We are much more than our gross body. Our gross body is only an outer cover to experience the gross world. Once we turn inwards we become conscious of our inner bodies. Our gross body is essential to experience our desires. Through the awareness of our gross body we then start the process of turning inwards which we call the process of ‘involution’. Thus the awareness of gross body is the first stepping stone. It is a paradox that though we see ourselves in our gross body every moment we are completely unaware of it when it comes to our actions. We only become aware of it when it hurts.

Our gross body is the densest form of energy converted into matter. This gross body is a miracle of its own kind. Science has proven that our gross body is full of pores and it can fit into container having the size of a matchbox. The water content composition of the gross body is the same as the content of the ocean. And also the whole material is the cheapest of its kind. However to build a machine of the capability of our body we would need a factory spanning acres of land. Our brain alone would occupy a multi- story building and still the computerized ‘brain’ would not be creative.

Our gross body chakra is the ‘mooladhar chakra’ or the root chakra. The basic energy in this chakra is the sex urge. And the energy concentrated at this chakra is manifested as sex energy in the physical form. The whole idea of turning inwards is not to spend the energy externally but use it for internal connections through optimum utilization.

We are all beings of light. Light is energy in the purest form. All the bodies are states of the different vibrations of the light energy. The beginning of the Universe was just one word, light. It is said that Universe was a creation of just one statement called let there be ‘light’ and there was.

This still holds true in our life. First we have to declare that we are looking forward to a particular outcome and then go for it to materialize on the Earth plane. In the management terminology we call it as, a goal is set first in the mind and then in action to manifest it in form of a physical outcome. In the spiritual terms it is said that a goal is first manifested in the psychic plane and then action is taken to materialize it on the Earth plane.

Our second body is the Etheric body. This body is less dense than the gross body. All emotions are a part of this body. We take love, hate and fear as basic forms of emotion. All other emotions are a manifestation of these. When we fear, this body shrinks and when we are in love it expands. While we meditate we experience the expansion of this body and often mistake it as an ‘ultimate experience’.

However this is just a stepping stone to the ultimate experience. The expansion of this etheric body is still governed by certain boundaries. The ultimate experience has no boundaries at all. Thus the etheric body is responsible for all of our emotions. This is associated with the ‘swadhisthan chakra’. This chakra represents the seat of the emotions.

The third body is the Astral body. This body generates the vibrations for the emotions. It is a subtle form and this is a seat of the magnetic force, which drives the emotions. At this stage we doubt and think. This body, when used appropriately, becomes trust and intelligence.

Awareness is an outcome of intelligence. Intelligence is essentially the power of discrimination. This leads to a decisive approach. Thoughts have nothing to do with decisions. Clarity comes when you are not ridden by undue thoughts. The chakra that pertains to the Astral body is the ‘manipur chakra’.

The fourth body is the mental body or the psyche. The ‘anahat chakra’ is connected to this body. This body is the seat of creative imagination and dreaming. Dreaming also involves day dreaming. A controlled process of day dreaming is the visualization technique and with awareness it could also become a psychic vision. This body can be transported to various places through certain practice. Here we also receive the thoughts from the outer world as magnetic waves.

Automatic writing and psychic communication happen here. These are the processes of establishing communication with souls and the perfect beings. Channeling process is also a phenomenon of this body and its associated chakra. Telepathy also happens through this body. This body has a great psychic potential and we must look at a complete development of this body coupled with awareness.

The first four bodies are the critical steps for turning inwards. A union of these bodies makes you feel complete and at peace. However, we do not and should not stop at this. We have to go ahead. Till this stage the duality of male and female exists. The fit of the bodies is achieved through alternating male and female fits. Each awareness of the fit results in the completeness and a step to move inwards.

These form the basic four bodies in the first stage of turning inwards. Awareness is easy to achieve here. Beyond this we have to take control of the processes with awareness. The next three bodies are the gateway to the ultimate experience. Till then make an effort to turn inwards and explore the first four bodies of our inner world.