Kleshas: Five Afflictions That Perpetuate Trauma Cycles

Patanjali identifies five kleshas—core afflictions that generate suffering: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-identification), raga (attachment/craving), dvesha (aversion/avoidance), and abhinivesha (fear of death/annihilation). Trauma intensifies all five. Survivors develop rigid ego-identifications as trauma victims, crave safety obsessively, avoid triggering stimuli desperately, and experience primal fear of dissolution or death. These kleshas interlock and reinforce each other, creating vicious cycles. Patanjali's framework illuminates how these are not pathologies but exaggerated versions of universal patterns—which means they are workable through systematic practice. Healing involves gradually loosening each klesha's grip through awareness and practice. By recognizing asmita as constructed identity rather than truth, by gradually reducing attachment to safety-seeking and aversion to feared experiences, trauma survivors can interrupt the cycles that perpetuate suffering. Understanding kleshas provides a comprehensive map for recognizing how trauma operates and where to apply transformative effort most effectively.