Lesson 10 - Occult Anatomy

Occult anatomy is the story of the unseen parts of the body - unseen only by those who have not yet developed the power of seeing beyond the "veils". But for those who have learnt to focus the gaze, the higher bodies are seen and felt.

We have the physical body which is solid matter which all of us are familiar with. We also have the etheric body, the astral, the mental, intuitive, spiritual, and divine bodies, the physical body being the lowest and most impure of all the bodies.

The etheric body plays a very large part even in our physical body. The etheric is seen as an aura surrounding the physical, extending from 1/4 to 1/2 inch out. This shows the state of health a person is in. It should be an electric, scintillating blue colour.

It is within the etheric body of man that the chakras or vortices of energy are situated. The physical body is a lump of matter animated with life that is transmitted through these centres and then directed to various parts of the body, so giving us life and health. If there is any damage to the etheric counterpart, then we react by an illness in the physical body relating to the area of distribution of the life force.

The centres connected with the distribution are also connected with the psychic development of the individual. Once they become active on that level, they are functioning at top speed. Then certain psychic gifts become apparent. It is like opening a doorway and in rush certain guests. But to open this doorway prematurely by forced methods can only mean destruction to the doorway and the guests. So we leave the opening of the psychic centres to unfold naturally as our own spiritual development grows.

These centres are situated in the etheric counterpart of the physical body, the first one being at the base of the spine in the coccyx region. The next centre is an inch or so above the coccyx. The third is behind the navel, the fourth behind the heart, the fifth behind the thyroid gland, the sixth is the third eye between the eyebrows, the back of this centre being connected to the etheric counterpart of the medulla oblongata.

It is through this centre of the medulla that cosmic energy is poured into the body, then distributed by the other centres. We are a vast, magnificently constructed piece of machinery that unfortunately we do not service sufficiently to keep in good running order.

The seventh centre is the top of the head (that part which is soft when the new baby is born into the world.) The seven centres that we now have in the etheric body have long names that will only confuse the Western reader. On the last page details will be given of these centres (which are to be visualised as if within a hollow tube (spine), as well as a detailed description of the chakras).

I would like to quote a condensed version from a book written by Paul Braggdon. "Chakras are foci of force within the body which no surgeon's knife has ever laid bare because they are located in the invisible etheric body. This is one with the physical but of a more subtle constitution and in a higher octave of vibration. The centres are receptors of the life force and act as transformers whereby this force is transmitted and transmuted. Though variously located within the body, the centres are all co-ordinated with the cerebro-spinal system, and may be conceived of as so many flowers attached to the parent stem which is the spine.

Consciousness, though throned in the brain, is seated in the centres also, and in the development of these lies man's higher evolutionary advancement. When they are harmonized and operate according to their inherent purpose there is co-operative efficiency and unity of being, but when one centre is overdeveloped and exerts an unnatural influence on another, it throws the individual out of balance. This is why there SHOULD BE NO FORCED DEVELOPMENT OF THE CENTRES.

There are seven principal centres, although one of these, the highest, is not properly in the body but outside it. In the lower, the gross elements predominate, in the higher, the more subtle. There are two nerve currents in the spinal column called Pingala (masculine) and Ida (feminine) and between is Sushumna, in the semblance of a tube, at the lower extremity of which is the Kundalini or potential divine energy.

When "divine marriage" takes place, Kundalini is drawn up through Sushumna and escapes through the top of the head.This brings spiritual illumination and the acquisition of superhuman powers.

The Muladhara Chakra at the base of the spine, the dwelling place of Kundalini, symbolises earth.

Svadisthana Chakra is in the region of the sex organs. In anatomy it is the sacral plexus, the great ganglia at the base of the spinal canal termed the sacral and coccygeal nerves which have to do with the procreative glands. The largest nerve in the body, the great sciatic, rises from this sacral plexus, sending branches to these glands. Some nerves branch off going to knee joints and lower extremities, the feet and big toe. The branches of the sciatic nerve ramify to each knee pan. When

reflex action is absent and the feet jump and twitch, the sacral centre has become partially paralysed due to sexual excess. He who masters this centre is well loved and can command the love of man and beast.

The Manipura Chakra is the solar plexus area, near the navel, where 12 great nerve ganglia branch out in different directions. Each of the nerves branch out from an avenue over which the psycho physical germ passes each month. Each line supplies a special force to different systems of the body. This chakra symbolises fire.

The Anahata Chakra is in the heart area, at the place of the deep cardiac plexus formed by the cardiac nerves derived from the cervical ganglia of the sympathetic and cardiac branches of the recurrent laryngeal and pneumo gastric nerves. Master of this chakra can see both visible and invisible universes.

Vishuddhi Chakra is in the throat directly below the larynx, and anatomically related to pharyngeal plexus. The outer world no longer claims this master - he is absorbed in the inner life.

The Ajna Chakra is between the eyebrows, in the region of the pineal gland. This is the third eye. This master has great psychic powers and destroys karma of past lives.

The Sahasrara Chakra is the thousand and one petaled lotus of the brain, usually represented immediately above the head. In the centre of this is placed the mystical moon which is continually exuding an elixir or dew. This moon fluid of immortality unceasingly flows through the Ida. In the untrained, every particle of this nectar that flows is destroyed. This loss causes the body to become old. If the aspirant can only prevent this flow of nectar by closing the hole in the palate of the mouth he will be able to utilize it to prevent the waste of his body. By drinking it he will fill his whole body with life. In other words, if the sexual fluid is conserved, it is then transmuted and gives the key to long life.

The word Kundalini is sometimes called the Serpent Power. It is the psychic power within man that when aroused hisses, unwinds and climbs the etheric spinal cord. When fully awakened it takes the consciousness of man out of his physical body into realms beyond.

We now have enough evidence of the uses of the etheric body, without which we could not have a physical body. We now come to the astral body which is one of the higher bodies.

At night we leave our physical bodies lying on the bed deep in sleep. We discard our heavy body, leaving either by the medulla oblongata or the top of the head. It depends on the stage of development. Some people say they leave via the solar plexus or other centres, but in my own experience it is consciously achieved via the two above methods.

We slither out from our bodies, and enter another world (astral). There are various levels in this world. The lower planes closest to Earth and physical manifestation are the planes where the undeveloped souls go to rest and be helped. The very lowest and darkest are where the souls immersed in hate are taken. To try to lighten their burden is the task of certain self-sacrificing souls who are capable of withstanding the dark and destructive power.

The higher souls depart to higher spheres.

At night our astral body travels, it is taught, and it can also create good and bad karma. It lives another complete life, or so it seems to our consciousness at this level of understanding.

Even though we still live in our physical bodies we can contact those who have departed their physical bodies, now existing in their subtle body of "light". This is what our astral body is made of light. It has varying degrees of light and colour, depending on the individuals thoughts, on his or her karmic pattern. It shows us up for what we are in reality. It does not lie. Each thought creates a colour pattern that intermingles with the "light" surrounding us, so colouring our higher form, either with dark, black, brown thoughts of malice or that of gold which shows high spirituality, the red of anger, the green of the intellect.

The astral body can travel at the speed of thought. In an instant it can be anywhere in the world, either in the astral or physical. To be able to leave the physical body consciously takes a great deal of training and is fraught with danger unless that person has developed high spiritual powers. It is dangerous to be awakened suddenly because the suddenness of the drawing back into the physical body actually breaks the link between the two and a heart attack will then become a reality.

We then have the mental body which becomes a body without form. The physical, etheric and astral have form and certain substance. The mental body is a state of mental existence surpassing the other forms, but below the intuitive, spiritual and divine bodies.

When you have reached the knowledge of these higher bodies you can manifest as "Pure White Light", brilliant in all its glorious form, or you can merge in the ocean of Spirit. expanding into the sea of Cosmic Consciousness, becoming the All Embracing Divine Consciousness that exists through everything and everyone. You become THAT, the existence behind all things.

It would not be right to conclude our lesson on occult anatomy without mentioning what we call the psychic hearing. This is situated in the head just above and slightly forward to the left ear. It is from here that we can tune in to the astral voices of the Great Ones in Spirit, the teachers of God, and hear the Universal Sound of Aum that pervades the universe. Clairvoyance is seeing, clairaudience is hearing.

But greater than all of these is PURE VISION. This is where we see from the top of the head. The true seer is one who sees this way. Then all things are known.

The chakras are to be visualised within the hollow tube in the centre of the spine.

By mantra, by breathing techniques, by concentration, these various centres can be stimulated into activity - at the right time, naturally, nothing should be forced. As each centre is awakened certain gifts come with it. The nervous system becomes sensitive. This power if released prematurely by drugs and other methods will be disastrous and the person could end up with brain damage or some mental imbalance taking place. DRUGS ARE DEATH TO THE TRUE SPIRITUAL LIFE. We cannot obtain the true by the false. The false creates the false, and so the illusion sets in.

Certain people are born with some or all of the centres opened. Or it may happen when very young. To have them open naturally is the thing. We then become God Man, finally merging with the Father, the Supreme Intelligence, the Cosmic Master, the Universal Being, and by merging we become "THAT" which is ALL.

Such as the wave and the ocean merge, the electric light globe and the power house, we merge with our Source and we are then IT, merging and becoming One, the formless state of existence, which is beyond all of the bodies. We are supreme intelligence and power.

But until we put into practice the New Age rules for living and have purity of thought, we cannot experience the higher truths. If the chakras are opened before this is done, then we fall to the lowest planes possible, dwelling in the dark until finally by the Grace of God we may be lifted up into Light, when we have learnt our lessons.

MAY GOD BE WITH YOU