The Human Energy System
The physical world that we can hear, taste, touch, smell, and see represents only 7% of the entire universe. 93% of the universe exists in the state of energy. The 7% of the world that we call “material” corresponds to 93% energy. In other words, the world is created of energy (93%), that eventually concentrate into particle form (7%).
Just as the entire universe is 7% particle and 93% energy, so is your body. The material body that we see is only 7% of the total you. 93% of who you are entirely exists as energy. The subtle bodies are part of the 93% energy that our physical body represents.
The Subtle Bodies Basics
Subtle bodies are energy, and each subtle body represents a certain kind of energy. Energy simply means a frequency wave. A collection of frequency waves creates a field of energy. This is akin to the threads of a woven rug as energy waves, and the totality of the frequencies as the rug itself.
Your subtle bodies are a tapestry of energy waves, called fields. The colour, weight, and material of the thread, the quality and pattern of the weave, can be thought of as information that the carpet contains. The way that the carpet (energy field) looks, it’s pattern, colour, weave style – is caused by our thoughts, emotions, deeds (personal energy).
Each subtle body is a collection of energy waves that we can call a field of energy. Each field has a certain quality of energy waves within it. You are the weaver of these energies. Ultimately, the subtle bodies represent the result of how we run our multi-dimensional inner life. – our thoughts, our emotions, etc – create the colour, weight, and quality of the weave.
The Human Aura
We have 7 main subtle bodies. The 7 subtle bodies are fields of energy that surround the physical body. Each subtle body corresponds to an energy centre along the spinal column, (aka a chakra).
The subtle body above, permeates the one below it, like nested dolls. When the subtle body is healthy, is it egg shaped, without any tears or attachments. Together, this system of energy fields is sometimes referred to as the human aura or auric field.
The 7 Subtle Bodies
So what are the 7 Subtle Bodies?
The Etheric Subtle Body
The etheric body is the energy body that is most dense. Therefore, it is the closest in proximity to the human body. It surrounds the body like an outline, mirroring the shape of the body. This body is also sometimes called the morphogenetic filed, the bio-energetic field, and is the energy that acupuncturists address when they work with the meridian system. The organs and systems of the body are built upon the energy matrix of the etheric body.
Etheric Health Tip: Negative ions help the etheric body to be strong and stable. Positive ions are accumulated through smart phones, tablets, dusty rooms. To discharge positive ions and accumulate negative ions, go the the ocean (anywhere where there is moving water, like a waterfall), where negative ions will be in the atmosphere in droves. You can also practice grounding or earthing – put your bare feet on the natural soil. Also protect yourself from electromagnetic pollution (eg: research devices, avoid putting phones by your head, using wireless headphones, turn wi-fi routers off at night. You can also purchase at home metres to test levels of EM pollution in your home).
The Emotional Subtle Body
The emotional body is the field of energy that corresponds to the sacral (aka hara) chakra. The lower vibration emotions like anger, lust, jealousy are part of this field. The emotional field (along with all subtle bodies) is strengthened by positive states such as gratitude, joy, inner peace, and unconditional love. These states restore coherence to the subtle bodies and the result is strength and stability. Unconscious negative emotions, or ongoing emotional strain can block the flow of positive states, or tear the emotional field, as well as attract negative entities into it, matter how many affirmations are recited. These help to build positive energy, but the root cause must always be cleared for true inner balance.
Much of inner child work takes place to deal with the emotions connected with painful and unresolved childhood experiences, which populate and generate this subtle body. Later on in adolescence and adulthood, these unresolved childhood emotions manifest in their adult forms as addictions, sexual aggression, self-denial of loving experiences.
The Mental Subtle Body
Next up, vibration at a higher rate than the etheric and emotional body is the mental body. Thoughts are powerful tools of creation. They are scalar waves that form thought matrices upon which reality can manifest. Whether you are conscious of your thoughts or not, they hold this power. The creative power of humanity is magnificent, both positive and negative. This is why it is so important to become conscious of how you direct your own thoughts. Not only do your thoughts populate your mental body, it populates the reality field as a whole. Perhaps you are familiar with Dr. Emoto’s experiments with water, which demonstrate the power of a thought – to heal or to harm. You can even observe that higher vibrating ideas produce a more complex water crystal. This applies to your thoughts having a direct influence on the health of your body.
Your thoughts will pattern the energies that travel throughout your energy system. Chronically negative thoughts are absolutely destructive. Limiting beliefs work. Positive thoughts based on love are healing. This is the basis of prayer and curse.
How many of your thoughts out of ten are positive?
The Astral Subtle Body
The astral body corresponds to the fourth energy centre often called the heart chakra. This subtle body is actually not the primary heart centre in the advanced practitioner. Following the 7th energy centre (the crown chakra) and the 7th subtle body, we arrive at the thymus gland – which represents the 8th chakra and the seat of “higher” heart consciousness which relates to the heart level of the higher self. The location of the heart centre is relative to the development of the being, but is always the most important centre.
The astral twin vibrates at the level of the fourth dimension, like the astral body – and this is the part of your consciousness that is engaged when participating in astral travel, hallucinogenic drugs, and shamanic journeys. Whatever you experience through astral travel can only be what exists in the fourth dimension or below.
The astral body corresponds to the lowest dimension of the soul consciousness, and therefore the highest level of basic human consciousness. It is the bridge level to higher self – and quite a journey to traverse!
The astral plane is the reality field of polarity. The dark and light aspects of human consciousness inhabit this dimension. Shadow entities, demons, fear, anger based energies that have been created by humans over the years inhabit this dimension. So do fantasy (desire based) creatures of love and light. Purification of the astral body enables further emotional balance, and the ability to transcend dualism into higher (more inclusive) states of consciousness.
The Etheric Template / Causal Subtle Body
The causal subtle body corresponds to the 5th energy centre (the throat centre) and is imprinted with the information of past lives. Where the etheric twin (subtle body 1) is the blueprint of the physical body, the etheric template (level 5) is the blueprint level of the subtle bodies stationed below it. You may have noticed now that the higher up in dimension we go, the higher the vibration of the subtle body, and the less dense it is.
Karmic complexes and karmic debts are stored in the form of energy patterns in this subtle body. Actions that are aligned with the greatest good of living beings, with the program of your soul, and with stable growth heal and strengthen this field.
The Celestial Subtle Body
The celestial body corresponds to the 6th energy centre which is often called the “third eye.” Although the third eye is often discussed with the pineal gland, it actually corresponds to the pituitary gland.
The model of the brain pictured below shows that the pituitary gland is in front of the pineal gland, closer to the front of the head and between the physical eyes. The celestial body and third eye work together to enable spiritual vision. It is however the heart, and a clean karmic slate that enable clear vision.
The Celestial body works like a “screen” or “container” of spiritual wisdom that can be developed through karmic lessons. You must live according to the laws of Life or experience the consequences of cause and effect metaphysically speaking. Your spiritual vision enables you to understand intuitively what is “right” and “wrong” in the sense of your greatest good and the greatest good of all conscious beings. This is achieved through heart vision rather than ‘ajna’ vision.
The Ketheric Subtle Body
This subtle body corresponds to the 7th energy centre, aka the crown chakra and pineal gland. This subtle body is the highest vibrating of all the subtle bodies discussed in this article. It is also the lowest part of the Over-Soul, in other words it is the bridge between your higher self and the interconnected web of energies into which we are all embedded. This is often the plane which is mistaken for the astral plane.
Judgement and inability to forgive can block your access to the plane, because these states close the crown chakra and therefore your access point. To maintain the health and balance of this subtle body, it is important to practice seeing things as they are – a state of rejection or denial shuts down this centre and subtle body. This makes us vulnerable to ill health, attack, and other energetic interference. This does not mean to accept things that are unethical or abusive, but it means to avoid going into resistance – go into balanced response instead.
The Ketheric level is the highest vibrating subtle body discussed in this article. It contains all the subtle bodies beneath it. These levels permeate the physical body, every organ, every cell. Remember, you are 97% energy!
We can only transform that which we can connect to, so if we deny something that we dislike we are disconnected from it and therefore cannot change it. The other side of the coin is that if we rebel, we create resistance and therefore encourage the situation to continue (To learn more about this metaphysical mechanism link to “Metaphysics 101 – Decoding Daily Life).
Rachel is a psychotherapist and energy healer practising in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and remotely online. Formally trained in Social Work (BSW, MSW) and Psychology (BA), Rachel integrated spiritual awareness into psychotherapy and inner work. This enables her to practice in tune to your soul and provide healing facilitation on higher levels than conventional healing modalities.