Patanjali's framework of five root afflictions that map onto CBT's identification of core beliefs and cognitive errors underlying psychological distress.
The Yoga Sutras identify five kleshas—fundamental afflictions or obstacles—that generate all suffering: avidya (ignorance/misperception), asmita (ego/self-identification), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death/existential anxiety). These ancient categories remarkably parallel modern CBT's analysis of core beliefs and cognitive errors. Avidya corresponds to fundamental misperceptions about reality and self that CBT addresses through reality testing and Socratic questioning. Asmita reflects over-identification with thoughts and roles, addressed through cognitive defusion and behavioral experiments. Raga and dvesha represent attachment and avoidance patterns—the very behaviors CBT targets through exposure therapy and behavioral activation. Abhinivesha captures existential fears underlying health anxiety, obsessive-compulsive patterns, and some depression. Patanjali's system teaches that liberation comes from recognizing these patterns and their root causes, then systematically addressing them through practice. This framework provides CBT practitioners a deeper philosophical understanding of why their interventions work: they dismantle the fundamental misperceptions and automatic patterns that perpetuate suffering. By understanding the kleshas, therapists and clients gain insight into the deeper structure of psychological distress beyond surface symptoms.
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