The Klesa Flashcards
What is needed in order for your practice to be consistent?
A focus of my true intention which is to let my authentic self shine.
Briefly share your understanding of Abhyāsa
Abhyasa is a Sanskrit word which means ‘practice.’ It refers to the practice or discipline of achieving a tranquil state of mind and obtaining and keeping a state of harmony within one’s self. To achieve this requires a quiet consistency and dedication: to see change, you need regular practice.
Abhyasa implies action without interruption, and this requires effort and dedication to achieve. The concept involves cultivating every aspect of your being towards the positive - your lifestyle, actions, speech, and even thoughts are trained towards positivity, and this training can be assisted by spiritual practices such as yoga and meditation.
What is ahamkara and how does this impact you in your own life?
Ahaṃkāra is the root of attachment.
The psychology of attachment is; when a new means of pleasure is perceived, it is memory that infers that this is the same as or similar to something that produced pleasure in the past. Therefore, memory precedes attachment.
I suffer this Klesa when I walk through the streets of Melbourne, when I see the bars, restaurants and cafes that are no longer there, that remind me of a time when life was fun.
What is ahamkara and how does this impact you in your own life?
Ahaṃkāra is the root of attachment.
The psychology of attachment is; when a new means of pleasure is perceived, it is memory that infers that this is the same as or similar to something that produced pleasure in the past. Therefore, memory precedes attachment.
I suffer this Klesa when I walk through the streets of Melbourne, when I see the bars, restaurants and cafes that are no longer there, that remind me of a time when life was fun.
List the Kleśas and briefly write your understanding of them.
- Avidyā - ignorance
We lose sight of the fact that we are not our physical body, thoughts, careers, or our achievements.
We are more than that, but these are the things that we use to define ourselves.
In the practice of yoga, we learn that these aspects are transitional and not of the Self.
As we remove the illusion of ignorance, we see our true Self, and we are no longer subject to suffering the other Kleśas. - Asmita - I-am-ness
The ego is identification of the self with the body, mind, and senses and it forgets our true Divine nature. - Rāga - Attachment
Rāga is the constant desire or craving for pleasure, Sukha or the means to attain pleasure by attachment to memories, or a time in our lives we are unable to move on from.
The key component in this process is memory. We hanker to repeat it in the present. It is this dwelling on past experiences that constitutes attachment.
These attachments lead to suffering when we lose the object of our attachment or find that it no longer gives us pleasure. We overcome our attachments (objects, beings, feelings, and thoughts) and are better able to let them go when we recognize their impermanence - they will ‘come and go’. In recognising this, we may begin to look for happiness within ourselves.
- Dveṣa - Aversion
‘Aversions toward others are often projections that mirror our dislike of ourselves.’ – Robert Butera
The body is bound to be affected by heat and cold, the mind affected by joy and sorrow, the Intellect by honour or dishonour etc. But your true Self within remains ever unaffected by the attraction or repulsion of the changing world. - Abhiniveśa - The will to live and the fear of dying
Many of us have experienced the fear of making a mistake and as such have avoided the opportunity to learn, grow or perhaps even achieve a goal. As a result of our fears, we have held ourselves back from the possibility of achieving something, perhaps something great.
The regular practice of yoga can help us to become aware of, connect with and eventually overcome our fears.
