Klesas: The Five Mental Afflictions and Cognitive Distortions

The Yoga Sutras identify five klesas (afflictions or obstacles): avidya (ignorance), asmita (ego/I-am-ness), raga (attachment/craving), dvesha (aversion/hatred), and abhinivesha (fear of death/change). These foundational patterns generate all psychological suffering. Modern CBT identifies similar core cognitive distortions: all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing, personalization, and overgeneralization. Patanjali's framework reveals that these aren't modern inventions but perennial patterns of human cognition. Asmita manifests as social anxiety and perfectionism; raga appears as addiction and compulsive behaviors; dvesha drives avoidance and anger. Avidya underlies all others—the fundamental misunderstanding of reality that perpetuates suffering. By studying both systems, CBT practitioners gain deeper insight into why certain distortions persist and how challenging them addresses root patterns. This integration honors both ancient wisdom and contemporary psychology's understanding of human suffering and transformation.