The Physical Body (Annamayakosha)

The Physical Body (Annamayakosha) Nina Zolotow by Beth

Joy Sassoon, Age 63

 In part 1 of my series on the koshas, The Koshas: A Yoga Model for Healthy Aging,  I provided an overview of the multi-dimensional, five-layer model of the human being. Today we’ll look at how the model views the first layer, the physical body (Annamayakosha), and suggest ways to approach self-awareness of the body, its sensations, and its intelligence. 

The Tattirya Upanishad provides us with the first mention of the Kosha model and states that the physical body is a manifestation of the earth element: 

“From Brahman came space; from space, air;
From air, fire; from fire, water; from water
Earth; from earth plants; from plants, food;
And from food,
The human body, head, arms, legs, and heart 

From food are made all bodies, which become
Food again for others after their death.” 

—The Upanishads, translation by Eknath Easwaran,

From the western view, anatomy and physiology represent the picture of the human being at the physical level. The number and configuration of body systems varies but I like the list I found at quizlet.com that describes 12 systems of the human body:

1. Integumentary (skin, hair, nails): Regulates body temperature; creates structure for sensation
2. Skeletal System: basic framework of the body; protects and supports bones, joints, cartilage
3. Muscular System: Skeletal muscles attach to bones; maintain posture; helps us move 
4. Nervous System: Brain, spinal cord, nerves & sensory organs
5. Endocrine System: Glands that secrete hormones and chemical that regulate body activities 
6. Circulatory System: Transports blood to all body cells carries waste away from cells 
7. Lymphatic System: Provides a defense against pathogens & other foreign material 
8. Immune System: Protects the body from pathogens and allergens 
9. Respiratory System: Lungs and other structures that carry/conduct air to and from lungs 
10. Digestive System: Ingests and digests food for absorption; eliminates the rest as waste 
11. Urinary System: Excretes waste; controls water & electrolyte balance in the body
12. Reproductive System: organs & bodily structures that enable humans to reproduce

Health is determined by the smooth functioning of the body’s systems and their relationship with each other. We’re encouraged to eat healthy food and adopt a regular exercise schedule to keep our systems in balance and functioning well. When something goes wrong, we seek diagnosis and treatment. Many times we get answers but sometimes we don’t. 

For example, a few years ago I thought I was having a heart attack due to chest pressure, stomach pain, clammy sweat, nausea, etc. I drove myself to an emergency medical walk-in center, where they listened to my symptoms, put me into an ambulance and drove me to a local hospital where I was admitted. Over the next several hours I was put through every cardiac test they had on site. All tests indicated that my heart was fine. They did not offer any other possible reasons for my symptoms. Perhaps because of hospital policies they could not. I don’t know. After an overnight stay, I was released and went home with no answers. It was only after I did my own research, along with having a few similar but less severe experiences, that I came to the realization that I was now lactose intolerant. I was not a happy camper as I love ice cream, cheese, and yogurt but I accepted my new reality, and, thankfully, I have found acceptable substitutes. Since then I’ve also become more sensitive to caffeine and (boo-hoo) chocolate as I watch my digestive system change with age.

From a yogic perspective, when we think of working with the physical body, asana is often our go-to practice. We can view asana practice in two ways; both are valid and depend on your perspective, your needs, and your goals. One way to do this is to practice with the goal of achieving optimal health and functioning, in other words to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible. With that in mind, I’ve been paying close attention to yoga practices that support the functioning of my digestive system. Nina and Baxter have a thorough post on this topic, How Yoga Helps Your Digestive System.

Whatever asana practice we choose, Iyengar, in Light on Life, encourages us to embody our physical postures by observing and correcting the body’s position within our limits—using awareness of the body, intelligence of the brain, and feeling from the heart—to create ease, space, freedom ,and “repose within each pose,” or sthira sukam asanam, a steady, comfortable seat (Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.48). B.K.S. Iyengar says: 

“Your brain may say, “We can do it,” But the knee may say, “Who are you to dictate to me? It is for me to say whether I can do it or not - - - - The body has intelligence and we must tune into that as we practice our asana.” —from Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom

Many other posts on this blog have discussed the use of asana as a way to work with the body to achieve optimal health and functioning. Here are a few recent posts that deal directly with this issue: Too Much Yoga or Just the Wrong Kind by Nina, Opportunities for Creativity in Your Yoga Practice  by Nina, and My On Again Off Again Yoga Practice by Gwen Marie. And ,of course, Nina and Baxter’s new book Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being will be a great guide on this path. 

The other yogic view is to see the body as the beginning of a deeper inward journey to explore the totality of our lives as we work toward wisdom and balance. Joseph LePage, founder of Integrative Yoga Therapy explains that means in his article “Ten Steps To Freedom”:  

“The study and understanding of the koshas is far more than an inventory of the various aspects of our being. The koshas are an integrated framework for developing awareness of all aspects of our lives. As we become conscious, a process of spiritual transformation results, opening us to ever deeper realms of meaning, openness and freedom.” 

As a karma yogi, my path has been one of ‘doing’ but increasingly as I age I have been exploring ways to use my asana practice to deepen awareness of ‘being.’ The rate and pace of my practice has slowed to favor more holding and sensing along with moving slowly from one posture to the next as that allows space to add awareness of breath and mind to awareness of my body and its sensations. Through this, I have learned that stress often manifests itself physically in my digestive process. Awareness of that fact sometimes requires me to make changes in my ‘doing’ as I take baby step by baby step onto the ultimate path toward meaning, openness and freedom. 

Each of Joseph’s Ten Steps is related to one of the Koshas. The steps for exploring the physical body (Annamayakosha) for meaning, openness and freedom are: Step 1) Becoming aware: Acknowledge what is happening in the body and Step 2) Attuning to body sensations: Work with what is happening in the body to deepen self-awareness.

Tomorrow I’ll share a suggested practice for working with these steps.

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