Just Yoga

Just Yoga


When I first started teaching yoga, many students, regardless whether they've done yoga before or not, would always ask me, "What yoga do you teach?"

My reply - "Yoga. Just yoga."

If you think about it, it's really just yoga.

Whatever name you call it -

Power yoga, Iyengar yoga, Hatha yoga, Bikram yoga, Hot yoga, yoga yoga, it's still yoga.


Take the example of green tea.

Pokka, Yeo's, Heaven and Earth .........

It's still green tea : water with tea leaves.

Green tea is green tea, no matter what name or brand you call it.


Or, ice-cream.

Magnolia ice-cream, King's ice-cream, Ben and Jerry's ice-cream, Swensen's ice-cream, Anderson's ice-cream .........

It's still ice cream.


A simple thing made complicated by the complicated egoistic minds of some humans who want to 'stand out' in the crowd, distinct themselves from others, separate themselves from the rest.

In Reality, names, labels, grades etc are things conjure up by egoistic people to fool us. (Read 'Good or Bad' - http://maitre-light.blogspot.com/2007/04/good-or-bad.html)

And we are foolish, ignorant, confused and blinded enough to be conditioned, brainwashed and hoodwinked by them.

We don't realised we have been taken advantage of, made use of.


Likewise with meditation.

Jhana meditation, Vipassana meditation, Samatha meditation, Anapanasati, Sati-patthana, Transcendental meditation, Visualisation meditation, Relaxation meditation, Chan meditation, Insight meditation, etc etc etc.

To me, it's still just meditation.

There's only just meditation.

Whatever names, labels you give it.

It's still just meditation.

You can call, give whatever names/labels you want,

But to me,

It is what it is -

Me-di-ta-tion.




"What's in a name?

Nothing."



"Because there's always something,

And we always surround ourselves with something,

We do not know what it is when there's Nothing."




"Meditation is UNconditional."



"Meditation is releasing, giving (up), letting go, freeing, contentment, acceptance and stopping."

The Buddha - Dead or Alive?

The Buddha - Dead or Alive?


Just before The Buddha passed on to Maha PariNibbana, his disciples asked Him who should they learn from after He's gone.

Who is to be their guide?

The Buddha's reply?

"The Dhamma. Let The Dhamma be your guide.

Depend on NO one.

Let oneself be one's own refuge."

So, is The Buddha dead, or alive still?

By convention, if you focus on the physical, hold on to physical forms,

Then The Buddha is dead and long gone.

In reality, in Truth, if you understand the essence of The Buddha's teachings,

You'll know that He (The Buddha) is still very much alive and kicking today.




"He who sees The Dhamma, sees me, The Tathagata."

- The Buddha
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"Only by following The Buddha's instruction and mode of practice, will a mind be able to see BOTH The Dhamma and The Buddha."

- Venerable Ajahn Maha Boowa





"Only those who really practise The Dhamma are the ones who truly pay homage to me."

- The Buddha





"Oneself is one's own refuge;

What other refuge can there be?

With oneself fully controlled,

One obtains a refuge which is hard to gain."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 160





"The Bhikkhu who dwells in The Dhamma,

Who delights in The Dhamma,

Who meditates on The Dhamma,

Who well remember The Dhamma,

Does not fall away from The Sublime Dhamma."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 364





"When you truly know yourself, truly know The Dhamma,

Whether The Buddha is alive or not is no longer important."




"For someone who has arrived at Dhamma, someone who really understands Dhamma, wherever he goes, everything will be Dhamma."

- Ajahn Chah

What Do I Know?

What Do I Know?


When I was a little girl, being the youngest in the family, during family discussions, whenever I say something, my mom and sisters would ask me, "What do you know?"

Even now, my family, students and friends would also say to me, "What do you know?" or "You don't know one lah!", or something along that line.

Thinking back, actually they're right.

It's true!

I really do not know much.


As a matter of fact, as a child, and even up to now, what I know can be counted within a palm of my hand.

In fact, I can even reduce it from 5 to 2.

And that is :


1) Not to hurt, harm and/or kill any being; and

2) Love - universally, unconditionally.

And, that's really all that I know.









"Love - soft and gentle; calm and cool;

Patient and kind; quiet and peaceful."








"If you can keep yourself calm and quiet,

Like a broken gong which is no longer resonant,

You are sure to realise Nibbana;

There will be no harshness in you."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 134







"If by giving up a lesser happiness,

One may behold a greater one,

Let the wise man give up the lesser happiness in consideration of the greater happiness."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 290








"All tremble at the rod (punishment),

Life is dear to all.

Comparing others with oneself,

One should neither strike not cause to strike."

- The Buddha, Dhammapada verse 130







"Lust never last;

Only Love does."

The Warrior

The Warrior



"Just as a firm post, sunk in the earth,

Cannot be shaken by the four winds;

Even so do I declare him to be a Righteous person

Who thoroughly perceives the Noble Truths."

- The Buddha, Ratana Sutta





In my search for Truth, Happiness and Freedom, I shall be Brave, Strong,

When I'm tired, I shall rest,

So as to emerge Great, Proud (ie. Confident, Courageous, Bold and Fearless)

And Victorious I shall stand as The Exalted One.

This, I wish the same for All sentient beings of All the different realms,

Whether terrestial or celestial, without any exception,

including all the Brahmas, the Devas and the Nagas.

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"Just as the lotus arise from the dirt and mud

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Untainted;

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So shall I, so shall I." .

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Be kind to others, and be good to yourselves.

Have a Love-ly and Happy New Year, everyone!

With all my love,

Maitre-light

* In honour of 2 of the greatest masters of our time, the late Venerable Ajahn Mun and Ajahn Chah, I'm leaving you with excerpts from their teachings ;

For they are truly the Real Warriors.

I hope it'll inspire you just as much as how they have inspired me.

Happy reading and Enjoy!

With love,

Maitre-light

"In my own search, I tried nearly every possible means of contemplation.

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I sacrificed my life for The Dhamma, because I had faith in the reality of Enlightenment and the Path to get there .........

These things actually do exist, just like The Buddha said they did.

But to realise them takes practice,

Right Practice.

It takes pushing yourself to the limit.

It takes the courage to train, to reflect, and to fundamentally change.

It takes the courage to actually do what it takes.

You've got to discover it in The Depths of Your Own Heart."

- Venerable Ajahn Chah

(taken from the book 'Unshakeable Peace' by Ajahn Chah.)

"Fear, I have been afraid;

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Boldness, I have been bold;

Love, I have loved;

Hate, I have hated;

Detestation, I have detested;

Anger, I have been angry -

All this because I have a heart -

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I am not a dead man,

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Or monk.

But I have tried with my utmost ability to train myself without ever slipping back or giving way.

Those things which used to be in charge and overpowering crumbled away under the power of the work and diligence of

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The one who is NOT afraid to die."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun

(taken from the book 'Patipada' or 'The mode of practice of Venerable Acharn Mun' by Venerable Acharn Maha Boowa Nanasampanno)

For Love For Freedom and For Peace

Questions and Answers (Part 5) : Happiness and the path to Happiness

Questions and Answers (Part 5) : Happiness and the path to Happiness


I'm ending the series on 'Questions and Answers' with the most important question of all : Happiness - something which each and every one of us seek.

I hope this series of 'Questions and Answers' helps to bring about answers which you so seek, and also give you a better understanding of yourself, your life, Life and the purpose of life.

May all be well and happy.

Maitre-light

Happiness and the path to Happiness.

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1) What is my greatest fear?

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2) What is real Happiness, and

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3) How can I experience/attain it?

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Bonus Question :

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4) Now, for every answer you give to the above questions, ask yourselves, "Why?".

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"Suffering is a disease and therefore can be cured completely."

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- The Buddha.

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"Seek not love, but simply be Loving;

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Seek not joy, but simply be Joyful;

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Seek not peace, but simply be Peaceful;

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Seek not wisdom, but simply be Wise.".

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"Happiness is the path to Enlightenment."

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- The Buddha

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"Happy is he who makes others happy;

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Happy is he who has lofty and noble aspirations;

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Happy is he who allows others to live in peace;

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Happy is he who makes this world a better place to live in;

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Happy is he whose work, chores and daily tasks are labours of love.

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Happy is he who loves LOVE."

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- The Buddha

Questions and Answers (Part 4) : The Questions of Life

Questions and Answers (Part 4) : The Questions of Life


1) When is the most important time?

2) Who is the most important person?

(Hint : If you think the answer is 'I', 'Me' - that means you, think again. If you think it's The Buddha, Jesus Christ, God etc, think again also. If you think it's your mummy or daddy, please think a bit harder ......... Dig deeper and carefully.)

3) What is the most important thing?

Bonus Question :

4) From the above when, who and what, you'll have the 'Why'.

Now ask yourselves, Why?




"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today;

For tomorrow may not come."



"If you cannot see the kamma here, in what realm of heaven or hell will you ever learn to accept it?"

- Ajahn Maha Boowa

"If you want to gain release from suffering and stress in this life time, then see the danger of your own errors, your complacency and your lack of mindfulness."

- Ajahn Maha Boowa



"Suffering is a disease, and therefore can be cured completely." - The Buddha

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*And remember : at the end of the day,

"Life is but a journey ........ a journey to take us 'Home'."

Questions and Answers (Part 3) : The Core of Existence

Questions and Answers (Part 3) : The Core of Existence


If you want to know why things, including you and Life exist, try answering the following questions; and the core of existence shall be revealed to you.

1) What do you expect?

2) What are you going to do about it?

3) What can you learn form it?

Note : Existence is not just about life, but also about problems in our lives, people, illnesses, what's happening in the world etc etc etc.

Avoid reading or taking things too literally, intellectually and scholarly.

Learn to look at things as a whole.

Enjoy!





"Rely on the meaning of the words,

NOT the words.

Rely on the complete meaning,

NOT the partial meaning."

- The Buddha
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"Beings are the owners of their own Kamma.

And the results of their kamma belong to them alone."

- The Buddha

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"Kamma is within oneself.

It is oneself who is constantly performing causes and experiencing their effects."

- Venerable Ajahn Mun




"Rather light a candle than complain about darkness."




"It's only through suffering can you then end suffering."

- Ajahn Chah