Meditation: Peeling Back the Layers

This picture of me is from 1972 or 73 when I was 4 or 5 years old, ready to face the world ~ a Yogini in the making.

We start out in life shiny and bright, then we start to live life. Slowly as we experience things we add layers onto this bright shiny center and it gets harder to see that lightness. We're like an onion, many layers with a tender center. Through the consistent practice of meditation, our inner light shines through again. As we breath each inhale and exhale we peel away our onion's layers.

There is a yogic term kosha that means sheath or layer. We are made up of five of them starting with the outside the annamaya kosha and travelling inward to the anandamaya kosha. Each layer has its own purpose and characteristics.

1. Annamaya kosha:  Food layer or what we know as our body. Its the outer layer, gross or solid, that house the rest, which are subtle. It can be tough and depending on how we view ourselves, maybe a little banged up.
2. Pranamaya kosha: Prana is energy or life force. This is what animates us, our fuel via the breath. It keeps us moving and functioning.
3. Manomaya kosha: This is our "little s" self ~ the ego, how we identify ourselves in relation to the outside world via our mind. 
4. Vinjnanamaya kosha: Jnana is knowledge. This is where we keep stored all of the knowledge we will ever need.
5. Anandamaya knosha: Ananda is bliss. This is the beautiful shiny light inside of us that wants to radiate out for all to see. This is our "big S" Self, our divinity.

The idea of the koshas is abstract in that, other than the annamaya and pranamaya, you can't touch them. You know your are breathing because you are alive and you can hear your tummy rumble. But the ego, intellect, and spirit are experienced through the bhava, the feeling state. They are also manifested in what you create.

Let's take a journey to each of our layers. Take a comfortable seat. Make any necessary movements to loose yourself up. Take several deep belly inhales and exhale through the mouth. Sit tall, shoulders relaxed, belly relaxed, face soft. Breathe naturally.

1. Annamaya: Send your breath into each any and every part of your physical body. Let your breath explore the skin, the organs, the muscles, the tendons, the fluids ~ everything. Just observe what is there, don't judge your body. Appreciate it for what it does for you every single day. Stay here for 10 to 20 breaths.
2. Pranamaya: For 5 to 10 breaths feel how on the inhale your breath rises from the base of the spine to the crown of your head and on the exhale back down. Next, for 5 to 10 breaths feel how on the inhale your breath expands and opens the body and the exhale the body contracts back to center. Next, for 5 to 10 breaths on the inhale feel your breath enliven every cell in your body and the exhale takes away everything you don't need.
3. Manomaya: Let your breath be very natural and simply listen. What is your mind doing? Is it whirling and twirling with thoughts and judgments? Or is it placid? Whatever its doing know that its OK. {If it is whirling and twirling, let the thoughts do their thing without getting hung up on them; with consistent practice they will slow.}
4. Vinjnanamaya: Bring the breath into the middle of the skull at the center of the brow. Visualize a clear, bright blue here. This is the keyhole to your inner library. All knowledge is at your finger tips. Your breath is the key, patience is the pathway. Stay here for 10 to 20 breaths.
5. Anandamaya: Let your breath be your guide here: maybe it will be very quiet almost still, maybe its long and deep. Feel your core, feel the light at center of your being. Its warm and bright. It comes in from the crown of the head into your being and is the sun in your internal Universe. Experience how it radiates out from you brightening the space around you. Allow it. Sit with your light for as long as you like. 

When you are finished, inhale and exhale deeply. Move out of this mediation slowly, moving in a way that feels organic.Acknowledge the deep wonder that is your body and being, honoring it with gratitude.

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