Chop off the 4 branches of Avidya - ego, desire, refusal, and fear.

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This post is about a yogic philosophy that has helped me with anxiety, depression, fear, and bad habits.

Getting rid of of Avidya - a Sanskrit word meaning:

ignorance, misconception, delusion, or ‘incorrect understanding’ >“It is ignorance of our true selves and of the true nature of reality” (1) >“Avidya can be understood as the accumulated result of our many unconscious actions, the actions and ways of perceiving that we have been mechanically carrying out for years. As a result of these unconscious responses, the mind becomes more and more dependent on habits until we accept the actions of yesterday as the norms of today.” (2) >“Avidya is the root cause of the obstacles that prevent us from recognizing things as they really are”. (2)

In the Yoga Sutras, avidya is said to be responsible for humanity’s misery and suffering. Deeply rooted within us,

avidya is made up of 4 branches:

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmacWVfvC5eN8vP3M8xeQ3NWosaeG4qSv6XPZ9UZhbkkPD/image.png)

1. The Ego (asmita). Self-serving thoughts and behavior. The tendency to believe that material items (wealth, occupation, the body) make up the person we are. The desire to be better and more successful than others.

2. Desire (raga) Attachment, demands, and longing. Caused by comparison with others, the continuous drive for success, positive outcomes, and material accumulation. Even if we were successful yesterday, we want to be more successful today, and ever more so tomorrow. Ego and desire can drive us to compare ourselves with others based on wealth accumulation, job or relationship status, and lead to feelings of worthlessness, which offer us no benefit. This does not mean losing ambition, but rather, a detachment from outcomes such that they do not affect one’s internal ambition.

3. Refusal (dvesa) The fear of what is known. The fear of repeating negative experiences, even though such fear may not be rational or beneficial. This can include rejecting people, activities, or ideas that have caused us pain in the past. For example, say you lost money on a bitcoin trade last month, which makes you fearful to enter a new trade this month, even though the charts look good and you need to pay the rent.

4. Fear (abhinivesa) The fear of what is unknown and uncertain. The fear of change, the fear of death. As said in Dune, “Fear is the mind-killer.” The four branches of avidya cloud perception, instill dullness, and lead to dissatisfaction.

By eliminating avidya, we make room to cultivate its opposite, vidya, which lets us realize the best, truest version of ourselves.

Vidya

roughly translates to knowledge, wisdom, or ‘true’ perception, and is characterized by light. So how do we eliminate avidya and make room for vidya?

Cleansing

Practicing yoga (postures and breath), and healthy living It's no secret that both exercise and healthy diet have well-documented physical and mental health benefits. From my own experience, I know that my mental and physical health are directly related. To cultivate an optimal mental state of being, we should cultivate an optimal bodily state of being. Our bodies harbor the mind; the mind drives the body. One of my favorite yoga websites with instruction for beginners, intermediates, and experts is [Do Yoga With Me](http://www.doyogawithme.com) My favorite websites with healthy recipes is [Veg Recipes of India](http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com )

Self-examination

Self-examination enables us to reflect and identify our harmful habits, so that we can break out of them. In the process, we become more conscious and responsible for of our own actions. Meditation, therapy, writing, or simply talking with close friends or loved ones can all be effective forms of self-examination. We need to understand and admit there may be room for improvement before for any improvements can take place.

Detachment - becoming the serene observer

This means trying your hardest, giving 100% effort and quality, pursuing a career, but being slightly detached from expectations and outcomes. If things don’t go as planned do you get upset, give up, or continue to try just as hard, regardless of success? Are you comparing your success with others? Perhaps it’s time to redraw your base-line.

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