Klesha as Obstacle to Meaning

Patanjali identifies five kleshas—ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and fear of death—as fundamental obstacles to clarity and purpose. In logotherapy, Viktor Frankl teaches that meaning exists even within suffering, yet the kleshas prevent us from perceiving it. When we mistake temporary pain for life's absence of purpose, we compound our psychological distress. By examining these afflictions through Patanjali's framework, we discover that suffering often stems not from meaninglessness itself, but from mental distortions obscuring meaning's presence. This concept bridges ancient yoga psychology and modern existential therapy, showing that systematic examination of our mental patterns can reveal the meaning hidden beneath affliction. Recognizing kleshas as treatable patterns rather than existential truths transforms our relationship with suffering.