The Human Body

The Upadhi: Vessel of the True Self

Take advantage of this human boat;

Free yourself from sorrow’s mighty stream!

This vessel will be later hard to find.

The time that you have now; you fool, is not for sleep!

~ Pema Chodron’s translation of The Way of the Bodhisattva, 7.14 in No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva.

The Taittiriya Upanishad posited the theory some three-thousand years ago that we are formed by three bodies woven into five interlocking sheaths, known as koshas. Upadhi, Sanskrit for “vehicle,” is a vessel for our Spirit contained in these three bodies and koshas. These encasings are not to be confused as our true Self, but rather provide the means of expression for awakening to our underlying consciousness. Also referred to as our Atman, the Self is said to dwell in the final kosha, Anandamaya kosha, and it is this sheath we seek to pierce to bring about the liberation of moksha.

Piercing through maya, the illusory nature of phenomenological experience, may infer to some that our lives, our world, is not important and could view yoga as a negative exercise. Some may choose a more positive association with our physical world by associating it with shakti— a limitless and divine source of creative consciousness contributing, rather than limiting, our evolution. Our reality may be viewed as containing the tools and materials needed to promote a state of bliss both in the transient realm of the physical world and the dimensionless realm of infinity. The affirmation of our broader identity, which is acquired through a higher degree of self-disovery, will serve us well and lend us the assurance needed to surpass mere survival tendencies, enter into the mastery of our body and minds, and allow for the evolution of sprit.

Expanding our awareness to include the subtler aspects of being may seem, to some, a superfluous exercise. Through the illumination that arises through the adherence to the yogic practices, we may discover new perspectives of ourselves and our reality.  If we view our body, mind, and spirit to be capable of communicating our intention into action, we will understand the importance of a holistic approach to our decision-making processes.

Due to the interwoven nature of the bodies and koshas, the condition of one has an impact on the entire system. Therefore, the well-being of all of these bodies and koshas must remain healthy to discourage disease, illness, or discomfort.  We may go further and recognize the exchange we have upon our household, workplace, community, and universe; to uncover the relations between our micro, internal environment of our body and mind, and that of the external, everything we percieve as outside ourselves, macro environment.

Self-knowledge requires that the mind stay focused, alert, and aware.  If there are physical or mental disturbances, then the body and mind will not function properly.  We may find it challenging to concentrate on price movement while suffering from and illness, injury, or psychotic state. Difficult or traumatic events are rarely desired and we should not blame ourselves when they occur. These moments of pause may be necessary as opportunities for our evolution. Keeping our bodies and minds fit, healthy, and full of vitality will greatly decrease the chance for illness to befall at an early age.

The Three Bodies

• Sthula Sharira: Gross physical body.  .
• Sukshma Sharira:  Subtle astral body containing the spirit or prana.
• Karana Sharira: Causal seed body; the transcendence of the physical and astral body.

The Five Koshas

Annanamaya Kosha:  Food or physical sheath, covering the Sthula Sharira.  This sheath gives us our human form, including anatomy and physiology. Purification methods of this kosha include proper diet, asana, and the detoxification methods of kriyas. Annanamya refers to a transient state of being. Feelings of insecurity and helplessness may result when we do not feel capable of supporting ourselves with the basic needs of life: food, shelter, clothing, and so on. 

Pranamaya Kosha:  Vital, or pranic, sheath covering the Sukshma Sharira. Pranamaya kosha is composed of the vayus—prana, apana, vyana, udana, and samana—which flow throughout the nadis of the body. Prana vayus sustain our life and connect the body and mind. Our emotions, well-being, and vitality are attributable to this sheath. Pranayama harnesses the pranic forces within Pranamaya kosha and directs them as needed throughout the body.

Manomaya Kosha: Mental sheath, or lower mind; manas (mind) and subconscious. Also contained within the Sukshma Sharira. Sensory data is received and processed here, broadening our awareness of the physical and mental connection. Fear, anxiety, and stress are all conditions that present themselves in this kosha as a misalignment with action, intention, and perception of reality. The mind is controlled to allow for the inner stillness needed to acquire higher knowledge. The practice of pratyahara is related to this kosha and calls upon the need to detach from the senses.

Vijnanamaya Kosha:  Intellectual Sheath, or “higher mind,” buddhi (intellect), and ahamkara (ego); also interwoven in the Sukshma Sharira.  While Manomaya kosha is the discriminating faculty of sensory stimuli, the Vijnanamaya kosha is concerned with finding the truth, piercing the veil of maya, breaking free of the sensory interpretations and seeing beyond to the true nature of reality, known as purusha. This is the place of psychic phenomena. Fear, doubt, and uncertainty are trumped by the wisdom acquired through meditational practices. Dharana and dhyana allow for the transcendence of pre-conditioned experiences and past lives (samskaras) and release us from suffering.

Anandamaya Kosha: Bliss Sheath. This sheath overcomes the physical or mental limitations of the body. Bliss is said to remain in the Anandamaya kosha as it is closest to our transcendental Self, our Atman. Yoda Nidra is an exercise to bring us within the realm of the unconsciousness one experiences in the state of samadhi.

States of Consciousness

There are three states of consciousness:

Jagrat: Waking state of consciousness associated with the ego. The three bodies and five koshas are operating within the boundaries of space and time. Maya continues to disillusion us; we have not yet come to know out Atman.

Svapna: Dreaming state. In this state we move away from the animate form and move into the inner vital, mental, intellectual, and blissful sheaths. Our reality is subjective, although time and space are still in effect. The self still identifies with the ego, not the transcendental Self of the Atman. Emotions, as well as our reasoning capacities, are highlighted here.

Sushupti:  Deep sleep. Time is no longer of the essence and we exist only in the Anandamaya kosha.  The Jiva Atman (individual soul) is united with the Paramatman or Brahman (God state or higher Self) in a unified state of consciousness.  This state repairs the body and koshas, which is essential for mental and physical health.  If we do not sleep, we die

The Seven Lokas

The lokas refer to seven planes of existence and are also considered to correlate to the chakras.

• Bhu loka refers to our physical world
• Bhuvar relates to the Svapana and Sushupti states
• Svaha relates to the highest of the sub-planes
• Svaha loka relates to the fire plane, burning the emotional and physical bodies at death; the Vijnanamaya kosha, the “trued mental vehicle” remains intact.
• Mahar is the fourth plane of existence.  The astral body is transcended to the causal body, Karana Sharira.  The Vijnanamaya kosha dissolves on this plane. The agni, digestive fire, is present in the Mahar loka.
• Janaha loka is beyond the koshas and unifies us with out Atman.
• Tapaha loka brings us together with our Paramatman, or supreme Self.
• Satyam loka presents itself when the Adhi-Purusha or ultimate reality is known and we find the truth.

The Power of the Kundalini Shakti

This dormant “serpent” force is said to lie coiled at the base of the spine. Once activated through the purification techniques of the first four limbs, it is said to be have the ability to travel through the remaining chakras, pierce the veil maya, and merge with divine consciousness. The latent forces attributable to each chakra are illuminated as the Kundalini travels upwards towards the Sahasrara chakra—the final barrier to moksha, liberation from identity with form, otherwise known as the enlightened state of samadhi.  The nadis associated with each chakra are purified, bringing a state of balance to each region of life.