New to Yoga

Practices

Yoga in Your Daily Life

Yoga Beyond Asana

Sister Sciences »

Our Sangha »

Energetic Body

The Three Gunas: Tamas, Rajas and Sattva

The word Guna means "that which binds" in Sanskrit. According to Vedic science, all matter and energy that make up the manifest world consists of the three gunas in different quantities. They describe the qualities of nature and states of awareness, and are likened to...

read more

Anandamaya Kosha

              The last of the five koshas is anandamaya kosha—the bliss sheath. Anandamaya encompasses not the feeling of bliss, but rather, the experience of bliss. In contrast to vijnanamaya kosha, you do not witness the bliss...

read more

Vijnanamaya Kosha

              The fourth of the five koshas is vijnanamaya kosha—the wisdom sheath. Vijnanamaya encompasses intuition and intellect. It can be thought of as the witness mind, or that aspect of our consciousness that is not entangled...

read more

Manomaya Kosha

              The third of the five koshas is manomaya kosha—the mind sheath. Manomaya encompasses the processing of thoughts and emotions. It is the connection point between the lower and upper two sheaths. It involves the functions...

read more

Pranamaya Kosha

The second of the five koshas is pranamaya kosha—the energy body. The vital energies of the body—also known as prana—on the physiologic level and on a more subtle level, are contained within this kosha. Prana does not necessarily “reside” within the body, as it...

read more

Anamaya Kosha

The first of the five koshas is anamaya kosha—the physical body. Your limbs, torso, and head; your skin, muscles, bones, and organs—everything that makes up your body, inside and out, is the anamaya kosha. The practice of yoga begins with the anamaya kosha because it...

read more

The Koshas

The yoga practice is often said to be a mind-body or mind-body-spirit practice. One explanation for this is found in the presence of the five koshas—the “layers” or “sheaths” that exist to help integrate the different aspects of our being. The koshas help up perceive...

read more

Udana Vayu

Udana vayu, or "ascending air," is the prana vayu that directs prana from lower to upper chakras. Udana vayu is the channel that leads from lower to upper levels of consciousness, carrying the energy of kundalini—the dormant energy awakened through yoga practice—up...

read more

Vyana Vayu

Vyana vayu, or "omnipresent air," is the prana vayu that integrates all vayus. Vyana vayu helps to balance the other four vayus, and is present throughout the body. It is not associated with any one area of the body, but rather the entire body, and even extends...

read more

Samana Vayu

Samana vayu, or "balancing air," is the prana vayu at the meeting point between prana, the inward/upward-moving vayu, and apana, the outward/downward-moving vayu. Samana vayu unites these two energies together. Located at the navel, samana vayu governs agni, the...

read more

Apana Vayu

Apana is the prana vayu that involves the downward and outward flow of energy from the body. Apana vayu governs the outward flow of energy on the breath, with digestive elimination, and with menstruation. The seat of apana vayu is the muladhara chakra, or the root...

read more

Prana-Vayu

The individual prana-vayu, not to be confused with the entire category of prana vayus, is the specific function of movement of prana, or life force. Prana-vayu governs the inward movement of prana, which enters the body with breath, food, and drink, and also enters...

read more

Prana Vayus

The prana vayus are the five movements or functions of prana, or life force. Vayu means, literally, “wind.” The five prana vayus are prana vayu, apana vayu, samana vayu, udana vayu, and vyana vayu. Each governs a different area of the body. When they are balanced...

read more

Sahasrara Chakra: The Crown

Sahasrara chakra is the chakra of our divine center located at the crown of the head. Sahasrara means thousand-fold or infinity, and the chakra is associated with the color violet and with the consciousness element. The qualities of this chakra are divinity and...

read more

Ajna Chakra: The Third Eye Center

Ajna chakra is the chakra of intuition and clarity located at the third eye, which is between the eyebrows. Ajna is associated with the color purple and with the mind element. The qualities of this chakra are inspiration, intuition, and inner vision. Through Ajna...

read more

Vishuddha Chakra: The Throat Center

  Vishuddha chakra, the communication chakra located at the throat, is associated with the color blue and with the space element. The qualities of this chakra are communication, truth, and self-expression. Vishuddha governs not only our communication with others,...

read more

Anahata Chakra: The Heart Center

  Anahata chakra, the heart chakra located at the center of the chest, is associated with the color green and with the air element. The qualities of this chakra are unconditional love and compassion. Anahata is the gateway between the lower and upper chakras....

read more
Manipura Chakra: The Solar Plexus

Manipura Chakra: The Solar Plexus

 Manipura chakra, the solar plexus chakra located at the navel, is associated with the color yellow and with the fire element—it is our power center. The qualities of Manipura are self-esteem, power, gut feelings, ego, and confidence. From Manipura chakra we develop...

read more

Svadhisthana Chakra

Svadhisthana is known as “the seat of the self,” or the seat of the soul. It is located at the sacrum, just above the base of the spine. Svadhisthana is associated with the water element. All bodily fluids are governed by this chakra. And as a water chakra, the energy...

read more

Muladhara Chakra: The Root

Muladhara, the root chakra is located at the very end of the spine and is activated by the perineum and pelvic floor. Being the root chakra, Muladhara is associated with the element of earth. Its qualities include survival, family, primal, and materialistic concerns....

read more