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A great way to understand our human experience is through the Yogic system of the Koshas. This system was first introduced to me by my friend David Bingham. It served as a way to not only stabilize the initial awakening but also as a clear structure one can utilize moving forward.
The Kosha system, or Five Bodily Sheaths, is a key pillar of David's teachings, and many people who have listened to him expound them have resonated with it for one simple reason. Which is, as he ingeniously points out, they are normally always listed in the reverse order!
So then, taking our infinite nature (consciousness) as the primordial subject, the correct order is as follows...
1: Anandamaya kosha: The Body of Bliss
Peace, unconditional love, joy
2: Vijnanamaya kosha: The Body of Wisdom
Intuition, inner knowing, effortless being
3: Manomaya kosha: The Mental Body
Thoughts, mind, thinking
Vital energy, breath, emotions
5: Annamaya kosha: The Physical Body
The most tangible yet least part of yourself
So, to clarify why this is the correct order, let me pose a question:
What do you know for sure?
You do not know for sure that you are a physical body. After all, you could be dreaming. In a dream, everything appears real. However, we do know that we exist. Nobody denies the knowing of their own existence. Another way of putting it is that you are aware, and you know that you are aware.
So, from this knowing-awareness the five sheaths seemingly project outwards, from the Body of Bliss to the gross Physical Body. Like a finger extending from a hand from the first knuckle to the fingernail. And notice this also; the stuff that this finger is "made of" is the same stuff that the source is "made of"...pure consciousness.
You are simply consciousness expressing Itself as you.
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