Human anatomy and physiology

Dr. Binod Ghimire

BAMS, MD in yoga and
rehabilitation
 Anatomy and physiology
• Anatomy is the science that studies the
structure of the body
• Dissection: The process of cutting apart or
separating tissue as, for example, in the study
of anatomy or in the course of a surgical
procedure.
• Physiology is the study of how the human
body works
 Need of anatomy and physiology for
yoga study
• To increase the effectiveness of yogasana
• To Protect the body from injuries
• To teach yoga correctly
• To get confidence
• To practice yoga scientifically
• To understand mechanism of yoga practices
• Full Virtual 3D Human Body Anatomy
• [Link]
Human body
Panchakosha
• From Mortal to Divine: Bhrigu’s
Enlightenment Story in the Taittiriya
Upanishad
•
[Link]
 पंचकोष शरीर
Based on Taittirīya Upanishad (तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद्)
• अन्िमय कोष - The physical sheath
• प्राणमय कोष - The vital energy or breath sheath
• मिोमय कोष - The mind sheath
• त्तिज्ञािमय कोष - The intellect sheath
• आिन्दमय कोष - The bliss sheath
 Kosha and yogic body
• The gross body sthula sarira/स्थूल शरीर -
made up of physical matter. This body
consists of Annamaya kosha
• The subtle body suksma sarira/सूक्ष्म शरीर -
This body consists of Pranamaya Kosha,
Manomaya Kosha, and Vijanamaya Kosha.
• The causal body karana sarira/कारण शरीर -
This body consists of Ananadamaya Kosha.
 Annamaya kosha
• The physical sheath or ‘food body,’. From
food all beings are born; having born, by food
they grow.
• Representation of the gross physical body
• The medium of enjoyment for gross objects
through the physical senses.
• This sheath is concerned with our physical
existence: birth, growth, change, death and
decay are its qualities.
 Structure of panchatatwa shariir
Panchatatwa Anatomy and Objects of 5 sensory Sense organs
(Element) physiological co- organs
relation

Akash Cavities in body, Sound/शब्द Ear

(Space)/आकाश
Vayu (Air)/वायु Movements, sensory Touch/ स्पशश Skin
and motor impulses

Agni/Tej (Fire)/अग्नि Metabolism, vision Form/रुप Eye

Apas/Jala (Water)/ Plasma, fluid, lymph Taste/रस Tongue

जल

Prithivi (Earth)/पथ्
ृ वी Solid structures like Smell/गन्ध Nose
bone, skin, flesh
 Pranamaya kosha
• The second Kosha is the Pranamaya Kosha.
• It is comprised of prana, or the life energy that
governs the functioning and growth of
organisms
• Vital sheath consisting of the five pranas or vital
energies
• Vital energies glow in nadis and chakras
• Subtler than Annamayakosha
• It corresponds to our physiology: respiration,
digestion, circulation, excretion etc
 Prana sharir/प्राण शरीर
Prana Location Responsibility
Prana Head, lungs, heart Movement is inward and downward, it is the vital life force.
/प्राण Balanced prāṇa leads to a balanced and calm mind and
emotions.
Apana Movement is outward and downward, it is related to
/अपाि processes of elimination, reproduction and skeletal health
Lower abdomen (absorption of nutrients). Balanced apāna leads to a healthy
digestive and reproductive system.
Udana Diaphragm, throat Movement is upward, it is related to the respiratory
/उदाि functions, speech and functioning of the brain. Balanced
udāna leads to a healthy respiratory system, clarity of speech,
healthy mind, good memory, creativity, etc.
Samana/ Navel Movement is spiral, concentrated around the navel, like a
समाि churning motion, it is related to digestion on all levels.
Balanced samāna leads to a healthy metabolism.
Vyana/ Originating from Movement is outward, like the circulatory process. It is
व्याि the heart, related to circulatory system, nervous system and cardiac
distributed system. Balanced vyāna leads to a healthy heart, circulation
throughout and balanced nerves.
Pancha prana
• 7 Chakra Animation । A must watch
Video. Understand the chakra.

[Link]
Chakra Number of petals Location Role Elements Associated
organs
मुलाधार/ 4 Base of Power, and Earth Sexual
root spine pleasure glands
स्वाधधष्ठाि/ 6 Root od Creativity, Water Sexual and
self sexual emotion , renal organs
established organs sexuality
place
मणणपूर/ 10 Navel Courage, Fire Pancreas,
Jewel city digestion, adrenal
metabolism gland
अिाहत/ 12 Heart Love, Air Thymus,
unstruck compassion heart
ववशद्
ु ध / 16 Throat Communicat Space Thyroid
purest ion ,
truthfulness
आज्ञा / 2 Between Intuition, Mind Pituitary
command eyebrows self
reflection
सहस्रार / 1000 Crown Divine Consciousne Pineal
thousand wisdom ss
petaled
 Nadi vigyan
• Nadi- channel
• Major 3 nadis- Ida, pingala and sushumna
• 72,000 nadis- Hatha Yoga Pradipika & Goraksha
Samhita
• 3,50,000 nadis – Shiva Samhita
• 101 channels- Katha Upanishad
• _ An Animation of Sahaja Yoga Self
Realisation through Kundalini Awakening
[Link]
• Prana & Nadi (Chakra Meditation)
[Link]
 Manomaya kosha
• The ‘covering of mind’
• The manas is the sensory-motor mind, which thrives
on the material gathered from the senses of hearing,
touch, sight, taste, and smell.
• This sheath deals with the emotional, mental or
perceptual part of the body
• It is the level that receives impulses from the external
world through the senses, organizes the sensory data,
processes thoughts, emotions, and meaningful
patterns, influences the Prana kosha, and channels the
ways one thinks
• The mental sheath is concerned with the ‘‘lower’’
mental functions,
 Vigyanamaya kosha
• ‘‘higher’’ mental functions, often expressed in the term buddhi that
consists of the intellect (thoughts), the ego (sense of individuality), and
the chitta (informational memory)
• ’ Vijnana means ‘‘certain knowledge’’; it includes the three mental
activities of feeling, willing, and knowing.
• It also represents the mind, skill and all the intelligence behind human
work
• This is the organ of philosophical thought and metaphysical intuition.
• It is also the seat of the human will, by which one orients life toward
either unreflective bodily experience or enhanced awareness and
spiritual realization
• It has the power of reflection of the chaitanya which it accompanies as a
modification of Prakrti (avidya) and characterised by knowledge and
action and always identified with the body, organs etc.
• This kosha is endowed with jnana and to it belong the waking and dream
states and the experiences of joy and sorrow
 Anandamaya kosha
• The most interior of the kosha, the first of the koshas
surrounding the Atman, the eternal center of
consciousness.
• When one transcends all the previous layers, one is
bliss with life. Bliss is the highest dimension of our
existence.
• This is the most harmonious state of mind possible,
associated with states of ecstasy and rapture.
• It is a modification of avidya and appears as a
reflection of the atman compacted of absolute bliss.
It is fully manifested in the dreamless deep sleep
Thank you