The Five Koshas

  A Kosha is a layer or a sheath. One of the teachings of the Upanishads is that there are five sheaths surroundings the self, the individual Consciousness. In the Tantric viewpoint, these layers are not simply maya (illusion). They are, yet again, another form that Consciousness has taken to see itself in a different way. The koshas move from the gross physical plane to the most subtle plane, each layer with its own qualities. Physical: Annamaya Kosha Anna means food. All of the physical aspects of life come and go and are consumed by another aspect of external reality. Thus, the outermost kosha is called the sheath of food, or annamaya kosha. Proper diet, asana practice, and rest all contribute to optimal functioning of the physical body, the health […]