This meditation is on the Pancha Koshia model,
Or the five layers or sheaths of your multidimensional existence as a human being.
These are real parts,
They're not necessarily theoretical constructs,
But they are real aspects of your existence that you might be able to tap into and experience.
With this meditation,
I'll guide you to hopefully get a fuller sense of these inner dimensions and these more subtle aspects of being a human.
So get comfortable.
Sit up tall and elongate through your spine.
Try to elongate through the crown of your head so that you feel your head,
Your neck,
And your spine,
And your pelvis all on one long line.
Try not to strain,
And welcome a sense of alertness and relaxation.
If it feels okay,
Close your eyes.
Notice all of the details that are happening around you.
Then gradually withdraw your senses and your awareness away from the external world,
And start to shift your full attention into your physical body.
Be aware of the muscles around your eyes,
Your face,
Your cheeks,
Your jaw.
Feel your shoulders and your chest.
Let the arms become heavy.
Feel your skin,
And any textures that might be,
You might be able to feel right now.
Feel the points of contact between you and the earth.
And then move beyond the skin and a little bit deeper so that you feel the muscles.
Notice if there's any tension,
Any areas of holding,
Any places that feel a little sore or tender.
Feel through your joints,
Your bones.
Notice any sensations that are illuminated in your awareness by your physical body.
Realize that this is the first layer,
The Anamaya kosha,
Your physical body.
And then shift your awareness into the breath so that you feel the inhales that draws in through your nose.
And then trace the breath as it moves down the back of your throat.
Feel the space the breath creates as it moves into your lungs and your lungs start to expand.
As you exhale,
Follow the breath as it slowly leaves your body.
Slow down the breath.
Smooth it out.
And as you feel the mindful ebb and flow of the breath,
The rise and fall of your chest,
And the expansion and contraction of your lungs.
Feel into that rhythm.
Become aware of any energetic sensations pulsing throughout your body.
And then get really quiet.
And move your awareness deep into your chest,
Into your heart center.
And see if even for a fleeting moment you can become aware of your heartbeat.
And realize that all of this pulsing,
All of this rhythm,
Even though it appears in the physical body,
The force orchestrating the movement is not the physical body itself,
But rather your energetic body or the pranamaya kosha.
Now shift your awareness into your mind.
Observe the part of your awareness that is awake and paying attention.
That's regulating your senses and perceiving information and perhaps making judgments or categorizing the information you receive.
Recognize any thoughts that pop into your mind,
Whether you're thinking,
Oh I have an itch or I feel uncomfortable sitting.
Or maybe there's a sound that's annoying me.
Perhaps your mind takes you into the past or brings you into the future.
And realize that this is what the mind does.
It generates mental chatter that's continually shifting and moving.
This is your thought body or the manomaya kosha.
Now shift your awareness a little bit beyond your thoughts.
Sense the part of your awareness that's conscious,
That's willing you and committing you to sit still and meditate right now.
The part of you that chose to meditate.
The part of you that recognizes the value of connecting with yourself,
Being still,
Expanding your self-awareness.
The part of you that is dedicated and committed to your practice.
This is your intellectual or intuitive body.
Your vigna namaya kosha.
Now center your awareness back into your heart space.
Return to noticing the breath as you keep it smooth and even.
Stay as relaxed as you can through your body.
Now take as much time as you might need right now.
And allow yourself to tap into that innate inner peace that's inside of you,
Even if sometimes it feels far away.
Tap into a sense of joy,
Of tranquility.
Maybe it helps you to visualize or remember or imagine a time when you felt happiest.
When you felt most at peace or tranquil.
Maybe a sense of joy and gratitude begins to expand within you.
In this space of deep inner peace that's always there,
Just waiting for you to tap into it and recognize it,
There is no fear.
There is no sense of lack.
There is no desire for more,
But rather contentment,
Bliss.
This is your bliss body,
Or the anandamaya kosha.
A moment where you feel deeply connected.
Where boundaries seem to disappear between you and everything else.
And you can feel that sense of being held by the universe as you become part of it or recognize that you're part of it.
Now just notice yourself in this moment,
Your awareness,
Your observation,
The pure consciousness that you are having this experience.
The part of you that's having this experience but beyond this experience even,
Looking down at yourself.
Now return your attention to your breath.
Feel the slow,
Steady,
Smooth,
Even breath as it flows in and out.
Take a deeper inhale,
Fill yourself up completely.
And exhale,
Release.
Slowly open your eyes.
Take in the world around you.
Take a moment to just relax and absorb this experience,
This moment,
Without needing to rush on to the next thing.
Just be here with yourself for a moment.
