Subtle Body
3 Jul 2022 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
The universal field is divided into four-level or dimensions, each interpenetrating the other and each vibrating within a specific range of frequencies. Occupying the lower level is the physical; plane, and the physical plane, and the physical body dwells on it. More on Subtle Body
The Physical Body:
The physical body is the point of contact with subtle bodies which interpenetrate it is the etheric double. It is the vehicle of consciousness for the physical body. Prana transmits physical sensations to the etheric double from the nervous system. It is the prana running along the nerves of the body which generates the sensations. Emotions do not start from the physical body although they do produce chemical reactions within it. They originate in the astral body (the body of emotions) and are transmitted via theChakra through the etheric double to the physical body.
The astral body:
The astral body is made up of matter found on the astral plane. The astral body connects the mental body to the physical body through its connection to the etheric double. An important function of the astral body is to provide the physical body (through the etheric double) the energy it needs to remain sentient and to keep it connected to the universal field. It is through the astral body that sensations received via the physical senses are transmitted to the mental body.
Mental body:
The mental deals with concrete thoughts, as well as intuition, and the various paranormal abilities such as clairvoyance and clairaudience. The mental body does this by processing abstract thought which originates in the spiritual body and applying it to concrete situations. The mental body connects the astral body with the casual body (spiritual body), the body of highest vibration.
The casual body:
In the Upanishad, it is called atman and in Tantra, it is called Karana Sarira. The casual body is not actually a body but a higher mind. It’s shaped like an egg around the other two bodies. The casual or spiritual body is the divine spark within us, it is the body of highest vibration.
Yogic literature generally describes the life force as creating individuals through the manifestations of the previously identified three bodies- the casual, the subtle, and the gross, in which are contained five kosas or sheats which form the human. The bodies link with one another through the Chakras or energy vortices, five major and five minor pranic fields of energy from 72000 Nadis. The Nadis emanate from the Muladhara, the root, and support of the subtle body system, close to where the kundalini energy lies coiled.
The casual body is called in Sanskrit, the Anandamaya Kosa, or bliss sheath. It contains the three energies of gunas in dormant form harmonious (sattva) activity (Rajas) and inertia or matter (tamas). The subtle energy body contains three sheaths. Vijnanamaya Kosa, contains potentially it of both intellect and ego, manomaya kosha, contains potentiality of the mind and sense organs, and pranamaya kosa containing the vital energies.
The gross body is the Annamaya Kosha, a sheath where the 24 subtle body energies are divided into mental facilities, sense organs, organs of action, ten pranas, and fire elements, as these all are used in the regulation of the human body.
Anandamaya Kosha called the five sheaths or kosas “cells of the mind” and also linked them with the activities of the chakras. He said ajna chakras is the controlled of the kosas and Chakras, so as one develops ajna sadhaka gains increased control over the kosas, and thereby the mind and body organs become more willing and submissive, and less affected by external influences, vanity, inertness and superstition.
In ancient tantric text translated by Rama Prasad in 1889, the creation of human through Kosas is describe as a microcosm of the formation of the planets and the vaniverse, through the constellation of the five various either. These are (1) Akasha, through which brings the equality of spaces;(2) Tejas, which brings luminosity and color of the form (3) Vayu, related to touch, moving in spherical motion (4) Space, related to fast and bringing the quality of construction (5) Prithvi, the either related to smell, having the quality of cohesive resistance at creative bones.
During yoga teacher training in Nepal with us, Himalayan Yoga Academy, we teach our students about these subtle body so that can learn depth about body and they can teach the students accordingly.They are taught deep into the Yoga Philosophy.