Maria Duval - Are we just physical beings?

Are we just physical beings?
Here's something that I have discovered: In the presence of a qigong or taiji master, a layperson may feel unusual, often discomforting sensations within their body. Some may feel giddy or develop stomachaches. Yet others may feel heat brewing within them. I know several qi-gong masters, so I am familiar with these sensations. How can somebody without even touching you, cause so much physical sensation in the other? Could it be that somehow these qi-gong experts have around them a formidable but invisible energy field? So, are we just a body? Metaphysical and esoteric teachings tend to think otherwise. So do I. We are definitely more than a physical body. The construct of a Being (Human) consisted of more than the mere physical body. Although not complete, the anatomy consists of Subtle Bodies & Chakras. Subtle Bodies The subtle bodies are energy vehicles that overlay the physical one. The energy bodies are associated with the various vibrational dimensions. Like the dimensions, the bodies interpenetrate one another and stack up higher and higher in vibration. It seems for every corresponding vibrational range (dimension and sub-dimension) there is an associated body. From my understanding, the subtle bodies or cognitive vehicles interpret the intention/information/impulse from it's Source. The source is pure awareness, and by down-stepping into various vehicles, its reflections becomes our personality.The sequence of down-stepping, as I understand it, goes something like this: Pure awareness>>> sensing/feeling (thought without definition)>>> mental thought (images, language) and/or emotions (happiness, anger, fear, etc). Most human beings are aware primarily of their mental thoughts and emotions, which form their personality. However, as you can see, the real identity of a Being is more than that. A person who is sensitive to the 'sensing/feeling (thought without definition) stage of cognition can be described as being intuitive. Chakras According to Tantric philosophy and Yoga, chakras are energy vortexes or channel wheels in the energy bodies. They are energy centers that process life force energies. Contrary to popular belief, they are not restricted to the teachings of the Buddhist and Hindu Yogis. The shamans of South America knew about them as well. The Taoist tradition also has a system of power points along the Central Channel of the body that nearly corresponds to the location of the chakras. Each chakra governs a specific area of articulation and expression. Chakras can be under active, overly active or in balance. When in balance and working properly, they allow the person to have healthy self-expression. Chakra also nourishes the surrounding physical organs by supplying energy. So a properly functioning chakra, denotes physical and psychological well-being in the associated areas. The human energy system is not made solely of chakras and subtle bodies only. Prana or chi which is the universal life force permeates the energy fields. It has been said that meridian and/or nadis carry these chi or prana throughout the energy field. My conclusion is that we are certainly more vast than what we think we are.

The author is a guy living in the Far East. He runs a self-growth resource site at http://www.dreamdatum.com.

What It Takes
Over the last thirty years I have watch students come and go. Some pick up some meditation tools to help them with life, they find more peace and have an awakening that gives them an evolutionary bump up in consciousness, while others clearly get the glow, find the bliss and enlighten. Why do some just get just a little and others enlighten? I've been studying this for years and have some insights for you. The good news is that you are reading this, and that is the evidence you are being guided. Continue to follow that inner guidance and you will get it. You have it already, you are it; you have only to realize it. One of the most common delays and deterrents, to our spiritual evolution is "The Busy Cycle." Inevitably, as we meditate we accelerate our learning curve and our life starts speeding up, changes come rapidly and we become busier dealing with all the changes that we've stirred up in our life. While this is the most important time to keep meditating, it is more often than not the time students start missing their meditations, cutting them short or not being fully present when meditating. Whether it's a few days, weeks, months or years, eventually people seem to come back to meditation, like a refuge, but those times away can be difficult. Sticking with your practice and allowing yourself to receive inner guidance during meditation is the best strategy to help you move through these trying times. The second biggest obstacle is "dabbling." I have seen students go from one spiritual practice to another, teacher to teacher, seminar to seminar, and retreat to retreat for years but they don't go deeper in their meditation. Rather than going deeper in their meditation, they simply move on to the next fun thing. The third biggest obstacle, and the test that comes up with most of my graduate students, is the "I know" syndrome. When students learn a lot and start having epiphanies, satori's or samadhi's, it often goes to their head and this puts up barriers to learning. This is a test all students face (as I did): getting stuck on what we think we know (or have). If you think you know, you don't. So, what does it take? The students who have clearly awakened and enlightened have these qualities: They are deeply committed, sincere and consistent in their practice. They are open to receive, they listen, they allow themselves to be guided, they allow themselves to be loved, and they are able to take criticism and guidance without defensiveness or resistance. Most importantly, they don't give up. You can never fail if you don't give up. Don't give up, it's so worth it. From the heart, Steven S. Sadleir

Steven S. Sadleir is the Director of the Self Awareness Institute and is recognized as a Shaktipat Master in two lineages. He has developed powerful distance learning programs for people of all cultures and faiths, trained thousands of people from all over the world, and welcomes all of you who are ready for full Self-Realization. Visit http://www.SelfAwareness.com for FREE guided meditation mp3s and ebook!

Meditation Courses
If you are a beginner in meditation and you aren’t sure you are doing all you can accomplish, or you feel like there may be something distracting you, you will want to check your area to see if anyone offers meditation courses. By taking a course, you will have an experienced guide that can give you advice and track your progress. It’s possible that you will also be in a group that is learning the practice of meditation together. This is a good place to make friends and meet people you already have something in common with.

Where should you look to find meditation courses? If you live in a metropolitan area, you may be lucky enough to have a store nearby that sells specialty items that aid in meditation. These stores will likely have a pegboard for groups that meet to meditate together. There you will find any courses or information on instructors that are local to your area. If you don’t have a store that fits this description, try a health food store. Many people who practice meditation also try to live an all natural lifestyle, and they would frequently visit your local health food store as well.

If you don’t live in a high population center, you can still try an internet search for meditation courses. There may be someone who travels through your area on a regular basis and they stop to teach a group in your area. Or there may be a group already established in your hometown and you only have to call to join to them. Wherever you live, there are options available to you if you spend a little time looking for them.

You may also be able to find meditation courses on DVD or CD. These would include a group instructor giving you verbal directions while you are meditating to guide you to your fullest potential. The best courses would have a selection of lengths available, so that if you don’t have a full hour to devote to your meditation that day, you would be able to choose a shorter time, such as thirty minutes or even fifteen minutes.

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