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| Jewellea Photography |
Sitting still in any position with a ready mind will lead you towards yogic bliss. But padmasana brought me right up close to the five yogic afflictions, also called 'kleshas', or hindrances to yogic practice. These can be painful, impure or colored thoughts - said plainly, these are anything that hold you back in yoga. I have been focusing on the first one, avidya - spiritual ignorance.
Stillness in Padmasana develops insight into ourselves - notice how it was just sitting still that brought this on - it wasn't while grabbing my heels in urdhva dhanurasana or an advanced posture in the third series - though having a calm mind in these asanas will also lead you towards understanding your avidya.
While you are practicing, try to find stillness at each and every posture (not fidgeting, not looking around, being steady, being calm). This allows you to witness your thoughts so that you can look into what you are day dreaming about. The mind is often comfortable with covering up such thoughts so it goes into auto-pilot and thinks "I am not that", or "I don't think that way" and cleverly replaces the difficult or uncomfortable sensations with something easy to handle instead.
Choosing to remain oblivious to what is holding you back from attaining peace in your life is also avidya. Being 'spiritually ignorant' suggests that you are aware of what is harmful in your life but still you do nothing to change it.
Studying the yoga sutras will inform you that avidya breeds all of the other kleshas, and if we can get straight to the source of our spiritual ignorance - then we will be able to curb the growth of other kleshas. The five kleshas are avidya (spiritual ignorance), asmita (ego), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion) and abhinivesah (clinging to life or attachment, even fear of death). Click here for a detail on the kleshas.
In our daily practice, there are asanas that befuddle us on a regular basis. Returning back to these places that are uncomfortable is where we are able to learn most about ourselves. For me, Sayanasana is always a battle. I fall some days and others I balance like I am teetering on a dime. I am always taught humility in each of my three successful breaths.
Some days your effort will be rewarded and the results are positive, other days no amount of effort will fulfill what is required to access the inner linings of your mind. The journey of a committed, daily self practice gives you the tools needed to accept this.
Work on those hip openers and healthy knee practices so that you can learn how to fold your legs into lotus - if this is too much for you, then try sitting on top of a block or blankets in sukhasana. Anything to offer space and length in your hips so that when you cross your legs with your heels lining up with your pelvic floor - your knees drop to the floor - this will allow lotus to happen eventually.
For the auspicious padmasana is worth all your effort towards understanding your own avidya.
