Unveiling the Layers of Self: A Comprehensive Guide to Kosha Yoga
Yoga's five koshas offer a profound guide to understanding ourselves in depth. The koshas, or sheaths, are co-existing dimensions of our being. You may hear yoga teachers simply refer to the koshas as your “energy body” in reference to Pranamaya kosha, the subtle layer energized by breath and contained within the physical body.
Introduction to the Koshas
The Sanskrit word ‘Pancha Koshas’ refers to five sheaths or five layers that exist in the human framework. Kosha is a sheath that covers the ‘atman’ or self, according to traditional Vedanta philosophy. It is believed that it is through these five layers that one goes through all experiences. Yoga goes beyond asanas and other practices to help us develop a relationship with the self, understand our true nature and tap into our highest potential.
The koshas were first mentioned in the Taittiriya Upanishad, which was published sometime around the 6th Century BC. Altogether, the Upanishads (there are 108 of them in all) are some of the oldest and most widely-known scriptures of Hinduism.
The Taittiriya Upanishad tells us that while our physical bodies rest at night, our subtle and causal bodies are active and functioning. Don’t worry if you have a hard time remembering your dreams - it gets easier with practice.
The Three Bodies
Yoga philosophy suggests that we are both more and less than just our spirit or personal data. Ancient Vedic texts propose that human beings are composed of three bodies, not just one - the physical body, the subtle or astral body, and the causal body (later, Yogi Bhajan introduced the 10 bodies known in Kundalini yoga). The five sheaths are often compared to Russian nesting dolls, with the physical body containing the subtle body, and the subtle body containing the causal body. The seven chakras exist within the subtle body, along with nadis and kundalini - but that’s another article!
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Koshas as a Centering Force
Imagine you’re lost in a deep forest with no horizon in sight. You want to walk east, but when you open up your compass, the magnetic needle spins aimlessly. Like Earth’s magnetic field that can help you decipher between east and west, koshas are a centering force to help you navigate your inner self. Many yoga practitioners experience a plateau on their path at one point or another, and this is when the koshas can help. Knowing our innermost layers also helps us get through challenges and heal by relating them to moments that came before, in this life and in past lives.
The Journey from Gross to Subtle
Yoga, eventually over years of practice, helps us unite our own consciousness with the universal consciousness. This happens by going from the gross to the subtle body. Each Kosha goes from the gross to the subtle, starting with the physical body. In a certain sense, the Pancha Koshas provide us with a framework of physical, psychological and spiritual development.
The five koshas progress from the most concrete dimensions of the outer layers to the most subtle dimension at the core.
1. Annamaya Kosha: The Physical Sheath
The outermost layer is the physical body. This first layer is also referred to as the food sheath, since it is made up of physical elements and provides fuel for the entire being. The first kosha is also known as the dense physical body, or the gross body.
All beings that exist on earth are born of food. Then they live by food: then, again, to food (earth) they go in the end.
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The Pancha Koshas or five sheaths are Annamaya Kosha or physical body ‘Anna’ means food. The Annamaya Kosha is fueled by the food that we eat. This is the physical body, the densest of all koshas. It includes everything from our bones and the skeletal system to the muscles, organs and tissues. It represents the gross body, which allows us to ‘touch, see and feel’. It is the lowest vibration of ourselves. It is made up of the five elements of nature, with earth being the dominant one. Food that we eat is converted into energy and energy is solidified into matter. It is how we identify with this Kosha that leads to suffering. For example, you would have heard many say ‘I am too skinny’ or ‘I have put on weight’. Substituting these statements with ‘my body is skinny’, for example, identifies the difference between the inner self and the physical body.
To keep all of your koshas functioning optimally, it’s essential to keep the body healthy, balanced, and free of toxins that can build up and cause problems over time. This sheath represents the physical body, the ‘regular' gross expression of our body that we can see, touch, and feel. The Sanskrit word Anna means food, and the word maya means appearance. This is the sheath of food, nourished by and created by our daily food intake. The Annamayakosha is our physical body, the most familiar aspect of our being.
You’re already familiar with your physical body. It’s called annamaya kosha in yoga, (maya means “made of” and anna means “food” or “physical matter.”)
2. Pranamaya Kosha: The Energy Sheath
Pranamaya kosha is our life force sheath. In Chinese medicine, the prana that flows through an intricate system of nadis (meridians) in the human body is referred to as qi (pronounced chee). This vital sheath produces your aura, or energetic signature.
The Pranayama Kosha refers to ‘Prana’, that is life force or energy. It is the vital life force that moves through the Nadis (energy channels) in the body. It consists of the five pranas, that is Prana, Apana, Udana, Samana and Vyana. Each of these Prana are responsible for various functions within the physical body, without which the body would be lifeless. The Pranamaya Kosha takes care of all the physiological functions in the body such as breathing, digestion, blood circulation, heart-beat, smooth communication between the brain and the cells, and regulates all hormonal functions. It acts as a protector and guiding force in the body. When Prana is not flowing freely, it leads to diseases and disorders. Prana is also responsible for making the blood flow, carrying nerve impulses through the nerves, from our body to the brain and back. Prana exists in the vital, mental, psychic and spiritual form, and allows us to move from gross to subtle and causal bodies. According to yoga therapy traditions, this is the second layer of our being. Prana means energy, but not energy in the usual Western meaning of the word. Rather, prana is the life force, the vital energy that flows through and enlivens all our physical systems. The breath is the most physical expression of prana, and prana is closely related to the breath.
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Yoga devotes an entire class of practices called pranayama to replenishing the vitality of the pranamaya kosha. Exercises like diaphragmatic breathing, the complete yogic breath, and alternate nostril breathing are specifically designed to enhance the proper functioning of your second sheath. In addition, getting plenty of fresh air and sunlight is essential for maintaining the health of the vital force. Yoga texts explain that the sun is the ultimate source of prana, and it is said that some advanced yogis go for years without eating; instead they simply absorb the prana radiated by the sun. For most of us, however, fresh whole foods are a major source of prana.
This week we continue our journey through the physical self to the next layer within - the Pranamaya Kosha - our energetic body. Prana means energy or “life force” in Sankrit. You may opt to cue students to bring their awareness to their breath. Remind them that although we spend a lot of our yoga practice focusing on breath control (pranayama), today perhaps become even more aware of how their breath assists them throughout their movements and aids in bringing them into the present moment.
3. Manomaya Kosha: The Mental Sheath
The third layer of our being is the mental sheath. Manomaya kosha is the realm of thoughts, emotions, and ego. Connecting with manomaya kosha requires being aware of our thinking mind and what goes on in our head separate from the thinking mind (i.e. We do this by practicing pratyahara (sensory withdrawal) and dharana (one-pointed focus). Instead, we learn to welcome the full range of life’s experiences without judgement. Connecting with the mind sheath happens primarily through meditation.
‘Mana’ refers to the mind. This layer makes up our thoughts, feelings and emotions. It is through the mind that we perceive the world, likes and dislikes. All of this takes place through the sensory organs. We experience things we like and dislike, which causes pain and happiness, and sometimes, even creates havoc in our mind. The mind functions on three levels. The conscious mind, subconscious mind and unconscious mind. And consciousness is the art of being connected to the outer world through our senses. To reach this dimension or sheath, withdrawal from the senses (Pratyahara) is required. Even Pranayama practices are helpful. This Kosha transmits information to and from the various parts of the body, and with the external world. It relays external world experiences and sensations to the rest of the body. It helps regulate decisions and controls the activities of prana and the physical body. Manas means mind, and the Manamayakosha is the layer of our being expressed as mind, emotions, and feelings. These are the mental faculties with which we absorb, process, and interpret input from our lives (presented through the senses of the physical body).
This body is called manomaya kosha (which means “body made of thought processes”). In the West we associate our routine mental state with the brain, but according to yoga the entire nervous system (including the brain) merely mediates the activity of the manomaya kosha, expressing the commands of this higher energy state through the physical body. The health of the manomaya kosha is tremendously enhanced through the practice of mantra meditation. This soothes and balances this inner body, and helps release “knots” of energy tied up in mental complexes and obsessive thoughts.
The mental body “feeds” on the sense impressions we offer it. If we supply our third sheath with a continual stream of violent TV shows and video games, for example, it begins to crave increasingly aggressive forms of stimulation, and may become more agitated and less sensitive to the suffering of others. If we “stuff” it with too much work or too much play we may experience a form of mental “indigestion,” leaving us feeling harried or exhausted. A harmonious environment, interesting professional challenges, and fun and supportive relationships offer an ideal diet for the mind. A daily session of pratyahara, or sensory withdrawal, leading into meditation provides an excellent inner tune-up.
4. Vijnanamaya Kosha: The Wisdom Sheath
The fourth layer is vijnanamaya kosha-the realm of wisdom. Within this sheath, we learn to trust our intuitive wisdom. You might have experienced this unconsciously as “a gut feeling”; that inexplicable moment when you just know.
This sheath refers to knowledge or wisdom. In this Kosha one reaches the intuitive place of knowing and tapping into higher levels of consciousness. Here awareness of body and mind is let go, and there is only awareness of the higher mind. We turn within, towards the soul, surpassing the area where we decide, judge or discriminate. It permeates the Manomaya Kosha as it is much more subtle and creates a link between the conscious mind, the higher mind and the universal mind. When one closes the eyes and relaxes during meditation, the effect of the Manomaya Kosha becomes relatively lesser. Vijyanmaya Kosha gets active and acts as a bridge between the universal mind and the individual- empowering the individual directly with the elements of universal energy. Vijnana means knowing, and this sheath represents the higher mind, the faculty of wisdom, which lies underneath the processing, thinking, and reactive mind. This is the level of our being that has the higher wisdom to guide us through life and lead us to higher and higher levels of truth and integration.
Subtler still is the vijnanamaya kosha (vijnana means “the power of judgment or discernment”). It’s often translated as “intellect,” but the real meaning is broader, encompassing all the functions of the higher mind, including conscience and will. An activated fourth sheath is what distinguishes human beings from animals. Only humans have the ability to direct their own lives, free from the promptings of instinct, and to make moral choices. The sages considered the development of a healthy vijnanamaya kosha so important that they placed the exercises for it at the very beginning of the yoga system. These are the yamas and niyamas, commitments every yoga student is asked to make: not to harm, lie, steal, overindulge, or desire more than you actually need; instead you are asked to be content, pure, self-disciplined, studious, and devoted. Jnana yoga also works with this kosha. This is the path of the intellect in which you are advised to study spiritual truths, contemplate them deeply, and finally incorporate them into the very core of your personality. On this path your spiritual understanding becomes the “food” with which you nourish your intellect.
As your meditation practice deepens over the months and years, your ability to connect with inner guidance is enhanced. You begin to experience the events in your life, even the painful ones, in a calm and objective manner. Your yogic lifestyle, contemplation, and meditation lead to clarity of judgment, greater intuitive insight, and increased willpower as your vijnanamaya kosha grows stronger and more balanced.
5. Anandamaya Kosha: The Bliss Sheath
The bliss body is the core of all preceding koshas. This kosha transcends physical form, governs the movement of energy, is knowing of all thought, and is the source of all wisdom. The very definition of Yoga is to unify your inner self with pure bliss. By expanding your awareness of the five koshas, you will gain access to the deeper layers of your being and learn to trust the signals you receive in the most subtle states of awareness.
The sheath that is pure bliss, is the spiritual and causal body where you finally become one with the ‘divine spark’ that is the soul. It is the innermost Kosha and the first to surround the atman. This sheath is connected to the unconscious or superconscious mind. A sense of connection to all is established and it is the highest level of vibration in this life. The ‘I-ness’ disappears here. This Kosha is peace, joy and love. It goes beyond the mind, free from sensory perceptions and external stimuli. According to yoga philosophy, it is said that this is where you reach ‘Mukti’ or liberation. Very few people reach this place and it takes decades of practice. It is otherwise known as the state of Samadhi. Experiencing the different Pancha Koshas takes years of practice. Basic levels of introduction to the five sheaths happen through the Pancha Kosha meditation. But of course, it takes time and practice. Practitioners should not try to force this experience, but rather commit, listen and allow the experience to happen on its own.
In the vast majority of humans, the fifth sheath is totally underdeveloped. This is the anandamaya kosha, the subtlemost body which is experienced as ananda (spiritual bliss). Generally only saints, sages, and genuine mystics have done the inner work necessary to make ananda a living part of their daily experience, and most people are hardly even aware that this level of consciousness exists within themselves. The anandamaya kosha is extremely important in yoga because it’s the final and thinnest veil standing between our ordinary awareness and our higher Self. Many individuals who’ve had near-death experiences have reported experiencing a brilliant white light radiating all-embracing wisdom and unconditional love. This is the experience of the anandamaya kosha. Saints and mystics purify their minds so that they can have this experience throughout life, not just for a fleeting moment at death.
We can awaken our bliss sheath through three practices. The first is seva, selfless service. This opens our heart to our innate unity with other beings. The second is bhakti yoga, devotion to God. This opens our heart to our unity with the all-pervading Divine Being. The third is samadhi, intensely focused meditation, which opens our heart to our own divine being.
We have arrived at the 5th kosha - Anandamaya. Ananda means “bliss” - the Bliss Body. This is the place within us where we experience our true Self. When we are connected to this kosha, we feel pure peace, joy, and contentment. You may have felt this bliss from time to time throughout your life when you have been lost in a joyful moment of a life experience and nothing else mattered except being in that moment. Remind students, as they set their intention for their practice, to become aware of that place within them that connects them to their spirit.
Practical Application of the Koshas
Meditation and the Koshas
Get to know your mind. Have you ever noticed how certain thoughts cycle through your mind on repeat like a broken record? Meditating can help reset the mind. While you never want to resist what comes to mind in meditation, it’s much easier to release distracting thoughts when you understand which layer of your being may be producing them. Inspire your meditation practice. If you’re bored with breath meditation, use the koshas to re-inspire your practice. We engage the three most subtle layers of our being through meditation, so no matter what else you do, it’s important to develop a consistent meditation routine.
Integrating the Koshas in Yoga Therapy
In practice, how do the different levels of our being interact? Take the example of depression. When we are depressed, we cannot help but slouch, rounding our shoulders and dropping our head forward. Our breath becomes shallow and more restrained. In a yoga therapy practice, we begin to bring greater integration to the physical body with yoga asanas and to the breath body with yogic breathing or pranayama. As the flow of vital energy is freed up in the physical body and breath body, this in turn creates greater vitality and integration in our mental-emotional body. Of course, such deep-level changes don't happen overnight.
Experiencing Your Five Sheaths
The five sheaths are not theoretical constructs. They are real parts of your being that you can actually experience.
Sit comfortably with your head, neck, and trunk in a straight line. Sit upright without straining. You’ll feel both alert and relaxed. Close your eyes, withdrawing your awareness from the sights and sounds around you. Bring your full attention to your physical body. Be aware of your head and shoulders, chest and waist, back and abdomen, arms and legs. This is your annamaya kosha.
Bring your full attention to the point between your nostrils and feel yourself breathe. Gradually your breath will flow more slowly, smoothly, and quietly. Be aware of the energy pulsing through your body. It’s making your heart beat, your lungs expand and contract, the blood course through your veins, your stomach gurgle. The force orchestrating this movement-not your physical body itself-is your prana-maya kosha.
Shift your awareness into your brain. Pay attention to the part of your awareness that’s regulating your sensory input and motor output. This is the part of you that notices your nose is itching and orders your hand to scratch it. It notes that you’re uncomfortable sitting in one position for so long and wants you to move your legs. It generates the reflexive mental chatter that continually fires through your mind. This is your manomaya kosha.
Lift your awareness higher inside your skull. Sense the part of your awareness that consciously made the decision to participate in this exercise and right now is commanding you to sit still and complete it. It recognizes the value of expanding your self-awareness and compels you to get up early in the morning to do your hatha postures and meditation, even though lazing in bed might be more pleasant. This is your vijnanamaya kosha.
Center your awareness in your heart. Relax deeply; keep breathing smoothly and evenly. Now, taking as much time as you need, allow yourself to settle into a state of complete tranquility. Buried deep in that inner peace is a sense of purest happiness. This is not an emotional euphoria, though as you leave this state it may pour out of you as a sense of great joy and gratitude. It is a space of perfect contentment, perfect attunement, and abiding stillness. There is no sense of lack, or fear, or desire. This is your anandamaya kosha.
Now simply be aware of your own awareness. The pure consciousness that is having this experience lies beyond this experience. It is your true inner Self, your immortal being. Rest in your own being for as long as you can hold your attention there. Return your attention to your breath. Breathe slowly, smoothly, and evenly. Open your eyes. Take a moment to relax and absorb this experience before you get up.
Considering the Koshas in a Series of Classes
Consider teaching the koshas as a series of classes. Your series can cover five classes, or you could combine some of the koshas in classes to shorten the series.
