From Nara to Narayana: Healing the Psycho-Somatic Disconnect

We often say that Nara (the human being) is essentially Narayana (the Divine). We are all Divine, but the tragedy of the human condition is that we have forgotten it.

We are "Ishwara" suffering from amnesia.

In our forgetfulness, we create a false identity—Asmita—and latch onto it with our likes and dislikes (Raga-Dwesha). This identity wants to survive at any cost, and this, my friends, is the root of all stress-induced disorders.

If you want to understand why we suffer, you must look at the Klesha model. It all begins with Avidya (ignorance). When we lose our center, our Pancha Koshas—the five sheaths of our existence—begin to drift apart. This state of psycho-somatic disassociation and mal-alignment is what we call NARA.

In Gitananda Yoga Chikitsa, we see that NARA manifests as "inappropriateness" across different levels of our being:

• Annamaya Kosha (The Physical Existence): Have you ever known someone who is constantly having "accidents"? They walk into doors instead of through them, or they constantly trip over things. The mind knows where the object is, but the body is out of alignment with the mind. This is physical inappropriateness.

• Pranamaya Kosha (The Functional Existence): This is where functionality goes out of kilter. When you should be alert, you are dull; when you should be relaxed, you are hyper-alert. Your heart rate goes up when it should go down. The "engine" is no longer responding to the needs of the journey.

• Manomaya Kosha (The Mental Existence): Here we see emotional inappropriateness. You find yourself sad when there is cause for joy, or happy when a situation requires solemnity. The emotional body is no longer able to respond appropriately to the reality of the moment.

  
  

Interestingly, the higher sheaths—Vijnanamaya (Wisdom) and Anandamaya (Bliss)—rarely go out of alignment.

Why? Because they are more about the "Universal We" rather than the "Individual Me." Alignment issues primarily plague the body, energy, and mind because that is where the "Me" lives and struggles.

The beauty of the Gitananda tradition is that Kosha is not just a theory; it is a diagnostic and therapeutic principle.

When we see repeated accidents, we know we must realign the Annamaya. When we see functional imbalance, we work on the Pranamaya. When we see emotional turbulence, we target the Manomaya.

How do we do this?

While the assessment for each person is unique, the application is beautifully simple:

Any practice that brings the Body, the Mind, and the Breath together will harmonize the sheaths.

Through conscious asana, regulated pranayama, and the cultivation of Samatvam (equanimity), we bridge the gaps.

We stop walking into doors and start walking through them. We move from the fragmented state of Nara back to the integrated glory of Narayana.

Let us remember: Health is not just the absence of disease; it is the presence of harmony across every sheath of our existence.

Blessings to all on this journey of alignment.

Kosha	NARA State	Manifestations	Yoga Chikitsa
Annamaya  (Physical)	Physical Inappropriateness	Constant accidents, tripping, walking into doors, "clumsiness."	Asanas & Kriyas: Practices that bring conscious awareness to body-spatial relationships.
Pranamaya  (Vital)	Functional Inappropriateness	Heart rate/breath rising when they should fall; hyper-alert when needing sleep.	Pranayama: Regulating the breath to bridge the gap between mind and physiological response.
Manomaya  (Mental)	Emotional Inappropriateness	Feeling sad when you should be happy (or vice versa); reacting out of turn.	Yama/Niyama & Chitta Shuddhi: Practices that harmonize emotional responses and mental focus.
Vijnanamaya  (Intellectual)	Agitation (Rarely Misaligned)	Confusion or lack of "Master Plan" (Viveka), though usually remains as the "Inner We."	Svadhyaya & Satsang: Cultivating wisdom and the "Right Attitude" (Samatvam) to guide the lower sheaths.
Anandamaya  (Universal)	Veiling of the Divine	Forgetfulness of our true nature (Avidya); suffering from "amnesia" of the Ishwara within.	Dhyana: Deep meditation to return the Nara (Human) to the state of Narayana (Divine).

Watch Guruji's short talk on NARA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io-4JTkA7eI