Klesha is a Sanskrit word that means impurity or poison. Kleshas are obstacles to attaining enlightenment and the root causes of suffering. These poisons will prevent you from attaining union with Universal Consciousness.
Patanjali lists 5 Kleshas in the yoga sutras: Ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion and fear.
1. Avidya or ignorance of the truth of reality.
2. Asmita or ego, “I-am-ness” or the identification of ourselves as our ego.
3. Raga or attachment, wanting to hold onto what we like.
4. Dvesha or Aversion to what we don’t like.
5. Abhinivesha or fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of death, fear of change.
Avidya is Ignorance: “The failure to see or know”. Avidya is the process of veiling or forgetting our divine nature and our connection with the universe. Avidya is believing in the illusion of Maya, believing that what is impermanent is permanent. If you believe that you are separate from what is around you, you are living in avidya. It is the state of being unaware of the true nature of reality, oneself, and the universe.
To remove the veil of ignorance you have to cultivate Vidya.
Vidya is awareness: Vidya is waking up to see things the way they truly are.
Being in touch with your divine self or your spirit, is the way to experience the truth. Your Inner-self cannot be touched or seen by the 5 senses.
Everything is connected because everything comes from one source. The universe is a manifestation of divine energy. We are all part of the divine creation. So are all the animals, the rocks, water, earth, fire, air. We are all made from the same matter, recycled over and over again for billions of years.
Your divine self has never been separate from its divine nature. You have always been part of the Oneness of Creation. We use yoga to find our way back to connecting with this essence.
Our reality when living in ignorance is a construct of our mind as fed to us through our 5 senses. Avidya is mistaking impermanence for permanent, the world looks solid, but even the Great Pyramids and Uluru are slowly eroding.
You have to go beyond the 5 senses to find your true spiritual self and reach Samadhi
Witnessing everything with the view that it is constantly renewing, makes everything appear fresh and rejuvenated.
Vidya is knowing the truth through spiritual realization beyond the mind and the senses.
Everything is a manifestation of the power that drives the universe. Everything is connected through the divine energy within us.
Asmita is the ego. Our ego and senses encourage us to form a perception that we live in a reality that is solid or permanent. It constructs a persona that is separate from everything else.
This is duality. The ego thinks “I am one and unique. Everything else is not me, it is separate from me.” The truth is that nothing can exist separately. Everything contains and is part of the Universal Oneness.
Ego is an entity of ourselves that gets labelled with all our emotions and insecurities. When you believe that you are your thoughts and emotions you are living in a false reality. You are not living to your full potential.
You can move beyond the constructs of ego to delve more deeply into what motivates you. We can learn to transform negative emotions and beliefs by activating and replacing them with positive thoughts and emotions. This will lead to a more positive life and a clearer mind.
Avidya and Asmita – Ignorance and ego create Raga and Dvesha – Attachment and Aversion: “This is nice, I want it!” and “This is not nice, I do not want it!”
Raga is Attachment or Desire. It is attachment to pleasurable things and experiences. It is the belief that this pleasure will bring everlasting happiness. However, attachment leads to suffering when the object of the desire is lost or changes. Raga creates a cycle of dissatisfaction and pain.
When we learn to recognize the impermanence of all things and no longer cling to objects, states of mind, or people, it will ultimately lead to greater peace and freedom. Simply put, you won’t be upset if your favorite bowl is broken and you learn to accept that people move in and out of your life.
Dvesha is aversion or repulsion. Dvesha arises from past experiences with pain and suffering. It can manifest as resistance, anger, frustration, resentment, or other negative emotions directed towards anything associated with past pain.
Cultivating understanding, compassion, and awareness of the root causes of aversion can help overcome it.
Abhinivesha is fear of death and the end of one’s individual existence. When one believes in ego and the illusion of maya, they cannot move beyond the cycle of birth and death. Fear of death or clinging to life, even in the face of impermanence can only lead to suffering.
Yoga celebrates the natural flow of existence and transcendence of attachment.
When we are born our minds are pure. Gradually the purity becomes clouded by thoughts and feelings. Our minds grow and become full of ideas. We are influenced by the ideas of others and our thoughts are coloured by our experiences.
To return to our pure heart we need to remove these obstacles.
When The 5 kleshas are removed, your mind is free and your being comes in alignment with everything that goes on around you. Everything happens without effort at the right time and place. There is nothing to worry about or fear because the universal energy moves through you. Even if you are having a tough time, it is because the universe needs you to learn a lesson so you can evolve to a higher state of consciousness.
When we become attached to the ideas formed through our senses, our thoughts obscure our true nature.
When we are in control of our emotions, we are freed from their impact. We can walk the middle path striking a balance between excessive attachment and aversion, beyond suffering.
You have the power to break the cycle of birth, old age, sickness and death and become an awakened soul aligned with your life’s purpose.
People don’t like getting old because they are stuck in the cycle of birth, old age, sickness and death. They see their mortality approaching, with suffering, aches & pains and illness. But not everyone has the privilege of growing old. Old age brings wisdom and a lifetime of experiences. It is something to be proud of. When one realizes that we exist beyond the definition of our senses and discover that our spirit is eternal there is no need to fear death.
