bodies.” These fields can be photographed and demonstrated in various ways. Auras are of varying frequency, color, form, and degree of expansion, constantly fluctuating in some regards while stable in others. To use a spatial metaphor, one could think of the aura as a set of Russian stacked dolls. This metaphor is to some degree misleading, however, as each layer interpenetrates all others, just as radio waves coexist in the same space.
According to the various teachings and traditions, the subtle bodies can be classified by frequency (for instance, etheric double, lower and higher astral bodies, etc.) or by function. We have found it helpful to distinguish functionally between our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies. For optimal health on all levels, these bodies need to be fully developed and in alignment and balance with one another.
The Meridian System
The basis of all Eastern traditions of healing is some concept of life force. This energy is called “prana” in the Indian tradition, and “chi,” “qi,” or “ki” in the Japanese and Chinese traditions. The latter is best known in the West for its system of energy channels (called meridians) that are the “anatomical” basis for the practices of acupuncture and acupressure. Most, but not all, of the more than 1,000 acupuncture points are located on one of the 14 meridians that form a complex network of energy lines throughout the body. Direct manipulation of the flow of energy through insertion of needles, pressure, or the burning of herbs (moxibustion) has long been the focus of traditional Chinese medicine. More recently, the meridian system has come to prominence in various Western healing arts, such as Applied Kinesiology (AK), Neuro-Emotional Technique (N.E.T), Touch for Health, and the like. Over the past decade or two, in the field of psychotherapy, we have seen the emergence of many treatment methods that are based on the meridian system, including Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), or the Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT). [We will discuss these techniques in greater detail in Chapter 22.]
Other Maps of the Human Energy Anatomy
In addition to the terms and concepts introduced in the paragraphs above, there are numerous other systems and traditions that deserve to be acknowledged. To name a few, there are the energy lines posited in Reflexology or reflex zone therapy and the complex systems underlying the practices of Polarity therapy or Jin Shin Jyutsu. In fact, each healing tradition seems to have developed a somewhat unique map of the territory. To draw a parallel, an orthopedic surgeon is likely to focus on different aspects of the anatomy than would, for instance, an internist, endocrinologist, or neurologist. This is not to imply, however, that the anatomical charts of a neurologist are incompatible with those of an orthopedic surgeon. They are simply different aspects of the whole.
For the practitioner of Psychoenergetic Healing, the chakra system appears to be the most relevant part of the human energy anatomy. Thus, we will discuss the major chakras in greater detail in a later chapter. In addition, the meridian system, which forms the basis of various tapping and acupressure techniques, is also very useful. Since all is energy, we should not rigidly adhere to one system at the exclusion of another; all the various maps may be useful in navigating the many layers of the human energy field.
Our Totality: Beyond the Human Energy Field
We have said that a human being is more than an organism of flesh and bones, and we have discussed some basic ideas about the human energy field. But there is more: There are major portions of what we are in our totality that go beyond the human energy field. In fact, the human portion of our being is just a minuscule fraction of our totality. It is no more than a single cell [This metaphor does not imply that the human portion is insignificant. As the recent advances in cloning have illustrated, a single cell contains all the information needed to form a complete organism.] in a huge organism. These aspects of our totality have been addressed by many names, such as our “Divine Essence,” our “God-Self,” or our “Higher Self.” As beings of light, human beings exist on many planes or levels of vibration simultaneously, with only the lowest frequencies bound to time and space. Our totality comprises light in its lowest vibration (the physical body), light in its highest vibration (our oneness with the Infinite Source), and many frequencies in between. For the sake of simplicity and convenience, let us call those aspects of our totality that transcend time and space and exist on higher-vibrational levels our Higher Self. The Higher Self contains the essence of our existence since the beginning of time; it is the mastermind behind all of our experiences; and it is the direct connection to Infinite Source.
All aspects of our totality are in constant communication. This interchange, of course, is strongly influenced by the receptivity and permeability of our subtle bodies. The greater the balance throughout our human energy field, the easier it is to be in harmony throughout all our totality.
Chapter 3
The Grand Scheme, Reincarnation, and Karma
The Grand Scheme
In the previous chapter we touched on some fundamental questions: What is the nature of the era we are living in? What is the nature of human beings? In our quest to sketch the larger picture we shall not shy away from the question of the purpose of the human experience. Of course, there are many attempts to give an answer, some more definitive than others. Our own version of the “grand scheme” could be outlined as follows:
First, we acknowledge that we cannot fully comprehend with our human mind the purpose of life in general or our experience of it. Our mind is simply not capable of comprehending a reality that goes far beyond the limits of the mind. If we wish to grasp even the shadow of an answer we need access to our Higher Self. Through our Higher Self an answer may be “known,” even if our mind cannot grasp or communicate it. Thus, we can only talk about the grand scheme in approximate terms.
Our totality spans the widest possible range of frequencies, from oneness with Infinite Source to the greatest sense of separation from Infinite Source that we could imagine. No animal would ever feel as separated from Infinite Source as most human beings do. The hallmark of the human experience as we currently know it is this sense of separation. We have “forgotten” that we are, in truth, connected to One and All and, even more, that we are one with One and All.
Human life could be called a grand experiment in consciousness. While all life is imbued with consciousness, human beings are unique insofar as they have chosen to cultivate a frequency of consciousness that is mired in the illusion of separation. The more we suffer from the consequences of this illusion, the more we are driven to rediscover the oneness we have seemingly lost. All human experience is designed to afford us an opportunity to find again what has, in truth, never been lost.
In this mind-boggling experiment in consciousness, we are co-creators who have been given the right to exercise free will. We can venture as far away from Infinite Source as we choose, but we can never be apart from Infinite Source. This setup makes for the most interesting and abundant manifestations of maya, or cosmic illusion.
And this may be about as far as our human mind will take us. Why is there life? Why is there consciousness? Why is there maya? It just is . . . .
Reincarnation
If the purpose of human experience is to return to an awareness of our oneness with Infinite Source, it would be a cruel joke if we had only one lifetime to reach that goal. No matter how long we may live, most of us don’t even come close to such a realization. And how could we experiment with the myriad consequences that result from a consciousness of separation if a mere 50 or 80 years were all we had? Obviously, our version of the grand scheme would make little sense without the concept of reincarnation.
Let us describe our understanding of this concept in simple terms: The eternal portion of our totality, which we called Higher Self, delegates an offspring of itself to go to school on the material plane in a human body. In the classroom called “life,” each being undergoes a learning process according to an individualized curriculum. The principal in this school is the being’s Higher Self, which supervises the curriculum in collaboration with higher-vibrational beings (the superintendents, so to speak) and in accordance with the laws set forth by Infinite Source (the legislature). The principal respects the free will of the student but insists on the supreme goal of learning and growing. If a student refuses to