Avidya: Because Who Doesn’t Love a Good Delusion?

Suffering is Optional Series: Avidya

The Five kleshas (Yoga Sutra 2.3) are mental afflictions or obstacles that cloud the lens through which we are currently viewing a situation, person, or thing, and keep us stuck in cycles of suffering. We are all born with these kleshas. This sutra outlines the five mental afflictions, or obstacles, that prevent spiritual progress and cause suffering. We’ll break down each of the kleshas into a single post within this series.

The Illusion That You Actually Know What’s Going On

Avidya shows up when we identify with the body, mind, or ego, rather than understanding our deeper, spiritual nature. It’s the queen of the kleshas, ground zero of all the other kleshas. 

Sanskrit for ‘ignorance’, this klesha is all about illusions, deliberately misperceiving situation, people, or things. It’s like the mind is giving us really bad Instagram filters and we’re convinced that’s the best version of ourself – or worse yet, it’s our mind generating a deep fake post of our nemesis living large, when it only exists in our mind. 

We mistake the false for the true and the temporary for the permanent. 

The Cosmic Prank That Keeps You Guessing

Just take one simple belief about yourself or a situation, a currently perceived conclusion that is causing you suffering and ask yourself, who exactly is convincing you of this truth you are holding in your mind?

When we remove the various filters clouding your vision by parents, family members, coworkers, friends, or society, can you feel a different truth emerge from the inside instead of the outside? Who made the rulebook behind your perspective anyway?

Even first-hand knowledge can quickly become fluid if you practice perspective deeply.

We’ll soon see how Avidya is woven into all the other kleshas – how ignorance can embolden the ego; encourages us to tether a belief to a sinking anchor in the middle of the deep sea; it creates the instinct to be dragged, kicking, and screaming away from the light and truth; and it manufactures fear in the face of death as rebirth is inconveniently hidden under right under our nose.

Overcoming Avidya is discernment with breath and mindfulness – practicing perspective. You’ll be surprised how often the truth is way cooler than your delusions by the time Savasana is done!