Klesa Identification Framework

Patanjali identifies five kleshas or root afflictions: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego), raga (attachment), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death). Rather than treating surface emotions, this framework traces emotional dysregulation to deeper root causes. Avidya—fundamental misperception of reality—generates false identity and emotional reactivity. Asmita creates fragile ego-based emotions dependent on external validation. Raga and dvesha establish the cycle of grasping and rejection. Abhinivesha fuels anxiety about loss and death. By identifying which klesa dominates one's emotional patterns, practitioners develop targeted practices. Someone dominated by raga might focus on non-attachment practices; someone caught in asmita might work on ego-dissolution. This diagnostic framework prevents symptom-chasing and addresses emotional patterns systematically. It recognizes that shallow emotion regulation techniques fail without addressing root confusion about self and reality. The klesa model offers profound psychological insight predating modern psychotherapy by millennia, suggesting that emotional freedom requires philosophical understanding, not merely behavioral adjustment.