Five Layered Human Being
A human being is part consciousness (Atma – soul) wrapped in 5 layers known as Panchkosha in Vedanta. The layers are the Physical Body (Annmaya Kosha), Energy Body (Pranamaya Kosha), Mind Body (Manomaya Kosha), Intuition Body (Vigyanmaya Kosha), and Joy Body (Anandmaya Kosha).
Anandmaya Kosha is part consciousness (Atma), carrying the core desire with a purpose to manifest and experience joy. This innermost core body of one’s being has a pure part of Universal Consciousness (Parma Atma) experienced as eternal joy or bliss. Other functions of this Kosha (body) are co-creation like the Creator himself, peak experiences of super consciousness and sexual ecstasy (beyond ordinary sexual pleasures).
Vigyanmaya Kosha is the second innermost layer responsible for all the new knowledge and intuitive functioning of human beings. The other functions of Vigyanamaya Kosha are ordinary awareness for day-to-day intuitive working, which facilitates you in deciding what to do next and how to do it. From this, Kosha, you only get intuitive solutions in intense situations when the logical mind cannot answer your questions. This Kosha also governs the natural function of healing inside the human body.
Manomaya Kosha is the domain of functions of the human mind. Manomaya Kosha Is the central layer among the 5 Kosha. The role of this Kosha is primarily to receive information through the five senses and process that information for the manifestation of core purpose. Manomaya Kosha has three layers, as recognised by contemporary psychology. They are conscious mind, sub-conscious and superconscious state of mind. In Medical Science, these states are studied in brain wave theory and known as the Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta states of brain activity. Through Yogic or Tantric meditations, awareness is expanded to Alpha, Theta and Delta brain wave patterns. When an ordinary human being falls asleep, that’s when Alpha waves are activated in the brain.
In an experiment, EEG tests (Electro Encephalogram – an instrument used to record brain waves) were done while meditators were in a meditative state. These EEGs showed Alpha to Delta brain wave patterns even while those meditators were fully aware.
The conscious state of mind is responsible for perception through the five sense organs and then taking action via the physical body to perform day-to-day functions.
The subconscious receives information from the conscious mind and stores the complete information. In acute cases of emergency or through regular meditative practices, the subconscious mind receives knowledge from Vigayanamaya Kosha, which is called the sixth sense or intuition. The deeper sub-conscious or superconscious state is when people are aware of Theta and Delta brain waves. In this state of mind, a person provides instant healing or innovative outputs.
The Pranamaya Kosha is an energy body depicted by Kundalini, sun and moon channels and 7 Chakras along the spinal column. Each of the 7 Chakras controls different organs in the human body at conscious and sub-conscious levels of the mind. When awareness is extended to the superconscious state, these Chakras open up to perceive the new realities of the universe and start illuminating by healing all the body functions. In Yogic literature, the level of illumination and opening of these Chakras is the basis for measuring the evolution of an individual’s mind and soul.
Annmaya Kosha is the extreme and physical form of a human being- that is, the human body. The Annmaya Kosha comprises five elements (Air, Fire, Earth, Space and Water). It is nurtured and sustained by food (Ann), called Annmaya Kosha. In Ayurveda, the disease is recognised as the imbalance of tridosha – Vata (Air + Space), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Water + Earth)]. Through the physical body, the part consciousness (Atma) manifests the core desire to experience absolute joy. But due to social and academic environments conditioning, a person gets programmed at different Koshas levels. Thus making him experience pain and misery. To manifest human being purpose on this planet, human beings create structures in the form of buildings to perform certain functions. And these structures become the living or working environment for human beings.
In the Hindu Alchemy of Space, pain, misery and blockages of the mind are due to the deviation from the core desire of one’s Anadamaya Kosha or soul. The living environments either support Manomaya Kosha and Pranmaya Kosha, or the environment also becomes responsible for negative conditioning and programming and, thus, causes problems in one’s life. In PanchVastu, the points of blockages are recognised at the different layers of existence, thus creating a way for human consciousness to manifest its core purpose.
