At Home In The Physical Body: Yoga’s Fifth Body

Hello, beautfiul! 🥰

When was the last time you appreciated how literally AMAZING your body is? It’s easy to ignore the fact that you even have a body sometimes. Hands feeling, nose smelling, eyes seeing, ears hearing, organs processing energy – you are vital; alive. Your body is both the vessel of all that you are and all that you experience, and the form through which you are and you experience.

Today, we’ll consider the physical body through a unique system of thought from the Kundalini tradition that proposes all human beings have 10 energetic bodies which rule the human experience and energetic charge within each of us.

Within these ten bodies, the fifth body is known as the house of the soul and meeting point of all other energetic bodies. By balancing this body, we can find equilibrium within our human form and our inner and outer worlds.

What is the Fifth Body in Yoga?

The fifth body is known as the physical body, and is just what it sounds like; your physical being! Within the 10 body system, the physical body represents balance, sacrifice, and service to humanity. The body houses the soul and is the vessel through which humans seek enlightenment, and other bodies find expression.

If the fifth body is energetically weak, it’s common to lack a sense of equilibrium between your inner and outer experience, and perhaps to feel an overwhelming frustration at this disconnect projected as anger and jealousy. Consistent imbalnce

progresses, it may present itself as an obsession with physical appearance, physical abilities, and the material world.

This body connects to the fourth and sixth bodies, which are associated with your ability to interact with the world around you and be guided through wisdom and intuition. The fifth body is a vehicle of expression through which these bodies are shown.

• The Neutral Mind (Fourth Body): The fourth body, the neutral mind, allows you to perceive and process both positive and negative information from a place of calm and resilience. When this body is strong, you can intake information and make wise decisions that are objective and in line with what is best for your being.
• The Arc Body (Sixth Body): The sixth body, the arc body, is an arcline that extends across the hairline from ear to ear. This body is said to be the heart of intuition and the source of the aura. It is said to be your “halo” and project to others whom you are without needing words to be spoken. This body is related to the pituitary gland, which regulates the nervous system and perception of the world. Women have a second arc-body across their chest.

The 10 Bodies of Yoga

The ten bodies of yoga are said to encompass different attributes of the human form and join to create a network through which our body, mind, and spiritual experiences are ruled.

The ten bodies include:

1. Soul Body
2. Negative Mind
3. Positive Mind
4. Neutral Mind
5. Physical Body
6. Arc body
7. Aura
8. Pranic Body
9. Subtle Body
10. Radiant Body

Philosophical Origins

Yoga’s 10 bodies originate in the Kundalini yoga tradition. Kundalini is all about balancing and channeling energy, and this system proposed that the 10 bodies constitute our anatomy and life force energy as a whole through subtle interactions. 

The honoring of the ten bodies is common in yoga practitioners, but many also adhere to the Five Koshas philosophy. This is the idea that our existence is layered in 5 Koshas, which are nested within each other and represent the energetic layers of the body. These start with the outermost layer, the physical body (Annamaya). As we move inward, they include Pranamaya (life force sheath), Manomaya (mental sheath), Vignanamaya (wisdom sheath), and Ananadamaya (bliss body). These were described as early as the sixth century B.C by Vedic text called the Taittiriya Upanishad.

Characteristics of the Fifth Body

Affirmation: I embody my spiritual being and intelligent life through complete vitality.

Qualities: Your body is the vessel through which all other bodies can express themselves. True facts yogis!

This body is the teacher who is able to explain complexities and elevate those around them. This body is the way you experience life and the balance between the internal and external world. The associated qualities include:

• Sacrifice
• Balance
• Teaching
• Vitality
• Strength

Balancing the Fifth Body

Through the physical body, we are able to perceive other life forces and the world around us. Because of the nature of this body, it is important to find balance between our inner and outer experience. Physical exercise and exercise regularity are both important to keep the body strong and encourage vitality of this body.

How to Stabilize the Fifth Body (Physical Body) 

Leg Lifts

The physical body will find balance through strength and flexibility, and the ability to have energy flowing freely throughout. This can be done through a series of postures movements to lengthen the muscles and strengthen the core. Repetitions of simple movements can be done to balance the muscles and improve easy of movement.

To start, lie flat on your back and clasp your hands under your neck. Keep the legs together and raise them to 90 degrees as you inhale. Make sure you squeeze the core and lift through the naval. Lower the legs as you exhale. Repeat this as many times as able through 108 times. This keeps energy rooted through the lower back and core, centering your energy, and strengthening the muscles that are responsible for all other movements.

Downward Dog to Cobra

This repetition of simple movement helps to strengthen the body and allow free movement of energy throughout the physical body. To perform this, start in downward dog. Make sure a straight line extends from your wrists to hops and hips to heels. 

When this is done, slowly start bending the arms while pulling your elbows in towards your side. Bring the chin towards the ground and scoop the upper body up while bringing the hips to the floor until you are in a cobra or upward dog position.

Breathe in this position, elongating the neck and opening the chest at the heart center. Repeat this movement as many times as you are able.

Prosperity Meditation

Prosperity meditations are meant to help bring an abundance of resources and the ability to see opportunity, as well as gratitude for what has been given. This is especially important for the physical body, as it is responsible for the relationship between the inner and outer worlds.