Patanjali's five core afflictions (ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion, fear of death) as the psychological structures underlying complex trauma.
Klesha means affliction or root of suffering. Patanjali identifies five kleshas: avidya (ignorance of your true nature), asmita (ego/false identity), raga (attachment/craving), dvesha (aversion/rejection), and abhinivesha (fear of annihilation). In C-PTSD, these are not abstract concepts—they are concrete psychological structures. Avidya manifests as shame: belief that you are fundamentally broken. Asmita appears as identity collapse: you are your trauma. Raga is the compulsive seeking of safety through control or perfectionism. Dvesha is rejection of your own body and emotions. Abhinivesha is existential fear and death anxiety. Patanjali teaches that kleshas are universal human tendencies amplified by trauma. Recognizing them as patterns—not truth—creates freedom. Yoga practice systematically addresses each klesha: pranayama dissolves ignorance, asana rewires body-based aversion, meditation reveals the unchanging self beneath ego. Understanding the five kleshas gives you a map of your own suffering.
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