Beyond the Asana: How the Five Koshas Shape My Yoga Retreats in Ibiza

A yoga retreat can be many things: a beautiful setting, time away from responsibilities, nourishing food and a chance to move the body. But for me, the most meaningful part of a retreat is what begins to happen beneath the surface.

Over the years, one teaching has become the backbone of my yoga philosophy and the way I design the practices we share at Ananda: the five koshas, or five sheaths of our being.

They offer a beautiful reminder that we are not simply our physical bodies. Our energy, our thoughts, our emotions, our wisdom and our capacity for stillness are all part of the experience of being human.

Beyond the physical practice

My intention has never been to create a retreat centred only on physical postures. I love Vinyasa, but I also love the quieter discoveries that unfold when the movement slows down, the breath becomes more conscious and we give ourselves time to listen.

The koshas help me bring a sense of continuity to everything we offer: morning yoga, Yin, pranayama, philosophy, meditation, sound healing and time simply being in nature.

The retreats are not a series of unrelated activities. They are invitations to explore ourselves in different ways.

The five koshas and the retreat experience

Annamaya Kosha — arriving in the body

We begin with what is most tangible: our physical body. Movement, stretching and time outdoors invite us to notice how we feel after weeks or months of being busy. We practise with awareness rather than performance.

Pranamaya Kosha — becoming aware of our energy

Through conscious breathing and pranayama, we begin to notice the relationship between the breath, energy and attention. Sometimes what we most need is not another demanding activity but the opportunity to settle.

Manomaya Kosha — observing the mind

When the pace of life slows, the mind does not necessarily become quiet immediately. Thoughts, expectations and emotions may become more noticeable. Yin Yoga and meditation can create space to meet those experiences with curiosity instead of judgement.

Vijnanamaya Kosha — discovering our own wisdom

With a little distance from our usual routines, we may start recognising patterns in how we respond to ourselves and other people. Philosophy and self-study invite us to reflect more clearly, without pretending that six days away will solve every difficulty.

Anandamaya Kosha — allowing stillness

Sometimes the most memorable moment on retreat is the simplest: resting after yoga, breathing beneath the trees or sitting quietly without any need to achieve anything. These moments offer a gentle introduction to the quieter quality of contentment associated with the bliss sheath.

Why I weave philosophy into every retreat

The ancient kosha teaching, which appears in the Taittiriya Upanishad, is a philosophical framework rather than a description of five physical structures. I use it as an invitation to explore, not a promise that retreat guests will have a particular emotional or spiritual experience.

I want our guests to feel free to come exactly as they are. Some arrive looking for rest, others for inspiration, connection or a renewed relationship with their yoga practice. There is no single correct way to experience a retreat.

What matters to me is that the practices support awareness beyond the yoga mat. The way we breathe when we feel overwhelmed, the way we speak to ourselves, the way we respond to discomfort — these may be small moments, but they are where philosophy becomes lived experience.

The personal journey behind my teaching

My approach has grown from years of practice, study and my own experiences of change. If you would like to understand more about what shaped it, I share that journey in Finding Balance: My Journey Through Yin and Kundalini Yoga, and reflect on personal growth in The Forgotten Pilgrimage.

For students who would like to study the teaching in more depth, I have also written The Five Koshas Explained: Understanding the Five Layers of Our Being in our Yoga Education library. It explores each sheath and offers a simple practice to try at home.

Explore the philosophy with us in Ibiza

Our intimate retreats in the quieter north of Ibiza combine Vinyasa, Yin, meditation, pranayama, philosophy, sound healing, time in nature and exceptional vegetarian food.

You do not need to know anything about the koshas before you arrive. All you need is a willingness to slow down, practise with curiosity and see what unfolds.

Explore our Ibiza yoga retreats and upcoming dates

Written by Madeline Diaz Meiners (Ananda), founder of Ananda Yoga Retreats.