The Subtle Body Is Made Up Of 4 Parts
Life is a series of sensations connected to different states of consciousness.
Remy De. Gourmont
In western society, humanity’s view of our existence on earth based is solely on our interaction with the physical plane, where we live in a 3-dimensional world. The physical world, however, represents only one dimension of the human experience and embodies only a fraction of the reality of the universe.
If we look back at some of the most ancient religious and philosophical texts, the notion that other dimensions exist beyond the physical plane can easily be found. Sanskrit texts, for example, describe four distinct planes of consciousness that exist beyond the physical world. Called “bodies”, they include the etheric, astral or emotional, mental and causal bodies. In Qabalistic texts, these same alternative planes of existence, called “worlds”, are identified as Assiah, the World of Matter, Yetzirah, the World of Formation, Briah, the World of Creation and Atziluth, the World of Ability.
The each subtle energy body can be equated to the octaves on a piano, with each body vibrating at a different rate or frequency. The etheric body (Assiah) vibrates at the slowest frequency, while the causal body (Atziluth) vibrates the fastest. These bodies move from the gross, dense form of the physical body until they merge again in the world of spirit in the causal body.
It is believed that the four subtle bodies correlate to the four primary ranges measured by an EEG. (An EEG, or Electroencephalograph is a graphic record of the electrical activity of the brain.) Delta waves, for example, operate at a frequency of 1-3.5 Hz and are related to the physical body. Theta waves are associated with the emotional or astral subtle energy body and operate at 3.5-7 Hz. Alpha waves in turn operate at 7-14Hz and are related to the mental subtle energy body. And finally, the causal subtle energy body is said to operate at 14-30 Hz, where it correlates with beta waves.
The Anatomy Of The Subtle Body
Each subtle energy body has its own distinctive features. For instance, each body contains chakras or energy centers. They contain 7 separate yet distinct layers and are connected to each other via the nadis or energy channels. It is through the action of the chakras and nadis that the bodies interact with each other as well as with emanations received from the environment.
The subtle bodies occupy the same time-space continuum as our physical body does in our 3-dimensional world. This occurs in the same way radio and television waves pass through the same space without interference.
If you take a moment and think about it, the air around us is filled with the energy of hundreds of radio and television broadcasts in any given moment. It is also filled with hundreds if not thousands of telephone conversations that are transmitted by cordless and wireless phones. We are not aware of the broadcasts because they exist outside the range of our perception. If, however, we turn on the TV, the energy of the television broadcast is translated into our favorite television show. In addition, when we change the channel and tune into another station we don’t end up watching channel 2 on channel 39. This is because each channel is relayed at slightly different frequencies, which keeps the signals from mixing. This allows them to occupy the same space without interfering with one another.
The Subtle Energy Body: The Physical Body
Each subtle energy body has a unique property or characteristic. The chief property of the physical body and physical world is matter. It is expressed the world in which we live. It is represented by the things we can see, touch, hear and experience. It works to provide us with a basis for our consensual reality. By its very nature matter has no power or ability to move on its own and must always be acted on by some form of energy from an outside force.
We interact in the physical world by the use of our physical bodies. We are all familiar with the physical body. It is made up of two arms, two legs, a head, a torso, organs and glands as well as many other systems and subsystems that function on bio-chemical levels. The physical body uses the foods we eat and the air we breathe to provide it with energy. It is also fed by our life force energy, which energizes its cells, tissues and organs.
The physical body serves as a foundation for the other bodies and as a way for the soul to express itself on the physical plane. It is often perceived of as the shell we inhabit as we interact on the physical plane. It allows us to function successfully in the physical world.
The Subtle Body: The Etheric Body
The etheric body vibrates at a frequency closest to the physical body. This non-physical body has the same characteristics as the physical body, such as organs, glands and other anatomical features, but these structures exist outside of our normal perceptual range. Many times the etheric body can be seen by intuitives and is often referred to as the aura.
The etheric body is concerned with the processes and activities of energy, in and around the physical body. It is believed by some that the etheric body is superimposed upon the physical body. The reality is that physical tissues exist because this energy field supercedes the physical body. It acts as the blueprint of the physical body, providing it with a framework or pattern upon which it is shaped and anchored. It is said to supply information to the cells of our body by means of which it guides the body through its automated processes such as growth and development, repair and healing.
For example, it is the function of the etheric body to direct the cells of an embryo through the development of the organs, glands and other bodily systems. It is this same energy that supports the growth and development of a newborn taking him or her from birth to maturation. This energy allows for and guides the repair of the physical body when we break a bone or skin our knees. This innate ability for growth, development and repair is something scientists still can’t explain.
The Subtle Energy Body: The Astral Or Emotional Body
The astral or emotional body vibrates at a frequency higher than that of the etheric body. It is often thought of as being separate and independent of the physical body yet is an inseparable part of who we are. It is shaped by our feelings and expresses itself through our emotions. It is instrumental in our ability to express ourselves.
Feelings are experienced in the physical body as bodily sensations, where they always involve a tangible bodily sense. When we encounter an emotionally charged event we undergo physiological changes in our bodies, which result in a bodily sensation or feeling. We may not know or understand what we are feeling, but we ordinarily are aware of some kind of physical sensation. Throughout the day, we experience a number of different feelings, each of which contains a distinct meaning. When we are able to express these physical sensations they are called emotions.
The Subtle Body: The Mental Body
The mental body is the world of thoughts and concrete ideas. It reflects our ability to think and construct images. It is where our ideas and imagination transition from the nothingness of the causal body and enter into the constructs of the mind. It is through the mind and the mental body that the soul communicates with us.
The mental body should not be confused with the brain but instead represents the energy of our ideas, beliefs and values. Thinking, imagery, perceptions, judgments, creativity, invention and inspiration are all expressions of the mental body, and represent a projection of our inner reality that is conveyed to the world.
The Subtle Energy Body: The Causal Body
The causal body is the world of spirit, the world of pure energy. It is oftentimes referred to as the Soul body or our higher self. It is where our soul joins with the cosmic conscious, the universe, or God. Where the mental body was concerned with the creation of concrete thoughts and ideas, the causal body is involved with the creation of abstract ideas and concepts. It is the part of us that works to guide us to health, harmony and wholeness.
While it is believed that there are bodies that exist beyond the causal body, the causal body represents the part of us that is closest to the source, or God. It is the divine spark around which all of the other bodies are built. It can be seen as a gatekeeper where it sees what is going on in our lives from a higher perspective and attempts to share this information with the conscious mind.
The intrinsic wholeness of a person cannot be considered apart from his or her totality. Although each of the bodies may seem independent and separate from the workings of our physical body, they make up a vital part of who we are. It is only by understanding the workings of our all of our parts and their relationships to each other that we can ever hope to create and maintain health, wellness, harmony and wholeness in our lives.
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