The experience of deeper levels of awareness, where serenity is felt, is through calm states of mind — a mind that is free of any fluctuating thoughts. However, it is difficult to arrive at that state because of the five-fold obstacles or kleshas. The word ‘klesha’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘klis’ that means to afflict, to cause pain or torment. The kleshas are the reasons we keep on going through cycles of changing thought patterns.

It is the kleshas that are responsible for the fluctuations or agitations of consciousness. According to Maharishi Patanjali, the “five hindrances,” or obstacles to spiritual growth are — avidya (ignorance), asmita (egoism), raga (cravings or attachment), dwesha (aversions or repulsion) and abhinivesha (clinging to life, fear of death).
Avidya is the primal ignorance that pervades all of creation and is experiential in nature. Avidya or ignorance is also said to be the ‘mother klesha’ from which all obstructions to positive growth arise. The result of ignorance of our true nature is thus our misidentification with some aspects of limited existence, which is inherently painful because it is incomplete.
Misidentification alters the whole perception of reality and the entire universe is divided into “me” versus “not-me” — this is asmita, the second klesha. When asmita dominates we rely more on our place in the world and our sense of self becomes vulnerable, this is because the outer world changes exponentially more than our inner world. When it changes, our sense of self feels threatened. We don’t want to face the overwhelming feeling of terror and the mind starts developing strategies to distract ourselves from it — that leads to the third klesha i.e. raga.
Raga creates a pattern of acquisition in us — we begin to pursue human relationships, knowledge, wealth, status, power — anything that might be capable of enlarging and protecting our fragile individualised existence. But because change is the nature of creation, all objects within it are impermanent, and thus subject to loss at any moment.
The attachment to the pleasures and desire to experience it again leads to pain when this experience becomes unavailable to us. If, after repeated efforts, we are not successful and our attachment to that experience remains strong, our pain turns to depression, helplessness, and finally hatred that is the fourth klesha — dvesha.
Because of raga and dvesha, a tremendous, continual and habitual outflow of energy and attention through our senses to the objects of the external world is created. This outflow of all our energy increases our identification with our physical existence, making it even harder for us to perceive or identify with our spiritual nature. It creates fear of death, as it represents an ending of our ability to fulfil our desires; this is the fifth klesha — abhinivesha, the clinging to life.
One doesn’t have to avoid or destroy kleshas. They arise like waves and are to be met and worked upon. They are hierarchical; they go from gross manifestation of ignorance to a very subtle underlying anxiety. The kleshas are imprinted on the subconscious mind and if we do not work to clarify them, they retain in seed form and sprout to fruition in the next incarnation.
Pranayama and meditation as a form of subtle bio-energy can be the link between intentional mind and the body to heal the kleshas. Simply opening to all of our experiences, cultivating awareness to states of mind, gives an opportunity to practice treating ourselves and as a result, others as well.