Kleshas: The Five Afflictions Underlying Trauma Reactivity

Patanjali identifies five kleshas (psychological afflictions or obstacles): avidya (ignorance of true nature), asmita (egoic identification), raga (attachment and craving), dvesha (aversion and rejection), and abhinivesha (fear of death and change). These aren't moral failings but universal patterns that become magnified by trauma. Trauma intensifies each klesha: ignorance keeps survivors unaware of nervous system dysregulation; egoic identification creates rigid trauma-based identity ("I am damaged"); attachment and aversion strengthen around safety and threat; fear of death becomes hyperactive. Understanding the kleshas offers profound insight into why trauma creates such persistent reactivity. Each klesha can be addressed through specific yoga practices: avidya through knowledge and witness consciousness, asmita through expansive practices that break egoic boundaries, raga and dvesha through pranayama and meditation that create equanimity toward experience, abhinivesha through practices acknowledging impermanence. For PTSD sufferers, this framework explains why trauma isn't simply a collection of symptoms but a systemic pattern affecting fundamental perception and reactivity. By methodically addressing each klesha through yoga, survivors gradually loosen trauma's root patterns rather than just managing surface symptoms, enabling deep transformation.