How yoga therapy works: Part 2—Frameworks for understanding
Yoga philosophy understands healing and health somewhat differently than Western models do. A primary model for understanding the work of healing in yoga is the panchamaya kosha, or five-sheaths, model, which holds that different aspects or layers of our experience are located and organized in different theoretical sheaths: physical, energetic, emotional, perceptual, and spiritual. The five sheaths are layers over self-awareness, which in this model is foundational to health. Working through imbalances in the koshas is one of the approaches to healing in yoga therapy.
Problematic patterns—emotional, behavioral, physical, or thought-based—create imbalances. As the Western model tends to separate mind and body, it also separates humans and nature, a separation not found in yoga. In yoga, change in nature, and thus in humans, is governed by three characteristics: movement, inertia, and balance. In this triguna model, the three characteristics interact to create patterns, which are expressed as imbalances in the sheaths. This article connects the triguna model to polyvagal theory, providing a translational framework between Western neurophysiology and the foundations of yoga therapy.
Understanding the panchamaya kosha and triguna models can be an effective way to begin a healing journey, as these concepts offer unique insight into our own patterns of operating in the world. The article above explains that drawing out the relationship between the triguna model and polyvagal theory positions yoga therapy as a “distinct practice rather than fitting into an outside model for [use] in research and clinical contexts.”
Yoga is significantly researched and practiced as a complementary and integrative therapy with safe and effective results for a wide variety of conditions. Because the value of yoga therapy is perhaps not fully realized within existing healthcare systems, explanatory frameworks like this one are keys to understanding how the practice works. The yogatherapy.health blog will present more details of this explanatory framework in future posts in the series on how yoga therapy works.
These simple explanatory posts are helpful to help communicate why what we do works..
Thanks and keep them coming.
Thanks for this comment! It is good to know that they are helpful.
Often realising and experiencing these five layers in our body will bring more positive outlook in our lives.
Your “bite-size” articles are great as I am starting practicum for C-IAYT this spring. I can point my practice clients to them without overwhelming them with information. I look forward to more posts like these!
Thanks for the feedback. It’s important to know how things are received, so we can do more of what people find valuable.
Yes! Let’s talk even more about this subject.
Thank you for this comment. We will post more on this topic in the coming weeks.
Thank you so much for these clear bite-size posts about Yoga Therapy. They are helpful to make the general public aware of the therapeutic framework of Yoga and the vast body of research that shows effectiveness of practice.
Thank you for taking the time to let us know that you find value in these posts. This kind of feedback helps us know what our readers like so we can develop more of that kind of content.