Morality And Self-control

Well, due to the different culture and belief of the eastern people and the western people, we all might have different standard of the meaning of ‘morality’. But self control is the main subject here. Because at the end it doesn’t matter what type of morality we are practicing, it is the self control that matter most. Without self control, there is no morality at all.

We are talking about the code of right conduct that is given in the teaching of Yoga and Buddhism. They both are similar teaching. Although one talks about God, and the other doesn’t. But when we understood that everything is the same and no difference at all between existence and non existence, life and death, happiness and suffering, we will understand that it is doesn’t matter if there is a God or there is no God.

Anyway God is infinite and indescribable. We all are depending on a source to be exist in this world. Lives are depending very much on the elements that which are not in our own control. We are all the same when we  have pain, sorrow, heart broken, disappointment, anger, jealousy, greed, wickedness, selfishness, aggressiveness, fears, worries, passion, lust, ignorance, arrogance, happy, joy, love, compassion, good and evil will and all types of feelings and emotions, whether there is God or no God, whether we believe in God or don’t believe in God.

We should respect everyone’s belief and no need to argue or debate about God and no God, ‘your’ God, ‘his’ God or ‘my’ God. Anyway if there is a God, He does not belong to anybody or to any name and form that we human beings put on to Him. He doesn’t belong to any church or temple or any name and form that we give to those buildings that people go for prayers and contemplation.

He is He. He is not mine, not yours, not theirs. He is everyone’s guardian, parent, friend, lover, companion, healer, teacher or anything that we would like Him to be. Everyone deserves Him. It doesn’t matter when we think ourselves or others are good or not good. Because He is all pervading, all love and compassion, all powerful and infinite.

If we want to attain God, we need to purify our impurities and take away the differentiation of dualities. We need to know what is intentionless, non-duality, without qualities, and namelessness and formlessness. If we don’t understand what are these things, then we are building up an invisible wall between God and us which prevents us to realize Him. We thought God didn’t love us. We would question God why did he allow so much sufferings and unfair happenings in the world. God is always here with us whether sometimes we are good and happy, and sometimes we are not so good and unhappy. Even when we are still full of impurities and ignorance, when we are being imperfect, whether our body is clean or dirty, whether we are sleeping or awake, God has never left us, He is always with us, guiding us and shows us the way to see Him or feel Him in our heart not with this fleshy eyes. Because God is namelessness and formlessness without attributes. We can’t perceive Him through our fleshy eyes and the mind. Whether we believe there’s a God or not, He is always there unmoved by our little mind with qualities, names and forms. It doesn’t matter what languages are we speaking, what cultures are we having, what religions are we talking, God is still the same God at anytime and anywhere.

When we do feel Him, our heart is full of love, peace, joy, compassion and wisdom. There is no words that can express that in definite except being silent and touched. We would repent all our past wrong doings but at the same time also forgive ourselves and let the past go. We would not ask for anything from God if we truly feel Him. Because there is nothing else more precious than feeling Him in our heart. We would see Him in everything and in everyone. We would be content. It is only when we don’t feel Him and feel separation from Him, that we will pray to Him and ask for His blessings.

God doesn’t live in a restricted building or only be at some specific places in the world. He is everywhere and anywhere at all time, from ancient to the future, from before the beginning of existence to the period of existence and to destruction and after destruction. He is within us and without us. He is all pervading, all presence and all knowledge.

How can He be limited by us, human being, into certain name and form? How can He be limited in some small buildings so called church or temple or mosque, comparing to this vast space of unlimited without ending universe?

If we believe there is a God, and we believe in Him and love Him, how can we own Him selfishly and limit Him of his love, power, knowledge, presence and infinity? How can we use His name to hurt and torture other human being’s feelings and cause painful sorrow to others, physically and mentally? And also taking other’s lives away through wars and killings by creating all the differences of boundary, caste, creed and different names of religion?

Some people need a God to be their guide in life, or else they will be lost in this ocean of ignorance, miseries and distractions.

Some people have found their own belief to be their guide to suit their own temperament and convenience, and some people have found their own Self to be the guide.

Are we not the same when death comes to us? Are we not the same when we are angry and have hatred? Are we all not the same when we cry and laugh? Are we all not the same when we want to love someone and want to be loved?

Are we all not breathing the same air from the same space in the same universe?

Are we all not being alive by eating the food and drinking water come from the same earth with the same sun shining on us?

Does the sun only shines on certain religion people and not to the others?

Is the air that we breathe in only accessible for ‘good’ people and not for ‘bad’ people?

Does the earth only let certain human beings to step on it, to live on it and to put so much shit and rubbish on it, and not to other human beings who have different beliefs and religions?

When we lost someone that we loved so much, isn’t it the same painful sorrows for everyone with different religions, skin colours, castes, languages, sexes, cultures and level of education and knowledge?

When we suffer headache, toothache, injuries or sickness, are we all not the same having pain and fear of death and the unknown?

Every religion or philosophy talks about morality.

If we have established a firm self control over our thoughts, speech and actions, we all are the same doesn’t matter what we believe in.

We will check all our out going thoughts, before we generate any speech and action. So that we will not harm or hurt anyone’s feelings, and will not create painful sorrow for other people.

It is not wrong when some people are indulging in passion and lust, or indulging in alcohol and drugs. It is their own rights, freedom and choice, to live the type of life that they want and to do whatever they like to do. As long as they are taking responsibility of the consequences from their lifestyle and doings, they are responsible for themselves and their well being, and they do not hurt anyone physically or emotionally at all.

There are people who steal, rob, rape, assault, kill, cheat and lie to the people that they don’t know.

There are people who made their family and friends or their loved one as their victim of lust and lies.

And there are so many stories of painful sorrow in broken relationships and broken families due to disloyalty and unfaithfulness derive from uncontrolled passionate lust. There are so many victims of rape, assault, accident and diseases derive from sexual activities, alcohol and drugs abuse.

We should think carefully where do all these unhappiness and sufferings come from?

Usually when a person smokes cigarette, it will cause another person suffers from lungs cancer through breathing in the second hand smoke. Can we say that it has got nothing to do with the person who smokes and this person doesn’t have to take any responsibility on the suffering of the person who got sick due to his action?

We all contribute so much pain and suffering to other people whether we are aware of it or not, and most of the time we are ignorant of it.

We won’t feel or understand the pain of others until we ourselves suffer the same type of pain.

But why do we let ourselves hurt so many people’s heart, ruin the good health of our body and wash away the clarity of our mind by being lustful and untruthful, and abusing our body and mind with alcohol and drugs? This is not just harming our own self but also we might hurt someone else and causing painful sorrow to somebody and their loved ones.

When come to Yoga practitioner or Yoga teacher, what is the meaning of our practice if we do not observe morality, not controlling our passion and lust, not being truthful and honest, indulging in sex with multiple partners without love and responsibility, indulging in alcohol and drugs abuse?

Is it okay that some Yoga teachers are having affair and sleeping with their students one by one? The teacher is full of passion and lust, as well as the students are full of passion and lust, so one thing leads to another, from the floor of the Yoga studio ending up on the bed of the teacher or the students.

Maybe this is nothing wrong but it is not Yoga class, but sexuality and intercourse class. There’s nothing wrong in learning to have good sex. Isn’t it? But definitely this has got nothing to do with purity, dispassion, self control and enlightenment. So, it is just not a real Yoga class, that’s all.

There is nothing wrong if both parties are single or already divorced without any commitment or relationship with another person, and they both fell in love with each other and want to be with each other, and maybe committing their whole life together, learn from each other, building a happy family and live the same spiritual life. That’s very fine and God blessed.

But if the teacher or the students are already committed with somebody, and doesn’t this love affair or lustful action will hurt their spouse or partner’s feelings?

What worst is if the teacher is one day sleeping with one student and another day is sleeping with another student. It doesn’t matter if they all know about it and agree with the circumstances of their action and activities, and no one is getting hurt.

Some people even say that this is ”love to all”.
What love to all? Only lustful sexual enjoyment is the intention behind this action.

Sex is not wrong. Passion is nothing wrong too. We all are human beings born with this instinct of passion and sexuality. But the only difference between a pure Yoga practitioner and an impure Yoga practitioner is, having self control or without self control, and having correct understanding or without correct understanding.

What is Yoga practice then? Sex? Sensual enjoyment? Passion and lust is our God?

What worst of worst is the student is sleeping with the teacher’s spouse or lover and the teacher is allowing it, so that the teacher can freely sleep with anyone else including with his or her students.

This is very confusing to the people who come to them trying to learn Yoga. If these people have not established in wisdom yet, they will think that this is Yoga – free sex. This is really creating a big misconception about Yoga into the people’s mind.

This is not so good.

As Yoga teachers, shouldn’t we show some respect to our Gurus’ teaching? Shouldn’t we be a good role model in uplifting the morality, self control, right understanding and right conduct of those who come to us for learning Yoga sincerely? Shouldn’t we have strong establishment in our own practice and have great value and respect for morality and dispassion?

What is happening to the world nowadays? It is so confusing. Especially for our younger generation. How are we going to tell them or guide them into a righteous and happy life, if we ourselves are confused about what we should do and shouldn’t do?

I am sorry if some of you might get offended reading this article whether you are agree or not agree. It doesn’t matter. My apology to you then. But I believe in one true religion for all, purity, compassion and wisdom, we all are equal, the same and no differences. No good and no bad or non-duality doesn’t mean that we can kill somebody recklessly or indulging in lustful desires and drug abuse and hurt somebody’s feelings selfishly. It is about going beyond both good and bad and transcend both happiness and suffering. It is not doing any evil actions and not longing for good karma from doing good actions.

It doesn’t matter if some people say that they don’t have any religion or don’t believe in religion at all, but maybe they are more spiritual than many people who call themselves religious and belong to a certain religion. Not having a religion doesn’t mean that a person is not spiritual. They are all just name and form.

Just because it is called ‘religion’ or ‘spirituality’, it should not be limited by the name and form to justify anyone is religious or spiritual or not. It is something within us whether we are aware of it or not, recognize it or not, calling it a religion or spirituality or not.

It is the love, peace, compassion and wisdom that everyone has.

We should respect that everyone is free to do what they want to do and think what they like to think, even if they intentionally harm themselves or others, but everyone will be responsible for their own every single action.

Everyone is free to do what they like and be responsible for themselves. Just please be aware so that our actions will not hurt other people and create painful sorrow for others, it doesn’t matter if they are our loved ones or people that we don’t know, if we are sincere in walking the path of Yoga and to achieve spiritual enlightenment.

May we all develop correct understanding and achieve peace and happiness in this world.