What Are the 7 Subtle Bodies in Yoga?
The subtle body connects us to the divine and our inner spirit. Balancing this subtle energy can improve overall health and well-being. You can activate your subtle bodies through yoga postures, breathwork, and meditation.
The seven subtle bodies include the etheric, emotional, mental, astral, etheric template, celestial, and causal bodies. Each contains energy that influences your physical, emotional, and spiritual state. These bodies work in conjunction with the seven chakras to create harmony in the mind and body.
If you want to dive deeper into the seven subtle bodies and chakras, keep reading.
What is Subtle Energy?
Subtle energy refers to the life force within your body and mind. It affects your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. When energy flows freely, it promotes self-healing and overall vitality.
In yoga, subtle energy is activated through postures, mindful movement, and breathwork. The seven chakras play a key role in circulating this energy, clearing blockages, and helping you maintain balance.
For more on this, explore our guide to balancing chakras.
What Are the Seven Chakras?
Chakras are energy centers in the body that help regulate subtle energy. When aligned, they enhance your vitality and mental clarity.
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Root Chakra (Muladhara): Located at the base of the spine, associated with the color red. It promotes grounding and security.
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Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Found below the belly button, represented by orange. Supports creativity, pleasure, and self-worth.
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Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Upper abdomen, yellow. Enhances personal power and self-esteem.
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Heart Chakra (Anahata): Center of the chest, green. Influences love and compassion.
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Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Throat area, blue. Governs communication and self-expression.
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Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Forehead between the eyes, indigo. Develops intuition and insight.
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Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Top of the head, purple. Connects to spiritual awareness and enlightenment.
The subtle bodies and chakras work together as part of the aura. When healthy, your energy system supports well-being on all levels.
The 7 Subtle Bodies in Yoga
Each subtle body represents a layer of energy that affects your physical, emotional, and spiritual life. Healing the subtle bodies often supports healing the physical body.
1. Etheric Body
The etheric body is closest to the physical body and relates to the nervous system. It sustains life force energy and appears whitish-blue to energy healers. Techniques to support it include:
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Acupuncture
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Quigong
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Reiki
2. Emotional Body
The emotional body holds feelings, traumas, and unresolved emotions. It is timeless, which explains why some emotional patterns persist. Issues may include anxiety, depression, or anger. Yoga, meditation, and energy healing can help release these blockages.
3. Mental Body
Located 3–8 inches from the physical body, the mental body governs thought, imagination, and memory. Its energy can appear yellow or reflect emotional states. Practices like mindful thinking, journaling, and visualization support mental clarity.
4. Astral Body
The astral body relates to out-of-body experiences, desires, and passions. It connects the emotional and spiritual planes, often accessed through meditation or guided visualization. Astral projection and observing subtle energies are associated with this body.
5. Etheric Template Body
This body acts as a blueprint for your physical form, storing chakra energies. It supports deep healing and spiritual alignment. Techniques include:
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Music therapy
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Reiki
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Yoga
6. Celestial Body
The celestial body links you with the divine through the heart chakra. It embodies unconditional love, joy, and spiritual ecstasy. Meditation and heart-centered yoga practices nurture this body.
7. Causal Body
The causal body, or “karmic body,” holds all information from the lower subtle bodies. It has the highest vibrational frequency and is associated with reincarnation and spiritual unity. Practices like prayer, meditation, and yoga protect and strengthen it.
Final Thoughts
By understanding and working with the seven subtle bodies, you can cultivate deeper spiritual connections and holistic well-being. Yoga offers practical tools—postures, breathwork, meditation, and energy practices—to harmonize your subtle energy and promote overall health.
For more on subtle energy and chakra work, check out our beginner’s guide to chakras or explore MVP yoga classes that focus on energy healing.