PANCHAMAYA KOSHAS
Stepping into each day with buckets of gratitude. Leading with gratitude helps me stay centered in my values, intentions, and responsibilities to self and others. I need frequent enough reminders of how to live in alignment on all layers of self - the ‘oh yeah’ this is important to me, this is what it feels like to feel my best in alignment with all parts of myself. Experiencing these ‘reminders’ with many of my senses is helpful in uniting these parts of myself - feeling the influence of my breath within my body, the sensations of movement, seeing and feeling the brightness and warmth of the sun or the coolness of water or a breeze, the scent of a warm cup of tea or soup, hearing the call of ducks or the vibrations of a train.
These layers of self or being in yoga are referred to as koshas or more specifically panchmaya kosha model. Sometimes you may see it written Pancha Maya Kosha with capitals and different word spacing.
When Sanskrit is used with the modern English alphabet and in the American English language, words can be written in various ways that may be intended to help with pronunciation or translations. Using Sanskrit helps maintain the thread to the origins of yoga and the Sanskrit term allows for learning and experiencing the meaning vs. subbing English words, which often are trying to force a one word replacement like a square peg in a round hole because it’s close enough. Syllables and words in Sanskrit, just like English, can have multiple meanings depending on context including the surrounding syllables and words. Pronunciations, too, may vary by different dialects, lineages, and the speaker.
The koshas are a way to illustrate, to describe, to consider the multiple interconnected layers of being. In this case, five layers of what may be described as layers of consciousness or awareness. The subtle body is another term used to describe the essence of our multi-dimensional state of being.
Panchamaya Kosha
Pancha: five
Maya: consists of, hidden/subtle, sometimes illusion
Kosha: layers or sheaths
Panchamaya Koshas
Annamaya Kosha: Physical body, the senses
Pranamaya Kosha: Energetic body
Manomaya Kosha: Mind (thoughts, emotions, memories)
Vijnamaya Kosha: Wisdom (intellect/knowing)
Anandamaya Kosha: Bliss Body (true nature, potential, unconditional love)
The colors in this image represent the 5 koshas - and the interplay, the weaving in of these layers throughout our whole self , each influencing the other.
These sheaths are considered to be permeable and interrelated all at the same time. Like the ingredients of bread coming together as bread. All the koshas come together arising as you. Sometimes looking at the parts can lead to an understanding of the whole. The image above was my play with how to depict both the individual components and the coming together.
Having a ‘just right for me’ practice helps. This may have constant and fluid components that change with the seasons, times of life, professional and personal relationships, etc. Sadhana is a Sanskrit term for spiritual practice - daily disciplines that support you along your path. In Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, the daily routine is referred to as dinacharya and also includes what we may think of as self-care and the flow of your day (when you sleep, eat, move, work, rest, reflect). Soon we can dive into the difference between routine, ritual, and habit. One of my teachers, Gary Kraftsow, likes to ask “which is stronger, your intentions or your habits?”
Yoga therapy benefits from the panchamaya kosha model by offering different ways to both think about and apply yoga practices that resonate with you as you are right here, right now. Together we co-create your practice based on what is currently interesting to you, what appeals to your heart in a way that works with the current state of your relationship with your breath, your physical structure, and your physiological state. In session, I listen to what you share, I watch how you apply and relate to the practices I share, and create and adapt the suggested practice(s). A very big part of yoga therapy is you learning how to adapt your practice to your daily fluctuations.
