David's Space...

A Real Job?

My friend shared that his siblings were giving him a hard time because he just joined Kechara as a full time staff a few months back. They were Christians but they didn't use the religious card. However, they harped on his financial capability to support his kids and their future. At this point, he was stumped, he kept quiet and this further infuriated his siblings. (He is earning a similar pay package from his previous job) They kept on demanding when would he get a real job. Boy, have I heard that one before!

I think he wasn't asking for advice and was just sharing what he is going through. I thought about it for awhile and I shared what I experienced with my mum when I first started working for the Dharma. My mum is Christian too and there was probably some unexpressed differences between our faiths. Whether the differences have anything to do with her acceptance of my career choice, I can only speculate. However, I told my friend, he has to earn their respect so they will stop harassing him or at least lessen it. 

How is he going to earn his siblings' respect? Well, first of all, he has to stop asking his siblings for financial favors like he did occasionally in the past. I told him to remain on friendly terms and occasionally buy them gifts to reassure them he was doing alright. Over time, I told him that it would be good to be more and more firm and confident of his decision to work for the Dharma. He is an adult and does not depend on his siblings for anything and so they cannot dictate his life. He has to convey that in a gentle, firm and yet confident way. He doesn't have to be rude about it but just be confident. I feel that will make his siblings respect him and might even get them interested in Kechara, Rinpoche and finally the Dharma. 

I think he liked what I said and seemed inspired. Well, I was speaking from experience with my mum. She has since stop all her little 'when are you getting a real job' lines and has even begun to ask strange but cute questions that revealed her curiosity of Rinpoche and that is a big step. Well, all this was based on countless advice that Rinpoche gave me over the years regarding my mum and I told him hoping it might help my friend.

Somewhere along the way, I had also asked him why did he join the Dharma? He said it started off because he became disillusioned with his dreary corporate job. He liked Kechara ever since he joined and have been volunteering a lot and one thing led to another and he became a full time staff. Then he said working for the Dharma was not easy but it was whole lot more fulfilling and he like that very much. I told him that he is pretty fortunate to have the support of his wife. He readily agreed with me but he said that she has her 'moments' sometimes. But I told him that everybody has their ups and downs and she is no different. 

All in all, my friend is doing well and is very committed towards his Dharma career and in fact someone I admire for his courage. He is married and has very young kids but he chose to work for the Dharma and that is an uncommon commitment. 

Turning 30! ~ an introspection

Not too long ago, I turned 30 in Shanghai. It went by so quickly that I hardly noticed it. When I got back from Shanghai, I was caught up with a major crisis of my own doing. Sigh... Consequently, I was a little distracted and now I have finally found the time to think and put things in perspective. 

What I have achieved so far is not really what I originally had in mind and actually, I was never really a go-getter or someone with grand plans anyway. All the planning and go-getting fell down from the sky in form of Rinpoche. Hence, at 30, I did make some headway with the publication of my book - There's no way but up and Vajrayogini coffee table book. Well, this is not to mention being awarded the position as Apprentice to Rinpoche's Liaison Council.

Look! I am trying to be all holy (YSH!) when I swore to Lord Setrap on being appointed.

Being amongst the council is an honour and a yardstick of how much more I have to go to fulfill in order to really be a real liaison. I am not a leader but then again, leaders are not born. There are tall hopes placed on my shoulders and at times I do have my moments of laziness - my greatest woe and foe. It has been a work-in-progress for as long as I remember . I win small battles sometimes and I got to work my way to the bigger ones. Anyway I do hope that when I turn 40, I wouldn't be still where I am right now. 

Hmm, 30.... another year and another decade... I guess, I can only look forward and make the best of what is to come...

What's Up with Me Lately...

1.  I recently had a nice interview with Jojo Struys in Kechara Paradise Bangsar store. She is a pretty girl, speaks well, is street-smart and seemed deeper than her makeup. It is part of StarProperty's efforts to have us in it with her talking about Buddhist art. I love Buddhist art, especially Tibetan Buddhist art. So I was there, the strange awkward expert explaining about art. Here is the finished video:-

By the way, KP Bangsar is now closed for relocation to Viva Mall! 

2. Radio Interview on TraxxFM with Priscilla Ann Yap. 

I had a lovely 45 Minutes of LIVE National Airtime on TraxxFM talking about my book, of course - There's No Way But Up.  It was interspersed with a few songs and I not only got to talk about my book but also about Kechara organisation along with Rinpoche. I will be trying to get the recording of this interview from the radio station and will post it up here soon. 

 

 

3. Reading The Bodhisattva Vows by Venerable Dagpo Lama Rinpoche at the moment. When I am finished, I would have to give a talk about it. It was of course instructions from Rinpoche and I am right  as type this on my third chapter. 

 

4. Silly Random Photos taken on my phone's camera at an Art Gallery. This guys are around 4 - 5 feet high. I believe Kechara Care will be having one of these guys in their new 'lounge'. I can't wait! 

   

 

 

 
 

My Pick-Me-Upper!

Lately, I have been down in the doldrums and wallowing in a lot of self-pity for things I did wrong or decisions I did or did not make. I would like to think that there are many people out there would be able relate to where I am coming from and I felt that I was in need of a “pick-me-upper”. I am really glad that it finally came today in the form of an email sent over last Saturday.

Someone by the name of Teo Sheng Ee read my book There’s No Way But Up and appreciated what I wrote so he emailed me his appreciation. He really liked the honesty of the writing and even listed down scenarios in the book that inspired him. I was flabbergasted by this email! I am really glad that not all decisions I made in the past were all bad and it kinda brightened up my day. Perhaps, it will inspire me not to make too many silly mistakes from now on. Thanks Sheng Ee!

~

Hi David,

We have never met before. But after reading your book, I thought of writing to you.

Thank you for your generous sharing of your personal experiences in the Dharma as well as your training under Tsem Rinpoche. It is really amazing you can write so candidly about the things that had happened, especially those that did not put you in a positive light at all (i.e. the scoldings you received and the BFs that you went through). What a good learning in ego-destroying!

I truly think that you write from the heart and the book itself is not designed to become some sort of “marketing material” that is commonly found in autobiographies designed to paint a nice and rosy picture.

Your relating of your own experiences has allowed me to take a good look at myself and as much as I hate to admit, I too possess many of the flaws and undesirable attitudes that Tsem Tulku Rinpoche mentioned. Your book really serves as a good mirror for me to reflect on how I have been living. At the same time, it gives me hope that I too possess the same potential to transform my life to become a better person.

The recurring lessons that I drew from your book are as follows:

1. Running away from our Lama is only running away from ourselves
2. Devotion to the Lama will bring us results
3. Taking responsibility for our lives is the number 1 thing we should do, be it secular or Dharma activities
4. It is the little things that we do which reflect our inner attitudes, so to change, we need to be aware of the little things in our lives (i.e. switching off the lights, making sure the glass cabinet for VY is clean).

Once again, thank you so much for your sharing. I look forward to more writing from you!

Jia You! You are definitely a good writer!

Regards,

Sheng Ee

Great Sales at Kechara Paradise

Huge Sale!!! Don't miss it at Kechara Paradise Bangsar

It's a celebration!

Celebrate history and take a special part of Kechara Paradise home with you in its biggest, best-ever sale! 

Kechara Paradise Bangsar will be expanding and moving location to greater horizons, bigger crowds, and nearer the hip & happening city centre. Before the big, exciting move, we invite you celebrate our growth with us in a special clearance sale - the BIGGEST AND BEST we've ever had! 

We'll be giving fantastic offers of UP TO 60% on beautiful, sacred treasures that you can't find anywhere else in the country. Don't you want to take something extra special and unique home with you before someone else grabs it? Items are being snapped up fast and trust us, you don't want to miss this chance! You might never find that perfect statue, that one-and-only mala or that incredible hand-crafted offering item ever again. 

Join us every day at KP Bangsar, 20 - 27 June, 12 - 8pm daily. 

For more details, contact Pam on +60 3 2284 4136 or visit www.kechara.com/paradise

See you there soon!

Kechara Paradise Team

Lovely photos of Kechara Paradise Bangsar with many statues, thangkas and interesting items up for 'grabs'! 

It's a celebration!

Celebrate history and take a special part of Kechara Paradise home with you in its biggest, best-ever sale! 

Kechara Paradise Bangsar will be expanding and moving location to greater horizons, bigger crowds, and nearer the hip & happening city centre. Before the big, exciting move, we invite you celebrate our growth with us in a special clearance sale - the BIGGEST AND BEST we've ever had! 

We'll be giving fantastic offers of UP TO 60% on beautiful, sacred treasures that you can't find anywhere else in the country. Don't you want to take something extra special and unique home with you before someone else grabs it? Items are being snapped up fast and trust us, you don't want to miss this chance! You might never find that perfect statue, that one-and-only mala or that incredible hand-crafted offering item ever again. 

Join us every day at KP Bangsar, 20 - 27 June, 12 - 8pm daily. 

For more details, contact Pam on +60 3 2284 4136 or visit www.kechara.com/paradise

See you there soon!

Kechara Paradise Team

Lovely photos of Kechara Paradise Bangsar with many statues, thangkas and interesting items up for 'grabs'! 

Catching Up - Photos from a Media Gathering of my book.

I know I have been lazy and not been blogging for the longest time. But that doesn't mean that I have not been doing stuff. I just had my media launch of my book at MPH Bookstores in One Utama...well 2 weeks ago. Here are some nice photos that Fang, KMP's designer, photographer and singer extraordinaire. 

Needless to say, my friends, colleagues and family were present to hear me croak a few words to launch it to some journalists and media people. I must say, I sound like some weird politician belting out some very TC (tired city - a city-sized worth of ridiculousness) political rhetoric. 

 Enjoy the photos...

My CEO boss & 'mummy' Phng Li Kim plus my wonderful colleague and friend Paris Khoo

   

Boy, I hate this picture! I thought I looked cool by resting my hand like that but it only made me look fatter! 

I know! I look like a TC pink politician... Look above if you want to know what TC means... 
 

Look! Paris is just so calm and she was so good when she gave her song and dance... I mean speech

My lovely parent with their flowers. I am fatter than my dad! Sigh!

I love fans! Although it was just one... Not too bad and please don't compare me to Paris, she had a line. Well everybody loves Paris Hilton!     

My dad!

My dad and I have a great relationship for many years. I have not always been the best son to him because when I was growing up, I allowed a gulf to grow between us. We hardly talked and I would often see him sitting alone in the kitchen drinking beer and wallowing in his own thoughts. I didn't do much for him at that time. 

However, when I met the Dharma through Rinpoche, things began to slowly change. I passed my father a CD of Rinpoche's teachings and he loved it the moment he first listened to it. So he came into Kechara House and has since become an active member. He would tell me that he always found a deep respect for Rinpoche not just as a Dharma teacher but as a great leader. He was referring to the way Rinpoche rallies people towards  organising and building the organisation.

However, when I first moved into a Dharma house at the advice of Rinpoche, my dad was worried. He accepted it but I had never lived on my own before! So he was worried and like all parents would, he wondered if I could make ends meet. On top of that , my mum's worries magnified my dad's. But somehow, my dad being the nice guy, decided to let me try it out anyway. Besides, I am not moving to another country and I did tell him that I am with Dharma people so there's nothing to worry about. 

This was the same when I decided to work as a sales person for the new fledgling Kechara Mystical Treasures store (now rename Kechara Paradise). This was many years ago and recently, I heard that one of my aunt freaked out when she heard that I was joining Dharma work and this probably embarrassed my parents greatly. She probably thought that it was a loser's job and there's no future in this. I don't really blame her because that's the prevailing perception of her generation. That perception is changing now with Rinpoche's efforts and the commitment of many new successful young people who put aside the big paychecks and careers to commit towards the Dharma.

And things did change for me too, now that I am writing and producing books, it has made my father very proud to have a son who is making it as a writer. Although he honestly expressed that he wasn't the one who brought me to this level because he knew that it was through Rinpoche's efforts that I am who I am today. Nonetheless, he is still very happy and contented and is not insecure about it. As a son, I am glad to be able to give this to my father as I watch how Dharma had changed his life too. My dad regularly volunteers in Kechara House and finds joy in making offerings, some light maintenance, pujas and cleaning the floor. Everybody respects and loves him and he is affectionately known as Uncle Lai. 

Creating a Legacy Together...

Last Saturday was historic because our (KH's) retreat center was unveiled in a public event to our members for the very first time. It was called Creating A Legacy Together and was held at Kechara Oasis (our vegetarian restaurant).

Our retreat center initially dubbed TKL or Tsem Kacho Ling has been synonymous with Rinpoche's and Kechara's hopes and dreams. This dream is to create an institution that would create teachers and foster spirituality, both secular and Buddhist that would outlast all us and survive way into the future, much like Gaden Monastery. At this event, they unveiled a name change for TKL and it is now known as KWPC - Kechara World Peace Center. I thought it was a great idea because it implies a much broader perpective and far more accessible vision accessible for all. 

I was at the event and it was totally amazing. It was fantastic because of the empowering speeches given by our senior Liaisons like Henry Ooi, Datuk May Phng and even Seng Piow. They were brimming with enthusiasm, passion and great news particularly with near future expansion of our Gompa, Kechara House. The highlight of the evening was really the great video by KiM- Kechara InMotion, that takes your breath away with a 3D walkthrough of Kechara World Peace Center. I was so awed and moved that little tears was welling up in my eyes (I am no cry baby ok but it was just so amazing!) The video ended with a snippet of a powerful speech by Rinpoche, rallying his students to jump onto the bandwagon and get involve in this huge project that will make a huge impact on not just Malaysia but the region. 

I am really so glad to be a part of this vision and hope that my little writings will play a role somehow  in enrolling people towards Rinpoche's vision. I know I sound all goody-goody here but that's because  I am really excited about it and I just can't wait till the money is raised, the necessary people enrolled to our cause and the construction is complete! 

Can you already visualise the KWPC building nestled amongst these trees?

PS: Sorry only picture is what I got from Jean Ai's uploaded photos on Facebook. 

Check out the new KWPC tab at www.kechara.com However, you can't click on it yet but having it there is just so cool!

Up... up and away!!!!

I just did a book reading of, "There's No Way But Up" yesterday at Kechara Paradise Bangsar. Here is a silly photo taken just before the reading with all the shiny balloons that were a gift from Rinpoche in celebration of this occasion. Since, i was in the spotlight, I figured I might as well showcase the Vajrayogini book on the little table beside me. 

It was Qing Ming, or the 'All-Soul's Day' for the Chinese and I was honestly worried that only ghosts would be attending. I was even wondering if my parents would be able to make it. You know me, I have been worrying about everything. Being an unknown writer is not easy! 

Fortunately, my cousins and aunt were here and in fact we had lunch just before. They had no idea about Rinpoche, Kechara, or even what's in my book. They came just because I invited them. Anyway, they had a good time talking to a few people and Su Ming is seen in the photo below talking up a storm with the 3 ladies. She shooed me away when i got close to talk to them. 

I am not sure what the conversation was about but I got busy with preparing for the book reading. You know, what's funny. I chuck out all the little notes I had in my head because I didn't want it to be boring stuffy and made up. I was a nervous wreck and everybody knew including my poor CEO boss, Li Kim. She had a talk with me about managing people's opinions just yesterday. (Haha!) She was afraid that people will ask strange questions and I'd be all worked up. 

By then, more people had arrived and I could breathe a sigh or relief. Finally, my parents made a grand entrance and I was really happy. I really wanted both my parents to be there and to be happy and proud of their only child - "me". I think that is really what all parents want out of their kids. 

The balloons provided a good backdrop to my offbeat, nervous song and dance while I read my little book. The highlight came when I read out the dedication page to my parents. There was an unexpected applause from the audience and I could tell that my parents, particularly my mum was holding tears. I too was moved and I made sure that the audience know who my parents are. 

Everything said after that was a blur and all I remember saying was that I owe it to Rinpoche for making me an author. His methods were unconventional but it worked. 

Rinpoche's methods of making me an author are:-

1. Encouraging me to explain to customers the Dharma when I worked in Kechara Paradise.

2. Getting me to talk non-stop when I was with Rinpoche. I had to force out hours upon hours of 'new news' when he did his meditations and sadhana.  

I spoke a lot more but I guess I endeared myself to many in the audience. We sold 11 of There's No But Ups and 19 other KMP books. I signed a lot of books and got really exhausted but I was very happy to see everyone. I am glad my little pleas of buying my book to the audience worked!

 "In this book, I share my experiences which I dedicate wholeheartedly to my "tallest" and most beautiful Mom in the whole world. She has always forgiven me despite all the "naughty" things I have done in the past. My mom will always accept me for who I am and would always ensure that I have everything that I ever wanted.

Another important person I would like to dedicate the words shared within this book to is Pa, the most wonderful father in the whole world for being the silent, strong and intelligent figure. I love and respect my father because of his continuous inspiration to me with his transformation towards greater generosity and forbearance.

Mom and Pa! This book is for both of you!

There's No Way But Up