How does yoga heal?
In the therapeutic traditions of yoga, there are five bodies in which yoga is working on. Known as the Pancha Koshas (five sheaths), it provides us with a road map for better understanding our health, psychological and spiritual development. The Five Layers are: Physical – Annamaya kosha, Energy – Pranamaya kosha, Mental – Manamaya kosha, Wisdom – Vijnanamaya kosha, Bliss – Anandamaya kosha.
In the West, most yoga classes focus on the first and possibly, second Koshas.
The first Kosha, the physical level, focuses on asana—the stretches and practices that tone your muscles, strengthens your bones, improves balance, increases your flexibility and help your internal organs.
Yoga that Focuses on Koshas 2 and 3 are Enormously Healing
The second Kosha known as the Pranayama Sheath or energetic kosha focuses on moving your breath and energy around the body, creating clearer channels and clearing blockages throughout your internal body.
But that is not all the layers that yoga works on. The Manamaya kosha or mind sheath is where yoga’s great work can take place through meditation and other practices such as chanting and hand mudras. This kosha which includes your thoughts, feelings and emotions are not always attended to in a regular yoga class.
But this is where the real changes start to take place. These practices help you to quiet the monkey mind (the incessant chatter) that draws your attention from thing to thing, worry to worry, and Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS). You learn to observe your thoughts allowing you to see how these thoughts can cause suffering. Strategies for releasing those automatic negative thoughts are explored as well.
As I continue to teach yoga, I have added practices that address the other Koshas into classes. I encourage you to explore yoga with me by coming to one of my home yoga classes or if you live in the neighbors that I teach. If you need private lessons, check out my approach and rates here. Or if you just have questions, feel free to request a FREE 30 minute consult by scheduling here or emailing me at andrea@heavenlanecreations.com . Together we can discover how Heaven Lane can help you find the the perfect path to health and vibrancy, no matter what you have been diagnosed with.
Andrea Trank
239-634-0739
andrea@heavenlanecreations.com
HeavenLaneCreations.com
