The 7 koshas, or sheaths, represent the layers of our being—each one an aspect of who we are, from the physical body all the way to the innermost essence of pure Awareness. These layers work together to form our experience of manifest reality, yet they also veil our true, unmanifest Wholeness. They represent a spectrum, from most dense at the top to most subtle at the bottom. Understanding the koshas can offer profound insight into the depth of our embodied spiritual journey. Below is an overview.

A note on this model: Many presentations of this ancient teaching in the West map only five koshas. However, that is not the whole story; when one awakens beyond Consciousness (into Brahman and moves through the ongoing refinement into ParaBrahman) the last two layers here are also seen through as koshas. I feel this is important to include from the start, because our understanding (and expectations) can condition what is possible. Waking up to pure Divinity (ParaBrahman) is your birthright. 

1. Annamaya Kosha – The Physical Body
   The outermost sheath is the physical body, made up of the food we consume, the muscles, bones, and tissues that give us form. This is the body we most commonly identify with, but it’s important to recognize that it’s not the whole of who we are. The health and well-being of this sheath greatly influence our overall experience of life, and it’s essential to care for it as part of the journey of wholeness.

2. Pranamaya Kosha – The Energy & Emotional Body
   Next is the energy body, or prana, which flows through us as the life force that animates the physical body. This sheath is where our vitality resides, and it connects us to the world through breath and subtle energy. It's through the prana that we experience sensations, movement, and emotional energy. A balanced pranamaya kosha is essential for vibrant health, as it directly impacts how we feel and how we experience life’s energies. This is also often where a lot of pain is stored.

3. Manomaya Kosha – The Mental & Sensory Body
   The mental body, or the mind, holds the patterns of thought, emotion, and perception. This is where our beliefs, judgments, and mental processes arise. Often, we are caught in the narratives and stories of the mind, believing them to be our truth. But as we deepen into awareness, we begin to see the mind's patterns from a distance, recognizing them as temporary and malleable rather than fixed or absolute.

4. Vijnanamaya Kosha – The Wisdom Body
   The wisdom body is the sheath of higher understanding and discernment. This is where intuitive knowing, clarity, and inner wisdom reside. When the mental body is clear, the vijnanamaya kosha becomes more accessible, offering us insight beyond thought and logic. It is here that we begin to experience a deeper knowing that transcends intellectual knowledge—what might be felt as a moment of pure insight or direct knowing.

5. Anandamaya Kosha – The Bliss or Causal Body
   The bliss body is the layer of deep, unshakable peace and contentment. When we rest into this sheath, we experience a sense of connection to the vastness of existence. This is the joy that exists when we drop beneath the layers of personal identity and into the space of pure being. The anandamaya kosha is a reminder of our natural state of ease and flow, and when we touch it, we remember that we are not separate from the peace of the universe. This is also known as the causal body where the blueprints of manifestation and karmic seeds reside. It is the subtlest material expression.

6. Chittamaya Kosha – Fundamental Space & Pure Liveliness
   The chittamaya Kosha, the sheath of pure flowing consciousness. This is fundamental space that holds all experiences. That is, the space of pure liveliness—untouched by time, free from personal identity, and filled with an innate unceasing dynamism. It’s the vast, unmanifest ground from which all experience arises, full of potential, clarity, and creative energy. When we connect with chittamaya, we access the primal flow of life itself, where our awareness can move freely, untethered to form and structure, and we encounter a deep sense of aliveness.

7. Atmamaya Kosha – Universal Self (Atman)
   The atmanaya kosha is the true essence of who we are—Atman, the unchanging, pure Awareness. This is the innermost layer that is always present, untouched by the fluctuations of the outer layers. It is the pure Consciousness from which all experience arises and the ground of Being. The more we peel back the layers of the koshas, the closer we get to this direct experience of our true nature. When we move beyond this layer, even the Atman is seen through as a kosha.

The Integration of the Koshas
Ultimately, these sheaths are not separate from one another, but intertwined, interpenetrating, forming a whole system that can either work in harmony or remain fragmented. The journey of self-realization (and beyond) and ongoing refinement is about untying the knots of separation between these layers and allowing them to return to their natural state of integration and Wholeness. As we become more aware of each sheath, we begin to harmonize and purify them, moving closer to the experience of our true self. As the layers are integrated and harmonized it becomes easier to integrate That which is beyond the koshas entirely and reside in and as pure Divinity.

This is why working with the koshas is so crucial. Each one offers an opportunity to explore and refine different aspects of our being. And as we do, we begin to feel more whole, more connected to ourselves and the world around us, and more aligned with the truth of who we are.