Understanding Klesas and their effects on our minds and lives
“The obstacles are misapprehensions, confused values, excessive attachments, unreasonable dislikes, and insecurity” – Heart of Yoga, page 166.
Klesas are part of the human condition. It refers to obstacles that prevent a person from experiencing clarity of mind. Instead, there is a feeling of tension, agitation, and perhaps huge internal conflict. Klesas are poison to the mind and its roots are Avidya.
Avidya is the foundation for the obstacles to surface in our minds and actions. It speaks to ignorance. It clouds our perception and leaves us with a deep sense of confusion. What we think we know is confusing. Our perception and characteristics of Avidya come from the knowledge we gain from life experience and our experiences help shape our patterns - or samskaras.
Avidya is constantly present in our subconscious mind and is hidden from us. But its branches (obstacles) can be identified and noticed if we have the courage to share the light. Let’s break them out and start to bring more awareness:
Asmita (ego) is the attachment to ego and our sense of self. It translates to everything we think we are. It’s a narrow and limiting perception, that has ignorance at its roots. In the Yoga Sutras 2.6 – it’s a construct of false identity that leads us to believe that we are better and at the same time inferior.
Raga (attachment & demands) “we want to keep what we are asked to give away”. Nothing we have or we are at this moment do not seem to be enough. We want what we don’t have and when/if we have it, we find ourselves not yet satisfied. We’re in this constant demanding mode attached to ideas of what we want and to things we thought we wanted. We can’t let go. If there is an experience that creates pleasure, we want more, we get attached and we might solidify a habit, or an addition.
Dvesa (refusal) is expressed by rejecting things. It could be a rejection coming from an experience that was not positive and created pain. By rejecting a similar situation / person / thing we become avoidant to the possibility of getting hurt again and in counterpart, the possibility of new experiences. In a more dominant expression of Dvesa, we can even reject things that are not part of a past experience.
Abhinivesa (fear) – We experience the fear of death, fear of non-existence. We fear loss, we fear anything that represents a threat to our wellbeing, survival, lifestyle. This fear can be manifested when we become resistant to any change.
The Yoga path can help us to overcome these obstacles by decreasing the effects of avidya. Bringing clarity, shining the light, and stepping out of ignorance to true understanding.
