There is no doubt we are complex beings! We only need to consider our diverse reactions to life-changing events like unexpected illness, a global pandemic, or our capacity to understand the emotional reactions of others, to know we are unique.
And it is just ALL those idiosyncrasies, all those parts of ourselves that we may not understand or even accept, that we need to learn how to heal and love.
Yoga Therapy acknowledges this multidimensional aspect of us, by working with the five energetic ‘layers’ (called koshas) of our being.
Our koshas extend from the outer layer of our skin to the deepest inner layer of our spiritual core.
These koshas are often likened to a lamp that has five lampshades, each of the lampshades is a different colour.
As the light shines through the lampshades, it progressively changes in colour and nature, becoming dim and dull.
These ‘shades’ cover our inner goodness (our pure light) which fades and is distorted. We become or think we are ‘unhappy’.
In one on one Yoga Therapy sessions we learn how to access all these ‘layers’ of our being for healing and acceptance.
An experienced Yoga Teacher or Yoga Therapist adapts yoga practices with you, to relieve your duhkha (suffering) and without aggravating your condition, at each layer.
These connections deepen with your commitment to practise, inviting your inner wisdom and true nature of happiness to unfold, at each layer:
• physical (body) – annamaya kosha
• energetic (breath, prana) – pranamaya kosha
• emotional (mood) – manomaya kosha
• psychological (thoughts, mind) – vijnanamaya kosha
• spiritual – anandamaya kosha.
A Yoga Therapist builds a practice with you to confidently manage your condition and may include:
- Slowly exploring movement repatterning without aggravating your condition here.
- Exploring a safe and trusting re-connection to your being, your inner truth, wisdom here.
- iRest yoga nidra meditations to access each ‘layer’ , to let go and experience your deep centre, here.
- Encouraging you back into the driver’s seat with your health, supporting your commitment to change, here.
- To never, never give up on yourself, here!
Different phases of disease and illness are identified at each of the koshas (Dr Swami Gitananda). The more progressed your illness state, the deeper the layer affected.
For example if your organs are affected e.g. kidneys, liver, a ‘disease’ state has affected your annamaya (physical) and pranamaya (breath) koshas.
Cancer is viewed as accumulated blocked energy (tamas) at each layer, and Yoga Therapy at these phases needs to be in conjunction with other modalities of treatment.
Our deepest, most interior of the koshas, is Anandamaya kosha.
Ananda means bliss, however, not bliss as a mere emotion experienced by the mind.
It is the peace, the joy, and the love that is innate in all of us beyond the mind and independent of any external cause for ‘happiness’.
Explore for yourself in practice or enhance your health and well-being naturally, with a Yoga Therapist. Yoga Therapy will not only enhance your vibrancy for life but allow your natural state of joy and ‘happiness’ to shine.
