Dear friends, Heres a question I posted on Flowing Wakefulness community site and thought you might appreciate Igors elaborate response. QUESTION: ------------- Very few Non-Dual teachers speak of the Light Body also called the Rainbow body by Tibetan Buddhists and since Ive heard you mention it I wanted to ask a question. I was told that only someone who has developed a Rainbow/Light Body can see if another has developed it as this body itself becomes a new organ of perception and knowing. Could you please speak about this and the process of building such a Light Body. IGORS REPLY: ----------------- The reason not many non-dual teachers speak of the subtle body is because they have next to none knowledge/experience of it. Still worse some deny its existence since according to certain interpretations all these layers considered to be unreal. The Light Body or Subtle Body, known as Shukshma Sarira in Vedanta/Tantra or Merkaba in Kabbalah is of utmost importance, for it is where the awakened to itself individual consciousness would reside upon releasing its identification with the gross body. Unless the light body is well developed, the awakened soul (individualized consciousness) cannot utilize tremendously increased pranic flow (of major vital airs) and often forced to return to dwell in the gross body. Thats one of the main reasons why upon initial awakening many cannot overcome identification with the physical body. Lets not forget, the light body is underdeveloped in most modern people. It is shrunk at the expense of almost complete identification with the lower vital in a more recent history. According to Vedantic view the light body is composed of three intermediate layers, sheaths (koshas): Pranamaya (pranic currents), Manomaya (mental impressions), Vijyanomaya (discrimination, intellect) respectively. The light body connects physical body with the body of Bliss (Anandamaya). The state of the subtle body is characterized by how much integration there is between the working of prana, mind and discriminating power of intellect. So, it makes perfect sense that in the one in whom the light body is developed, there is increased coherence of all kind, and certainly there is greater degree of refinement in perception. Which in turn allows one to perceive [state of] the light body of another. All in all it is a state of increased conductivity and greater fluidity of interaction between all [other] layers which quickens the process of integration, from awaking to fuller embodiment. The most important tool in developing ones light body is meditation. When done with skills, meditation slows down metabolic activity of the gross body and allows greater flow of prana in the subtle. It alkalizes the body, ridding blood off the excess of acid, making it more capable of absorbing more prana from both breathing and food. However the fastest tool in re-building the light body is breath, hence pranayama was always considered the shortest cut to expand the capacity of the subtle body to store prana. That said, [the practice of] pranayama is a delicate business and requires a lot of care. Not all pranayamas are advisable unless done in properly instructed manner and in free of [all sorts of] pollution areas. Just to add, at the coming retreat, The Gate, the Altar & the Offering at Joshua Tree this topic would be given due attention as it directly relates to the overall theme of Awakening and the Body. When viewed from the perspective of a human body as being the perfect reflection of The Body of Cosmos.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 15:39:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015