Methodology – GoInwards

Our Methodology

The human subtle anatomy is a composite of five layers, which incorporates energy, emotions, thoughts, intellect and intuition into a holistic relationship. And in this “inner playroom” is where the individual explores experiences with consciousness, during their course of growth and development.

The Five Koshas: A Holistic Framework for Human Wellness

The five koshas, or sheaths, are a conceptual framework from the Taittiriya Upanishad, an ancient Indian text, that describe the layers of human existence. These layers range from the physical body to more subtle aspects like energy, mind, and consciousness, offering a comprehensive view of human health and well-being. By understanding and addressing these layers, individuals can apply a holistic approach to wellness.

The koshas are: Annamaya (physical body), which emphasizes nutrition and exercise; Pranamaya (vital energy body), focusing on breath and energy management; Manomaya (mental body), involving cognitive and emotional health; Vijnanamaya (wisdom body), related to intellect and intuition; and Anandamaya (bliss body), which pertains to inner peace and fulfillment. This framework can guide practices such as mindful eating, breathwork, mental health care, intellectual growth, and activities that promote inner joy, thereby fostering a balanced and healthy life.

Annamaya Kosha (Physical Body)

Annamaya Kosha, known as the “food sheath,” is the outermost layer of human existence and corresponds to the physical body. It is named after “anna,” the Sanskrit word for food, highlighting the importance of nourishment in maintaining this layer. This kosha includes all physical aspects such as muscles, bones, skin, and organs, and it is sustained by the nutrients we consume. Understanding and caring for the Annamaya Kosha involves proper nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient rest, and overall physical health. By maintaining the well-being of this sheath, individuals can create a strong foundation for the health of the other koshas, fostering overall balance and harmony in their lives.

Here is a summary of yoga poses, when practiced regularly, help maintain physical health, increase body awareness, and provide a strong foundation for yoga practice.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

- Benefits: Improves posture, strengthens the legs, and establishes a sense of grounding.
- Description: Stand tall with feet together, arms by your sides, and weight evenly distributed across both feet. Engage your thighs, lift your chest, and elongate your spine.

Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

- Benefits: Stretches the entire body, strengthens the arms and legs, and improves circulation.
- Description: Start on hands and knees, tuck toes, and lift hips toward the ceiling, forming an inverted V-shape. Keep your spine long and legs straight.

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)

- Benefits: Strengthens the legs, opens the hips and chest, and improves focus and balance.
- Description: Step one foot back, bend the front knee, and raise your arms overhead, keeping your hips squared forward.

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

- Benefits: Strengthens the legs, increases stamina, and enhances concentration.
- Description: From Warrior I, open your hips and shoulders to the side, extend your arms parallel to the ground, and gaze over the front hand.

Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

- Benefits: Stretches the legs, hips, and spine; strengthens the core; and improves balance.
- Description: From Warrior II, straighten the front leg, hinge at the hip, and reach forward. Lower your hand to your shin or the floor and extend the opposite arm upward.

Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

- Benefits: Enhances balance, strengthens the legs, and opens the hips.
- Description: Stand on one leg, place the opposite foot on the inner thigh or calf (avoid the knee), and bring your hands to prayer position or overhead.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

- Benefits: Strengthens the back, glutes, and legs; opens the chest and hips.
- Description: Lie on your back, bend your knees with feet flat on the floor, and lift your hips while keeping your shoulders grounded.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

- Benefits: Strengthens the spine, opens the chest, and stretches the abdominal muscles.
- Description: Lie on your stomach, place your hands under your shoulders, and lift your chest while keeping your pelvis on the floor.

Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

- Benefits: Stretches the spine, hamstrings, and calves; calms the mind.
- Description: Sit with legs extended, hinge at the hips, and reach forward to grasp your feet or shins, keeping your spine long.

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

- Benefits: Promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress, and rejuvenates the body.
- Description: Lie flat on your back with arms at your sides, palms facing up, and feet relaxed. Close your eyes and focus on deep, slow breathing.

Additional practices beneficial for maintaining and enhancing the physical health include:

Balanced Nutrition: Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats ensures the body receives essential nutrients for optimal functioning.

Adequate Hydration: Drinking sufficient water daily is crucial for bodily functions, including digestion, temperature regulation, and toxin elimination.

Proper Rest and Sleep: Ensuring regular, quality sleep helps in the repair and rejuvenation of the body, supporting overall health and well-being.

Hygiene and Self-care: Maintaining personal hygiene, practicing regular skincare, and engaging in relaxation techniques like massages contribute to physical well-being.

Mindful Eating: Being aware of what and how you eat, such as chewing thoroughly and eating without distractions, enhances digestion and nutrient absorption.

By incorporating these practices, individuals can support the health and vitality of the Annamaya Kosha, forming a solid foundation for the well-being of the other layers of their being.

Pranamaya Kosha (Emotional Body, also known as the Vital Energy Body)

Pranamaya Kosha, the “vital energy sheath,” is the second layer of human existence, encompassing the life force or prana that sustains and animates the physical body. This kosha includes the breath and an intricate network of energy channels (nadis) and centers (chakras) that distribute this vital energy throughout the body. Maintaining the balance and flow of prana is essential for overall vitality, health, and well-being. Practices such as breath control (pranayama), energy healing, and mindful physical exercise can enhance the Pranamaya Kosha, leading to improved energy levels, physical health, and a greater sense of harmony and balance in life. Here’s a summary of beneficial practices:

Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

- Benefits: Balances energy channels, reduces stress, and enhances mental clarity.
- Description: Sit comfortably, close the right nostril with the right thumb, inhale through the left nostril, close the left nostril with the right ring finger, and exhale through the right nostril. Reverse the process and repeat.

Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath)

- Benefits: Cleanses the respiratory system, energizes the body, and improves concentration.
- Description: Sit comfortably, inhale deeply, and then exhale forcefully through the nose while pulling the navel in towards the spine. Passive inhale follows each exhale. Continue rhythmically.

Ujjayi (Victorious Breath)

- Benefits: Calms the mind, increases oxygen intake, and enhances the flow of prana.
- Description: Constrict the back of the throat slightly, inhale and exhale through the nose, creating a gentle, whispering sound.

Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar)

- Benefits: Energizes the body, improves flexibility, and balances prana.
- Description: Perform a sequence of poses (e.g., Mountain Pose, Forward Bend, Plank, Upward-Facing Dog, Downward-Facing Dog) in sync with your breath.

Mula Bandha (Root Lock)

- - Benefits: Directs energy upward, stabilizes the core, and improves concentration.
- Description: Contract the muscles of the pelvic floor, as if stopping the flow of urine, and hold the contraction while breathing normally.

Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock)

- Benefits: Stimulates the solar plexus, improves digestion, and enhances energy flow.
- Description: On an exhale, pull the abdominal muscles inward and upward, holding the lock after exhalation.

Jalandhara Bandha (Throat Lock)

- Benefits: Regulates prana in the throat and head, calms the mind, and stimulates the thyroid gland.
- Description: Tuck the chin towards the chest, lengthening the back of the neck, and hold the lock after exhalation.

Chin Mudra

- Benefits: Enhances the flow of prana, calms the mind, and improves concentration.
- Description: Touch the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb, extending the other three fingers.

Prana Mudra

- Benefits: Activates the root chakra, increases vitality, and balances energy.
- Description: Touch the tips of the ring finger and little finger to the tip of the thumb, extending the other two fingers.

Reiki

- Benefits: Balances energy, reduces stress, and promotes healing.
- Description: Channel universal energy through the hands to different parts of the body to balance the body’s energy.

Tai Chi

- Benefits: Enhances energy flow, improves balance, and reduces stress.
- Description: Perform slow, deliberate movements with coordinated breath to promote the flow of energy.

Qi Gong

- Benefits: Promotes health, increases vitality, and enhances spiritual development.
- Description: Practice coordinated body movements, breathing, and meditation to improve energy flow.

Mindfulness of Breath

- Benefits: Calms the mind, improves focus, and balances prana.
- Description: Sit quietly and focus attention on the natural flow of the breath, noticing each inhale and exhale.

Breath Counting

- Benefits: Regulates breathing patterns, improves concentration, and calms the mind.
- Description: Count each breath, from one to ten, and then start over. Maintain focus on the breath and counting.

These practices help regulate and enhance the flow of prana, leading to increased vitality, mental clarity, and overall well-being.

Manomaya Kosha (Mental Body)

Manomaya Kosha, the “mental sheath,” is the layer of human existence that encompasses the mind and emotions. It governs our thoughts, feelings, and mental processes, shaping our perceptions and reactions to the world. This kosha is crucial for understanding and managing our cognitive and emotional states. Practices that enhance the Manomaya Kosha include mindfulness and meditation to foster mental clarity, emotional regulation techniques to manage feelings effectively, positive thinking to shift negative thought patterns, and stress management activities to maintain emotional balance. Engaging in intellectual and creative pursuits also supports mental agility and overall psychological well-being. Here’s a summary of beneficial practices:

Mindfulness Meditation

- Benefits: Increases awareness, reduces stress, and improves emotional regulation.
- Description: Sit comfortably, focus on the present moment, and observe thoughts and sensations without judgment.

Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta)

- Benefits: Cultivates compassion, reduces negative emotions, and enhances emotional resilience.
- Description: Sit comfortably, silently repeat phrases like “May I be happy, may I be healthy,” extending these wishes to others.

Guided Visualization

- Benefits: Reduces stress, enhances creativity, and improves focus.
- Description: Follow a guided script or recording that leads you through a series of calming and positive visualizations.

Journaling

- Benefits: Clarifies thoughts, processes emotions, and enhances self-awareness.
- Description: Write regularly about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences to explore and understand them better.

Mindful Walking

- Benefits: Reduces stress, improves focus, and enhances connection with the environment.
- Description: Walk slowly and mindfully, paying close attention to the sensations in your body and the surrounding environment.

Affirmations

- Benefits: Boosts confidence, reduces negative self-talk, and enhances positivity.
- Description: Regularly repeat positive statements about yourself and your life.

Therapy or Counseling

- Benefits: Provides professional guidance, resolves mental and emotional issues, and promotes mental health.
- Description: Engage in sessions with a licensed therapist or counselor to work through personal challenges and improve mental well-being.

Self-Inquiry (Atma Vichara)

- Benefits: Enhances self-awareness, deepens understanding, and promotes inner peace.
- Description: Continuously question and reflect on the nature of the self by asking, “Who am I?” and exploring the answers that arise.

Reading and Study

- Benefits: Stimulates the mind, increases knowledge, and enhances intellectual growth.
- Description: Engage in reading spiritual texts, philosophy, or other intellectually stimulating materials.

Contemplation

- Benefits: Deepens insight, enhances understanding, and promotes mental clarity.
- Description: Spend time in quiet reflection on a specific thought, idea, or spiritual concept.

Creative Expression

- Benefits: Enhances emotional expression, reduces stress, and stimulates the mind.
- Description: Engage in activities like drawing, painting, writing, or playing music to express and process emotions creatively.

Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep)

- Benefits: Promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress, and enhances mental clarity.
- Description: Lie down comfortably and follow a guided relaxation practice that takes you through the layers of consciousness.

Breath Awareness

- Benefits: Calms the mind, improves focus, and reduces stress.
- Description: Sit quietly and focus on the natural rhythm of your breath, noticing each inhale and exhale.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

- Benefits: Reduces stress, clears emotional blockages, and enhances emotional health.
- Description: Tap on specific meridian points on the body while focusing on an emotional issue and repeating affirmations.

These practices help harmonize and integrate the mental and emotional aspects of the Manomaya Kosha, contributing to mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall psychological well-being.

Vijnanamaya Kosha (Psychic Body, also known as the Wisdom Body)

Vijnanamaya Kosha, the “wisdom sheath,” represents the layer of intellect, insight, and self-awareness within our being. This kosha governs our capacity for discernment, knowledge, and understanding, facilitating informed decision-making and deeper self-realization. To nurture the Vijnanamaya Kosha, practices such as self-reflection, philosophical study, and critical thinking are essential. Engaging in mindful decision-making and guided meditation also helps cultivate greater clarity and alignment with one’s inner wisdom. By focusing on these practices, individuals can enhance their intellectual and spiritual growth, leading to a more profound understanding of themselves and their purpose. Here’s a summary of beneficial practices:

Self-Inquiry (Atma Vichara)

- Benefits: Deepens self-awareness, enhances understanding of the true self, and promotes inner peace.
- Description: Continuously question and reflect on the nature of the self by asking, “Who am I?” and exploring the answers that arise.

Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge)

- Benefits: Cultivates wisdom, fosters intellectual understanding, and leads to self-realization.
- Description: Study spiritual texts, engage in discussions, and reflect on philosophical teachings to gain deeper insights into the nature of reality.

Meditative Contemplation

- Benefits: Enhances mental clarity, deepens insight, and promotes spiritual growth.
- Description: Spend time in quiet reflection on a specific thought, idea, or spiritual concept, allowing deeper understanding to emerge.

Study and Learning

- Benefits: Stimulates the intellect, increases knowledge, and enhances wisdom.
- Description: Engage in reading spiritual texts, philosophy, or other intellectually stimulating materials, and participate in study groups or discussions.

Mindfulness Meditation

- Benefits: Increases awareness, reduces mental chatter, and promotes discernment.
- Description: Sit comfortably, focus on the present moment, and observe thoughts and sensations without judgment.

Satsang (Association with Truth)

- Benefits: Inspires spiritual growth, provides support, and enhances understanding.
- Description: Participate in gatherings with spiritual teachers or like-minded individuals to discuss and reflect on spiritual teachings and experiences.

Intuitive Development Practices

- Benefits: Enhances intuitive abilities, fosters inner guidance, and promotes clarity.
- Description: Engage in practices that cultivate intuition, such as quiet meditation, journaling insights, or following intuitive prompts.

Visualization

- Benefits: Enhances mental clarity, stimulates the intellect, and deepens insight.
- Description: Visualize abstract concepts, spiritual symbols, or desired outcomes to gain deeper understanding and insight.

Ethical Living (Yamas and Niyamas)

- Benefits: Fosters moral clarity, enhances spiritual growth, and promotes wisdom.
- Description: Practice the ethical guidelines of yoga, such as non-violence, truthfulness, and contentment, to cultivate a life of integrity and wisdom.

Silent Retreats

- Benefits: Promotes deep introspection, enhances mental clarity, and fosters spiritual insight.
- Description: Spend time in silence, away from daily distractions, to deepen your meditation practice and connect with inner wisdom.

Reflection on Life Experiences

- Benefits: Provides insight, enhances understanding, and promotes personal growth.
- Description: Reflect on past experiences, identifying lessons learned and wisdom gained, to apply to current and future situations.

Advanced Meditation Practices

- Benefits: Deepens spiritual insight, enhances mental clarity, and fosters wisdom.
- Description: Engage in advanced meditation techniques, such as Vipassana or Zen meditation, to cultivate a deeper understanding of the self and reality.

These practices help cultivate and integrate the intellectual and intuitive aspects of the Vijnanamaya Kosha, contributing to a deeper understanding, enhanced wisdom, and spiritual growth.

Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss Body)

Anandamaya Kosha, the “bliss sheath,” represents the innermost layer of our being, characterized by a profound sense of joy, contentment, and inner peace. This kosha reflects our true essence, offering a state of happiness that transcends external circumstances. To nurture the Anandamaya Kosha, practices such as meditation, gratitude, selfless service, spiritual activities, and mindful living are essential. By focusing on these practices, individuals can deepen their connection to inner joy and fulfillment, leading to a more enduring and authentic sense of well-being that resonates with their true self.

1. Deep Meditation

- Benefits: Connects with inner bliss, promotes profound peace, and deepens spiritual awareness.
- Description: Engage in deep meditation practices, such as transcendental meditation or advanced mindfulness techniques, to quiet the mind and experience inner joy.

2. Devotional Practices (Bhakti Yoga)

- Benefits: Cultivates love and devotion, enhances spiritual connection, and fosters a sense of unity with the divine.
- Description: Engage in devotional activities, such as chanting, singing hymns, prayer, or participating in rituals that honor a higher power.

3. Gratitude Practice

- Benefits: Increases joy, fosters positive outlook, and enhances emotional well-being.
- Description: Regularly reflect on and express gratitude for the blessings and positive aspects of life, either through journaling or verbal acknowledgment.

4. Seva (Selfless Service)

- Benefits: Fosters joy and fulfillment, promotes a sense of purpose, and enhances spiritual growth.
- Description: Engage in acts of selfless service to others, without expecting anything in return, to experience the joy of giving.

5. Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta)

- Benefits: Cultivates compassion and love, enhances emotional well-being, and promotes inner peace.
- Description: Sit comfortably, silently repeat phrases like “May I be happy, may I be healthy,” extending these wishes to others and feeling the warmth of these intentions.

6. Creative Expression

- Benefits: Enhances joy, stimulates creativity, and provides a sense of fulfillment.
- Description: Engage in creative activities, such as painting, music, writing, or dance, that allow you to express yourself joyfully and freely.

7. Nature Immersion

- Benefits: Connects with natural beauty, enhances inner peace, and promotes a sense of unity with the world.
- Description: Spend time in nature, observing and appreciating the beauty and tranquility of the natural world, and feeling a sense of connection with all living things.

8. Spiritual Community (Satsang)

- Benefits: Inspires spiritual growth, provides support, and enhances joy.
- Description: Participate in gatherings with spiritual teachers or like-minded individuals to share experiences, learn, and grow together.

9. Silent Retreats

- Benefits: Promotes deep introspection, enhances spiritual connection, and fosters inner bliss.
- Description: Spend time in silence, away from daily distractions, to deepen your meditation practice and connect with inner bliss.

10. Contemplative Prayer

- Benefits: Deepens spiritual connection, fosters inner peace, and enhances a sense of unity with the divine.
- Description: Engage in silent, contemplative prayer, focusing on a deep connection with a higher power and experiencing the joy that arises from this connection.

11. Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep)

- Benefits: Promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress, and enhances inner bliss.
- Description: Lie down comfortably and follow a guided relaxation practice that takes you through the layers of consciousness to experience profound peace and joy.

12. Acts of Kindness

- Benefits: Increases joy, promotes positive relationships, and enhances emotional well-being.
- Description: Perform random acts of kindness, such as helping a stranger, offering a compliment, or volunteering, to spread joy and experience the bliss of giving.

13. Spiritual Study

- Benefits: Deepens spiritual understanding, enhances wisdom, and fosters inner bliss.
- Description: Engage in the study of spiritual texts and teachings that inspire and uplift, reflecting on their deeper meanings and applying them to your life.

These practices help cultivate and integrate the deep, abiding joy and spiritual fulfillment associated with Anandamaya Kosha, leading to a profound sense of inner bliss and unity with the divine.