The question of "who am I?" has made people around the world get interested in studying more about different philosophies, religions, and take up many spiritual practices. According to Yoga, this question can be partly answered by the way we look at our own body, which many of us refer to as "I." According to the ancient Indian Vedic text, Taittiriya Upanishad (which was written around 2600 years ago), human body is made of five sheaths called pancha koshas (pancha = five; koshas = sheaths). Understanding these sheaths sheds some light on how one can look at their body and themselves.
Before I explain this concept, I want to clarify that this information is coming from my intellectual understanding of these sheaths, and not from my personal bodily experience of all five sheaths. For those who are new to Yoga or to this topic, it might be a bit challenging to open yourself up to this idea but if you decide to read this post, it might give you an opportunity to look at your own body and understand issues with your health from a new perspective.
What are the five sheaths of human body?
According to the yogic science, the human body is made of five sheaths/koshas -
- Annamaya kosha (food body)
- Pranamaya kosha (energy/vital body)
- Manomaya kosha (mental body)
- Vijnanamaya kosha (intellectual body)
- Anandamaya kosha (spiritual bliss body)
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| Image Source: https://www.yogi.press/home/article/the-koshas |
Annamaya Kosha. "Anna" in Sanskrit means 'food' or 'physical matter', and "maya" means 'made of'. This is the sheath that is made out of food. One concept that is radical and new for a lot of people to understand is, that our body is 100% made of what we ate until now. We have accumulated this body through the food we ate. Imagine yourself eating a piece of apple. Once you eat the apple, the nutrients are absorbed by the body, and the rest is excreted out. The nutrients are converted into parts of our tissue, bones, flesh, blood, and everything else that is physical in our body. Hence the name, Annamaya kosha. Yoga believes that there is intelligence inbuilt in each one of us that converts the food we eat into our physical body. What converts the food we eat into our body? Read on.
Pranamaya Kosha: Prana means life energy. This is the energy sheath of the body. This is the energy that governs your biological processes, from digestion, to breathing, to circulation of blood. This is also the energy that converts the food we eat into our physical body. In yoga this energy is called "Prana". This is called "Chi" in Chinese medicine. The Pranamaya kosha continuously operates from our first breath until the last. If this kosha stops, all the the organs in our body shut down immediately, and the Annamaya kosha (physical body) starts its disintegration. There are five types of major Pranas in the body: Vyana (for circulation, movement), Udana (for thought, speech, exhalation, growth, nervous system), Prana (for respiration, sensory perception), Samana (for Digestion and metabolism, homeostasis), and Apana (for Elimination, reproduction, childbirth, immunity). There are also five minor pranas called upa Pranas: Naga (regulates burping), Kurma (blinking of eyes and other contraction movements), Krikala (controls sneezing and coughing), Devadatta (hunger, thirst, yawning, sleep), and Dhananjaya (opening and closing of heart valves).
According to the yogic science, the energy flows in the body through channels called "nadis". There are 72,000 of them. These are not physical channels. If you dissect the human body, you won't be able to see these channels. They do not have a physical manifestation.
The eastern treatments, acupuncture and homeopathy work on the energy sheath and don't directly effect your physical body. Orthodox physicians in the west recognised the importance of vital force up til the 19th century, but with the development of sulfa drugs and antibiotics, their attention shifted from the energy states to focus exclusively on the physical body (annamaya kosha) itself.
According to the yogic science, the energy flows in the body through channels called "nadis". There are 72,000 of them. These are not physical channels. If you dissect the human body, you won't be able to see these channels. They do not have a physical manifestation.
The eastern treatments, acupuncture and homeopathy work on the energy sheath and don't directly effect your physical body. Orthodox physicians in the west recognised the importance of vital force up til the 19th century, but with the development of sulfa drugs and antibiotics, their attention shifted from the energy states to focus exclusively on the physical body (annamaya kosha) itself.
A side note about Chakras - the 72,000 nadis form 114 junctions or confluences in the body. There are seven main junctions that form between the base of the spine and top of the head, and these are referred to as Chakras. We will talk about these in a later blogpost.
Manomaya Kosha: This loosely translates in english to the "mental body", composed of manas or the memory. We typically associate our memory only with brain, but according to yoga, every cell in our body has its own memory and intelligence. Each cell is in constant state of making intelligent decisions and taking actions. A cell in your bone is different from the cell in your skin. And the cells in each part of our body know exactly what their role is and they perform their functions with precision. The memory and intelligence behind this in the entire body is collectively considered as the Manomaya Kosha. This includes the memory that we hold in our brain based on the impressions we have collected in our life so far through our five senses. Manomaya Kosha is responsible for our sensory and motor activities when we are functioning in automatic mode, where we are not consciously making decisions or thoughts. It takes inputs from our five senses (ears/sound, skin/sensory perception, eyes/forms, mouth/taste, and nose/smell) and responds reflexively. Many people, and most animals, routinely operate at this level.
A good way to observe this is by observing a patient in coma. Their annamaya kosha (physical body) and pranamaya kosha are still active, as their lungs continues to expand and contract and their heart continues to pump. But the person has no awareness of the external world, the five senses are not active, and the mental body has shut down. The manomaya kosha shuts down on a daily basis regenerating itself during the state of deep sleep.
Vijnanamaya Kosha: This is a much sutler aspect of our being. This is also referred as the intellectual body. Vijnana means the power of judgement or discernment, encompassing all the functions of the higher mind including conscience and will. It is easier to understand this Kosha with an example. People who have underdeveloped intellectual body constantly react to circumstances rather than making a decision and responding proactively. They have a hard time making up their mind or being creative, and have very little willpower and are continually the victim of their own poor judgement. An activated fourth sheath is what distinguishes humans from animals, as humans are the only beings having the ability to direct their own lives and make moral choices without being driven only by instincts and reacting to situations.
Anandamaya Kosha: The fifth sheath is called Anandamaya Kosha. Ananda means spiritual bliss. This is not the feeling but experience of bliss. We do not witness the bliss sheath but when we are blissful we are the bliss. Bliss is not in the mind but of a deeper experience than that which can be contemplated with mind. According to the Upanishads, there are three states of our being - wakeful state, dreaming sleep state, dreamless sleep state(deep sleep). In deep sleep state, when the mind and senses cease functioning, the bliss sheath has its fullest play. In the dreaming and wakeful states, it has only a partial manifestation. Yoga offers practices to experience this sheath.
How can we balance these five sheaths?
There are specific exercises and practices to strengthen and balance each of the five sheaths. Here are some practical things you can do -
Annamaya Kosha (Food): This is our physical body and it is built out of what we eat. We can strengthen and keep this sheath healthy and balanced by eating healthy food. Try out a few experiments and see which foods make you feel energetic and calm. Try and include raw uncooked foods into your diet and see if that makes a difference on how you feel. Try fasting and see how it affects your digestion and physical energy. Try and have a balanced diet that is possibly based on the food variety available in your area. To keep the body healthy, practise yoga asanas regularly.
Pranamaya Kosha (Vital/Energy): This is the energy sheath and to keep it balanced, we can practise a few things - Breath is supposed to be the biggest source of prana, and proper breathing is important to balance prana in the body. Yoga provides an extensive set of breathing practices called Pranayama to replenish this sheath. Some specific practises one can do daily are - diaphragmatic breathing, full yogic breathing, and alternate nostril breathing. Also, in ancient Vedic texts, sun is associated with prana. One can increase their prana by having moderate exposure to direct sunlight on a regular basis.
Manomaya Kosha (Memory): Mental body feeds on the impressions we offer through the five senses. If we provide our senses with a stream of violent, aggressive, and harsh information, they begin to crave increasingly aggressive forms of stimulation, and may become more agitated and less sensitive to the suffering of others. If we expose it to too much work or too much stimulation, we might experience a form of mental indigestion leaving us feeling exhausted. A harmonious and minimalistic environment, a balanced and satisfying career, and supportive relationships offer a balanced diet for Manomaya Kosha. Regular practise of Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal) and meditation will be helpful as well.
Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellect): What distinguishes humans from animals is the activated Vijnanamaya kosha, which is the intellect. It is considered a very important aspect of Yoga, and that is why the first two limbs of Yoga (out of the classical 8 limbs of Yoga) are provided to balance this kosha. These are Yamas and Niyamas. Yamas are the moral code of conduct one can follow while interacting with others. These are truthfulness, non-violence, honesty, minimalism, and being on path of union with the cosmos. Niyamas are the observances for self-restraint. These are cleanliness, contentment, austerity, learning about true self, and dissolving oneself in the cosmos. Also, the study of spiritual and philosophical texts, and contemplating deeply on those ideas and integrating them into ones personality acts as food for the intellect. Regular meditation practise also helps you to have clarity in judgement and elevated intuitiveness.
Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss): Three practices are said to awaken the bliss sheath. First is the selfless service (volunteering, Karma yoga), which opens our heart for its unity with other beings. Second is devotion, which opens our heart to our unity with the cosmos. And the third is intense meditation (samadhi) which opens our heart to our own divine being.
How does this information help me?
With this basic introduction to the five koshas one can see how different aspects of what we eat, what we consume through our senses, and how we use our intellect effect how we feel physically and emotionally, and how we experience life on a daily basis. If you feel ailments in your body, you could change your diet and see how that effects you. If you are feeling lethargic and weak, practice some breathing exercises and get some sunlight and see if makes a difference. Reduce the news and stream of negative information that you take in everyday and see if that brings calmness to your mind and also to your body. Read some scriptures that holds your interest. See if they make a difference in how you understand the world around you and how you interact with others. Meditate regularly and volunteer your time and practise altruism, and see if that brings you the experience of bliss.
If you have any questions or comments about this blog post, or if you want me to blog about other topics of Yoga, please feel free to send me an email at atmenyoga@gmail.com.
(References)
https://isha.sadhguru.org/yoga/yoga_articles_body_health/3-fundamentals-good-health/
https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-koshas-5-layers-of-being
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosha
http://theyogasanctuary.biz/anandamaya-kosha/
http://estudantedavedanta.net/Taittiriya%20Upanishad%20-%20Swami%20Sarvanand%20[Sanskrit-English].pdf
Image Source: https://www.yogi.press/home/article/the-koshas
Anandamaya Kosha: The fifth sheath is called Anandamaya Kosha. Ananda means spiritual bliss. This is not the feeling but experience of bliss. We do not witness the bliss sheath but when we are blissful we are the bliss. Bliss is not in the mind but of a deeper experience than that which can be contemplated with mind. According to the Upanishads, there are three states of our being - wakeful state, dreaming sleep state, dreamless sleep state(deep sleep). In deep sleep state, when the mind and senses cease functioning, the bliss sheath has its fullest play. In the dreaming and wakeful states, it has only a partial manifestation. Yoga offers practices to experience this sheath.
How can we balance these five sheaths?
There are specific exercises and practices to strengthen and balance each of the five sheaths. Here are some practical things you can do -
Annamaya Kosha (Food): This is our physical body and it is built out of what we eat. We can strengthen and keep this sheath healthy and balanced by eating healthy food. Try out a few experiments and see which foods make you feel energetic and calm. Try and include raw uncooked foods into your diet and see if that makes a difference on how you feel. Try fasting and see how it affects your digestion and physical energy. Try and have a balanced diet that is possibly based on the food variety available in your area. To keep the body healthy, practise yoga asanas regularly.
Pranamaya Kosha (Vital/Energy): This is the energy sheath and to keep it balanced, we can practise a few things - Breath is supposed to be the biggest source of prana, and proper breathing is important to balance prana in the body. Yoga provides an extensive set of breathing practices called Pranayama to replenish this sheath. Some specific practises one can do daily are - diaphragmatic breathing, full yogic breathing, and alternate nostril breathing. Also, in ancient Vedic texts, sun is associated with prana. One can increase their prana by having moderate exposure to direct sunlight on a regular basis.
Manomaya Kosha (Memory): Mental body feeds on the impressions we offer through the five senses. If we provide our senses with a stream of violent, aggressive, and harsh information, they begin to crave increasingly aggressive forms of stimulation, and may become more agitated and less sensitive to the suffering of others. If we expose it to too much work or too much stimulation, we might experience a form of mental indigestion leaving us feeling exhausted. A harmonious and minimalistic environment, a balanced and satisfying career, and supportive relationships offer a balanced diet for Manomaya Kosha. Regular practise of Pratyahara (sensory withdrawal) and meditation will be helpful as well.
Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellect): What distinguishes humans from animals is the activated Vijnanamaya kosha, which is the intellect. It is considered a very important aspect of Yoga, and that is why the first two limbs of Yoga (out of the classical 8 limbs of Yoga) are provided to balance this kosha. These are Yamas and Niyamas. Yamas are the moral code of conduct one can follow while interacting with others. These are truthfulness, non-violence, honesty, minimalism, and being on path of union with the cosmos. Niyamas are the observances for self-restraint. These are cleanliness, contentment, austerity, learning about true self, and dissolving oneself in the cosmos. Also, the study of spiritual and philosophical texts, and contemplating deeply on those ideas and integrating them into ones personality acts as food for the intellect. Regular meditation practise also helps you to have clarity in judgement and elevated intuitiveness.
Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss): Three practices are said to awaken the bliss sheath. First is the selfless service (volunteering, Karma yoga), which opens our heart for its unity with other beings. Second is devotion, which opens our heart to our unity with the cosmos. And the third is intense meditation (samadhi) which opens our heart to our own divine being.
How does this information help me?
With this basic introduction to the five koshas one can see how different aspects of what we eat, what we consume through our senses, and how we use our intellect effect how we feel physically and emotionally, and how we experience life on a daily basis. If you feel ailments in your body, you could change your diet and see how that effects you. If you are feeling lethargic and weak, practice some breathing exercises and get some sunlight and see if makes a difference. Reduce the news and stream of negative information that you take in everyday and see if that brings calmness to your mind and also to your body. Read some scriptures that holds your interest. See if they make a difference in how you understand the world around you and how you interact with others. Meditate regularly and volunteer your time and practise altruism, and see if that brings you the experience of bliss.
If you have any questions or comments about this blog post, or if you want me to blog about other topics of Yoga, please feel free to send me an email at atmenyoga@gmail.com.
(References)
https://isha.sadhguru.org/yoga/yoga_articles_body_health/3-fundamentals-good-health/
https://yogainternational.com/article/view/the-koshas-5-layers-of-being
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosha
http://theyogasanctuary.biz/anandamaya-kosha/
http://estudantedavedanta.net/Taittiriya%20Upanishad%20-%20Swami%20Sarvanand%20[Sanskrit-English].pdf
Image Source: https://www.yogi.press/home/article/the-koshas
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