The Koshas

The ancient yogis identified sheaths or layers that each of us possess that they referred to as koshas. (You can think of it as similar to the Russian dolls that had different layers nestled under each other). The layers go from the most dense to the most subtle. Because the outermost physical layer is the densest, it is the easiest to be aware of, yet we are constantly affecting all the other layers by our lifestyle, our thoughts and emotions.

While you do not need to concern yourself with the layers of your body other than the physical body, awareness of the sheaths provide for a deepening of your experience in yoga (and life). The ultimate aim is gaining a greater sense of self and while not easy, as the renowned teacher Pattabhi Jois famously stated, "do your practice and all is coming." Our work is to keep showing up.

Here are some suggestions to practice.

The Food Body (annamaya kosha) - help make your physical body feel amazing, try lightening up your meals and adding in more greens. Continue to practice yoga or whatever exercise you prefer.

The Energy Body (pranamaya kosha) - feel the boundary of your body and then sense into how you are expansive and larger than your physical frame. This is your energy body. Take slow, steady breaths a few times a day to improve your energy body.

The Mental Body (manomaya kosha) - become quiet and begin to take note of your thoughts, is there a certain train of thoughts or beliefs that dominate? These thoughts and what your mind takes in though the senses are your mental body.

The Wisdom Body (vijnanamaya kosha) - Is this train of thoughts helpful? This part of you that is witnessing and discerning is your wisdom body. How would your life be different if you didn't buy into all your thoughts?

The Bliss Body (anandamaya kosha) - where do you find bliss in your life? When you experience joy, freedom and contentment you are experiencing your bliss body. This is your deepest layer and it is your true nature. See how it feels to open to this possibility.

What is the difference between Yoga Nidra and Savasana?

This is a good question because they certainly do share a common ground. Upon observation, it would appear that in the last 5-10 minutes of class or in a yoga nidra class the yoga practitioner gets comfy and has a lovely nap. Actually it is not uncommon to fall asleep, nor is it wrong, however it is neither yoga nidra or savasana. Yoga Nidra and savasana - as innocent and easy as they appear have the ability to be profoundly healing. They are deeply relaxing to the nervous system. When you support your nervous system, everything in you benefits - the immune system, the cardiovascular system, the hormonal system and the list goes on. However, they are also very different. Continue to read)

Savasana or Corpse Pose is typically the last pose of a yoga class. Savasana is considered the “ultimate letting go” and practiced as a preparation for death. This may seem morbid, but many spiritual traditions believe that in our denial of death we do not fully live and in order to live fully we need to be in touch with the true nature of our impermanence. That said, if death is not something that feels comfortable for you to contemplate, savasana provides a tremendous opportunity for deep relaxation. In our go, go, go culture it can often take the offering of savasana to actually allow ourselves a few moments of deep rest. Savasana happens in an awakened state when we allow ourselves to rest and it is profoundly healing for our body to do this.

Yoga Nidra is also extremely beneficial. While it is sometimes referred to as Yoga Sleep, it is actually not the same as sleep. During yoga nidra session, your teacher attempts to guide you to a state between consciousness and unconsciousness; in other words, the state between wakefulness and sleep.

It is believed that in this state the body “sleeps” while the mind is lucid and that while in this place there is significant opportunity for healing.

A 2014 study in the Journal of Yoga Therapy showed a significant decrease in negative thoughts of self-blame and depression in a group of women who practiced yoga nidra regularly. More studies are in the works as yoga nidra may have positive effects on trauma, addiction and even glucose levels. It is theorized that it may allow the brain to rewire negative thought patterns and reinforce new, healthy ones.

Yoga Nidra and a lengthy savasana is truly magical. Giving yourself the gift of true relaxation provides benefits that last much longer than the time spent in class. It is often felt for days and the benefits are only beginning to be realized. That said, if sleep is what happens for you… trust that this is what you need in that moment. A good “yoga nap” is wondrous as well.

7 REASONS TO PRACTICE YOGA

STRENGTHENING

As we age it becomes more and more important to keep up muscle strength. Doing weight-bearing exercises like Warrior I and Warrior II, Downward Dog and Cobra add weight and stress into areas like the spine, hips, arms and wrists, thus helping to prevent bone loss.

SUPPLENESS

When we are more flexible we move more freely in the world.  It is important to the health of the joints that muscles can both contract and relax.  When a muscle contracts, another relaxes, these are labeled the antagonist and agonist muscles.  When we cannot relax a muscle, that muscle is not able to coordinate properly with its antagonist, which can throw the joint into damage. Yoga teaches us to moderate the amount of tension in muscular activity.

BALANCE

Yoga helps build our proprioception, which is our ability to know where we are in space. Through yoga we are guided to find the proper alignment in positions. Over time and with awareness we begin to live in our body and in our life in a more balanced and harmonious way.

PROCESS

Yoga teaches us to let go of the product or finished goal and instead to love the process. Once we learn this concept, it can be applied to pretty much anything. Learning to play the guitar, studying for an exam or learning a language. Ultimately, we begin to see life as a process.

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Yoga supports the health of our immune system, reproductive system, nervous system and cardiovascular system.  Our body parts and systems work in beautiful symmetry with one another. Like our greater ecosystem, one part affects the whole. For example, breathing fully and deeply moves the diaphragm muscle which helps the heart in pumping, muscular movement moves lymph which clears debris and toxins our of the body and relaxing our body/mind allows for our nervous system to switch to the parasympathetic mode which allows us to digest and heal.  

AWARENESS

We can tend to ignore the body’s urges for sleep or rest, for healthy food and movement. With consistent practice, yoga will bring about sensitivity to the body’s messages. The differences between stretching or strengthening free from struggle and strain will become apparent.

INNER PEACE

When it comes down to it, this is foundational to the ancient yogis purpose for yoga. Yoga is the means to Realization, which the ancient yogis believed would take you beyond duality and to a place of ultimate joy and peace.  Whether yoga is a spiritual practice for you or not, it is true that when we allow ourselves to slow down, we can begin to live in a way that is deliberate instead of reactionary. This builds inner peace and strength.