So what are the five koshas?
In yoga,
We often think of ourselves as more than just a physical body.
The ancient yogis described this as having five layers of being,
Known as the koshas.
And the more that I've studied them,
The more they've transformed the way that I guide Yoga Nidra.
I like to think of the koshas as a map.
A gentle journey from the surface of our experience to the deepest center of who we truly are.
The first layer is the physical body.
That's the layer that we can see,
Feel,
Touch,
And where we spend most of our attention.
Beneath that is the energy body.
That's the breath.
The flow of prana or life force energy.
And you probably experience this after a few slow conscious breaths or after spending time in nature when something inside just feels a little more alive.
The third layer is the mental and emotional body.
This is where our thoughts,
Our emotions,
Memories,
And inner stories live.
We often become so identified with this layer that we forget that there's something deeper beneath it.
And that layer is the wisdom body.
A quiet place of intuition and discernment.
It's the part of you that recognizes truth.
Before the mind can even explain it.
And at the very center of our being is the bliss body.
This is not a feeling of excitement or constant happiness,
But rather a deep sense of peace,
Wholeness,
And connection that isn't dependent on what's happening around you.
And this is the map that I follow in every yoga nidra that I teach.
We begin at the surface and gently journey inward layer by layer.
Until we remember the quiet wholeness that has always been there all along.
If this teaching resonated with you,
I've created a guided 5 Hosha Yoga Nidra journey that gently explores these layers through deep rest and relaxation.
You'll find it here on my profile.
