“Kosha” is the sheath of the psyche representing different categories into which the mind and the body have been divided according to its functions.
Annamaya Kosha the Food sheath is the outermost sheath of the body which represents the food taken by the parents which in turn is converted to semen and blood. This fusion is what forms an individual’s appearance, and also the similarity to the appearance of parents.
Pranamaya Kosha or the sheath of Life force is the next sheath and represents the actual prana or the life force of the individual.
Manomaya Kosha or the sheath of Mind is what represents the mind. Mind is the doubting factor within each one, and always fluctuating, so the intellect takes over.
Budhimaya Kosham or the Intellectual sheath is the sheath that represents our decision-making power, and pure consciousness. This sheath takes through the bliss sheath.
Anandamaya Kosham or the Bliss sheath is the innermost sheath that is activated when a yogi’s meditation raises the yogi into a state of bliss - devoid of all attachments and all bonds. This is the ultimate bliss that every yogi yearns for. For the ordinary individual, the experience of this state of bliss is momentary, when an orgasm is experienced i.e. raising of energy from earth element to water element. But the actual height of this bliss is when this energy raises from the Mooladhara to the Sahasrara, which is what a yogi experiences.
