“Awareness of ignorance is the beginning of wisdom.” – Socrates

Weekly Focus: Avidya (ignorance)

Avidya is the first of the five kleshas or obstacles, that keep us from moving forward on our spiritual path and are said to be the root cause of all suffering. Avidya is ignorance, misconception and delusion, and is the basis for the other four kleshas. By addressing avidya, we may release ourself from the further obstacles of egoism, attachment, aversion and fear of death.

Avidya’s ignorance speaks specifically to the ways we might be ignoring or blocking ourself from the knowledge of our truest Self. There may be aspects of the Self that we deny, turn away from or simply are not aware enough to see, which keep us ignorant of our most authentic Self.

We can also consider avidya in our everyday life. Where are we allowing ourselves to be willfully ignorant in order to reaffirm beliefs, avoid discomfort, or reaffirm our opinions of ourselves? Sadly, we live in a world where ignorance is abundant and easy to come by. With the news, the internet, AI, it requires a true and intentional effort on our part to stay “awake.” It’s not always easy to be aware all the time, and sometimes we need a break from the truth, but avidya reminds us that living in a state of ignorance ultimately will only lead to further suffering.

Can we acknowledge places in our lives where we are choosing ignorance over knowledge? How can we open our eyes to see more clearly, not allowing ourselves to pass through life sleepily and with apathy? Why not choose one thing this week to open your eyes to?

Here is a simple practice in self-reflection and acknowledgement:

1. Take 10 minutes to journal before bed — set aside time to self-reflect on your day through journaling. Ask yourself the following questions as prompts: What went really well today? What did not go well today?
2. Acknowledge your contribution — consider what you wrote for each question. How were you involved? What were your reactions? Your participation? Write with honesty.
3. Find space to overcome — now focus on what did not go well. Look at your involvement with the situation and ask yourself which Klesha may relate. What would you do differently? What can you learn from this experience?

Passive Pose of the Week: Urdhva Mukha Pasasana (Thread the Needle)

Urdhva Mukha Pasasana is a rotational twist that invites us to look outside of our space, to peak into the cracks and the corners, and perhaps see something new or unexpected.

• Begin in a tabletop pose.
• As you inhale, reach your right arm up towards the ceiling, opening up and rotating the torso.
• Exhale and reach the right arm back under the body towards the left.
• Allow your right shoulder to drop to the ground and rest your head on the floor.
• Take a few deep breaths before unraveling.
• Switch sides.

Thread the needle is not a pose we often set up with props, but they can make lovely additions to this rotation. A few suggestions: for sensitive knees, set yourself up with a thinly folded blanket underneath the knees. You may also consider a folded blanket beneath the head, to bring the ground closer and lift the head from the floor. Finally, try reaching the supporting hand (in the example above it is your left hand) forward to where you might imagine 12:00 to be on a clock. Place the hand on a block and push lightly into the block. Observe what happens in the pose.

Active Pose of the Week: Ashta Chandrasana (High Crescent)