The Hum Beneath the Surface: Exploring the Pranamaya Kosha

This month, we’re diving into the Pranamaya Kosha — the second of the five layers (koshas) of our being in yogic philosophy. While the first layer, the Annamaya Kosha, relates to our physical body — bones, muscles, skin — the Pranamaya Kosha is all about energy.

Think of it like this: the Pranamaya Kosha is the electricity running through the house that is your body. You can’t see it, but you feel it. It’s what gives us that buzz of aliveness — like when you're deep in a heart-opening conversation with someone, and suddenly you both feel more awake, more connected, more lit up. That’s prana moving.

In yoga, prana is our life force — the vital energy that animates us. It flows through a network of channels called nadis, kind of like energetic highways. It’s similar to what an acupuncturist works with — placing needles along meridians to influence the flow of energy and restore balance.

You’ve probably felt this layer without realizing it:

• When your breath deepens and you feel instantly calmer.

• When you walk into a room and sense the mood without anyone saying a word.

• When you lie down in savasana and your whole body tingles and subtly hums.

• Or even in class, when we take a moment to pause - to feel.

That’s exactly why I ask my students to pause during class so often — to notice the echoes of the work we’re doing. To feel that inner hum within us that is starting to shift. In those moments of stillness, we’re tuning into the Pranamaya Kosha — letting our awareness rest not just on the breath, but on the feeling of energy moving.

The Koshas: A Subtle Map of the Self

According to yogic philosophy, we’re made up of five bodies known as the koshas, or “sheaths.” These layers move from the most tangible to the most subtle — like nesting dolls or layers of an onion.

Each layer is interconnected — what happens in one affects the others. When our energy is blocked or depleted, it ripples through how we think, feel, and show up in the world.

Try This: A Simple Practice to Feel Your Energy Body

If you’re curious to experience your Pranamaya Kosha right now, try this:

Hold your arms in the air for 30 seconds to a minute. Keep breathing steadily. Notice what you feel as you hold.

Then, let your arms drop gently down. Close your eyes if that feels comfortable. Pause and tune in.

Can you feel the movement of energy through your arms and shoulders? That tingling, buzzing, pulsing sensation? That’s prana — shifting, responding, flowing.

We can learn to direct this flow with our awareness. Through breath, intention, and focus, we guide prana like sunlight through a magnifying glass — to warm, awaken, and nourish a specific area. In our classes, we’ve been exploring what it’s like to flood a part of the body with breath and attention. It’s subtle, but incredibly powerful — and over time, it’s how we learn to work with our energy body, not just our physical one.

The Pranamaya Kosha reminds us that we’re not just muscles and bones — we’re dynamic, pulsing, vibrating fields of life force. When we tune into that layer, we begin to practice in a different way. Less about perfect shapes. More about what’s moving within.

I'll leave you with this beautiful line from the Taittiriya Upanishad, one of the ancient yogic texts that first described the koshas:

“From prana all things arise. By prana they live. Into prana they return.”

This month, let’s listen for the hum beneath the surface. Let’s practice not only to strengthen our bodies, but to attune to the inner current that sustains us.