Pancha Klesa: The Five Klesas
‘These five factors that contribute to our discontent concisely sum up the essential teachings of yoga psychology. Getting down to the roots of suffering and its corresponding symptoms requires an investigation of the five klesas [pron. kley-sha]. All practices of yoga, including meditation, breathing techniques, ethics, postures, and devotional practices, bring the practitioner into contact with the core of the heart. Along this path of the heart one is sure to find obstacles. One cannot work with the body without also working with the mind, because when we work with the symptoms of discontent, we begin to see that physiology and psychology are inseparable. The five klesas describe yoga psychology in a nutshell.’
- Michael Stone, ‘The Inner Tradition of Yoga.’
The first klesa, avidyā, is defined as ‘not being with life as it is.’ It comes from the Sanskrit root vidyā, which is related to the English ‘video,’ meaning ‘to see.’ The Sanskrit prefix ‘a’ indicates ‘not,’ or the opposite, so avidyā means ‘to not see.’ It is a state of mind out of touch with the present moment, unaware of reality as it truly is. This obstacle of ignorance is the root of the other four klesas, for without clarity, all obstacles become difficult to move beyond. Similarly, vidyā, or truly being in touch with the present moment, is the key to cutting through the following four klesas.
The second and third klesas are raga (attachment) and dvesa (aversion; pron. dve-sha). Raga is the desire for pleasure, the grasping onto the joyous qualities of life. Dvesa is resistance to pain, the avoidance of uncomfortable life experiences. Typically we flip-flop back and forth between raga and dvesa, stuck in the reactive pattern of pushing the forces of life away, or holding onto them too tightly.
The fourth klesa is Asmitā, the delusional stories of ‘I, me, and mine.’ When we experience attachment or aversion, we begin to create a story of ‘me,’ which in turn puts a layer of separation between our consciousness and the unbounded, limitless reality. Asmitā is living in the ego, obscuring the present moment awareness that defines our true self.
The fifth klesa, Abhiniveśa, is the fear of death, the fear of releasing our stories of ‘I, me, mine.’ It is said that even the wise suffer from this obstacle, for it is the final release of the ego. This is a challenging obstacle to overcome, for the limited personality and ego-awareness fights tooth and nail to continue to exist. The loss of security can be a terrifying experience, even though when we see ourselves and our experiences clearly, it becomes apparent that the sense of security and stability as a distinct individual is a total delusion in the first place.
The source of the klesas lies in the very first one: avidyā, or ignorance and delusion. In order to overcome these five klesas, we attack them at their root; beginning to see reality clearly and working with who we are within the present moment is the means to overcoming obstacles on the path to the heart—the path of yoga.
- Michael Stone, ‘The Inner Tradition of Yoga.’
The first klesa, avidyā, is defined as ‘not being with life as it is.’ It comes from the Sanskrit root vidyā, which is related to the English ‘video,’ meaning ‘to see.’ The Sanskrit prefix ‘a’ indicates ‘not,’ or the opposite, so avidyā means ‘to not see.’ It is a state of mind out of touch with the present moment, unaware of reality as it truly is. This obstacle of ignorance is the root of the other four klesas, for without clarity, all obstacles become difficult to move beyond. Similarly, vidyā, or truly being in touch with the present moment, is the key to cutting through the following four klesas.
The second and third klesas are raga (attachment) and dvesa (aversion; pron. dve-sha). Raga is the desire for pleasure, the grasping onto the joyous qualities of life. Dvesa is resistance to pain, the avoidance of uncomfortable life experiences. Typically we flip-flop back and forth between raga and dvesa, stuck in the reactive pattern of pushing the forces of life away, or holding onto them too tightly.
The fourth klesa is Asmitā, the delusional stories of ‘I, me, and mine.’ When we experience attachment or aversion, we begin to create a story of ‘me,’ which in turn puts a layer of separation between our consciousness and the unbounded, limitless reality. Asmitā is living in the ego, obscuring the present moment awareness that defines our true self.
The fifth klesa, Abhiniveśa, is the fear of death, the fear of releasing our stories of ‘I, me, mine.’ It is said that even the wise suffer from this obstacle, for it is the final release of the ego. This is a challenging obstacle to overcome, for the limited personality and ego-awareness fights tooth and nail to continue to exist. The loss of security can be a terrifying experience, even though when we see ourselves and our experiences clearly, it becomes apparent that the sense of security and stability as a distinct individual is a total delusion in the first place.
The source of the klesas lies in the very first one: avidyā, or ignorance and delusion. In order to overcome these five klesas, we attack them at their root; beginning to see reality clearly and working with who we are within the present moment is the means to overcoming obstacles on the path to the heart—the path of yoga.