It’s easy to become caught up in the fast pace of our modern world. So many of us are split between work, family, to-do lists, and never-ending obligations that we rarely have a moment to reflect on what truly makes us happy.
“We move through our life on autopilot, getting up in the morning and we’ve got the to-do lists, and we just keep going straight through. And we never kind of ask ourselves, ‘Why am I doing this?’”
Yoga therapist Beth Gibbs encourages us to reflect on the root of our day-to-day actions in this free download interview. Here, she asks us to consider: What would change if you were truly in the driver’s seat of how you spend your time?
Although it can be tempting to feel stuck in old habits and routines, Beth tells us that we do have the choice to take our lives into our own hands – and it starts with self-awareness.
“Self-awareness and the ability to understand ourselves deeply on all levels helps us live more balanced in this crazy complicated world we all share,” Beth explains here.
How can we cultivate greater self-awareness? In this free download, Beth breaks down the koshas, the 3,000-year-old yogic model takes us to the true multi-dimensional nature of the Self.
Often explained as layers of an onion or Russian dolls that neatly fit within one another, the five koshas are interconnected energetic layers that were first described in the Taittiriya Upanishad. From gross to subtle, the five layers are:
One: Physical (annamaya kosha) your body and your environment.
Two: Energetic (pranamaya kosha) your breath and energy levels.
Three: Mental (manomaya kosha) your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions.
Four: Intuitive wisdom (vijnanamaya kosha) is your ability to observe all of your layers and your life with compassion and without judgment.
Five: Bliss (anandamaya kosha) is your connection to something larger than yourself.
You don’t have to be a philosophy expert or experienced yoga student for the koshas to work for you – in fact, you don’t have to have ever stepped on a yoga mat.
“Once you figure out what’s going on inside, you can consciously choose to make a change,” Beth tells us.
Understanding the interconnected nature of the Self through the koshas can allow us to shift from autopilot to conscious action both on the mat and in our lives.
You may also be interested in Beth Gibb’s course: Connecting with Your Multi-Dimensional Self: A Journey Through the Five Koshas.
