Kleshas: Core Cognitive Distortions and Their Origins

The Yoga Sutras identify five kleshas or afflictions that generate all human suffering: avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego-identification), raga (attachment/craving), dvesha (aversion/rejection), and abhinivesha (fear of death or change). This ancient taxonomy provides a sophisticated framework for understanding the root patterns beneath specific CBT symptoms. Avidya manifests as cognitive distortions rooted in fundamental misunderstanding of reality. Asmita generates rigid self-concepts and identity-based thinking. Raga and dvesha produce the approach-avoidance patterns underlying anxiety and depression. Abhinivesha fuels catastrophic thinking and existential anxiety. CBT's various protocols directly target these kleshas: cognitive restructuring challenges avidya, behavioral experiments challenge asmita, exposure therapy addresses dvesha, and values work addresses abhinivesha. By understanding the kleshas, practitioners recognize that surface-level thought patterns—"I'm worthless," "This will be catastrophic"—stem from deeper cognitive-emotional structures. This understanding deepens compassion and treatment persistence, transforming CBT from mechanical technique into profound psychological archaeology that uproots the fundamental afflictions generating suffering.