Annamaya Kosha is the first and outermost of the five koshas, or layers of human existence, described in the Taittiriya Upanishad. The term “Annamaya” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Anna,” meaning food, and “maya,” meaning composed of or constituted by. Thus, Annamaya Kosha literally means the “food-made sheath.” It represents the physical body, which is nourished, maintained and ultimately sustained by food. In yogic philosophy, the human being is understood not merely as a physical body but as a multidimensional existence consisting of five interconnected sheaths: Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya Kosha. Annamaya Kosha forms the outermost level through which the deeper dimensions of existence are experienced. The physical body is considered Annamaya Kosha because it is created from the food consumed by parents and