The Four Bodies
Our modern conception of the human body is confined to what AEM defines as the physical body. This is the body that we can perceive with our senses, the anatomy and its physical material. AEM contents that in addition to flesh and blood humans are live, ensouled, spiritualized beings that are more than the sum of their physical parts. These four bodies are continually dynamically interaction with one another both in our waking and sleeping life. Read on to learn more about where these bodies come from and how to distinguish between each.
Evolution of the Four Bodies
Cosmic history teaches us that the earth went through four cosmic evolutions: saturn, sun, moon, and earth. Beings that participated in these evolutions acquired additional bodies. Humans, the only earthly creatures to participate in each of the four evolutions, are the only creatures with an ego body. Other beings participated in some of the evolutions. Mineral substance went through one developing a physical body. Plants went through two developing an etheric body, and animals went through three developing and astral body. Read on to learn about the functions of each
Physical Body
This is the most familiar of the bodies to modern audiences. In fact, the entirety of modern medicine focuses on the physical body! It is perceived through analytical thinking and sometimes called the ‘dead body’ as it is what remains once life has left.
Etheric Body
The etheric body enlivens the material of the physical body. Try to imagine what happens when you revive a dehydrated plant over a few weeks. The spongy flesh returns to the leaves, the stems strengthens and the blossoms re-orient towards the cosmos. Imaging through temporal imagery much like the above exercise is the best way to perceive the watery, lively etheric body.
Astral Body
A fox notices an opossum just behind a bush. Its pulse quickens, eyes dilate, and muscles tenses as it springs into action ripping into its preys flesh before the opossum can evade capture. The fox’s astral body endows it with an interior individual directive. First, the fox is drawn towards the opossum (while the opossum is repulsed away from the fox) and then the fox initiates an attacking movement. Our own astral body may be similarly affected if we notice a strange fox nearby our breath might quicken and attention heighten. We would try to keep our distance for safety purposes. Our astral body guides us through instinctual a reaction away from the fox. The astral body affects our breathing and emotions which is why it is often called our air body.
Ego Body
Imagine we are faced with a similarly delectable modern item of prey – the ice cream sundae. Some may attack with the ferocity of the fox in the previous example, but others may abstain thinking – I may regret eating all that sugar later. This ability to hold back in the moment for a higher future purpose is unique to humans and is representative of our ego body organizing our lower bodies. We are able to hold back through our power of self awareness and reflection. When we bring awareness to specific places within ourselves, blood follows. You may notice when concentrating on your hands they start to feel warm. This is because you are guiding your ego body into your hands which works through the medium of warmth.
Treatment Applications
With a firm grasp of the characteristics of each body, we can make predictions about which treatment targets which body. The physical body will respond to material interventions including pharmaceuticals, surgery, and supplements. The etheric body will respond to subtle less material imputs such as low dose herbalism, homeopathy, acupuncture, and craniosacral therapy. The astral body is influenced by emotions can be honed using some types of psychotherapy including music therapy, breath work, and high dilution homeopathy. The ego body is reached through self awareness. We can influence it through some types of deeper psychotherapy, meditation, spiritual communion, or qi gong.
Keep in mind that these are tendencies not absolutes. The four bodies are intertwined and thus any interaction will indirectly influence all four of the bodies.
