“The human being consists of three bodies: the physical body, the subtle or astral body, and the causal or karmic body. Each body is an energetic field of different densities that vibrate at different frequencies…
The physical body is the grossest or densest of the bodies and is connected to the physical world. It consists of the five sense organs, the five organs of action, and it is built by the five elements…
The subtle or astral body is an energetic template of the physical body, mirroring its form in the subtle realm. It consists of the same components as the physical body. However, these components are far less dense and are not considered solid. The subtle body is as real as anything else in the physical world, it simply vibrates at a much higher frequency and is beyond the perception of our ordinary physical senses… Also functioning in the subtle body is kundalini energy. Kundalini energy is an energetic template of physical sexual energy. However, its heightened functions are not sexual at all. Kundalini energy is the force that activates the chakras and causes them to function on a higher level, thereby altering perception and experience…
The causal or karmic body is the subtlest vibration within the creation of the human being. It is also the most expansive part of our nature. Unlike the subtle body, it is not an energetic template of the physical body. It is more like a seed energy, which sprouts the subtle and physical body as it germinates. In this sense it is not a body but rather a primal energy…It is through the causal body that we know God. It is through this body that we experience our deepest connection to that which is greater than our separate selves. What is called soul, spirit, or atman is simply consciousness itself residing within the body. It is possible to experience this aspect of ourselves, which usually occurs in fleeting moments of great stillness or deep inspiration. It is not an intellectual process but a deep knowing which can not be put into words.”
Excerpt from “Principles of Ayurvedic Medicine,” by Dr. Marc Halpern, Founder and Director of the California College of Ayurveda