When "Letting Go" Feels Impossible: What The Koshas Taught Me About True Release

Have you ever tried to "just let go" of a heartbreak, a period of grief, or a major life change, only to find yourself still stuck weeks or months later? You repeat the affirmations, you try to move on, but the feeling—that heavy, persistent weight—just won't budge.

I’ve been there. For years, I approached grief and change as something I needed to think my way out of. But the pain wasn't just in my head; it was trapped in my body, my breath, and my automatic reactions. I was only addressing one layer of my suffering. It wasn't until I turned to Yoga Therapy and the ancient map of the koshas that I truly understood why "letting go" felt impossible.

Teaching: The Koshas—More Than Just a Body

In yoga philosophy, the koshas (Sanskrit for "sheaths" or "layers") describe the five dimensions of our existence. Think of them like five interconnected Russian nesting dolls, moving from the most tangible to the most subtle.

When we experience stress, loss, or transition, the disturbance vibrates through all these layers. True release, therefore, requires awareness and specific tools for each one.

Here are the five koshas:

1. Annamaya Kosha (The Physical Body): Your muscles, bones, skin, and organs. This is the container we live in.

• How it holds stress: Physical tension, chronic pain, digestive issues, restricted movement.

2. Pranamaya Kosha (The Energy Body): The life-force, or prana, that governs your breath, circulation, and nervous system.

• How it holds stress: Shallow or rapid breathing, fatigue, feeling jittery, lack of vitality.

3. Manomaya Kosha (The Mental/Emotional Body): Your mind, thoughts, memories, emotions, and sensory input.

• How it holds stress: Repetitive negative thoughts, worry loops, emotional reactivity, attachment to stories.

4. Vijnanamaya Kosha (The Wisdom/Discernment Body): Your inner wisdom, intuition, and capacity for self-reflection.

• How it holds stress: Difficulty seeing clearly, doubt, poor decision-making, feeling disconnected from your "gut."

5. Anandamaya Kosha (The Bliss Body): The deepest, innermost layer that represents your essential state of joy, peace, and true nature, regardless of external circumstances.

• How it holds stress: Feeling a complete lack of joy, cynicism, deep disconnection from self.

My Personal Story: When Grief Got Trapped in the Layers

After a particularly difficult season of change and loss a few years ago, I felt profoundly stuck. I was trying to talk myself into feeling better, but my body kept sending signals of distress.

Here’s what I learned by viewing my pain through the lens of the koshas:

• The Physical Weight (Annamaya): My shoulders were permanently hunched. I was carrying tension in my jaw and chronic, low-level back pain. My Annamaya Kosha was literally holding the physical shape of stress.

• The Emotional Loop (Manomaya): My mind was a relentless editor, replaying conversations and "what ifs." I was firmly attached to the story of the loss, not just the loss itself.

• The Shallow Breath (Pranamaya): My breath was short and resided mostly in my chest. This kept my nervous system in a constant state of low-grade fight-or-flight. My energy body was trapped.

I realized I couldn't just think my way out of a body that was physically rigid and a breath that was constantly panicking. I needed to move the energy and soothe the physical container first.

The Yoga Therapy Lens: Tools for Multi-Layered Release

In yoga therapy, we view the koshas as a map for awareness—not a way to judge or fix yourself. By pinpointing which layer is most dominant, you can choose the right, gentle practice to initiate release.

Specific Practices for Each Layer of Release

1. Annamaya Kosha (The Physical Body)

• Holding Pattern: Chronic tension, pain, rigidity, fatigue.

• Therapeutic Tool: Restorative Yoga, supported postures, gentle movement, self-massage, conscious relaxation.

2. Pranamaya Kosha (The Energy Body)

• Holding Pattern: Shallow breath, anxiety, feeling jittery, lack of vitality.

• Therapeutic Tool: Pranayama, extended exhales (like Ujjayi or Nadi Shodhana) to calm the nervous system.

3. Manomaya Kosha (The Mental/Emotional Body)

• Holding Pattern: Repetitive thoughts, worry loops, emotional reactivity, attachment to stories.

• Therapeutic Tool: Mantra & Meditation, observing thoughts without attachment; practicing non-identification.

4. Vijnanamaya Kosha (The Wisdom/Discernment Body)

• Holding Pattern: Confusion, poor judgment, self-doubt, feeling disconnected from your "gut."

• Therapeutic Tool: Journaling, reflective prompts to access inner knowing; connecting with core values.

5. Anandamaya Kosha (The Bliss Body)

• Holding Pattern: Feeling a complete lack of joy, cynicism, deep disconnection from self.

• Therapeutic Tool: Gratitude & Self-Compassion, practices that gently remind us of your inherent wholeness and joy.

By working with these tools, I was able to gently invite my body to feel safe enough to relax (Annamaya), which then allowed my breath to deepen (Pranamaya), which quieted the mental noise (Manomaya). Release, in this context, wasn't a sudden action; it was a gradual unfolding.

Practice: Your Pocket Exercise for Instant Awareness

You don't need a yoga mat or a whole hour to begin this work. You just need a moment of awareness. Let's try it right now.

1. Find Stillness: Close your eyes, or soften your gaze.

2. Identify the Weight: Bring to mind one small thing you've been holding onto today—a lingering irritation, a stress, or a recent frustration.

3. Scan the Layers: Ask yourself:

• Body (Annamaya): Where do I feel this sensation in my body? (Tension, tightness, emptiness?)

• Breath (Pranamaya): How is my breath moving? (Fast, shallow, or stuck?)

• Mind (Manomaya): What story is my mind telling me about this feeling?

4. Initiate Release: Take a deep, slow inhale through your nose. And as you exhale, send the breath right to the place you feel the tension. Gently, without force, just soften your grip a little bit. That's it. That is the beginning of working with your koshas.

Reflection & Next Steps

Release is not a destination; it is a gentle, ongoing process of shedding what no longer serves us, layer by layer.

If this concept resonates with you, I encourage you to use the koshas as your map this week.

Watch the Video

I created a new video where I walk you through my personal story in more detail and guide you through a gentle practice to work with your breath and body to begin release.

🎥 https://youtu.be/0WwGvpeA8x0?si=A-hP0MJUkMYv0yXH

Journal Prompt

Use this prompt to guide your reflection:

Which of your five koshas is currently holding onto the most weight in your life? What is one small, gentle practice you can try today to lighten that specific layer?