not get them back.

Sometimes we get so busy
with our own lives and problems
that we may not even notice
that we've let them fly away.

Sometimes we are so caught up
in who's right and who's wrong that
we forget what's right and wrong.

Sometimes we just don't realize
what real friendship means
until it is too late.

I don't want to let that happen
so I'm gonna tie you to my heart
so I never lose you.

Yoga Sutra Verse I.24 (Part II)

2008-03-21T01:21:00.000+08:00

(A2) They should meditate well.

A teacher, who is teaching yoga, who is teaching this spiritual path, should have a regular meditation practice. You should know the techniques for meditation. They are special techniques. It’s not just watching your breath. Watching your breath is part of it. And is very important. But there’s about a thousand other steps that you need to know from a qualified person. And a teacher should be meditating regularly and well.

(A3) They should understand reality.

What’s that mean? Where does “pen” come from?

Yah! This pen is being projected. The…the glue that holds this object together, is “did you take care of other people today?” “Did you actively take care of some other people today?” That holds together this pen, holds together that column, it holds together the New York City. Okay?

And a real teacher must understand, how taking care of other people, relates to the success of yoga. They must grasp that yoga cannot work without taking care of other people. Just will never work. Can’t do it, without taking care of other people. They must grasp how the reality of how the cells of your body grow, doesn’t relate to what you eat for breakfast. It relates to “Do you take care of other people or not?”

And that’s the key to…they have to understand reality itself. “Where is this world coming from?” “Where is the actual stuff that you bump into during the day coming from?” “What made it?” They have to grasp that! And they have to be able to explain it to you clearly. Okay? Intellectually. Okay? This is…we’re going to get to another one, which is what? Directly! That’s a different story, we didn’t get there yet, okay?

(A4) They should know the books well.

In Tibetan, this is {lung gyi chuk}. {Lung gyi chuk} means there have been five thousand years of knowledge, since the Vedas, right? Five thousand years. And because of books, you get to meet Patanjali, why? ‘Cos he wrote a book! Okay, like you don’t have direct contact with Patanjali maybe, but…but you get to read his [b: Yoga Sutra], now it’s like what? Eighteen centuries later or something. The great books of time, the spiritual books, they are like very, very, very precious things. They are little pieces of Patanjali that still exist in our world, right? And so the more of them that you meet…the Tibetan don’t say, “Read a book!” They say, “Make the acquaintance of a holy person.” It’s called {gel}. They use the word, like when you meet the Dalai Lama, you {gel} the Dalai Lama. And when you pick up Patanjali’s [b: Yoga Sutra], you {gel} it. You see what I mean? You come into the holy presence of the book.

You see, and then, a really good teacher should have this really vast…we call it “toolbox.” They must have studied like hundreds and hundreds of texts well, thoroughly, old-system. And then they meet a new student. The new student walks into the yoga school, and you’re like, “Oh, they need the…they need the Ranch, yah.” And then you work on the student, you see?

But you got to have a big toolkit, you shouldn’t walk into a yoga class as a teacher, knowing like ten things to do. You should have a toolbox of like a thousand different techniques, and this means that you’ve got to keep working on yourself. A teacher should never stop studying, you know? A teacher should be like everyday, studying, keep going, keep pushing yourself. Up to the next level. A teacher should be constantly learning new things. And there’s this thing.

Once you get established, you go, “Oh, my books sold so many thousand copies, …everybody thinks I’m big Geshe Michael now, you know? Oh, I passed the twenty-year course.” No! Next day you are back on a new subject with a new Lama, you know? Next morning. The morning after you graduate from the Geshe course, you’re back to school the next morning. Studying the next thing, you know? And as a teacher, you have to keep pushing yourself. Why? Because you are going to meet thousands of different students in your life. Each one is unique, like a snowflake. Each one needs a different approach. Each one needs a different tool. And you’ve got to have a big toolbox, okay? And you’ve got to have these different techniques to work on different students.

Not every student is going to be the same. In fact, they are all going to be different. And then you’ve got to keep pushing and driving yourself to learn new methods of helping them. See what I mean? So a teacher’s job, a mother’s work, is what they say, never, never done? A Guru’s job is never done. You’ve got to keep working, and…and learning the next thing. Okay, that’s just something you’ve got to keep doing, {lung gyi chuk}.

(A5) They should have direct knowledge of reality.

Direct knowledge of reality. How would you say? Real spiritual experiences, okay? I mean, it’s one thing to get them from the book, right? They should know all the books. Why are the books so useful? ‘Cos if somebody says, “Where did you get that from?” You can say, “Look, here’s the book, I got it from the third century.” You can’t show them your realization. You see what I mean?

The first Dalai Lama said, “I can’t transfer my knowledge to you, mind to mind. I have to speak to you, I have to read things to you. I can’t show you what I have seen.” Like if I’ve seen my future lives, you know? If I’ve seen enlightened angels, I can’t show you. You see what I mean? I can’t just show you. I can’t just snap my fingers and they appear and you can see them. It doesn’t work that way. Many of these experiences depend on the individual. I can’t show you the deep spiritual experiences I’ve had, right? I can’t do that. I have to give you a book, I have to explain it to you. I have to take you up to the levels and then you see it yourself, right?

But the teacher should have realizations, the teacher should have true realizations. They are very difficult for the students to confirm, okay? Like you can’t…you go to a teacher, and lots of teacher say, “I’ve seen blah blah blah… I’ve seen this, or I’ve seen that.” Or they hint that, or something like that. It’s very difficult for a student to confirm, right? All you can do as a student at the beginning is to compare it mostly to number (4). You know, like, they say, is what they say they’ve experienced consistent with all of these other sacred texts? You know, other knowledge, that you can confirm, you know? When they get up and talk about, “Oh here are the ten qualities of a teacher.” Can they show you the book? And when they say, “I’ve actually seen this directly.” Can they describe it in a way that sounds accurate to you? That’s the best you can do right now! Okay, can they show you part of it by teaching you? You know, if you stick with them for six months, do you get to have some insight into what they are talking about? Yeah. But this one is hard to confirm. Ideally, they would have seen ultimate reality directly. That’s called {Arya} or {Pakpa} in Tibetan. Very, very rare. But if you can find a teacher like that, that’s the best. Okay, someone who has seen the thing about the pen, in a deep state of meditation. That’s a totally different ballgame, okay? You’ve to try and find…if you can, you have to try to have a teacher like that.

(A6) They should exceed their students.

No, really, I mean if you’re already a good violin player and you go to a violin teacher who is not better than you, you won’t learn anything. You see what I mean? Normally. Like, I was in the tennis team in high school. And during the season, we were not allowed to play with a person who wasn’t better than us. The coach made a rule. Like I was not allowed to play with any player who wasn’t better than me. You see what I mean? Just ‘cos you won’t get better. You see what I…That was the rule for the season.

So it means that whatever you’re teaching, if it’s yoga, or…or meditation, or whatever, you have be to better than the student, okay? Or there is no point! Okay, you have to be better at it, okay? You have to have worked on it, okay? So that also means you have to keep pushing yourself. You can’t like get pretty good at yoga, and then quit working on it and then start teaching it. You see what I mean?

You won’t be able to help people much. You see what I mean? You’ve got to keep pushing your own envelop, up…upward, better and better, higher and higher. Okay? Whatever you’re doing…Same with meditation, or whatever. A teacher’s personal everyday ritual for their own development should be rigorous and demanding, okay? And disciplined, okay! And that’s just…you have to stay ahead of your students. That’s why I keep bringing in new languages and stuff. You see? Anyway……But that’s your responsibility. Take them higher and higher, okay? Alright.

Those are six qualities of a teacher, traditional six qualities that relate to the teacher. And then there’s four qualities that relate to how they teach.

(A7) They should be a good teacher.

In Tibetan, they say {ma kye den}. You should be a good teacher, okay? You know cranky, eccentric masters at blah, blah, blah, that can’t teach it. You see what I mean? Like somebody can be really good at yoga and not be able to teach it! Or somebody can be a great ballet dancer and just not be able to teach it. And sometimes you’d rather have a person who’s not the world’s greatest ballet dancer, but who knows how to teach it well. You see what I mean? And then you learn a lot more from them. So…there’s a…and then you know like eccentric mathematicians, you know, they have insights into maths, but they just can’t explain it to anybody. You see what I mean? So you want someone who not only knows their stuff, but you want someone who can communicate it to you, okay? And that’s a quality to look out for in a teacher. And…and you’ll find that if you find a teacher…a person who’s good at teaching, it’s more important than having the world’s best at it. Actually what you want to find is someone who’s the world’s best at it and who is also a good teacher. Okay?

(A8) They should love their students.

Quality number eight is they should love their students. They should be doing it out of concern for their students, okay? Not for money! Is it bad to charge money? Some people have to charge money, that’s no problem, but their main motivation is love. Their main motivation is that they love you. And that’s why they are teaching. They don’t want to be famous, they don’t want to have thousands of disciples bowing down at their feet. They are not interested in getting rich off from you, the great teachers I know are broke most of the time. My teachers in the monastery have never charged me a penny. And in twenty-five, thirty years, I’ve never been asked to pay for a class. Never! Period! That’s just the way it is. And I like that.

And I repeat, if you won’t here the first night, we’re charging for this class because we want to look serious. And we actually took the first thousand dollars and we bought a diamond and we try to smash it here on the first night just to make a statement. And the god-damned thing wouldn’t break. So we donated to Om Yoga to put on one of their statues. We thought it would attract serious yoga teachers if we charge. This is the first class I’ve ever charged for in twenty years. And it worked. A lot of you are good yoga teachers. And we’ll just give the money away to John’s project or something like that.

But they should teach out of love and concern for their students. And I think you’ll find that the great teachers, when you finally find this great teacher that you’ve been looking for, I think that you’ll find that after a while, the whole relationship becomes love. And no longer any kind of a financial thing or anything, I mean, as you get really close to a teacher, you’ll find that love is the driving force. Every time, I’ve even taken like yoga, or dance or anything like that, my Sanskrit teacher from college just gave me his collection of books, after thirty years. And we just keep that relationship. We love each other. And we still…I still visit him in the nursing home and the person who first taught me Buddhism, I spoke in his class last week in Pennsylvania. And it’s love.

Yoga Sutra Verse I.24

2008-03-13T15:42:00.004+08:00

I.24 Klesha karma vipaka-asshayair aparamirshtah purusha vishesha ishvara.

A master is an extraordinary person who is

untouched by mental afflictions,

by deeds, their ripening, and their storing.

So here, Master Patanjali is giving you a definition of an “Ishvara.”

What does he mean by a “master?”

What is a master?

He mentions five different qualities [A] to [E].

[A] An Extraordinary Person

The first one is “purusha vishesha.”

“Purusha”, here it means “a person.”

In Tibetan, GANGSAK, if you’re studying Tibetan.

“Vishesha” means “special.”

“Purusha vishesha” means “Extraordinary person”

In Tibetan, KYEPACHEN, okay?

So they’ve got to be an extraordinary person. This is a code word, in ancient uh…Guru uh…Guru qualification language. Okay?

And there are ten different parts to that. (1) to (10)

You’re going to have five qualities in all [A] to [E] .

The first one [A] has ten different parts to it (1) to (10). Got it?

Just the first one has ten different parts. Ten different qualities that a guru should have. Or a yoga teacher, okay?

What I’m going to say is that, as a yoga teacher, you should strive to have these ten qualities. Okay? They are hard! They are demanding. But you should try to live up to the old… the old way! I like the old way, personally, you know.

By the way, these ten are from the scriptures that was from the fourth century by Maitreya. Who’s Maitreya? The next Buddha. Okay? And supposedly Master Asanga went to His paradise …that Maitreya brought back five great books. One of them is called Sutralamkara, the Jewel of the Sutras. Do De Gyen in Tibetan. And it describes the ten qualities of a true spiritual master.

So, here they are:

(1) The first quality of a teacher - Leading an Ethical Life

Whether it is some yoga teacher at Om Yoga, or whether it is some Guru, it does not matter. But a teacher should lead an ethical life. Okay? A teacher should be an example ethically.

What does that mean in practice?

There are like five components, okay? (a) to (e)

This is real gelukpa, monastic stuff. It’s like, give me the fifteenth of the fourteenth of the thirteenth of the twelve [unclear]…

(a) Ahinsa – No Killing

The first way is ahinsa. No killing.

Should never be harming any other creature.

I think in the modern world, there is no reason not to be vegetarian, vegan, whatever. Your way of life shouldn’t harm other creatures.

You should move through life like a bird. And not like a truck, hurting people, hurting other creatures.

Your way of life should just be smooth. With style.

You go through life, even in Manhattan, but you shouldn’t hurt other people. That’s the first one.

(b) No Stealing

The second on is that you respect other people’s things.

You don’t steal things. Your finances aren’t in good order, you don’t borrow money from people and don’t pay them back. You don’t…just your whole style of life, as far as economically, you respect other people’s stuff.

You go into a bathroom at Om Yoga, and when you got out, it was cleaner than when you got in there? You see what I mean?

Especially with public stuff, we tend to be not so strict that way, like er…it’s very common to hear people say, “Oh, oh, did you use the phone at work?” And they say, “Yah!” Or you say, “Call me at work! Are you allowed to use the phone at work?” And they say, “No, but I can get away with it.”

But then in the end, you are stealing from somebody, you see what I mean? In the end, you are swiping that resource from somebody who has not given you permission to have it. And that’s not ethical. And so it does not matter if that company is the most [unclear] endowed company, it does not matter if the boss is a cheapskate, it’s your honour, you see? To be a good teacher! And to be a good student! You have to have this concept of honour, you know? I’m not going to make calls at work. Why? It’s not because they can’t afford it. It’s not because my boss is not a cheapskate, he is a cheapskate! But I want to keep my honour. I have my honour, you know. I want to be honourable, you know. I’m not even going to take a pen from work, you know? That’s the second part of this ethical idea.

(c) Keeping Sexual Purity

The third is your sexual life. Your sexual purity.

Like a teacher…I think yoga is especially touchy that way, you know? You’re often in a position where you are handling other people’s bodies.

I think that’s why a lot of people might come to a yoga class. It’s that…no, it’s very ermm…like…The first few yoga classes I had, David and Sharon, will actually…when you do shavasana, they’ll come by and they might rub your feet for you, or they might massage your neck for you, and it’s the comfort of human touch, which we are so cut off from…in New York City, or somewhere like that. You try not to touch people, right? Like if you go to India, you feel very uncomfortable. ‘Cos everyone is just touching. And Americans are like that in India, ‘cos there’s this three feet thing, or two feet thing.

So in one way, it’s a very much comforting. I found I felt very happy when I went to yoga classes. And when you get a correction or an assist, it’s just very refreshing to have someone touch you without any sexual connotation. It’s just they are trying to help you get into a pose, and it feels good. And so I think, from that point of view…

But you have to be very strict with yourself, as a teacher, as a yoga teacher, you have to be…you have to watch that line. And honour it! And get into your honour…right? You have a responsibility towards somebody, and you don’t, you don’t take advantage of that situation. In any way, to give it a sexual connotation.

And then in general, your sexual life, they say in ancient India, to respect other people’s relationships, is a big deal, you know? A big part of your ethical life, the sexual energy is very strong, and as you do yoga, your lower chakras will start to open, and even more sexual energy will come out, you see what I mean? And you have to be in the position to know, it’s a very strong drive among human beings, very, very strong. And you have to be able to control it, watch it and do the honourable…stay honourable that way.

It’s very important for a teacher, to maintain that line and to have that kind of purity in their sexual life. And especially honouring other people’s relationships is essential, you know? If someone is married, or someone is in a committed relationship, you know they have a husband or wife, you should always relate to them as if their husband or wife is standing right next to them. You know what I mean? And as a teacher, that should be your ethics, you know. And a teacher should have an ethics like that. And so that’s the third one.

(d) Being Very Truthful

The fourth one is just means generally very truthful.

Not lying. Not misrepresenting things.

And as a teacher, that’s really important.

And you should look for that in a teacher.

And I would check their accuracy about what they teach.

Is what they teach authentic?

Has it come down from an authentic lineage?

When they spelled some Sanskrit at you,

have they really studied it carefully?

have they really understand it well?

Have they spent time with real gurus, you know?

They should have a base of truthfulness about their practice. They should have mastered their practice, and giving it on in a very authentic and accurate way. That’s really important for the teachers…when you look for a teacher, you want to look for a teacher like that.

(e) To be careful around intoxicants

In India, they often throw in another one, a fifth one.

By the way, if you know the yamas and the niyamas, which are the subject of the second chapter, we’re already getting into that, right? So, this is “to be careful around intoxicants.”

Drugs, alcohol, and to some degree, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, not as important, but if you’re going to be a real teacher, if you’re going to work with the channels, if you really hope to work with your inner channels, in a powerful way, you pretty much have to give up alcohol or drugs. That’s just…you won’t be able to…they give you a small opening of the channels, like a hallucigenic, opens your channel slightly for a short time, then it sets you back. See what I mean?

So a dependence on them… the teacher shouldn’t be addicted. Shouldn’t be of an addicted character. You can be addicted to sex, you can be addicted to alcohol, drugs, attention? There are a lot of teachers who are addicted to er…attention of other people, what do you call it? “A junkie for attention” It’s a Canadian singer with an album about her own addiction to attention.

We have to watch out for it. I have to watch out for it. I have to constantly watch out for it. How do you test? What is the litmus test?

How would you feel if you just heard that some American monk is teaching some Yoga Sutra across the street at Shalai Yoga, and it’s actually a much better class?

You see, that’s the kind of the test.

But anyways, all kinds of addictions. Addictions to attention, addictions to food, you know. And that just gets into, look, if you’re a teacher, as you get older, and as you get more established, and frankly, you should get more famous, the books are starting to come out, there’s this tendency to start to talk about yoga rather than do yoga?

There is a tendency to talk about meditation and miss your own meditation sessions. You know, and as a teacher gets more established, and better known, there is a very noticeable pattern, where their own personal practice begins to decline. You see what I mean? So you’ve got to watch out for that. As a teacher.

And you should seek out a teacher who’s still in the ball game, you see what I mean? You want someone who is a master violinist teacher, who still loves to play. You see what I mean, and they are not just teaching and talking about it.

So, as you get more mature in teaching yoga, you’ve got to watch out for that. You’ll get well-known, you’ll have a chance to have students all day, and you’re going to find out that you haven’t done yoga for a week. You see what I mean? Because you’re so busy with your fans!

So it’s really up to a teacher to learn to, you know, you’ve got to learn to deal with the attention from other people. And keep setting aside your personal practice time, has to be holy.

Like the Dalai Lama’s very good at that. He did a fund-raiser for John Brady’s group at Lincoln Centre last Sept? In Sept. Richard Gere showed up with four thousand dollars, we rented Lincoln Centre, they played music and we were one of the four groups that the benefits were for.

During the concert, His Holiness got up, and He’s just been to Central Park that day…He was noticeably tired and he got up and He said, “I love this project, it’s saving ancient books, it’s hiring all of our Tibetan refugees, it’s a good honest living, erm…they’re learning to use computers, that helps them all over the world, And erm…I know it’s going to be a neat program and I just want to be honest with you and tell you I’m leaving now, because it’s nine o’clock and I get up at three thirty to do my practice. And I’ve got to go home. So I hope you have a good time, and I really support what they are doing.” And He was obviously very tired, and it was already after nine.

And you should be like that. You shouldn’t become a teacher and give up what you are teaching. You see what I mean? And you should look for a teacher who’s still doing what they are talking about. You see what I mean?

And an addiction can sometimes do the opposite. You get addicted to attention, and you sometimes get into opportunities for a photo shoot or something like that, and you dump your own practice. You see what I mean? So you’ve to be very careful with that as a teacher. You have to be…you have to continue to be a Master, at what you’re doing and maintain that. As well as teach it!

See? And that’s very demanding…It takes twice as much effort and time. But you have to maintain that, okay?

So that’s all that goes under quality [A] Extraordinary Person (1) “Leads an ethical life.”

That’s the short version, okay? We don’t have time to give you the long version today.

[Extracted and slightly modified from teachings by holy Lama Geshe Michael Roach - First Cornerstone of Yoga Sutra given in New York 2004]

Yoga Sutra Verse I.23 (Part II)

2008-03-12T15:10:00.002+08:00

Find a master at what they do!

Take the time.

Whatever you want to do.

I have a friend who wanted to learn to make films. She works for Waltzer-KonCraig family and did a film on John’s project. Xerox corporation and Waltzer – KonCraig made a film on his project, for their managers. And I said, “How did you learn? It’s so amazing, you know! They spent two hundred thousand dollars. They filmed for…they filmed hundreds of hours of film, and they made a six-minute training film for their managers.

So I said, “How did you learn this, you know?”

And she said, “I sat down. I picked up the best director in the world, and I went and asked him for help, ‘Teach me!’”

And he said, ‘No!’

And I said, ‘I’ll do anything. I’ll be your gofer for a year.’

And he said, ‘Gofer for a year? You are on!’”

And you know, she was his gofer, but just to be next to him, getting him his coffee and seeing how he touches his camera or direct somebody for five minutes, is worth all the NYU classes you ever took on film-making. You see what I mean?

And so we were discussing, “How did you meet this person?” It’s really encouraging…whatever you want to do! Yoga, or Sanskrit…doesn’t matter, business? Find the master! You know, and just go hunting down that [unclear] You see, go ask them! “Help, help me!” And if they are really good, they’ve got four hundred students already. “I don’t care, I’ve got…I’ll be your gofer for a year, I’ll do anything you want.”

And I did that! I build houses for my Guru, I build the house he lives in. I went out and work for his…for what he needed. And that’s just how it is. The more you surrender yourself to this person, the more direct input you get, you see, the more real knowledge comes to you.

So before you surrender to somebody like that, you’d better know what to look for. In Tibet, it was a tradition. You could spend up to twelve years testing this person.

Check them out for twelve years. Before you surrender to them. See what I mean? Like ask everybody about them. Investigate them! Find out what the other students are like. Find out about…anything about their history. Find out how much they really know.

People just walk into a class, they put down fifteen bucks and they walked into class. That’s not the old way. The old way is you check this person out, before you put your holy body and mind at their…you know, under their care. You’ve got to check them out, okay?!

Also, I thought it would be important to teach this class because I know a lot of you are yoga teachers. So you will also have to be all protocols. You’ve got to have ten important qualities. To lead your students in the right way. You see what I mean, so I’m going to go over those ten qualities.

Extracted from Geshe Michael's Teachings of First Cornerstone of Yoga Sutra in 2004.

(To be continued...)

Yoga Sutra Verse I.23

2008-03-10T16:26:00.004+08:00

Ishvara pranidhanad va.

And another way is to ask the Master for her blessing.

The big word here is the last word “va.”

The most important word here.

“Va” means “and you can also…”

What does Master Patanjali mean, “also”?

What was he just talking about?

“Shraddha virya smirti samadhi prajnya”

He was just talking about the Five Powers of the Second Path:

“Shraddha,” faith; “virya,” effort; “smirti,” total awareness of where you’re at; “samadhi,” deep meditation and “prajyna,” insights into the true workings of reality. You can have all five, or “va,” just ask your Guru for Their help.

You know, ask your Guru for Their blessings.

He’s like, “You want to cut things shorter?”

“Get a guru!”

“Get a teacher!”

“Get a real teacher!”

“Ask them for their blessings!”

“va!” Same effect!

You can work your head off, or you can go find an Ishvara, okay?

“Ishvara” in Tibetan, it’s WANG CHUK, meaning, “any kind of lord, or master.” There is also a deity, a Hindu deity, called Ishvara. But in scriptures, in ancient scriptures, Ishvara refers to JE PON, any kind of lord or master. Your master, is called your Ishvara, okay? So right in this context, it’s not the creator of the world that is in some mythology, okay? That’s another idea.

In the second chapter, Master Patanjali is going to tell you where the world comes from. “II.14 Te hlada paritapa phalah punya-apunya hetutvat.”

You want to know where the world comes from?

It comes from your actions.

It’s not that somebody has made this room, or build Mount Everest, or have arranged to get cancer to you in three years from now, there’s nobody who’s doing that. There’s no outer force in the sky, a guy with a big white beard, who’s doing these things to you. You’re doing them to yourself!

You have created your world. You create the people you meet. You create the diseases you get. You’re responsible for everything that happens around you. There’s a totally ultimate justice in the world where what goes around, comes around.

Everything that happens to you in your life is a direct result of how you took care of people, you know? That’s all.

So Ishvara here in this verse is not the One that created the world, who made things…Master Patanjali wouldn’t go for that, if he would spend a whole chapter on “You created Your World!”

So, ask your Master for a blessing.

Tonight’s subject is

“What about a teacher?”

“How do you find a teacher?”

“What is a real teacher?”

“How do you identify them?”

“What quality should they have?”

So, Master Pantajali says “ask”, this means “to ask”, “to set down something before your Guru.” To ask them for blessings, in Tibetan, it’s MOMLAM, to make a prayer, to them. And any great text in India has to get into this subject. Like, there is no great text from ancient India that doesn’t get into this subject.

“How do you find a real teacher?”

And then, “What is your responsibility towards that teacher?”

“How are you supposed to relate to that teacher?”

They say that learning spiritual things is more difficult than learning to play the piano, or learning to fix cars, or learning foreign language, or something like that. Like imagine learning Japanese from a book. Or learning piano just from a book. See what I mean?

Or, having a maestro teach you. There’s such a difference, you know.

Like, even the way you walk into a school, and the piano teacher is a Master, the way they touch the keys the first time, just the way they set their hands on the keys, you already learn more than you can learn from a book. You know what I mean. There’s just a way they approach their instrument, you know.

Like a violinist, the way they touch it. You just walk up to your violin, you just came for your first violin class. You know, and you go to a real master, and just the way they touch their instrument, already it tells you more than a book can tell you.

You know, the web is like…internet is very…deceiving nowadays, you know. “Oh, I can just google it, I don’t need a teacher.” Like “I can google piano, I don’t need a teacher.” And you got this illusion of information. There is no hard information on the whole net, okay? There isn’t any.

You get it from a living blessing of a human being. You see what I mean?

And yoga is the same. You can open a book and check out those exercises, or you can go to Lady Ruth’s class. The first 15 minutes is worth all the books you ever had. And that’s just the way it is.

Some things can’t be communicated by a book. You need a human being.

But then, how do you find the master, you know?

I really encourage you, if you don’t get anything else out of tonight,
the message is, “find a master at what they do!”

[YP: I'm currently on retreat and part of the retreat involves transcribing teachings from my holy Lamas given in the year 2004: Meditation - First Cornerstone of Yoga Sutra. Here is an extract. It's a great blessings just to hear holy Lama Geshe Michael's voice, to hear the truth resonates in my heart and to know He has realized and meant exactly what He teaches.]

More on the topic of Teachers, please see teachings "Magic of Empty Teachings" downloadable from http://www.diamondmtn.org/downloads/#magic
Or fly to where Geshe Michael teaches and learn directly by being close to Him.

O'Joy Care Services

2008-02-25T10:12:00.003+08:00

Above are some posters I made recently for the Silver Industry Conference and Exhibition regional event at Suntec for O'Joy Care Services. O'Joy was one of the few VWOs being selected to represent voluntary welfare services for people in the elderly sector (for more descriptions of O'Joy Services, please see http://www.ojoy.org/services/index.php)

I have been working at O'Joy Care Services on a part-time basis for the past three years almost every semester break I take from my studies at Diamond Mountain University in Arizona, and I have never failed to be impressed by the services provided by this organisation and the amount of work and dedication put into making sure the services are helpful and relevant in our current society. This comes about from being the editor of the O'Joy Annual Report for the past two financial years and working closely with the full-time staff in the administrative side of its programmes and some events.

O'Joy is a small and fairly new organisation, but the passion the Executive Director has for her work carries her through these difficult formative years. The centre has just moved to a new premise, ready for expansion of services and I hope that it will continue to receive all the blessings and help it needs to grow and expand and hence benefit more elderly.

We are currently fund-raising for the building of individual counselling therapy rooms, training rooms for volunteers and professionals, and rooms which can be used for groupwork for seniors, as well as support groups for caregivers. If you can help in any way, please contact Ms Teo Puay Leng, Executive Director or Mr Choo Jin Kiat, Administrator, at 6749 0190.

Two Wolves

2008-01-30T10:55:00.000+08:00

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence,empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Thank you, Mrs Osherow, for sharing this!

A Prayer from His Holiness the Dalai Lama

2008-01-26T14:39:00.000+08:00

達賴喇嘛祈願文

人生就像讀一本書一樣，也是有盡頭的，
光陰飛逝，一晃眼，我們就會面臨這一天。
我，旦曾嘉措（達賴喇嘛的姓名），
恐怕再過不了五十年，就只是大家的一個記憶。
而諸位讀者，一百年後，想必也是一樣吧。
時光流逝，擋它不住。
當犯錯時，我們不可能要時鐘倒退，重新來過。
我們所能做的，就是把握現在。

人，當走到人生盡頭時，回顧以往，
如果是活得充實、有貢獻、有意義的話，
至少我們會感到些許安慰。
如果不是，可能就會非常沮喪。
要得到哪一種結果，就看當下的我們如何選擇。

想在走到人生盡頭時，不至於悔恨交加，
那最好的方法就是在當下學會對自己負責、對別人有同情心。
事實上，這樣做，倒不全是為了在未來獲得什麼好處，而是為自己好。
就像我們看到的，同情心讓我們生活變得有意義，
可以帶來永久的快樂與喜悅。

而且同情心是善心的基礎，因為先有同情心，
才會有善心的行動去幫助他人。
只要透過仁慈、愛心、誠實、真理，
以及公正去對待他人，我們就能從中獲益。

廟堂就在我心
這不需要複雜的理論，這是常識。
請不要懷疑：體諒他人，對你我都有益。
請不要質疑：別人快樂，我們也就快樂 .
請不要否認：社會動盪，我們跟著不安。
也請不要置疑：愈多壞心眼佔據我們的心，
我們就會有愈多的苦難。

因此，我們可以拒絕接受宗教、意識型態，
以及各式各樣的智慧箴言，
但是我們不能逃脫愛與同情的需要。
上述所言，是我最真的信仰、唯一的信念。
就這點而言，世上不必有寺廟或教堂，
不必有清真寺或猶太會堂，
不必有繁複的哲學、教義，或是信條。
廟堂就在我們內心深處，同情心就是我們的教義。

我們所需要的不過是：
當我們面對任何人，都能愛他（她），
以及尊敬他（她）的權利和尊嚴。
只要我們每天都奉行不逾，那不管我們識字與否，
信的是佛祖、上帝、其他宗教的神，
或是什麼都不信，全都不再那麼重要。
只要我們對別人有同情心、對自己有責任感，
那我們一定活得很自在。

但是，為什麼這麼簡單的道理，卻很難做到呢？
那是因為多數人自認對別人有愛心，
到最後都忘了這個簡單的道理。
我們輕忽抑制邪念以及控制情緒。
我們不像農夫那樣，季節一到，就毫不猶豫地下田耕作。
我們浪費太多寶貴的光陰，去做無意義的事。
我們放著真正重要的事不做，了無絲毫悔意，
卻對像賠錢這樣的瑣事懊喪不已。
我們只是盡情享樂，卻不會滿懷歡欣地去做有益他人的事。

我們總以為自己太忙，所以無暇關懷他人。
我們忙進忙出，忙著算計及打電話，忙著想怎樣做才最有利。
我們手中做著甲事，卻煩惱如果乙事蹦出來了，最好改做乙事。
上面這些舉動，都是人性中最粗糙以及最初步的層面。

更有甚者，由於對他人冷漠，我們最終無可避免地傷害了別人。
我們自認聰明絕頂，但我們有善用才智嗎？
我們通常把這種小聰明用來騙鄰居，占人便宜，好圖利自己。
而當一切不順遂的時候，我們會自以為是，怪罪到別人頭上。

傾聽良知的引導
然而，常存的滿足感是無法從擁有外物而獲得的。
即便我們結交滿天下，
也不會有任何一個朋友可以幫我們獲得心靈解脫。
而縱情聲色最終只會導致受苦受難，
因為這就好比利刃上的糖蜜。

當然，這不是說我們應該鄙視自己的臭皮囊。
當過於專注現實世界的各種利害時，
我們就會看不到人生中最樸實的真理。
當然，如果我們能夠一直興高采烈地周旋利害之中，
那這樣的人生也沒有什麼不好。

問題是，我們不能，因為沒有人可以永遠沒有煩惱 .
充其量，我們只能減少麻煩。
當問題突如其來時，而且毫無例外地一定會來，
我們卻一無準備。這時我們才體會自己的無助。
最後失望及難過縈繞在我們的心中，怎樣都揮之不去。

因此，我在此雙手合十，懇請諸位，
讓你的下半輩子儘可能地活得有意義。
如果可以的話，讓良知良能導引你。
我希望我已經說得很透徹，因為這真的不是很玄妙。

總歸一句話，就是關心他人，
就是真心誠意、持續不停地關心他人。
只要這樣一步一腳印的去做，久而久之，
你自然會改變想法及態度，
變得愈來愈關心他人，愈來愈不在乎自己的得失 .
最後，你不只內心安泰，而且時時刻刻都是滿心歡喜。

宇宙的過客
去掉忌妒，不要老是想贏過別人，
這樣許多煩惱就會一掃而空。
試著過這樣的生活，很快你就會從中獲益。
心中充滿仁慈、勇氣，以及信心，
你就會發現成功無所不在，
這時你隨時隨地都能笑臉迎人。
要率直、儘量無私，視人人如好友。

我這樣說，不是因為我是會轉世的達賴喇嘛，
或是有什麼神通，我沒有這種特異神力。
我是以一個人的立場，就像你一樣，
祈求真心歡喜，而不被俗欲牽絆受難。
如果基於任何原因，你無法幫助他人，最起碼請你不要傷害別人。

請把自己當成是一個宇宙遊客，地球只是你的景點之一。
當快接近地球時，你發現它是多麼渺小、無足輕重，卻美麗多姿。
在地球這一站停留時，真的可以傷害他人而獲得好處？
難道安詳地放鬆自己和自得其樂，不是比較好，
也比較有理，就像我們造訪異地那樣？

因此，當你在欣賞這個世界之際，有額外時間的話，
試著去幫助那些被踐踏的人，即便是用最微不足道的方法；
以及無法自助的人，不管他們是基於什麼原因。
試著不要拒絕那些外形惹人嫌、衣衫襤褸，以及生病的人。
試著不要認為他們比你低下。
如果可能，試著不要認為你比最卑微的乞丐還優越。
當你在墓中，你會發現每個人都是一樣的。

在結束前，我要和各位分享一篇祈禱文，
這篇祈禱文在我追求助人中，
給我極大的啟示：

願我生生世世，從現在到永遠，
都是無所依靠者的保護人
迷路人的嚮導汪洋渡海人的船舶
過河人的橋險者的庇護殿堂
黑暗中人的明燈流浪者的收容所
以及所有求助著隨侍在側的僕人

Thank you, Nellie, for sharing this!

The Whispered Lineage

2008-01-19T21:28:00.001+08:00

If you listen to these words, my child
And your heart is pure enough
To hear an angel teaching you;
If you then enter through the door
Of blessing and empowerment;
Then I will pass on to you
The advices of our lineage—
Advices whispered once to me,
Advices on the profound.

~Milarepa~

Drikung Kagyu Three-Year-Retreat 2008

2008-01-12T20:47:00.000+08:00

A Dharma brother I know just joined the second Drikung Kagyu three-year-retreat for international students at Vajra Mountain Meditation Center in Almora, Uttaranchal, India.

Amazing! Rejoice!!!

http://drikung3yearretreat.com/

This happens after the last 100 million mani chanting retreat in Singapore.

I think after the passing of His Eminence Drubwang Rinpoche and the excellent teachings by His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, a lot of us are realising how little time we have to do our practice. I'm glad that this Dharma brother jumped on the wagon of doing long-term retreats, to reach enlightenment to help other beings. Even when he seems to meet with some obstacles.

For the first Drikung Kagyu three-year-retreat from 2004 to 2007, I saw from their website that there were two Singaporeans. For this second retreat (2008-1010), I hear from my friend that there are five Singaporeans. Their third retreat at Almora starts in 2010, in conjunction with the 2010 three-year retreat happening at Diamond Mountain Retreat Valley in Arizona, USA. I feel very encouraged by this unravelling in my reality.

Extracted from teachings by holy Geshe Michael Roach: ACI 11 - Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life - The Perfection of Joyful Effort

"There comes a point where you realize you have to do it your self, you know you can't wait for other people to help you, you can't wait for the Teacher, you can't wait for your other students, you can't wait for a friend. If it's gonna be done, you're gonna do it on your own. And it gets a little lonely, but it's what, it's you know it's what you should do and you just have to have that confidence, okay?

And I believe that in the path between now and your enlightenment it will certainly come a time when it dawn on you that maybe no one else in the world is even interested in these things, you know. It doesn't mean that you shouldn't do it. You must go on and do it. You must go ahead and do it. You have to be self motivating. And you have to have the confidence to stick it out, okay.

Then Master Shantideva says, "{nyomong wangme jikten di.}". "The world, the whole world is at the mercy of their mental afflictions, the whole world is laboring under the merciless control of mental afflictions. {Rangdun drupar minye pe}. "People in the world are not even capable of doing the things that they need to do to take care of themselves, okay, much less other people.

Like I mean a normal person in samsara, doesn't even know the right things to do to make themselves happy, much less some one else. What? Are you going to stand around and wait for these people? You know, are you gonna wait for them? They can't even take care of themselves. They don't even know the right thing to do today or this morning, you know. And you're gonna wait around, your bodhisattva work is going to wait around for these people?

You know, get on it, get with it, get on with it. They're not gonna help you and probably they're gonna obstruct you. And probably they'll attack you at some point and you just have to be confident in what you are doing. You have to say, "What I am doing is valuable, if no one wants to support me, if no one wants to helps me, I am helping sentient beings, I am doing what I have learned from scripture and from practice and from Lamas, kindness is the best way to reach enlightenment and to help other people. And if no one else thinks so, that's alright, I will go ahead by myself."

And I think it will come to each person here at some point on the spiritual path, you will have to make that kind of decision and it's making that kind of decision that allows you to reach Buddhahood. It's that resolution that gives you enough good karma to allow you to go over the top."

May all the retreatants quickly realise Mahamudra!

100 Million Mani Mantra Group Chanting Retreat

2008-01-05T19:23:00.000+08:00

Teachings by His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche during the retreat:

Every being you see...is Chenresig
Every sound you hear... is Om Mani Padme Hung
Every thought you have...is love and compassion for all beings.

Circumabulating Shakyamuni Buddha...

Awaiting the arrival of His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche.

Paying respect to Garchen Rinpoche

Taking a break between chanting sessions

Seeing the Buddha's reflection at night from my seat.
Everything and everyone we see is a mirror to us.

Old Scroungy Mutt

2007-12-16T13:50:00.001+08:00

You really do have a Buddha nature and the existence of that Buddha nature guarantees that you will become a Buddha.

You do have a Buddha nature and I can demonstrate it to you tonight.

Then whenever you get depressed about your Dharma practice and you think, "I'm too stupid to learn all this stuff, or I can't even sit for ten minutes after twenty years of trying." Or you get discouraged, "I get angry ", or "I get desire right away when the object comes to me", "I don't seem to be making any progress", you can think about your Buddha nature.

Say, {Sangye}, [repeat], {kyi}, [repeat], {rik}, [repeat].
In Sanskrit it's commonly called {sugatagarba}.

{Sangye} means Buddhahood, total enlightenment.
When I say {Sangye} or Buddha, you should think of two things, one is a mind that can see all things in the universe at once, and one that is filled with infinite love, infinite compassion. And then physically and spontaneously able to appear in whatever form is helpful to someone.

{rik}, means seed in this meaning, or the nature. {Rik}, normally means "family" or type, {garba} but in this case, it means seed or Buddha seed, and that's what you call Buddha nature, okay, that's, that's Buddha nature.

That's the word that they translate as Buddha nature, okay you do have something inside of you, which is {Sangye kyi rig}.

What's the definition of Buddha nature?

The classical, scriptural definition of Buddha Nature.

{Sangye su gyurung}.

{Sangye}, means what? That omniscient mind connected to that incredible body, alright? {Su}, means "into".
{Gyurung}, means, "anything that could turn", into a Buddha.

"Anything which could turn into a Buddha", is the definition of Buddha nature.

There are three classical Buddha natures, the third one is rather obscure so I'm not going to go into it. So I'm going to talk about the two main ones, these are the two main Buddha natures, okay. Say {Rangshin nehrig}, this is the really important one.

{Rangshin}, here means, "innate". "inborn", a part of you already. This is probably the one that they were talking about before the Dharma rumor started, okay. {Rangshin}, means "exists in you by nature", {rangshin ne}, means, "it exists in you by nature", it's innate, it's part of you already.

{Rik}, means "garba", the Buddha nature. It's the Buddha nature that's in you already, okay, it's the Buddha nature that is already in you or inborn, or innate within you, okay. As soon as you exist as a person, or a bug, or an amoebae, or anything with a mind, anything which is sentient, you already have {rangshin nehrig}. And that's probably, I guess the one where the Dharma rumor started, okay, but it's not exactly what you would guess.

And I'm going to give the classical example of {rangshin nehrig}.

You know what is the best example that you could ever give in the universe for {rangshin nerig}?

{kyi gan gyawoy gyukyi sems dentong}
This is the ultimate example for the innate Buddha nature.

{kyi} means "dog"
{kyi gan}, means an "old dog", a mutt.
{gyawoy} in Tibetan means "a beard", but here it means like "an old scroungy mutt."
{gyu}, means, "mental continuum". The stream of their mind over their lifetime, their persona, their being in their being.
{sem} means "mind."
{den} means, "true existence", which means self existence.
And {tong pa} means what? {Shunya}? Okay, the "emptiness".
{kyi gan gyawoy gyukyi sems dentong} = "The emptiness, or the lack of self existence of the mind which exists in the person, or in the being of an old scroungy mutt."

To put it simply, the emptiness of an old scroungy mutt's mind.

Now what's that mean? And what's that got to do with us?

It means, even an old scroungy mutt has Buddha nature.

What does that do for then and what does that mean? And, and I'm gonna go into this a bit. I'm gonna go into a bit of detail. And you will within five minutes, understand what the real Buddha nature is of an old mutt. An we assume that if an old mutt can have one, we can have one, right?

What stops you right now, from seeing your body as like an Angel's body?

What stops me from seeing my body as a being of light, right now? You know, why do I have a body of flesh and bone and blood and cancer cells cooking up in there and excetera, you know? Why, why am I forced to see my arm as freckles and hair and you know dandruff and moles, and blood veins and wrinkled hand, and to know it will die, you know?

Why am I forced to see that? Why am I seeing that, instead of a Buddhas body, you know like pure light and shining beautiful perfect light, with no bones or blood or guts or anything, just pure, a pure body of light. What, what's stopping me from that?

And to understand that, you have to understand that this arm is not "self existent".

What does "self existent" mean?

"Self existent" in this case would mean that this arm exists out there away from me, you know, away from my mind. You know, if I didn't think of it, it would still be there the way it looks. And the way that my arm looks does not depend on my mind, okay. The way that this mind works does not depend on the way that I think of it. Or how I perceive it.

That's a "self existent" arm and that doesn't exist and it never did exist and it never will exist, okay.

What does a "self existent" arm look like? It exists out there, independent of how I think of it. No matter what kind of mood I was in that arm would always look the same. But if you think about it, there's no such arm out there.

The eye can detect colors and the eye can detect shapes, but it cannot decide that this is an arm, that's something that the mind must be doing. Okay, I mean the eye is just recording color and shapes, it doesn't make decisions about what this object is. The mind has to do that. It's that's the minds job. The eye is just sending some information to the mind.

Could the mind have made a different conclusion? Could the mind have see something else? Could the mind have organized it in a different way? Of course, okay. If I took an animal birth, If I took a, real roaches birth then, then my mind literally would organize the same data into the leg of a roach. I would be looking down at the leg of a roach. That's what an animal rebirth is.

It's just a shift in how the mind organizes the same colors and shapes, it's very interesting, it's really interesting. It doesn't take more then a shift in the mind to go to an animal realm, that's scary and that's possible. And that's plausible, that the mind could shift in a way that suddenly, these colors and shapes are being organized into a bugs arm, an insects leg. And, and I truly see it that way and I believe it to be that way, ant that's what it is to take an animal rebirth.

You don't go somewhere, it's just s shift of your mind. It's a shift in the way that your mind organizes data. You can call it a rebirth if you want but that's not what it is. It's a shift in the way that the mind is organizing the same colors and shapes. That gets scary because that sounds possible that your mind could do that.

Next question that comes up is peoples mind is that, if that shift, if that's all that I'm doing, if my life consists of my mind organizing certain colors and shapes into certain mental images and me mistaking these mental images for objects that exist in the world, then could I voluntarily and purposely and willingly decide to have rather better mental images than I'm having now?

Like could I decide that since it's all my own minds organization of data, I will chose to organize it differently, and could I remove that mole just by deciding it. The answer is no, try it. You know, you are trying to decide that this thing should change and it doesn't change because you decide that it should chan, because you decide that it should happen.

Okay, what makes things change, really?

It's karma.

Is it like some cosmic energy? No.

It's mental impressions that are created by the moral content of what you do.

If you serve others, these impressions are very sweet and powerful, if you hurt others these impressions are very ugly and dangerous.

So if I wanted this arm to change into a body of light, I would have to first, I would have to step back a few years, or days and months and put in some sweet impressions in my mind. And they take time to grow, they take time to flourish and then they take over. And then whether you want to or not, you will be forced to see that arm as a deity's arm, as an angel's arm.

And that 's how you get to Heaven. It's very interesting, you really can do it.

What I'm saying is that the potential is there because of the real nature of things.

You know, because my arm is empty of any way of existing on it's own, independent of my mind, or to put the other way, because how my arm looks, depends on how my mind organizes it under the influence of my past goodness or badness, okay.

Because of that fact, I can become a Buddha. That makes it cool.

Because of that fact, one day, if I do the right things, if I help people, if I'm compassionate to other people, I will actually be forced to see this arm as an Angel's arm as a Deity's arm. And when I look down, you know, the rest will be that way too.

Extracted from Geshe Michael's teachings in ACI 11 Class 5: Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. On the Perfection of Joyful Effort.

Yoga Cleansing Retreat at Pulau Besar

2007-12-14T21:10:00.001+08:00

It's happening again...! I can never forget the yoga cleansing retreat I had in March 2005. Thank you for making this happen again, Luck Kheng!

To Mother Nature, we go!

In the peaceful island of Pulau Besar in Johor state lies soft white
beach, clear blue waters and simple kampong lifestyle where Mother
Nature embraces all participants with open arms. It is at this
untouched paradise where you will spend 4 days doing your
cleansing retreat and yoga poses together.

Duration: 10^th – 13^th April 2008
Venue: Pulau Besar (Johor)
Your investment: $429.00

To register, please get in touch with Luck Kheng at
TLC Student Care Centre.

All participants must be able bodied with no severe medical history.
All participants are expected to conform to the guidelines of the
communal living.

Facilitator: Mr. Lim Heng Moh, Jason

Organiser: TLC Student Care Centre

Address:

Blk 621 Ang Mo Kio Ave 9 #01-68 Singapore 560621

Blk 684a Choa Chu Kang Crescent #01-308 Singapore 681684

Tel: 68495317

Fax: 6454 6696 / 62190068

E-mail: pualk@tenderlovingcare.sg

Web: www.tenderlovingcare.sg

Sandcastle

2007-12-13T23:44:00.001+08:00

I was riding my bike one day along ECP and came across this creation on the beach. It took my breath away, that someone still cares enough to build sandcastles on the beach these days. I feasted my eyes on the creation, against the dark stormy clouds in the distance, another creation of mine. It was as though time stood still in that moment.

Life is like
building a sandcastle.

It must be built
grand.
But we must be prepared
For it to be washed away,
at any time.

We want our sandcastles
to be enjoyed,
By ourselves, by others.
We want to create beauty
in our world,
Through a still, appreciative mind.

Fencing up our world,
does not stop
the waves of time
from eroding it.
Hiding our world by
not sharing it with others
does not stop it from
disappearing one day.

Best way to keep our world
Is to build it so that it leaves
beautiful imprints
in the minds of ours and others.

To my dear, courageous friends out there,
who build sandcastles
despite the waves,

and leave their beautiful world
engraved forever in my mind...

Happy transition into the New Year!

Stuff...yiks!

2007-12-07T20:17:00.000+08:00

What a story...something to think about while Christmas shopping...

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Sera

2007-12-06T20:46:00.001+08:00

Bliss

Dechen (Great Bliss)

Two beautiful ladies, Bliss and Great Bliss,
what do they have in common with the two young monks below?

Yunten (High Qualities)

Jamshe (Love and Wisdom)

They are all at Gyalrong House of
Sera Mey Monastery, India,
right now.

My beautiful friend, Sopa (Patience)
with Ven. Gyelse (Child of the Buddhas)

Oh, i miss them so...

What beautiful pictures, Evam... Thanks!
(photos stolen from his flicker site)

Study hard and have a great time, everyone!

Poem by Japanese monk

2007-12-06T20:36:00.000+08:00

When all thoughts

are exhausted

I slip into the woods

and gather

a pile of shepherd's purse.

Like the little stream

making its way

through the mossy crevices

I, too, quietly

turn clear and transparent.

ryokan

Another precious gift from beloved Tuckie,
on Je Tsongkapa Day (4 Dec 2007)...

天上掉下的一首诗

2007-12-06T20:17:00.000+08:00

A 50-year-0ld lady from Taiwan decided to take a walk in Tibet.

http://oldlady.idv.tw/old/2006/love_2006/51_xizang/

Beautiful pictures, beautiful words... enjoy!

Yoga with Children

2007-12-01T15:35:00.001+08:00

This morning, i had the great fortune to share Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 2 Mahamudra teachings with someone who has an 11-year-old daughter.

He said to me that one thing he discovered when his daughter was born, is that she is born perfect. She is born with all the wisdom necessary to live in this world. Unfortunately, the wisdom became lost as we grow up in this world as we see it now. He said his daughter has taught him many things, so much more than he could ever teach her. :)

I found these photos online of children and babies doing yoga. May we always be blessed by holy beings in our lives, whatever form they take... :)

World View Archive

2007-11-28T20:26:00.000+08:00

I discovered this treasure website WorldViewArchive when my friend Tara asked for teachings by Geshe Michael on the Wheel of Life!!! This is so wonderful! Enjoy!

http://www.worldviewarchive.com/teachings_wheel.htm

The first video I clicked on were teachings taught in New York 10 years ago, on the birthday of my close friend, Liling...and we celebrated her birthday yesterday with Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 2 (Mahamudra) and a really delicious organic vegetarian cake made by Wholesome Living.

To Liling, Sze Ying, Chong Onn and Hua Siew... to their courage in fighting obstacles in their spiritual journeys and coming out such beautiful beings!

Photos of home in Singapore

2007-11-27T12:09:00.001+08:00

By the East Coast Parkway.

Surfers

Cyclists

Sunset by the beach

My flat at Marine Terrace Breeze is 5 minutes from the beach.

Altar Table at home

"You are the one."
Picture of Je Tsongkapa's mum being blessed by the two special angels in her dream, just before she conceived Je Tsongkapa.
Gift from my holy Lamas - Geshe Michael and Lama Christie-Hla.
Also on the altar table is a wooden bead necklace, gifted to me by holy Asako-Hla, who passed from this world I know.
"We wait for your return!"
A smiling face-bobbing head-pen from Texas.
Gift from Palgye's aunt.
A Banshee nut vase, made with love by Mr Bud Eyrich's skilful hands;
he and his wife Betty are my protector in Bowie, Arizona.

Spinning the Web of Life

2007-11-22T23:03:00.000+08:00

Let me travel in this spider’s web
and keep my balance
swinging boldly as I spin,
not caring about understanding what I mean
or wondering what I feel;
riddles burden me,
answers seem too familiar.
Let me leave all that behind

(excerpt from Odyssey, Weaver)

A special gift from Angel Tuckie Begley: an excerpt from a very young Mexican poet, Ekiwah Adler Belendez. (Tuckie: i believe he is but 17 or 18, and has lived most his life with cerebral palsy. what a splendid being he is. you can check out his site, if you are moved to. it's http://www.ekiwah.com)

Sometimes, the Heavens Smile at Us

2007-11-20T11:46:00.000+08:00

Special gift from Angel Mia.

最后我成了一张照片

2007-11-17T11:58:00.000+08:00

My dear friends,

Someone sent me this. 这篇文章给我很多感触。与你们分享。

Also to applaud all of you who work in the counselling and/or volunteering field - for the sick, the elderly and the dying, holding their hands and being there for them as they talk about their lives. And to those of you walking a different path.

Love,
yp

人生
我们一出世，就被教导做个好孩子

拼命的读书，好了读完书了。大学也毕业了。
拼命的做工，赚多多的钱。。。
拼命的存钱，买房子，车子，保险

不小心找到了老婆，好了，结婚了，钱也用完了

再拼命的做工，好了 30 岁了，开始瓶颈。。。
再拼命的读 PARTTIME ，好了，学位高了。。。

拼命的抚育孩子，好了，孩子读书了。。。
拼命的灌输孩子要努力读书。。。。

自己拼命的做工。。。学位高了，压力也高了。。。
回到家，妻子照顾孩子，不得空理你。。
孩子忙着读书，不得空理你。。

月头，样样都是钱。

孩子和你拿钱。
妻子和你拿钱
房子和你拿钱
保险和你拿钱
车子和你拿钱

过年了，更加多钱
除了以上，
母亲和你拿钱
红包和你拿钱
旅行和你拿钱
NIKE ， LEVI ， PRADA ， GUCCI ， REEBOK ，
PADINI 。。。和你拿钱
海外天也可能和你拿钱

40 岁，男人危机。。。
拼命的工作，保住职位。。。
成了大家眼中的势利同事。。。
开始害怕失去工作，开始留意年轻同事。。。
想读书，钱，没有了，
想换工，薪金高，岁数大，难讨新工
想尽办法，还是不能爬上经理职位，
还被一个年轻人上了位。。

孩子开始读中学了，和你拿更多的钱。
父亲节，拿你给的钱，买了你没有用的东西。。。。
房子还是和你要钱
车子旧了，开始不听话了。。。
还是要给钱
妻子也是一样和你拿钱，
旦绝对没有收条给你看。夫妻要信任

好不容易熬过 50 了，要退休了，无风无浪。。。
虽然压力大，新上司意见多多，不要紧。我顶！

就要拿功积金咯！但是孩子要出国读书 -- 《 200 千！
好了，功积金拿完出来了，
一大半给了孩子，剩下的给了妻子

还是回到零。。。
退休了，不用做？？？不能!!
几十年没有呆在家，忽然和妻子相处。。。
妻子看不顺眼丈夫无所事事，
命令丈夫开始学做家事！
扫地，抹地，剪草，洗车，
样样都要做。。。

好了，房子供完了。。。
车子也没有什么驾了。。。
开始觉得人生很无奈，
自己从一个提款机，
最后变成了一个佣人。

孩子出国回来了，
拍了一些照片。。。
开始找工了。。。
毕业 = 失业，
工难找，
最后找到一份只可以养活自己的工作。
还是要住在家里。。。
吃，交通。去的薪金的一大半。。
所以只是意思意思的
给 RM100 给父母做伙食费。。。

3 年过去了，孩子好不容易
累计的工作经验，薪金高了。。
但是却开始要买辆汽车代步。。。
母亲帮助 + 自己储蓄，给了头期。。。
有了汽车，费用也多了。。
还是意思意思给 RM200 作伙食费

好不容易的工作开始稳定了，
但是却认识了一个女朋友。。。
开始了人生计划。。。
要买房子了。。。

由于车子 + 女朋友费用太大，
还是不能给伙食费太多，
而且女朋友说 3 年计划，
全部钱要储蓄。。。

2 年后，终于买了房子，
买了房子，开始要结婚了。。。
我终于有用处了，被叫去提亲。。
什么都不可以多说，全部老婆讲。
自己讲些客套话就行了。。。

摆酒，婚礼，旅行。。。
用了一大笔 + 母亲储蓄 + 我剩下的功积金。
我还是回归零，。。。
继续的剪草，扫地，做家务。。。

结婚了后，孩子很少会来了，忙着自己的家庭。。。
偶尔假日才回来看看父母。。。
每个月意思意思的给 RM200 。
孩子自己也困难了。要维持自己的家庭

好了， 30 年前的计划希望能够开始，旅行！！
大事不妙，媳妇怀孕了，生了个孩子。。。
母亲代抚养，因为媳妇孩子都做工
本来平静的退休生活又再次起了涟漪。。。
每天就要照顾孙子，
晚上他哭我就跟着醒，
开始学习新的技术，
喂奶，包尿片，唱歌，拍手掌。。。
孩子每个月意思意思的给多 RM300 ，
当着是孙子的伙食费。。。

照顾了 5 年后，孙子大了，
孩子抱回去了，一切回归平静。
忽然想起 30 年前的约定，
决定和妻子去旅行。。。。
还是去不成了，妻子年级大了，
病痛也多了。。。
自己的腰骨也常闹别扭。。。
医生说要多休息。。。
孩子已经抱回孙子，
每个月意思意思的给回 RM300 伙食费

惟有呆在家里看电视。。。。

一天早上，妻子看见为什么老头没有起来扫地。。。
想去房里骂我，但我已经回到天国去了。。。

孩子为我做了后事。。。

最后我成了一张照片。

人生就是如此讽刺。。。呵呵

[YP: This is my attempt to translate the above passage into English].

Life
The moment I came to this world,
I was taught to be a good child.

I worked really hard in my studies.
Finally, completed my education.
Graduated from the university.

I worked really hard in my career.
To earn lots of money...
I worked really hard to save money.
To buy a house, a car and insurance.

Accidentally, I found a wife.
Okay, we got married.
After all the expenses, I was left with zero bank account.

Nevermind, I continued to work really hard in my job.
At 30 years of age, I was getting nowhere at work.
Nevermind, I took up part-time studies.
I worked really hard.
To get my MBA.

A son came to us. We worked really hard to raise him.
He started to go to school.
We worked really hard to make sure he study hard.

I worked really hard at my job.
My qualification had risen.
My stress rose accordingly.

When I reached home,
My wife was too busy looking after our son.
She had no time for me.
My son was busy studying.
He had no time for me.

Every beginning of the month,
Everything concerned money.

My son asked for money.
My wife asked for money.
Even our house, our insurance, our car asked us for money.

During New Year, I received my annual bonus.
I had more money, more money to give away.
Besides the above,
My money went to
my mother,
Red packets for kids during Chinese New Year,
Holiday packages,
NIKE ， LEVI ， PRADA ， GUCCI ， REEBOK ， PADINI...
Sometimes even to countries beyond.

At 40 years old, mid-life crisis.
I worked really hard at work.
To keep my job.
In my colleagues' eyes,
I was someone who was fussed about profits and benefits
I started to fear losing my job,
I started to becoming wary of younger colleagues.
I wanted to get my PhD. I had no money.
I wanted to get a new job,
but with my current high pay and maturing age,
it's hard to find something suitable.
I tried everything,
but still lost the managerial position to a younger person.

My son started secondary school.
He asked more money from me.
On Father's Day, he asked me for money,
To buy me things I never use.

The house was still demanding money from me.
The car was old, it did not work all the time.
It still asked for money from me.
My wife still asked me for money, but she never showed any receipts.
"There must be trust between couples, " she said.

It had not been easy, but finally I reached 50 years of age.
Close to retirement.
Stress was high,
New young boss had lots of opinions.
All of these did not matter.
I could persevere!

At retirement,
I looked forward to retrieving my savings, my CPF.
Alas, my son wanted to study overseas.
He needed two hundred thousand dollars.
So I gave half my CPF to him, and the rest to my wife.

So I retired, I had no money.
Does it mean I did not need to work anymore? Not so!
For a few decades, I had hardly spent time at home.
Now all of a sudden, I had to face my wife 24-7.
She couldn't bear seeing me doing nothing.
She started commanding me to do household chores.

Sweeping the floor,
Mopping the floor,
Mowing the lawn,
Washing the car,
Everything I did.

Finally, I finished paying for the house.
I no longer drive the car I paid for.

I started to think about life.
About how meaningless it had been.
From a money-producing machine,
I had become a house maid.

My son came back from his overseas studies.
He had some photos to show us.
He started looking for a job.

Graduation means unemployment.
It's hard to find a good job.
He finally found one, just enough to support himself.
He continued to stay at home.
Living expenses and transport expenses made up half his salary income.
Just for a show of filial piety, he gave us $100 every month.

Three years passed.
He accumulated some working experience, his income increased.
Time for him to buy a car. My wife helped. With our own savings, we paid for the deposit.
With a car, his expenses increased. Nonetheless, he gave us $200 a month.

He finally established himself in his career.
He also found a girlfriend.
They started having a life plan.
Planning to buy a house.

Expenses for the car and girlfriend too high,
He couldn't give much to us.
Girlfriend wanted him to start a three-year financial plan,
All earnings went into their savings.

Two years later,
They finally bought a house.
They now planned to get married.

Finally, I thought, I had some use.
We had to go to the girl's parents
to ask for marriage to our son.
But I was asked not to speak,
my wife did all the talking.
I just had to be polite and
speak polite words.

So they held their wedding,
with a grand dinner, ceremony and honeymoon.
They used all their savings, their mum's savings and the rest of my CPF.

I was back to zero.
Continue to mow the lawn...
Sweep the floor...
Do some household chores...

After their marriage, our son seldom came home to visit us.
He was busy with his married life.
Sometime he came back during holidays and
Every month, he still gave us $200.
It is hard for him, he had to take care of his family.

Great, finally I can put our plans 30 years ago into action!
To go travelling with my wife!

Unfortunately, daughter-in-law got pregnant and a grandchild was born.
My wife had to look after the baby, because both my son and daughter-in-law had to work.

Ripples appeared in my peaceful retired life.
Everyday, I looked after my grandchild.
When he cried at night, I woke up with him.
I learnt new skills like
bottle-feeding,
changing diapers,
singing nursery rhythms and
clapping my hands...

Every month, $300 arrived from our children,
as a token for looking after their children.

After 5 years, our grandchild had grown bigger,
they took him home.
Peace returned to our lives.

I remembered our plans to go travelling 30 years ago...
But we did not go.
My wife had aged,
she had many sicknesses.
My back always gave me trouble and
the doctor advised lots of rest.

I was amazed!
My son brought the grandchild home
but he was still giving us $300 a month.

So I stayed home to watch TV.

One day, my wife saw that
I did not wake up to sweep the floor.
She came into the room
To give me a scolding.
Found that I had passed on to the heavens.

My children conducted a funeral for me.

In the end, I was just a photograph.

Life is such an irony...haha...

ACI 11, THY 2 and THY 3

2007-11-11T12:17:00.000+08:00

Dharma classes on the Three Perfections - Patience, Joyful Effort and Meditation using a text by Master Shantideva - Guide to a Bodhisattva's Way of Life, will start on Monday, 12 Nov 2007.

Yoga classes with Mahamudra meditation (Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 2) and meditations on the Four Infinite Thoughts (Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 1) will start Tuesday, 20 Nov and Friday, 16 Nov 2007 respectively.

See the Three Jewels Singapore for more details.

From Arizona to Texas

2007-11-06T15:08:00.001+08:00

A Full Moon Day at Diamond Mountain University

A Red, Red Rose from Tuckie Begley

From the Sonnets to Orpheus. II, 14

Look at the flowers, so faithful to what is earthly,
to whom we lend fate from the very border of fate.
And if they are sad about how they must wither and die,
perhaps it is our vocation to be their regret.

All Things want to fly. Only we are weighed down by desire,
caught in ourselves and enthralled with our heaviness.
Oh what consuming, negative teachers we are
for them, while eternal childhood fills them with grace.

If someone were to fall into intimate slumber, and slept
deeply with Things - : how easily he would come
to a different day, out of the mutual depth.

Or perhaps he would stay there; and they would blossom and praise
their newest convert, who now is like one of them,
all those silent companions in the wind of the meadows.

24 Oct 2007

A special outing to the Catwalk in New Mexico
with Bud and Betty Eyrichs, our most wonderful landlords in Bowie

29 Oct 2007
From Bowie to El Paso
Daniel Garcia, overlooking his hometown with fondness

29 Oct 2007
Daniel gave us a surprise treat in El Paso!

31 Oct 2007
Harry Potter made his appearance
on Halloween night, Katy, Texas!
What a cutie...

2 Nov 2007
Guess what this is?
Frozen King of Fruits!
In an Asian supermarket in Katy, Texas

2 Nov 2007
Jade Buddha Temple, Houston, Texas
where Geshe Michael and Lama Christie have taught previously

2 Nov 2007
An elderly volunteer in Jade Buddha Temple,
making the most delicious vegetarian brown rice dumplings

2 Nov 2007
Jade's beautiful home in Katy, Texas,
where we had the most sumptous nasi lemak dinner!

3 Nov 2007
Visiting Auntie Beckie's friends, Koh and Bee Lay
before Koh drove us to the Houston airport.

3 Nov 2007
Techno dispenser
in Houston George Bush International Airport
- in case we forgot to pack our i-pod,
digital camera or mini travel speakers into our luggage!

Baby Meditation and Yoga Masters!

2007-10-26T14:23:00.000+08:00

Angels at Diamond Mountain

2007-10-09T07:38:00.001+08:00

It's nice to be back home at Diamond Mountain. :)

Recent photos of Angels at Diamond Mountain University

A Magical Potion

2007-08-30T22:21:00.000+08:00

The world awakens each day from its nightly slumber, transformed by a sparkling layer of morning dew on the grass, on flower petals and leaves, on cars and car windows.

These glistening droplets last only a little while, an integral part of what imbues the early morning with its aura of magic. If we sleep too late, we miss the magnificent display of sunlight playing upon an infinite amount of tiny crystal balls.

To step onto the dew-covered grass is to anoint our feet with a form of water that comes only once a day for a short time, a rarefied gift of the night air that will soon evaporate in the full light of the sun.

If we inhale slowly and consciously enough, it is almost as if we are drinking in this magical elixir formed in the boundary between darkness and light.

In one myth, morning dew is believed to be tears from heaven, and in another, the droplets are poured from the vessel of the goddess of dawn. When we see the earth draped with these shimmering drops, it is easy to imagine fairies bathing in the water, or a sky god weeping from a longing to be closer to his beloved earth goddess. Seeing the sparkling beauty of the earth emerging from darkness, we may understand this longing in terms of our own gratitude; how blessed we are to be here.

Perhaps heaven really does long to be here on earth, and perhaps that is why we are here—as conduits between the divine and the earthbound. As we drink the morning dew in with our eyes, our skin, our breath, it is easy to imagine that it really is a magical potion, a gift from heaven, a reminder of our true purpose, and a daily opportunity to be transformed.

~ This beautiful passage is from the Daily Om, a special gift from Cecilia ~

~ Most of these amazing photos are from the magical world of Sakura'aya ~

More Tibetan Heart Yoga

2007-08-15T00:20:00.001+08:00

Not only would tibetan heart yoga make you more relaxed...

It would also make you more compassionate...

Not just to your own kind...

But also those you never thought you could stand...

And perhaps one day, you will see yourself in a totally different light!

Mew!

If you are around Geylang area on Saturday evenings, pop by Nanyang Hwu Clan General Association for some yoga. :)

For more information, check out this post.

Google Nyingpo!!!

2007-07-30T01:25:00.000+08:00

You can either go to google video and search "Nyingpo" or click on the links below

"Yoga of Relationship" talk at Gaia Yoga, Singapore

Tibetan Heart Yoga at NUS Staff room, Singapore
Tibetan Heart Yoga at Gaia Yoga, Singapore Day 1
Tibetan Heart Yoga at Gaia Yoga, Singapore Day 2
Tibetan Heart Yoga at Gaia Yoga, Singapore Day 3
Tibetan Heart Yoga at Gaia Yoga, Singapore Day 4
Tibetan Heart Yoga at Gaia Yoga, Singapore Day 5

Debate class 1 at Jay Gee, Singapore
Debate class 2 at Jay Gee, Singapore

Tibetan Heart Yoga classes in Singapore 07/08

2007-07-24T12:44:00.000+08:00

Dear Friends,

I will be resuming classes on Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 1 and 2, next Tuesday and this Friday, respectively. Details are given below.

There is also a year plan for those interested in THY classes in Singapore for the next 12 months.

And if you can't make it on weekday evenings, Ms Jaki Fisher is also teaching Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 1 and 2 at Oasis Holistic on Sunday afternoons. For more details, please visit http://3jsingapore.blogspot.com/2007/07/tibetan-heart-yoga-series-1-upcoming.html

Thank you and look forward to seeing you soon! Please help spread the word if you think others may benefit from it! :)

Love,
yat peng

A. July 07 - Sept 07:
1. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 1 (Tonglen)
Every consecutive Tuesday, 31 Jul - 11 Sep (7 sessions)

2. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 2 (Mahamudra)
Every consecutive Friday, 27 Jul - 7 Sep (7 sessions)

B. Nov 07 - Jan 08:
1. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 2 (Mahamudra)
Tuesdays, 13, 20, 27 Nov, 4, 11, 18 Dec 2007, 8, 15 Jan 2008 (8 sessions)
2. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 3 (The Four Infinite Thoughts)
Fridays, 16, 23, 30 Nov, 7, 14, 21, 28 Dec, 4, 11, 18 Jan 2008 (10 sessions)

C. Mar 08 - Apr 08:
1. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 3 (The Four Infinite Thoughts)
Every consecutive Tuesday,11 Mar - Apr (6 sessions)
2. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 4 (The Five Winds)
Every consecutive Friday, 14 Mar - Apr (5 sessions)

D. Jul 08 - Sept 08:
1. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 1 (Tonglen)
Tuesdays,starting 15 July 2008
2. Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 4 (The Five Winds)
Fridays, re-starting 18 July 2008

For classes in Jul-Sep 07:
Time: 7.30 to 9.30pm
Venue: Eng Teng Clan Association
Address: 132, Neil Road Tel: 62245379.
Located @ Chinatown See map of Eng Teng Clan Association below.
Fees: S$15 per session
(part of this goes to the venue host and part of it to support my living and travelling expenses, but if you can't afford the fees or only a portion of it, please do not let this stop you from attending the classes, just let me know and we can waive or reduce your fees.)
Maximum number of students: 8 pax

Due to limited space available, please drop me an email at yatpeng@gmail.com or sms at 9046 0959 if you are interested. Priority will be given to those who wish to attend all the sessions within each period. Drop-ins are also welcomed but a place to practice is not guaranteed.

General Instructions
- Please bring your own yoga mat/towel.

- Please wear something comfortable, not too tight or too loose, cotton materials preferably.

- Please do not be late (we normally start with a meditation and we lock the doors when we start). If you are late, wait outside till the meditation is finished, and we'll let you in.

- Please do not eat a heavy meal 2 hours before coming for class. (Drinks like milo are fine, but please avoid tea or coffee).

- For every series of Tibetan Heart Yoga, you must attend classes of the previous series before you can attend that series. So in order to come for Series 2 classes, you must have attended Tibetan Heart Yoga Series 1. For Series 3, you must have done Series 1 and 2, and so on.

Don't mess with Karma!

2007-07-22T15:51:00.000+08:00

Instant Karma

It's called good "carma"!

I love these photos! Especially the ones on recycling! This is like GMR's answer to someone who ask him if it was okay to kill cockroaches. His reply was "Would you kill a cockroach if as you are stepping on it, your ribs start to crack?"

I wish there is an advertisement for the fogging that take place regularly in Singapore to "get rid" of Aedes mosquitoes. Killing them does not stop dengue from spreading in our country! Just like building a casino does not improve economy in Singapore...

Thanks, Jin, for sharing the photos with me...at least right world-view messages are starting to appear in our worlds! Rejoice!

GMC's Talks in China available online!

2007-07-21T00:38:00.000+08:00

各位好朋友,

请到下面网址

http://namofo.v.56.com

格西麦可2007年在北大, 交大和中山大学, 暨南大学的讲座视频网址: (可以在线观看或者下载)

1. 财富金刚经

2. 真爱密码

黄晋

I want to cry...

As I listen
to my Lamas
online, giving
Dharma teachings disguised
as business and spiritual partnership
talks in China -
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen.

Reviewing the whole process again.

As I listen
to the amazing Huang Jin,
our Bodhisattva in China.
He even translated Their
manner of speaking
and body language.

His devotion is so strong,
it moves my heart.

I am intensely grateful
To this great being
in my life and world.

To think of the changes
that would now happen
in this world

because many Chinese nationals
and people all over the world
who think and communicate in Chinese

are going to listen
to the talks and be
impacted in a way

that would create
the peace we wish
for in this world.

Om Ah Hung...

Spot the Difference!

2007-07-20T22:39:00.001+08:00

"Pen is coming from its own side!"

"Pen is coming from me!"

What is it, really?

Some feedback from participants of the First Cornerstone of Yoga Sutra Workshop:

"I'm truly blessed and grateful for this opportunity. I only wish we had more time to go into more depth and discussion. Ven. Nyingpo clearly has much more to share and impart." - S

"Excellent ability to explain deep philosophy in simple ways for "lay people" like me and allow these ideas to sink inside me! hardworking, very learned and clear in speech and mind!" - X

"I do feel that there was a lot of profound information to absorb in a short period of time. I would have preferred the class to have been over a period of two weeks and had more time to "debate" some "new" topics for the "lay" people in the group." - J

" Ven. is great in sharing his knowledge and teaching." - R

And here is Robin with Venerable Nyingpo! And they say the best way to repay a teacher is to put into practice what they teach us and then share the knowledge with others. So please see Robin's sharing on Yoga and Buddhism after taking the Yoga Sutra Workshop.

____________________________________________________________

And of course, a visit to Mdm Wong's is always a must for visitors to Singapore! Thanks, Robin, for your great pics!

Dinner treat from Zach!
Benny and I could not fight
him off paying for dinner all by himself.
May there never be poverty or hunger in this world ever again!

Benny and Ven. Nyingpo. Radiant faces.
Must be ravished teaching the
Healing series of Tibetan Heart Yoga
and watching tennis matches.
I won't say who did what.

Me and Ven. Chukyi.
One is busy digging into her lotus leaf rice.
The other is proudly showing off her new VY glasses. :)

Diamond Mountain on TV in China!

2007-07-18T23:22:00.000+08:00

Diamond Mountain in its early days... Thanks, Evan, for discovering this documentary on google!

Magical Days at Diamond Mountain

2007-07-18T22:33:00.000+08:00

Jillian sent me these photos. I remember writing about sundog at Diamond Mountain in one of my previous posts and saying that I don't have any photos of that. But now I do. Thank you, Jillian!

Lord Shiva, the destroyer and creator. Things are illusory, like the sundog, yet they function to bring us pain or bliss. They come in and out of existence because they are empty. How do we destroy what bring us pain and create only bliss in our world? Lord Shiva, Bhairava, please help!

Take refuge in the mind of enlightened beings, which is what the stupa signify (at one level). Take refuge in the mind of our future enlightened self!

Angel of Peace

2007-07-17T09:29:00.000+08:00

Last night, I went to the first ACI class on Course 10: Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life by Master Shantideva. Though I have heard it many times now, I never fail to be inspired by the story of Master Shantideva (see below).

The moral of His story is that the more highly realised a practitioner is, the more quiet they go about in the world and the harder it is for ordinary people to recognise them for who they are. Like Master Shantideva was able to meet Manjushri directly and receive teachings from Him, but everyone in the monastery thought he was a good-for-nothing and wanted to expel him from the monastery. But Master Shantideva has no false humility either. When the time comes to really help others with teachings and miraculous powers, he went ahead and do whatever is needed. Feels like the story of my high holy Lama Geshe Michael - when He was a monk doing business in the Diamond industry, no one knew who He really was. Now that it is time for Him to spread the teachings, He did not hold back either and went ahead to rock the world.

It is nice to be an ACI student again back in Singapore. Jaki-Hla has a beautiful way of telling stories that transfixes me. I wish one day she will work with children. She is going to help many in this world. I also love being back with everyone who came to class, felt like a warm and cosy family reunion. And of course, a lot of this familiarity came from heart-felt and "almost heated" discussions about how to apply karma and emptiness to life situations, which is a common theme in ACI courses. Like classes at Diamond Mountain University. What blessings from the Lamas! Thank you so much for surrounding me with Angels!

Story of Master Shantideva (Extracted from ACI 10 Reading One)

Master Shantideva was born to the west of Bodhgaya, the Seat of the Diamond, in a place called Yulkor Mosang. His father was a king named Armor of Virtue, and his mother was said to be an emanation of Vajra Yogini, the Angel of Diamond. He was able to choose the details of his birth, and when he was born he was given the name Armor of Peace. In his childhood he had all the favorable conditions that he needed, and from his earliest age he revealed himself to be a master of the traditional philosophical and other sciences.

When he was six years old he met a great practitioner of the secret teachings, and received an initiation and a practice for reaching the enlightened being named Manjushri, or Gentle Voice. As a child he made great efforts in this practice, doing its meditations and reciting its secret words, and was soon able to meet Gentle Voice himself. After meeting this holy being, Master Shantideva was able to receive many teachings from him directly.

When his father the King passed away, all the people of the land requested Prince Shantideva to be King. Because he had practiced the bodhisattva path in many previous lives, he had no desire to live a life of royalty, but so as not to upset the people he agreed. The night before his crowning ceremony though he had a dream. In the dream he saw Gentle Voice sitting on the King's throne, and He said, "Son, this is my seat and I am your Teacher. It would be improper for us to sit on the same seat." Upon waking he realized that it was wrong for him to enjoy the pleasures of owning a kingdom, and he ran away.

Master Shantideva first went to Nalandra Monastery where he met the supreme leader of all the learned scholars there. His name was Angel of Virtue, and from this teacher he took the commitment to leave the home life. It also was from this master that he received the name Shantideva, which means "Angel of Peace."

At the monastery he served his preceptor well, studied the three collections of scripture, and became a great scholar. He continued to receive many teachings from Gentle Voice himself, and was able to grasp the meaning of all the Buddha's teachings, both open and secret. He eliminated all the different kinds of distraction, both inner and outer, and with this incredible focus of mind he reached a very high spiritual level.

He then composed the works entitled the Compendium of Trainings, the Compendium of the Sutras, and other books which describe the amazingly powerful and effective way of the life of a bodhisattva.

Master Shantideva perfected within himself the three characteristics of a great Buddhist master—teaching, debating, and writing—and continued to rise up all the spiritual levels and paths. He achieved the ability to remember everything he had ever been taught, the ability to perform miracles effortlessly, and incredible clairvoyance; thus he became a god among bodhisattvas.

This was his inner life, but to the eyes of impure people Shantideva seemed to be interested in only three things: eating, sleeping, and going to the toilet. He thus became known by the name Bhusuku, which means "Mister Three Thoughts."

Because the only fitting activity for a man who has left the home life is to involve himself in teaching, some of the monks who could not see who he really was perceived Master Shantideva as someone who was just living off the kindness of the laypeople, and decided that they should expel him from the monastery. They asked him to recite a scripture from memory before a gathering of the monastery, hoping that their request would cause him to decide to leave on his own. He answered them by saying, "How could someone like me ever be able to recite scripture?" and declined. However they insisted that he do so, and eventually he agreed.

The entire monastery was then invited to this gathering, and a very high throne was set up, one without any stairs—so there was no way for anyone to climb atop it. But when the bodhisattva Shantideva reached the front of the throne, he touched it gently, and without the slightest effort he appeared sitting on top of it. He then asked and said, "Would you like me to recite something you have heard before, or something which you have never heard?"

The assembly asked that he recite something that they had not heard before, and so he began to recite that book which we call the Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. He began at the very beginning of the text, and by the time he had gotten about a third of the way through the ninth chapter he began to rise up into the sky. He rose higher and higher, and it seemed as though the sky and his knowledge were pitted in competition, until he could no longer be seen at all, only heard. Then he totally disappeared.

Later on some of the monks who had clairvoyance of the ear, and others who were masters of total recall, pieced the whole book together. The group who were from Kashmir said that it had nine chapters, and the group from central India said it had ten. People then began to get curious about two of his other books which were mentioned in the fifth chapter of the Guide, and so they sent two monks to the place where Master Shantideva was living.

They travelled to a stupa in the south of India called Pelyun Chen to invite him to come back to Nalandra. The master refused to come, but he did tell them that the people from central India were correct, and that the two books they sought could be found written in tiny letters hidden in the rafters of his old room at the monastery. He then gave these monks a complete explanation of the both the Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life and the Compendium of Trainings.

Later Master Shantideva was wondering what he could do to help others, and so he decided to check with his clairvoyance. (Here the reading continue to describe stories of how Master Shantideva helped many beings in different ways with his miraculous powers).

Master Shantideva's activities were exclusively dedicated to the benefit of living beings, and to helping the Buddha's teachings. Everything he did was meant to express the truth of the saying: "Men are like the mango fruit. Sometimes they look ripe on the outside, but are not ripe on the inside. Others are ripe on the inside, but don't look ripe on the outside. Some look and are ripe both inside and out, and others that don't look ripe truly are not." For people like us who haven't seen emptiness directly, it is very difficult to judge another's mind.

Generally speaking then we should never allow ourselves to think that anyone at all has any bad qualities, and we should realize more specifically that criticizing anyone who has entered the Buddha’s teachings is like playing near a pit of embers concealed in ash. It is important that we not criticize other people, and to try to see all things as pure. It is to express this fact that Master Shantideva lived the way that he did.

He also taught us by example many other lessons. Never be satisfied with wrong or partial paths. Train yourself in paths which are complete. Practice what is taught in this bodhisattva's books. If you take Gentle Voice as your personal Angel, you will be able to achieve all wonderful qualities. It isn't fitting to put any faith in books which can't bring you to total enlightenment. The only entry point for those who wish for freedom is the teachings of Enlightened Beings. So if you wish to practice the teachings of the steps of the path to enlightenment, make supplication to this great bodhisattva; and learn about, contemplate, and meditate on his words.

Monks talk about Relationships

2007-07-14T21:07:00.000+08:00

This is the Yoga of Relationship talk by Ven. Nyingpo at Gaia Yoga, Singapore. 6 July 2007

Here is the most recent public talk by Geshe Michael and Lama Christie in Taipei, Taiwan. Live translation into Chinese. Jun 2007

High tea, anyone?

2007-07-14T01:24:00.001+08:00

Have been on the road for a long time...Taiwan, China, India, and then "all over the universe" with Ven. Nyingpo's teachings on The First Cornerstone of Master Pantajali's Yoga Sutra...

Felt like centuries have passed. With each country, every new person I meet, every teaching I received from GMC, every encounter, at every place, with everyone...something is changed for me, in me and perhaps through me in some ways...

And even now, back in Singapore, within the last five days, Ven. Nyingpo has given me a summary of all the important things I have learnt from Geshe Michael and Lama Christie over the last 7 years...plus new things...mind is exploding, in a good way...

Perhaps these pictures can describe a little of how I'm feeling now...

Photos from http://icanhascheezburger.com/ (Thanks, Mia!)