Patanjali's five foundational afflictions (ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, fear of death) as the psychological roots perpetuating C-PTSD cycles.
The Yoga Sutras identify five kleshas—fundamental afflictions or distortions—that generate all suffering: avidya (ignorance), asmita (egoism/false self), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death/annihilation). These aren't moral failings; they're cognitive distortions inherent in traumatized consciousness. In C-PTSD: avidya manifests as fragmented understanding of what happened; asmita as identification with victimhood or survival roles; raga as desperate clinging to control or relationships; dvesha as avoidance of feelings/places/people; abhinivesha as primal fear of dissolution. Patanjali teaches that kleshas can be "burned" through knowledge and practice. For trauma survivors, this means identifying which affliction operates in specific triggers or patterns. A survivor might notice: "I'm fused with the identity 'I'm damaged' (asmita), and I'm desperately avoiding connection (dvesha)." This diagnostic clarity enables targeted practice. Rather than generic "healing," survivors can address root patterns, progressively liberating consciousness from trauma-conditioned afflictions.
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