FEELING ALIENATED

"It is as if this body belongs to someone else."  "I don't feel comfortable in my own skin."  "It doesn't feel like my life." 

Feeling alienated from oneself is something that we have all experienced.  The perception can occur at any time, but happens most often when the mind is turned deeply inward, into the ground consciousness that is the Atman.

Covering the Atman are five sheaths called kosha.  They are located one within the other and are what we experience as our selves.  Starting with the outermost sheath, they are:

(1) The Annamaya-kosha, which is the base physical sheath.  It is nourished by food.

(2) The Pranamaya-kosha, which is the subtle or vital sheath.  It vitalizes and holds together body and mind.  As long as the vital principle is present in the organism, life continues.  This sheath manifests itself as breath. 

(3) The Manomaya-kosha, which is the sheath of the mind.  It receives sense impressions. 

(4) The Vijnanamaya-kosha, which is the sheath of intellect.  It is the faculty that discriminates or wills. 

(5)  Lastly, the Anandamaya-kosha, or the sheath of bliss, which is the ego or causal body.  It is called the sheath of bliss because it is nearest the blissful Atman. 

The Atman remains separate from the sheaths and unaffected by their properties.  Still, it is aware of the sheaths, and it is in these moments of awareness that a person feels most alienated from himself.