The 5 Bodies

Within each of us lies 5 bodies in which the most central body is the Self, or Atman. It is good to purify the 5 bodies so that our true divinity, or Brahman, can reveal itself and shine through as the light of absolute consciousness. The 5 bodies can be categorized into 3 types: material, astral and causal.

The most external body is our material, or physical body as is called the Annamaya Kosha. Annamaya meaning food, kosha meaning covering. Annamaya Kosha can be purified through eating a clean diet, through asana (yoga poses) and through kriya (yogic cleansing techniques). A clean diet consists of chemical free plant foods. Animal products are typically laden with all the chemical residues from a lifetime of consuming inorganic and or genetically modified animal feed. Asanas are meant to aide the yogi in physical cleansing through ringing out and accessing deep parts of the body as well as purify the thoughts through one-pointed focus on alignment, and balancing Sthira (steadiness, strength and grounding) and Sukha (gentleness and softness). Kriyas are cleansing techniques a yogi uses to purify the body, the breath, the mind and the spirit. To read more about Kriyas and for some kriya techniques follow this link.

Within Annamaya Kosha lies Pranamaya Kosha, vital or astral body. Pranamaya meaning vitality. Pranamaya Kosha can be purified through Pranayama (yogic breathing techniques) as well as kriya. For more on Pranayama and to learn some techniques follow this link.

Within Pranamaya Kosha lies Manomaya Kosha, or the emotional body, also categorized under the astral body. Manomaya meaning emotions. Manomaya Kosha can be cleansed through karma yoga (selfless service and the yoga of action), bhakti yoga (devotion to God and the yoga of love), chanting (devotional prayer songs chanting the many names of God), yamas (how we treat the world) and niyamas (how we treat ourselves). Karma yoga is one of the 4 major yogas and is rooted in selfless service and is a good way to make sure our actions are in alignment with the Universe and, therefore, cause good karmic affects. There are 3 types of karma: past, present and future. Sanchitta is our unresolved past actions, in this lifetime or previous lifetimes. Parabda is our present action in which we have control over. Agami is our future action in which we also have no control over, and are the result of our present actions, which we DO have control over. Bhakti yoga is also one of the 4 major yogas and is the yoga of love, devotion and prayer. Bhakti yogis see every moment as an opportunity to love yourself, your fellow living beings, life, the Universe, all of it! Every moment contains a drop of golden nectar and it is our greatest gift to see that, honor it and be in a constant state of gratitude and devotion over it. Many Bhakti yogis, as well as many other paths, invoke a connection to spirit by chanting or singing out the many names of God. It is said that in chanting the names repeatedly, known as japa, one becomes completely immersed in and connected to Spirit. Yamas and Niyamas can be filed under Ashtanga Yoga, the 8-limbed path to Self-realization. They are the first two limbs. Yamas are the way we interact with the world around us and are classified into 5 restraints or abstinences. Ahimsa, or non-violence, is the first of the 5 restraints or abstinence and works to endhostility and hold compassion for all living things. Satya, or non-lying, promotes truthfulness and power of the spoken word. Asteya, or non-stealing, reminds us to practice faith in that all things will come to us when, where and how they are meant to. Bramhacharya, non-hoarding, invokes the practice of moderation and strength of will. Last but not least, Aparigraha, non-possession reminds us not to continually let go of our physical, mental and emotional attachments to things. Niyamasare the way we interact with ourselves and are classified into 5 observances. First is Saucham, defined as purity, health & radiance. This includes what we put into our bodies, mind and spirit. Pure diet, pure thoughts, and pure intention are healthy practices for this observance. Santosha, or contentment, is another observance as entails being ok with whatever we experience because it is all meant to be and there is no good or bad and we can only control our reactions to our experience and not what we experience itself. Tapas, or heat, comes with self discipline rooted in the physical practice as well as meditation. When we begin to feel the heat and are in the climax of our experience, it is best to stay there and handle it with grace, compassion and integrity so as to move through it and experience true transformation. Svadhyaya, self-study, is the observance of one's own ego in order to understand it and go beyond it. Isvara Pranidhana is the last observance and requires devotion and surrender to cosmic intelligence or divine intuition, offering your experience up to God as a form of prayer.

Within Manomaya Kosha lies Vijnanamaya Kosha, or the intellectual body, also within the astral body. Vijnanamaya meaning intellect. The intellectual body is comprised of thoughts and ideas and can be purified through satsang, or keeping company of those also interested in seeking liberation from the ego and merging with Oneness, as well as through the study of scriptures (from any enlightened beings), sanskrit (ancient yogic language) and meditation (one-pointed mindfulness). Scriptures from all enlightened beings are equally helpful such as the Rig Vedas, Vedas, Yoga Sutras, the Bible, the Koran, etc.

Finally, the innermost core of the 5 bodies encompasses the Anandamaya Kosha, or the bliss body, which lies within the causal or seed body. Anandamaya meaning bliss. Anandamaya Kosha can be purified through complete and total connection with the Universe, the state of true ecstacy, also known as Samadhi, which is the 8th limb of Ashtanga yoga.

All 5 bodies interact with and affect each other and so purifying them can lead to a heightened state of awareness, and allows for consciousness to shine through.