Retrospection: 2012

Retrospection: 2012
 

If there is one word I would use to describe my 2012, it would be ‘growth’. It has been a very happening year; I started the year with a few months of hibernation which I felt were one of the best few months of my life in a long time. For once, I felt I was in fact living with myself, mindful and peaceful. Towards the mid of the year, I restarted my hectic lifestyle again, with projects, studies and camps until the end of the year. Perhaps, one of the major events that happened last year was my grandma’s death in late September which forced me to face my own Mara which I had been running away from, my own ego, anger and delusions.

Overall, it has been a good year in terms of spiritual, academic and personal growth; going into 2013, as I stepped into my 30s, I am more confident of my path towards my spiritual and personal goals and dreams, more confident of the value of the potential sacrifices that I may need to make in the future to come to accomplish my goals and dreams. In 2013, I will strive to make more progress along the path towards my goals and dreams.

Thank you everyone for making a difference in my life. I seek for your forgiveness if I had done or said anything that is inappropriate or insensitive, which may have unintentionally hurt you in the past. Please do continue to give me your guidance and let me know if I have done anything wrong. I am truly blessed and grateful to meet people who inspired me to work harder through their kind encouragement and exemplary behavior. May we all have the optimal conditions to be inspired and inspire everyone towards happiness; may all be well and happy always.

May all be blessed and have the good conditions for the fulfillment of wholesome aspirations and dreams in 2013.

With Metta,
Simple Bear

曾经的那份爱

曾经,爱

溺爱

一年过去了.

还记得和你分手的那一夜, 你我都没哭. 我们心里都清楚的知道,  我们的缘分已到了尽头.

回想起当时的我, 多么的傻, 明知道我们是不可能, 却紧握着可能的那一丝希望.

总觉得如果我的爱, 象海一般的深, 一定能冲走我们之间的一切障碍.

一心只想把幸福给你, 自己却因而溺死在那一厢情愿的爱海里.

我错了.

这样的爱情里, 我们只会痛苦, 不会幸福.

对不起, 我放弃了我当初想占领你心中的那座城池的梦. 我太自大, 太不知量力.

我输了.

但我却一点也没后悔.

只因我曾疯狂地独自在溺人的爱海中, 惊涛骇浪间, 翱翔.

谢谢你

祝福你幸福.

简单熊

P.S. I wrote this half a year ago. Grateful for the experience which made me a better bear.

I am weak

I am weak.

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

 Aristotle

We, perhaps are the only ones who is capable of understanding ourselves better than anyone else and if we don’t know or understand ourselves, who does? And if we do know ourselves, then what exactly is the wisdom that Aristotle is referring to in his quote. In my own opinion, perhaps, the wisdom refers to mundane wisdom, the avoidance of potential pitfalls engendered by habitual tendencies in everyday life, the social interactions and responses to the changing stimuli that we encounter in our socio-cultural environment.

If we know ourselves, the strengths and weaknesses, the blind spots that we are previously unaware of, perhaps we are able to live a happier life through the mastery of our self-mind. The issue now is how much do we exactly know about ourselves. Maybe we spent too much of our time trying to understand the externals, the phenomenon in this amalgamated world. Although the nature of reality is such that we are ever changing and it is perhaps impossible to know everything about ourselves momentarily but since we assumes the self to be a permanent concept which exist inherently, comprising of dispositions or habitual tendencies; just how much do we know about these dispositions. If we are unaware of ourselves, how can we manage our lives?

“He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty.”

Lao Tzu

If we don’t know our weaknesses, how can we ever conquer ourselves and be the master of our own lives. Perhaps, the first step to knowing oneself is to have the courage to attempt to discover, acknowledge and understand one’s weaknesses. One can improves oneself by attending to the eradication of one’s weaknesses especially negative habitual tendencies. Have the courage to face up to oneself.

“Don’t fear knowing one’s weaknesses, fear not knowing.”

Simple Bear 28.11.2012.

May we all have the mindfulness and courage to venture into our minds, to understand and conquer ourselves.

May all be well and happy.

With Metta,

Simple Bear 29.11.2012.

Death and the Capuchin Crypt

"What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be."
A quote found in the Capuchin Crypt

A good reminder and material for contemplation on death, mortality.

Extend the quote to contemplate on the nature of life, on birth, aging and sickness, and cultivate gratitude, appreciation for the current moment.

Fear of My Weaknesses

"Don't fear knowing your weaknesses, fear not knowing."
Simple Bear 28.11.2012.

爱, 否.

爱, 否.

"不管爱过与否, 真爱无法述说, 无法了解, 只因每一个人的爱都不一样. 爱, 只能用心, 用人生去体会. 幸福的恋情, 不一定就是爱, 伤过, 痛过, 也许才是爱. 把眼泪当作珍藏爱情回忆的水晶瓶, 把心痛当作回忆爱情的放映机, 回忆爱的幸福, 回忆情的痛苦, 也许这才是爱情的美丽."

简单熊 30.10.2011.

Mindfull of Self

Mindfull of Self



When you fill your mind and heart with yourself, you will have no space for anyone or anything else including happiness itself.'

Simple Bear 02.05.2012.