Obstacles

Life is never predictable, and sometimes not easy.  I really feel that having a regular yoga practice helps us to keep a healthy perspective on our place in the world.  It is said that 'yoga cleanses the lenses of perception'.  How we perceive or see the world, our reality, has an effect on how we react, what actions we take, and the consequences of those actions.  Obstacles are a breeding ground for tendencies, but they are also an opportunity for reflection and change.  Below you can read about the Klesas, which are often translated as afflictions or personal obstacles.

The Klesas

Each term we teach an aspect of Yoga philisophy.  This is integrated into the classes and it may involve a quote, explanation from the teacher or instruction.  This term we are looking at The Klesas.  The Klesas are translated as afflictions, pain, obstacles, distress or disturbances.  They are internal objects that arise in our minds and cause us suffering.  The five Klesas are:

Avidya -  Lack of knowledge or insight, or ignorance
Asmita - selfishness, or over-identifying with the ego
Raga - attachment
Dvesha - aversion or avoidance
Abhinivesha - fear.

Patanjali writes about the Klesas in the second chapter of the Yoga Sutras.  

'Obstacles (Klesas) are the breeding ground for tendencies (samskaras) that give rise to actions and the consequences (karma) thereof.  Such obstacles are experienced as visible or invisible obstacles'.
Yoga Sutra 2.12

In our western culture, the Klesas can seem a little moralistic but the principles are very useful.  I think a productive way to approach the Klesas is to think of them as obstacles that give rise to traits or tendencies to examine within ourselves.  The Klesas require self-examination, or self-study (Svadhaya).  If you have a regular yoga practice you will already be working closely with Svadhaya, but most people only start to look deeper into themselves when things go wrong in life.  For example, the break up of a relationship, loss of employment, or financial devastation forces us to stop and take stock.  These obstacles that we inevitably encounter in life, present the opportunity to look at our actions, habits, ideas of ourselves, and how we move through the world.  As Marcus Aurelius pointed out, the obstacle becomes the way.  It is the catalyst for a journey from the self to the true Self.  In this sense, the Klesas are opportunities as much as obstacles.  When we are aware, we realise that change is part of life and fighting it is where suffering arises.

By stepping onto the mat to practice each day we encounter lack of knowledge, we get attached to ways of practising, there are poses we despise, and poses we are afraid of.  A practice can be a microcosm in which to examine ourselves and the Klesas so that we gain clarity.  If an obstacle shows up, we can look at it from different perspectives, with less fear, and move forward without being attached to the present situation or the outcome.  We can sit in the uncomfortable space of change.  Let's look at the first Klesa, Avidya.

Avidya is the source of most Klesas, which is why it's one of the most important ones we need to face.  An example of Avidya is when we think negative emotions will last forever.  We're not able to see the temporary nature of negative emotions, and we are unable to see the true nature of ourselves.  This causes pain and suffering.  When things don't go the way we expect, it causes us pain.  We are unable to see something for what it is, or what it's not.

Asmita puts the ego on a pedestal and values material possessions more than anything else.  It's when we believe our individual 'self' is separate from everything around us.  All that matters is how 'I'  perceive something or how it affects 'me'.  We may take things personally and need our ego constantly 'stroked' to be happy.

Raga is the attachment to our desires.  It often means our happiness depends on external factors.  So what happens when those external factors are taken away?  Because we are afraid of this, we create stronger attachments, which can eventually create insecurity, anxiety and fear.

Dvesa is aversion or avoiding things that cause unhappiness.  As humans we are always moving towards pleasure or away from pain.  Anything that threatens the ego, we tend to avoid.  Unfortunately, we can't avoid everything that doesn't make us happy.  Going to the dentist is usually not a particularly happy experience!

Abhinivesa is the fear or anxiety of change, and ultimately fear of death.  We fear death because we fear losing everything and not being able to control what we are facing.  We fear change because we have to let go of certainty and the old way of being.  Letting go ultimately creates the space for new things to come into our lives, but first we must let go of fear and stare uncertainty in the face.  We have to let go of everything we are attached to and live life as it unfolds. 

I hope you enjoyed a relaxing Easter and are ready to get back on the mat for some holiday classes and get organised for Term 2.  Below is the Term 2 Timetable with some changes.  

Everything is ready to book online for a fresh new Term so jump on and get organised and ready to go!  Link below to book.

Link to Book on Punchpass:  https://app.punchpass.com/passtypes.

Hi there!  

Below is the timetable for the Holiday Break.  Please join us for a class to maintain your practice and good health over Easter.  Alternatively you could stream one of our classes at a reasonable price over one week.  Kids Yoga Stories are available stream during the holidays, including Ralph the Puppy Dog, which is a free class (link below).  

The Yoga Basics classes are for anyone wanting to 'try yoga'.  If you have a friend or family member who fits this description, please ask them to contact me or book online (link below).

Term 2 starts on Monday 19 April.  Bookings for Term 2 will be open on Saturday afternoon (3 April).

I hope you have a safe and fun Easter that includes some yoga and some chocolate!!  What more could you want?

See you on the mat,

Tricia

Link to book Yoga Basics and Term 2 passes:  https://app.punchpass.com/passtypes

Link to Stream a class:  https://vimeo.com/user111945976/vod_pages.

Link to Kids Yoga Stories:  https://vimeo.com/ondemand/kidsyogastories1

• disease
• inertia
• laziness
• doubt
• heedlessness
• indiscipline of the senses
• erroneous views
• lack of perserverence
• backsliding.

Alan Goode comments:

'Through practice, we become present in our acts and reshape the way our mind absorbs experience - instead of interpreting things which happened to us through the filter of our mind (views formed from past experience) we move to experience them without the veil of thought.  An example of this is where we have an experience in the past of someone abusing our trust – this often makes us wary of future interaction with others, but in the extreme we become unable to trust anyone; our actions are limited by our beliefs.

In Tapas we experience directly.  In doing so we burn off past impressions which limit us, and our ideas of what we are capable of change.  Through action (tapas) we can refine our consciousness – change and grow.  This is the first tier and cannot be transcended.'

What does Tapas look like in your yoga practice?  For me, Tapas means stepping onto my mat each day, whether I feel like practising or not, and just doing each asana, or pose, steadily and consistently.  Of course, we can adjust our practice to respond to what is happening in our bodies, but we still have to get on the mat, get quiet, observe, listen and proceed.  This is the daily work of Tapas.

In the next blog post, I explore the second great path of Kriya Yoga, which is Svadhaya (self-study).

Until then, keep practising and learning.

Tricia

Welcome back and Happy New Year!  

The teachers are so excited to be teaching in the studio and online.  I encourage you to make a commitment to your yoga and carve out time to look after your physical and mental health.  We look forward to serving you in class again and watching your progression.

*    Denotes Online only

**   Denotes Streamed Class

Join us and book your class online:  https://orangeyogaroom.punchpass.com/classes?jw=undefined&as=client.

Perfect School Holiday Fun

Kids Yoga stories from TheYogaRoom on Vimeo.

The Yoga Room is excited to offer Kids Yoga Stories!  Each story is written and presented by Fiona Hawke to engage children between the ages of 3 and 7yrs.

Fiona creates a space for children to learn Yoga, listen to a story and play, using their imagination.  Children move their bodies to form yoga poses in the shape of animals, trees and elements of the natural world.  They may go on an adventure to the moon, have a tea party with their fury friends, or go on a picnic to the beach,  all from their living room.  Kids Yoga Stories is Perfect fun for the school holidays and rainy weekends.

Buy or Rent a Story

We currently have six stories to choose from, with more to follow.  Choose to buy and download a story to keep, or rent for one week.  Click here to go to our Vimeo platform and choose your story.  Kidults love Kids Yoga Stories too!