The analogy between chakras and bodies

How many bodies do human beings have? When this question is asked, commonly people answer ‘one’. However, yogic scriptures say differently. Some say three bodies some five bodies, rarest of them talks about seven bodies. When Kundalini Shakti arises, it passes through the chakras. There are seven chakras which are related to seven bodies.

Five of the bodies are often termed as Koshas:
1. Gross Body (AnnamayKosha)
2. Life force Body (PranamayKosha)
3. Mind Body (ManomayKosha)
4. (Intellect) Special Knowledge Body (VigyanmayKosha)
5. Bliss Body (AnandmayKosha)

These bodies/koshas correspondent with

1. Physical body (BhautikSharira) which corresponds with Annamaykosha or gross body.

2. Astral (subtle) body (SukshmSharira) which corresponds with
a. PranamayKosha
b. ManomayKosha
c. VigyanmayKosha

3. Causal body (Karan Sharira) which corresponds with AnandmayKosha.

It is regretted that often people are not even fully aware of their physical body completely. A few people may know about some bodily systems like, nervous system, digestive system, circulatory system, and others. The physical body is made of gross material, in Yoga it is called as either Sthoolsharira or Annamaykosha. This body is very dense, made of muscle and bones, blood and other fibres. This body is visible through the eyes.

Humans also have an astral body. This body is subtler than the physical body. This body exists within the physical body and is little bigger than the physical body all around. This cannot be seen or touched, but with higher awareness, you can feel its presence when you stand very close to someone.

The causal body co-exists within the astral and physical bodies. This is larger and more subtle than the astral body. This carries the seed state of the individual from one birth to the next.

In Kundalini Yoga we work on all the bodies and purify all of them. When all bodies are purified, then one become harmonious (sama) and beautiful, emits a pleasant fragrance, while the voice becomes resonant and the appetite increases. Yogi becomes full-hearted, energetic, and strong. Yogi attains leanness and brightness of the body as an indication of a purified nadi system. (Hatha Yoga Pradipika , 2/19).

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The enlightened masters talk about seven bodies, which are:
1. The Physical Body (BhautikSharira or AnnamayaKosha)
2. The Etheric Body (SukshmaSharira)
3. The Astral Body (Ling Sharira)
4. The Mental Body (ManomaySharira)
5. The Spiritual Body (AdhyatimkSharira)
6. The Cosmic Body (BhrahmmSharira)
7. The Empty Body (NirvanicSharira)

All seven chakras are related, oriented, represented by seven bodies as follows:

Body (Kosha)	Chakra
Physical / SthoolSharira / Annamay	Mooladhar
Etheric Body / SukshmSharira /Pranamay	Swadhisthana
Astral Body / Ling Sharira	Manipur
Mental Body / Manomay	Anahata
Spiritual Body / AdhyatmikSharira / Vigyanmay	Vishuddhi
Cosmic Body (BhrahmmSharira) / Anandmay	Agya
Nirvanic Body (ShunyaSharira)	Sahastrara

1. The Physical Body (SthoolSharira is also referred as AnnamayKosha)
We cannot see our own body completely from outside. We need mirror. Often we do not know the features, specialities of our own physical body. When we can see our own body from inside, without physical eyes and imagination, we will start inner journey and inner secrets of the first body will be revealed. Physical body normally exhausts and is subject to wear and tear.

2. The Etheric Body (SukshmSharira)
When one becomes clear about the first body from inside, one is aware about the second body from inside. When the first body dies, second body remains alive for thirteen days. Sometimes during meditation, this second body gets out of the body and one feels levitation and against gravity. Hypnosis works on this body. About 75% of the diseases come from this body. Childbirth pain is often from the second body. Pain or pleasure both comes from this body.

3. The Astral Body (Ling Sharira)
This body is of the same size as the first two bodies. One becomes aware of the third body after realising the second body. Astral body is vapour.

4. The Mental Body (ManomaySharira)
This body is absolutely wall-less and there is no difficulty in entering into this body. Once the person is clear about the first three bodies, then entering the fourth body is much easier and do not need any method. Mind always look downwards, that is why Yoga is against the mind. In meditation, it is also advised to look upwards towards Agya Chakra, so that one can go beyond the fourth body towards the fifth one.
Hatha Yoga begins with the first body and Raja Yoga with the fourth body as follows:
• Hatha Yoga for the first body
• MantraYoga for the second
• Bhakti Yoga for the third
• Raja Yoga for the fourth

By looking upwards, one can transcend the fourth body. Sometimes Shirshasana can also help; however, looking upward techniques should not be practiced without crossing first four bodies. Up to four bodies, we are human, thereafter superhuman. When Zarathustra, Mohammed, Jesus say that something comes to them from above they do not mean from the sky. They look upwards towards the Agya Chakra.

5. The Spiritual Body (AdhyatimkSharira)
For fifth body, there is a centre, a unity or oneness. This centre becomes ego, an obstacle for further progress. Before entering this body, there is false ‘I’, thereafter crystallization of false ‘I’ happens. From the fifth body starts renunciation.

6. The Cosmic Body (BhrahmmSharira)
Sixth body is where one loses the centre and everything becomes centre. Everywhere there is centre. One can use various methods of entering into bodies, up to fifth body, thereafter it happens and no method works. Merger with infinite begins. Most of the yogis talk up to five bodies as their research, methods, and techniques ends there. Non-doing happens after fifth.

7. The Empty Body (NirvanicSharira)

Travelling from sixth to seventh body happens. One day, self is total nonbeing, nirvana, emptiness, non-existence. Drop becomes Ocean and there is nothing to say anymore. Ultimate happens instantaneously. Seventh body is not the subject matter of mind, intellect, word or languages. Only emptiness, is-ness, being.

As there are seven bodies, there are also seven chakras, energy centres, and each chakra is connected in a special way with its corresponding body.

1. Physical Body – Mooladhar Chakra – Annamykosha
When physical body is associated with the mooladhar chakra, there are two possibilities in two opposite directions. One of the possibilities is the involvement of the body towards sex and another is transformation of the same energy towards super consciousness. This transformation happens through meditation. Sex is natural instinct. Transformation of sexual energy through Brahmacharya (celibacy) leads to Super consciousness. On this body level suppression is ugly and stressful but transformation is bliss.

2. Etheric Body – Swadhisthan Chakra – Pranamaykosha
Emotional or etheric body is associated with the second chakra, The Swadhishthan Chakra. This Chakra also has two possibilities. Natural potential is fear, hate, anger, and violence. Its transformation is love, compassion, fearlessness, and friendliness. With meditation, this transformation is possible on one side. Fear, violence, and anger are necessary evils on the second plane. Transformation of fear to fearlessness, violence to compassion, anger to forgiveness is possible by balancing this chakra.

3. Astral Body – Manipur Chakra – Ling Sharira
Astral body also has two dimensions. One aspect is doubt and thinking and another aspect is trust and vivek (wisdom) with awareness. Do not repress doubts; otherwise, shraddha (trust) cannot be attained. Start doubting the doubt itself, and then trust begins. Ultimate transformation of doubt is in trust.

4. Mental Body – Anahat Chakra – Manomaykosha
ManomayKosha is related to imagination, memory, and dreaming. Transformation of dreaming happens into vision. Telepathy and prophecy are the possibilities of fourth body.

5. Spiritual Body – Vishuddhi Chakra – Vigyanmaykosha
Vishuddhi chakra is related to the spiritual body. The first four bodies and their chakras can be divided into two. The dualism ends from fifth body and upwards. Once a person enters into the fifth body, awareness increases tremendously and even sleep is transformed. Conflicts and problems end and great transformation, the bliss comes from within.

6. Cosmic Body – Agya Chakra – BhrahmmSharira/ Anandmaykosha
There is no duality, false ‘I’ is lost. Experience of the bliss, is-ness will flow. I am the Brahman (AhamBrahmasmi). There is nothing beyond. View the cosmic infinite. Until fifth body, search progress can be very scientific thereafter it happens.

7. Nirvanic Body – Sahahstrar Chakra – ShunyaSharira
The existence is half journey but other half is the journey to nonbeing, nonexistence, and the void. The ultimate truth can only be recognized when both existence and nonexistence are known. Nirvana kaya is also known as the Shunya kaya, the void. Ultimate death, Nirvana, means the extinction of the flame. I was; I am; both realized.

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Through meditation all the above can be experienced. Meditators are not beggars, but seekers of The Truth. We have to cross all barriers within us. For complete scientific minds, most of the scriptures end at fifth body but the search for Advaita (the non-duality) starts with the fifth body and completes at the seventh body.

Chid Shakti Jagran Prakriya or Consciousness Power Awakening Technique is a meditation technique taught at Paramanand Institute of Yoga Sciences and Research, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India. This technique enables the participant to travel beyond the physical body gaining insight and awareness into other bodies by awakening the Chid Shakti (Consciousness power) within us.

Hari Om!

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