Kleshas: The Five Afflictions and Emotional Roots

The Yoga Sutras identify five kleshas (afflictions or obstacles) as the psychological roots of all emotional suffering: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-identification), raga (craving), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death/change). This ancient taxonomy predates modern psychology's diagnostic frameworks yet offers profound insight into emotional dysregulation patterns. Avidya represents fundamental misperceptions about reality; asmita is identification with a fragile self-image; raga drives desperate clinging to pleasure; dvesha creates avoidance and anger toward pain; abhinivesha fuels anxiety about loss and change. Understanding emotions through the lens of kleshas shifts focus from symptom management to root cause exploration. Rather than treating anxiety as a malfunction needing medication, this framework asks: Which fundamental misperceptions or identifications fuel this anxiety? This diagnostic approach enables practitioners to address emotional patterns at their source rather than endlessly managing surface-level emotional responses.