If we can't see these smokescreens, then how are we to appropriately navigate our lives? Sadly, a great many folks don't. They simply bounce from circumstance to circumstance with little or no consciousness of how incorrect judgment has played a part. Yoga uses the term avidya to describe a false perception. Avidya can cause distress and lead us to unintended consequences.

In the book "The Heart of Yoga," Desikachar explains that we need not judge ourselves for having avidya -- it is an inevitable aspect of living in the physical world through our human senses. Rather than try to avoid avidya, which is impossible, yoga provides us with a path to identify false perception and improve our understanding. We are then able to choose correctly.

Focusing on the breath is a perfect example of how yoga develops this clarity. The first time you come to the mat, you may have no awareness of your breath. Gradually, through regular practice, you may increase consciousness of the inhale and exhale. Eventually you can learn to regulate the breath for optimum well-being. But not much progress can be made if you are never aware that your breathing is problematic in the first place.

Once you begin to develop awareness in one area, it's almost a certainty that your improved skill will carry over to other parts of your experience. And although we sometimes resist new awareness, clarity ultimately frees us to be who we are. As Desikachar explains, "When we see something correctly there is a profound peace within us -- we feel no tension, no unrest, no agitation."

Sounds like a bargain to me.