A Just Cause for Motivation

"If the cause is just. If the cause is true. That is where the power comes from. "
Mr Yong Teck Meng, who emphasises the faith in the cause which we believe in, as a pivotal factor in engendering the necessary energy needed for the continuation of good work to help the less fortunate and fight against adversities.

Had the opportunity to listen to a humorous and inspirational sharing by Mr Yong, the National Director of Habitats for Humanity Singapore, a Christian organisation which helps to build homes for those who are in poverty around the world, during our divisional meeting today. He shared with us his own personal stories working with an inspirational Singaporean, Dr Ee Peng Liang, a pioneer, a champion for the social service sector in Singapore and how he inspired him to continue the good work.

A good sharing by Mr Yong to start the weekend and this question arises in my mind, "do I believe crazily enough in my cause?"

A lot of times, success in ventures or advocacy of a cause or idea doesn't only depend on deep rooted belief in the cause but without that deep belief, success is almost impossible. It is like an old oak tree; strong winds may blow against it, if the roots and trunk (belief in the cause) is strong, it may or may not survive the strong wind, but without a strong trunk and roots, it almost definitely won't survive the strong wind.

Been struggling through this period of poor health and impending burnout and this timely sharing is a good reminder of asking myself why.

And as quickly as this question arises, the answer (the aspiration) arises too.

May the belief in my wish to propagate the Dharma and help others be strengthen through my contemplative and practical experiences of the Dharma, and be strong enough to withstand the winds of change and worldly conditions.

May all be well and happy.

Grateful to Xinying Gwee, Jessica Lim, Cheryl Phoebe Liew and team for planning this divisional meeting and having Mr Yong to share with us.

May all have a peaceful weekend ahead.

Can't do Meditation?

Introduced meditation to a friend today.

After a short 10 minutes session...

Friend: "I don't think I can do it, I kept wanting to open my eyes."
Simple Bear: "That is normal for beginners. I was like this when I first started too. Are you aware that your mind is filled with wandering thoughts?"
Friend: "Yes I was aware of the wandering thoughts."
Simple Bear: "That is good enough. Most of the time, we are always chasing the wandering thoughts without knowing. Now at least, we knew we chased the thoughts."

Her response brought me to contemplate on my own practice.

Am I still running after my thoughts without knowing (most of the time)? Am I still indulging in my emotions without knowing? Am I still doing without knowing?

I am lucky. The next moment is a brand new moment to make progression.

And for this opportunity, I am grateful.

May all be well and happy.

Positive and Negative

"It is easy to be negative, hard to be positive and difficult to be at ease in the midst of changes in life, with ourselves and the world; so don't be the cause of, or spread negativity to others, be the cause, share and rejoice in the positivity of others and learn from others who are at ease within."
Simple Bear 16.03.2015.

Just the rain

Just the rain

The wind howl the thunder roar
And the rain quietly fell from the sky
I can't really remember when was the last time
I was in the rain feeling the rain drops on my face
Feeling the wind against my skin
I can only remember running away from the rain
Searching for a way out of the rain which batters
Neglecting the rain which lessens
Still the rain fell drop by drop with any judgement
The rain is just the rain

Simple Bear 16.03.2015.

Love, a boat

Love, a boat

I had the blessing of meeting 'polar bear' (that is what he call himself) and his father at an event at the Istana yesterday. Polar bear is a child with special needs and he was a delight to everyone who met him (despite the fact that he called me uncle at our first meeting squint emoticon! but he called me kor kor afterwards and no, I didn't force him to do so tongue emoticon )

I had the opportunity to have a conversation with his father, a man whose love for his child inspired me. He shared with me, his initial fear and now, hope for polar bear, and his gratitude for the help he gets from others. I can't say I fully understand what it is like to have a child with special needs, but being in the social service sector, and having the opportunities to interact with them through my work and volunteering, I have a glimpse of the many tribulations, both emotional and mental, that parents of children with special needs will have to go through.

And love, is the boat which carries them through.

Love to carry them through disappointments, anger and fear.

Disappointments are like the ocean on a wind-less day, The parents, if without a boat would have given in to the fatigue of trying to make themselves afloat in the vast ocean with any land in sight.

Anger and fear are like the waves in a storm. The parents if without a boat would have resigned themselves to the eventual fate of 'drowning' in the rage and anxiety.

And gratitude and hope, is like the sail and oars of the boat which carries them through.

Gratitude and hope to carry them through disappointments, anger and fear.

Even in a wind-less ocean (disappointments), the parents are still able to steer themselves towards their destination through gratitude for what they have, their child, born of love and hope for what positivity the future may hold. They are able to, through their own determination, steer themselves out of disappointments.

Even in a stormy ocean (anger and fear), the parents are still able to direct themselves out of danger, through steering the sail (gratitude) and moving the oars (hope), preventing themselves from being caught in the storm and possibly facing the eventuality of capsizing in the raging ocean waves.

They gave me love and hope for my work and volunteering in the social service sector. I am grateful for knowing them, for the conditions which allows me to know them last night.

I hope that love, hope and gratitude may always arises in them so it may help them through the ocean of life.

May they be well and happy.

May all be well and happy.

Peace, a Luxury or Necessity?

"Peace is not a luxury; it's a necessity. "
Simple Bear 12.03.2015

Irritation and Self-Awareness

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
C. G. Jung

Frustrated about tons of things today. A lot of thoughts ran through the mind.

Why can't they be more empathetic? Why can't he show more initiatives, demonstrate more leadership? Why can't she be more compassionate towards others? Why are they so egoistic, selfish and *argh...(and the list goes on, filling the mind with tons of negativity)

And then suddenly, the negativity died down, as fast as they had come.

In moments of negativity, I had became imbued with the very dispositions which I despised, the apathy and egoism. I had, in the very moment of being swept away by my habitual tendencies, became my worst nightmare.

The expectations of oneself had unconsciously transformed into expectations of others. I lost the ability to empathize in holding on to the value-laden label of empathy; uncompassionate in grabbing the concept of compassion; egoistic in clinging to the idea of non-egoism. The intellectual embrace of those conceptualizations had impeded, in the very moment, the experiencing of these experiences.

I started to focus on my breathing.

The anger (at others) turn to anger (at myself) and finally, laughter (at myself). It is as if time had stopped; there is joy in just breathing, knowing I am alive in this very moment.

Slowly the joy is replaced by warm feelings of gratitude. Gratitude to those who had given rise to these negativity, these irritations in me; without these irritations, I would not have understand myself better.

Don't expect yourself to be empathetic; be empathy itself. Don't expect to be compassionate; be compassion itself. Don't be the one with expectations; be one with it.

May all be well and happy.