Do you want to bring balance
and peace into your life? Are you looking to soothe your body and
calm your mind? Would you like to experience progressively expanded
states of awareness, enabling you to remember your essential nature
as infinite and eternal? Then it is time to explore the different
layers of your inner self. Learn to go beyond the conditioned limits
that restrict your life. Using timeless meditation tools, you will
unlock your inner essence and access your full range of human potential.
We are Multi-Dimensional Beings
According to the ancient tradition of yoga, from which Primordial
Sound Meditation is derived, we are multi-faceted beings. One of
the most influential teachers of the philosophy of yoga and Vedic
science was the ninth-century sage Adi Shankara. Shankara categorized
these layers of life into three primary divisions - a physical body,
a subtle body and a causal body. We can also say body, mind, and
soul. We live simultaneously on these different levels. Meditation
is a technology that benefits body, mind and soul. Let’s explore
each of these primary divisions and their three secondary layers. The Physical Body
We have a physical body, which is comprised of matter and energy.
Within your physical domain, you have an extended body, a personal
body, and an energetic body. Becoming more conscious of the choices
we make to engage the world by minimizing toxicity and maximizing
nourishment is the key to a healthy physical body.
Your extended body is the environment, containing the never-ending
supply of energy and information that is available to you. Although
your senses may tell you otherwise, there is no distinct boundary
between your personal and extended bodies, which are in constant
and dynamic exchange. Each breath that you inhale and exhale is a
reminder of the continuous conversation, taking place between your
physical body and your environment. This recognition requires you
to become an environmentalist and take responsibility for what is
happening in your environment.
Of course, you do have a personal body that consists of the molecules
that temporarily comprise your cells, tissues, and organs. We say
temporarily because although it appears that your body is solid and
constant, it is actually continuously transforming. The vast majority
of the cells in your body are derived from the food you eat. Recognizing
the intimate relationship between our personal body and the food
we eat, Shankara named the physical body annamaya kosha, meaning “the
covering made of food”. To create and maintain a healthy body,
pay attention to the food you consume, minimizing the toxicity you
ingest while maximizing the nourishment you receive.
Shankara called the third layer of the physical body pranamaya kosha,
meaning “the sheath made of vital energy”. This organizing
principle that breathes life into bio-chemicals is called prana.
When prana is moving freely throughout the cells and tissues, vitality
and creativity are abundant. Breathing exercises, known as pranamaya
techniques, are designed to awaken and purify the vital energy layer
of the body. Ultimately, meditation is our most efficient tool to
help us make better choices by enhancing our ability to listen to
the needs of our bodies.
The Subtle Body
Most people identify themselves with their mind, intellect, and ego,
which are the three components of the subtle body. People continue
to believe that they are their minds, but Shankara encourages us
to recognize that the components of our subtle body are simple coverings
of the soul and spirit.
According to this framework, the mind is the repository of sensory
impressions. When you hear a sound, feel a sensation, see a sight,
taste a flavor, or smell a fragrance, the sensory experience registers
in your consciousness at the level of your mind. These experiences
create our sense of reality. The mind cycles through different states
of consciousness, and your sensory experiences change with these
changing states. Yoga reminds us that reality also changes as we
experience different states of consciousness.
The second layer of the subtle body is the intellect. This is the
aspect of the mind that discriminates. Whether you are trying to
decide what kind of toothpaste to purchase or which partner to choose,
your intellect is at work, attempting to calculate the advantages
and disadvantages of every choice you make. Your intellect integrates
information based upon your beliefs and feelings to come to a decision.
The fundamental purpose of this intellectual layer is to distinguish
the real from the unreal. The real is that which cannot be lost whereas
the unreal is anything that has a beginning and end to it. Knowing
the difference is the essence of life.
The third layer of the subtle body is the ego. The ego is that aspect
of your being that identifies with the positions and possessions
of your life. It is your self-image and represents the way you want
to project who you are to yourself and to the world around you. The
ego is the boundary maker that attempts to assert ownership through
the concepts of “I”, “me”, “my”,
and “mine”. The ego seeks security and control and often
has a deep need for approval. Most emotional pain is the result of
your ego being offended because it believed it had control over something
that was outside your jurisdiction.
It is easy to become lost in the subtle body, with it’s attachments
to roles, relationships, and objects. Meditation helps us reduce
mental and emotional turbulence that stand in the way of success
and fulfillment. Relinquishing ownership of the body and mind will
help you experience an aspect of your being that is beyond your usual
conditioned limitations. This is the realm of spirit, which Shankara
called the causal body.
