Jobless but not Hopeless?

Losing a job is one of the most stressful experience one can have I have read.  Especially for someone who needs to pay the bills and support the family.  Not that Im in dire straits, but having gone through 6 months of joblessness, it was some trying times and also some fun times too!

What stood me through however, was the belief that this situation is only temporary and things would get better. I have always believed this but it is always the people around that kinda diss you and make you feel bad and it is really hard to stand up against them. I was able to find motivation in reading other peoples experiences such as Chris Gardner, on how they overcame odds through their personal choices, in really tough situations which most people cannot imagine.

For people out there who are currently jobless, have faith that tough times will come to pass, it may just take a bit longer thats all. Meanwhile, there is time to take stock in yourself, figure out your strengths, purpose, passions, interests. Look within for your inner strength. Meditate. Live. Love!

(chinese poem)

生日礼物

六个月的等待不长也不快，

家人的期盼让我不再依赖。

众人都以事业为重，为了理想和目标拼命的冲。

处在社会就要服众，被人看不起，贬到边缘生活。

他们说我如此散漫，转眼就要变得人老株黄。

做事要乘年轻气壮，免得老年后悔悲伤。

不需要任何的赞许，我不在意，自己的价值观，自己决定。

只想过简单有意义的生活难道不可以？

上天赐了一个转机， 前景显得光明清晰。

理想的工作即将开演，告诉自己要积极一点。

心存感激，这份礼物我会珍惜。

wahbar.wordpress.com

The Aquarian Age

 

With the recent 11-11-11 hoohah and upcoming 2012, it seems many are waiting for something to happen.  Some groups have painted a grim picture of what to come, fortelling of doomsday and instilling fear into people yet there are others who do not believe anything will happen to the earth or to humanity. With so many different ancient sources predicting this and that, it is hard to deny that something is changing. Well to provide a different perspective to the doomsday saying, these are the comforting words of the Comforter herself, Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi.

“God who has made this universe, he feels love, do you think he will destroy this great creation of his without giving us the fruit, without letting us know the fruit of his creation. He is the wisest of wise. The greatest compassionate source of love, how could he allow this universe to be destroyed, especially this Earth, which is a special present from him. So don’t believe in all these stupid ideas of destruction and the last complete devastation. Still lot of plans, you are suppose to enjoy the blessings of the Divine for which he has created you.”

In astrological terms, we have just entered into the Age of Aquarius. This Age of Aquarius will last for 2000 years and it is about personal independence and the pursuit of self knowledge.  Many  astrologers are talking about this consciousness shift which is already happening. It is also visible all around  us as we see more and more people feeling unsatisfied with their lives, prompting them to find out their meaning and purpose.  Shri Mataji has mentioned about this Age of Aquarius as a special time  where many seekers of  Truth will be able to get their Self Realisation.

“Now very interesting it is to see that this Kundalini is the one which is called as the Kumbha – in Sanskrit language, means the Aquarius. We call it Aquarius, as one of the signs, and is the same as Kumbha in Sanskrit language. So it is the Age of Aquarius, is the Age of the Kundalini. Secondly is the Age of the Kundalini which will nourish, which is the Mother within you, which will rise, will give you the completeness of it, and which will connect you with your Spirit which ultimately gives you the enlightenment by which you become  collectively conscious. You become, again I say. It’s not just telling a story. You just become!”

Beautiful Jiuzhaigou

(Thanks to Wilson for allowing me to put up his fabulous video)

The trip to Jiuzhaigou with Sahaja yogis was beautiful. The scenery was spectacular, I was completely speechless(didnt want to talk much) and pretty much thoughtless for few hours. The awe for such beautiful creation was immense. My heart melted. Came up with a small poem to express my love for the place.

九寨风情

水潺海清碧翠镜，

雪山天幕倒影映；

景色呆人日时停，

心怡秋涧中享静。

http://wahbar.wordpress.com

没有你

没有你

没有你生活像一口枯井，

黯然神色什么都是灰的风景，

不要继续这种苦行。

你的笑让我充满信心，

脑子空了凉风吹个不停，

我的世界改变如此的一瞬间。

花开绽放的美丽，

诗境般的画意 ，

融入海洋我们可以，

不再是渺小的 我自己。

 

9 Tips for Expressing Love and Joy

 

In my previous post, i mentioned that Li (礼）has to be complemented with Ren(仁）which is the sincerity and compassion.

To do things with heart is the most important and it will only give you joy. Being open hearted is like an antidote against all negativity. Normally what brings me down doesnt really affect me when my heart is open, I can even laugh at it! Seeing others who are just dull, grumbling, unhappy and numb; There is this compulson to just affect everyone with love and joy. I realised that there are ways to actually express this love and joy and share it with others. I used to be not so good at it and found that not expressing it out and letting it flow is actually quite an uncomfortable feeling. Love is definitely meant to go around! Ok so here are 9 tips for you to try out:

1. Giving presents with sincerity. Finding out what the other person likes or is desiring by keeping  mental notes in everyday life.

2. Receiving gifts and situations with appreciation and gratefulness.

3. Appreciating other people for little things they have done for you, things that they have gone out of the way to do,  beautiful qualities that they have, things that they are good at, anything can be appreciated!

4. Physical expressions of love such as hugging and gentle touches. Well maybe not too much. Done with heart and not the superficial type will give the best effect.

5.  Being in connection with people you love. Chatting and finding out how they are doing.

6.  Being generous by sharing and giving. Could be food, money, time, resources, help etc.

7. Expressing joy through music and singing. Or any other art form.

8. Doing  things which will please others, eg doing housework, cooking for family, making a drink for my brother, serving my parents etc.

9. Telling others about Sahaja Yoga and giving them Self Realisation, which is the most precious gift we can give.

The restoration of Li (礼)

Im reading Analects of Confucius these days and a certain concept really struck a chord with me. There is a lot of mention to this idea of Li (礼)。In modern days this has come to mean social etiquette, proper behaviour, manners, ceremonies, customs, rules and regulations.  Sad to say, many expressions of this Li have become quite artificial and meaningless activities. People conforming to rules and protocols which are empty and binding, following customs which have long lost their significance, doing things for show. What i figured from the various verses on Li is that Li is something which is innate and within us. It gives us the limits on our conduct as to what is the proper conduct between people, on a small  scale our family members or friends and on larger scale in the society.  I would say Li is the principle which establishes peace and harmony within ourselves and in the outside world. Many problems arise when this Li, the boundary is crossed. In the West people think that freedom is being able to do anything and say anything. Yet the results are often disastrous, as their freedom may be causing hurt or harm to others. By being self restraint and having the humility within us , this could even turn your foes into friends!

People these days i feel are sick of behaving in ways that are expected of them, taught to them, they dont want to conform to the old ways. They want to rebel and be free. The prevalent thinking is why should i be a good  person? There is nothing to gain out of it. They think that having Li is not so important in this modern and competitive world so they neglect this aspect, or another case is Li is only expressed artificially just for show. Like i wrote previously about the Mooncake festival which now has become just a money making occasion.

The real sense of Li requires another element known as Ren (仁），which is the benevolence or compassion. Real Li can only be expressed when one uses their heart, by being sincere in our ways with people and doing things with understanding of the meaning behind.  When we start expressing Li with Ren, then really we start enjoying it ourselves when we see the joy which others get.

Exposing Miss Superego

photo credits to binaryCoco

*Superego in the title is used in the Sahaja Yoga context

 

Being Asian, there are many conditionings that I have to live with. Mainly from parents and the society.  There are certain expectations required and if i do not meet that, then I will face much disapproval from others. Well Im talking about expectations such as studying hard and getting a good job and others which i cannot think of at the moment. Well in some ways it is good as you get kept in check as the family support is usually there for the children to succeed in life, well i mean usually as nowadays trends are changing everywhere, but often I just feel the lack of freedom to pursue what is important to me.  So in my parents eyes i have failed since i did not meet their expectations.

Conditionings which one have, could be beliefs that they hold onto dearly without any truth in it, or it could be habits which do them no good yet they cannot get rid of it. Usually in the case of beliefs, the one having it is oblivious that it is just a belief. To them it is the truth and no one can convince them otherwise.

It is easy to see when these conditionings manifest itself! They are usually expressed emotionally in our thoughts and words such as, “I can’t”, “I’m not good enough”, “I don’t know”,  “I’m scared” and the likes of such negative comments. Also, the element of fear is very often in the background.

Beliefs which are negative and not empowering us have to be re-examined!
Have you ever felt stuck in a situation? Or maybe bored and tired with your life? We might be doing certain things over and over again yet not getting results. Instead of trying something different, we are feeling  frustrated about it! Instead of facing the problem we are trying to escape!

What we should do first is to face our negative emotions and see what is actually going on beneath. There is more than meets the eye! To see our self clearly is not an easy task, it requires a detached attitude like seeing our self from outside of  our self. Then, examine what is the pattern which keeps repeating and giving us problems, for example the problem like being late all the time and making others wait, and the pattern being going out of the house at the last minute. Well facing yourself this way would require  a lot of patience though.

We are blind to various conditionings not because there is something wrong with our eyes but it is due to darkness . Once the light comes on, then the truth is seen for itself. So uncovering our conditionings is like lifting the filters  and allowing the light to pass through. Once you know what is untruth you will automatically give it up. And you might start trying new things, new approaches, new ways! Suddenly life is full of possibilities which you never knew! Your whole world might just change, you start feeling good about your self, feeling inspired!

Yes i was mentioning earlier that I am a failure in my parents eyes as I couldn’t meet their expectations. I used to be quite upset about that but I have come to realise that  we are just coming from different perspectives.  I cannot possibly follow and fulfill what they expect me to do all the time.  What is more important is the way I see myself and the joy I get out of being my Self.

Why Singaporeans need to meditate?

photo credits to Sheep"R"Us

Today while having lunch at a hawker centre(place for cheap local food) i was kinda saddened by the  type of people i saw there. Some of the food sellers were uncouth and bad tempered while many who were eating there seem like soulless people roaming the earth. Well, this is not representative of the people of Singapore but I do see many like that everywhere I go, especially middle aged and above.

Singapore lacks  in culture and spirit, and it has gotten worse  over the years. Everything has become so artificial including the lives that we lead. Many people are numb and expressionless, only lighting up to the mention of money.  We are suppose to be an affluent country but many are still struggling with their livelihoods.

After practising Sahaja Yoga meditation for few years now, I have felt a huge difference in my life and have seen it in others. The person who practises medtitation(Im referring to Sahaja Yoga meditation) is able to transform his own life and create a positive effect on everyone that he encounters. The  transformation that we experience are mainly in 4 aspects, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Im sure if more and more people take to meditation, our whole society will change for the better.

1. Better health overall.

As you know health care costs are increasing and many complain that they might not be able to afford it if a serious illness lands them in the hospital. As stress builds up in our life, the tendency to get sick will be much higher as sickness is due to imbalances in our body system. Meditating keeps you in  good health as you become the doctor of your own self,  knowing what are the problems you have and how to correct them. It is an insurance in itself without the hefty monthly fees.

2. Peace of mind.

We can turn off our TV when it gets too loud and annoying but can we switch off our own minds when we are feeling stressed? Our mind seems to have a life of its own, always reacting to everything. Even when we are trying to sleep, it is still giving us a big headache. Finally, we can become our own master. In meditation, we cross beyond our mind into the thoughtless stage. It is a stage where we watch in silence. We have the freedom to think or not to think. It is up to us. Worries that we have may just disappear into thin air after we see how absurd it is. This is only possible when we are not involved in our problems, but watching them from a state of silent detachment, we can see the solution much more clearly.

3. Joy and Satisfaction of Life

People work too hard here and with the govenrment extending retirement age to 65 and beyond, when do you get to rest? I think most people dont even dare think about it. The idea of a life beyond working is quite unimaginable. Most people tell me that they will feel bored if they dont work.  The way we try to get joy out of material things is also worrying. Shopping malls spring up like mushrooms to support our national past time and chasing after the 6 Cs (cash, credit card, car, condo, career, country club) is the norm. People are always on the lookout for some sensory stimulation, like  changing the latest handphones and computers, or  like my colleagues planning for their next trip, after they just get back from one. We get our happiness from all the things outside that we neglect other more important things like relationship with other humans. Even family relationships are very challenging these days. The children are defiant of their parents while the old are neglected.

What meditation does is it awakens qualities within us which we may not know exist. We become completely satisfied and peaceful from within and for the first time we start to enjoy ourselves. Our hearts open out and we start feeling the love and bliss being poured into us and naturally we want to share this love with others around us. Everything outside is the same but our attitude within has changed and we only seek what gives us the real joy within.

4. Inner Growth

There’s one saying that the inner world is as big as the world outside. We pursue all the education in the world but not knowing anything about ourselves internally, what and who we are. Humans have evolved over a long period of time to the state we are today and meditation brings us into another level of our evolution, transforming us into higher beings.  Sahaja Yoga meditation starts with receiving our Self Realisation.

“Only after Self-Realisation, and only then, is there a direct experience of the Spirit. It then manifests its powers in the human personality, and it’s light enlightens the consciousness into a new awareness.”

- Shri Mataji, founder of  Sahaja Yoga

Warriors of the Rainbow Children

“When the earth is dying there shall arise a new tribe of all colours and all creeds.  This tribe shall be called The Warriors of the Rainbow and it will put its faith in actions not words.”

- Prophecy of the Native American Hopi people

Across many of the Native American tribes there is such a prophecy of the ‘Rainbow warriors’.  When the age of darkness arrivess, they would lead the Earth back to it’s original splendour again.

Currently, our Mother Earth is being exploited like never before and humans are committing wrongdoings like there’s no tomorrow. This is the age of darkness that is looming upon us.

Many believe that the Rainbow children, who will not come from any one race, colour or religion but will live as one family, will be the ones teaching all to follow the path and ways of the Universal Spirit.

Right now there are already many people on Earth who are interested in spirituality and seeking for the Truth. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the founder of Sahaja Yoga has said that there are the maximum number of seekers born right now and these are the Blossom Times when we can get our spiritual awakening effortlessly and in an en mass manner. She has opened up the Sahasrara chakra for humanity and anyone who desires to receive Self Realisation can do so! This Sahasrara within us is rainbow in colour and upon opening, our whole being gets transformed. From an ordinary person we become like a beautiful flower, fragrant and pure!

The  Rainbow Children i would say are these enlightened beings who have their Sahasrara opened and imbibing all its qualities .  As more and more people receive their Self Realisation and achieve this enlightened awareness, they will collectively bring about the change needed to save our Earth.

To receive your Self Realisation click here.

A Poem dedicated to Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

In loving dedication to our Mother…who is Eternal…..

圣母的福音

两千年的预言终究实现,

重温基督的教诲和意念.

乱世诞生指引人类方向,

卷曲能量开启心灵之窗.

与上天的连系得来不易,

轮回屡次苦行艰难连续.

女神的慈悲浩爱永不息,

今生幸会选做你的工具.

Translated into English on 9th March 2011:

Gospel of the Mother

The herald of a prophecy made 2000 years ago,

Reminds us of Christ’s promise foretold.

Born in such unsettling times to guide mankind on the right path;

Awakening the coiled up energy to enlighten the Spirit within us.

The path to Self Realisation has not been easy,

Countless lives we have led and tribulations  we have faced aplenty.

The Love and compassion of the Goddess is immeasurable,

For it is indeed our blessing  to be chosen as your instrument.