Abhinivesha: Clinging to the Physical Self
Ah, abhinivesha—that familiar old friend (or foe) in the realm of human attachments. It’s not just about our admirable instinct for self-preservation. No, no, this peculiar concept zooms in on that oh-so-human fear of death, nestled comfortably in our clingy affection for the body. As the wise Swami Satyananda Saraswati suggests, easing up on this bodily attachment might just take the edge off death’s anxiety. But beware! This attachment is stubbornly entrenched, so don’t imagine for a second that a lecture or a book will set you free. Nope, the winding path of yoga awaits your hesitant footsteps.
Enter B.K.S. Iyengar, the maestro who assures us that through practices like meditation, yogis unravel life and death’s seemingly contrasting tapestry. Spoiler alert: they’re not so different after all. This nifty realization helps us leapfrog over that looming fear of death.
Sure, humans have some nifty self-preservation tactics—like bouncing back from cuts or scampering away from threats. But don’t mistake these for the emotionally charged ruminations of abhinivesha. This clinginess is rooted in emotional baggage, from fears of ceasing to exist, through to dependence on personal maneuvers for survival, and those pesky past experiences with death. Reverend Jaganath Carrera chimes in to remind us that while it’s perfectly natural to survive, it’s best not to conflate this with the passion-laden clutching that leads to suffering.
Yes, we all have that natural penchant to stick around, but let’s not get irrational about it. Too much attachment to your body, and bam—you’ve got an illogical fear of death. It’s not just our bodies that we clutch onto but also our stuff and our relationships. Enter Nicolai Bachman, asserting with aplomb that letting go equates to freedom; death is nothing more than a transfer point on life’s eternal metro line. Meanwhile, your soul? It’s having a little chuckle because it remains constant and everlasting.
The folks in Indian philosophy have cracked this code, understanding abhinivesha as a consequence of bodily attachment. Swami Satyananda Saraswati notes when this attachment is tucked into a dormant corner, death loses its frightful punch. Yes, the universal desire to keep living resonates with any breathing being, but without full-bodied yogic efforts, those mental gremlins (kleshas, anyone?) will keep attachment alive, regardless of your fancy philosophical opinions. I.K. Taimni would like to underscore the necessity for a yogic push—after all, theory without action is like a toaster without power. Sad, indeed.
By playing around with asana, pranayama, and dhyana, practitioners venture into uncharted internal territories—a voyage of self-discovery and intelligence flow. B.K.S. Iyengar points out this merry dance of life and death, a realization that aids you in gently prying off those metaphorical shackles of living, stepping closer to kaivalya, or, mighty freedom.
Oh, emotions—those turbulently passionate little critters thanks to which our physical reality diligently manifests our fear of death. Lifetimes after millennia contribute to this autopilot apprehension of body departure. As we navigate this wild ride of existence, remember: that heartfelt fear tied to our human shell? It tends to rear its ugly head, casting shadows on life’s beautifully impermanent nature.
Ready to deep dive into a trove of understanding? Visit this link for a romp through the philosophies that just might offer you a seat in the grand theater of liberation.