A friend walked into my clinic one afternoon for a treatment session, and somewhere between the stretches and exercises, he casually introduced me to the world of the Art of Living. Little did I know, the “patient” would end up treating me that day!!😁
Curious and open, I decided to give Art of Living a try, and honestly, my life hasn’t been the same since. Through it, I discovered this incredible insight about the koshas—a revelation that helped me see myself in a whole new way.
According to the wisdom of the Taittiriya Upanishad, we are much more than just a physical body. We’re wrapped in five incredible layers, called koshas, each adding its own unique touch to our experience of life.
So, let’s journey through these five koshas and see how each one plays a role in the grand design of our being!
1. Annamaya Kosha – The Physical Layer 🌍
This is the most tangible part of you—your Annamaya Kosha, or food sheath, which is connected to the Earth element. Made of all things solid and material, this layer is where you feel, move, and experience life physically. It’s fuelled by what you eat. So food, physical practices like asana (yoga postures), and sleep are vital for keeping it healthy. This is the body you know best, but we’re just getting started!
This is where the “you” everyone can see begins, but it’s only the outer layer! But can you experience other sheaths through Annamaya Kosha? Yes, the answer is, Yoga!
How to Connect?
Note: All images used in this article are sourced from Pexels and Pixabay, platforms offering free stock photos. A big thanks to the talented photographers and creators for their amazing work.
Most of us first dive into yoga through the asanas. With thousands of poses to explore, there’s truly a pose for everything! But beyond the impressive flexibility and strength, these poses do wonders for our physical well-being. They keep us fit, healthy and recharged.
So what’s really happening here? Through regular asana practice, we’re clearing out the energy pathways within us, making space for that vibrant “after-yoga” glow. As we practise, we become more in tune with our bodies, picking up on subtle signals about our health and energy levels. This awareness starts at the physical level but soon leads us to deeper layers of our being—ones we might not even know are there yet!
So, Annamaya Kosha is the foundation. It’s where we sense, feel, and live in the moment
2. Pranamaya Kosha—The Energy Layer 🌊
The Pranamaya Kosha, or energy body, surrounds and flows through the physical body. This kosha governs your breath, aura, and overall energy. No energy, no movement!
It’s linked to the Water element. This is the layer that holds our life force, known as prana. This energy flows through 72,000 tiny pathways called nadis. In Sanskrit, “nadi” means channel or tube. The nadis work like invisible energy highways, similar to how nerves carry signals in the physical body.
Among these nadis, three primary ones—Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna—run along the spine and connect to the major chakras. They play a big role in balancing energy within us. When the nadis are clear, energy flows smoothly; when they’re blocked, we might feel unbalanced, both physically and emotionally.
How to Connect?
To keep these channels open and energy flowing well, we should practise techniques like pranayama (breath control) to help cleanse and energise them. This supports our health and our spiritual growth. Through Pranamaya Kosha, we become more aware of our energy levels and connect more deeply with ourselves and the world around us.
It’s the link between the physical and the more subtle, emotional world.
3. Manomaya Kosha – The Mental Layer 🔥
Moving inward, we reach the Manomaya Kosha, or mental layer, which is connected to the Fire element. This layer contains your thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and mental patterns. This body is all about reasoning and logic, helping us think, analyse, and make sense of things. It’s where we experience thoughts and emotions that influence our choices.
Every thought and feeling affects your energy and health, so it’s important to be aware of them.
The link between emotions and physical health is called the psychosomatic connection. This means that how we feel can affect how our body works at a cellular level. Studies have shown that our emotions can cause chemical changes in our body that impact cell health, especially in the mitochondria, which are like the powerhouses of our cells. For example, long-term stress can harm the mitochondria, leading to inflammation and other health problems.
This means that negative emotions, like anxiety or sadness, can trigger biological changes that affect our overall health. On the other hand, positive emotions can help our cells heal and stay strong. By understanding this, we see how important it is to manage our thoughts and feelings for our mind’s sake and to keep our bodies healthy. By being aware of our emotions in the Manomaya Kosha, we can improve the connection between our mind and body, leading to a better overall life.
How to Connect?
Through practices like pratyahara (sense withdrawal) and Dharana (concentration), you can create space to observe your mind without distractions. Let’s break down what this means:
Pratyahara (Sense Withdrawal): This practice helps you pull your attention inward by temporarily disconnecting from external senses like sight, sound, and touch. Imagine it as turning down the volume on the outside world so you can tune into your inner world. By reducing outside influences, you start to notice your own thoughts and feelings more clearly, which can reveal patterns you might normally miss.
Dharana (Concentration): Once you’re focused inward, dharana encourages you to concentrate on a single point or thought. You might focus on your breath, a sound, or a specific image in your mind. This practice strengthens your ability to direct your thoughts, so you’re not swept away by every emotion or thought that pops up.
Together, pratyahara and dharana help you notice and gently let go of limiting thoughts or emotions. Over time, this process acts as a mental “reset” button, clearing out unhelpful mental patterns and creating room for fresh, positive perspectives.
4. Vijnanamaya Kosha – The Wisdom Layer 🌬️
Ah, now we’re getting to the heart of it! Welcome to the Vijnanamaya Kosha, also called the “wisdom” or “intellect” sheath. Because it’s where your best ideas, insights, and moments of clarity come from. This is the part of you that holds inner wisdom and intuition. Connected to the Air element, it’s the layer where you get that gut feeling or a quiet voice guiding you when you need it most.
Unlike the everyday thoughts and emotions that bounce around in your mind constantly, this layer is about a deeper understanding of life. This kosha is like your inner guide, quietly helping you see things with more clarity and depth. It gently points you in the right direction and shows you a bigger picture that you may not always notice in your busy day-to-day life.
How to Connect?
To connect with this wisdom layer, meditation, or Dhyana, is super helpful. Meditation lets you pause, quiet down, and step away from the usual noise of thoughts. By sitting still and focusing on your breath, you start to hear what’s underneath all that mental chatter.
Have you noticed how it feels to go from a noisy room into a peaceful, quiet space? Suddenly, you can hear all the soft, subtle things you couldn’t notice before. That’s what it’s like connecting with the Vijnanamaya Kosha—there’s wisdom there that only shows up when the mind is calm.
5. Anandamaya Kosha – The Bliss Layer ☁️
At last, we arrive at the Anandamaya Kosha, also called the bliss sheath. It is associated with the Space or Ether element. This is the deepest layer of our being, a place of pure joy, peace, and unity. It’s the part of you that feels light, free, and calm, untouched by thoughts, emotions, or physical tension.
The Anandamaya Kosha is your core of happiness, one that doesn’t depend on anything outside of you. When you experience a peaceful, joyful energy at the very centre of your being – that’s the bliss layer. It’s the part of you that just is, resting in calmness and joy that feels endless. When you connect with this layer, you’re no longer wrapped up in worries or thoughts. Instead, you feel totally present, at peace, and complete.
This layer is often experienced in moments of deep stillness, like when you are in deep meditation or have a quiet “aha” moment, where you feel whole and connected to something bigger than yourself.
Sat-Cit-Ananda: Truth, Consciousness, Bliss
In the Anandamaya Kosha, we experience Sat-Cit-Ananda:
Sat (Truth): This is the sense of absolute truth. You feel connected to what’s real and unchanging within you, beyond the temporary ups and downs of life.
Cit (Consciousness): Here, you’re fully aware, but in a way that feels calm and complete. It’s a sense of being awake to your inner self.
Ananda (Bliss): This is pure joy, a deep peace that doesn’t depend on anything else. It’s the kind of happiness that’s present simply because you are.
This experience of truth, consciousness, and bliss brings a sense of “oneness” – that feeling that you’re a part of something vast and connected, even if you can’t put it into words.
How to Connect?
One of the most profound ways to experience the Anandamaya Kosha is through Samadhi, a deep state of meditation. Samadhi is a level of complete absorption, where you become one with what you’re focusing on, and the usual sense of “I” fades away. In this state, you’re not separate from your experience; you’re part of it, completely in sync with the moment.
Samadhi helps you connect with the Anandamaya Kosha because it brings you into that pure space of awareness and peace. In Samadhi, you’re beyond thoughts, beyond the mind – it’s just pure experience. This level of connection allows you to feel the essence of bliss, the timeless joy within you that isn’t shaken by anything happening around you.
Connecting with the Anandamaya Kosha reminds us that deep down, we have this source of calm and joy. Even when life gets chaotic, this layer stays steady. When you start to notice this bliss within yourself, it becomes easier to stay peaceful, balanced, and joyful, even when life gets bumpy.
Phew! That was a wild ride, wasn’t it? So, if your mind is as blown as mine, keep that curiosity alive! Stay tuned and get ready for the next adventure – because this cosmic journey is far from over! 🌠
Oh, by the way! Do you feel like exploring these magical layers of your being? 🌟
Click here and give it a go! 🌀
Trust me, your soul will thank you! 😉