Hi my name is Natalie and I'm a Yoga Nidra teacher here to give you a short overview of the five koshas of Yoga Nidra or of yoga.
So kosha is a Sanskrit word that can mean a layer or a sheath or even a body and so we're made up of these different layers of consciousness and in fact people say that the whole universe is made up of these layers as well.
So the first layer is the Anamaya Kosha,
And this is the physical layer.
Often this will show up in a yoga nidra practice as a body scan,
And so you'll be invited to feel sensation or maybe imagine a light or a flame to help you connect to your physical body.
The second layer is called pranamaya kosha.
You may recognize the word prana to be life force.
It's the breath awareness,
And it's the also awareness of the energetic centers,
The chakras.
So a little different from pranayama,
We won't be controlling the breath,
But we'll rather be becoming aware of our natural breath and our life force.
The third kosha is called manomaya kosha,
And this is the layer of emotions and thoughts.
So you might just be guided by your teacher to notice your emotions and your thoughts,
Or you might actually be invited to sense into opposite emotions.
So for example,
Joy and sadness,
And learn how to hold them together.
The fourth kosha is called the Vijnanamaya kosha and this is the imagination part of the practice that gives us a chance to really tune into our own intuition.
I love this part of the Yoga Nidra practice because it's often a beautiful visual journey to connect to different elements of nature and to also notice what stands out for us.
This can also be the part where we step back and take a wider perspective on ourselves and our own consciousness.
The fifth kosha is called the Anandamaya kosha,
And this is the layer of peace and bliss.
So often this will be the part where people fall asleep,
But it'll feel like a really meditative and nourishing sleep.
This part is often overlooked by students and sometimes teachers alike because it's the part of the practice that is spacious,
Where there may be complete silence.
Or just music playing without instruction.
So this is a really important part of the practice and The way to enter this kosha is through effortlessness.
So it's actually not possible to do it if we're really trying to get there.
It's actually the opposite where we have to let go and release and let ourselves flow into that state.
So be patient with yourself and you can use the silent moments at the end of a yoga nidra practice to maybe lean into any discomfort that is there if you experience that.
So thank you so much for listening.
I have a course on the Koshas if you would like to take a deeper dive to understand each one and get a chance to practice each one as well.
May you find peace and rest in your own practice.
Thank you.
