Girl meets boy

He was a young boy with brown hair and a dazzling smile. He scuttered around in the kitchen preparing the lunch for about 40 people. 'La la la, di da da da da...' He hummed along in an upbeat mood and his enthusiasm was contagious.

The girl who was with him, his assistant, received instructions from him to cut the cabbage, peel the potatoes and at other times, just following the young man around the kitchen to see what he was up to. He taught her about the nutritions in each food that he was about to prepare. He even knows the difference between cow's milk and goat's milk.

'I studied to be a nutritionist,' he revealed.

'Such a cool guy,' the girl thought in awe. A nutritionist who plays the guitar in recording studios as a profession. 

When he had a minute to spare, they would chat a bit.

'I'll be leaving tomorrow,' he said.

'Where will you be going to?'

'I'll be going back to my country,' he continued somewhat with pride ,'I come from Israel.'

'Oh!' the girl exclaimed in realisation, then continued with disappointment ,'I could never visit you in your country.'

The boy's expression changed a little,' Why is that so?'

'It said there in my passport. It is valid to travel to any country except Israel.'

'Maybe we could meet somewhere else?' he suggested.

'Maybe you could come and visit me in Malaysia!' the girl suggested innocently.

'Well. They don't allow you to come to my country. Do you think they would ever allow me to enter your country?' the boy replied, somewhat passionately.

'I guess we would have to meet somewhere in between,' she joked, not realising that it was going to be their first and last two days together. The friendship created an impression to last for a lifetime.

******************

Human beings. We have created borders and restricted ourselves to lots of things. But love, love knows no border.

At the scene of the blooming friendship

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'!

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

My testimonial 我的见证

Life before and after taking the Art of Living Breathing Course
上了净化呼吸法之前与之后： 

Before 之前



After 之后

I was stressed. 我有压力。 My heart was weak. 我心脏很弱。 I was a menace. 我是一个威胁。 I was a lonesome bachelor. 我是孤独单身汉。 I was a dog trying to imitate the Darth Vader. 我是一只想尝试模仿黑武士的狗。 I pant and become breathless easily. 我好容易气喘、上气不接下气。 I was a dog. 我是只狗。

I am relaxed. 我放轻松。 My heart is became strong. 我心脏强化。 I am now cute. 我现在好可爱。 Girls love me! 女生都爱我！ I am now my natural self. 我是原本自然的我。  I take long deep breaths. 我的呼吸深长且缓慢。 I am still a dog, that maximizes my full potential. 我是一只充分利用我潜质的狗。

Love,
ZY

Gift a smile

Smiles that warm our hearts.

A New Direction 一个新的方向

If you are someone who reads this blog regularly, you will notice that this initially interesting and regularly updated site has been left outdated and redundant for some time！
如果你时常有跟进这个部落格，你会发现原本精彩和时常更新的网络已变得过时及荒废好一阵子啦！

 

ENOUGH! 够了！

And if you are someone who is still reading up to this stage, urging me to write on and telling me that I had done a good job (which makes me wonder)...you would feel that a part of me is back (the cheeky and passionate part!) Even though I meditate to search within myself, I would like to thank all of you who showed me that I belong to you!

如果你到这个阶段还在读着我的心血，支持我继续下去，告诉我我写的好（好在哪里呢我也摸不着头脑）。。。你会察觉到部分的我已经回来啦（那顽皮又充满热忱的！）虽然我静心是向内在寻找自己，谢谢你让我感觉到我是属于你们的！

Specially dedicated to May and Guan Seng! 特别献给May姐和大佬昇！

Part I Basic Course 20/3/2011 - 25/3/2011

Date 日期: 20/3/2011 - 25/3/2011

 

Venue 地点: Alor Setar Art of Living Centre

            亚罗士打生活的艺术中心

 

It has been an extremely long time since I have updated our Art of Living Alor Setar centre virtual space.  (Sorry!) 

I wish I could still be spending time typing and editing this favorite space of mine like I used to, but at the present moment (which is inevitable), I am very tied up at work, which left me little time to be a part of all the activities that the Alor Setar Art of Living Centre has arranged for us.

So what should we do? I could only say:

GET YOUR BUTT OFF THAT COUCH AND GO FOR GROUP PRACTICE REGULARLY TO GET THE LATEST UPDATES!

AOL Alor Setar on Facebook! 面子书亚罗士打生活的艺术组！

The Art of Living Alor Setar is now on facebook, where we can make use of more interesting features including photo uploads, news updates, and more personal interaction with our members!  Visit our group at AOL Alor Setar in Facebook and start interacting!

 亚罗士打生活的艺术现已成立面子书户口。在那儿有很多更精彩的照片，新闻更新还有可以和团员们做更进一步的交流！现在马上加入面子书亚罗士打生活的艺术组开始交流吧！

On Tour with Teacher Hwa Seng 追击华生老师

Teacher Hwa Seng, have a safe trip to India.  Enjoy yourself there! Most importantly, REMEMBER OUR PRESENTS!

华生老师，我们祝你一路顺风。在印度玩得开心一点！最重要的：记得我们的礼物！

Registration forms for various courses 课程表格下载

I have finally found a way to make the registration forms of the various activities of our center downloadable from our blog.  The forms in electronic form can be found on our right under the heading Download Registration Forms!

Please contact me, Zheng-Yi, if you face any problems in downloading any of the forms.

我终于找到了方法可以让大家从我们的部落格下载我们中心多项课程的表格。要下载表格可以在网页的右边表格下载的标题点击您需要的表格！

如果你在下载表格的时候有任何的疑问，请联络正仪。

Art of Living Malaysia - new website !!! 马来西亚 。 生活艺术新网站

Official website for Art of Living . Malaysia

www.artofliving.org.my

Sri Sri Yoga 诗丽诗丽瑜伽

What is Sri Sri Yoga?

Sri Sri Yoga is a celebration of the diversity in Yoga in a simple and joyful manner. We combine yoga essentials- breathing techniques, stretching and postures, meditation and relaxation, and yogic knowledge. By incorporating all these beautiful facets of yoga we are able to look deep beyond the level of the physical body and really sharpen our sensitivity and awareness of subtler levels of existence. Practice of Sri Sri Yoga cultivates a more healthy and happy lifestyle.

诗丽诗丽瑜伽是以简单及快乐的态度来庆祝瑜伽的多样化。我们结合瑜伽的重要元素：呼吸的技巧，瑜伽伸展和姿势，冥想和放松，还有瑜伽知识。透过各种瑜伽美丽的技巧，我们能够深入了解而超越身体的水平，提高我们的敏感性和察觉更微妙层次的存在。诗丽诗丽瑜伽可以培育一个更加健康和快乐的生活方式。

On a physical level, Yogic exercises strengthen, lengthen and replenish muscle tissues, which helps hold bones and align the whole body. Holding postures burns fat and reduces cholesterol. Yogic breathing brings more oxygen to the heart and nourishes the whole system. The breath work also aids in reducing toxin levels in the body by expelling unwanted stresses.

 

身体方面，瑜珈练习可以加强，延长和补充肌肉组织，这有助于保持骨骼和全身的姿势。保持着瑜伽姿势可以燃烧脂肪，降低胆固醇。瑜伽完全呼吸法为心脏带来更多的氧气和滋养整个系统。呼吸的练习也帮助驱除体内毒素，减少不必要的压力。

 

Ekas Tapasavi,Dwir Adhyayi-while Tapas is done alone, practice is done in a group.

一个人独自修炼的叫苦行，大家在一起做的则是练习。

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!Enough said! Now this is what Yoga is all about...... 够了！够了！ 其实瑜伽只是那么简单。。。

Making life a celebration! 让生命成为庆典！

Partying,dancing, and being intoxicated every night! 每晚参加派对、尽情跳舞和陶醉！

The main aim? SERVICE WITH A BIG SMILE

最终的目的？带着大大的笑容服务

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR NEXT SRI SRI YOGA COURSE!

欲知我们诗丽诗丽瑜伽开课详情，请联络我们！

HOLIDAY season 学校假期

5th June 2010 . Satsang

Due to the school holiday season , only 6 people attended the SATSANG last Saturday. 

Most people went away for holiday. 

teacher's message " Hope all of you maintain your Kriya practice during holiday too, and hope to see you all at weekly practice. JGD. "

过去六月五日的唱场只有六只小猫出席。多数人都趁着学校假期渡假去了。

华生老师给大家的讯息：“希望大家在假期别忘了做呼吸法，也希望在每周团练可以见到大家。JGD"

Tera Mai ...Guruji

Wonder how May and Zheng Yi coping with their Sri Sri Yoga ? 

Don't worry, we will take good care of your Blog!!!

Today, I would like to share something I read from Bawa n Dinesh's blog about Guruji's birthday.

In his blog, he mentioned about Guruji's speech on Tera Mai:
(13th MAY in Hindi means Tera Mai ~ meaning I AM YOURS ) 

" I am here for you, I am yours… Tera Mai. This shouldn’t happen only once a year… 

it should be every single day. Many, many more people need to be blessed with this luck!" 

~ Guruji

Isn't that Beautiful!
Tera Mai too Guruji.

Regards from Taipei 从台北的问候

May and I, we are now somewhere here. May姐和我现在大概在这个地点。

I shall now work together with Carmen, who will be responsible of updating our upcoming events and activities. 更新我们中心活动消息的重担就在此交给科彣，我们会一起合作。

Virtually, I am still hanging around 我还是会在虚拟的中心打盹的...;)

Jai Gurudev.

Sounds Interesting-Bawa and Dinesh's Blog

I am a frequent visitor at Bawa and Dinesh's blog.  Now who are Bawa and Dinesh?  They are a pair of exceptional teachers at the Faculty of Art of Living, at par with our teacher, Hwa Seng;).  I won't elaborate much here, as you can read more about them at their blog.

Frequently updated and beautifully written by Bawa, the blog is full of interesting stories, jokes, knowledge and even recipes!  I thought of sharing the blog here because lately Bawa has started posting videos of his weekly knowledge sharing session on Guruji's Intimate Notes to the Sincere Seeker.

So this begins another new practice...Enjoy!