The Three-Year Hill

A long time ago in a village, there was a ridge called Three-Year Hill.  Legend had it that if someone fell from the hill he would live only three more years, so that's how the ridge got it's name.  Since nobody like the ideas of crossing the hill, they all took a detour.

One day, an old man who had visited a village on the other side of hill was coming back late at night.  With some reluctance, he decided to cross the ridge.  He walked cautiously, but because he was very nervous, he soon lost his footing and fell down the hill.  He sat there stunned for a long time before going home.

After that, he fell into a deep depression because he knew his life would be over in three years.  He lost his appetite and became weaker and weaker, until he was finally bed-ridden.  A very clever body who live next door heard the old man's story and visited him.

"Sir, don't worry.  I have a great idea."
"What do you mean?  I only have three more years to live.  What great idea could you possible have?"
"You should go back to the Three-Year Hill and fall down again."

The old man listened in disbelief.  Reaching to beat the boy with his wooden pillow, he yelled,
"What?  Are you kidding?  Do you want me to die tomorrow morning?  Get out of my house now!"

The boy tried very patiently to explain, "Listen, sir--"
"Stop this!  Get out!"
"Sir, listen.  If you fall down the hill, you will live only three years.  Am I right?"
"So what?" asked the old man.
"Then, if you fall there twice, you can live six more years.  If you fall three times, it totals nine years.  So if you fall down ten times, you can live 30 more years.  Doesn't that make sense to you?"

At last, the old man understood the wise words of the boy.  He sprang from his bed, ran up Three-Year Hill, and rolled down.  And he did it again and again.  After that, he lived a long, happy life.

Moral of the story:  What we believe becomes the truth.  The truth that was not tested but followed blindly becomes dogma of which will kill us sooner or later. How about you?  What is your truth in life?  Do you prefer to follow dogma blindly, the way of others doing things?  Or are truthful person who would like to follow the path that are not familiar but willing to explore with an open heart?

The path full of rules and dogma will deliver us fear, pain, anguish, and unhappiness that will curtail our well-being and happiness in life.

The path filled with healthy faith and truth, will relieve any sufferings that are imposed upon by others as well as us, thus leading us a life that will amplify our well-being and happiness and life span.

Wesak Day is around the corner.  The Shakhyamuni Buddha's life  was the shining example of someone who upheld the Truth beyond the three worlds. And elevated the mankind into different levels, from suffering to happiness, from ignorance to engligntenment by setting direct example with his own lif.

Though you might or might not be a buddhist, but I still like to you wish you all Truth and Enlightenment in the years to come.  

Happy Wesak Day!

 

Chicken or Eagle

There was a farmer who had chicken in his backyard.  And then, there was a chicken that was a little odd looking, but he was a chicken.  It behaved like a chicken.  It was pecking away like other chickens.  It didn't know that there was a blue sky overhead and a glorious sunshine.

One day a learned man was passing by the farm.  He saw the odd looking chicken.  
Then he said to the farmer, "Hey, that's no chicken.  That's an eagle."  But, the farmer said, "Um, um, no, no, no man.  That's a chicken; it behaves like a chicken."

And the man said no; give it to me please.  And he gave it this knowledgeable man.  And this man took this strange looking chicken and climbed the mountain and waited until sunrise.  And then he turned this strange looking chicken towards the sun and said, 

"Eagle, fly, eagle."  And the strange looking chicken shook itself, spread out its pinions, and lifted off and and soared and soared and flew away, away into the distance.  

God says to all of us, you are no chicken; you are an eagle.  Fly, eagle, fly.  And God wants us to shake ourselves, spread our pinions, and then lift off and soar and rise, and rise toward the confident and the good and the beautiful.  Rise towards the compassionate and the gentle and the caring.  Rise to become what God intends us to be--eagle, not chickens.

(Desmond Tutu, cleric, activist, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate)

One of my favorite yoga poses is "Garudasana--eagle pose". 

Garuda is a divine bird, the Lord Vishnu's carrier, with the head, wings, talons and beak of an eagle and the body and limbs of a man, which why the pose is commonly referred to as eagle pose.

As you stay balanced with one leg wrapped over the other, and both arms tightly interwind each other in front of you...it's pretty much challenging, not to sway hither-thither, not to mention about the fast beating heart and rapid breaths.  In no time, you are drenched with sweats dripping all over your face, body and the floor.  And yet, when you undo the tanglings of the limbs...there is a certain sense of satisfaction and relief boosting your confidence levels...

That's why, if you can master this pose after the initial awkard hesitations and fallings...Garudasana not only, strengthens and stretches the ankles and calves and improving balance, but also, opens up your heart to soar toward the sky!  You realize that, you are no timid chicken who keeps looking down, but instead, an eagle, with gigantic wings and sharp gaze to be able to fly far and wide into the vast sky.  What a freedom to break free of all the limitations of chicken that was imposed by others as well as ourselves....!!!

Let's remind ourselves one more time...our God given identity...we are no chicken, but an eagle!!!

The Grumbler

Once upon a time, there was a man who was very proud of himself.  He had a habit of grumbling at whatever he saw.  For instance, when he looked at the mountain, he would say, "Why must a mountain be so high that we have trouble climbing it?" 

When he looked at the dirt, he said "God is so strage.  Why did he make soil to get our clothes dirty?"

The man always had a grievance against everything.  One day as he was taking a walk, he stopped to rest under an oak tree.  There was a house nearby, whose roof was covered with gourds.  Looking at the gourds on the roof, he said, "Why did God let such big, round gourds hang on such thin vines?  He is really strange."

As he was grumbling an acorn fell and hit his head and he rubbed the painful spot.  Then all of a sudden he clapped his hands and shouted joyfully, "A-ha!  God is very wise!  If there were gourds on the acorn tree, my head would have been split in two.  But he only let small acorns grow on the tree, so I was saved."  From then on, the man was a generous person and never complained anymore....


Hello my dear Yogis and Yoginis! 

Here is a story from Korean folklore for you.  
I'm sure none of you are this sort of a grumbler, despite your hectic daily ins and outs.  
Still...if you find yourself weighed down heavily by all those things that fills your days and time endlessly...

Here is the reminder for you to Breathe....breathing in...pause...breathing out...longer pause...again...breathing in...pause...breathing out...and even longer pause....

There you go....you find yourself already feeling much better...
One more reminder...don't forget to smile...never grumble...

Then...you can become the angel like the man in the story!

Please check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40DykbPa4Lc  just for laugh!!!

Who will pass this “find a daughter-in-law” test?

Long ago, in a village of Korea, a rich, wise old woman had a son who was in a marriageable age.  With his parents’ riches behind, this handsome man was a target of every marriageable girl in the village.  But the old lady wasn’t into any conventional types of match making for her son.  She wanted a daughter-in-law who is capable of carrying on the legacy of the family, not just a pretty face or impressive family background.

One day she put up a test in the village notice board, 

“Whomever can live one month with 1 kg of rice, together with a maid, in an isolated hut, will be chose to be my daughter-in-law!” 

Of course almost all the girls in the village applied for the contest.  They tried to save rice as much as possible: some cooked very water porridges and eat it every other day.  But no matter how much they tried to save, because there were two persons (with the maid), sooner or later they ran out of rice.  They then lived only on water for some time, but soon all of them starved and had to be carried out in carriages long before the one-month deadline.

Then came this plumb girl with a not-so-pretty look but pleasant manners.  As soon as she entered the hut, she cooked a very handsome meal and dessert by using the whole 1 kg rice and ate sumptuously with the maid.  After that she ordered the maid to go around the neighbors to take orders for work—washing, sewing, cooking…she worked together with the maid and got paid in return.  Then she bought themselves more food for good meals.  Because she was reliable and hardworking, there were more and more work that poured in.  She was busy but could afford the best meals every day.  By the month end, she not only survived with a mere 1 kg of rice, but also has some savings for the household.  Of course, she became the daughter-in-law of this rich family.

This is a story I read when I was a child and somehow it stays in my memory until now.  Most of us are used to think in a linear way in solving life’s puzzles—if you follow A way, you will get B result or try C way, then D result…etc.  We faithfully try A, expecting B result, but sometimes get C, D or completely different Z result.  Then what do we do?  We get unnerved and complain of unfairness in life.  But to whom are we demanding fairness, and will life always be fair and even?  In reality, life is unpredictable and things or events seldom unfold according to our wishes.  But living does not stop just because it didn’t turn out to be the way our small minds have hoped for.  

Therefore, we need to adopt much flexibility in our attitudes if we do not want to waste our efforts and live in vain.  By adopting an open mind, you can see far and wide, thereby increasing efficiency in your action.  Let’s not be like the many narrow-minded village girls who starved themselves on porridges, but learn to be productive and creative like this heroic daughter-in-law.  Beauty fades, but being dumb is forever!

Grateful for just the way it is

I am not sure how many people have noticed that, of recently, the Yoga Studio has gone under some face lift.  Obvious change is the mirrors in the pillars.  Other than that…?  Not sure of what? 

Yes…not many have noticed the changes, except two persons.  The first was ML, who has notice the studio somehow brighter, but couldn’t tell exactly of what (the dead celling lights were replaced).  The second was Mr. Siau, who has immediately noticed the studio walls that were repainted, despite of the same color as before.  Other people…were too busy to rush in and rush out of the yoga classes, to notice or catch any changes in the surroundings…

The daily heavy downpours for the last few months brought the yoga studio some serious damages.  The cracks on the rooftop and window panels were inviting rain waters to the walls and wooden floors.  So the walls and pillars were showing ugly water stains with molds, and the floors were getting lifted off. 

Being Malaysia as you all would agree…the rooftop and wall leaking in buildings are quite common problem.  So I didn’t want to bother the landlord in every rainwater drips that was there whenever it rains heavily over the years.  But this time, it was getting too much.  So I called the landlord who is living in another state.   He knew of the leaking problem and he was planning to do major job to repair the roof once the rain stops.  However the sky didn’t seem to dry up with so much rains.  Seeing the studio walls and floor from prolonged rain…he apologized profusely. 

He immediately put himself in action with his contractor brother-in-law and very expensive waterproof painting from Singapore.  They couldn’t wait till the rain stop any longer, so they were working in-between-dry-sky over the last few weeks.  After that, they repainted almost whole walls and ceilings inside the studio, from landlord’s pocket, which is not small sum.  I am grateful for the landlord’s kindness generosity, though I am not quite sure whether it was his normal responsibility as the building owner.  Even if it is, it doesn’t matter.  I am still immensely grateful to him to make the studio so clean and nice.  The lights fix and mirrors are from my own pockets.

So that is why, the studio got fresh look like a new, though many might have felt the lighter moods even if they didn’t express it. 

It’s so encouraging, to know there are still good people in the world like my landlord, unlike some other ugly rich ones, who genuinely care for the tenant’s agony like their own affairs.  People say, it’s a dog-eat-dog world.  But, I find it otherwise.  There are still so many good people are out there.  The four instructor-trainee gals are another ones, who all are looking to do some good in caring for others despite their full spectrum careers.  And the many yoga students and friends from the past years till present, who were so supportive, kind, loyal and trusty, to this foreign origin… 

I do not know what kind of a person I would have ended up, if I haven’t met all these wonderful people through the yoga center.  I will be as bitter as the dried water tap like the Ampang people experiencing it right now. When I first came in Malaysia in 1997, I lived with a dried tap for 6 months because of the Commonwealth Game then.  The government was reserving water in our area for the Games.  It was a living hell then, for entire the first year.  I had gone through some serious depression and soul searching.  What pulled me out of the dark tunnel was Yoga…

So I feel particularly grateful for my landlord this year in making my yoga studio afresh, to remind me of those beginning years in Malaysia that I felt so touched by many kind gestures of friends who helped me to feel belong here. 

What are you grateful for today, this year?  Of lately I am seeing increasing number of cancer patients around me… to remind me stay ever grateful for life and good health and good company.  Maybe you could also start to feel grateful if you aren’t sure of what the New Year is holding it in front of you…

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, and confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”   ----Melody Beattie

The Five Monks

 An urgent call came to the great Lama of the North from the Lama of the South asking for a wise and holy monk to initiate the novices in the spiritual life.  To everyone's astonishment, the Great Lama sent five monks instead of one.  To those who inquired he said cryptically, "We will be lucky if one of them gets to the Lama."

The group had been on the road some days when a messenger came running up to them and said, "The priest of our village has died.  We need someone to take his place."  The village seemed a comfortable sort of place and the priest's salary was a handsome one.  One of the monks was seized with pastoral concern for the people.  "I should not be a Buddhist," he said, "if I did not stay on to serve these people."  So he dropped out.

Some days later they happened to stay at the palace of a king who took a fancy to one of the monks.  "Stay with us," said the king, "and you shall marry my daughter.  And when I die, you will succeed to the throne."

The monk was attracted to the luster of kingship, so he said, "What better way to influence the people of this kingdom than to become a king?  I should not be a Buddhist if I did not seize this opportunity to server the interests of religion."  So he dropped out too.

The rest of the group went on their way and one night, in a hilly region, came upon a solitary hut that was occupied by a pretty girl who offered them hospitality and thanked God for having sent the monks to her.  Her parents had been murdered by mountain bandits and the girl was all alone and full of anxiety.  Next morning, when it was time to leave, one of the monks said, "I shall stay with the girl.  I should not be a Buddhist if I did not practice compassion."

The remaining tow finally came to a Buddhist village and found, to their horror, that all the village had abandoned their religion and were under the sway of a Hindu theologian.  One of the monks said, "I owe it to these people and to the Lord Buddha himself to stay on here and win them back to the faith."

The fifth monk eventually got to the Lama of the South.

We had a wonderful New Year gathering last night in Titirat's house.  Her house was so beautiful and clean, like a resort in Thailand.  Her cooking and hospitality was superb like a first class Thai restaurant.  These four gals are the yoga instructor trainees; all with superb qualities of hearts and zeal for life.  Their smiles are radiant...every time this kinds of company, smiles, sharing...make our life so rich and worthwhile.  I hope we all can rejoice more of this kinds genuine and warm relationships in otherwise our so dull and flat-tire kinds of daily living...

I have trained quite numbers of yoga instructors previously too...but I don't know where all they went, except Wee Vien and Angie...we had such good times too while the trainings were on...but life is such, there are always unforeseen challenges, changes keep coming up to be able to live our inspirations fully.  But what to do.  That's life, constant flux of coming and going...wherever they are, whatever stage they are going through in their life, I just wish they are all fine and occasionally would remember those good days like this one...Happy New Year to all my previous yoga trainee gals, too!!

That is Fullness, this is fullness

“That is Fullness.  This is fullness.  From Fullness this fullness comes about.  Bringing this fullness from Fullness, Fullness alone remains.  Om Peace Peace Peace”

“Om puramadah purnamidam purnatpurnamudacyate Purnasya purnamadaya purnamevavasisyate  Om santih santih santih”

During graduate school days, we were asked to memorize this Sanskrit verses and recite it all the time.  As you will try to repeat yourself…you also realize it doesn’t make sense at all what that means.  Yes, it was same to me as well.  I didn’t understand the meaning but nonetheless I memorized it and recited it every now and then. 

That was some twenty years ago. 

Though I didn’t fully understand its meaning at that time, somehow I liked its intonations and rhythms to stay deep in my awareness till now.  Out of blue, it just pops out at the tip of my tongue or on the surface of immediate thoughts on many occasions.

That is to say, I now understand better, though not fully, its meanings and its implicit beauty…

I used to have this compulsive habit, that is, to organize things around me.  I can’t stand messiness.  I need to see things put into proper places and stay that way nice and neatly. 

Not only with things but with my thoughts and others’ thoughts.  I can’t stand if my thoughts are not organized, not in accord with my actions; the more so with others.  I will easily flip if I see somebody is so messy in their thoughts, not keeping their words to say one thing and do another. 

I would go very restless if I can’t expect certain outcomes, the path is not clear, or when it turns out completely different than what I had prepared or predicted…(this tendency is from my father, who was razor sharp punctual in his every words and actions for all his life.)

But then, living in Malaysia for more than 15 years…changed all that.  You deal with so imperfect chaos in every aspects of life.  Traffic horrors is one thing, fluctuating weathers, my computer and internet modems that got burn by thunders so few times, endless episodes with immigrations, government offices, in-laws, the neighbor who keep ten over cats, another neighbor who covers their grass with green net to prevent the cats peeing over it, and another who let the house alarm ring for half an hour every afternoon just to check whether its working…

You see…isn’t it so imperfect world to live in??? But, what to do…that’s the way it is…life in Malaysia and how the people are…because they are so imperfect, it’s so beautiful and fun place to live at the same time.  Thus as time goes on, I find myself enjoying life more and more in this not-so perfect, and yet, so perfectly humane country.  (This is fullness, that is Fullness….)

I used to complain easily at seeing others not quite perfect, at the injustice of the world around me, and I would rile against tyranny.  But that habit of complaining and riling for every little, little things, made me very sad and weak.  It robbed me of energy to focus on more positive values.  In the end, I saw that the key to everything is to surrender.  I can fix myself but not others, not much else. 

We cannot go beyond our circumstances, people around us, while criticizing its faults, for they serve us, as all restriction does.  To go beyond this plane, we first have to be able to accept it as is, and see beauty within it, no matter what.  We have to see it as perfect in its imperfection.  Then we can develop the spiritual maturity to leave things as they are, understanding that there is a greater knowing here that seeks balance, and it knows what it is doing.

Once we accept life without struggling against it, we can see that everything serves us in one way or another.  A lousy mean helps us appreciate and remember a good meal.  A defeat strengthens us for the next victory.  If we try not to quantify and judge things and accept them as part of our overall experience, then only we can become mature.  All of a sudden that power that should have been ours from the beginning is returned to us as a calm individuality—a creative stillness that allows us to be.  Acceptance unshackles us from the restraints that we have created for ourselves, and it allows us to explore inside our own individuality.

Thus I just want to say a big thank you to you all, how perfect friends you all are for all these years…and I wish you all a very Happy New Year and be the Perfect Being as you were in the year 2013 too!

A gift to you all, a Perfect Mandala drawn by our trainee instructor Yuen….

With love and friendship,

Beth.

Each day as a prayer, each day as an offering, and each day as a blessing...

I have just finished doing 108 times sun salutation.  It’s like as though I came back home after long, long journey…very sweaty and sticky, and whole body muscles are pulsating like fine ripples in a quite lake.  The heartbeat is surprisingly settled, the mind is lucid clear, and the emotion quietly surging upward with indescribable feelings of lightness, happiness and joy.

Then I remember our old yoga buddies in the Bukit Jalil center with whom we used to enjoy doing 108 times of sun salutation.  They were all in their 50s and 60s.  At first, they would get frightened (?) whenever I say “how many times of sun salutation should we do today?”  I would assure them that it’s okay to stop anytime whenever they need to.  Then as we go along, no one will stop but manage to finish till the end.  Then we would flat out in Savasana for 10 minutes or so, all sweaty and sticky, but, beaming with pride and healthy smile… 

That was heaven on earth.  That was one of those precious moments in life where we could be so satisfied, so content and so complete with just the way we are, just the way our life is. 

Then, life has to move on.  Nothing last forever and nothing can stay the same.  I moved to Putra Heights, and all those good and old Yoga buddies who felt so connected with each other, every time after sweating tons…I am not sure where they all have gone, while I am here, how they are over there…but I am sure they are doing fine and living each day as busy as they were before.

As for me, over the course of continuing this yogic path as a teacher at the same time as a student of Tao, I too go through fluctuation of good and bad days; good and fragile health, up and down mood of emotional swing, positive or negative spirals of inspiration.  While we are in the motion of riding those perpetual waves of changes, challenges, tasks that our life present, it’s so easy to forget the Big Picture feeling most miserable and constrained in the situations, caught up in the small minds.

But, like today, if I happen to remember after good dose of sweating and breathings, then, I realize the heaven is not far away.  It is always right at the tip of our nose, up and down…breathing in, breathing out…but we forget so often…

However as long as I am continuing the journey in this path, I have a place to come back home, the sanctuary in my heart, that I can count each day as a prayer, each day an offering, and each day as a blessing…

How about you?  Would you like to join me in the routine of 108 sun salutation?  You too will be able to find your heaven on earth…

Being Courteous Makes One A Better Person

By Edwin Lee (14 years old)

Being courteous makes one a better person, that is definitely true. As the saying goes, “courtesy is a way of life,” one should be courteous to all that surrounds you, as with each good deed one does, he/she will find that he/she can enjoy a better life.

Being a courteous person does not mean one has to constantly do good merits in order to be courteous. Being courteous is when you can spare a bit of your time to someone, and help them; for example, if you are rich, you can help the poor, if you are poor, you can help those in need, if you are neither rich or poor, you can give support to those who need it. No matter what sort of limitation one has, he/she can always be courteous. Donating to charity does not automatically mean one is courteous, as it is the thoughts of that person that decides whether he is courteous or not. If he is donating merely to earn praises from the public, in the end, this counts simply as self-contentment. However, if he harbors the thoughts of wanting to help others, he/she can, or will be considered a courteous person.

There are many things one can do to be courteous, such as helping an old lady crossing the street, or helping someone with their grocery shopping. Being courteous can often have unexpected results on a person. An example of the event is the following story:

“There was once a selfish man that lived on the outskirts of a village. He rarely went into the village. On rare cases that he did, he only went to the market, bought what he needed, and stomped off. During one of his trips to the market, a beggar approached him and begged for some money. This selfish man, being the selfish person that he was, gave a hard kick to the beggar, and walked off. Little did he realized that this selfish act had been witnessed by the local paper boy, and upon seeing this, ran off to tell everyone in the village. The next day, the selfish man went to the market as he had not finished his shopping the day before. Upon his arrival, every single house shut their doors and windows, and every street vendor chased him away, refusing to sell him anything. This went on for quite some time. One evening, while rocking his rocking chair, he realized that, perhaps, it was his selfish attitude that caused the recent discrimination. So he set a goal for himself that, for an entire day, he would try to be kind. He went to the market the next day and got the usual treatment from the villagers. He saw the beggar whom he kicked the other day, and without a word, gave him RM 5. The beggar’s expression changed from shock to joy in an instant. The selfish man suddenly experienced an unusual but comforting feeling deep in his heart. He liked this feeling, and throughout the whole day, did every single courteous act there was to be. The unusual feeling the selfish man experienced grew into a feel that he cherished like never before. And day by day, the selfish man’s personality changed completely. He no longer was the selfish man everyone knew. He became a courteous man and everyone liked him.”

As one can easily see from the story, a simple act of courtesy changed this man’s attitude completely. So courtesy is really a way of life and in the end, through some unorthodox acts, one’s life can change for the better.

P.S: The above essay won the third place in his school’s essay competition that was held on the spot without prior announcement. I thought I would like to share it with my readers, as it amazed me how young children are often our real life teachers to us adults with their innocent heart and the right understanding about the way life is.

What do you wan to be when you grow up?

Just the other day, one of my former yoga students who has an active toddler boy, called me for Chinese New Year greeting. We exchanged few pleasantries catching up our missing times since her pregnancy a couple years back. While we were talking, she jokingly mentioned that her previous ambition to have five children still remained, but since she is not so young now (36 years old, a Tiger), she will just have to surrender to God for whatever He can give. Meanwhile they are aiming for a Tiger baby born of a Tiger mother this year. We laughed and hung up the phone after wishing her good luck.

Maybe it’s not only her but all girls’ dream is to have many children in their life if conditions and circumstances allowed. I too used to joke of having five children to make each one a lawyer, a doctor, a politician, a businessman and an artist—thus covering all my unfulfilled dreams of what I wanted to become when I grew up. As fate would have it, I married late and got busy with life and ended up with only one kid, instead of five. But I still love children and admire those who have many because they are such a bundle of joy at the same time, real life teachers to us.

As any parents would agree, it is never easy to raise kids since they demand of us endless sacrifices and patience. It’s also true that despite such enormous challenges, we will do anything for them, with whatever it takes, to make them happy and well. The sweats and toils of parenthood are nothing compare to what they bring to us --- unconditional love, pure happiness and sheer joy. They make any parent very proud and mellow, to look forward to their fine future with love and hope.

Unfortunately, as great as our love for them is, so are our expectations of them. In our overzealousness to give them the best, we sometimes forget how much is too much or how little is too little. Over pampered kids screaming and running around in a department store is one common sight these days. Hyperactive kids who constantly harass parents, teachers and friends, increasing number of kids with ADD and autism are common behavioral disorders in children. Even among the normal children, many silently suffer from high stress and anxiety attacks due to heavy school works, various tuitions and various talents classes.

Given the chance to grow in their own time and space, I believe that all children will eventually know exactly what they want and what’s best for them, because all children are whole and magical when they’ve decided to come to inhabit the earth. It is us adult that don’t see the wholeness and magic because we’ve imposed our perception of what’s best on them. Children are naturally genius (ie genii, magical), creative and wise. It has been consistently proven that a child learns best while playing and having fun, by mimicking the world around them with natural movements and creative imaginations. Their untainted minds are like a plain clear canvas, and only they can draw and paint anything they like. Parents only need to create the space and time for this to happen.

Increasingly we see many of our children grow up in a cloistered and hurried environment -- in the securely guarded house, in the car, in the school, tuition centers etc. Unfortunately these children quickly lose their ability to dream and eventually become small adults. However, we all love to see children with their uninhibited carefree spirit, silvery laughter and natural joy. I wonder why so many parents have forgotten this simple truth.

Recently, it has been found that yoga can be of great help for children in their early formative years. It increases their self-awareness, builds their self-esteem, and strengthens their bodies. Creative, fun and playful Yoga exercises increase energy as they release tension. It helps children by improving their flexibility, motor-skills, body image, memory and self-confidence. Yoga also enhances children’s concentration and improves patience. Yoga is a time-tested science of movement. Many of the postures are names inspired from nature. Some are named after animals, such as the cobra, cats and dogs. Some postures are called mountain, tree and lotus. Through various yoga playful exercises, these postures regulate the child’s brain and nervous system, making the child naturally vibrant and happy, and helping them to grow up as a healthy and whole person. As parents, we want to create the space and time for natural unfolding of genius, just as the cocoon cannot be forced, but to be allowed, to become a butterfly.

If you are and interested in KidsYoga, don’t miss out on the March intake as the seats are limited to ensure quality attention to each child.

Announcement:

1. KidsYoga for Fun and Play (new intake from 6th march 9.30am)

2. Free Yoga Walk for Better Health and Posture.
Every Sunday 6.30—8am, the north Badminton court in Section 7

3. Monthly Wellness Program (based on Chinese Medicine and Yoga therapy)

What's in the name?

My father belongs to the old Korean generation who believed daughters are liability in the household. Thereby having three daughters in a row after losing his first eldest son to a mysterious fever, was not exactly happy thing for him, especially in securing the ancestry line as the eldest son himself. According to our folklore superstition, giving humble names to the proceeding girls will ensure the birth of a boy later. So he just did that. He named his first daughter with the commonest suffix of “Ja” and the second daughter, which is me, with the second commonest one “Sook.” “Bong”, which means “phoenix” in Chinese character, is the shared middle name, thus Bong-Ja and Bong-Sook is our name that sounded pretty outdated even in my generation.

Much to his disappointment, though, the next one also was a girl. My good natured father, by then, didn’t have the heart to simply name her with yet another common one. So he gave her a very pretty and different name than us, Soo-Kyung, even skipping the “Bong” as the middle character. Yes, after that, he finally got a son, our younger brother. Of course, he was an exception. He got his name from an astrologer, instead of our father, after having done professional consultation. In fact he has two names, one for the formal and another for the nickname.

But strangely our not-so-affectionate father somehow dotted the third daughter, not the son. While we were growing up, father’s favorite was my younger sister. He will remember only her birthday, not even mother’s, and sneak presents or stipends to her occasionally. He was rather indifferent to the rest of us but nevertheless he was a quietly loving father that we didn’t really make a fuss out of his slightly extra affection toward her, except with the names, for me.

I was not proud of my name neither my elder sister’s because they sounded so country girls and old fashioned. I often accused him of naming us so insincerely. I forgot what his reaction was but surely he didn’t feel guilty at all nor my elder sister ever complained about it. It was only me, the second daughter, who was grumpy and unhappy with it all along. But one day years later, it changed for better after I discovered what was in the name. I came to read about a legendry bird called “Bong”; the same character of my name, from the Chinese classic “Zhuang-zi.”

In the tale that was told,

“There is a fish called Kun in the Northern Ocean, which measures several thousand li (1 li is about 1 kilometer) in length. One day, it suddenly changed itself into a bird called Bong whose back measures several thousand li in breadth. The Bong took wind and flew up to 90,000 li in the sky. From high up in the air, the Bong looked down and everything appeared indistinct. The hills, rivers and cities were no longer visible. The Bong gazed upwards and saw endless expanses. It became one with heaven and earth. The expansive mind must be limitless like Bong so that it is not rooted in the mundane. Only when one views things from the standpoint of time and space, then there will be oneness with all things.”

You see, it suddenly made sense to me why I had this unworldly and wondering nature. As far as I can remember I was always looking for something beyond from where I was. There seemed to me somewhere else place I needed to go. Either lying down in the field with my dreamy eyes following the floating clouds in the sky or standing at the corner of a wall watching people passing by… in retrospect, I think I was like a bird in the cage wanting to fly, to find freedom, to find my own place where I could feel belong…

Unlike my younger sister or friends, I seldom played any dolls or those children’s games. Neither my elder sister did. My elder sister was a more sadistic one than me. I don’t remember her ever playing or laughing. She was serious, studious and exposed herself early on different religious teachings, especially on Buddhism. I was not. I was a dreamer and an adventurer. I often checked out myself into some unknown place in the sky as though looking for the many gods described in the Greek mythologies. The Apollo in the chariot led by many horses passing by the glaring midday Sun, the long black haired Hades quietly sneaking around in the darkness of nights, and the almighty Zeus with the terrible thunderbolts in stormy summer, following behind the Narcissi who was in love with himself…

Could it be the name thing? Or are our fates related with our names? Eventually my elder sister settled in far away land Russia with her priest husband. I settled in where I am and with what I am doing right now. My younger sister never went out of the country but lives close with father after marrying into a large family. When I met my then future hubby who is a serious Taoist scholar, he interpreted my name as “a phoenix living by the spring water in a forest.” Then, it sounded even better. Added together with my Pisces sun sign and natural temperament to reflect in solitude, I realized that it was a perfect name for me all along. “Beth” is the nickname my hubby gave me to strengthen some of the weakness that he found from my birth data according to his Taoist Almanac calculation.

I doubt my father might have picked the name after reading the Zhuang-zi but it didn’t matter anymore. The story of the mysterious legendry bird Bong appealed to me now. Like him, maybe my elder sister and I also were eying on the expansive universe that exists beyond this ordinary world we are in. I likened myself to the fish waiting to get transformed to a great big bird, so that I could one day fly high up and become one with the great universe. Imagining myself a phoenix in the making, helps me greatly in setting my life direction thus far, especially when challenges of life are overwhelming at times. I would remember the magnificent bird who needs to bear considerable amount of time to transform itself from a fish, and exert great strength to fly high so that it can spread its huge wings in the vastness of the sky… then, I can easily find my composure and serenity.

Yes, in this fast moving modern era, cultivating infinite patience to keep one’s dream high and alive is much challenging task because everybody else seems so busy to achieve, accumulate and consume… Zhuang-zi advised us to be like a floating tweak in water, going around the rocks and trees in the streams and rivers, eventually to flow into the ocean. I find it is not easy matter, however. Learning how to flow with the currents of water without resisting, keeping my lucid idealism up without getting caught up in the crazy market places of insane materialism and corrupt spiritualism… But then, what I can’t give up is the dream I held for so long, the longing in my heart for some place ethereal and out worldly. I do not believe our life meant to be just this ordinary, wasting in never ending pursuits of sensual gratifications only while forgetting to live our hopes, dreams and visions with focus and efforts.

Maybe I am still a hopeless dreamer to insist my own place, my own styles, and doing my own things in my own phase. I try to teach people to slow down, to take time nurturing one’s strength and polishing one’s dream before rush out with desires and impulses. I hate to see people bringing their own downfall sooner or later. By doing so, I am living my own name and at the same time helping others to live their own name because it is often the case that one’s name reveals the true nature and purpose of their life. Do you know what is in your name? Maybe you want to look into it if you haven’t? You might be surprised to find out how much it holds the key in achieving your lifelong dream of happiness and purposeful living…

Water Color Paintings in My Heart

When I was small, one of the things I liked to do was drawing. But then, my mother didn’t approve of my endless scribbling as she thought I was wasting precious papers. So instead I started to draw imaginary water color paintings in my heart with the clouds in the sky. I loved to dream and describe my feelings in writing in the secret diaries only to tear away soon after I’ve outgrown the intensity of each emotion. And yet, I still managed to keep some of my buried artistic abilities because I often hear that I am a good story writer. Am I?? Maybe yes, maybe not. What I think I am really good at it is drawing water color like paintings with our common human emotion in the heart so that we can see the beauties from our seemingly insignificant or ordinary every day ins and outs. Life seems so colorless and flat without adding some flavors with our imaginative creativity.

I just came back from the 3-days of meditation retreat lead by Bhante Kovida, the monk whom I’ve met years ago. He is a Canadian-Jamaican monk in Theravada tradition who loves to travel around the world especially the South East regions of tropical countries. I met him when I was going through one of the most difficult time period. Inspired by the meeting with him that happened in a totally unexpected way, I learned much and came to term with many issues in life that were uncertain and unresolved previously. When I got to know of him back and were to lead the retreat, I immediately signed up for it and off I went.

Was it he or me? I am not sure. But certainly we both have changed much since. He had become like a laughing Buddha constantly laughing and giggling energetically while leading the retreat. I have become much more receptive and empty-minded that I could flow together with focused relaxation, quiet eagerness and great enjoyment during the entire retreat. I could experience timelessness, spaciousness and complete present awareness. More than anything, I could see my thoughts and able to step aside from it, thereby experiencing blissful ‘sati’ ‘awareness of present moment’ and how to attain or live the freedom that I sought for so long. Then it dawned on me that the Yoga meditation teacher training course I took almost 20 years ago was just like this.

At that time, I was young, ignorant and going through much pains in life; thereby I wasn’t able to enjoy as much, though I did become better by the end of the course. This time, I was much different and I gained a lot more in just 3 days than last one that lasted for 6 months. But the patterns and conditions were so similar. Another striking realization was, in both cases, astrologically, it’s the Jupiter’s time I was going through, the planet responsible for my aptitude with teaching and learning spiritual lessons. How interesting, I thought.
He was often using stories to illustrate his points during the talks. One of the stories was about a tailor who kept dream of finding a bag of gold buried under a water fountain in a far away land from his home.

“After dreaming the same dream for many nights, he thought it must be true. So he set upon his travel miles away from where he was staying. After arriving in the town, he waited until everyone fall asleep in a full moon day just like the dream and started digging the largest water fountain with a shovel. After much digging, there was no gold to be found. So he dug some more fountains that were nearby, one by one. But there were no gold even after digging all the fountains in the beautiful garden of the town. After digging for whole night but still no signs of any gold, he was exhausted at the same time angry to himself to have come all the way just because of the stupid dream. Regretting and startled to realize what he has done to the beautiful gardens, he started run away before anyone wakes up to learn of his vandalism. Upon his way, he came across a mosque of which door was open as though welcoming him in. He let himself in and fell fast asleep in the prayer hall as he was so tired from the all night’s labor. While he was sleeping, a thief happened to come in and soon got chased by people and police. The tailor heard the all the noises and commotion but he couldn’t make himself get up as he was too exhausted. Not before long, the chief police officer seeing the sleeping tailor covered with dust and rag, thought he was also with the thief and about to arrest him together with the thief. In his shock after realizing what’s about to happen to himself, he still managed to beg for his innocence while relating his unbelievable stupid dream story to the chief officer. Seeing his dirty and sorry state, the chief felt a streak of compassion in his heart. So he told the tailor to go back and concentrate on his tailoring instead of committing such stupidity again to believe a mere dream, just like how he does. The chief told him that he also dreamt of a tailor who found gold in his own backyard but never believed such silly dream. Just be thankful of his safety and own life, the tailor rushed back to his hometown. In and out resuming his regular business again, he completely forgot about the chief officer’s dream for many days until one night he saw the full moon in the sky. Suddenly remembering the chief officer’s dream, he started to dig his own backyard surely to find a bag of gold buried under!!”

So the moral of story is you don’t have to travel far to find gold because it’s in our backyard, the monk and other retreat participants who enjoyed listening the story concluded.

I added to him, “but he still had to travel to find that out! He still had to go through the process!” “Yes, you are right, he had to travel!!”

That was the point. We still have to travel. We still have to go through the process even if we know the truth. After living this long, searching for Truth to understand life better, now I realize that we all already knew the truth deep in our heart; how to live the most out of our given life for maximum happiness and fulfillment. But we all have to go through the process, travel the journey so that we can appreciate what we already have in our home. People often strive far and wide in the pursuit of grander purpose and meanings of life. However we always have to come back right where we have started. The universal truth, whatever born will surely die one day, we come with empty hand and leave with empty hand…yes, they are all very true. But what is living? Not to become this and that, or, not to have this and that, but just to experience fullness and contentment in every step of our lives. So that we don’t leave with any regrets of not having started the journey out of fear or laziness or ignorance.

What are you looking for in life? What do you want from your life and how far are you willing to travel for that? Or you think you already have it or are already it? Fear of unknown, uncertainty and change…they always occupy the top list of our shortcomings in walking the journey of life. If I have known that it will take this long to realize the same truth I’ve learned twenty years ago, would I have started the journey in the first place? Yes I would. Again and again I would. Because in the process I have learned much and have become much more than before I started the journey. Most of all, I wouldn’t be here and now, sharing my passions and stories of life with you. And yet, nothing in me externally or internally has changed much. I am still the very same person who used to dream a lot and draw water color paintings in the heart out of my imaginations or stories I’ve heard. But then, one thing for sure, I have become much more patient, loving and compassionate than before. Of course, wiser as well. There is much more space and timelessness in me to hold more love, humanity, patience and wisdom. I also like myself much better than before because, now, there is a smile at the corner of my mouth of which I used to not have. I feel ever grateful with the life journey I am walking on because it presents me with endless lessons to enrich my life, your life and our lives. What else in life is there? Is there?

Story 21. Why not carry a candle to remove darkness?

I don’t like flipping through daily newspapers, TV or internet as there is more gloomy news than good ones. When I do that, I make sure I do the minimum, just to stay informed with the latest social development. But whatever I read or hear, I am not quiet sure as how true and reliable they are. Because if I were to take seriously of all that, then, it feels as if we are heading toward the doomsday in any time soon. Every day, everywhere, the media is so busy to stir up insecurity, provoke fear and manipulate power that which only increases the chain reactions of panic and tension in public. We human beings can’t thrive too well when functioning from fear, insecurity and threats. Under constant tensions and threats, we are likely to become more defensive and destructive than positive and optimistic.

The sole purpose of the media is just to provoke all kinds of fears, worries and insecurities in us as much as they can. The 99% of what they are reporting, circulating is all about problems and corruptions here, tragedy and disasters there, if not gossiping about the celebrities’ latest affairs or their yo-yo weights. The media just loves to offer us with a perpetual drip, drip of scary stuff. They have the scoop on the latest threat; and they’re graciously letting us know, offering advice, warning us, blah-blah-blah.

What do they get in return? They get to control us by playing our psychic and survival instincts, so that they can sell their agendas on behalf of the institutional powers they are representing; so that they get to manipulate us into buying whatever the dominant market forces might want to sell. Isn’t that a great pity to play the helpless puppets in their string? Isn’t that a waste of our time, precious life just to sit around feeling worried and scared all the time, instead of going out to see what else life has to offer? Is our life meant to do nothing but just to defend and prepare against any possible odds in life, like accidents, diseases, tragedy, robbery and cheats that which might or might not happen to us? I don’t think so. As Mark Twain said, 98% of our fears never come true.

Life meant to sustain itself to live, not to annihilate. It was never meant to be continual disaster and tragedy of one kind and another. When we open our eyes and hearts, there are so much goodness and beauty than those ugly things that the media not are reporting to us. Why are they doing that? It’s the game of control they play; gloomy news attracts more attention and it is easier to control people through fear rather than hope. They are out to increase their power and control by constantly reminding us with what is lacking and what we need to have more, rather than what we already have are enough and thereby need to share more with others, together to elevate the qualities of our lives and uplift our spirit to soar towards the highest and noblest causes.

It is our natural desire to be happy and well, and we deserve just that, to enjoy and to become the best we meant to be in life. While some say, there are so much evil, injustice and wrongdoings rampant in the world out there, and the global economic crisis is yet to hit our shore, how can we just sit and relax and take it easy? Then, what do they suggest instead? Up and down, wail and cry every time some bomb knocks off people in somewhere far off country, or go crazy together with volatile stock market? Or keep up with whatever they suggest, by buying this and that, by upgrading this and that, so that we can feel safe and secure, or work 24/7 not to get hit by retrenchment? I really don’t believe that is the way to counter life’s darkness that which will be always there as a part of package offered in the school of life we all have enrolled.

It is written in the Pantanjali Yoga Sutra that, when the negative feelings restrict us, the opposite should be cultivated. Why not inculcate the better habit of carrying a candle whenever you see darkness is looming? By nature, we are resilient beings, not much physically compared to the rest of mammals, but mentally and spiritually we are enormously strong. We are much more magnanimous beings than we know of, capable of gaining full enlightenment in this life time like the Buddha, Jesus, Socrates, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and many others who walked on the earth as we do. What is common in them? They all went against what their social conventions tried to sell it to them. They didn’t buy into it, neither fought; but simply acted accordingly what they felt right in their heart; they didn’t toil or struggle to standoff against the giant odds in their society. Instead they simply lived and did their own thing regardless of what others or authorities might say. They carried a candle to lighten up their life and others regardless of the wind or tornado. Why can’t we?

How? Be watchful of negative energy, bad people and all other kinds of basic do’s and don’ts to keep your family and you safe and healthy. But don’t become neurotic or go hysterical until you have to sleep with an electrical bat just in the case a thief comes in at night (my boy’s school friend who lives in a bungalow with bullet proof doors does that). Your very focus on the negative things in life, in fact, can backfire you like a powerful magnet, as we attract what we put our attention the most. Be vigilant but don’t forget to breathe and be serene. In challenging times like this, where goodness, kindness, and optimism seem so scarce to come by, why not you become the candle around your loved ones by refining and raising your energy levels?

Aching back and pain in the neck by too much sitting and fixation to computer? Don’t go to doctor. They will give you pills but will add that you have to exercise more. So step aside and stretch your body up and down and twist sideways. Do few up and down dog like how my naughty Doberman does when he is bored. Bloating tummy and gas in the afternoon? Don’t swallow pain killers. Sit with a straight back, be in the office, in the car or in the couch, adjust your shoulders and posture to be comfortable; and then, place your hands, one on the chest and one on the tummy; do the few deep breathing until you can feel the movements on your both hands, gently rising and falling together with the breaths. Don’t forget to squeeze your lower abdomen slightly at the end of each out-breath. Need to be calmer and cheer up? Don’t go to psychologist. Close your eyes (or half close if you have to pretend to work) with your attention between the eyebrows. Imagine little spark of light from there spreading, spreading its brightness to fill your whole body, to the whole room or office, even to your nasty bosses…and say to yourself, darkness is disappearing, darkness is disappearing, all there is light, all there is light…5 to 10 minutes would do. Everybody else in the world go crazy because they are so mental and stressful. I suggest you don’t buy into that. Trot along with your conscious breathing, upright posture and positive emotion. That is the candle we should not forget to carry with us wherever we are, whatever we are doing it. Then, you are safe. I guarantee. Cheers!

story 19. Make and Believe

Since small, I was never good at pretending something that I am not, nor do anything that I was not willing. My mother could never persuade me, the nerdy and obstinate little lot. I wouldn’t say I was stubborn but was definitely the typical-difficult second daughter in the row of three. There is an old saying in our culture. “First daughter is a treasure to the parents; she looks after house affairs like a second mother. Third daughter is the gem; you don’t even have to see her to marry. The second one? Hammed between the first and third, she has her mind of own. It’s best to leave her alone.”

My mother well abided in the saying. She didn’t bother me (though I was her favorite). My elder sister was always busy to help mother and take care of us. She was also the smartest in term of study. My younger sister was the friendly and sociable one. There was always someone calling at the gate to go out and play. The usual children’s games of make-believe or seek-hide, etc, didn’t appeal much to me, however. So I spent my time mostly alone, in my own head, occupied with reading or daydreaming.

When we did something wrong to make our mother angry, younger sister was always the one to escape first. She would immediately kneel down and beg for forgiveness. She seldom got cane while we were growing up. Myself? I got some. Being proud but not as tough like elder sister, I would refuse to beg at first but yielded soon after few canes. Elder sister was the real stubborn one like a bull. She would rather tolerate pain and bear mother’s anger until mother gave up. She got beaten a lot but it seemed she can take it all without grudges. She loved mother dearly and did all the work for her. Myself, occasionally and reluctantly would do; my younger sister almost never. She played the princess in the house.

Same parents, same upbringing… we all are turned up to be so different. We each chose our path, consciously or unconsciously, according to how our characters were, what expectations were put onto us. Younger sister married much earlier than me to a well-off family. Elder sister chose a staunch missionary husband to settle in the far off country of Russia, living the sacrificial life that their Lord called upon to them. I chose my own independent path because I had my own mind of being unorthodox. I was a bit of rebel, not externally but internally. Deep philosophical issues like life and death appealed me for such a young teen girl. Somehow I believed in certain universal power that I didn’t know what. Deep in my heart, there was the belief in the Universal Power that which governs and maintains our life and the entire universe in such a perfect harmony and orderliness. I wanted to find out what that was. I put myself the constant pressure that I had no idea of how and what. I made my belief in something that is so intangible and inconceivable that it became almost obsession.

My sisters and friends thought I was a weird-o. It didn’t bother me of what they think. The pain in my heart, not knowing how to get in touch with the Power, I just kept knocking my head here and there while they left me alone. It was good that they left me alone, or else I might have been ended up to be one of the obedient but frustrated housewives to a dominating Korean man that you see in Korean dramas from the Astro Channel 303. Then I would have never come out of the country nor have met you at all. By virtue of doing ‘soul searching’ from early in my life, I somehow managed to carve my life path different than the rest of my people, of which I like it much better than how I might have been otherwise.

Anyway, the certain belief in me, not imposed by others but by myself, led me to explore different religions, mysticism, philosophies or the various New Age stuffs, in attempt to understand my inner struggles. It seemed they were all pointing at the same thing, the universal Power, though they might call it differently according to their own religious terms or spiritual preference. But I was not yet fully convinced. After all I was the ‘second daughter’ who doesn’t easily make-believe with what others say. I got to find out myself with my own experience. Not stubborn but not easy to bully either. So I kept the world and people in distance until I could finally be convinced in the Truth. Some of you who knew me earlier might remember how cold and distant I looked in those days…Time is God and Life is the Teacher and People are our salvation.

It has been increasingly clear to me that there IS certain magnificent power in life that we owe our lives to, the invisible Power of the universe. Whether we are aware or not, the Power is always in work, that which has brought us into life and continuously looking after until we leave the earth. There was the connection I started to see between all of us and the Power. The presence of It became more obvious while living a family life as ordinarily as possible, teaching and relating with the people around me with what I believe in. I was not alone. I was not weird-o. They were also all looking for something but didn’t know where to turn. As I shared my experiences and understandings about the Power, it became even clearer that everybody instinctively agree upon the existence of the Power but do not know how to access or bring it to fully conscious level of awareness.

The sense of wonder when you look up to the night sky to discover the full moon following you around; the swelling joy and heartfelt pride when you saw your kid taking the very first step in his/her own…they are the glimpse of the Power. The morning breeze smelling of thunder and heavy down fall, the stray cat stealing foods from a alter outside of a neighbor, the little beautiful birds flying around in hubby’s orchid garden… they add such delicate ‘aha’ moments to the life’s magic and beauty. They are the taste of the Power. We meant to enjoy and treasure life in so far as our awareness is intact with It. When we lose that, we become bitter, isolated, confused and easy to feel meaningless with everyone, everything that we encounter. We endlessly complain, grumble and worry by picking on problems, imperfections rather than goodness, beauty. Then life becomes such ordinary, lackluster and burdensome. I don’t know about others but I can’t stand when life feels so monatomic. When I can sustain the presence of Power in me, then, there is aliveness, purpose, energy and direction.

The Power I believed in and searched for was, nothing sort of mysterious or miraculous like how I had imagined before. But it was the conviction, confidence and awakening to the inner power within me that we all owe life, to live somehow more magnificent, extra ordinary rather than small, ordinary. Due to our lack of ability to be aware, to see life as a whole in a bigger picture that it causes separation, segregation, misunderstanding and conflicts among us; but it’s not our real intention or nature to think and behavior otherwise. If we dive it a bit further, we can penetrate the layers, layers of restless body and mind, the thick slumbers of countless tendencies and ingrained habits, standing in the way of our better self. Given the choice, no one would like to live with the ugliness in us. We all have the choice to choose. We become what we believe in.

What do you believe you are and you should be? Anything that you want it to be. Make and believe. We have the power within us, but you have to be willing to tap into It. That takes some reconstruction and refinement of your belief windows if you weren’t in the habit of asking questions to Life until now. I believe living life should be much richer, joyful and extra ordinary experiences. We owe at least that much to our life to be happy and well, inwardly as well as outwardly.

Please come to the next Saturday presentation, 18^th April 2.30 – 4 pm; “Changing Your Life, Destiny and Fortune”. I am sharing the very secrets of ancient as well as modern real life hero’s discovery on how to access and utilize the Power to enrich our lives materially as well as spiritually. Everybody, whether or not you are current or old student, if you have come to read this story, then, we are connected in a very special way so that we can share this priceless life lessons and wisdom to grow together. Innocence is one of the best qualities that lead to the Truth that we all are searching for in life. Fear is the worst company you can live with in life. Thinking too much is a bad habit that must be counter-acted. So don’t hesitate too much on what I am up to but just come to hear nice stories in person. I will see you all that day without me sending anymore reminder emails.

Good day! Beth.

If you are new and wasn’t aware of my story postings in the Blog, please go to: www.bethsyoga.com.my to read more stores that I posted previously.

Story 18. The magic wand, "the purpose" of your life

Have you ever wondered “What is the purpose of life? What is the purpose of my life?”
I have. In fact, all the time. I searched high and low, trying to figure out how to make a sense out of this seemingly ordinary and uneventful life for as long as I can remember. I often wondered; what’s the meaning of all the hustle-bustles in life when nothing seem to be lasting forever. One day we all are going to disappear into thin air. Then, what’s point of being born, living in the first place? I struggled with my innate pessimism and lack of motivation as I wanted life to show me “the purpose” so that I can strive to live for better reason.

It was not until recently that it dawn on me, I WAS living the very life I sought for, though I was unaware at times. That’s when my 13 year-old asked me what my favorite book was in my growing up years. Yes. I loved reading story books when I was small, frequently venturing into the world of fantasy, adventures in my imagination. What I wanted was, a magic wand with the power to transform mine as well as others’ lives to something extra ordinary, from being ordinary and boring ones. I finally came to understand life by simply looking back my footsteps in the past that was stretched to the present and until the future.

One of my favorite books was “the adventure of Robinson Crusoe.” It is the story of a man who got stranded in an island in his youth, finding ways to survive alone for 30 over years before he finally returned to his homeland of Spain. (If you do not know the full story, you can borrow it from your children’s school library.) His lonesome adventure, in how he managed to learn all the life skills of farming, sowing, cooking and figuring out time, seasons, and others, somehow captured my young heart in a strange way. I read the book many times.

It dawn on me that the choices I made in my life were very much influenced by what those stories had formed in my young psychic, especially the adventure of Robinson Crusoe. Like him, I settled into a completely unknown land, away from home, culture and family; thereby learning all the life skills by my own of which I have never knew or trained before. How interesting! I realized that whatever impression that went into during our childhood, stores deep into our sub consciousness to manifest in strange ways later; thereby shaping our future, influencing the choices we make and the directions we take in life. We just don’t know or can’t foresee at that time.

In choosing the life path to tread on, consciously and unconsciously, I always chose the path of psychic forces, consciousness rather than conventional social and material realms. Of course, it was much more difficult than just going along with others as there was not much help or guidance, except the faint voice from my own heart. I asked the question of ‘why’ to life but it came back with my own echo not the clear-cut answer like mathematical formula. I had to fight my inner demons of doubts, uncertainty, fear and loneliness alone.

But then, I didn’t mind being lonely, facing difficulties or having to work hard to overcome challenges. What I could not stand was, giving up hope, the belief for a bigger, larger world than the earth plane; mystical and transcendental place that exists beyond this mundane plane; in where lights, goodness, peace, and selfless love are all abundant. I could not let the ugliness that I see in people and the world to overshadow my inner belief, and that life is somehow meant to be more beautiful, precious and unique experiences than being the physical, sensual ones only.

Maybe I became a dreamer by reading too much story books. But then, I didn’t fancy becoming the princess in trouble but of the fairy who has the magic power to transform, not the damsel who waits to get rescued, but of the heroes and heroines whose courage and strength always outshine the evil powers. When I saw people who are lost, with no sense of purpose or direction, I always felt this insatiable urge to awaken them up. Whenever I saw their uncertain and confused look, I pondered myself how to clear the ‘cloud’ so that they can see more clearly of themselves and the directions. I wanted a magic wand and I found that. The magic wand with the power to awaken us from the slumbers of lifeless, helpless and mediocre dream in where we experience no life, energy and enthusiasm to strive on, but fear, tiredness, insecurity, pain and desperation… It is in each one of us; that I have realized through my dreamy journey.

What is the magic wand? The Purpose of Our Life! Then how do we know what our purpose is. The moment when you ask to yourself the very question “what is my life purpose?” is where you will find the answer. Pause a moment. Go within. In that silence, you can hear the echo of your question and can “see” the answer. The truth is that, there is no “purpose” in life except the one that we give it to it. Whatever purpose, reason we give to our life, our life delivers just that. Do you want to be rich or famous? Life will bring you that. Do you want to be the powerful and successful? You will be. But then, there are prices to pay. The price is your willingness to dream, your openness to explore another routes than what you are familiar with. Your life purpose will show you how to go about the rest.

Life is not just acquiring or becoming this and that. Living life is continuous process to experience, expand and grow with a vision toward higher aim; not some things that once you have it or reached to it, then, you can forget about it. Whether it be education, career, spouse, children, cars or houses, money… Underlying all that is the desire to be happy, to feel worthwhile, to be more wholesome and complete, materially as well as spiritually. What route do we choose to bring the satisfaction of our desires is up to us, up to our inherent inclination and innate talents.

It is we who give the permission to our life to live the dream, the purpose we decide on. The purpose we find in our heart, is the magic wand; it will bring all the necessary strength, energy, direction, resources and assistance as we take the first step of asking question to unfold our life purpose, our destiny to live the kinds of greater life that we choose to live. Instead of feeling late, sorry or regret for not having started earlier to dream on, why not you start now, to dream for more beauty, enchantment and wonder in the magic world of your purposeful life? It took me longer time to figure out this but I guarantee yours wouldn’t. I also guarantee that it is much easier and simpler than what you think.

To learn more, you can come to the talk on “A Wish-fulfilling Cow” on 18th April, 2.30pm to 4pm. Those who have missed the first one due to the Chingming, and those who came but want your loved ones to hear, most welcome to join again.