The wisdom from the Klesas and the Five Hindrances aligns remarkably well with modern mental science, especially in the areas of:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness-Based Interventions (yoga therapy)
Neuroscience of attention and emotion regulation
Trauma-informed approaches
Let’s connect the dots.
🧠 1. The Klesas / Hindrances and Cognitive Patterns (CBT)
In CBT, suffering often comes from automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions—mental habits that are often:
Unconscious
Reactive
Based on past experience rather than current reality
Example connections:
Ancient ConceptCognitive Science EquivalentAvidya (Ignorance)Cognitive distortion (e.g., catastrophizing)Asmita (Egoism)Over-identification with roles, beliefs, or performanceRaga / DvesaApproach-avoidance patterns; hedonic adaptationAbhinivesa (Clinging to life)Fear-based conditioning, anxietyDoubt (vicikicchā)Cognitive uncertainty, low self-efficacyRestlessness / worryRumination, anxietySloth-torporDepression, hypoarousal
CBT teaches that not all thoughts are facts, and that by identifying and questioning them, change is possible. This is exactly what both Patanjali and the Buddha are pointing to.
🧘♂️ 2. Mindfulness as the Method
Modern neuroscience and psychology increasingly support mindfulness-based practices for:
Reducing reactivity (amygdala downregulation)
Increasing self-awareness (insula and prefrontal cortex activity)
Improving emotion regulation
Both the Klesas and Hindrances lose their power in the presence of non-judgmental awareness. Mindfulness, as used in therapy and research today, draws directly from this insight.
When you bring awareness to a thought like “I’m not good at this,” you create space between the thought and the self.
That space is where choice and healing happen.
🔁 3. Habit Loops and Neuroplasticity
Modern psychology sees much of our suffering as the result of reinforced mental habits. Every time we act on desire, fear, or avoidance, we strengthen the neural pathway behind it. But:
With awareness and repetition, new patterns can be formed.
This is a modern framing of the ancient promise:
Awareness interrupts suffering.
🌿 4. Trauma-Informed Lens
Trauma research (e.g., Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges) has shown that the nervous system drives many behaviorsoutside conscious thought. The Klesas and Hindrances also describe reactivity to discomfort—something trauma survivors know intimately.
Using yoga and mindfulness to notice and stay with discomfort safely—without judgment or dissociation—is a key modern therapeutic tool. The inner tightness in an asana, the impulse to give up, or the wave of anger or sadness? All moments where deep integration can occur.
💡 Final Thoughts
So why does this matter today?
Because whether it's through ancient philosophy or modern science, the message is the same:
Suffering begins in the mind—but so does freedom.
Through awareness, reflection, and compassionate self-observation (in yoga or daily life), we create the possibility of:
Resilience
Emotional regulation
Authentic self-understanding
There are five Klesas or items that human nature will experience that will hold them back from the stillness of the mind. They were first mentioned in the Taittiriya Upanishad (see books tab), which describes five sheaths or layers (koshas), and are mentioned in the Yoga Sutras as well:
Avidya: Ignorance
Asmita: Egoism or confused values
Raga: excessive attachments
Dvesa: unreasonable dislikes
Abhinivesa: clinging to life or aversion to death.
In comparison
From a different source entirely, the lessons from the Buddha, called “the five hindrances,” are quite similar:
The five hindrances from the Buddha are:
Desire (kamacchanda); is latching onto thoughts or feelings based on the pleasures of the five senses.
Ill will (vyapada); could be jealousy
Sloth-torpor (thina-middha); very tired and unclear
Restlessness-worry and blame (uddhacca-kukkucca)
Doubt (vicikicchā)
🔍 Why Know About the Klesas and the Five Hindrances?
Both frameworks offer maps of the mind. They help us:
Recognize the root causes of human suffering
Understand how we habitually respond to challenge or discomfort
Develop self-awareness as a tool for transformation
In both traditions, awareness is key. When you see what's arising, you're no longer blindly acting it out.
🧘 How This Relates to Yoga Practice (Asana & Beyond)
Take the example that in an asana it invokes a strong reaction to the tightness in your body. In that moment, awareness becomes your teacher.
What might be happening under the surface?
You might blame yourself for not being more flexible (Doubt or Ill Will)
You might desire a different version of your body or ability (Desire / Raga)
You might feel a fear that you’ll never improve (Abhinivesa)
You might become restless or agitated (Uddhacca-kukkucca / Dvesa)
Each of these is an opportunity:
Instead of identifying with the thought (“I’m not good at this”), we see it for what it is—a conditioned response. A mental habit. Not a fact.
And here is where the shift can happen: ➡️ We observe, instead of react. ➡️ We move from habitual mind to aware mind. ➡️ We soften, breathe, and stay.
🪞 Reflective Questions to Deepen Practice
What thought or emotional pattern do I notice during difficulty in practice?
Is this coming from one of the Klesas or Hindrances?
What would it feel like to just witness it—without needing to fix, fight, or follow it?
🕯️ Integration: Yoga as a Mirror of the Mind
In the end, both Patanjali and the Buddha point to the same fundamental truth:
Suffering arises from misidentification with thoughts and patterns.
Freedom arises from awareness.
So as Paige teaches, the invitation is simple, yet profound:
Can you meet your reactions with awareness? Can you recognize a Klesa or Hindrance in action, and instead of following it, pause, notice, and return to presence?
That’s where yoga moves off the mat and into life.
