Taoist Eight Energy Body Theory

by | May 9, 2019 | Qigong, Qigong Secrets | 10 comments

 

The Eight Energy Bodies

1. The flesh of the physical body.

2. The chi body, which fuels the physical body.

3. The emotional body, which gives rise to your emotions, both positive and negative.

4. The mental body, which causes thoughts to function, whether with clarity or confusion.

5. The psychic body, which allows us to find our hidden internal capacities and helps our intuition or psychic perceptions become concrete.

6. The causal body, which causes karma to flow.

7. The body of individuality, which enables the actual birth of the full spiritual being commonly referred to as our essence.

8. The realization of the TAO or the entire universe, which few people ever actualize. 

10 Comments

  1. Joachim Maximilian Schmid

    Thanks a lot for sharing the daoist wisdom. I think I understand, a least rudimentarily, the workings of bodies 1-5. But could you say some more about the karmic body and the body of individuality, or point out where to read about them? I would be very happily helped 🙂
    Kind regards

    Reply
    • Energy Arts Team

      Hi Jiochim,

      Glad you found this blog helpful! Great question about the rest of the energy bodies. These two books by Bruce linked below have information on the all of the 8 energy bodies.
      The Chi Revolution
      Taoist Sexual Meditation

      Reply
    • Energy Arts Team

      Hi Jiochim,

      Glad you found this blog helpful! Great question about the rest of the energy bodies. These two books by Bruce linked below have information on the all of the 8 energy bodies.
      The Chi Revolution
      Taoist Sexual Meditation

      Reply
  2. Maria

    Thank you for sharing the 8 energy body theory.

    After reading it I was trying to relate the energy bodies theory with the chakra theory:
    Could the following correspondences be right?

    1 Muladhara Chakra – Root Centre – physical body
    2 Svadhishthana Chakra – Lower Abdominal Centre – etheric body (Ren 4)
    3 Manipura Chakra – Navel Centre – emotional body (Ren 8)
    4 Anahata Chakra – Heart Centre – mental body(Ren14-17)
    5 Vishuddhi Chakra – Throat Centre – psychic body (Ren 22)
    6 Agya Chakra – Eyebrow Centre – causal body (yin tang)
    7 Bindu Chakra – Moon Centre – body of individuality (du20?)
    8. Sahasrara Chakra – Crown Centre – realisation with the tao

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Energy Arts Team

      There are some correspondences but the ancient Chinese and Indian systems are inherently and culturally different. So the chakra and energy bodies must be viewed as separate. Thanks for the interesting comment.

      Best,

      Reply
    • Pi

      Hello, for my understanding, the chakras relate to the point where one circulates the Qi. For the eight energies body described on this page, there might be more correspondence with the koshas, the five bodies in the same Vedanta tradition as the chakras.

      From Wikipedia:

      The five sheaths summarised with the term Panchakosha are described in the Taittiriya Upanishad (2.1-5).[2][3] From gross to fine they are:

      Annamaya kosha, “food” sheath (Anna)[3]
      Pranamaya kosha, “energy” sheath (Prana)[3]
      Manomaya kosha “mind” sheath (Manas)[3]
      Vijñānamaya kosha, “discernment” or “Knowledge” sheath (Vigynana)[3]
      Anandamaya kosha, “bliss” sheath (Ananda)[3]
      According to Vedanta the wise person, being aware of the subtle influences of the five elements within each kosha, ever discerns the Self amidst appearances.

      Reply
  3. Sean Bilkey

    Hi Bruce.

    I recently started reading “Relaxing Into Your Being” and had a specific question around the origin of this “Eight Bodies” concept. You mention in the book that “Taoists have identified in humans a system of distinct vibrational levels of energy that they call the Eight Bodies”. I have searched for any reference to this Taoist concept and haven’t had any luck yet. Could you point me to where I can find reference to this concept? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Energy Arts Team

      Bruce says he learned this in the Taoist oral and esoteric tradition as part of the Taoist Water Method following Lao Tzu. He doesn’t know of it is mentioned in any texts and if it is mentioned in the Fire Method it would be those close to Zhangzi. You can find more information on the energy bodies in the Taoist Sexual Mediation book.

      Reply
  4. Michael Mangold

    Apparently the only answer we will ever get to our questions is, “Read this book I wrote.”

    Reply
    • Energy Arts Team

      Hi Michael,

      We actually have a lot of good free content to start with in on our blogs and youtube channel. And people can also ask questions are on our forum.

      Reply

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