Patanjali's framework of five fundamental psychological afflictions (ego, attachment, aversion, fear, clinging) that generate cognitive distortions.
The Kleshas are five root afflictions identified in the Yoga Sutras: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-identification), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death/change). Each klesha generates specific distortions. Asmita drives perfectionism and shame spirals; raga creates catastrophic "what if" thinking about loss; dvesha generates exaggerated threat perception; abhinivesha fuels existential anxiety. Understanding distortions through the Kleshas framework shows they are not random—they arise from deep survival and identity patterns. This shifts the approach from fixing individual thoughts to addressing the underlying klesha operating beneath them. For example, recognizing that your perfectionism stems from ego-identification (asmita) allows you to work with the root rather than endlessly managing the distorted thoughts it produces. The Kleshas map shows that sustainable freedom requires addressing these five afflictions systematically.
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