Kleshas: The Five Afflictions

The Kleshas are five fundamental afflictions or mental distortions: Avidya (ignorance), Asmita (ego-identification), Raga (attachment), Dvesha (aversion), and Abhinivesha (fear of death). This framework revolutionizes emotional regulation by identifying underlying patterns beneath surface emotions. Rather than treating anger, anxiety, or sadness as isolated problems, Patanjali's system traces them to deeper root causes. For example, chronic anxiety often stems from Asmita (over-identification with self-image) combined with Raga (attachment to specific outcomes). By recognizing which Kleshas generate specific emotional patterns, practitioners address root causes rather than symptoms. This diagnostic framework prevents endless emotional symptom management and instead develops genuine understanding of one's emotional architecture. The Kleshas model shows that emotional suffering is not random but follows predictable patterns rooted in fundamental misconceptions about self and reality, making transformation systematic rather than haphazard.