Score of BnMT

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I scored as a vata (wind) body and kapha (water and earth) mind.... I am vata-kapha person...

Body

Vata: 25
Pitta: 16
Kapha: 20

Mind

Vata: 23
Pitta: 23
Kapha: 25

I am not sure whether these would change. Maybe the minority elements would change as according to situation. I have equal substance of fire and wind in mind but the dominant one is the water and earth. 

Balance

The second part of the question that I answered in Deepak Chopra Quiz is actually a snapshot of my current mind and body state. The mind body principle that scores the highest number of points in each section, is the one requiring most attention at this time.

Inner Pharmacy

The first step to regain balance is to recognize that the environment around me has a profound influence on how I feel. I tried to tell people around me these since long but most of all they do not understand what am I talking about. I do not know their non-technical terms because they were in Pali-Sanskrit. Siddha and Buddhism always talk about these and I learned the sciences of meditation from Buddhist teachers. Paying conscious attention to what I hear, touch, see, taste, and smell can help create peace, balance, and vitality in mind and body. A harmonized daily routine that engages with the five senses (pancha-indra) with nourishing impressions is one of the most important steps towards achieving Perfect Health.

Accumulated Wind

When wind is out of balance, change and movement agitate the physiology resulting in a sense of instability. Balancing wind requires introducing more grounding and stabilizing influences. Think routine and consistency. Few tips to encourage balance and well-being:         

Body

• Perform gentle yoga and connect with our own body.
• Perform daily abhyanga (anointing) with relaxing herbal oil.
• Take deep breaths throughout the day.
• Eat three meals per day and favor sweet, sour and salty tastes.
• Drink relaxing tea.
• Enjoy hot bath with relaxing oils.
• Stay warm. 

Accumulated Water and Earth

Out of balance related to water and earth leads to heaviness, sluggishness and congestion. Stimulation and movement help overcome the resistance of accumulated water and earth. Think activation and invigoration. Tops to maximize balance and well-being:

Mind

• Meditate at least twice a day to clear the mind and rejuvenate the body.
• Wear invigorating fragrances.
• Listen to up-beat sounds to invoke natural energy.
• Organize the clutter in your environment as outer world reflects inner world.
• Awaken at sunrise and create an invigorating morning routine.
• Diffuse invigorating fragrances into your environment.
• Favor bright, strong, bold colors with vivid shapes and designs.
• Look for opportunities to be more spontaneous.
• Embrace uncertainty.

Daily abhyanga would be the anointment of the olive oil. I perform it as according to our prophetic tradition because I am a Muslim. My grandmother used to anoint my head with sesame oil back then. We call sesame oil as lenga and it is packed in the bottle available in Indian department stores because they perform the anointing too as according to their religion and customs.

Invigorating smell could be the sandalwood, myrrh, frankincense. They were also mentioned in the Old Testament. I burn these in my room and my colleagues or roommates thought that I worship the satan which is nonsense! So, how else I could be more spontaneous in front of the public?? The key for a healthy life either psychologically (spiritually) or physically is to know what is our body consists of and how it functions. I tried to tell my parents and my siblings. They did not listen to me. These are actually ancient sciences which had also been acknowledged by the inhabitants in Mesopotamia and Sumeria lands in nowadays Iraq also in the Near East. They are not so much sophisticated in their soundings like today's sciences which are the products of early European Enlightenment. I think I need to tag these for my own reference.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!

Body and Mind Type

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I am extremely happy that I waited so early in the mosque. I managed to recite surah al-Haqqah several times and pondering about the facts of the universe. 

Nothing so interesting in Friday sermon today. The preacher only talked about the socio-economical issues such as the role of Federal Territories Islamic Council in  managing endowments, tithe and their achievements in accumulating piles of treasures. However, I would like brothers and sisters to know. I do not believe in their management system. I feel that it is safer for me to manage my property with my own capacity. I wanted to see my donations, tithe and endowment reaching the right places! I had seen how the people in the religious authority behave. This is not an over-generalization because I had came across with them for so many times. I was educated within the religious circle itself. I strongly believe in the practices prescribed in the articles of the path and the articles of faith highlighted in the Hadith al-Qudsi through the question-answers between Muhammad s.a.w and archangel Gabriel a.s. But I cannot accept the people in the authority! I turned to Buddhism-Brahmanism customs last time not because I have problem with Islamic teachings. 

In fact, I always love the God the Highest, Islamic teachings, prophet Muhammad s.a.w, his trustworthy companions, all the noble prophets sent by the God to nations throughout the history as they are the brothers of our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w and the Ahl Bayt as they form parts of my "self" identity. I have problem with people who call themselves as "Muslims" even until today! I believe in the Justice of the God the Highest and so many people disrespect His Justice to His creatures and the universe!

Mind and Body Type 

I had made some checking on my body and mind type as according to ancient Indian system of sciences. Even I chose Islam as my permanent faith in contrast to those who chose Islam as the faith because their parents are Muslims but I have a strong respect to ancient Indian knowledge and philosophy. It represents the traditions of my paternal grandmothers' heritage since they were from Indian sub-continent. I am grateful to the God the Highest since He directs me to the Path of Islam but I am proud to share some crossed heritage with ancient Indians. I even studied Sanskrit and Pali along with Arabic as our ancestral language though I speak mostly in English, Malay and Chinese.

Some questions that I answered could give me some ideas about my self. I am aware that I have to know about my self before I could eliminate other obstacles in my path. I made notes too about myself. Even I tried to get feedback from friends around about my personality because I was afraid that I hurt their feeling when I deal with them.

Frame

I am thin, lanky and slender with prominent joints and thin muscles.    

Weight

I have low weight. Yeah, this is especially true since I could fly when heavy wind flows me. I guess I am now perhaps 47 kg (103.6 pounds). I always fast since I was five years old and I avoid meat including fish and beef. I took only chicken in small pinches. I prefer to take fresh green vegetables. Nowadays I have to turn everything as pickles as to save the money for other services. I may forget to eat or have a tendency to lose weight. Next week I would have to fast again because I am afraid that the Quran would leave me behind if I exceed the limit and the food nowadays are not so clean as compared to last time. We can find halal foods but not all of those halal foods are "clean". By taking greens in limitation, I could reduce the risk of the meat which came from animals that had been brutalized before being slaughtered or caught with diseases because of antibiotics injection to the chickens. Fishes in the sea are facing extinctions too because of human greed. If others do not care about other creatures, then I do not want to be among them!

Eyes

I have small eyes and active. I wear spectacles and I guess the power of my spectacles' focus is increasing to 1000 +. I love to read and still love to read.    

Skin

My skin is rough, dry and thin. I have olive yellowish skin. I am not white as compared to Northern Arabs or those with the ancestors from Northern Egypt, Syria, Northern Iraq or Lebanon. My old neighbors were North Arab descents, their skin is mostly pale and fair like Middle Eastern Jewish. I think we are yellowish because we have some genetic crossing with Mongoloids. Sometimes people would mistaken me to a Nepali or a Central Asian. Most of Chinese nationals in my university thought that I was from Western China provinces namely Xinjiang (Turkistan) or from the border of China-Pakistan-India. I tried to explain to them and even to Malay compatriots that I am an Arab descent with North-Western Indian grandmothers but we are not recognized with our identity instead being lumped into "Malay" nationality and we are not united because we were too tiny. The same thing which happened to ancient Jewish people in China who were lumped into "Muslim" identity.

Hair

My hair is dry, brittle and frizzy. I think I do not have much hair.

Joints

My joints are thin, prominent and have a tendency to crack.  

Sleep Pattern

I am moderately sound sleeper, usually needing less than eight hours to feel rested. 

Body Temperature

My hands and feet are usually cold. I prefer warm environments. 

Temperament

I am lively and enthusiastic by nature. I like to change. 

Under Stress

I become withdrawn and reclusive. I guess in most of the time. An example for this is when I served only for a week in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) like six months ago before I have to quit. The problems and troubles came at once jumping on my head. 

Firstly, my sisters think that I am a male and I should be responsible for my father who is bedridden or moving with my own feet because they think that only they faced difficulties in their life while I live like a "king" since I am a male. This is fine, but I cannot do that alone. I am the only son in my house with five female siblings. I have no close companions and I hardly make friends with people because I am a loyal type of person. The burden dealing with them is like I am a stranger man who live among the women. I cannot talk or discuss anything with them. They would not listen to me but they only think about their feelings and care only about their life. One of my younger sister accused me that I am a spoiled brat where my mother never ask me to do anything while in fact is that she did not live with me all the time although we are a family. We have different events in our life and we do not know about each others life for real. We seldom communicate because of gender differences and it also lead to the differences of opinions, beliefs and worldviews. They are very judgmental. I could see that in our society here, people tend to believe that all brothers (sons) in a sibling would be a commander and bullying their family based from the news headlines like "a son stabbed a father or kicking a mother for not listening to his material demands" while in fact now I am the one who is bullied and still is bullied because I consider their feelings, giving a high value for their life and respecting all genders or souls. I am a minority at home. After my father is bedridden, I am even more vulnerable! Not everyone is the same! Stop over-generalization!

My sisters do not even know that I went for Buddhist temple and seeking refuge from Buddhist community (Samgha) because of their attitude and I ended up a layman Buddhist boy for five years before being forced by my mother to go for pilgrimage in Holy Mecca and I have to decide my faith myself without any support from Muslim community! 

Secondly, I had no transportation, no support from my own father and my parents are from unsettled families themselves. They would deny it but I am aware about that since I observe the psychological phenomenon. I do not just lay idle but I keep thinking and study. I was not settled yet with my job settlement in the UNHCR and my mother asked me to take emergency leaves just because she wanted to see me walking on the stage taking an empty file for my postgraduate ceremony in Penang. I had to deal with hundreds of refugees file and asylum seekers and in the same time; I had to attend trainings and examinations related to war-field. They gave the time-frame that I should finish everything only in a week! All of these happened in the same time. So, I quit as not to affect other team members in my office and I am holding to working ethics.

Right now, I have to apply again for a secured job and again I have to plan and plan before executing the plans. It is not easy to secure a job nowadays and family members could really be mean to us. Although many people would believe that a family could be supportive to each others, but they could also be mean! The plan would be in other sections. I am sharing this with brothers and sisters out there who also face family conflicts and who are unfortunate. I have no one to speak or to share about anything so I also believe that you are in the same situation with me. Better stay away from your family members if you have problems but try to find other sources to protect yourself from destruction. Just talk with the God the Highest. Nobody gives a shit to our problem if they are occupied with they are full with their ego! We have to deal everything with our own capacity and seeking help from Him!

Score

So, I scored mostly in Vata or Wind element. I have got eight Vata, one Pitta (Fire) and one Kapha (Earth and Water).   

General Characteristics

Mind:               Creative, quick and imaginative

Body:               Thin and light frame 
Skin:                 Dry
Hair:                 Dry
Appetite:          Delicate, spontaneous, often miss meals
Routine:           Spontaneous, variable
Temperament: Welcomes new experiences, friendly, excitable, energetic.
Shopping style: Buy... Buy... Buy... 
Conversation style: Loves to talk.
Stress Response: Questioning myself what did I do wrong? Tendency to blame myself. 

In the part of loves to talk, I did love to talk but I learned that I have to keep everything filtered when I am talking with different levels of people. So, I appear to be a quit person in the public. I asked some Tabligh brothers to come and tell me about their movements in personal because people are of different level of understanding, reception and so on. Because of these, we have hierarchy and social ranks in a society. Society is a very complex creature! It is not like we are studying the machine. The machine would follow what human programs it but human-being and society is a part of the larger universe! I respect all movements but I have my own reasons to avoid religious movements. If I see that it is destructive for unity then I prefer to be known only as a layman Muslim without any title rather than known to public with movements' tag. 

Vata Type

Wind or Vata is a principle of movement and change. People who are naturally dominated by wind element tend to be thin, light and quick in their actions and thought. Change is a constant part of life. When the wind-dominated person is balanced, they are creative, lively and enthusiastic. When imbalanced, they would face insomnia, develop anxiety, dry skin and having irregular digestion. 

I have got to check this in detail too. Would return after the 'Asr prayer service. Need to get ready with purification.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!   

Inner Secret of Fasting

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Just a reminder for myself and sharing to beloved brothers and sisters may everyone be blessed. I had been very sad when my classmate of Palestine talked about the importance for me to take food because I used to fast. I realize about that, I am tiny and skinny unlike other build-up men. Even if I do not live in Gazah, but poor people are everywhere. I was a poor kid from a poor family when I was a child where we were pressured by the life in a big city (Kuala Lumpur) if not as big as New York city but it is still a city and a capital of a country. I am used to skip my meals and sometimes just taking veggies. Lack source of protein from malnutrition where I didn't take fish too. I was traumatized to see blood from the fish when I was a young child, hahahaa. It develops to be a habit now. I tried to take fish especially those with scales but I just can't so I avoid meals which consist fish or other seafood if I could sense them.

I never recommend others to perform intense optional fasting except to some friends that I know whom are memorizing the Glorious Quran as it is a way to ask Him to pour down the wisdom. It is for their own benefit to protect the "Quran" in their heart because nowadays the bearer of the Quran is very hard to find. I am just concerned about their well-being and wishing them luck. Just fast every week, two days in Monday and Thursday "if free." And obligatory to fast full month in Ramadan if able. I am also trying to memorize the Glorious Quran again after I had left it. I just recommend everyone to perform middle path as Islam is the middle path, no less, no over the limit. We just be human-being, not angel and not demon.

Even when my mum tried to fast too because she saw me did that, I became very angry. I don't want her or anyone to feel exhausted. I did that because I wanted to slow-down my mind from negative thoughts and as an offering for Him wishing He forgives my sins and my grandparents because I think I had wronged them. I didn't have the chance to apologize to them except that I only saw "grandpa" in dream during quarter of Ramadan 2009. Now I also began to feel bad that I had wronged parents and burdening them because I am still stuck here and they would have to support me while I don't want them to worry... :'(

Virtue of Fasting

Indeed the fast is only virtuous due to two significant concepts:

1. It is a secret and a hidden action. No one from the creation should be able to see it. Showing off cannot enter into fasting.
2. It is a means to subjugate the enemies of the God. It is due to that, His enemies embark upon the son of Adam and misguiding them through desires.

Through the notes, we know that the fast is a special quality which is not found in anything else. And that, it makes people close to the God as what He says in the Quran: "The fast is (only) for Me and I will reawrd it."  This connection is enough to show the status of fasting in the view of the God. Similarly, the Ka'abah is highly dignified due to its close connection to Him as what had been stated by the God: "And sanctify My House."

What strengthen the desires? Eating and drinking strengthen a wild desire. There are many reports indicating the merits of fasting and they are all well known by everyone.

Recommended Acts of Fasting

The pre-dawn meal and delaying in taking it is preferable as well as hastening to break the fast and doing so with dates. Be generous in giving during Ramadan Mubarak and try to increase charity according to the way of the messenger of the God, Muhammad s.a.w. Try to study the Quran while fasting and perform i'tikaf (meditating in masjid) during fasting. During Ramadan everyone could also perform this while free and increasing charity in the last 10 days.

In two valid hadiths, mother Aishah r.a reported: "When the last 10 days (of Ramadan) would come, Muhammad s.a.w would tighten his waist wrapper and he spend his night in worship, waking up his family for prayers." 

The scholars mentioned two views concerning the meaning of "tighten his waist-wrapper":

I. It means turn away from wife (or husband for sisters in faith).

II. It is an expression denoting prophet's eagerness and diligence in performing charity to offer to the God. 

During Ramadan, there is also special exertion in the last 10 nights where Muhammad s.a.w was seeking the Night of Power or Leylat al-Qadar as what is mentioned in Surah al-Qadar.  

Explanation of the Inner Secrets of Fasting

There are three levels of fasting...

1. General Fast

It is refraining of the stomach and private parts from fulfilling their desires through this discipline.  

2. Specific Fast

Refrain from one's gaze, tongue, hands, feet, hearing and eyes as well as the rest of the body from committing sinful acts. These acts of protecting parts of body is to protect the heart and mind from those which lead to negativity.

 

3. Further Specific Fast

Heart's abstention from its yearning after worldly affairs and thoughts which distance one away from the God as well as its abstention from all the things which associates the God with them.

Characteristics of Specific Fast

From the characteristics of the specific fast is that one lowers his gaze and safeguards his tongue from the repulsive speech that is forbidden, disliked, or which has no benefit as well as controlling the rest of body parts. 

A hadith reported by al-Bukhari mentioned: "Whoever doesn't abandon false speech and the acting which leads to it, the God is not in need of him leaving off his food and drink" (Saheeh Ibnu Dawud, Tirmidzi, Ibnu Majah). 

Another characteristic of the specific fast is that one doesn't overfill himself with food during the night after the breaking of fast. Instead, just eat in due measure, for the son of Adam doesn't fill a vessel more evil than his stomach. If a person were to eat his fill during the first part of the night, he would not make good use of himself for remembrance during the night. 

In the same manner, if he eats to his fill for pre-dawn meal, he does not make good use of himself until the noon. It is because excessiveness in eating for what is intended by the fast is that one savours the taste of hunger and becomes one who abandons desires. 

Characteristics of Further Specific Fast

Know that the one who has been given intellect, knows the objective of fasting. Therefore, he burdens himself to the extent that he will not be able to do that which is more beneficial than it. Ibnu Mas'ud would fast very little and it is reported he used to say that he would grow weak in prayer if he fast. So, he prefers the prayers over optional fasts. Some of the companions mentioned that fasting optional fast would weaken them in their recitation of the Quran if they perform optional fasting. So, they observe less optional fasts until they were able to balance their recitation. Every individual is knowledgeable of his condition and of what will rectify it. Choose to perform what is important first in optional acts of worship.

Recommended Fasts

Everyone should know the preference of fasting is established in certain virtuous days. Some of these virtuous days occur every year such as:

1. Fasting Six Days of Shawwal

2. Fasting during Arafah Day

3. Fasting during Ashura

4. Fasting during 10 days of Dzulhijjah and Muharram

Some occur every month such as:

1. Fasting during the first part of the month

2. Fasting during the middle part of the month

3. Fasting in the last part of the month

Some occur every week:

1. Monday

2. Thursday

The most virtuous recommended fasting is the fast of prophet Dawud a.s. He would fast one day and break his fast the next day. It serves the three objectives:

1. The soul is given its share on the day the fast is broken.

2. And on the day of fasting, it completes its worship in full.

3. The day of eating is the day to be thankful to the God. 

Fasting day is the day for patience. While our faith is divided into two halves that of the thankfulness and that of the patience. It is the most difficult struggle for the soul. It's due to that, every time the soul gets accustomed to a certain condition, it would transfer itself to that.

As for fasting everyday, there is a report by Muslim from the hadith narrated by Abu Qatadah which says, Umar r.a asked prophet Muhammad s.a.w: "What is the case if one were to fast everyday? So, prophet Muhammad s.a.w answered: "He did not fast nor did he break his fast."

This is concerning the one who fast continuously, even during the days in which fasting is forbidden. So beware with this. Check the calender and ask the guided teachers. Don't do anything without consulting nor getting the knowledge because we have Quran and Sunnah. If we have no knowledge, we must acquire ones and don't just blindly follow people without evidence. 

In South East Asia and South Asia, there are many spiritual movements which do not come from Quran and Sunnah basis but from Hindu-Buddhism roots as they try comply within local customs and traditions but they had forgotten that religion and custom have a thin line which differentiate them. Just be careful of who are the teachers, it means don't simply follow without further researches. And the God knows everything better than others.

Source: Mukhtasar Minhaj al-Qasideen
Translator: Isma'eel bin al-Arkan
Editor: Abu Khaliyl

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad... Sealed with prayer for mercy, peace, and love, amin!