Kleshas: The Five Afflictions of Political Actors

Patanjali identifies five kleshas (afflictions) that underlie all psychological suffering: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-identification), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of annihilation). These operate powerfully in political psychology, driving polarization and conflict. Political actors caught in avidya misunderstand the nature of social systems; asmita inflates the importance of partisan identity; raga creates grasping for power; dvesha generates hatred of opponents; abhinivesha manifests as existential fear of losing dominance. Together, these afflictions create the psychological patterns underlying political dysfunction—tribalism, demonization, zero-sum thinking, and reactivity. The Yoga Sutras framework proposes that recognizing these afflictions in ourselves and others is the first step toward transformation. Political psychology benefits from this diagnosis: understanding that destructive political behavior springs from identifiable psychological patterns allows leaders to work with themselves and constituencies more skillfully, creating space for wiser choices and genuine dialogue across divides.