Becoming the Witness: Exploring the Layers of Self

Let your practice be the mirror that helps you witness without judgement

November’s class theme is Becoming the Witness – a journey into self-awareness and the deeper layers of our being. In yoga, we often begin with the body: we stretch, strengthen, balance, and breathe. Yet beyond the physical practice lies something subtler – the ability to observe ourselves without judgement. This awareness is known in sanskrit as sakshi bhava, the witness consciousness.

Learn to observe your thoughts

When we become the witness, we step back from identifying solely with our body or our mind. Instead of being caught in the stream of thoughts, emotions, and sensations, we learn to observe them – to notice what arises and passes without clinging or resisting. This shift in perspective is at the heart of yoga’s spiritual path: moving from “I am the body” or “I am my thoughts” toward “I am the awareness that sees.”

The five koshas (sheaths)

Throughout November, we’ll explore this concept through the framework of the koshas — the five layers of being described in yogic philosophy:

1. Annamaya kosha the physical body

2. Pranamaya kosha the energetic or breath body

3. Manomaya kosha the mental and emotional body

4. Vijnanamaya kosha the wisdom or intuitive body

5. Anandamaya kosha the bliss body

   
   

By becoming aware of each kosha, we begin to understand how our experiences ripple through all levels – from the tangible to the subtle. As we move, breathe, and meditate together, our practice becomes an act of gentle inquiry: Who am I beneath all these layers?

This month, allow your mat to become a mirror. With each breath, practice witnessing – not fixing, not judging, simply noticing. In that spacious awareness, the deeper truth of yoga begins to reveal itself.

What does 'becoming the witness' mean to you?