Definition

Pronunciation: vai-RAHG-yah

Also spelled: Vairaagya

Non-attachment; dispassion; renunciation

About Vairagya

Vairagya is non-attachment - the conscious choice to release identification with desires and aversions. Paired with abhyasa (practice), it forms the foundation of yoga. While abhyasa is the active engagement, vairagya is the letting go.

Vairagya is not suppression or denial but a mature dispassion born from understanding. When we see clearly that external objects cannot provide lasting satisfaction, attachment naturally loosens. This seeing comes through practice and discrimination.

Patanjali describes two levels of vairagya: *apara vairagya* (lower) where we release attachment to sensory objects, and *para vairagya* (higher) where even the attraction to subtle states and powers is released. The highest vairagya leads to *kaivalya* - liberation through complete independence from all phenomena.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Vairagya mean?

Non-attachment; dispassion; renunciation

Which tradition does Vairagya come from?

Vairagya is a key term in yoga.

How is Vairagya used in practice?

Vairagya is non-attachment - the conscious choice to release identification with desires and aversions. Paired with abhyasa (practice), it forms the foundation of yoga. While abhyasa is the active engagement, vairagya is the letting go.