The human being is composed of three “bodies” emanating from Soul(The Higher Self) by “ignorance” or “False knowledge or awareness”. They are often equated with the five sheaths( Soul is wrapped inside five layers), which cover the Soul. The soul, which is different from the body, resides in the three bodies of the Human Beings and utilizes as a medium for the various experiences in this physical world. The moment we understand that the soul is different from these three bodies, we are awake and on the path of liberation.
They three bodies are,
Gross Body
Subtle Body or Astral Body
Causal body
Gross Body:
The Gross body is the physical body that is made up of the 5 fundamental elements i.e., space, air, fire, water and earth and is subject to a sixfold change( birth, subsistence, growth, maturity, decay, and death). This is the dense physical body. The Gross body is simply the vehicle of all the other Principles (bodies) during physical incarnation. Physical manifestation resides in the Gross (physical) body. The Gross body needs gross food, drink and air which it gets from Vital air sheath. At death the physical body perishes and its five constituent elements are dissolved.
Subtle Body or Astral Body
The Subtle or astral body is where lives mind and intellect. The mental body or the mind is the seat of our feelings, emotions and desires. It carries in it countless impressions from this life and previous lives. It is made up of three parts, The conscious, Subconscious and Unconscious mind. The conscious mind is that part of our thoughts and feelings that we are aware of. The subconscious mind contains all the impressions required to complete our destiny in our current lifetime. The unconscious mind is that we are completely unaware of. This contains all the impressions that are associated with our past Karma. The subtle body surrounds the Gross Body ( physical body) as an aura of energy. The energy channels exist in this subtle medium through a fine merger into the physical medium. This is the “vital body” and the prototype and reflection of the physical body. It comes into existence before the physical body as the latter is built and formed upon and around it and it only fully fades out and dies when the very last remaining particle of the deceased physical body disappears and disintegrates. In the internal astral body, there are counterparts of organs outside. They are called astral senses.
A yogi hears through astral ears and sees through astral eyes. Thus he can hear sounds from distant lands, he can see objects in distant localities. This is called clairaudience (the power to hear sounds said to exist beyond the reach of ordinary experience or capacity, as the voices of the dead.). After the death of a being, the soul cannot quit the gross body without a vehicle of some kind. This vehicle is the subtle body.
There are two Mind types of Astral Bodies,
Astral Body’s Lower Mind: This sheath is the also energy of action. This mental sheath is composed of two qualities, mind and intellect. Mind is the rational, linear, sequential, thoughtful mind. Intellect is the quality of discrimination which comes after knowledge, after the removal or the absence of ignorance.
Astral Body’s Higher Mind: The Intellect Sheath is the sheath of the intellect and intuitive knowledge/wisdom which gives us the discriminative capability that helps to differentiate between virtues & vice, good & bad, right and wrong, truth & untruth. It controls the mind, the senses, the fructifying all activities of the body. The ego-driven intellect can lead to actions which result in pain and suffering. Its knowledge is affected by the moods of the mind and other factors. Through the practices of meditation, regular self-study & enrichment of knowledge through libraries & discourses could lead towards devotion. Our mind becomes purified and the intellect can then begin to depend more and more on the pure intuitive wisdom rather than be influenced by the ego. As you begin to experience this aspect of existence, you discover that this sheath is merely an illusion covering over the eternal self.
Causal body
“Causal body” is the only reason and acts as a map for the “Gross body” and “Subtle body” to form in the future incarnation of the soul, when they are not detached or freed from the soul. This body is the door to the higher consciousness and is associated with the samadhi state and the dreamless sleep state. This body is a medium which connects the consciousness in the individual to the Universal consciousness. All our past life experiences are stored in the “Causal body”, as this body carries the information and knowledge obtained in the previous births. The attachment of “Material Illusion” and “Intensive desires for the worldly objects” and pleasures. At the time of death, both the causal and astral bodies (that remain together) separate from the physical body. Once the soul is completely detached from its causal body it will get merged into Supreme Consciousness. The soul never needs to come back to the world again except it consciously desire to come back. When they come back to the world they come in the form masters, who are aware of their source. There are many Spiritual Master who reincarnated with their Gross bodies according to their Conscious Wish or desire.
“Once you achieve Supreme Consciousness, you are aware of who you are and your origin. After that it’s purely the choice of the Soul to reincarnate or to remain Still in Supreme Bliss. “
-NK
By
Naveen Kumar I
Everything within and even outside of our universe vibrates with energy. It has been accepted for centuries through many, many cultures, that the human body draws energy into itself from a universal energy field. The human energy field is the manifestation of this universal energy in and around the human body. Its outer boundary can be described as a luminous egg-shaped cocoon surrounding the physical body. This energy field is constantly moving, ebbing and flowing, expanding and contracting and changing in intensity. Throughout history, the knowledge of this universal energy present in all of nature and surrounding the human form as what we sometimes call the aura, has been recognised and illustrated by many traditions including the Indian spiritual tradition of prana; the Chinese energy chi; the Jewish Kabala reference to astral light and the Christian religious paintings indicating a field of light or halo surrounding Jesus and other religious figures.
In scientific terms, human beings can be seen as networks of complex energy fields that interface with physical and cellular systems. These energy fields or auras consist of layers, known as subtle bodies which resonate at higher vibrations than the physical body. To put it another way, these higher energy systems, (subtle bodies) are composed of matter with different or higher frequency characteristics than that of the physical bodies. These systems are superimposed on one another in the same space. Together they play a part in the total functioning of the human being. Healers understand that the aura holds the key to a person’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states.
Although many systems have been created over time, we generally refer to seven layers and these are defined by location, colour, density, form and function. These seven layers are grouped into three Planes, The Physical Plane, the Astral Plane and the Spiritual Plane. It is important to remember that because of the differing intrinsic frequencies, physical and etheric matter can co-exist harmoniously within the same space; just as radio and TV waves can exist in the same space without interference.
Each individual person has an aura unique to themselves, in intensity, size, colour and vibration.
This field of electromagnetic energy can be felt and sometimes seen by people who are highly sensitive to different energies. They may even be able to see or feel each layer separately. So here is a quick description of The Energetic Layers.
Etheric Body
This can be viewed as the state between energy and matter and consists of tiny energy lines similar to the line on a television screen
The following aspects characterise this layer:
It has the same structure as the physical body including all anatomical parts and organs
This vital energy field forms the blue print for the physical matter of the body tissues
Colour varies from light blue to grey
It extends from one quarter to two inches beyond the physical body and pulsates at 15-20 cycles per minute
Emotional Body
This is associated with feelings and follows the outline of the physical body but does not duplicate it.
The following aspects characterise this layer:
It tends to be coloured clouds of a fine substance in continual motion
It extends one to three inches but also penetrates the physical body
Chakras are associated with various colours
Colours of this layer vary from bright clear colours to dark subdued colours
Mental body
The mental body extends beyond the emotional body and is associated with thoughts and mental processes.
The following aspects characterise this layer:
It appears as a bright yellow light/aura around the head and shoulders
It extends three to eight inches from the body
This becomes bright when the person is engaged in mental processes
Thoughts can be observed as blobs of colour with other colour superimposed
This tends to be the emotional feelings associated with these thoughts.
Astral body
This has no fixed shape. It is composed of clouds of colour similar to that of the emotional layer
A rose pink colour tends to dominate
This layer extends from six inches (15cm) to a foot (30cm) from the body
This layer is the bridging plane between the lower three auric layers and the upper three spiritual layers
The energy transformer between the two general levels is the heart chakra.
Etheric template body
This subtle layer is further removed from the first layer and contains the etheric template blueprint for the physical body.
It extends from one and a half (45cm) to two feet (60cm) from the body
This layer has an oval shape and contains all the chakras, body organs and body form in negative, like the negative of a photograph.
Celestial Body
This is referred to as the emotional level of the spiritual plane
It extends about two (60cm) to two and three quarter feet (85cm) from the body
This is where spiritual ecstasy is experienced
This is the experience level of unconditional love in that the heart chakra is connected through all the layers
The Celestial body appears as a shimmering opalescent light
There is no body shape, but light radiates from the body like a glow around a candle.
Ketheric template (casual body)
This extends from two and a half (75cm) to three and a half feet (105cm) from the body
The outer form is an egg shape of the subtle bodies and is strong and resilient
Its colour is gold and it contains structure of the physical body and all the chakras
The vibrations are at an extremely high rate.
So you can see that we are not just a physical body, but a complex integrated set of subtle energy fields, all vibrating at different rates. These subtle layers extend beyond the physical and create a force field of energy and luminous colours.
Many scientific and technological researches from holographic patterning through to Kirlian photography, to different types of scanning have observed and recorded the human energy field in a physical way. Kirlian photography was developed in 1939 by Russian electronics engineer Seymion Kirlian. It was discovered that when leaf was cut in two and photographed using this technology, the energy field remained intact and recorded the same shape as when the leaf was whole. It is thought that this phenomenon may explain the “phantom limb” reports from amputees who can still feel pain and sensation in the area where the missing limb used to be.
More recently, the development of Polycontrast Interference Photography or PIP, by researcher Harry Oldfield became one of the major advances in detecting the body’s energy fields. It is a complicated technology, but put in simple terms, the subject stands in front of a white screen and a form of digital camera photographs the different light intensities around the body while a computer translates this into a visual image, which can be “read” by a trained technician. This is useful in areas of diagnosis of imbalances and tends to validate the concept that all matter is energy and forms the foundation for understanding how human beings can be considered dynamic energetic systems. Humans are beings of energy – the solid nature of physical matter is a perception of our physical senses.
What is the Aura and the Subtle Bodies and how can blockages present
The aura describes the energy in and around us. It is an electromagnetic field that extends from your core outwards 4-5 feet. The aura is split into layers and each layer represents an area of the energy of the body and a specific chakra. These auric layers are also known as the subtle bodies.
• First Layer – Etheric Body
• Second Layer – Emotional Body
• Third Layer – Mental Body
• Fourth Layer – Astral Body
• Fifth Layer – Etheric Template Body
• Sixth Layer – Celestial Body or Soul Body
• Seventh Layer – Ketheric Template or Casual Body
These seven bodies can be sectioned into three physical plane lower bodies, three spiritual upper bodies, and the astral body that bridges the two. However, the astral body can often be grouped among the spiritual.
As you extend inward, the layer before is also present within the next aura layer. For example, the outermost body is the casual body or Ketheric template. The next layer is the celestial body, which contains itself and the casual body. As you go inward, the etheric body will be the densest because it holds all seven subtle bodies. The physical body is the densest of them all.
Etheric Body
This body links the physical body with the other subtle bodies. It holds all the information relating to physical health. It vibrates at a slightly higher frequency than the physical plane and extends 1.25-2 inches from the physical body. It can be affected by shock, trauma and drug use as well as unresolved issues filtering down to it from other subtle bodies. It is perceived as blue/grey.
The etheric body is linked to the base chakra.
Blocks can how as lack of physical energy, exhaustion, feeling weak and un-grounded.
Emotional Body
Extending about 1-3 inches from the body, the emotional layer is the layer beyond the etheric. As the name suggests, it contains all our emotions and feelings, including those created by unresolved issues from past lives. What is stored in this layer can trigger our emotional response to event. It can be perceived as a bright combination of rainbow hues but can appear muddles and dulled when negative emotions and feelings are present.
The emotional body is linked to the sacral chakra.
Blocks can show as overreactions.
Mental Body
Extending 3-8 inches from the body, the mental body contains your ideas, mental processes and thoughts. The lower mental body receives, stores and transmits all our thought patterns and mental processes. This layer is perceived as yellow. The mental body is linked to the solar plexus chakra.
Blocks can show as confusion and sleep problems due to an overactive mind.
Astral Body
Extending 6-12 inches from the body, the astral layer contains all aspects of the personality. It is the bridge from the physical to the spiritual realms and is the doorway to the astral plane. It is perceived as a myriad of colours but is often seen with more pink.
The astral body is linked to the heart chakra.
Blocks can show as feeling unsettled.
Etheric Body Template
This is the template for the physical body, and it is thought to co-exist in a different dimension. Extending about a foot and half from the body, the etheric template can only be seen by advanced healers and clairvoyants. It has dark blue hues possibly due to it being a blueprint containing all the forms of the physical world.
The etheric template body is linked to the throat chakra.
Blocks can show as feelings of insecurity, fear of death and paranoia.
Celestial Body or Soul Body
This is the emotional level of the spiritual bodies and extends 24-32 inches from the body. This is the level where we can connect with, sense and feel the love of the divine. Communication with the spiritual realm occurs here, as do feelings of spiritual ecstasy, bliss and unconditional love. When we raise our level of awareness to this level, we have allowed a connection to happen from the heart chakra and celestial chakra. This level is perceived as shimmering, opalescent pastel colours that “glow” from the body.
The celestial or soul body is linked to the third eye chakra.
Blocks can show as feeling disconnected from soul, the universe and from source.
Ketheric Template or Casual Body
This is the mental level of the spiritual bodies and contains all the other bodies within it, extending three to five feet from the body. The physical and spiritual aspects of the subtle bodies merge at this level. This field resembles an egg and vibrates at high speeds that are considered the Zero point/God energy. It is the focus point for the connection with the higher self.
A reflection of everything your soul has undergone, this is the link to the Divine and accepting your oneness with the universe.
It protects the physical body and all other subtle bodies. It transfers and circulates energy through the chakras via a “power line” along the spine.
The Ketheric template or casual body is linked to the crown chakra.
Blocks can show as a separation of the physical and spiritual existence
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What Are Subtle Bodies ?
What are subtle bodies?
Subtle bodies are layers of energy that are part of, and extend beyond, the physical body into the higher dimensional planes of consciousness. The subtle bodies form an integrated energy system that is part of our multi-dimensional being. There are 7 distinct layers, the first of the subtle bodies being the Etheric.
ETHERIC BODY (1st layer)
The Etheric body is the blueprint for the physical body. Consisting of lines of force which form an energy matrix upon which the physical body is anchored. It is the link between the physical body and the other subtle bodies. The Etheric body has structure and rigidity and contains the Etheric fluid which passes into every cell of the physical body thus allowing the transfer of energy between the physical body and the various subtle bodies. The Etheric body extends 1/4″ to 2″ from the physical body and is perceived as a blue/grey coloured grid. It is the only subtle body that can shift from left to right or up and down, up to a level of 2″.
EMOTIONAL BODY (2nd layer)
The Emotional body is associated with emotions and feelings, emotional stability and security. The Emotional body extends 1″ to 3″ from the physical body and is perceived as a multi or rainbow coloured fluid (moving) layer. The colours vary from vibrant and vivid to dark and dull depending on the emotion or depth of feeling being formed.
MENTAL BODY (3rd layer)
The Mental body is associated with mental process and thoughts. It allows for clear and rational thinking, screening and interpreting data and storing thought forms. The Mental body extends 3″ to 8″ from the physical body and is perceived as a structured body, yellow in colour, which expands and brightens when concentrated mental process are occurring.
ASTRAL BODY (4th layer)
The Astral body contains all aspects of the personality. It screens or filters karmic patterns, past life, genetic information and dis-ease into one’s consciousness. The Astral body extends 6″ to 12″ from the physical body and is perceived to be fluid (moving) and composed of similar rainbow colours seen in the emotional body but with a rose pink hue due to the association with the Heart Chakra.
CAUSAL BODY OR ETHERIC TEMPLATE (5th layer)
The Causal body is the doorway to higher consciousness. It links individual consciousness with the collective consciousness thus bringing security and knowing within an individual due to the support system of the collective consciousness. All soul experiences (from past lives) are stored within the Causal body hence past life information is co-ordinated at this level to be released via the Astral body. The Causal body extends about 18″ to 24″ from the physical body and is perceived as a grid-like structure of transparent lines on a strong blue-coloured background. It is the blueprint or template for the perfect physical form. The Etheric body uses this Etheric template of the Causal body to produce the grid structure (energy matrix) from which the physical body is formed.
SOUL BODY OR CELESTIAL BODY (6th layer)
The Soul body holds the essence of the Divine Spirit/God/Source/Universe. It is the emotional level of the spiritual bodies. The Soul body is connected to one’s Soul or Higher-self allowing information to flow from source. This is the level where one can discover the nature of one’s being, our connection to all that is, the Universe. This is where we can sense, see and feel the Love and Light of the Divine.
The Soul body extends 24″ to 32″ from the physical body and is perceived as shimmering, golden-hued, opalescent pastel colours (think of Mother of Pearl) which radiates and “glows” from the physical body.
INTEGRATED SPIRITUAL BODY / KETHERIC TEMPLATE (7th layer)
The Integrated Spiritual body is the mental level of the spiritual bodies. The physical essence and spiritual essence aspects of the subtle bodies merge at this level. It integrates the spiritual values and principles that are open to an individual to work with in one’s present incarnation. The Integrated Spiritual body is the focus point for connection with one’s Higher-self and thus one’s soul’s memories allowing for their integration within the physical and subtle bodies.
The Integrated Spiritual body extends 30″ to 43″ from the physical body and is perceived as golden threads of shimmering light. Egg-shaped in appearance with the larger end positioned above the head and the smaller end positioned below the feet.
It is the outer, protecting energy field that surrounds the physical body and all the subtle bodies. It contains the energy “power line” that runs up and down the spine transferring energy through the roots of each chakra and circulating the energy taken in by each chakra. Further “power lines” radiate out from the central core to circulate energy throughout one’s being. Thus energy is flowing and being integrated on all levels.
Cosmic plane energy fields connected to the higher transpersonal chakras are perceived to be extremely high vibrational crystalline zones, the 8th level being fluid (moving) and the 9th being the template.
SUBTLE BODY SYMPTOM
All the subtle bodies need to be aligned to the physical body and the magnetic core of the Earth. When they are out of alignment some of the following symptoms can occur.
LINKING OF THE SUBTLE BODIES AND CHAKRAS
