The Koshas

The five koshas represent different vibrational levels of energy. From dense to more subtle. All levels in the energetic body have intelligence. Koshas are connected and influence each other. Being able to distinguish all layers of the energetic body is important for healing and the wellbeing of students. The koshas come from the Upanishads, specifically the Taittirya Upanishad.

Annamaya Kosha – The Body of Matter

This kosha is the densest of all the layers. It is depicted as the outside ring of the five layers of energy. It does not move as much and is the most static. It transforms the food we eat into energy and so is sometimes called the food kosha.

At the level of the Annamaya Kosha, a certain level of purity is needed to expand into other areas of awareness. This kosha is the first step in body awareness.

Pranayama Kosha – The Energy Body

This is the layer where movement begins. This layer is where prana or life-force energy begins to flow. This prana is infused with intelligence. The greater access you have to prana, the more access you have to optimal vitality and new life experience.

Pranayama Kosha connects each and every layer in the energetic body. It is the messenger between the Anamaya Kosha, the hardware and the Manomaya Kosha, the software.

Manomaya Kosha – Mental Body

This kosha is the mental body. It is the kosha that processes feelings, thoughts and emotions. It can be referred to as the software of the energetic body. This kosha is what gives someone the sense of “oneness”.

This kosha separates the plant kingdom from the animal kingdom by providing beings with consciousness.

Vijnanamaya Kosha – Wisdom Body

The kosha is where true intellect, intuition, wisdom and higher awareness is at. Within this kosha, feelings evolve beyond mere emotions and into a state of evolved intuition through love, joy, compassion, accomplishment.

This kosha gives us our sense of separateness and uniqueness. Without this kosha we would not have our individuality. We obtain our sense of individuality through wisdom about ourselves. Yoga brings us to this realization.

Anandamaya Kosha – Bliss Body

This is where physical pleasure is experienced. In this kosha, the body of love, joy, compassion and peace are experienced – bliss! Bliss is the experience we gain from connecting to our true selves, the Atman. Without any false identity. The state of bliss is more natural and likely to occur when we bring wisdom into our lives.