“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” – Daniel J Boorstin
Theme: Avidya
Avidya is the first of the five Kleshas. Translated as ignorance, avidya is not only the first but leads to the other four Kleshas, which are the cause of all suffering. The kleshas distract us from knowing all that we are, all that we can be. Taking things personally is so frequently rooted in ignorance – ignorance of our greatness, ignorance of others intentions, ignorance of information. We must work to keep avidya from informing our automatic assumptions and conclusions. The following link gives lovely insight on challenging our perceptions and insecurities.
All Classes: Salamba Bhujangasana
How we take in information around us can be affected by the mental and emotional space we carry day-to-day. When we close ourselves off we become susceptible to inaccurate information stemming from avidya – ignorance. Our physical posture can greatly impact and relate to our mental state – and so we open our hearts physically in sphinx pose, to help clear space emotionally and mentally, finding receptivity to taking in and analyzing the real from the unreal.
To take pressure off of the low back, try taking the feet a little wider or rolling a blanket to place underneath the ankles. If you plan on holding this pose for several minutes, you might place a block underneath the forehead to help stimulate your mind’s eye and turn your awareness inwards. For a more active version, remember to press down evenly through the full forearm, elbow to fingertip and lift your heart, spreading the collarbones open.