Human Spiritual Structure: Esoteric Bodies
Notes in progress © 1998-2002 Alan McAllister  

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Leadbeater describes an etheric body, serving to mediate between the physical and astral bodies. [This is perhaps the kamamaya kosa?] The etheric body is said to be visible to the clairvoyant in the denser portions of the physical body. It allows thought and emotion to flow from the astral to the physical body. The chakras he describes are located on the surface of this body, with roots through the nerve ganglia to the spine. Energy is distributed on the physical level through these nerves and those in the spine. [TC]

Satyananda describes an "etheric web", a layer of minute physical atoms [microvita?] permeated with vital force that surrounds the body. It serves as interface to the astral level. It protects the body from astral entities and all energies but the divine. It is badly damaged by alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc, resulting in a breakdown of the normal flux of vital energy, and irresponsible and regressive behaviors. [TC]

Astral Body

Called the psychic body. As the kundalini rises through the chakras the various astral abilities are awakened [TC]. One of the results of doing spiritual work in a physical body is to develop a well defined astral body, which we can take with us when we die [MT]. [This would imply that it corresponds to the atimanas kosa, or higher. Unless the point is that we can gradually create lower bodies, e.g. mamomaya kosa that does not desolve at death? AHM]

Satyananda describes the astral body as being made up of many dimensions , including geometrical and sound dimensions. It is in these that yantras and mantras have their effect. Focusing on those for the chakras allows access to this mystical level of one's being and experience of the principle of the chakra itself. [TC]

Satyananda states that the Shiva linga in the ajina chakra is a symbol of the astral body, as are the other two lingas in the muladhara and sahasrara chakras. As one's concentration progresses the astral body is seen in turn in these three chakras. [TC]

Causal Body

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Page Created, December 2, 1998.
Last updated December 1, 1998.
© Alan McAllister