Thanks for joining My Daily Thread. Yesterday we talked about the sacred entanglement between the Seer and the seen, or Puruṣa and Prakṛti, through the lens of Yoga Sūtra 2.23 and 2.24. Today we move on to Yoga Sūtra 2.25, which marks a powerful and pivotal moment in Patañjali’s vision of liberation.
The sutra reads:
Tad-abhāvāt saṁyoga-abhāvaḥ hānaṁ tad dṛśeḥ kaivalyam
“With the absence of ignorance (avidyā), the entanglement (saṁyoga) ceases. This is the liberation (kaivalya) of the Seer (dṛṣṭṛ).”
This is one of those sutras that really lands. It’s not talking about some abstract mystical concept—it’s pointing directly to the human condition. All of our confusion, all of our clinging, our misidentification with our thoughts, emotions, roles, and even relationships—it all stems from avidyā, which is not just “not knowing,” but a deep misperception of reality. It's ignorance of our own true nature.
And here’s the invitation: Freedom isn’t something we gain—it’s what remains when the layers of confusion dissolve. When we peel back the illusions, when we release the doubts, fears, and self-hiding, what’s left is the clarity of our true being. That clarity is kaivalya—absolute freedom.
Patañjali makes it beautifully simple: remove avidyā, and the mistaken union (saṁyoga) between the Seer and the seen dissolves. You are no longer bound by the things you once thought defined you. The thoughts like "I'm not good enough", "I need their approval", "I'm only worthy if..."—all of these are just whirlpools of the mind (citta vṛttis), and they are not you.
This is not about “fixing” yourself. It’s not about adding more or achieving more. This is about seeing clearly. It’s about removing the fog so that the light that has always been there can shine through. This clarity isn’t loud. It’s quiet. It’s not performative. It’s peaceful.
Practically speaking, here’s how we begin to apply this:
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First, notice your entanglements. Where are you attaching to roles, outcomes, or identities that aren’t your truth?
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Second, watch your mind. Are you reacting out of fear? Are your thoughts aligned with who you really are, or are they simply old programs running unchecked?
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Third, practice discernment (viveka). The more you distinguish between what is real (unchanging) and what is not, the more avidyā begins to fade.
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And finally, ask the essential question:
“Am I acting from ignorance, or am I acting from awareness?”
This sutra reminds us that we are not here to escape life—we are here to live it from a place of inner freedom. Not to abandon the world, but to move through it without being bound by it. To walk with clarity, compassion, and deep presence.
As always, let’s return to that gentle thread that runs through all our moments—the quiet awareness within. And let’s walk forward, together, not in fear, but in the clear light of freedom.