What are the Koshas? They are our five layers of our being, also known as sheaths or subtle bodies. Think of a Russian babushka doll, layers inside of layers, or maybe an onion.

These koshas also coincide with the 5 elements of nature. Let's peel back the layers and dissect them:

The Annamaya kosha is our anatomical or physical layer of being. This is what we identify most with because it is the instrument of our body. Through the body is how we sense and feel our experience. It is also known as the food sheath because what we put into our bodies plays a big role in how we feel which in turn influences our ability to perceive our experience through our deeper layers. A practice of consciously inhabiting the body (mindfulness) brings more ease, and less dis-ease because we are in tune with the intelligence of what our bodies need and what they don't need. Celebrate what your body does more than how it looks, a sensation connection over appearance goals. Make a bright home in your own skin.

The Element that coincides with this sheath is Earth. Earthy qualities are steadiness, patience, stability, endurance, stamina.

The Pranamaya kosha is our energy layer of being. Prana is vital life energy that animates us and orchestrates how we function. This corresponds with our physiology, the functioning of our human systems, such as the respiratory, circulatory, digestive...etc. Our body systems operate through a network of vessels and nerves and glands through the body and in the Eastern approach might be called nadis, meridians, and chakras to name a few. Prana is also known as breath because our breath is our source of life. The breath is also the quickest way to intentionally shift our energy within, by creating invigoration or calmness, but most importantly, connecting to our own aliveness. Oxygen is needed to fuel a fire, and so is the breath to stoke our inner fire. We can experiment with the flow of energy in our bodies through our breath, which has a direct impact on the mind.

This sheath corresponds with the Water element. Water is yielding, free, movement, open, fluid, dynamic. Water can be turbulent and it can be still. Our energy can be in a stress response, or at peace, or anywhere in between. It can be stagnant for flowing freely.

The Manomaya kosha is our mental and emotional layer of being. Emotions are characterised by the contents of our mind (memories, thoughts, fears, likes and dislikes). This layer is how we make up stories about our experience and who we are in the world. There are a lot of habitual thoughts patterns which affect our energetic and physical health like sparks in a fire. Our beliefs, ideas, emotions, opinions, judgements, and assumptions. Our mind does not define who we are. If we can be aware of how the mind plays out our experience through the observation of meditation, then we can unhook from the stories we create, and pause before we react. When we are not as consumed into the patterning, we are free.

The corresponding element is fire. Fire encompasses determination, transformation, heat, austerity,

The Vijnanamaya kosha is the intellectual layer of our being. This one doesn't correspond with a physical aspect but has to do with wisdom and knowing, although still having a sense of duality: the knower and the known. It is the intuition, insight, and awareness that is underneath thinking. The observer who notices consciousness. The intellect decides, discerns, studies, scrutinises, analyses, reasons, and questions. Who am I? The intellect can have two avenues, one which is controlled by our ego and our past impressions and the other is controlled by intuition.

The corresponding element to this kosha is Air. Air is spacious, light, expansive. We can tune into the air quality through the practice of pranayama.

The Anandamaya kosha is known as the spiritual layer or bliss body, not as in an emotion formed by the mind, but as a shift in reality that the conditioned mind cannot grasp. If vijnanamaya kosha could be the individual soul, then this one is the Universal Soul. It is inner peace and freedom from thoughts, emotions, energy, and the body all while embracing them all. The Bliss body is open, free, and present, but not in an intellectual way. This spirit moves in you, like when your heart sings and when you feel aligned to your purpose.

The corresponding element is ether (space) which encompasses everything and gives context to everything. Space is being-ness. We become aware of consciousness through the medium of space.