Ever found yourself labelling your yoga practice as "good" or "bad" based on how your body feels or how well you nailed a particular pose? We’ve all been there. Some days our practice feels strong and fluid, and other days it feels stiff or sluggish. But this habit of judging our practice can actually cloud our understanding of what yoga is really about—this is Avidya in action.
During my trip to Mysore, a few people asked if I had "prepared" before coming to practice at the Shala. Honestly, it puzzled me—I wasn’t sure what they meant. My practice at the Shala didn’t feel much different from my practice at home. Yes, it was different to practice among so many others instead of alone, but it made me question: What did it mean to "prepare"? Was practicing at the Shala supposed to be like a performance? Were we practicing to impress our teacher, or simply for the joy and purpose of the practice itself?
For example, I overheard someone say "I started working on catching my ankles in a backbend to be ready for Mysore." Contrarily, I saw so many people who were not 'catching' when they came to Mysore, myself included. Some of us were catching before we left, while some of us did not catch even after the season ended. In my opinion, that's perfectly fine! Everybody's journey is unique.
Understanding Avidya through Patanjali's Yoga Sutras
"Avidya is the divine illusion, a kind of veil, a morphic dose, a defect of psychic vision. We misunderstand our relations with people due to avidya, just as we mistake a rope for a snake." - excerpt from the book 'Four Chapters on Freedom'.
In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Avidya is one of the primary obstacles/ Pancha Kleshas on the path to enlightenment. There are 5(Pancha) Kleshas(Obstacles) according to the yoga sutras and Avidya is one of them. The Yoga Sutras describe Avidya/ignorance, as a fundamental cause of suffering and confusion or the source of the 4 other Kleshas(Asmita, Raga, Dwesha and Abhinvesha)
Let's explore this deeper in the context of our practice. How does Avidya become the source of the 4 other Kleshas that hinder our progress?
Asmita (Egoism / Avidya of the Self): This is the erroneous sense of 'I' or ego, where we misidentify ourselves with our body and mind. For instance, taking pride in mastering a difficult pose or feeling disheartened by our inability to perform a pose can distract us from the true self.
Raga (Attachment / Avidya of the Pleasure): This is the attachment to transient pleasure. We often become fixated on the positive feelings from mastering a pose, leading to an obsession with replicating these experiences rather than focusing on the deeper purpose of our practice.
Dwesha (Aversion / Avidya of Discomfort): Dwesha is the aversion to discomfort and challenges. When we avoid difficult poses or situations in life, we hinder our growth. Embracing discomfort and challenges is essential for spiritual and personal development.
Abhinivesha (Fear of loss / Avidya of the Outcome): This is the fear of loss or regression, often manifesting as a fear of losing our ability to perform a pose. It reflects an obsession with immediate results rather than embracing the gradual process of inner transformation.
So how do we overcome Avidya? Let's take a closer look at the asana practice.
Moving beyond 'performing' asana to 'practicing' asana
If you're an Ashtanga practitioner, you may have experienced similar moments, where challenging poses like Marichyasana, Supta Kurmasana, or Kapotasana start to feel like benchmarks of success or failure. It’s easy to think, "I had a great practice today because I finally nailed that bind," or "Ugh, today was rough because my jump-backs felt off." But here's the thing: yoga is not a performance. It's a practice—a lifelong journey toward self-discovery and transformation. And that realization is crucial to overcoming Avidya.
Yes, the physical practice (asana) is important, but it's just one piece of the puzzle. The true essence of yoga lies in its ability to transform us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. When we focus too much on how our practice "looks" or how we "perform," we fall into the trap of Avidya—mistaking the superficial for the profound.
To truly embrace yoga and overcome Avidya, we need to shift our mindset. Instead of chasing the "feel-good" moments on the mat, we should prioritize seeking truth—about ourselves, our bodies, and the world around us. It's okay to enjoy the blissful moments, but if we cling to them, we risk losing sight of the deeper purpose of our practice.
Embracing balance: Sukha and Dukha
You might be thinking, "But what about the 'sukham' in Sthiram Sukham Asanam? Isn't the goal to feel good in a pose?" And you're right—Sukham refers to finding comfort and ease in a posture. But that doesn't mean avoiding discomfort/Dukha altogether. Practice is about finding a balance between ease and effort, knowing when to lean into challenges and when to soften. Overcoming Avidya means embracing both the pleasant and the tough moments with equal grace.
Emotions like frustration, sadness, or even anger may arise during practice, and that's perfectly normal. The key is to meet those emotions with equanimity. Instead of labelling them as "bad," we can observe them, learn from them, and move forward with a clear mind. The balance of Sukha and Dukha is key to unlocking the true essence of yoga. This not only deepens our practice but also helps us approach life with a more balanced perspective off the mat.
At the end of the day, yoga is so much more than what happens on the mat. It's about the way we live, think, and interact with the world. By staying curious, compassionate, and open to the full spectrum of our experiences, we can begin to peel away the layers of Avidya and reveal the deeper truths that yoga has to offer.
So let’s stop judging our practice and start embracing it—all of it. Dive deeper into your practice, and discover the transformative power of yoga beyond mere performance. Ready to transform your practice? Join my classes or read more on the blog. Let’s explore the true essence of yoga together!
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