One of the most confusing experiences in adult life is this: Everything is objectively fine. And yet, something feels off. Yoga philosophy takes this experience very seriously. Suffering is not a failure — it’s diagnostic The Yoga Sutra does not treat suffering as a personal flaw. It treats it as information. Patañjali describes five core patterns that disturb clarity. These are called the kleśas — often translated as “afflictions” or “sources of suffering”. They are: Avidyā