Spiritual Anatomy: The Three Bodies

According to the Yogic system, humans consists of a complex made up of three bodies (shariras):

1. Physical Body/ Gross Body/ Sthula Sharira
2. Astral Body/ Subtle Body/ Sukshma or Linga Sharira
3. Causal Body/ Karana Sharira

These bodies are akin to the three energy centers in Taoism; lower (physical), middle (energetic) and upper (mind/spirit) dantians i.e. jing, qi, and shen respectively.

The three bodies act like a capsule in which the soul resides. These soul-encasements belong to the realm of Maya (illusions) and revolve around Ego (ignorance). As we progress spiritually on the path of self-realization, we move inwards through the three bodies to experience pure bliss at the centre of our consciousness wherein lies the Soul, which is variously known as the Infinite, Truth, Knowledge, or the Bliss Principle. And as we transcend these layers to unite with the Cosmic Self at the core, we annihilate the barriers of ego. This is what we call the expansion of our consciousness.

All our spiritual efforts and practices aim towards overcoming this limitation of ego. Only then are we led to the state of samadhi (bliss). Let’s understand these layers classified by the Yogis as the three bodies.

1. Physical Body/ Gross Body/ Sthula Sharira

The physical vessel is made up of atoms and constitutes of:

1. Five gross elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth)
2. Five sense organs (nose, tongue, eyes, skin, ears) and
3. Five action organs (organs of speech, organs of procreation, organs of defecation, hands, and legs,)

The gross body runs on the fuel of vital energy that performs the physiological functions via the five subtle elements (sound, touch, vision, taste and smell) which creates attachment to the material world through the medium of elements and organs.

A gross body that a soul receives is according to its past actions (prarabdha). This vessel or body is where the soul experiences the pains and pleasure of its past actions and also has the free will and choice to create further actions (karma).

It manifests in the wakeful state (jagritawastha) and can be regulated with exercises, and right eating habits.

2. Astral Body/ Subtle Body/ Sukshma or Linga Sharira

The subtle body is the seat of all our mental faculties and behaviours. It is made up of 8 principles:

1. Five sense organs
2. Five action organs
3. Five subtle elements
4. Five vital airs (prana or Ki (life force energy), apana, saman, vyan, udana)
5. Four internal organs (ego, mind, intellect and subconscious)
6. Ignorance
7. Desires
8. Karma

The ten organs mentioned here (sense organs and action organs) are different from the gross organs since these are subtle organs linked with the mind. The internal organs gain supremacy due to the ignorance principle. This happens due to the identification of the self as a mind-body entity since we have forgotten about our Infinite True Self.

The function of the astral body is to create desires (kama) and actions (karma).

The subtle body manifests in the dream state (swapnawastha). In the wakeful state, both gross and subtle bodies are active. It can be regulated using breathing and meditative techniques.

3. Causal Body/ Karana Sharira

This is the unmanifested innermost layer of the body complex. It is made up of thought forms (ideas).

Also called prakriti (nature), it exhibits three gunas (qualities):

1. Sattva (purity and harmony)
2. Rajas (passion and manipulation)
3. Tamas (darkness and ignorance)

Sattva keeps us attached to happiness, rajas attaches us to activity and tamas keeps us bound to delusion. As long as we identify with any of the three gunas, we remain enslaved by Maya (illusion).

The causal body manifests in a deep dreamless sleep state (suptavastha), wherein the mind, intellect, ego, unconscious and all organs merge into prana (ki). Even though prana is active during deep sleep, due to the quality of tamas we remain unaware of this state and we cannot experience the material or self and cannot think or contemplate. However, this state can be achieved during turiya, the state of wakeful dream (a state of Samadhi or superconscious state). It can be achieved with the practice of detachment and meditation.

To sum up, the soul is confined by ego and does not allow realization of self. Even though the astral body is superior to the physical and the causal body is transcendent than astral, yet they limit the soul. When the soul stops identifying with the three encasements (shariras), it attains Spirit Consciousness and becomes one with spirit.

The three bodies play the role of a bridge that the soul needs to cross. Life is a bridge connecting us between two worlds. Don’t get attached to life; we don’t build our house on a bridge. This is the greatest kept secret of moksha (liberation)!

Article by Reiki Master Supriya Nair

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Dr. Supriya Nair, IMD, PhD has been a Reiki and Kriya Yoga practitioner since 2008. A conduit between the scientific and spiritual worlds, Dr. Supriya has a profound fascination for the healing arts. Apart from holding the title of Usui Reiki Master Teacher, Dr. Supriya is a certified Health Coach and proficient in various integrative medicine modalities. She is also the author of "Train Your Brain to Unchain Your Pain."
To get in touch with Dr. Supriya, you can reach out via email at [email protected] or connect with her on Facebook at facebook.com/supriyanair111 and on Instagram at instagram.com/proconscious.cafe.