By Chan Soon Wei

A friend introduced Yoga and the meaning of self-realisation to me when I was 16 years old. Being young and ignorant, I thought Yoga only involved stretching and self-realisation was only a myth. But for some reasons that I can’t explain, I became very fascinated with the stories of saints, sages and seers, and started to read about meditation from the internet. Looking back now, I didn’t understand what I was doing, but the desire to learn and understand Yoga was always there.

I started to question about truth and the purpose of life, but this self-introspection mode and questioning did not last for long. During college years and later after starting to work I ignored the possibilities of self-realisation or liberation. There was no Guru, no path and no correct information available in my life at that time.

Fast forward to January 2015, the very same friend persuaded me to join the Manipuraka and Urdhva Retas course at MAYI Yoga Academy. I was reluctant at first because I had the mental concept that Yoga was only about stretching and meditation. However, I did notice that my friend achieved remarkable self-discovery and healing through the practice of Yoga alone. My friend spoke greatly about Master Manisekaran and on how he ignited the flame of Yoga within him.

I joined these 2 workshops mentioned above and went to MAYI Selayang to learn about these practices. I am grateful that I met Master Manisekaran and that day my life was changed. It opened up my eyes to what Yoga was all about and what are the possibilities one can achieve. I always thought a guru must have a beard, have beads around his neck and be in saintly-looking robes, but Master Manisekaran was not like anything I’ve ever imagined!

After that I practised Manipuraka consistently at home. After a period of time practising Manipuraka, I discovered that my vision became clearer and I did not need to wear spectacles anymore. This was my very first experience of self-healing without any form of medicine or surgery. Together with Urdhva Retas, I discovered new things about myself. Stronger willpower started to develop within and it made me want to involve in many activities. Sleepiness started to reduce, vitality is always available, open-mindedness blossomed and being focused became easier. Productivity at workplace increased, the love for practising Yoga expanded and going to the gym became effortless.

Practising Hatha Yoga gives me more flexibility and mobility. It helps to increase fluidity and enables me to sit longer for meditation. Hatha Yoga also benefits the mind. I always feel calmer and have more concentration throughout the day. I formed a deeper connection with myself after learning Kriya Yoga. It was a huge blessing to have the chance to learn Kriya Yoga from Master. When it comes to self-development, Kriya Yoga is the ultimate technology a person could have.

Imagine waking up one morning and there was an “awareness” to decide what kind of person you want to be. The dynamic willpower formed within and it pushed me to do better. I started to listen to my body and eat the right food, think the right thoughts, and the clarity to perform actions was always present in my mind.

Many bad habits, such as drinking alcohol and smoking shisha, slowly started to disappear. The cravings just withered away.

Since then I have no longer had the desire to consume these substances again.

The feeling of jealousy and envy started to drop, I became friendlier and more positive. By combining these practices together and with the guidance of Master, I felt that life was within my control. This is a very positive feeling to have because I have learnt how to take up more responsibilities in life. I don’t even remember when was the last time I fell sick!

The mind has it owns conditionings and limited beliefs. With Yoga, these conditionings can fade away. We learn how to accept reality and respond instead of react. After meeting Master and learning Yoga from him, life has started to look good. We can always find opportunities to grow no matter how bad the situation is.

By practising Yoga, we dive deep into our inner self, discover new things about us and be in tune with nature. We can start by practising Yamas (moral code) and Niyamas (personal conduct), and incorporate them in our lives. This is my experience with Yoga and there are more. Now, the path to enlightenment looks like a reality to me.