The manifestation, activities and the goals of our life, as most of use might feel, revolves around our bodily experiences. Crude classification of the animal kingdom too emphasizes only the biological existence of the body as that of a human being or any other organism. Anatomically and physiologically all human beings appear to be the same in normal case. The biological nature of one person (human body) resembles that of the other members of this species. Even at the level of psychology, human nature is supposed to be predominantly common or similar across the human society. However, as one goes deeper in understanding the multiple facets of personality, each individual appears to be unique in terms of his biological (bodily) characteristics, psychological nature and intellectual talents. This distinction is limitless in terms of inner instincts, thoughts, sentiment and spiritual nature.
Although, the physical recognition of a person is defined in terms of the structure, appearance and movements of his body – his voice, his walking style, etc, this alone does not represent his existence. His temperament, behavior, habits, intellectual level, talents, aptitude, inclination, etc all play important role in shaping his personality.
Even at the level of the physical body, what appears externally is not everything.
The gamut of internal organs, the bones, nerves, veins and arteries, cellular and molecular components… are indeed more crucial though these cannot be seen by naked eyes or perceived externally. Any deficiency or disorder in the internal system of the body makes life difficult. The tinier the internal component be, the harder it is to examine and cure it. Advanced imaging techniques, surgeries and endoscopy become inevitable in such cases.
As we all know, one might fall sick even if everything is fine with the external and internal components of the gross body. This could be because of some disorders in the energy-body or the mental-body (collectively referred as the subtle body) hidden in the physical being of a person. It is extremely difficult to cure such problems as it requires deeper decipheration of one’s pr³ña (source of vital energy) and psychology. Still subtler is our astral or spiritual body. This is what encompasses our inner self. Our aspirations, sentiments, the roots of the existence of our own self.…, are hidden in this subliminal domain. Even the realization of its existence in not possible without substantial refinement and control of the gross body and strengthening and spiritual enlightenment of its subtle counter part – the mental body.
98 The ensemble of the gross (physical), subtle (mental) and the causal (astral or spiritual) bodies collectively represents the manifestation of the individual self (soul) as a human being. These interconnected expressions of life are folded in successively subtler and stronger sheaths of consciousness. The vital charge and hold of these bodies becomes more intense and significant in the same order – the astral body being utmost important. The health and vigor of the gross body no doubt is essential in the physical world, but this alone is nothing in human life without the mind and the inner self. Intellectually evolved minds would also do little good to themselves or to the world without righteous illumination of the inner core of sentiments. It is indeed the nature of the inner self that drives our aspirations, motivations and willpower and hence, though subliminally, shapes the flow of our thoughts and conduct. The spiritual force of the astral body is superior to the immense potentials of mental sagacity and intellectual creativity.
Despite having their distinct identities, the three bodies of an individual being cannot be separated likewise the layered skin of an onion or a banana stem.
These are inter-linked with each other like the smell and color of a flower with its petals. The gross body needs no introduction. We all experience it every moment and even identify our selves by it. Any basic book on anatomy and physiology would provide substantial knowledge about its structure and functions. The influence of the subtler bodies upon the gross is however not measured or experienced so easily, as the existence of these two bodies is subliminal and extrasensory.
The subtle body is constituted by five subliminal currents of consciousness referred in the scriptures on yoga and spirituality as manifested in the panca koïa (five sheaths) –– the annamaya koïa, pr³ñamaya koïa, manomaya koïa, vijn³namaya koïa and the ³nanandmaya koïa. The five pr³ñas – subliminal currents of vital energy indwell in the subtle body and collectively express (originate) the force of life in the gross body. Decomposition or dissipation of either leads to different kinds of disorders in the brain functions and deficiencies or diseases in the gross body and eventually results in death. The dead-body of a person bears the same constituents – at the (bio) chemical, molecular, cellular, and organ levels, as his living body. However, the former being deprived of the pr³ña (and therefore of the brain functions) deteriorates and is soon destroyed by the natural process of biodegradation.
A natural question now arises as to what happens to the subtle (and the astral) body after physical death (of the gross body)? Where and how does it exist?
What are its functions…, etc? These queries could be answered if we first pay attention to how the subtle body exists in the living physical body and what does it do there?
99 During one’s lifetime, his subtle body exists and expresses itself in the physical body as the power of perception and conceptualization. Brain is supposed to be the central core of manifestation of its functioning. The activities and experiences of the sense organs and the mind reflect its presence….It is a ‘spark’ (repository) of the subliminal force of consciousness of the individual self and is expressed during the latter’s manifestation as a living being in the physical world.
The existence of the subtle body in the physical (gross) body is immanent like that of butter in milk, or fragrance in flowers. These cannot be decomposed separately. Milk is no longer milk once butter is extracted from it. Extraction of scent from a flower turns it into a nothing more than rubbish. The same is true of the physical body. It cannot process, perceive, think, or feel anything if the expression of the vital source of life and mental faculties – the subtle body is isolated from it. Neither the latter, being subliminal, could express its existence any more without the physical body.
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