This post is the sixth of a 9-part series on the obstacles (antarayas) to spiritual practice, from verse 1:30 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras:
vyādhistyānasanśaya pramādālasyāvirati bhrāntidarśanālabdha bhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni cittavikṣēpāstē̕ntarāyāḥ |
Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, worldliness, delusion, non-achievement of a yogic state, and instability are the distractions of the mind, and they are obstacles [in yoga].
I find avirati, the 6th obstacle of spiritual practice from the Yoga Sutras, a bit uncomfortable to talk about. Why? Because we (including myself) have become very attached to being comfortable – wanting what we like and avoiding what we don’t. Seeking pleasure and over-indulging. Our consumer-based society is founded on this over-indulgence (Buy! Spend! Eat! Consume!). It’s humbling to have to take a look at it.
But look at it we must if we are to overcome this obstacle to fruitful spiritual practice. Avirati (pronounced uh-veer-uh-tee) has a number of translations that help us get the feel of this challenge: worldliness, over-indulgence, sensual desire & craving, lack of control, non-restraint.
Yeesh – this is the achilles heel for so many of us. How to stop eating (or scrolling) when we aren’t really hungry but just bored or wanting a distraction. How to stop when it’s “enough” for anything. Allowing our possessions to be sufficient as they are. Avirati asks us to reconsider when we’re doing too much of anything, acquiring in excess, or clinging to indulgences that we know aren’t necessary, and perhaps even harmful for us.
Self-Medication: The Next Shiny Distraction
Our consumerist society runs its business on avirati. It capitalizes on our insecurities and dissatisfaction, selling us on what car, clothing, makeup, or wild experience will make us feel confident, sexy, desirable, and satisfied. Except that it never does. The moment we get that new, shiny thingy, it’s not long before we’re looking for the next one.
Avirati shows up as self-medication – a way to avoid our painful emotions and escape from depression by numbing out or entertaining ourselves into oblivion. Sensory objects, experiences that give us a short-lived high (such as scrolling, which triggers dopamine and thus, addiction), and endless junk-food entertainment give us the momentary fix but then the inevitable crash, pulling us back to more distraction in worldly immersion.
Additionally, the world inundates us with stressors. The economy, endless wars, civil unrest, polarized politics, and more agitates our nervous system almost constantly. This increases the craving for escape. So it’s back to the device and more scrolling, even though we know it not only doesn’t make us feel better, but after the brief dopamine hit, makes us more anxious.
All of these distractions easily pull us away from our goals for inner peace, consciousness, and spiritual awakening. What do we do when such a powerful obstacle as avirati arises?
How Do I Stop?
We have all struggled with the question – how do I stop? How do I learn to use less, to put down the device, and let go of excess cravings, desires, and consumption, whether physical, mental, or monetary. To consider moving beyond the spiritual obstacle of avirati is going against the status quo and the entire system of consumerism.
Therefore, we need some serious spiritual allies and vigorous intervention to support us in this endeavor. Physical intervention is necessary, as well as some key yogic principles and spiritual practices (and maybe some support from Divine Beings!) in order to make headway. Overcoming avirati means developing more determination as well as discernment, non-attachment, contentment, and focusing on the true source of peace and happiness: our Divine Essence.
Get Into the Body
That vigorous intervention to halt avirati starts with the body, and determination to move, quite literally, through our desire to tune out and indulge.. If we engage in physical movement that gets the blood flowing and shifts us into the present moment, we can break the spell of avirati, at least for a while.
Roll out your yoga mat and practice a series of sun salutations. This is a situation where you might want to move quickly through the series of poses (as long as your body is warm enough and the movements are safe for you) at first, just to become present with moving, breathing, and feeling the vitality of the body. Then practice some longer holds to focus on breath, sensations, building heat, or allowing tension to release.
Other physical activities can similarly shift you out of worldly indulgence and into the present moment. Hit the hiking trail, pick up the basketball or tennis racquet, or go for a run. Put on some favorite tunes and dance around the room. Sport climbing, when done safely, is also a great way to literally force yourself to be present rather than distracted; it takes full concentration to keep from falling, and is a great way to shift you out of worldliness.
Give Yourself Other Choices
Along with physical activity, we want to disrupt the pattern of avirati in our life. We can do that by giving ourselves other choices.
Can you make a list of what other choices you might have instead of worldly overindulgence? A few that come to mind: a self-massage, 5-10 conscious breaths, 3 yoga poses (or more!), walking barefoot on grass or sand, listening to the wind and birdsong, squishing and forming clay or playdough between your hands, gazing with awe at morning dew on a rose petal or light as it refracts into a rainbow through a crystal hanging in the window.
These simple practices can be fulfilling in themselves. But more importantly, they pull us out of the worldly cravings for a bit and give us room to pause. To reflect and consider what it is we truly want. This makes space for discernment.
Discernment
A more lasting shift out of overindulgence and distraction begins with Viveka – translated as discrimination or discernment. In order to step beyond Avirati, we must be able to discern between what is temporary and what is more lasting, what is a sugar high vs. deeper fulfillment, and what is deception in contrast to spiritual truth.
That’s a tall order, isn’t it? So we begin where we are, with questions like:
- Is this actually what I am needing? Or am I using it to substitute for feeling cared about, grounded, contented, or accepting of myself in this moment as I am?
- Rather than buy this item, eat this substance, or watch this TikTok, what other options do I have? Could something else be more fulfilling?
- What do I truly long for? Will this quick fix by scrolling to more video shorts or having another piece of cake be enough, or will it make me want more?
- How can I identify what my deeper longing is, and what actions might I take towards that instead?
If you’re here reading this post on Awakening Self, my guess is that you long for peace, contentment, a deeper connection with Something Greater, and spiritual awakening. We don’t need to judge ourselves when we find ourselves going for the quick fix instead, but we can start noticing when that happens, pause, and remember what is Real with a capital R – the infinite presence of the Divine. Everything else, although temporarily real, isn’t enduring beyond the fragile, time-limited physical form.
Non-Attachment and Contentment
Another yogic principle that is worth engaging when we’re struggling with avirati is non-attachment: Vairagya in sanskrit. Vairagya when paired with discernment loosens the grip on worldly indulgence. Non-attachment helps us let go of seeking fulfillment of desires (or avoidance of discomfort) to experience something more lasting.
Vairagya is a way of accepting what is. We make our best efforts but let go of the attachment to outcomes. When we’re not attached to things being our way, we can be OK no matter what (and not need to self-medicate through avirati).
Vairagya, or non-attachment, naturally leads to contentment. We begin to appreciate what we have rather than wanting something else. Contentment (Santosha) is the doorway to inner peace. It’s a place of feeling OK somewhere deep inside, even when we’re triggered, irritable, or the world appears to be falling apart. There’s some part of us inside that is quiet, present, and can Be with what is. Non-attachment plus contentment leads to responsiveness, rather than reactivity. And when we’re less reactive and triggered, we’re less likely to be pulled back into the distraction of avirati.
Remember Who You Are
As we disrupt the patterns of avirati, engage our inner discernment, and practice non-attachment and contentment, the door is opened back to our spiritual path. We reorient towards our Divine Self and how to experience that more within. We remember who we truly are, beyond all cravings and desires of worldly things and experiences.
According to the ancient sages of many traditions, the Divine is within us and is our true nature. We walk the spiritual path to arrive at that deep inner knowing. It’s not so easy to experience that all the time, but the more we have discernment of what is true vs. what is merely illusion, detach from the mire of sensual indulgence, and find a deeper contentment rather than fleeting highs, we will gradually find our way to our Divine Self.
