Intro to the Subtle Body

The word subtle means, “difficult to understand or perceive,” or “challenging to analyze or describe.” While the subtle body is not easily perceptible, I’ll do my best to keep it simple so we may remember how to intuit and perceive through our five senses and beyond. Rest assured, there is a practical purpose to the knowledge of the subtle body, to yoga philosophy, and to other esoteric teachings. Grasping these concepts requires a bit of investigation, as well as determination, to push past the intimidating language of this special topic. With this in mind, you may understand the subtle body in a way that makes a difference in your life and potentially impacts others as well.

Yoga is a “practical practice” of increasing awareness or rather remembering and becoming aware of what we already know. It is designed to awaken what was once a dormant or unexpressed consciousness (kundalini). Once we connect to that consciousness, we increase our awareness and may break the cycles of “same suffering” (samsara) to attain a liberated state. Ultimately, yoga is about seeing all with an equal eye, which results in unconditional love for the self and for others. We achieve this goal by practicing kindness in every thought, word, and action, every minute of every day. When you feel lost among “fancy” words, find your way back to the simplicity of love and kindness.

Please read Chapter 7, of World Peace Yoga: Yoga for People Who Breathe by Anna Ferguson and watch/listen in on the following video on “Intro to the Subtle Body” with Julie Kirkpatrick.