The Seven Bodies
The Seven Bodies
Swamiji
in his discourses has spoken about the awakening of the Kundalini and the seven
bodies in brief in his discourses. Here we will try and examine what these
bodies are. The first body is the Physical Body – this body is also known
as the Sthul sharir – we are all aware of the physical body and most of
us do not progress beyond this level in our spiritual journey. This develops in
the first seven years after birth. The progress starts once a living Guru plants
the seed of self-realisation within you.
In the
next seven years from ages 7 to 14 one develops the second subtle body which is
the Etheric Body or the bhava sharir. Here, the emotional
development and maturity takes place. Sexual maturity which is the most wanton
of emotions is developed by the age of fourteen. Some people’s growth stops
here and they cannot progress beyond this stage at all and get stuck with the
physical and etheric bodies.
After
this is the Astral Body or the sukshma sharir – in this seven-year
phase till the age of twenty-one, the power of reasoning, thinking and
intellect are developed as the individual reaches adulthood – but here too it
is just the adulthood of sex. The astral body, where thinking, reason,
intellect, etc develop, is a sequel to tradition, civilization, culture,
education, and company. It is natural that the usual range of seven years for
the development of each body is becoming less and less with more and more
evolution of man. Girls reach puberty as early as twelve years now, so
the time for development is decreasing, another indication of hastening
maturity is the decrease in voting age to 18 years for adults. The majority of
people do not rise beyond this stage.
Between
the ages of twenty-one and twenty-eight the Mental Body or the manas
sharir is developed. The
Kundalini, dream, siddhis (spiritual accomplishment) mentioned in yoga, etc are
the parts of the mental body. Imagination and thoughts are also underlying
areas of the fourth body. When the kundalini awakens it becomes impossible to
take intoxicants. A simple test to know whether the fourth body is active or not
is to check whether you have to suppress the emotion of rage or violence, if
this is so then the kundalini is not awakened. Still, this body is not the
final aim, there are three more bodies that have to be passed.
The
next body is the Spiritual Body or the atma sharir which is of
great significance. The entry into the fifth body is possible only if the
kundalini awakens in the fourth body.
Very few
seekers reach the fifth body and once they do they get stuck here and feel that
attaining the soul is reaching the ultimate goal, but that is not so as the
journey still continues. At this stage the boundaries of the body are surpassed
and liberation is experienced in this body.
The sixth
body is the Cosmic Body or the brahma sharir. The natural
development of this body occurs from age 35 to 42 years. There is very little
to describe this stage as words are ineffective in offering any kind of
description. This has to be experienced, but very few and far between people
reach this stage.
The final
frontier is the Nirvanic Body – this is the stage where the flame dies out
and everything disappears, even brahman evaporates. When Gautam Buddha was
asked what happens there? Buddha replied. “The blaze dies out.” Then what
happens? – “When the blaze dies, the question dissolves.” Where has the
question gone? Where is it the blaze now? It is dissolved and that is final – nirvana.
When one
grows beyond his soul, when he desires to leave it, he pierces the cosmic body.
The fifth body is the gateway of liberation, and if he accesses up to the sixth
there achieve God-realization stage. Then the question of liberation
disappears. Now he declares Aham Brahmasmi – I am God – is of this
superficies. Yet one step is more, which is the final leap – where
there is nothingness or empty; there is no
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