Klesha: Attachment as Existential Suffering

The five kleshas—avidya (ignorance), asmita (egoism), raga (attachment/desire), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of loss)—describe the root causes of suffering. Insecure attachment embodies all five kleshas: ignorance of one's true worth, egoic defensiveness, desperate clinging, rejection of emotional needs, and terror of abandonment. Patanjali teaches that liberation comes through recognizing these patterns as impermanent, adopted responses rather than essence. In attachment healing, understanding kleshas allows us to see how our attachment style is a protective strategy born from early pain, not a permanent identity. This compassionate recognition enables the yoga of discernment: we can observe our defensive patterns activating, understand their origins, and gradually choose more conscious responses. The kleshas framework transforms shame about attachment wounds into wisdom about human conditioning.