Yoga

Yoga Philosophy:

The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali is a collection of 196 Sanskrit sutras on the theory and practice of yoga. It was compiled around 500 BCE by the sage Patanjali, and is the most translated ancient Indian literature. Patañjali divided the Yoga Sutras into four books, containing all 196 sutras/verses.

Purpose of Yoga:

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥
yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ                              — Yoga Sutras 1.2

This verse translates as “Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ) to the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)”.

Trikaya and Panchkosha

The Trikaya:

Yoga philosophy, tells us that our body is actually made up of three bodies:

1. The physical body/etheric body
2. The astral body/emotional body
3. The causal body/mental body

The Trikosha:

Within these three bodies are five sheaths or ‘kosha’:

1. Annamaya kosha, the food sheath
2. Pranamaya kosha, the vital sheath
3. Manomaya kosha, the mental sheath
4. Vigyanamaya kosha, the wisdom sheath
5. Anandamaya kosha, the bliss sheath