Subtle Bodies

Many spiritual systems hold a concept of what is called subtle bodies. Subtle bodies refer to specific regions of your spiritual composition that results in your physical incarnation here on earth. In my work I use a four-fold model... although in other systems they further divide the bodies even more. I have found that this is simply not necessary. Think of a cake, divide it into four pieces or twelve, it is still a cake.

So, in a nutshell (working from the inside out) there is:

1) The Physical Body: OK, this is the bit we see every day. If you are not familiar with your physical body, time to get aquainted with it.

2) The Etheric Body: This is the life force that animates the physical body. Over time it is depleted which results in our death. Its "directon" is to expand and grow.

3) The Astral Body: This is the seat of karmic and emotional memory. It is the realm of the mind where our thoughts and emotion originate. Parts of the astral body survive death (see here for more information on that). It's "direction" is to contract and grasp.

4) The Ego / Higher Self: This is the divine you that is eternal. Note the reference here to Ego with a capital "E", as opposed to ego with a little "e". Ego with the little "e" refers to the construct that we believe to be "me", as opposed to Ego with the big "E" which is divine love and purity (the real "you").

This diagram shows the model in a simplified onion-like fashion, and is very common representation of subtle body theory. However, it is tempting to see this as each body being a separate entity. This is not the case. The inter-relationships between the bodies are much more complex, as each body completely permeates the others.

This model is then further refined into the Upper Complex and the Lower Complex. The Upper Complex consists of the Ego and Astral Bodies. The Lower Complex the Etheric and Physical Bodies.

As I mentioned earlier, the Etheric body seeks to expand and grow, where as the Astral Body seeks to contract and grasp. This friction between the Etheric and Astral Body results in a slow wearing away of the Astral body (we call this aging) and the need for sleep.

During sleep the upper complex (Astral and Ego) seperate from the lower complex (Physical and Etheric). This allows the etheric and astral bodies to "recharge". This is why if you get no sleep you feel like crap and can not think "clearly" (remember the Astral Body is the realm of thought and emotion).