Five Koshas (Covers):
There are five covers or sheaths by which the higher self is enshrouded which are integral part of Quantum Healing. The first cover is a body of a grosser element called ‘Annamaya Kosha’ or minute particles of food-air-water.
Annamaya Kosha (Minute particles of Food-Air-Water): This first body depends for its existence on the vital air element called ‘Matrishva’, the action of which constitutes breathing and other motions in the body. Matrishva is the vital portion of our physical body. So long as this vitality exists and holds together the different molecules of the grosser body, we are said to be living but when vitality deserts the grosser body, the latter becomes a dead mass. This Matrishva is a refined prototype of the grosser body, a model, on which the latter depends for its existence.
This Kosha is dependent on quantity of pure food, water and air supply to sustain and on micro/macro pathways boost cellular biology, ojas (vital force) and prana (life force) which then grow and help to maintain the next kosha.
This second sheath of the vital air particles is called ‘Pranmaya Kosha.
Pranmaya Kosha (More subtle Gaseous Exchange): There is a more subtle form of matter within this sheath of ‘Pranmaya Kosha’. This ‘Pranmaya Kosha’ carries vital parts of oxygen and gases which exchange in deep tissue elements. It is also important to maintain prana or vital force in cellular biology and it is an integral part of ‘Ojas’ which is a vital force of the body. ‘Pranmaya Kosha’ is important to maintain healthy air and food exchange through ‘Annamaya Kosha’ and vice versa. Within those subtle forms of matter resides ‘Manomaya Kosha’ or the mental sheath.
The third Kosha – ‘Manomaya Kosha’ is dependent on healthy eating and living plus Yoga Kriya.
Manomaya Kosha (Psyche- Manas): This is a mental sheath or cover. This is more subtle and refined than the second sheath, in as much as the property of the air is motion. In the first sheath, the motion is physical, but in the second sheath, it is physiological while in the third sheath, it is perceived in the form of ideas, which consequently more subtle but strongly related with first two sheath. This kosha plays a very vital part in psychopathology and goes deeper in cellular biology and ojas.
The action of the mind depends in their turn on the faculty which decides between good and bad and is a director over mental powers. When this faculty is absent, the mental powers disperse as an army disperse without a commander. This faculty is still finer and subtler. It is the essence of the third cover. The third cover is dependent on this directing faculty which is the fourth cover called ‘Vigyanmaya Kosha’.
Manomaya Kosha is dependent on healthy eating, living, yoga kriya, meditation, positive attitude and behavior.