Patanjali's five kleshas—ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion, and fear of loss—are the core burdens that protective and exiled parts carry, and which IFS unburdening releases.
The five kleshas (afflictions or obstacles) in Patanjali's framework are: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-sense), raga (attachment/craving), dvesha (aversion/hatred), and abhinivesha (fear of loss/death). These are not moral failings but fundamental misperceptions and reactive patterns that cloud consciousness. In IFS language, these are precisely the burdens that parts carry from trauma, protective roles, and survival strategies. A protective part might be burdened with avidya—the ignorance that the threat still exists—causing it to hypervigilance in the present. An exiled part carries asmita fusion—identifying completely with shame or unworthiness. Parts cling to raga (attachment to control strategies) and dvesha (aversion to vulnerability). Abhinivesha, fear of annihilation, drives many protective mechanisms. Patanjali's genius is mapping how these kleshas generate suffering and how yoga practice systematically releases them. This directly parallels IFS unburdening: as parts release their kleshas and access the Self, they no longer need to generate protective reactivity. Understanding the five kleshas provides a philosophical framework for why parts behave as they do and clarifies what gets released through IFS healing work.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.