There is no life without breath. Therefore, the quality of air that we breathe in is crucial in determining the state of our health and since health is wealth, there is nothing that can ever replace the priority of ensuring that the air we breathe in is safe for all. This is however challenging in recent years due to rapid development around the world. 

While we seem to enjoy the perks of technological advancement and connectiveness with each other in our world today, all these came at a cost. Our climate and atmosphere are threatened through the consequences of Man’s many selfish actions. Dangerous pollutants are constantly emitted into the air, our forests are constantly cleared to make way for high rise buildings, and dangerous chemicals used in factories and households keep polluting our grounds and waters, which threaten the lives of animals and marine creatures. With such imbalances in the ecosystem, it would be strange if people’s health is not directly affected.

Our earth is a beautiful and amazing place. It is rich with all forms of natural resources. One of its natural resources is herbs that benefited mankind for thousands of years in the field of natural healing. Herbs have been used in different parts of the world since ancient time.

According to Archaeologists, archaeological evidence suggests that the use of herbs dates back as far as 60,000 years ago.  This is potentially the earliest evidence of human beings using herbs in our history.

In Mesopotamia, the written study of herbs dates back over 5,000 years to the Sumerians, who created clay tablets with lists of hundreds of medicinal plants (such as myrrh and opium).

In India, it is common in the practice of Ayurveda to use different types of herbs such as turmeric, triphala, trikatu etc. and such usage started possibly as early as 4,000 B.C.

In China, the "Shennong Ben Cao Jing" lists 365 herbs and their uses - including Ephedra (the shrub that introduced the drug ephedrine to modern medicine), hemp, and chaulmoogra (one of the first effective treatments for leprosy). Frankincense has been a staple ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine since at least 500 B.C.

In the Middle East and North Africa, both frankincense and myrrh have been traded for over 5,000 years.  It is believed that the Babylonians and Assyrians burnt them during religious ceremonies. The ancient Egyptians purchased plenty of resins from the Phoenicians to use them in incense, insect repellent, perfume and salves for wounds and sores. These were also used as key ingredients in the embalming process. Myrrh oil is an ideal ingredient for rejuvenating facial treatments. Frankincense on the other hand was charred and ground into a powder to produce the kohl eyeliner that Egyptian women commonly put on.

The walls of the temple dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt for around 2 decades until her death around 480 B.C., are also decorated with murals depicting sacks of frankincense and potted saplings of myrrh-producing trees.

According to the Hebrew Bible, Frankincense and Myrrh were components of the holy incense ritually burned in Jerusalem’s sacred temples during ancient times. The ancient Greeks and Romans also imported massive amounts of the resins, which they burned as incense, to use them during cremations and in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments.

By then, medical practitioners had already recognised and documented the properties of these substances as being antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, and hence, prescribed them for a variety of health conditions and diseases. These ranged from indigestion and chronic coughs to haemorrhoids and halitosis.

According to Touwaide (a historian of medicine at the Institute for the Preservation of Medical Traditions and the Smithsonian Institution), myrrh appears with more frequency than any other plant substance in the writings of the Greek physician Hippocrates, commonly called the "father of medicine" practised fumigation for both aromatic and medicinal benefit. He revolutionised the field of medicine in the 3rd and 4th centuries B.C.

The Roman Empire built upon the knowledge of the Egyptians and Greeks. Discorides wrote a book called 'De Materia Medica' that described the properties of approximately 500 plants. 'De Materia Medica' was one of the most important botanical books ever published in history, and was taken as the cornerstone of botanical medicine throughout Europe for 1,500 years.  Discorides also studied distillation, which at that time, only focused on extracting aromatic floral waters and not essential oils.

A huge turning point for the distillation of essentials came about with the invention of a coiled cooling pipe in the 11th century. Persian by birth, Ibn Sina, known throughout Europe as Avicenna (980-1037) invented a coiled pipe that allowed the plant vapour and steam to cool down more effectively than previous distillers that employed a straight cooling pipe. Avicenna's contribution led the way in the discovery of essential oils and their benefits. His contribution earned him the title, the "Prince of Physicians". Throughout his life, he had also written 20 books covering theology, metaphysics, astronomy, philology, philosophy and poetry, and most influentially, 20 books and 100 treatises on medicine.

In the 12th century, an Abbess of Germany named Hildegard grew and distilled Lavender for its medicinal properties. In the 13th century, the pharmaceutical industry was born. This encouraged the major distillation of essential oils.

During the 14th century, the Black Death hit and killed millions of people. Herbal preparations were used extensively to help fight this terrible phenomenon that struck many. It is even believed that some perfumers successfully avoided the plague from their constant contact with natural aromatics.

More plants were distilled to create essential oils in the 15th century. This included Frankincense, Juniper, Rose, Sage and Rosemary. The world also saw an increase in the number of books written on herbs and their properties later in that century.

By the 16th century, it was possible for one to purchase oils at an "apothecary" (modern pharmacy), and many more essential oils were introduced. During the 16th and 17th centuries, perfumery became a form of art and it became more clearly defined as a distinctive field.

During the 19th century, perfumery remained a prosperous industry. Women would have their jeweller create a special bottle to hold their treasured perfume. The 19th century was also important scientifically as major constituents of essential oils became isolated.

The knowledge to separate the constituents of essential oils to create synthetic chemicals and drugs began in the 20th century. It is now widely believed that by separating the major constituents and then using the separate constituents alone or in a synthetic form will not only be therapeutically beneficial but also economical. These discoveries had contributed a lot to 'modern medicine' and resulted in the production of synthetic fragrances. Natural therapists however strongly believe that such separation actually weakens the properties of essential oils that are important in conferring one with the therapeutic benefits.

Famous French chemist and scholar René-Maurice Gattefossé had accidentally discovered in 1910 that Lavender essential oil can heal burns very quickly with very little scarring. What happened was Gattefossé was working in the laboratory when he burned his hand during his experiment. He immediately dipped his hand into the nearest tub of liquid, which happened to be the Lavender essential oil. Gattefossé was amazed at how quickly his burn was relieved with very little scarring. This incident led to his fascination of the healing properties of essential oils and inspired him to experiment them on soldiers during World War 1. He experimented with oils such as Lavender, Thyme, Lemon and Clove that had antiseptic properties. He noted an increase in the rate of healing for wounds treated with essential oils.

Gattefossé coined the term "Aromatherapy" in 1928 in an article where he supported the use of using essential oils without breaking them down into their primary constituents. In 1937, he wrote a book called 'Aromathérapie: Les Huiles essentielles hormones végétales' that was later translated into English and named 'Gattefossé's Aromatherapy'. This book is still in print and is widely read all around the world.

Other highly respected 20th century aromatherapists include (but not limited to) Jean Valnet, Madam Marguerite Maury, and Robert B. Tisserand.

Jean Valnet also used essential oils to treat injured soldiers during the war. He is also remembered for his book, 'The Practice of Aromatherapy', originally entitled 'Aromathérapie' in French.

Austrian Madam Marguerite Maury was a biochemist who avidly studied, practised and taught the use of Aromatherapy for cosmetic benefit. She was also the one who incorporated the practice of massage in the art of Aromatherapy in the 1930s.

Robert B. Tisserand, who is still alive and well today, is an English aromatherapist who was responsible for being one of the first individuals to bring the knowledge and education of Aromatherapy to English-speaking nations. He has written books and articles including the highly respected 1977 publication 'The Art of Aromatherapy'. This was probably the first Aromatherapy book published in English.

Up to around 30 years ago, while Aromatherapy existed, it was not commonly heard of in our families. As people's search for alternative therapies increased, the availability of information on essential oils and Aromatherapy also grew. The rich resources of books and researches done throughout the centuries enlighten us and the field of Aromatherapy is definitely flourishing. This is evident with the emergence of many different types of essential oils brand, perfumery etc.

(hla) Fainting while exercising can be dangerous. However, according to the National Institutes of Health Medline Plus, the underlying cause of fainting may not always be caused by a serious condition. The cause of fainting can be due to malnutrition, overheating, dehydration and stress, though in serious cases, an underlying heart disease may also be the cause. It is therefore important for both the instructor and client to fully understand his/her body condition before conducting any exercise.

According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, fainting is resulted when the brain is starving from blood or oxygen: “During exercise, as much as 80% of blood is shunted away from vital organs and directed to skeletal, thus reducing blood flow to the brain.”

Having improper breathing during exercise will also decrease blood flow to the brain. Clients who exercise at the gym should be properly advised as to the importance of maintaining a healthy breathing pattern so as to avoid fainting.

Apart from the possibility of indicating a serious underlying health issue, fainting can be dangerous to the victim especially when s/he is using equipment at any fitness centre as this may lead to injury. When the client is unaware of his/her surrounding, s/he may hit his/her head on the wall or any other hard objects, which can lead to the loss of consciousness.
• Make sure body is properly hydrated by drinking enough water.
• Ensure sufficient warm-up before beginning any form of exercise to avoid sudden shock to the body.
• Ensure that you are not overheated; do not exercise in an overheated environment.
• Seek for professional help if you are under stress. Do not keep it to yourself.
• Avoid sudden stop while exercising because the blood pressure can fall and cause fainting. You should slowly cease working out before you stopping entirely so that the heart rate and blood circulation can properly adapt.
• If you are not feeling well while exercising, inform your instructor about it. S/he should be able to provide you with proper guidance and keep a good watch if s/he decides you are fit to continue working out.


As an instructor, here is what you should and should not do when facing such a situation:
• Educate the client on how to prevent fainting during and after exercise. Do not presume that the client already has such knowledge.
• Be alert and keep watch to determine if your client is under stress or not feeling well.
• Make sure the environment is not too hot. Ensure that the air is properly circulated throughout the centre/studio.
• Avoid giving client vigorous workout without proper preparation. Make sure they are physically ready for any vigorous workout.
• Ensure that your client has done sufficient warm-up before the exercise and allow him/her to cool down after exercise. Supervise them and ensure that they do not stop suddenly while exercising.


The best thing to do to manage 'fainting' is to let the victim lie on their back and elevate both legs with pillows or anything else that will bring both legs above the heart. Ensure that other clients / students do not surround the victim so that there is proper air circulation to allow easier breathing.

The risk of fainting does not happen only during exercise. Fainting can take place after exercise as well. According to Dr. Grant Cooper, MD, in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, if there is no proper cool down after exercise, you will also face risk of fainting. Hence, it is important to take all the necessary precautions before and after exercise. The task lies in both the hands of the instructor and the client to maintain a safe environment for working out.

MAN is made in the image of God, so the Bible states. How is it then possible that Man separates himself from God? Man is God and He exists in us and we in Him.

Christmas is not the incarnation of God for how can God be incarnated when God is beyond birth and death? Christmas is the celebration of Man's realisation that he is not the limited, feeble body of flesh, which is merely a dream, but the ever-expanding consciousness that pervades the entire Universe.

"I and my father are one, yet my father is greater than I"

Every single being is part of this Great White Spirit, the Atma. This is in reference to the Father. Not one single thing or particle in this Universe is not from this very divine light. While un-individualised energy substance is pervasive, which is the Father, yet sparks of consciousness that constitutes the Father is individualised, and therefore, "I and my father are one, yet my father is greater than I". The "I" refers to the limited ego existence.

"In my Father's house are many mansions."

These are the different states that Man moves from time-to-time. There is no physical mansion that awaits one when one reaches heaven. The mansions exist NOW, at this moment, accessible at any time. This is the un-individualised potential universal force, yet to be shaped by the Mind. Each time this potent fluid substance, consciousness, is shaped by the Mind, it becomes one of the many mansions in  "my Father's house".

Everything in this universe exists first as an idea. The Mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts, which projects itself upon a canvas called the Universe. The entire creation is nothing but the objectification of ideas. The very chair that you sit on today owes its existence to an initial thought. So is the bed, the table that you use, the lamp that you switch on and off every single day, the car that you drive, the roads that you use... Every single thing that you perceive with your five senses are but the manifestation of that very potent force, consciousness, Christ, God, Atma, Bhagavan or whatever you want to call it, projected by the Mind.

The whole world is governed by the Law. You are an immortal being passing through the different states of the Mind. Each state is a mansion in your Father's house.

Christ is within. In fact, to say that Christ is within also paints a false image because Christ is all there is. Consciousness is all there is. All that appear to the senses are mere fleeting shadows that move in and out of form temporarily. Knowing this, you will then accept that life is only the movement between mental states.

Christmas is not an annual celebration confined to the 25th of December. Christmas is the awakening of Man. Everywhere we go and everywhere we look, we see advertisements propagate that "Christmas is the season of giving". This calls one to question if the season of giving is only confined to every December? So, should one only focus on giving one day in a year and forget about the act of compassion on the other 364 days? Who benefits when people go out and buy gifts in big bulks during festivals? Commercial businesses! These are ideas clearly propagated to motivate consumerism. All these were commercially motivated.

Giving is good. Though beautiful, Christmas is however not about the Christmas tree standing in one's living room. It is not about the presents all nicely wrapped and tucked underneath the tree. It is not about the big-bellied man dressed in a red suit ringing his bell and bellowing, "ho ho ho". Christmas is much more than that. Christmas is the awakening of Man!

More valuable than physical presents, gift another being the gift of love, compassion and wisdom. It is a false notion to think that giving requires 'money', a form that Man created a long, long time ago, to allocate power to certain portion of society. From then, people have segregated themselves, labelling and resigning themselves to being either poor or rich. Again, being "poor" or "rich" is but a state of Mind. It is all Man-made. You are all sons of the most high! You are ever abundant! That is your very Nature!

You can give and empower another without 'money' as the medium. You can truly GIVE another what s/he wants without even needing to transact a single cent. This is only made possible with the power of your Mind! If you have a friend who is currently unemployed, but wishes to be employed, meditate in your Mind that s/he is already employed. To meditate on an idea is to completely surrender the idea of him/her being unemployed and to firmly tune into the state that s/he is happily employed.  After all, as I've mentioned time and time again, life is merely the manifestation and objectification of one's ideas. I tell you if you can hear him/her rejoicing in happiness for being happily employed in your Mind even when the world of Caesar still denies it, s/he will eventually bring the picture in your Mind's eye into being. Each seed has its own appointed hour.

If you can be faithful to your vision, you are sure to reap what you've sown in the divine garden of your Mind. This is Law; an infallible Law that allows you to give others what you would like for yourself 24/7, 365 days a year.  When you can utilise the Law so perfectly well, you will begin to realise that you are more than mere flesh and blood floating in this universe; waking up in the morning, going to work, filling your stomachs, finding leisure and sleeping. You are all immortal beings. In fact, you are all immortality itself. Tat Tvam Aasi (Thou Art That - that which is beyond any name or existence). If I were to reword it, I would just say "Thou Art" because the only God there is, is the "I AM" latent in all as stated in the Bible.  Now, that's Christmas forever.



Transcribed by sister Rowena Bailey.

Discourse delivered by Master Genevieve Tan Shu Thung on December 21, 2015 in conjunction with the Christmas celebration in Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA. 

Source: Sandhya Maarga Organisation (http://www.sandhyamaarga.org) 
Copyright © 2015 Sandhya Maarga Mission

Sandhya Maarga Yoga on NTV7 "Good Morning Tai Tai" TV Show (March 20, 2015)

Are your kids at home hyperactive? Do they find it difficult to concentrate at school? Do they fall sick often as our Air Pollution Index (API) deteriorates day after day? Watch this. Master Genevieve Tan Shu Thung demonstrated some simple and relevant asanas that your kids can practice at home to strengthen their immune system and tone down their hyperactivity. It will make them calmer and concentrate better at whatever they do. These asanas will also boost their memory capabilities so that they retain what they study.

It is always better for an experienced Yoga instructor to monitor your children perform other various Yogasanas. Join our Yoga for Kidz programme. More information on the course can be found here: http://www.sandhyamaargainstitute.org/2013/04/yoga-for-kids.html

For more health tips, don't forget to follow our FB Page: www.facebook.com/sandhyamaargainstitute

Sandhya Maarga Yoga on NTV7 "Good Morning Tai Tai" TV Show (March 6, 2015)

Master Genevieve Tan Shu Thung taught 5 asanas from the Sandhya Maarga Yoga system that will help strengthen your immune system.

Join us every Friday on NTV7's show "Good Morning Tai Tai" to get acquainted with the Sandhya Maarga Yoga system. - (Visit http://www.sandhyamaargainstitute.org for more information about the Yoga courses)

A warm welcome to all the new sishyas and other existing members of this Mission.

On this Ganesh Chaturthi, remember that one celebrates not the 'birthday' of a separate being, but the Divine Intelligence that lies within each and every creation. 'Divine Intelligence' is neither born nor does it die. It is the very operating power throughout the vast Universe. It is only through the proper direction of the inner intelligence that one's path becomes clear from obstacles. This is the reason why Ganesh, the symbol of the

'Intellect', is also widely known as the 'remover of obstacles'.

It is clearly stated by Adi Shankara, also famously known as Shankaracharya (who was one of the most revered Hindu philosophers), that it is not another being that one worships but the Self. While Ganesh is masked in the form of an elephant-headed being, he is actually 'Ajam (unborn) Nirvikalpam (attributeless) Niraakaaramekam (formless)'.

This is consciousness; the Supreme Consciousness that is latent in each and every being. Perhaps it is rather inaccurate to even use the word ‘being’ because most people mistake ‘beings’ as mere living things. This is how language fails us because divinity cannot be described accurately with words.

Many people then say divinity can only be experienced, but to experience divinity, does it not indicate the presence of duality as well? You can only experience ‘something’ when you and the experience are separate. However, when you and the experience are One, since there is nothing but Atma itself, where is there the experience? There only is. You have ceased to exist.

What is born today must die someday. So, God can neither be born nor can He die. For attributes to exist, one cannot but be confined and imprisoned to the existence of duality. But God is beyond duality. Since God is not born, God does not die. God just is.

Thou art. You are. I AM.

Did the Bible not reveal that God’s response was “I AM THAT I AM”?

This “I AM-ness” is also affirmed in the Vedic literature. Aham Brahmasmi. I am Brahman. What is Brahman? Brahman is also described as the underlying force of existence or creation, that which is formless but yet, exists in all forms.

The expression “I AM” is infinite. You are the all-pervasive infinite field of energy that people call God. This is undifferentiated pure potential energy, which when you finite it into a particular form, it becomes verily it. For example, “I am Ben”. You’ have now limited yourself to only being Ben. How about saying “I am poor”? You have also now limited yourself to being poor.

The famous Sanskrit spiritual phrase “Tat Tvam Asi” clearly iterates the essence of whatever I have just said.

You are one with the limitless and infinite force that moves the entire universe for “Thou Art That”. When you say I AM. Full-stop. You can be anything that you want to be because you are all that ever existed, continues to exist now and will ever exist. But when you say “I AM something”, you have just limited yourself to being only that.

So, knowing that “I AM THAT I AM”… “Thou art That”…  you should now know that the so-called reality you are experiencing in this multi-faceted dream called life is in no one else’s hand except your own. You are pure undifferentiated potential energy, ever-ready to be diversified into limited forms. The form in your ‘finite’ mind is verily the vessel of which this energy takes shape into. You are the creator, sustainer and destroyer of your own illusory ‘reality’. Saying thus, you are the creator, sustainer and destroyer of your very own obstacles in life too.

It is only when you have truly grasped the concepts of Vedanta that so many have tried to teach the masses since time immemorial that you know that there is nothing to understand in the first place but simply being that which you already are. I AM.

Many sishyas usually ask what the goal of meditation is. It is nothing but to dwell in the state of ‘BEING’ – the state that which consists of infinite possibilities. Nothing else matters. Why limit Your-Self to be only ‘something’ when you already are ‘everything’ that ever was, is and ever will be?

Now, let us get into a moment of silence and let us all just be.



Discourse delivered by Master Genevieve Tan Shu Thung on August 29, 2014 in conjunction with the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA. 

Source: Sandhya Maarga Organisation (http://www.sandhyamaarga.org) 
Copyright © 2014 Sandhya Maarga Mission

We proudly present a unique short sketch that exemplifies the greatness of a mother's love for her child in this Mother's Day 2014 movie titled "Origami Mummy".

When one watches this video, one is reminded how often we take for granted the love that has been shown to us by our mothers. There is no love greater and purer than that of a mother's.

Spiritual Master for the Sandhya Maarga Mission and the founder of the Sandhya Maarga Yoga system, e-magazine Holistic Living Annex, Sandhya Maarga Holistic Living Academy, and international speaker and author Genevieve Tan Shu Thung was invited to the Philippines to provide several lectures in conjunction with this year's annual conference organised by the Philippines College of the Advancement in Medicine.

When one hears the word "Yoga", one's mind automatically flashes the image of a person who bends his/her body in a certain way. Performing Yogasanas (yoga postures) is no doubt an important element in maintaining optimum health, which will also help calm and relax the mind. However, performing Yogasanas alone does not reflect the entirety of Yoga practice. So, what is Yoga actually?

Only a thief will know another thief. Similarly, only a liar will see lies everywhere.

In this world today, people can accuse you of many things, but if you know who you are and stand strong, words can never hurt you. All that others say do not determine who you are, but all that you say about yourself do. Baseless accusations without proper evidence are caused by weak and idle minds, who seek pleasure by preying on other people's agony.

We have once again produced a Merdeka 2013 short movie for this year's National Day. We present to all Malaysians a short movie for this year's Merdeka Day: "We Are One".

Watch this video and see that we are in fact very similar even though we appear very different. There is only one race - the race of humanity.

The first thing people notice when we smile is our teeth. With so many unnatural food products these days with preservatives and colouring, most people's teeth today are stained. Some people have their teeth so badly stained that they hesitate to smile. I have yet to meet a person who smiles but is not beautiful.