The Vital Energy Centers: The 11 Thought Bodies

The human mind has the capacity to generate, analyze and process an average of 1000 thoughts per second, all of which get channeled through neuro-pathways. This is a skill which we don’t have to learn; it’s part of how we’re naturally wired. But how you craft those thoughts and how your subconscious and unconscious interpret them is largely instructed by all the external inputs throughout your life: childhood, culture, training or groups, indoctrination, physical environment, and your natural tendencies or disposition.

The human mind is always in the process of leaning either toward being protective (Negative Mind) or projective (Positive Mind). The mediator, the Neutral Meditative Mind, will weigh the value - the pluses and minuses – given by the Negative and Positive and your decisions will be made based on the weight it places on each.

We protect ourselves from danger by first calculating any risk/threat, then we determine the positive aspects of an effort or enterprise, at which point we move to the Meditative Neutral where we balance the two.

Each aspect of our generated thoughts and how we interpret those thoughts informs how we interact with our surroundings, people and daily life.

First Body: Soul – The first body corresponds with the first chakra, the root chakra. It is the Infinite Light that lives within us; the seed. The challenge of the first body is to balance the head and the heart in humility, creativity and beauty.

Second Body: Mental Negative (Protective) – The second body corresponds with the second chakra. The Negative Mind protects us by revealing the danger or potential loss in any situation. It gives us the gifts of containment and discernment. The Negative Mind does not imply a negative connotation, simply the opposite of the Positive. Its function is to strengthen discipline and craft integrity. The challenge of the second body is to avoid becoming pessimistic.

Third Body: Mental Positive (Expansive) – The third body corresponds with the navel center. The Positive Mind inspires us by telling us what the possible gain is in a situation. The challenge here is a tendency toward idealism.

Fourth Body: Mental Neutral (Meditative) – The fourth body relates to the heart center. The Neutral Mind listens to both the Negative and Positive Minds, and then leads us to the best decision. The challenge of the fourth body is a tendency toward indecision or difficulty perceiving the larger picture.

Fifth Body: Physical – The fifth body relates to the throat chakra. This is where the other light bodies or spinning chakras play out their parts. When you have reached balance, you are now ready to teach, to bring abstract concepts of thought and spirit to the seeker. This is where the abstract is made concrete and practical.

Sixth Body: Arc Line – The Arc Line is a band of energy that arcs from earlobe to earlobe around the head like a halo. It’s the generator of your aura. The sixth thought body is associated with the pituitary gland and nervous system. It gives the ability to focus, meditate and manifest projected thoughts and desires.

Seventh Body: Aura – The seventh body is the sphere of electromagnetic energy that surrounds the physical body and can extend up to 9 feet in every direction. It acts as a shield from external energy. The challenge of the seventh body, if it’s weak, is a tendency to feel easily overwhelmed by outside influences. An extremely strong aura can actually be an energy drain on others who may be weak, so exercise humility and mercy.

Eighth Body: Pranic – The eighth body controls the breath and takes in prana or qi, life force energy. When the Pranic Body is working well, we are fearless and fully alive. Breathing exercises will strengthen the Eighth Thought Body (Read “The Vital Energy Centers: Learning to Breath Primer”).

Ninth Body: Subtle – The Subtle Body can be described as the first layer of the aura, closest to the physical body. It connects to the Radiant Body. When it’s strong you are able to see beyond the obvious and nothing in life is a mystery. It teaches calmness in chaos, grace and delicacy in diplomacy and relationship to all things. The ninth body carries the soul when it leaves the physical body.

Tenth Body: Radiant – The tenth body is a glorious radiant sphere of light that shows us courage and dignity, favoring elegance, loveliness and blessing. Here, you have the potential to exert a magnetic presence that can heal others, even at a distance.

Eleventh Body: One Body (the Divine State) – This is the center into which you draw Infinite energy, where your mental energy vibrates at the frequency of sound. Here you are in the Divine state, where you have a clear vision of truth and infinity.

The thought bodies are a series of vital energies that support the soul as it passes from one plane to the next. It may be somewhat difficult to understand the relationship between thoughts, chakras and the physical body. Think of them as energy fields which interact and influence each other. Strengthening the chakras that correlate to each thought body and being more conscious of your thought patterns will create greater balance within your energetic system.

Further reading:

The Vital Energy Centers: Introduction to the 7 Major Chakras

The Matrix: Part 2: The Prison of Your Social Conditioning