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The pranamaya kosha acts as the neutral space, allowing one to move from annamaya to manomaya, manomaya to vijnanamaya, vijnanamaya to anandamaya, and so on. One must use the faculty of prana shakti in order to move from any one state to another. Therefore, the dimension of energy is like the neutral space in the gear box. With the activation of prana, one gains access to the physical, mental, psychic and spiritual dimensions.
Ascending through the koshas
The aim of a yoga aspirant is to attain higher levels of consciousness by piercing through kosha after kosha. All yogic practices facilitate this aim. The shatkarmas, for example, directly influence annamaya kosha and allow the consciousness to penetrate the next level, pranamaya kosha, by freeing the flow of prana. The asanas have a similar influence; they clear the blockages in the annamaya kosha and as a consequence, influence the pranamaya kosha. As one advances in the practice of asanas, their range of influence becomes subtler and the pranamaya kosha is more directly influenced. Pranayama practices influence pranamaya kosha and indirectly affect manomaya kosha.
Purification of the first three sheaths opens the door to
the fourth sheath, vijnanamaya kosha, the sheath of intuition. I low and when anandamaya kosha is penetrated, however, remains a mystery. In the transcendental realm the sequential logic of practices and their effects does not apply. Nevertheless, the five sheaths are interlinked and what happens in one affects the others. The activation of pranic force leads to the development of healing abilities, so that the energy can be used to repair the wounds of life. Purification of manomaya kosha results in clarity of thought and balanced expression of emotions and ego. There is a better understanding of different conditions and situations, and greater creativity in the realms of buddhi, intellect, and kriya, action.
When annamaya and pranamaya are cleansed, there is no longer any barrier between them and manomaya. Mind,
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