Pura vida, baby!: Book Cafe at River Valley.

Tis a damp and cloudy day in Singapore. Amber and I are chilling out at Book Cafe by River Valley Road in Singapore. We've been on the lookout for relaxing and chilled out cafes/spots to read, blog and whatnot and so far we haven't been extremely successful. The best thing about Book Cafe is that there is no blaring music to distract me from reading. The seats are comfortable, its got wifi, and it looks like most of the other patrons are here for the same reasons. The only irritants I'm experiencing are the rather steep menu prices and the two people who are smoking despite the obvious 'No Smoking' signs.

I've finally gotten onto The Awakening of Intelligence, by J. Krishnamurti, which I'm thoroughly enjoying. The author is a world-renowned spiritual teacher and discusses valuable (in my opinion) issues such as the need to change, "religious" experience, man's struggle, and the search for truth. An area I'm finding particularly useful is on the topic of meditation, and how, as he explains, is "not as escape." In recent meditation (this morning and last night), I found my mind irritable and therefore not being unable to sit still and quietly even ending the sessions minutes before the hour is up. I ascertain that this is due to not "living wholesomely" these days just past. My conscience is affected and results in my not being able to practice properly. So I discover directly through my own experience why the precepts for vipassana are given and required: Meditation is not an escape from life and living; the spiritual life cannot be effectively practiced if the events of daily life are not properly dealt with (5 precepts):

Refrain from intentionally harming or taking life
Refrain from taking things which are not given to me
Refrain from sexual misconduct
Refrain from false speech
Refrain from intoxicants that confuse the mind. (i.e. drugs & alcohol)

While they act as restraints, the Five Precepts are also intended to harmonise one’s behaviour so they can be expressed as positive qualities:

Act with compassion and loving-kindness towards all sentient beings.
Be open-hearted and generous.
Practice stillness, simplicity, contentment, and self-restraint.
Speak with truth, clarity and peace.
Live with mindfulness.

It has been almost 4 months since my last meditation retreat, and sometimes I wonder if this practice is doing "any good." I find reading about spirituality such as Krishnamurti's book essential and inspirational and I love how I am able to bounce ideas off Amber's eager ears. Even more, I am very pleased to find myself (ourselves) in the habit of meditating on a daily basis. I would definitely feel like something was missing if I were to stop today.

I am finally connected! After weeks of feeling aversion for Singaporeans having their faces constantly buried in their iphones (and I realize this is more due to modern city lifestyle than race), I have purchased a prepaid SIM card to use on a derelict NOKIA cell phone I found lying around the house.