Mapping Our Inner World: A Yogic Look at Buddhist Philosophy

Something you may not know about me is that, although I grew up in a Catholic family, for many years I’ve considered myself a student of Buddhist teachings. My spiritual practice is a loving tapestry of different traditions—from the timeless teachings of Jesus Christ to the ancient wisdom of Vedanta—but more often than not, the main thread is that of Buddhism.

The Realms as Metaphors for Inner Experience

Imagine your inner world as a vast landscape—sometimes sunlit and peaceful, other times stormy or tangled. Buddhist philosophy calls these inner worlds the 31 planes of existence—not distant or geographical locations, but reflections of our inner landscape. We journey through these planes many times in a single day— the journey is often referred to as samsara.

It's important to note that it is our own thoughts, feelings, and actions that shape and create the reality we experience. There are 3 realms—the Sensuous (Kāma-loka), the Form (Rūpa-loka), and the Formless (Arūpa-loka) and their 31 planes that describe the many states of our existence.

For the purpose of this blog, we will focus on on the first Realm the Kāma-loka which contains 11 planes, out of which we will simplify into six—from the most blissful to the most challenging.

The Sensuous Realm (Kāma-loka) & 11 Planes

This realm involves attachment to sense pleasures, from gross suffering to subtle bliss.

• 4 Lower Planes (Apāyas): Hell, Animal, Hungry Ghost (Peta), and Jealous Gods (Asura). (We will break these down individually)

• Human Realm (Manussa): A mixed realm of joy and suffering, crucial for spiritual progress.

• 6 Higher Deva Realms: Celestial realms of gods (Devas) like Cātummahārājika, Tāvatimsā, Yama, Tusita, Nimmānaratī, and Paranimmitavasavatti, with varying delights. (We will focus on this realm in a singular, general and simplified way)

Heaven and hell aren’t places we go to after we die—they’re states we can find ourselves in at any given moment, sometimes shifting from one to the other many times in a single day.

Higher Realm—Heavenly (Deva) Realms These are the moments when life feels effortless—joyful, light, and full of gratitude. It’s like basking in the warmth of a sunrise, feeling at peace with ourselves and the world. We have everything we need and want for nothing. In these times, kindness flows easily and our heart feels open. This isn’t some faraway paradise, but a state we enter during sweet pauses of contentment. When find ourselves in any version of these 6 higher realms we are in danger of creating attachment or lulling ourselves into thinking this is how things will always be. Clinging or becoming soothed into comfort puts as at risk, unprepared when inevitably we fall into less pleasant planes, for this is the ever-changing nature of our inner world and our leads us to our highest purpose: to grow spiritually.

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Human Realm This is the realm of everyday living—navigating work, relationships, and growth. Here, we experience the full spectrum of emotions: joy and sorrow, clarity and confusion, connection and loneliness. What makes this realm unique is our capacity for self-reflection and conscious choice; we can pause, notice, and respond with intention.

The human realm is where our practice truly comes alive, offering us countless chances to learn, grow, and plant future seeds. This is the only realm the offers us the opportunity for real spiritual growth and an exit out of the wheel of samsara.

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4 Lower Realms:

Asura (Titan) Plane The asura realm is colored by restlessness, comparison, and the urge to compete or prove ourselves. In this state, we might find ourselves caught up in envy or frustration, always striving, competing, and rarely feeling satisfied with who or where we are

even though we may be successful and have more than we could ever need. It’s like standing at the edge of a beautiful forest, looking longingly at another clearing, forgetting to notice the gift of our own. This realm is fueled by the ego— we’re stuck in self-centered thinking, we measure our worth against others, and lose sight of our own unique gifts. Noticing when we’re in this realm can be a gentle invitation to return to appreciation and self-acceptance, to let go of the need to compare and embracing the beauty of our own journey.

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Animal Plane Sometimes, we find ourselves acting purely on instinct or force of habit, it's like moving through the day on autopilot. In this realm, we often lose track of time and space—life becomes an ever-revolving door of tasks and sensations, with little awareness.

The animal realm serves as a gentle reminder to pause, wake up, and bring mindful attention even to the most routine moments. Confusion or unawareness feeds the animal realm, keeping us on autopilot and disconnected from the richness of the present moment. This Plane doesn't feel "bad" it feels numb.

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Hungry Ghost Plane (Petas) The hungry ghost realm is marked by longing, dissatisfaction, and the sense that something is always missing. It’s that restless craving for more—more love, more success, more validation —no matter how much we already have. In this state,

we may find ourselves chasing after fulfillment but never feeling quite satisfied. Noticing when we’ve slipped into this realm can be a gentle invitation to return to gratitude and recognize the abundance that already exists within and around us. Craving is the fuel for the hungry ghost plane, it is what drives our restless search for satisfaction yet leaves us feeling empty and unfulfilled no matter how much we consume.

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Hell Plane The hell realm is where we find ourselves in deep suffering—moments of anger, frustration, despair, or emotional pain. It can  feel like being caught  in a terrible storm with no shelter, everything feels heavy and overwhelming.  While being in this realm can be

extremely difficult, it's imperative we remember that it, like all the other planes of existence, is also impermanent. Even in the midst of the storm, offering ourselves compassion and remembering that this, too, will pass can be a powerful act of self-kindness. Aversion—turning away from discomfort or pain—is what fuels the hell plane, the more we push away and refuse to accept the more we are kept trapped in the hell plane with it's cycles of anger, hurt and suffering.

Let's Put All of This Into Context

It’s 3am, you’re wide awake, your mind replaying that conversation you had with your sibling, looping through what you wish you would have said instead—Hell Plane. As the sun rises, you find yourself standing on your mat, zoom link open and ready to begin your asana practice, heart brimming with gratitude for the opportunity to move and breathe—Heaven Realm. On your way to work, you slip into autopilot, barely noticing the world around you or how many turns you made to get there—Animal Plane. You get home in the evening, your spouse is sharing stories about their day, but your ego has taken over, you're waiting for your own turn to speak or wanting to compete with their experience, you think "that's nothing wait until I tell you what my co-worker did today!"—Asura Plane. Maybe, that night, you find yourself refreshing social media a million times, wanting, needing, validation from each like, each comment, a sense of dread washes over, a sense of not being enough,—Hungry Ghost Plane — until something clicks and you put your phone down. You choose to take a few conscious, deep breaths, returning gently to self-reflection, to this moment as it is—Human Realm.

As we move through these planes and realms—in the span of a single day or even a few hours—it’s easy to feel swept along by our ever-changing moods and circumstances, but remember each one offers us a mirror, reflecting not only where we are, but also what is fueling our experience.

By shining the light of awareness onto our inner landscape, we begin to see that we are not powerless passengers or victims of our circumstances. In fact, we are powerful creators, with the ability to plant new conscious seeds in each and every moment—this is where the teaching of karma comes in.

KARMA—& The Power of Choice

Buddhist philosophy teaches us about karma—better understood as the law of cause and effect. Our current circumstances has been shaped by the seeds we’ve planted up to this moment: our past thoughts, desires, words, and actions. Depending on the quality of our thoughts, desires, words and actions, these seeds may blossom into moments of joy or ease; or they may sprout as restlessness, suffering, or longing.

The beauty of this teaching is that we are never stuck. No matter what seeds we’ve sown before, in every moment we are given fresh soil and the freedom to plant new seeds and thereby change our future circumstances.

This is where the human realm becomes truly special. Unlike the other realms, which are fueled by instinct, craving, aversion, or confusion,

the human realm offers a unique “exit.”

Here, we have the precious ability to pause, reflect, and choose a different path. We can become aware of our patterns, notice the fuels that keep us circling in samsara, and gently shift our actions toward freedom and peace.

Each time we choose kindness over anger, awareness over autopilot, or gratitude over longing, we are planting seeds for a different type of future. In this way, karma is not a punishment or a reward, but a gentle reminder that our choices shape not only the world we are experiencing now, but also the worlds we will inhabit—or be born into—in the future.

So wherever you find yourself—whatever realm your mind and heart are visiting—remember: with each breath, you hold the power to begin again.

Practices to Notice and Navigate Our Planes of Existence

Daily Check-In:

Pause for a moment and ask yourself, “Which realm am I in right now? In which plane do I seem to spend most of my time? What does it feel like?” No judgment—just gentle awareness. Notice it, name it out loud; often, simply naming it breaks the spell and brings your conscious mind back to the present.

Remember:

• Aversion feeds the Hell plane

• Craving feeds the Hungry Ghost plane

• Confusion feeds the Animal plane

• If you find yourself in the Heavenly realms, enjoy, and remind yourself with a smile, "it’s all impermanent".

• If you notice you’re in the Asura plane, take a breath, and with a smile recall one thing you are grateful for.

• In the Human Realm, remain curious, questioning and act with awareness.

Yoga or Meditation Practice:

Set an intention to observe your inner world with compassion. As you move through your day or settle into stillness, notice if and when your mind shifts from one plane to another. Meet each state with kindness, without judgment. Approach this exploration with curiosity and a childlike sense of wonder, allowing yourself to simply notice what arises and changes within.

Weekly Journaling Prompt:

When did I feel most at peace this week? When did I feel stuck or restless? What plane or realm might I have been visiting?

Let your imagination paint the scene: Was it a golden sunrise over the ocean, a sunny meadow brimming with wild flowers, an arid desert, perhaps, a peaceful forest clearing, a foggy valley, a rushing river or a hushed sunset? Notice which landscape you found yourself in, what it represented and how you moved through it?

I’d love to hear about your own journey through these planes. If you feel called, share your reflections or experiences in the comments, or bring them to our next class or gathering. Your story may be just the encouragement someone else needs.

Compassionate Action and A Gentle Reminder: You’re Not Alone:

If you notice a friend or loved one in a difficult realm, offer a word of support or a listening ear. Remember, we all travel these landscapes, and none are permanent. If you find yourself stuck in one of the more difficult planes and can’t seem to shift, please know you’re not alone. Sometimes the most compassionate thing we can do is ask for support—from a friend, a loved one, or a trusted teacher. Reaching out is a sign of strength, and our Ahimsa community is here to walk alongside you.

For Further Exploration:

If you’d like to dive deeper, here are a few recommended resources:

The 31 Realms of Existence (YouTube) —The video that inspired this blog

The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching —by Thich Nhat Hanh

Wherever You Go, There You Are —by Jon Kabat-Zinn

May this be a month of exploration—gentle, curious, and full of self-compassion. Wherever you find yourself in your inner landscape, remember you are never alone on the path. Each realm, each feeling, is simply a chapter in your story, and you have the wisdom and courage to navigate them all. With each breath, you are planting seeds of kindness, awareness, and love—for yourself and for the world.

With warmth and light,

Francia

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