How does the causal body affect our yoga practice?
How does the causal body affect our yoga practice?
The reason we practice yoga is to access the causal body. It is easier said than done as most of us have too many things on our mind that keep pulling us out of silence and stillness. There are ways to clear the mind chatter and access the causal body if only for a second.
What is the causal body?
The causal body, also known as the karana sharira, is the origin of the physical body, it is the self with a capital S. The casual body is the soul, or atman. The seer that is witnessing your life, and your every move.
(Learn more in Know Your Atman (Self).)
Some schools of yoga have different interpretations on what the causal body is, however they all agree that the causal body is the seed of the physical body. The causal body is part of the Anandamaya kosha, or the bliss body.
The causal body is that which witnesses with equanimity our every breath, movement, deed, thought in every moment. That which connects each being to source.
How to tune into your causal body?
You might have caught a glimpse or two of your causal body while practicing yoga, and just did not realize that that was what it was. The best time to try and access the causal body is in savasana, or when you are sitting relaxed and deep in meditation.
(Learn more in Find the Mind's 'Off Switch': 3 Ways to Rein In Your Brain During Meditation.)
The mind must be silent, the body free of any movements or tension. As soon as one is relaxed and the mind is still, even for a brief few seconds, we can tune into the seer within.
The witness of what is happening in the moment. This is the causal body, it is found in the place of surrendering the body, stilling the mind and allowing the practice to nourish and integrate within the body.
Have a question? Ask us here.
View all questions from Suzy Adra.
Written by Suzy Adra
Suzy is an artist, certified yoga instructor, certified energy healing practitioner, certified breath work practitioner, and certified trauma release practitioner. She currently facilitates workshops that combine all these modalities to produce a highly somatic and embodied experience. Suzy holds a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her dissertation is entitled: The States of Presence and Insight in the Painting Process. She is the founder and owner of Bīja Healing Sanctuary.
Full Bio
