Kleshas: The Five Afflictions Underlying Trauma Loops

The five kleshas (afflictions) are avidya (misperception), asmita (ego-identification), raga (grasping), dvesha (aversion), and abhinivesha (fear of death/change). These aren't moral failures but understandable defensive patterns that trauma intensifies. A survivor may cling to protective hypervigilance (raga), fiercely reject intimacy (dvesha), identify entirely with being a victim (asmita), and hold deep existential fear (abhinivesha). Patanjali teaches that understanding these patterns is the first step to freedom. Through yoga practice—particularly mindfulness and meditation—survivors observe these kleshas operating without judgment. Gradually, the grip loosens: the need to grasp diminishes, aversion softens, identification becomes more fluid. Rather than pathologizing trauma survivors, the kleshas framework normalizes reactive patterns while offering a clear map for their dissolution through systematic practice.