Raga & Dvesha (Grasping & Repulsion)

Introduction

• Raga is “excessive fondness for fleeting pleasures” and dvesha is “excessive avoidance of unpleasant experiences.” (Nischala Joy Devi)
• Grasping and repulsion are opposites that form two sides of one coin.

Key Teachings

• Everyone’s overriding motivation is to be happy and we tend to use a seemingly reasonable strategy of running after what feels good and avoiding what is unpleasant. (Rev. Jaganath Carrera) This approach turns out to have problems and we find that it brings us suffering.
• “Desire is fine as long as we are not attached to its fulfillment.” (Nicholai Bachman)
• Hate creates as much binding as grasping — perhaps more. (I.K. Taimni)
• We come to learn that others don’t actually give us happiness (or unhappiness) but rather that happiness is found within. Others may reflect or distort our own inner happiness.
• Yoga practices provide an opportunity to become aware of attachments and repulsions. The long holds in yin yoga can be particularly useful for this purpose.