Kleshas (Hinduism)

Kleshas are the thought patterns that cause us to experience dissatisfaction, pain and frustration in our lives. They are sometimes described as “mental obstacles” or “afflictive emotions”. In Hinduism, these patterns can include things like feeling overwhelmed, being jealous, feeling hopeless, harboring anger and fear, or clinging to things you can’t control and not responding to the world in a healthy way. When we don’t recognize and address these patterns, they can cause us suffering and keep us from seeing our true potential. Klesha awareness is about understanding how these patterns come up in our lives and learning to let them go so we can cultivate inner peace and fulfillment.