Kleshas Defined

What Are the Kleshas?

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the kleshas are identified as the root causes of human suffering. The Sanskrit word translates roughly to "affliction," "poison," or "obstacle"—something that taints experience and binds us to patterns of reactivity.

The kleshas aren't external problems to solve. They're internal tendencies—ways of seeing and responding that are so ingrained we often don't notice them operating. We mistake our conditioning for reality. We react before we've truly perceived. We grasp at things that can't be held and push away experiences we'd rather not face.

Yoga philosophy suggests that these afflictions aren't fixed or permanent—they can be recognized, weakened, and eventually released through practice. Not by fighting them directly, but by cultivating the clarity and steadiness that allow us to see them for what they are.

The Five Kleshas

1. Avidya (Ignorance)

Avidya is the root klesha from which all others grow. It's not ignorance in the sense of lacking information—it's a fundamental misperception of reality. We mistake the temporary for permanent, the impure for pure, suffering for happiness, and most critically, we confuse our thoughts, emotions, and identities with our true self.

When avidya is operating, we live on the surface of experience, never quite seeing what's actually here. We take our stories about life for life itself.

2. Asmita (Ego)

Asmita is the affliction of over-identification with the ego—the sense of "I" and "mine" that creates a separate, defended self. It's the collapse of awareness into identity: "I am my job," "I am my body," "I am my opinions."

When we're caught in asmita, we invest enormous energy in protecting and promoting a self-image that was never the whole truth about who we are.

3. Raga (Attachment)

Raga is the pull toward pleasure—the grasping, craving quality of mind that reaches for pleasant experiences and wants them to continue indefinitely. It's not that pleasure is wrong; it's that our relationship to it becomes distorted.

We confuse temporary satisfaction with lasting fulfillment. We chase the next experience, the next acquisition, the next moment of comfort—never quite arriving.

4. Dvesha (Aversion)

Dvesha is the push away from discomfort—the resistance, avoidance, and rejection of experiences we find unpleasant. Like raga, it's a form of reactivity that keeps us from being present with what is.

Dvesha shows up as denial, blame, numbness, or the subtle background tension of not wanting things to be as they are. It takes tremendous energy to resist reality.

5. Abhinivesha (Fear of Death)

Abhinivesha is the deep-seated clinging to life and fear of its ending. This isn't just fear of physical death—it's the resistance to any kind of ending, change, or dissolution. We cling to identities, relationships, and situations even when they no longer serve us.

At its root, abhinivesha reflects the ego's desperate attempt to persist. It drives much of our anxiety about the future and our reluctance to let go of the past.

Working with the Kleshas

Yoga doesn't ask us to suppress or transcend the kleshas through willpower. Instead, the practice creates conditions for transformation:

• Asana — Physical practice teaches us to stay present with discomfort, to notice when we're grasping or resisting, to find steadiness in challenging moments
• Pranayama — Breath practice calms the nervous system, creating space between stimulus and response
• Meditation — Sitting practice helps us observe mental patterns without being swept away by them
• Self-study (Svadhyaya) — Honest reflection reveals where the kleshas operate in our lives
• Devotion (Ishvara Pranidhana) — Surrender to something larger than the ego loosens its grip

Why the Kleshas Matter

• Understanding suffering — The kleshas offer a map for understanding why we struggle, even when external conditions seem fine
• Compassion for self and others — Recognizing these universal tendencies softens judgment and increases empathy
• Direction for practice — Knowing where reactivity lives helps us work skillfully with our own patterns
• Freedom from autopilot — As we see the kleshas more clearly, we have more choice in how we respond to life