on the fourth body
what is this fourth body?
i probably don’t know.. so this article features a certain amount of personal speculation
to understand the fourth body, we must first know of the other three:
#1 – the physical body
all of us are familiar with this one.. it’s the body we use to interact in the world of physicality. if you need something lifted, moved, re-ordered, punched, stroked — use this body. corresponds to base/root/muladhara chakra. kundalini/sex energy is stored here.. and an ancient clue as to why religion is uptight about sex. its element is earth.
#2 – the emotional body
women are generally in better tune with this non-physical body than their male counterparts, although not always. much of this has to do with social conditioning, although biology does play a role. emotions run a rich tapestry between love at the center/core/spirit, and fear at the edges of one’s ego. often emotional currents end up rendering a physical response, so bodies #2 and #1 are closely linked. corresponds to sacral/svadisthana chakra, and its element is water.
#3 – the first mental body
ok, to be honest, i’m not sure about this one — it’s a guess. when does a thought spawn an emotion, and when does an emotion drive a thought? men are often more in tune with their mental processes than women, but again, not always. meditation can lead to transcendence of thought, and a distancing from emotional states. passion, zest and anger are here, along with the element of fire. corresponds to the solar plexus/manipura chakra.
#4 – the fourth body
in a word: “love”.. transcends lustful attractions, emotional fixations, and mental gymnastics. activation of this body expands consciousness from ego-centric (i/me) to a unified perspective (us/all). motivations are genuinely pure. bliss currents run up the spine and pulse outwards from the center of the chest down through the fingertips, and perhaps out the top of the head. personal energy is increased, eyes are brighter. there is magic here, perhaps starting with the emotional awareness of others, and the ability to positively affect those emotions in non-local and non-physical ways (i.e., with the breath). corresponds to the heart/anahata chakra, and its element is air.
there is much more detail that could be discussed here, and additional bodies besides.. we’ll save those for another time.
if one wishes to open/activate/develop the fourth body, then pranayama is the tool designed for this purpose. also, deep meditation, to gain perspective and help center the additional energy that is stirred up using pranayama practices.
