The BIG 15!

This past 2 weeks, I just realized how time passed us by in a nano second. When I saw the faces of my friends, I still see that familiarity that was to become something you want to grasp. Therefore in order to remember them, for me, the easiest way to know a person is by asking them questions that you would ask yourself that would describe who you are.

As I am compiling them together in my book, please let me know if you would prefer a pseudonym to be used rather than your real name. So here goes;

1. How would you describe your feelings/thoughts right now?

2. Who has been your greatest influence?

3. Who are/were you close with in your family?

4. If you can resurrect someone you knew, who would it be and why?

5. If you were to meet your biggest idol, what would you say to him/her?

6. High heels or leather boots?

7. What would you choose to be - an EAGLE, a LION, or a SHARK?

8. To be lawful or to be compassionate, which is more honorable?

9. If you are given a MILLION dollars, what would you do?

10. Describe an event that happened in the past, that has effected your life in so many ways.

11. If you are given a Superpower, which one would you like to possess?

12. What has been your greatest achievement and what would you like to achieve?

13. Have you ever taken things for granted and what was it?

14. Just before your life ends, i) What or who would you want to be? ii) Where would you want to be and, iii) What would you say?

15. What would you want people to ask you that would describe yourself?

Thank you friends. Now remember that you needn't answer all but please try to answer at least 3 yeah? 3 that you would relate to the most. And the answers can be emailed to be at www.facebook.com/azmiyogi or www.azmijourney.com .

Fast Forward - Dance Off 1985

For those who wants to know how I was like in the 80's, HERE YOU GO!!

The Lady - Official Trailer [HD]

The best inspirational movie on the fight for democracy ever! If you think The Iron Lady is good, this will blow you away!! Ann Sang Su Kyi is my true HERO!!

A Memorial For The Beloved Departed Selamat...

A solemn night has passed, a lifetime of glorious memories lies ahead. That was the highest note that ended what would be the memorial to remember. Yes, the Memorial of our most beloved friend, Selamat Jumaat, whom life will be cherished by his peers for as long as they shall live. I cannot thank everyone who were there enough for sharing this spectaculor night with me. Thank you.

Apart from remembering his life, tonight, more than anything, Selamat has brought friends of more of 10 to 20 years together. A blessing in the most hideous of disguises. What I would give to have him just for a moment to show him what he has brought upon us. A lifetime of memories were shared, people remembered, stories re-told, experiences we had from the early to mid 90s were fondly rekindled. The madness, the glory, the sadness, the joy of having those moments splayed right before our eyes. Where have the 20 over years gone? There, he took it with him and left behind some. Leaving when the party is still on.

Love re-realized, lights lighted and best of all, memory lanes walked, over and over again without even getting sick of it. How beautiful, lighthearted, funny and non-chalant he has painted our memories of him. How his true essence was perfectly captured through Frankie's beautiful eulogy. If time had no limits, we would have been there sharing till the sun comes up! Nonetheless, 4 hours were lots but never enough.

I've stopped to want to hear people say he is in a better place, he is in a place where he wanted to be? Guess what? YOU DON'T KNOW! But WE (his dear friends) know that WE WERE IN A PERFECT PLACE when he was still here. It will never ever be the same without him anymore. A piece of each of our lives has been taken away. But you know what? The brilliant memory of him is more than big enough to replace that piece that was gone.

To Selamat, our beloved departed, you have left us with no sorrow but with the ever so tenous love that has only brought us together even closer. We have left our differences behind, beheld our friendships in full strength and you have reminded us of who we are to each other and of who you were when you were with us. You will always be remembered dearly in our thoughts and loved fondly in our hearts.

Farewell my dear friend and thank you for sharing your kindness, your compassion, your unwitting humor, your infectious laughter and most of all, just your unconditional friendship with all of us. We love you from the bottom of our hearts.....

Love and light,

Azmi

Those attended - Frankie, Lynne Illyana, Mai, Wati, Tahar, Fyziel Al-Rifat, Abang Malik, Eddy Teo, Wati, Alphian, Gilbert & wife, Benny (please tag also those of his friends who did not attend).

Farewell and Thank YOU!!

Returning from Singapore marked 18 more days to my trip. The visit has also proven to be both heartbreaking as much as liberating. The latter being of the fact that i may not see my father and my sister-in-law anymore as both are dying of illness that none of us could do anything about. As sad as they may seem, I have, I must, come to terms of the imminent loss. However, life has to go on and i have to move on and no one knows how everything is going to end or start. In light of these heartaches, the support that i have received from all of my friends, family and my Wizard were simply overwhelming that made me so eager to leave for this epic journey through Indochina.

Having said that, I had one of the most emotional classes in my life tonight. Yeah i could almost immediately hear many whine yeah yeah yeah, oh no... Oh brother there he goes again, but no matter how lame and passe it may sound, it is the truth. Thats the thing, the emotional thing about the truth. The lessons in truth in all the classes that i've taught, or rather cannot be taught. The lessons that must be lived to be understood. This profound phrase that i just came about not too long ago. And another profound thing about the truth, the trust that inevitably happens in class no matter what we do. We need to trust in everything we do, which defines the very essence of human existence!

One of the most valuable lessons about life that i have learned is trust. I learned the hard way to trust people and when you trust people, you need, you MUST trust them with all your heart and all the way for if they falter, then it is not a fault of yours as you have, in your part, trusted them wholly. If they lie, we MUST be able to turn to ourselves and ask why do they need to lie to US? Then it is in our duty to turn back to them and show them that we are capable of the truth. That if the truth hurts, it is in our human trait to be able to DEAL with the truth, no matter how hurtful it is.

As for me, I want lies to end because no matter how hurtful it is, at least hurt goes to show how truthful a human can be.

I held my classes back and broke the news about my decision to leave earlier but be back on the day before I begin my journey from KL. I told them about my sister-in-law, about my father, about the short time we have left (my students and i), and about the legacy i want to leave behind. And so i told them my decision to return to singapore next week and spend some quality time with my father and my family. Apart from the memories i have of my dad and the time i have left with him, its also about the time i have had with my students. It isn't so much about what i have taught them or the lessons i have portrayed in class, but it is more about the lessons that THEY have taught me, how far I have come and the exemplars they have given me that i will carry with me through my journeys. I could not give them an extra hour, an extra day or an extra week that would change things for change has to happen now, for us to seize and accept and to live to be realized its difference.

So this journey, i will dedicate to the lives that had touched mine, to the beautiful farewell that i will have with my beautiful father and to my wonderful wonderful students who have in such a big way touched my life more than i have touched theirs. May this next EIGHT days be the EIGHT best days of our lives together...of living the lessons we have taught each other and understanding what we have shown one another..

To ALL my students, old AND new, I love you from the very bottom of my humble heart.... Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Namaste,

A

Wheelchair-bound Ras Adiba to sing her heart out

Wheelchair-bound Ras Adiba to sing her heart out

Some Lessons Cannot Be Taught, They Must Be Lived To Be Understood.

In light of a recent dramatic event, the lessons it unfolded have become invaluable possessions that I want to retain in my mind and carry with me in my journeys through life. And so it goes, the throes of life being presented to us not to kill us and make us weak, but to make us stronger and wiser. As easy as it may seems, its even harder to actually have them happen to you. And I had to learn the hard way, by getting myself arrested at immigration. I had forgotten to renew my visit pass and since I was already at immigration during the announcement, it was of course all too late. I almost peed in my pants!!

Now let me take you on a very short journey back in time. 27th February 2012. I was pretty excited to meet my Bapak after a while. Also my elder sister, Sa'adiah was getting married the next day! So in one way or another, I MUST come home. And then the announcement came through the speakers reminding passengers and making sure of them having valid documents for immigration. "Ladies and gentlemen. May I have your attention please. As we are approaching the Tanjong Kupang Immigration checkpoint, may I remind you to ensure that you have valid travel documents as required by immigration. I would also appreciate a prompt return to the bus upon clearance. Thank you for your kind co-operation." My heart raced. I remembered not leaving the country upon returning from Bali on the 4th January. FIFTY-FOUR DAYS AGO!!!! I went pale. Cold sweat started to form around my temples. My darkest day is here for the second time. I was frozen in my seat as the bus approached the checkpoint.

Not less than a zillion thoughts ran through my head. I could literally see my whole life passing by in front of me like movie screens. I started to message friends and family to inform them of my predicament. Now THIS is the time to openly ask for help. I managed to use my iPad2 to profile down my situation so that people can be informed should there be any problem. I closed the device and went straight to the Imm counter where I saw a nice woman with such cheery smile was waiting to start her routine. Before she found out about my overstay, I confessed. Told her that I was being totally forgetful and ignorant and promised her this will never happen again.

She looked up at me and asked, "Berapa lama tu awak over stay?", I said, "54 hari". HA??? was the prompt response and instantly I was brought up to the deputy's office to explain myself which involved a count of what would happen to me if were found guilty. This was the time when the word "Lepak" (hang out) made sense and miraculously became a useful excuse judging by the reaction of officers. A series of open discussion on my facebook profile followed on how to get me out. 2 hours, 2 siblings (Ruby and Sudin) and 2 friends (an oldest and a latest) later, I was out!!! But not without the help from a higher authority, my latest friend's acquaintance and of course a little push from under the table. Urgh. I regretted the latter but it had to be done. Then again, freedom was so sweet!! I was bleeding with gratitude since.

Although they are issues that could have been avoided, something as natural as forgetfulness intervened so that lessons can be learned and its wisdom indoctrinated. As such, I do believe that obstacles and mishaps happen for a reason. They manifest themselves in many forms and when nature decides that someone had been too complacent, had accumulated enough ignorance or simply in need for the next step in life, boom! - nature appears as a wake up call. A self realization to keep us on our toes, an occasional self checking insight that everyone is so in need of. Since then, it has taught me how to check my passport meticulously well before the day of departure.

When we are faced with such predicament, some of us would instantly find escape by calling to mind how it could have happened and who could be blamed. Unfortunately life is not always about escaping and blaming, and that is not the lesson that life wants to teach us, instead it is about responsibilities, choices that we make, and reasons for making them. While many lessons and problem solving matters could be taught in schools and institutions through books and lectures, some lessons simply cannot be taught, they must be lived to be understood. Having said that, hopefully we only have to live the lessons in a state of health and good conscience.

In 23 days 10 hours and 6 minutes, I depart for my journey in seeking a naked life. A life stripped of wealth and attachments, on foot through 11 cities in 5 countries coming across with more cultures than you can shake-a-stick out! So any lesson about life would be another lesson I take with me, each person who had positively affected my life would be another person to be remembered through this journey, for these are what I would refer to if any quandary decides to happen in seeking strength because I do strongly believe that what doesn't kill us will make us stronger. I hope from all the lessons I learnt from my life in Kuala Lumpur that had made me strong, would carry me through my journey and keep me safe from harm.

Lastly, I would really hope that I could come back and share what could be the most incredibly amazing trip of my lifetime. It will only be me, my 60 liter back pack, Yogitoes, my Eko-lite manduka, the freedom of choice, the will to make things happen, no attachments, no commitments, no extra baggage at the back of my mind, and absolutely NO REGRETS!

Sometimes we simply need to stop hoping and let go of things but there are other times when we need to have faith that hope will happen. Guess what? I have lived both and doing it all over again. And this journey would without a doubt, be the one that I want live for its lessons to be understood.