Can you see the matching planets from these guys?

It seems these days youngsters are getting more and more creative and fun loving in whatever they do.  They are brilliant and amazingly technically savvy.  They also do things very differently than older generations. Particularly revamping with customary functions are their expertise that calls for constant innovations and refreshing outlook.    

Last Sunday morning, I and my two men (hubby and Edwin) attended a wedding tea ceremony held in the groom’s house.  After looking around the couple’s sweetly decorated house and ear-busting fire-crackers went afire welcoming the newlyweds, I went out to the corner compound in where buffet brunch (breakfast cum lunch) was served for the guests.  With my plate filled with a bit of food and fruits, I took my seat in an empty table waiting for my two guys to join me.

Then, it seemed they were the groom’s friends standing behind me in the buffet line, and they started to seat around the table in where I was sitting alone.  They didn’t ask my permission whether they can join me. They also didn’t notice my hubby and son still in the buffet line queuing up.  They just smiled at me and helped themselves one by one soon filling all the seats of the round table.  I must have looked like a nice aunty who is a single (?). 

My hubby got slightly off balance to see me surrounded by these groups of youngsters but soon found himself a seat in another table with the grooms’ family.  Edwin seemed disoriented to see his mother sitting with other men (?) for the first time in his life, and constantly looked towards my table.  The groom’s sister also was a bit concerned least I might feel uneasy.  In fact, I felt amused by their sudden company that I kept my smile to make them feel easier. They didn’t know who I was and whom I came with, and surprised to know I didn’t speak any Chinese except English.  They attempted few pleasantries to me but soon went onto their chit-chats. 

While eating quietly and listening to their chats, I noticed on their T-shirts are written each Weekday-theme; Sunday in red color, Tuesday in pink, Thursday in peach, Friday in light blue, Saturday in purple.  So I asked them, where is Wednesday?  They were happy that I noticed their dressing codes.  Wednesday was in another table.  He stood up and waved his hands excitedly.  All of them didn’t speak English well except the guy in Tuesday-pink next to me.  He was the friendliest and most sociable one, too.  

Quietly enjoying their company, I felt even more amused to notice that, unconsciously they were all wearing according to their matching planetary energy.  Except the Tuesday and Friday one.  I could see the Tuesday guy likes pink-color that is why he wore it.  But he was not matching to Mars character.  Instead more of Venus character of fun—loving and party goer.  And the Friday guy was more of Mars character, sturdy and solid and looked strong, too.  So I casually mentioned that they should have changed the T-shirts.  They asked why?  I smiled and didn’t elaborate further.  They will be even more shocked if they knew I could read planets from people. 

You see, I am an astrologer.  I can’t help but to observe the energies of the surroundings and people wherever I am and whomever I am with.  

Sunday is the Sun’s day; the Sun is bright and shining with confidence, boldness, and strength.  You see the guy?  Can’t you see him a bit of show-off?

Monday is the Moon's day;  gentle, soft, cooling and calming.  See the guy with the Monday-T, how soft and sweet smile he has on his face?

Tuesday is Mars’ day; the commander-in-chief, fighter, muscular and serious.  The guy in Friday-shirt is more suitable.

Wednesday is Mercury’s day; happy-jolly innocence of child, lean, light.  The guy’s smirk in Wednesday-shirt shows the typical mercurial naivety.

Thursday is Jupiter’s day; weighty, round, pleasing and easy like a chubby priest.

Friday is Venus’ day; happy, party, fun, sociable, showy and sweet.

Saturday is Saturn’s day; ever solemn and serious, preserving and hardworking like a farmer. 

Look at the picture!  Don’t they all chose the best fit for each, though unconsciously?

We all are like them.  Without knowing, we naturally align ourselves to the planets we feel most affinity with.   As for me, I like pink, Venus.  I am a sweet middle aged woman. My hubby likes red, the Sun.  His stature is a bit intimidating for an Asian.  Edwin likes blue and black, Saturn.  He is a bit too mature for his age.  How about you?  What planet do you feel most close to you?

Surrendering into the Time

From some morning onwards, I started to notice few snails scattered along the jogging path. At first it was just one or two, and then, it slowly increased to more than half dozen. I had to be careful not to step on them because the shape and color of their shells were very similar with the fallen leaves’ on the grass. Whenever I reach to that particular corner during my morning walk, naturally my curiosity arises as to see how far they have advanced from the previous day. Not so significant, but surely they ARE moving, steadily and consistently, though it might not be obvious in our naked eyes. It seems that they are just the most amazingly patient creatures in the world which reminds me of the following story;

The animals met in assembly and began to complain that humans were always taking things away from them.
“They take my milk,” said the cow.
“They take my eggs,” said the hen.
“They take my flesh for bacon,” said the hog.
“They hunt me for my oil,” said the whale.
Finally the snail spoke, “I have something they would certainly take away from me if they could. Something they want more than anything else. I have TIME.”

Yes, the snails live as though they have all the time in the world, whereas we human rush through lives as if there is no tomorrow. Whenever I spot some motorists who are so impatient to overtake other cars or zooming through red traffic lights, I wonder how fast could they be able to reach their destination by driving so madly like that. Even if they arrive 5-10 minutes early, what does it make difference within the 24 long hours we have every day? We all have 24 hours a day, 7days a week, 52 weeks a year and years and decades... when we count like that, certainly we have plenty of time. Ironically when there is nothing to do, time moves so slow that occupying 24 hours per day seems death sentence like. That is why many spend hours daily on TV, Video games or internet. They REALLY have a lot of time.

And yet many people seem as though they are getting bankrupt with time, constantly rushing and chasing after time while ever falling short of time to attend what really matters in life, to do the very things needed to improve ourselves that will move us forward in life. Exercise tops the list and meditation is another, despite their proven physical, mental and spiritual effects and benefits that come by regular practices. No time to do exercise, no time to meditate, no time to cook or read one decent book for years since finish school… Maybe it is one of the commonest conspiracies of ours to pretend how busy we are, keep giving excuses for our shortcomings…so that we could avoid taking responsibilities for our own health, wellness and happiness. Many rather complain of the problems they have rather than work on solving the problems. Being busy is the most wildly used one.

It is easier to pay money to the slimming centers to lose weights than doing exercise and watching diets. It is easier to get prescriptions from doctor for anxiety and hypertension than moderating lifestyle and release stress through regular meditation. It is even easier to tapau for dinner than troubling to do marketing, cooking and dish washing while the shiny kitchen with tip-top facilities remains ever collecting dust.

Why is that? Because, when things go wrong, we have someone else to blame but ourselves. Everybody wants shortcut, things that could pamper our insatiable sensual cravings, but not discipline or moderation or patience like snails…That takes too long to highway.

One of my favorite quotes from the epic Mahabharata is “Time is God.” I did not understand well of its meaning when I first heard it. But somehow it stayed deep inside my awareness ever since. I haven’t managed to become an economist after majoring in Economics for my undergraduate. However when it comes to managing time, I used to be a master piece. Like many typical Koreans, I was very fast and efficient when it comes to action. I didn’t like wasting time. I talked fast, moved fast, think fast and always on the go with one project after another. Many of my friends still live in the same house, stay in the same job, doing the same things every day for years I’ve know them. On the other hand, I moved countries, houses and relocated my Yoga center few times already even in my 13 years of Malaysia. At first, I didn’t necessarily planned on it changing so frequently but certain circumstances always arose to push me out when I was just about to get comfortable. Every time when I move, I had to rewire my entire brain circuits. But it was alright thus far though not easy every time. One of the biggest challenges was moving into the new township, Putra Heights.

I saw a vision when I first sighted the landscapes of Putra Heights. I instantly fall in love with the place to book for house and center immediately. Yes, the vision was correct because it is developing in the way I saw in the beginning; not as fast as I would have wished but slowly, bit by bit, of course, not as slow as snail either but it is getting there. Most of all now I am at ease and peace; not because everything is going well in the way I wanted it, but because having surrendered everything into Time. It no longer really matters now what it comes out from what I am trying to do here, for myself or people or even with my lifelong love of meditation and Yoga. I continue teach them passionately but how others embrace it into their lives are beyond my reach, I realized. Whether I have adopted more of tidak apa like Malaysian or my not-so-little age and hot tropical sun slowed down my warrior Korean spirit…I am not quite sure. But there is the desire in me now, wanting to be rooted, be able to withstand winds and rains by enduring in one place long enough, rather than constantly moving, so that I can become more strong and firm. So that I could continue learn to understand and embrace different people and lives in all shapes and colors. Thus much realization, many blessings I have had ever since I moved here. One of those blessings I can count is, experiencing a semblance heart attack some time ago.

One day, as I lay down in the bed to sleep, I felt fast palpation and sharp pain in my heart. I didn’t get panic but placed my hands on it after turning flat on my back. Then I thought to myself, I see this is how people get heart attack… Strangely, I wasn’t afraid but became curious instead, in trying to figure out the reason why I was feeling the pressures in the way I did at that time… it was the sense of urgency, the sense of wasting time, the sense of trying to do more but the circumstances and Time was not aligning in the way I thought it should be. So I was deeply frustrated. When I saw that, I just let go, I decided just to surrender… Then it went away. But I have not forgotten the experience. In couple of days, I was up early morning to start walking around the jogging path in our housing area, not jogging or fast walking, but Yoga walking, taking one step at a time slowly and steadily. I could smell the morning breeze; feel the moist in the grass, befriend with the shining morning stars and the moon, sleepy stray cats and dog and frogs… I see…I realized that I have been missing so much in life, just because I was in a hurry to accomplish what I ought to be accomplishing… silly me, how could I have forgotten the truth, “Time is God.” I ain’t almighty and yet, in my hindsight, I thought I could influence Time…

Yes, we have all the time in the world, if we would give it to ourselves. What’s stopping us? It’s our own foolishness thinking we could control time and life if we rush and work hard, while neglecting to do our due responsibility to live well and happy today, and another day, and another day... The snails are beautiful teachers of life. This morning, they were already in another corner extending their territory to the one quarter of my usual walking path. ..

Time slips through the fingers

There was a very sweet and jovial elderly man I’ve met during my January retreat. His name is Osman. As a habit, I tend to draw an invisible distance around me when I am out in the company of people I don’t know well. I am especially conscious of my talk because of the non-local accent in me that always bring hoards of personal queries like where are you from, what are you doing here, how long you’ve been here… Sometimes I don’t mind, sometimes… I mind, particularly when I am in the reflective mode like attending seminars or retreats. Osman was different. He noted my different accent but didn’t ask me straight away. Instead, with his very smooth tongue that had flare of interesting storytelling style, he unguarded me with giggle and laugh before preceded further to interview me. I felt comfortable with his vibrant sense of humor and friendliness to unravel myself bare with someone I first met. We became dining table buddies for the rest of retreat. I even taught him how to do Yoga Walk for his troubled knee. He was grateful with the immediate relief he felt by just walking in the yogic way.

Throughout the 3-days retreat, he was never short of his story bag, always pulling something interesting out of it to entertain his audiences. He was a sweet, unpretentious and likable senior who didn’t carry his age in the attitude. In his early 60’s, he was a retired banker who loved eating, travelling and exploring new ideas. After the retirement, he made his lifelong love of storytelling and psychology into his second career, thus becoming a Peak Performance Coach with more than half dozen of self-help certifications indicated at the back of his name card. He was active with trainings and seminars in various educational and corporate settings. The retreat organizers also arranged with him to give a talk about storytelling in their center at the end of April and I was about to attend it with my son whom also likes to tell stories. I thought he could learn some tips from him. Then I received an email, the talk was cancelled by the sudden demise of the speaker…What do you mean sudden demise? You mean he died? Yes, that’s what they confirmed through his daughter. How come…? It was a heart attack, and well, life is indeed uncertain…that’s what they said. My, my… that was all I could say…

Whenever I come across with the news of an unexpected exit such as this, once more it makes me to reflect on the emptiness of life and death. Without needing to borrow the language of the Buddhist canon, it is the universal truth that whatever is born will die one day. So will be my life and yours. It is only a matter of time. Though we know it to be true, and yet, no one really wants to die or think about death seriously except time to time in the moments like this. Why? Because of fear…because of the fear of unknown and unfamiliar… We are familiar with life but not with death. We sense death as total annihilation from all the things, people we held so dear, and the thoughts of isolation, sever, is immensely frightening for many. The ancient Yoga master Pantanjali said the fear of death is something very, very deep in all of us that even the most learned ones dreads it. Thus, popular stories of Taoist immortals who never dies or many Indian yoga masters who lived for few hundred years continue to fascinate many alchemists, spiritual seekers in hope to find the formulas for longevity and immortality. The success or failure of our modern medicine also is so much depended upon extending life spans as long as possible if not curing death.

It seems the better society gets developed and the greater the modern technology advances, the more people focus on how not to die, how not to get sick, how not to get old by all measurements. But no matter how much power, wealth and fame we have accumulated, no matter how much endearing family and friends we are surrounded by, can we put a hold on Time that flows like river? Time that keep ticks in perpetual synchronization? No, certainly not. There is no almighty that can stop Time from moving forward. Each step, each day, we are that much closer to death. We just not don’t know when it will end for each of us.

Then what’s the point being so afraid of it with something so sure to come sooner or later? Why not, instead, we focus on living while we are still here and don’t worry ahead of what has not yet come? Because of the law of attraction, we might just invite the very things we are afraid of if we constantly put attention on what we don’t want. Why don’t we focus on how to live well, so that we could be proud and free to leave when our time arrives at the door? Time is slipping through fingers in every minute and we might end up squandering it away in futility if we keep running to catch up with Time. Don’t think about “how not to” but let’s focus on “how to” because every minute we have now is precious. While we are still around and kicking our legs, let’s make sure we do things that will help us to stay healthy and hail with a gaiety of heart. How would you spend your time today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, so that your time on earth enriched you with greater freedom and happiness instead of gripping fear or psychotic neurosis?

As for me, I would like to nurture a healthy body, sound mind and light spirit so that I can live balanced life with a perspective. For that I exercise and meditate regularly, eat nourishing and wholesome food most of time. Above all, I focus on becoming a better person spiritually as time keeps on rolling under my sleeves. I am learning and improving bit by bit in how to love and kind to all, how to be compassionate and revere for all life, and how to laugh even in the facets of adversary. By doing so, is not to score high marks in the balance sheet of lord Yama, but is for my own good to maintain sanity in this crazily fast moving society. I am also striving to be a harmonious person who can maintain equanimity in all up and down emotional fluctuations, or else it’s so easy to sabotage my sense of wellness and contentment, forgetful and careless ever persistently. The wheel of time keeps on turning while we all have limited time in this Earth. Thus I would like to use my allocated time in a wise, productive way as much as I can. I would like to contribute in elevating the qualities of my life and others’ lives so that I will have no shame, no regret when I have to leave. That is how I want to live for the rest of my remaining days. I don’t know whether Osman had the chance to properly reflect his life before he left.

I still have Osman’s name card in my hand, with his smiling face printed on it. He was so full of life and enthusiastic just two months ago. His lively voice and laughter is still vivid with me. Though I didn’t know him very well, long enough, he was a good man who seemed to be in love with life and people. Would he have had any premonition about his approaching end when he was talking to me how much he loves good curry chicken…maybe or maybe not… He seemed so much looking forward to more learning, exploring new ideas and concepts including meditation from a Buddhist monk as an Indian Muslim…I hope his soul doesn’t linger too long in confusion by his own sudden departure and rest in peace from wherever he has moved onto, not forgetting to entertain the otherworld audiences too with his interesting story bag…that might ensure a better place next to his God, because God also needs to laugh…

Greetings!

Dear Friends,

Greetings!

It seems time travels faster in Malaysia due to its same weather all year round. As though it feels like yesteryear that we celebrated together the dawning of new century, but already one decade has come and gone with another New Year is looming just around the corner. It is again one of those times for reflection and recollection.

There are still much unchecked to-do lists left in my in-box. How about yours? Have you succeed ticking them all off? If yes, I salute for your efficiency and productivity. If no, well, then you are not alone. However I refuse to lament about what I could have done, instead, I focus on how I could do better in coming years. The insatiable Ms. Perfect nagging inside but I've learnt to go past its noises over the years. That has brought me much reconciliation in life and now, I can stay more at ease, be more grateful just by being. There is increased sense of peace as I watch life flows in its own accordance instead of wishing or forcing it to be otherwise. I guess that is one of the most significant attributions I have gained from the life in Malaysia, in where peace and harmony amongst racial, religious diversities are the foremost important value.

Thereby, I suggest to you, in around this time of the year, to ask ourselves how much perspective we have gained, how much progress we have made this year; rather than measuring with the standard yardsticks of right and wrong or evaluating our success and failure by the definition of others. Then we can be more accepting of the past and the present as well as be more open for new challenges in the future. Life becomes sheer joyful experiences when we continue to grow and expand. But from the moment we stop growing, then, we have only one way to go, to spiral down. When we cling onto the comfort zone, no sooner than later we feel secure, we start to experience the downside of life, death, and there is no greater tragedy than living a dead.

Are you alive? Do you look forward to wake up in the morning? I think the answer this question holds much of whether or not our life is on the right track. If you are not sure, then, it’s not too late to wake up early starting from today, from this year. That is the beauty of the New Year. It always marks something to chew on in our otherwise the groundhog days like daily life. The same old stuffs, the same old me and you, the same old days in and out…it’s so easy to just sit there and watch time slipping through fingers.

Come and join me this New Year in our Yoga Walking Club (please refer the article attached to, and the announcement) if you wish to turn around the course of your life. I like to share with you this simple, but magnificent gift of life that has truly transformational power, the Yoga Walks.

In my troubled time of youth, I used to walk up to mountains over the weekends for almost three years. I was at one of those lowest points in my life slapped with much unexpected obstacles and challenges. Roaming and climbing around the rocky and high places, I found courage, strength, clarity and confidence to leap toward the unknown about which I shared with you through my stories posted in the blog earlier.
Another time I started the Walking again was, when I first landed in Malaysia years back. Initially I felt so lost and depressed without knowing where to turn. I still remember crying wildly when I captured the bright morning sunlight through my apartment window one day. I walked around the apartment blocks from the day on, thereby gradually pulling myself out of the dark tunnel I thought I was in. That was how I walked to reach towards yours as is today.

I have started walking again early in the morning since beginning of this year. This time, not because I felt lost, but because, just to be more awake so that I could experience life more fully in the present moments. It has deepened much insight thus, and most importantly, I have realized the distance between you and I, through our lack of capacity to communicate, accept and love ourselves and others unconditionally. I think I now know how to erase the invisible walls, shorten the distance in life, in between you and I; by walking one step at a time slowly and steadily. I, like many others, thought running will get us faster to our destination. I was wrong. Not only I suffered much humdrum by straining but also missed to enjoy much of the beautiful scenery, abundant with fresh air and cooling morning dews, sweet flowers and trees, birds chirping… Yes, life is indeed beautiful if we know how just to be.

This New Year, I would like to invite you to discover the simple but wonderful way to enrich our lives, to learn the art of how to walk and join me to walk together after that if you wish to. Or else, you can just walk whenever you want, wherever you are.

Besides commencing the Yoga Walking Club, I am also adding more variation, vitality to the contents of regular G1, G2 yoga classes, so that we can have more joy and aliveness through our Yoga practices. Morning Yoga classes will be resumed as well.
There is also Kids Yoga, Yoga Rejuvenation & Relaxation, and the Wellness program (a health treatment program combining the traditional Chinese Medicine with Yoga Therapy). All these are to enhance your well-being, to help you embrace wider spectrum of yoga practices so that we could grow together into the multi-beings of the body, the mind and the spirit as we are.

Please click to the Yoga Class Time-Table 2010 for more details.
I wish you and your family a Happy New Year, abundant joy and happiness, health and prosperity, and most importantly love and harmony. Thank you for all your support thus far and look forward to sharing more excitement, experiences and laughter in the years to come.

Yours truly,

Beth.

A Walk to Remember……by Beth Lim, founder Beth’s Yoga

I fell in love with Putra Heights when I first saw its surroundings with abundant green, vastly open and clear sky, cooling breeze and fresh air. It was a very rare sight to come by for housing in the crowded city like KL or Subang Jaya. The floor plan for the Laman Putra was even more attractive with the beautiful garden, long jogging track, gazebos and the fully guarded fences. So we immediately booked for a house with a shop lot for the new location of Beth’s Yoga.

It has been 2 years since we moved in, and the living experiences have been truly peaceful and enjoyable so far, especially taking slow walks in pre-dawn early morning along the well carved jogging path is one of my favorite activities of the day. The entire neighborhood is still in deep sleep; crickets and frogs are still cricking, croaking away. It is an enlivening and luxurious experience to be able to enjoy a slow stroll alone in nature without having to worry about safety. As I walked around the protected and conducive environment, I feel tall, as if reaching toward the heaven above while staying firmly connected with the earth below. How precious and soothing is each moment are beyond words.

Lately, I started to notice an increasing number of residents that appeared outdoor out in the compound for various recreational activities. The numbers of morning joggers or walking folks have also been steadily increased too. I am happy because it shows that people are more health-conscious but more importantly, there’s a growing sense of community. This sense of supportive neighborhood is an integral part of well-being. But then, being a kepoh (Hokkien for busy-body I learnt) yoga teacher myself, I can’t help but to notice the poor postures and inefficient ways of walking, jogging or trying to exercise, especially among the men and the senior citizens. Chests are collapsed with hunched backs, hips and knees are wobbling or swaying out of shape with feet keep turning outward and arms dangling aimlessly at the side. Breathing becomes inconsistent because many are chatting away while walking.

This kind of walk is ineffective way to exercise efficiently, more like trying to dig a well with a teaspoon. The proper way of walking for better health and posture, even if done 30 minutes at a time, is to walk slowly and steadily with a straight spine while maintaining natural alignment of shoulders, hips, knees and feet. Arms should be gently swinging front and back, pressing heels to toes in each step, and most importantly, being mindful of natural breath that flows evenly. By walking this way, it not only speeds up your good health, produces ideal posture, firm up the body but also to help you to lose weight naturally, all without trying too hard with vigorous exercise regimen. I call this the Yoga Walk, very similar to the Tiger Walk that has been used for martial arts training found in Chinese culture.

Do you want to learn more about how to walk more efficiently to improve your health and posture? Please come for a walk to remember, to reconnect with your body, mind and spirit. This free workshop on Yoga Walk will be held on 17^th January (Sunday) 2010, 11am at the Beth’s Yoga Center. Anyone who can walk are welcome, especially the stressful career men and women, busy homemakers who don’t have enough time to exercise and senior citizens who want to rejuvenate their health.

It will be my pleasure to share this gift freely to you, all for better health and a livelier community spirit. So see you all there!

Beth’s Yoga

From Body to Somebody

Announcement: 1. A Free-Workshop on Yoga Walk for Better Health and Posture. 17th January (Sunday) 11am—1pm. 2. Kids Yoga for Fun and Play (intake starts from 23th January 2010) 3. Morning Yoga classes/Yoga rejuvenation and relaxation class (intake start from 7th January 2010).

For more detailed Yoga class times,

visit www.bethsyoga.com.my or call Beth 012.274.2012.

Talk on "How to Own A Wish-fulfilling Cow"

Hi, there!

Don't forget the next Saturday talk, 28th March 2.30-4pm. The topic is about "How to Own A Wish-fulfulling Cow; Changing Your Life, Destiny and Fortune."

Through this presentation, I would like to share some secrets of life on how to unlock the keys to our True Destiny. They are are well-known principles of successful life but remain as elusive as a mirage to most people. We all want to live a happy and successful life but how do you acutally live them? How do you actually own the 'cow' that will grant your every wishes for healthy, fulfilling life?You are welcome to come and find out. Bring your loved ones, friends, so that they can dicover the secrets together. See you there! Beth.

"How to Own A Wish-fulfilling Cow"

Special Talks on “How to Own A Wish-fulfilling Cow: Changing Your Life, Fortune and Destiny through Merit and Meditation”


Dear Friends,

Wishing you all a very prosperous and purposeful OX year!

Would you like to lighten up your New Year with dream, hope and promises for better life, happiness and inspiration, countering the negativity, uncertainties that are all around us these days?

Please come and listen the talk on “how to own a wish-fulfilling cow—changing your life, fortune and destiny”21st Feb 2009 Saturday, 2.30-4pm in the Beth’s Yoga Center. In that day, I would like to share my life time aspiration with you all. You can say, I have come a long way in sharing this dream of mine: to do good and to encourage others to do good. So that together we can enjoy the gifts of life: beauty, abundance, joy, happiness and success in spite of any difficult circumstances that might be present.

Come with an easy and relaxed mindset; bring your loved ones and friends to enjoy together. You will learn the very secrets of life, on how to invite more fortune and happiness to your life. They are very simple, non-religious and user-friendly inspirations from ancient as well as modern teachers that anyone would benefit even just by listening. If you have not made up any New Year resolutions yet, then, it will also inspire you to take new dimensions. It can be a life turning point in finding your life purpose, as it has been to me when I first learned the lessons. Don’t miss out the precious chance to uplift your spirit so that your New Year becomes truly meaningful.

See you all that day! Beth.

P.S:

1. The meditation course is to start from 28th Feb 5.30-6.30 pm Free Introduction, and 1st March, one-to-one personal instruction. To book or for further details, give me a call, 012.2742.012. Please come to the above talk first if you wish to know how learning meditation would change your life.

2. The Credit Card Payment is available in our center, effective immediately from today.

My New Year Resolution: To Break Silence

I am not the most sociable person in the world, and yet, every time around the festival seasons, I get to receive much greetings and well wishes via SMS. Then, I have difficulty replying them, not because I am a proud person, but because my replies for each well-wishers and friends are rather lengthy and daunting to fit into the small mobile message box. So I keep quiet…Yes, one thing I am very good at it, is staying alone and keeping quiet. And I rarely gave thoughts beyond that “silence is gold.”

However, I paid a heavy price for that this year. It seems, suddenly I’ve woken up, particularly because I got to have plenty of “quiet” time last year (2008) since shifting the yoga center to Putra Height. It’s an area that is close to the sky with lots of fresh air and green, but less people yet to be buzzing and user-friendly for a township. It presented me the chance to reflect, to realize that, as much as we need peace in life we also need certain amount of chaos if we were to live a truly balanced life. Then, I lacked that balance; I’ve been living too reclusive for people to come closer. Is it any wonder that I sometimes receive the wrong (?) label of being unfriendly person, especially by my hubby?

Over the years, I have been so used to with “inner and outer silence” that in some days I can count the words I had uttered with my ten fingers. What I didn’t realize is that, what I am comfortable to live with has been creating much room for distance, misunderstanding, wrong impression and assumption, and cold walls between the very people I wanted to be close with; they meant caring, kind, loving and supportive but I was pushing them away with my “silence” as it often appears to be “coldness” with the peculiar energy I surrounded myself. I didn’t realize that I look like a “cold blooded (?)” woman from the somewhat distant expression I usually wear in the face. Well, no wonder I don’t have much friends…

The year 2008 has been particularly constraining and difficult year not only for me, but for many due to the unstable economical, social and political upheavals throughout. And yet, it is through adversities and challenges that our human souls find the energy and will power to overcome, thereby growing and evolving to our full potentials as we are supposed to. I have learned much this year, to the fact I woke up to the callings of life—we all are meant to live in togetherness, not in isolation. Therefore my top most important resolutions for the New Year should be, to break my tendency to keep quiet; instead be more involved, pro active and expressive. So that I can learn people’s ways of living instead of one way that I am familiar with if I were to be a more wholesome and rounded person.

In ushering into another New Year, somehow, I have seldom felt this happy and hopeful despite some otherwise prediction by media and so called experts. I sense more liveliness, willingness, patience, humility and openness in me and people. I sense more stability, co-operation, lightness, joy and cheerfulness in the air. Most of all, I sense a gaiety, a carefree bright colored spiritual beauty around us; to uplift our dampened spirit caused by all the ugly things, man-made or natural disasters, happened last year threatening our insecurity and survival instincts.

I look forward to a brighter and better year for all of us, as we have accumulated better strength and resilience through one of the most difficult time in the history. Many thanks and gratitude to all those who have stood by me rending your selfless love and supports! May you all be well and happy! May all your wishes, dreams and longings, and hope, come to fruition this year! May we together aim to reach far and wide to enjoy more abundance, joy, happiness and freedom!

P.S: I ask for forgiveness to those who have not received my SMS reply. See so long of what I want to say, how to fit into the small screen?

Story 6. Looking into crystal ball

There was an old retired professor who liked to hang out with Asian students in the campus. He was a sixty-plus-former-athletic-turned-to-physics-professor with a keen interest in spiritualism and astrology. Whether rain, shine or snow, he always carried this back pack, wore solid boots and walked all over the campus, appearing to the student dinning hall every day precisely at the same time. He would find his corner among the Asian students who were the poorest in their ability to communicate in English. He had this habit, whenever there was someone new, to ask their birth details and would give him/her a hand written astrological report within next few days. As though proving a hypothesis in physics, he would lay out his readings step by step in such a detail that he had fairly good reputation for his accuracy.

Soon after I started to appear in the dining hall as a new student, he asked my birth details and I got my report also. It was my first exposure with any kinds of astrology or occult reading that which was astonishing. How would he know about me so well of the facts that I wasn’t even aware? He wrote about my characters, inclinations, past, unhappy home life including mother, father, siblings, and other things with some future prediction. I started to be curious about how he did that rather than being flattered by the prediction that was quite optimistic. Not long after that, I met then-my-future husband Lee who was a Chinese Medicine physician living just outside of the campus. I was having some health trouble and my classmate referred me to him. As it turned out, he himself was an avid seeker of ancient knowledge like Taoism, Hinduism, anything else that is mysterious and esoteric including Western and Indian astrology.

As I shared my experience with the written astrology report, he recommended me to do a more professional reading by his good friend, Doug Adams. We arranged a personal one-to-one meeting which lasted for 2 hours with our conversation, questions and answers were being tape recorded for future reference. It was even more interesting than the written report. I wanted to learn that astrology. Lee knew some basics of Indian astrology and he offered me to teach it for free (of course, he had other intention as well). As I was to find out later, Doug had told Lee after our meeting that I might be his future wife! Doug knew of Lee’s astrological details and Lee was waiting for his wife to appear as it was about the time that was predicted. Sure, I was to become his wife but I didn’t know about the behind story between him and his astrologer friend. It was much later, after we become close, that Lee shared with me what was predicted about his life and wife not only by Doug but also by other astrologers from India.

It turned out that I was much intuitive and quick in grasping the language of stars beyond Lee’s ability. So I pursued it further by taking other courses and eventually met my astrology teacher Mr. K.N Rao. I learned it fast and started to do the readings for friends with fare rates of accuracy. However along the way, I started to notice of what people expect from astrologers and I disliked it. They didn’t want to know anything bad but only good and extraordinary. They didn’t like to wait and work harder to make good things happen. Instead they demanded to have everything almost immediately in the way they want it. They came to astrologers not to learn how to improve their life but to hear about what good is waiting without them doing much effort. I could not disappoint them or be harsh. I sugar coated anything negative in soft tone; to accept what was inevitable in the past as life lessons and to work toward future with patience and effort to get what they want out of their life. And yet with the limitation to fully express of what I see from their birth charts as how it might affect their psychic in positive or negative ways, and yet with the people’s absurd expectation to be special regardless of what they deserve, I started to wane away from doing astrology reading further.

Then I came to learn about Western astrology in where you don’t have to predict but can do very good psychology readings. It helped me to understand myself in more humanistic angle than Indian astrology that is more definitive about our selves and our past, present or future life. There was another important lesson came together to put all this together to make the picture more complete, the Liao Fan’s Four Lessons on how to change our astrological destiny. It is a true story that solved my predicament in knowing astrology that seems fixed and the role of spiritual cultivation in changing what seems to be fixed. Karma definitely exists but we had choice to be influenced or not. We had choice to choose our life as suffering or bliss. For that, we needed to cultivate our wisdom muscles to be able to make the wise choices every time, and accumulate merits to get what we want and to revert what we don’t want out of life.

Some say Western astrology advocates free will and choices of life, whereas Indian astrology is all about the fixed destiny that has no way escaping from it, thereby encouraging people to adopt fatalist approach toward life. Astrology is not about fate but is about destiny that we have the power to alter it by making wise choices rather than blindly believing or accepting. When we see life in terms of fate operating according to the karmic function, the laws of cause and effect, then, it seems to be life is more of fixture rather than fluid. That means we don’t have control but to accept because we are the victims of whatever is happening regardless of whether be good or bad, like it or not. There are some lucky ones who seem to have it all breezing through life with ease while many others suffer miserably from constant strings of misfortune one after another. How do we make sense out of that because it certainly looks unfair as no one wants to suffer misfortunes but to enjoy good luck and the best of all life has to offer?

The truth is, not by some luck or misfortune, but by how we choose it to be, that our life become how it is today. In every moment, life presents us with variety of choices to make, ranging from as simple as choosing brands for grocery or clothes to more weighty ones like what to study, what kinds of job, house or cars to get, love or commitment to marriages, etc, there are as many other choices as we can think of to make. We constantly face dilemma in various life situation, not because the issues are difficult to handle but because we are not sure what to choose from the multiple options available out there. People often turn to religious authority, counselors, occultists or astrologers to get the answer when they are confused. They are afraid of making choices their own not because it is difficult but because of what we might miss out if you choose one for another (nice term for it “kiasu”). It is a fact that we can’t have everything in life, then, we have to know what we are willing to give to gain another. To find out that answer, we have to search within, not without. Parents, friends, teachers, spouses or children, they are all part of it but not everything in life. No matter how significant their roles might be, they cannot substitute the inner voice in leading our life in the way we want it to be. We need to tune into our inner voice, to listen and be clear with the priorities in our life. So that we can make conscious decision in every step of the way and become fully responsible for whatever the outcomes are.

When we are clear with what we want, then it really doesn’t matter whatever we choose to become in life, a busy businessman who amasses fortune but don’t have time to enjoy, or a fisherman who enjoys leisurely peaceful life but poor. Each choice comes with pros and cons. We just need to be aware of what each path entails and consciously choose according to our tendency. If you are an active and zealous person who can’t stay still, then it will be better to be like the businessman. If you are a solitude loving person with very simple needs, then becoming like the fisherman will brings you more happiness. Conflicts happen when either of them trying to impose each other’s preference to another. The businessman can never be happy in the fisherman’s shoes, so is the fisherman. Let others be their own way while you live in your own way. We don’t have to be uniform in the way of living and pursuing. Diversity amongst millions different kinds of forms and name and tendency are what make the universe unique. Its intrinsic beauty, diversity in infinite stretch of time and space, the universe keeps on rolling to exist in eternity. Our body in the present is the transient holder of our soul that exists within the same wave patterns of this vast universe. How do we know what we will become of when this body perishes or born again in another body in next life. They are all nothing but speculation. Our concern is knowing what we have and how we are made of, for which astrology can give good insights into it. And then move on to make this life fuller and more complete by cultivating wisdom and merits, instead of eyeing over the other side and keep hesitating or regretting over how it could have been different. Time has wings to fly and our karma comes around to catch up with us unless we do something about by doing goods and make efforts to turn about in our favor. The best is knowing that you will get your turn, work toward what you aspire to become in life with compassion and patience while being content but can be better with the person you are at the moment. Happiness is always around the corner.

Story 5. Time is God

Story 5. Time is God

The story of Mahabarat, one of the greatest epic in the ancient Indian literature, starts its opening with “Time is God.” Mahabarat, one of the oldest and lengthiest epic in the world, is nearly three times as long as the Judaeo-Christian Bible, which contains many interpolated stories and moral treaties, with its treatment of time swinging back and forward in very much Indian style that which is not always chronological. My American astrologer friend, Doug Adams, loaned me the Mahabarat movie tapes during one of school holiday. Maybe it was more than twenty volumes set or so. By the time I finished watching it day and nights, the old VCD player also was spoiled. It was a long movie with much unfamiliar Indian mythology and religious cultural nuisances blended together in the narrative pattern.

Though I didn’t understand it all at first, I could at least capture the entire story in fairly good grasp, of which it would have been impossible by reading the books. In the story, its time is intertwined multifold usually in eons and the various characters of the epic—mystical gods, demons, sages and humans with fantastic supernatural powers, etc—do not always appeal to our normal sense of time and space. If one doesn’t believe in the theory of reincarnation and karma, the epic can look like a fake or else s/he can be convinced to believe it by the end of the story. I was the later.

Time is God?? What does that mean? To fully understand its statement, I had to wait more than a decade with the planetary configurations always swirling in my head. As I learned the language of the stars and lived with it, I gradually come to understand that they are not just some shining masses of gases in the night sky up there, but the very entities of concentrated life energy that are constantly watching, living, and breathing into our everyday life. Just we are not aware how closely influenced and intimately connected with them in everything we do and everything that happens to us. Each planet holds unique life stories to each of us, and the language of the stars can reveal that to you.

As for me, it was first through Doug Adams, and then later Mr. K. N Rao, from whom I heard my own planetary stories, got fascinated and became an astrologer myself, so that I can tell others their story! It gives much relief, not fear, to know how our life runs independently in the best way for us in the long run, despite whatever we think of ourselves at the present. If you know your own planetary story, you will be amazed also. They are not our threats but the very best friends, aids and companions life after life when you know how to appreciate and approach them. They are our guardian gods, and Time within which frame they function is the Big Head, God.

The way its Time unfold in our individual life has its predetermined pattern of which we need to do some astronomical calculation based on our birth details. Our life is beautiful and candid stories of the nine planets—Ketu, Venus, Sun, Moon, Mars, Rahu, Jupiter, Saturn and Mecury— each are pregnant with certain promises, determined by our past action, that which will influence our present and future life. When they will come to actually manifest, however, is all depends on “Time” or “Dasha” in astrological term. Each planet has its own story to tell, intermixed with good and bad indications. Their effects will be more obvious when they get their “Turn” that which operates in the sequence mentioned above. Their governing time is usually very long; the shortest, like Sun’s time, lasting for 6years while the longest, Venus, lasting for 20 years! To finish all their turn one by one, it takes total 120 years. Since we can’t live up to that good, old age, some planetary dasha we will get while some others won’t. It all depends on individual’s birth details. That doesn’t mean any of the nine planets are irrelevant to us. One way or another, they all come to influence our life in very intimate way. You just wait and see.

Because each planetary time is so long, each major dasha is again divided into few levels of nine sub-sub dashas, usually lasting much shorter, from few months to 2 ½ years, so that all the nine planets can exert their power in the course of our limited lifespan on earth. Whether we could accept or not, could wait or not, they never give all at once but one at a time, when the time is right, despite whatever wishes we might have otherwise. Even the mighty gods and super humans in the mythology, not to mention us, the mere mortals, all fall into victims. Thereby Time is God.

It is our natural tendency to avoid anything that is unpleasant or painful while desiring for something pleasant, comforting and happy at all cost. Yet, in life, there is no such thing as continuous euphoric rise or hellish downhill. Our fortune or misfortune always alternates according to its seasons; rain today and sunshine tomorrow; success and happiness today, and failure and sadness tomorrow, etc, that which is governed by our own planetary configuration and Time sequence.

Sometimes, when we are caught up in the present ups or downs, we might forget that there is such a thing as “Time” exists. Very often, we want to rush or postpone the results of our action according to our own wishes. Time is God because it is never influenced by anything else but by its own eternal rhythm that rolls according to its own preconceived Divine Plan. Whether we want it right away or not, be aware of what is coming or not, it never forgets its due, to exercise its Power only when the Time is right. Sometimes it gives so much just to take away after a breath of excitement from those who raced against time by force. How many high achievers we know or heard of, who faced spiral downhill or suddenly passed away leaving behind all that they had sought with hearts and souls through their entire life?

Many people are short sighted to function in two-dimensional world, thinking that they can get away with what they can’t see or hear at the time. However, karma always catches up with us. The planets that live in us await for their turn in the three-dimensional world to give what they supposed to. The better strategy will be, instead of fearing them, we learn to be humble and modest despite any Time we are in. When we are in good time, we don’t forget to remember difficult times and share the good fortunes with others; when we are in bad time, we remember the saying from the wise “this shall pass” so that we can handle challenges with perspective. That takes wisdom, far-sightedness and sense of direction to be able to see through what our five senses can’t perceive.

Indian astrology, or Jyotish, meaning light of life, renders a good aid into that. It reveals very well of our inherent tendency as well as individual dasha that which is mapped when we were born. If we can know of what our individual jyotish entails, then, we can save much of our head bangs against the walls in our quest to find the ultimate utopia while slaying the devil on the way. The story of Mahabarat, full of magic, mystery, gods and demons, shows the mighty power of Time that which is God. All the heroes, heroines or demons alike in the story, their rise and fall are all subject to Time. When the Time is right, either be good or evil, they will rise but when the Time is up, they just have to give way no matter how unfair it seems at times.

In the Wheel of Eternal Time or Kalachakra, no one is free but forced to learn its mighty power till one can achieve eternal freedom or enlightenment. The field of Kurushetra, in where the great epic war of Mahabarat was held, is our very life from where we play and pursue different roles and aspirations. The mighty gods and demons are all but our alter egos of which we go through in daily basis—generosity, loving kindness, gratitude, greed, anger, fear, desperation, etc, they are all in us. Just that sometimes one face is more obvious than the other, but we all are divine as well as demon. However, if we can tune ourselves into the wisdom of Time, and know how to act accordingly, then one day we become one with God in times to come, that which is the supreme goal of human spirit to be united with the Highest Power. Union with God, small self becoming big Self, that is the actual meaning, the highest form of Yoga we can achieve; yoga means union, to bring together of body, mind and spirit with breath through which means we become united with God. Since we have entered in the path of yoga, why not aim for the highest? Through the daily, weekly sweats we perspire, thought you are just trying to shed some weights or stresses, in fact, you are becoming that much close to God. I bow down to the eternal being in you, God, Namaste!

P.S. If you wish to find out about yourself, your jyotish and Time, to have better understanding of your past, present, and future life, you are most welcomed to contact me.