Which way down the road?

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference."

                                                                                          -Robert Frost

It is romantic to think that we are very brave because when we come to cross roads in life, we like to think that we take the road that is more challenging, more interesting. One road is filled with lots of obtacles, unprecedented, and obviously an uphill climb while the other is, well, maybe not easy peasy, but somehow, more people has trodden there and there is already a guideline for us to follow. On the second road, just follow the instructions!

If you are someone who has already taken on the challenging road, you will be in for many surprises along the way, of course, you will be shot at, ridiculed, laughed at, and injured physically and emotionally. But somehow, it will bring us nearer to our hearts, and we live life to the fullest and become more confident with every step we take.

Whoever says it is easy? We have to put on a brave face and overcome our fear to make mistakes.

Making the same mistakes again and again is a fool. The intelligent and the wise make new mistakes!

Source: http://curlyqmosaics.blogspot.com/2011/01/always-make-new-mistakes.html



So too in our daily practice of Yoga and Pranayamas. We kept putting our own comfort first and our practice second, making excuses that we have no time, more important things to do at hand, and plain laziness. Slowly, day by day, we forget about ourselves and stop listening to what we really need.

If you are a layperson like me (Yoga masters and Gurus not included), I am sure this this the most challenging practice to take on. Feel guilty of not doing your practice? Couldn't care less that you are not doing your practice? Feel like doing any other thing other than doing your practice? You are not alone.

Introducing Rick Evertsz, my guitar guru during my Taiwan Sri Sri Yoga Teacher Training Course, who has taken up this challenge of doing his practice consistently everyday without fail for 1001days. I guess after this, he just can't do without asanas anymore! He has shared with me his amazing improvement in health and flexibility, and to think that he was still so stiff during the Training course in May 2010. This tall bald guy has been quite an encouragement to me in my practices and asanas, and has influenced me to be encouraging and supportive to everyone around me as well!

Just don't beat yourselves up for not doing your practice.  As Guruji says 'Just relax and be your natural self'!

Indebtedness of Abundance? 亏欠或富裕 (35)

Note: Every week from 1995, Guruji started sending out knowledge sheets which he fondly called the 'Knowledge Fax' to be read out and discussed at Satsangs happening all around the world. Guruji ended this delightful practice at the 365th week in September 2002, so as to let us fully digest them! These knowledge sheets have been compiled into An Intimate Note To The Sincere Seeker Volumes 1-7. I began the practice of posting a Knowledge Sheet every week for the benefit of those who have not had the opportunity to get hold of these priceless books. It had never cease to uplift me by reading and rereading this knowledge. So I know you would certainly enjoy them!

注：从 1995年开始，古儒吉开始每一个星期寄出他称为‘智慧传真’的智慧语录以供在世界各地举行的唱场阅读与分享。大师在2002年9月，也就是第365周结束了这个做法，让我们好好的消化和实践这些智慧。这些智慧语录已收录为7本书：古儒吉大师智慧语录（1-7集）。我开始每个星期刊登一篇智慧语录，以供还没有机会买到这几本宝贵的书籍的学员分享。不断阅读这些智慧语录让我得益不浅。所以我知道其他人也会有很大的收获。

8/2/1996 Miami Beach, Florida 美国佛罗里达州迈阿密海滩

Question: God is all-abundant, totally full, and we are all connected to God. Then why are we in debt,except for some? Why do they have, and we don't have?

Sri Sri: Is it only money you lack? When you say you are indebted, that means you have received something! Otherwise how can you be indebted? Those who have received should feel indebted. Be thankful for having received. The more abundance you have, the more indebted you will feel. And when you feel indebted and grateful, more abundance comes to you.

Feel indebted. Feel grateful.

Then abundance grows.

Abundance and indebtedness coexist.

Someone in the group: An abundance of indebtedness!

Sri Sri: You think you are indebted, but you really are not.

Yet it is better to feel totally indebted, because every bit of what you have doesn't belong to you anyway, including your own body. When you are infinitely indebted for your body, for Knowledge, for things you have received, and for your own life, then you bask in the abundance of the Creator.

Someone in the group: I feel very indebted. Thank you!

问：上帝是完全富裕、完全完满的，而我们与上帝全又相连。那为什么除了少数人外，我们是身负债务──亏欠于人──的呢？为什么他们有，而我们却没有呢？


古儒吉：你所缺的只是金钱吗？当你说你是身负债务的时候，那表示你已经收到一些东西了！否则你怎能有负债呢？那些已收到的人应感觉亏欠于人。为所收到的心存感谢。你越富裕，你就越感觉亏欠于人。而当你感觉亏欠于人并感恩时，更多的富裕随之而来。

去感觉亏欠于人。去感恩。
然后富裕就产生。

富裕及亏欠是并存的。

团体中有人说：一种亏欠中的富裕。

古儒吉：你自认你是负债、亏欠于人的，但你并不是。但是最好是感觉全然地亏欠于人，因为你拥有的一切都不属于你，包括你的躯体。当你对你的躯体、知识、任何收受的东西及你的生命感觉无限亏欠于人时，那你就沐浴在造物者的丰盛之中。

团体中有人说：谢谢您，我感到亏欠于人。

Changing directions (2) (Seriously, ZY, you are a lost soul...;)

When I started this blog, it was supposed to be a beginning of something BIG. I aimed to report every single activity of the Alor Setar Art of Living centre, be it an event as mundane as the weekly cleaning of the centre, and heck, even about the colony of ants that have settled themselves comfortably at the centre where they rightfully claimed as their home! (no expulsion order as yet)

I was sure I was able to write about something witty every other day, trying carefully not to let it turn into some wasted space where I rant about Guruji or any spiritual or emotional experience for that matter.

Of course, my inner critic tells me that I am doing a lousy job, which led to several occasions where I found myself looking at the 'DELETE' button on the webpage. The only thing that kept me from pressing the button is that I don't feel that this is MY blog in particular, but OUR blog. (God help me!)

Then comes the application called Facebook, which is seriously a better and a more interactive space to interact and to share the numerous photos of our activities and latest updates. (Yeah the Art of Living Alor Setar, find us on Facebook and Twitter)

I stopped making an effort.

Thanks to some encouraging kind souls, I continued posting for some time. Now, after I got married and got kicked out of Alor Setar...erm, no after I got kicked out of Alor Setar I got married, ...uh...whatever. Now, left with no participation in the Alor Setar centre programmes, what is to happen here? 

Yet, this space is special to me. In Sanskrit terms, this maya has a magnetic pull on me, urging me to write, to create, and to think less of myself and to just churn something out when I feel like it.

So once again, we are on to switch gears. This time round, I will add an element of surprise as I lose control and make great use of the creativity in me after having meditated for some time on the area 2 inches behind my sexual organs (for those of you ignorant out there, it is an energy centre for creativity). I would post each article as if it is the best article in the world.

I hereby announce that I am losing my mind!

Love,

ZY