The Pancha Maya Kosha system is the primary model used in the holistic assessment and application of yoga therapy. In this blog, we’ll discuss the Kosha system, explore the Koshas, and why it’s considered a holistic health model.

What is the Kosha System?

When talking about origins, the Kosha systems comes from the Taittiriya Upanishad, which translates as the following:

Pancha means five.
Maya means illusion, or that which has a relative reality.
Kosa means sheath, cell, envelope, container, treasure or a bud of a flower (that can reveal itself).

Since the Kosas or sheaths are interrelated, they affect each other. Any professional who has undergone yoga therapist certification understands that you must work holistically. Yoga means union - and therefore you address the body and the mind. You should be able to think holistically and proceed mindfully aware of the person you’re helping.

The Five Koshas

There are five sheaths in the Pancha Maya Kosha system. To understand how this system promotes holistic wellness, let’s thoroughly discuss each of the five koshas.

Annamaya Kosha - Food Body

This kosha is our perception of our physical body. This comprises what we eat, which is why it’s known as the food sheath.

In most cases, this is also where a student notices an imbalance first. For instance, if the student pulls a muscle in a sport, it doesn’t only affect the body but it also affects the other mental koshas.

Licensed yoga practitioners typically regulate the annamaya kosha first through Classical Hatha, Iyengar yoga, and Ayurvedic practices first before tackling the mental sheaths.

Pranamaya Kosha - Breath Body

The next kosha is our energetic body as well as our breath. It’s the bridge between the body and the mind. As such, it’s also a useful link between physiological and psychological processes, aside from being an entry point for examination or assessment.

The chakras, nadis, and vayus are maps that explore pranamaya.

Manomaya Kosha - Mind Body

This kosha is fed by our senses. It’s also cognitive in nature. Manomaya encompasses our thoughts, beliefs, emotions, as well as our sense of individuality (Sullivan & Hyland Robertson, pg. 90).

At this level, it’s important to modify our mental habits, or at times even intercept them, before tuning into our higher self. For instance, when a person keeps poor company, they are preventing themselves from nurturing good friendships.

Appropriate practices such as chanting and Yoga Nidra can help address manomaya kosha.

Vijnanamaya Kosha - Wisdom Body

This kosha, as per Sullivan & Hyland Robertson, is composed of faith, righteousness, meditation, truth, and detachment. The wisdom body also is capable of motivating us from either our conscious or subconscious level of knowledge.

Some practices to address this kosha are meditation and discernment.

Anandamaya Kosha - Bliss Body

This kosha is a person’s ability to access their inherent positive qualities and integrate such qualities into daily living. It’s also sometimes said to contain a person’s karma, so it’s also referred to as the causal body. According to Kamini Desai, Ph.D., the bliss body is the final veil to ultimate reality or self. This kosha allows the melding of the “I” into the whole.

Are you a yoga teacher looking to advance your therapeutic knowledge and practice? Check out our Yoga Alliance 300, Continuing Education Courses, and IAYT-Certified Yoga Therapy Certification Program at PYI.

Exploring the Koshas: How Yoga Therapy Promotes Holistic Wellness