Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Something That I got from the Malaysian Students Blog
This article was written by Kwan Will Sen, a third-year Law student at University of Malaya.
“You take the blue pill -- the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill -- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes." – Morpheus Although fictional, the Matrix world as in the blockbuster movie ‘The Matrix’ by the Wachowski Brothers is very relevant in the context of our society today. Undergraduates, especially the ones from local universities are akin to those stuck in the Matrix. Fed with the belief that they will make it in life, armed only with a scroll, they succumb to complacency. Their minds start to rot, intellectual growth is suppressed, and the end result; they hit rock bottom in the ‘real’ world. Groping in the dark, they try to find a way out, but to no avail. Thereafter, enlightenment ensues, a harsh realization, that the scroll in their hands is merely that, a scroll. Since pre-school, our parents and teachers have constantly imparted upon us, that success in life can only be achieved through education. This is true to a certain extent, but apparently, as we grew older, something got lost in translation along the way. Education is no longer interpreted in the normal sense of the word, but solely equated with academic achievement. Our undergraduates are products of a system that hails the number of As and a CGPA of 4.0 as the only testament of success, indicating a bright future ahead. Rote learning seems to be the order of the day, while the holistic approach is now almost obsolete. Such ‘values’ to life in university defeats the whole purpose of a tertiary education. Undergraduates strive to get CGPAs of 4.0, and are further exhorted to do so, especially when an ex-Minister proclaimed that it is their duty to get 4.0 in university. As preposterous as this may sound, it is very real. A right-minded person would shun such statements, but for some, it’s almost like a matter of filial piety. Time spent mugging and memorizing might get you good results, but it does not prepare you for the ‘real’ world, where problem solving skills and the ability to think outside the box is valued instead of the text book stuff. Students spend so much time studying, they forget about everything else, except where to find that particular book in the library. Ask them if they know anything at all on current issues, and they respond with a blank look, expecting you to fill them in. The other problem with our undergraduates is that, they seem to idolize pop culture a tad too much. Try organizing a public lecture by Warren Buffet and a concert by some Akademi Fantasia singers on the same day. It is not that hard to predict which event will have a bigger crowd, unfortunately. Then, there is the other group of students, i.e. those who believe that life in university is a bed of roses. There is, of course, nothing wrong with that. Problem is, some tend to stretch it a little too much, so much so that they don’t even know what they are doing. They believe that just as in the university, everything will be taken care of when they are out there in the ‘real’ world, i.e. that their precious scrolls will take them places. No effort whatsoever is made to improve themselves and participating in ridiculous activities is deemed to be the ultimate indicator of what is to expect in the ‘real’ world. For instance, a senior while ordering around a junior to do this or that project will justify it by saying “This is to prepare you for working life, especially when facing employers”. And the poor subordinate believing it, bids the senior’s wishes. We should never send across such wrong messages. Kow tow is not fun, and will never be. Period. Furthermore, why should we continue the negative and perpetuate such myth? Whatever happened to entrepreneurship? Another issue which bugs a portion of undergraduates today is the inability to converse and write in English. Needless to say, in the era of globalization, the importance of English cannot be over emphasized. One might have plenty of mind boggling ideas, but without the ability to articulate them, such ideas cannot be conveyed to others. While such facts are known to every student, they prefer to converse in their mother tongues. Getting out of the comfort zone is often the toughest nut to crack. On the other hand, the introduction of a compulsory soft skills course serves only to magnify the deficiencies of our education system. Students have forgotten how to interact, how to communicate, and how to ace that interview, to the extent that such drastic measure has to be taken. While this solves the problem on the surface, it effectively sweeps the bigger chunk of it under the carpet. Undergraduates cannot be expected to learn the art of eloquence and to gain self confidence overnight. It takes more than a course to create the wholesome undergraduate. More importantly, undergraduates must be provided with room and space for holistic growth. Intellectual discussions, debates and forums on any topic at all should be encouraged and the underlying fear that students will rebel, retaliate or even form extremist groups, I would like to state, is unfounded. As adults, they should be respected as such, which means also to be given inter alia, the right to freedom of expression. What is right or wrong is not the point. The focal point is, undergraduates must be allowed to think, to express themselves, and to dissent if they want to. Keep pushing them around, and what do you get? A bunch of pushovers in society. The bottom line is this. Whether or not an undergraduate will ever be ready to face the ‘real’ world is essentially a matter of choice. Choose to maintain your status quo, you continue in your temporary bubble in Neverland, waiting for the ‘real’ world to come crashing through. Choose to free your mind from the fetters of tradition for tradition’s sake, and to move out of your comfort zone, you embark on a journey with nothing guaranteed, except unfamiliarity. The latter sounds like a better deal, at least to me.
“You take the blue pill -- the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill -- you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes." – Morpheus Although fictional, the Matrix world as in the blockbuster movie ‘The Matrix’ by the Wachowski Brothers is very relevant in the context of our society today. Undergraduates, especially the ones from local universities are akin to those stuck in the Matrix. Fed with the belief that they will make it in life, armed only with a scroll, they succumb to complacency. Their minds start to rot, intellectual growth is suppressed, and the end result; they hit rock bottom in the ‘real’ world. Groping in the dark, they try to find a way out, but to no avail. Thereafter, enlightenment ensues, a harsh realization, that the scroll in their hands is merely that, a scroll. Since pre-school, our parents and teachers have constantly imparted upon us, that success in life can only be achieved through education. This is true to a certain extent, but apparently, as we grew older, something got lost in translation along the way. Education is no longer interpreted in the normal sense of the word, but solely equated with academic achievement. Our undergraduates are products of a system that hails the number of As and a CGPA of 4.0 as the only testament of success, indicating a bright future ahead. Rote learning seems to be the order of the day, while the holistic approach is now almost obsolete. Such ‘values’ to life in university defeats the whole purpose of a tertiary education. Undergraduates strive to get CGPAs of 4.0, and are further exhorted to do so, especially when an ex-Minister proclaimed that it is their duty to get 4.0 in university. As preposterous as this may sound, it is very real. A right-minded person would shun such statements, but for some, it’s almost like a matter of filial piety. Time spent mugging and memorizing might get you good results, but it does not prepare you for the ‘real’ world, where problem solving skills and the ability to think outside the box is valued instead of the text book stuff. Students spend so much time studying, they forget about everything else, except where to find that particular book in the library. Ask them if they know anything at all on current issues, and they respond with a blank look, expecting you to fill them in. The other problem with our undergraduates is that, they seem to idolize pop culture a tad too much. Try organizing a public lecture by Warren Buffet and a concert by some Akademi Fantasia singers on the same day. It is not that hard to predict which event will have a bigger crowd, unfortunately. Then, there is the other group of students, i.e. those who believe that life in university is a bed of roses. There is, of course, nothing wrong with that. Problem is, some tend to stretch it a little too much, so much so that they don’t even know what they are doing. They believe that just as in the university, everything will be taken care of when they are out there in the ‘real’ world, i.e. that their precious scrolls will take them places. No effort whatsoever is made to improve themselves and participating in ridiculous activities is deemed to be the ultimate indicator of what is to expect in the ‘real’ world. For instance, a senior while ordering around a junior to do this or that project will justify it by saying “This is to prepare you for working life, especially when facing employers”. And the poor subordinate believing it, bids the senior’s wishes. We should never send across such wrong messages. Kow tow is not fun, and will never be. Period. Furthermore, why should we continue the negative and perpetuate such myth? Whatever happened to entrepreneurship? Another issue which bugs a portion of undergraduates today is the inability to converse and write in English. Needless to say, in the era of globalization, the importance of English cannot be over emphasized. One might have plenty of mind boggling ideas, but without the ability to articulate them, such ideas cannot be conveyed to others. While such facts are known to every student, they prefer to converse in their mother tongues. Getting out of the comfort zone is often the toughest nut to crack. On the other hand, the introduction of a compulsory soft skills course serves only to magnify the deficiencies of our education system. Students have forgotten how to interact, how to communicate, and how to ace that interview, to the extent that such drastic measure has to be taken. While this solves the problem on the surface, it effectively sweeps the bigger chunk of it under the carpet. Undergraduates cannot be expected to learn the art of eloquence and to gain self confidence overnight. It takes more than a course to create the wholesome undergraduate. More importantly, undergraduates must be provided with room and space for holistic growth. Intellectual discussions, debates and forums on any topic at all should be encouraged and the underlying fear that students will rebel, retaliate or even form extremist groups, I would like to state, is unfounded. As adults, they should be respected as such, which means also to be given inter alia, the right to freedom of expression. What is right or wrong is not the point. The focal point is, undergraduates must be allowed to think, to express themselves, and to dissent if they want to. Keep pushing them around, and what do you get? A bunch of pushovers in society. The bottom line is this. Whether or not an undergraduate will ever be ready to face the ‘real’ world is essentially a matter of choice. Choose to maintain your status quo, you continue in your temporary bubble in Neverland, waiting for the ‘real’ world to come crashing through. Choose to free your mind from the fetters of tradition for tradition’s sake, and to move out of your comfort zone, you embark on a journey with nothing guaranteed, except unfamiliarity. The latter sounds like a better deal, at least to me.
Something that I got from The Kundalini yoga Website
One of the goals of silent meditation is to discover and connect with our inner state of being. Our inner state is complex, has many levels and is ever changing. When we first begin our inner journey, our first encounter is with our mundane thoughts-about what we have to do, our plans for the day, our opinions about what we are doing at the moment.
I remember my first attempt at "meditation" which must have been about 1973-4. I had been practicing hatha yoga daily for 3-4 years. I decided I would sit still for a few minutes after my asanas. Wow. What an effort that was to actually sit "still" for the eternity of three minutes! I certainly wasn't still and my mind certainly wasn't silent. But I did sit there for three minutes and that was a great accomplishment for me at that time.
I was very pleased with myself for actually attempting this heretofore impossible feat. The point is we have to start sometime and somewhere. Sometime could be now. And somewhere is where we are at at this moment. Needless to say I have made a lot of progress since that first day, but it has taken a long time and I am still at it.
Meditation is the tool for getting in touch with what is really happening inside our psyche, beyond the flow of thoughts that initially clutter our inner terrain. One of the things I have discovered is that there are many things going on and they are often contradictory. I can feel happy and sad at the same time. I can access feelings of anger and detachment simultaneously. I notice that I am both afraid and excited. There is an inner anxiety that seems to be a curtain that covers a dynamic peace.
I have drawn two simple conclusions from all of this:(1) This is the way things are, within me and in the universe. Realities that appear to be opposites or even conflictual exist simultaneously.(2) At every moment I am at choice. I can choose which reality I wish to give my attention to. It is as simple as making a choice.
Sometimes making specific choices is difficult. In making choices I have the following touchstone facilitates my decision-making process --What will make me happy, more peaceful and feel good
I remember my first attempt at "meditation" which must have been about 1973-4. I had been practicing hatha yoga daily for 3-4 years. I decided I would sit still for a few minutes after my asanas. Wow. What an effort that was to actually sit "still" for the eternity of three minutes! I certainly wasn't still and my mind certainly wasn't silent. But I did sit there for three minutes and that was a great accomplishment for me at that time.
I was very pleased with myself for actually attempting this heretofore impossible feat. The point is we have to start sometime and somewhere. Sometime could be now. And somewhere is where we are at at this moment. Needless to say I have made a lot of progress since that first day, but it has taken a long time and I am still at it.
Meditation is the tool for getting in touch with what is really happening inside our psyche, beyond the flow of thoughts that initially clutter our inner terrain. One of the things I have discovered is that there are many things going on and they are often contradictory. I can feel happy and sad at the same time. I can access feelings of anger and detachment simultaneously. I notice that I am both afraid and excited. There is an inner anxiety that seems to be a curtain that covers a dynamic peace.
I have drawn two simple conclusions from all of this:(1) This is the way things are, within me and in the universe. Realities that appear to be opposites or even conflictual exist simultaneously.(2) At every moment I am at choice. I can choose which reality I wish to give my attention to. It is as simple as making a choice.
Sometimes making specific choices is difficult. In making choices I have the following touchstone facilitates my decision-making process --What will make me happy, more peaceful and feel good
Wasted,regretted but just picked up and got on with it
It was supposed to be a great hols for me .This was how it went.Monday-woke up at 6.30 and did my sadhna as planned but the rest of the day was spent wastefully as I only managed to revise a little on the academic stuff and not practicing my add maths which i seriously need and a whole lot of television programme was on the list too.Great.Another screwed day.Tuesday-pretty much the same except that my desire for tv was even greater so I watched till like 12 and continued studying add maths till like 1.05(haha...a study plan indeed)did my Kirtan Sohela and just enjoyed my sleep.This is what I call too much desires but little things are done.Whatever, I am gonna sort it out soon(the word soon again-guess you would already know that-i have pretty much repeated it all the time...will get it done this time)
ANYWAY,state level is coming up.Hurray.My band life mood is activated again.Yeah.Really wanna win the best drumline award this year.WE have won all the titles in my band life except that.Damn.I want it so badly.I am just another crazy percussionist that is all.So,gotta get my ass up in the field cause I have been skipping band practices.Books aside please.Stadium Hoki Sarawak ,here I come and the cavaliers of Malaysia want our national champ title back.We have a special secret this year.Watchout on the second week or maybe the third for SJS BAND AND HOW I WISHED BUGLE AND CORPS tearing the stadium apart.Drumline-check tempo.
ANYWAY,state level is coming up.Hurray.My band life mood is activated again.Yeah.Really wanna win the best drumline award this year.WE have won all the titles in my band life except that.Damn.I want it so badly.I am just another crazy percussionist that is all.So,gotta get my ass up in the field cause I have been skipping band practices.Books aside please.Stadium Hoki Sarawak ,here I come and the cavaliers of Malaysia want our national champ title back.We have a special secret this year.Watchout on the second week or maybe the third for SJS BAND AND HOW I WISHED BUGLE AND CORPS tearing the stadium apart.Drumline-check tempo.
Holidays (First Semester Break)
Yeah ,now we are talking.Why?Simple,it is holidays ( first semester holidays).I now have time to plan myself and redirect myself to what I want to do for the second semester and set straight my goals for the next semester to face my final public exam.At last , a real break from school.I really have to plan cause I am currently lacking in terms of my studies.Right , I am gonna set straight a few simple rules for myself which I am sure i will never be up to it.But what the heck.Let's give it a try.
1)Focus on my breath of fire and sat kriya
2)I need to do at least japji and jaap sahib in the morning(for jaap sahib ...haha...gonna try the new bowing technique which i learnt from MrSikhnet which i forgot what they call it)
3)For my studies....haha ...that i have no idea but i will soon be indulging myself in it
Great, I have a few commitments which I need to be constantly be wary of.Let's get it rolling.
1)Focus on my breath of fire and sat kriya
2)I need to do at least japji and jaap sahib in the morning(for jaap sahib ...haha...gonna try the new bowing technique which i learnt from MrSikhnet which i forgot what they call it)
3)For my studies....haha ...that i have no idea but i will soon be indulging myself in it
Great, I have a few commitments which I need to be constantly be wary of.Let's get it rolling.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Sports Day
Here we go again....i always wanted to be an all rounder and i love running....yup after spm i am going straight to the gym and field to build my body and stamina...currently i feel weak (i have been skipping band practices) really gotta get back to sports.Anyway every year i take part in st jo's sports day and what the hell this year...i got busted...i never trained...i was so overconfident...so i just simply went just like that...usually every year i will at the least enter the finals...but what the hell ...this time i got last ....yup last...really embrassing though...cause i used to be one of the great runners.....and ya cornelius(a very smart friend)was telling me,dude cheer up we do this for fun only lah....no need to be serious one...and what u know...he got 7th and i got last..wah ......the course of life....ACCEPT DEFEAT...things that most of us hate to do...however...i wasn't that devastated and even better i was smiling throughout the race.... i guess CHANDI DI VAAR really helped.....kept my spirit boiling even though i lost...
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Education versus reality
Damn i never thought that i would ever blog on this ,however my temptations got over me..so i frankly and seriously thought of doing this.Firstly,i am totally against our system of education..WHY?Definitely because...it gets to my nerves whenever I attempt to work hard on memorising facts as we are so driven into this method of studying as by not doing so......education seems like failure for malaysian students as without a big list of A's on our certificate we are considered as a not very productive student.Will we be ready for the big world outside(my nerves are really getting over me)?????NOW that is the big question.I know that education and knowledge come together in one big package but that is not really the point.Point is why should we just get along with this system as I'm sure it is not appealing for most students.Go to school by 6.30-tuition in the afternoon-in the night just get along with the homework-midnight start memorising.WOW.That is big mental endurance especially for those driven for the JPA scholarship which may seem like a dream come true.Worst still,lets start publishing books for those scoring 17,18,19,21 A's to set an example for this chosen one lifestyle.I am not saying that it is bad.Actually it is a great work done by this so called great ones.I actually admire their perseverance.But like I have expressed myself..... the true game of life has just begun.I really think that billionaires like Donald Trump is actually setting a good example by sharing with us their journey in the world of making BIG money.Let's take education as a barrier that must be overcomed for short term success and get on with the real thing such as financial education to really enjoy our life as a human being..YUP..that is my true inspiration.Nevertheless,for now I got to back to my books to overcome my first real challenge ....SPM..(lame).Damn i just could not get my bio facts into my firing brainpower... that is why I am posting this up...not really wanting to hurt others thinking and mentality towards our system of education.BUT for now I am really enjoying chemistry( though i missed my class today) due to my ego of self study(bullshit).Lastly ,my patience are really running out for moral and an unknown subject named EST which is really of no use.There is where i believe that strong faith in believing in what I can do will really be essential plus some sincere meditation.I am really enjoying sat kriya at the moment..powerful stuff..really need the energy to be creative.Alas, I have finally posted my first post.
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