The etheric body, ether-body, æther body, or vital body is one of the subtle bodies in esoteric philosophies, in some religious teachings and in New Age thought. It is understood as a sort of life force body or aura that constitutes the "blueprint" of the physical body, and which sustains the physical body. The Subtle body is a non-physical energy or psycho-spiritual body or bodies that all beings have, according to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings. ... Etymology Esoteric is an adjective originating during Hellenic Greece under the domain of the Roman Empire; it comes from the Greek esôterikos, from esôtero, the comparative form of esô: within. It is a word meaning anything that is inner and occult, a latinate word meaning hidden (from which... Religious is a term with both a technical definition and folk use. ... New Age describes a broad movement characterized by alternative approaches to traditional Western culture. ... For other uses, see Aura. ... Human anatomy or anthropotomy is a special field within anatomy. ...

The prana-maya-kosha (sheath made of life-force) of Vedantic thought could be considered equivalent to the etheric body. Prana (, IAST: ) is a Sanskrit word meaning breath and refers to a vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and vital energy in natural processes of the universe. ... Vedanta (Devanagari: , ) is a school of philosophy within Hinduism. ...

Etheric body in Theosophy

The term "etheric" in the Theosophy context seems to derive from the writings of C.W. Leadbeater^[1] and Annie Besant^[2] (Adyar School of Theosophy). It is given an almost identical meaning by New Age writer Barbara Brennan who describes it as the first (lowest) layer in the "human energy field" or aura.^[3] Emblem of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) described at [1] Theosophy, literally wisdom of the divine (in the Greek language), designates several bodies of ideas. ... C.W. Leadbeater (1847 or 1854-1934), English clergyman and Theosophical author, contributed to world thought mostly through his work as a clairvoyant. ... Annie Besant Plaque on house in Colby Road, London SE19 where Annie Besant lived in 1874. ... The Theosophical Society - Adyar is a successor organization to the original Theosophical Society founded by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and others in 1875. ... Barbara Brennan is an author, educator, public speaker, and spiritual healer and has been doing metaphysical healing for 30 years. ... For other uses, see Aura. ...

According to Adyar Theosophy and Alice Bailey, the etheric body and the etheric plane correspond to the four higher subplanes of the physical plane. Alice A. Bailey (16th June,1880 ‑ 15th December,1949), writer and lecturer on Neo-Theosophy, was born in England in 1880 as Alice LaTrobe Bateman. ... The etheric plane or etheric region is one of the planes of existence, or more specifically a subplane or planes, in Theosophy and New Age thought. ... The Physical Plane or Physical Universe in Hermeticism, Theosophical and New Age thought refers to the visible reality of space and time, energy and matter. ...

Prana principle

In Theosophy, the Prana principle^[4] is understood as the vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and the vital energy in all natural processes of the universe. Its first expounding came in the Upanishads, where it is part of the worldly, physical realm, sustaining the body and the mother of thought and thus also of the mind. Prana suffuses all living form but is not itself the Atma or individual soul. Prana (, IAST: ) is a Sanskrit word meaning breath and refers to a vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and vital energy in natural processes of the universe. ... For other uses, see Life (disambiguation), Lives (disambiguation) or Living (disambiguation), Living Things (disambiguation). ... The Upanishads (उपनिषद्, Upanişad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... Atma is a derivation of the sanskrit word atman and means individual soul. ...

Linga Sharira

Further information: Linga sarira

On the other hand, the "Linga Sharira" is the Sanskrit term for the invisible double of the human body. It has been called by many other names such as etheric body, etheric double (or astral body in the original Theosophical concepts by Blavatsky). It is one of the seven principles of the human being, according to Theosophical philosophy. It serves as a model or matrix of the human body form, thus it is often called the "double" since it has the same shape and appearance as the body. The body conforms to the shape or condition of this double. It is a vehicle of prana or qi, thus its other name, pranamayakosa. Its effusion of energy can be observed through Kirlian photography or Kilner screens. Such glow around the body is called the human aura. LiÅ„ga ÅšarÄ«ra is the Sanskrit term for the invisible double of the human body. ... The astral body, also known as desire body or emotional body refers to concept of a subtle body which exists alongside the physical body, as a vehicle of the soul or consciousness. ... Helena Blavatsky Helena Petrovna Hahn (also Hélène) (July 31, 1831 (O.S.) (August 12, 1831 (N.S.)) - May 8, 1891 London, England), better known as Helena Blavatsky or Madame Blavatsky was the founder of Theosophy. ... For other uses, see QI (disambiguation). ... Kirlian photography refers to a form of contact print photography, theoretically associated with high-voltage. ... An aura is: in Science Aura (symptom), a symptom experienced before a migraine or seizure. ...

Life body in Anthroposophy

Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy, often refers to the etheric body (Ätherleib or "Life Body") in association to the etheric formative forces and the evolution of man and the cosmos.^[5] According to him, it can be perceived by a person gifted with clairvoyance as being of "peach-blossom color". Rudolf Steiner. ... Anthroposophy is a course of study founded by Rudolf Steiner that he described as spiritual science. It is an attempt to investigate and describe spiritual phenomena by means of soul-observations using scientific methodology.[1] Anthroposophical research attempts to investigate and describe a spiritual world, individual spiritual beings (arranged in... ... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal primates belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin for wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (the great apes). ...

Steiner considers the etheric reality or life principle as quite distinct from the physical material reality, being intermediate between the physical world and the astral or soul world.

Vital body in the Western Wisdom Teachings

The Holy Grail, illustration by Arthur Rackham, 1917

According to Max Heindel's Rosicrucian writings,^[6] the etheric body, composed of four ethers, is called the "Vital Body" since the ether is the way of ingress for vital force from the Sun and the field of agencies in nature which promote such vital activities as assimilation, growth, and propagation. It is an exact counterpart of our physical body, molecule for molecule, and organ for organ, with one exception: it is of the opposite sex, meaning POLARITY. It is slightly larger, extending about one and one-half inches beyond the periphery of the physical body. Image File history File links Sangreal. ... Image File history File links Sangreal. ... For historical artifacts associated with the cup of the Last Supper, see Holy Chalice. ... An illustration from Alices Adventures in Wonderland Arthur Rackham (September 19, 1867 – September 6, 1939) was a prolific British book illustrator. ... Max Heindel (1865-1919) Max Heindel - born Carl Louis von Grasshoff in Aarhus, Denmark on July 23, 1865 - was a Christian occultist, astrologer, and mystic. ... The Temple of the Rose Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618. ... Chinese Wood (木) | Fire (火) | Earth (土) | Metal (金) | Water (水) Hinduism and Buddhism The Pancha Mahabhuta (The Five Great Elements) Vayu/Pavan (Air/Wind) Agni/Tejas (Fire) Akasha (Aether) Prithvi/Bhumi (Earth) Ap/Jala (Water) Aether (also spelled ether) is a concept used in ancient and medieval science as a substance. ... The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. ...

The "Astral body" (Soul body)

These Rosicrucian teachings, called Western Wisdom Teachings, explain that the vital body is the same body as the "etheric double"; this body, through which vital force ingresses, is constituted by four ethers. In order to form the "Astral body" (the two superior ethers) it is necessary a transmutation that can be achieved in a secure (voluntary-conscient-positive) way, becoming an "Invisible Helper", through a spiritual oriented life devoted to altruistic service to mankind and through a careful esoteric training. The Rosicrucian Cosmo-Conception or Mystic Christianity is a Rosicrucian text, written by Max Heindel (ISBN 0-911274-34-0) // Western Wisdom Teachings The first edition was printed in November 1909, it has little changed since then and it is considered to be Max Heindels magnum opus. ... // Transmutation is the conversion of one object into another. ... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Esotericism is knowledge suitable only for an inner circle of the initiated, advanced or privileged. ...

However, it is also mentioned that esoteric training should be appropriate to the race substructure of the individual; meaning mainly that spiritual exercises who work efficiently in an individual of an eastern race (as eg. yoga) will not bring great achievements in the spiritual unfoldment of an individual from a western race, and vice-versa,^[7] which may even lead to emotional and mental disorders.
To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... As commonly used, individual refers to a person or to any specific object in a collection. ... A woman practising hatha yoga Eka-Pada-Rajakapotasana (Single-Legged Pigeon) demonstrated at a Hindu temple. ...

The Western Wisdom Teachings explain also that the term "Astral body"—a vehicle made of ether (from the Vital body), which is lighter than air and therefore capable of levitation—was employed by the mediaeval Alchemists, because of the ability it conferred upon the one who has it to traverse the "starry" regions. The Astral body should not to be confounded with the Desire body: during the soul flights the desire body molds itself readily into this prepared matrix; when the individual returns to the physical body, the effort of will whereby he enters it automatically dissolves the intimate connection between the desire body and the soul body. The Astral body is also known as the "Soul body", the Golden Wedding Garment, the "Philosopher's Stone", or the "Living Stone", spoken of in some of the ancient philosophies as the "Diamond Soul" ("for it is luminous, lustrous, and sparkling—a priceless gem"), and will eventually be evolved by humanity as a whole.^[8] Chinese Wood (木) | Fire (火) | Earth (土) | Metal (金) | Water (æ°´) Hinduism and Buddhism The Pancha Mahabhuta (The Five Great Elements) Vayu/Pavan (Air/Wind) Agni/Tejas (Fire) Akasha (Aether) Prithvi/Bhumi (Earth) Ap/Jala (Water) Aether (also spelled ether) is a concept used in ancient and medieval science as a substance. ... In the history of science, alchemy refers to both an early form of the investigation of nature and an early philosophical and spiritual discipline, both combining elements of chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism, spiritualism, and art. ... The astral body, also known as desire body or emotional body refers to a subtle body which exists alongside the physical body, as a vehicle of the soul or consciousness. ... Astral projection (or astral travel) is an interpretation of out-of-body experiences (OBEs) achieved either awake or via lucid dreaming, deep meditation, or use of psychotropics. ... The philosophers stone, in Latin philosophi lapis, is a legendary substance that supposedly could turn inexpensive metals such as lead into gold (chrysopoeia) and/or create an elixir that would make humans younger, thus delaying death. ...

Another term used for vital force is said to be "Odic fluid". Also called Od [õd] and Odyle, Odic Force is the 19th century name given to a hypothetical vital energy or life force that proponents say permeates all living plants, animals, and humans. ...

Photographing the etheric body

Some clairvoyants and occultists have produced drawings and paintings that record their perceptions of the etheric body; see Leadbeater's Man Visible and Invisible for one example. The images produced by Kirlian photography bear obvious resemblances to these graphics, showing a spiky-looking energy field extending a few inches around the human body (as well as other biological specimens, like leaves, and objects like coins). The fact that Kirlian photography can capture the acupuncture points of the body links the technology with concepts of prana, qi, bioplasma, and related ideas and theories. For some believers in the etheric body, Kirlian photography provides important supporting evidence—though skeptics are generally not swayed. Kirlian photography refers to a form of contact print photography, theoretically associated with high-voltage. ... Acupuncture (from Lat. ... Prana (, IAST: ) is a Sanskrit word meaning breath and refers to a vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and vital energy in natural processes of the universe. ... For other uses, see QI (disambiguation). ...

Relation to physics

Some theosophists held that the vital force could be identified with "N-rays". This notion, named after the city of Nantes where the radiations were "observed" by physicist René-Prosper Blondlot in 1903, have long since been debunked in mainstream physics. The so-called N rays (or N-rays) were a phenomenon described by French scientist Ren -Prosper Blondlot but subsequently shown to be illusory. ... Traditional city flag City coat of arms Motto: (Latin: Shall Neptune favour the traveller) Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Département Loire-Atlantique (44) Région Pays-de-la-Loire Mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault (PS) (since 1989) Intercommunality Urban Community of Nantes City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 65. ... René-Prosper Blondlot (July 3, 1849 - November 24, 1930) was a French physicist, best remembered for his mistaken identification of N rays, a phenomenon that subsequently proved to be illusory. ... Physics (from the Greek, (phúsis), nature and (phusiké), knowledge of nature) is the science concerned with the discovery and understanding of the fundamental laws which govern matter, energy, space, and time. ...

Modern theosophists sometimes claim that the ideas discussed in this article are related to a contemporary area of fringe science, modern Aether theories. Even fringe scientists are likely to disavow such a relation, and few if any physicists would recognize theosophy as closely related to physics. Alchemy, natural philosophy, and early modern physics proposed the existance of aether (also spelled ether, from the Latin word aether, meaning upper air [1]), a space-filling substance or field, thought to be necessary as a transmission medium. ...

However, there are alternative explanations that some Theosophists may regard as plausible - which includes the model of the dynamic [mass-free energy] aether,^[9][10][11] sub-divided in different levels of density, with density proportional to the density of any physical substance occupying the area of space concerned, increasing around large bodies such as stars and planets, acting as a refracting medium and affecting the speed of propagation of light and electromagnetic forces, etc.—for all the experimental data and astronomical observations currently cited in support of the special and general theories of relativity, and the internal inconsistencies and unwarranted assumptions of standard relativity theory have been pointed out by dozens of scientists.^[12][13] It must be re-iterated, though, that these ideas should in no way be construed as being indicative of generally accepted scientific opinion on the subject. Chinese Wood (木) | Fire (火) | Earth (土) | Metal (金) | Water (æ°´) Hinduism and Buddhism The Pancha Mahabhuta (The Five Great Elements) Vayu/Pavan (Air/Wind) Agni/Tejas (Fire) Akasha (Aether) Prithvi/Bhumi (Earth) Ap/Jala (Water) Aether (also spelled ether) is a concept used in ancient and medieval science as a substance. ... Two-dimensional analogy of space-time distortion described in General Relativity. ...

New experimental research in physics and biophysics,^[14] based upon the conception of a dynamic ether (which is a controverial issue to the mainstream science) describes that it has experimentally developed technological equipment capable of measuring etheric fields that are immanent to complex organisms (such as human beings),^[15] and with potential applications, among others, in medical diagnostics and in practices of alternative medicine. See drugs, medication, and pharmacology for substances that are used to treat patients. ... It has been suggested that Complementary and Alternative Medicine be merged into this article or section. ...

See also

• Subtle body
• Etheric projection
• Esoteric cosmology
• Linga sarira
• Odic fluid, Prana, Qi

The Subtle body is a non-physical energy or psycho-spiritual body or bodies that all beings have, according to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings. ... Esoteric cosmology is cosmology that is an intrinsic part of an esoteric or occult system of thought. ... Lińga Śarīra is the Sanskrit term for the invisible double of the human body. ... Also called Od [õd] and Odyle, Odic Force is the 19th century name given to a hypothetical vital energy or life force that proponents say permeates all living plants, animals, and humans. ... Prana (, IAST: ) is a Sanskrit word meaning breath and refers to a vital, life-sustaining force of living beings and vital energy in natural processes of the universe. ... For other uses, see QI (disambiguation). ...

References

1. ^ Leadbeater, C. W., Man, Visible and Invisible, 1902
2. ^ Besant, Annie, Man and His Bodies, 1911
3. ^ Brennan, Barbara, Hands of Light : A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field (Etheric body), Bantam Books, 1987
4. ^ Blavatsky, H.P., The Key to Theosophy
5. ^ Steiner, Rudolph, Occult science - An Outline. Trans. George and Mary Adams. London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1909, 1969
6. ^ Heindel, Max, The Rosicrucian Mysteries (Chapter IV, The Constitution of Man: Vital Body - Desire Body - Mind), 1911, ISBN 0-911274-86-3
7. ^ The Rosicrucian Fellowship, Eastern and Western Spiritual Alternatives
8. ^ Heindel, Max, Freemasonry and Catholicism, ISBN 0-911274-04-9
9. ^ Aspden, Harold, The Physics of Creation (i.e. Chapter 7: "Aether Structure"), 2003 (pdf available)
10. ^ Wilcock, David, Light on Quantum Physics
11. ^ Mishin, Alexander M., The Ether Model as Result of the New Empirical Conception, International Academy of MegaSciences, St. Petersburg, Russia (html available)
12. ^ Pratt, David, Einstein's relativity theory vs. the ether from a Theosophic viewpoint (rev’d 09/05)
13. ^ Wilcock, David, The breakthroughs of Russian astrophysicist Dr. Nikolai A. Kozyrev (1908-1983)
14. ^ Correa, P & Correa, A, Aurora Biophysics Research Institute - Overview, Akronos Publishing, 2000
15. ^ Correa, P & Correa, A, Biological Field and Contact Meter (BAM)

The title of a popular book by Helena P. Blavatsky first published in 1889 and still in print today, expounding the principles of theosophy in a readable question-and-answer manner. ... The Rosicrucian Fellowship Emblem The Rosicrucian Fellowship was founded in 1909/11 by Max Heindel as herald of the Aquarian Age and with the aim of promulgating the Rosicrucian teachings of the Mystery School of the West, the invisible Rosicrucian Order (which, according to Max Heindel, is an Order in...

Further reading

• Powell, Arthur E. The Etheric Double
• Alfred, Jay, Our Invisible Bodies: Scientific Evidence for Subtle Bodies, Trafford Publishing, 2006, ISBN 1-412-06326-4.