KT Subtle Bodies, the Fourfold Model
KT Subtle Bodies, the Fourfold Model (KTSBFM) is one of the freestanding modules of the Vision Path, meaning that it can be taken by people who haven't followed any other Clairvision courses.
Prior requirements: none.
Cost: $115
Order here.
Written by Samuel Sagan, MD, this Knowledge Track is a practical, limpid and yet extensive presentation of subtle bodies, offered both as reading material and as a talking book.
Theory as an invitation to direct experience
The meditation techniques and other practical exercises of the Vision Path follow a systematic and very carefully crafted progression. Therefore, if KTSBFM contained practices, it could not be a freestanding module. This is why it was designed as a 'theory-only' Track.
However, it should be clear that in the Clairvision work, theory and practice are closely intertwined. The theory is essentially geared toward practice. It is an invitation to direct experience. This very much applies to KTSBFM. What you will find in it isn't some kind of philosophical discourse but a set of practical keys to understand subtle bodies, so as to become able to perceive subtle bodies and use them for a variety of purposes: meditation, inner vision, self knowledge, spiritual practices, all forms of therapy and healing, alchemy, nutrition, education, agriculture, and so on.
By applying the principles discussed in this Knowledge Track, a harvest of observations can be made in your immediate environment. As you listen to the audio recordings, subtle bodies are going to become less and less theoretical, and more and more anchored in practical reality.
Contents of the package
The written material, which comes as a PDF, is comprised of a text on subtle bodies. The text includes more than 500 illustrations and is fully indexed.
The audio recordings include most of the same text. So this KT can be conveniently followed while driving or in any other situation where you can listen to audio.
Table of contents of part 3 of the written material
3.1 – A short presentation
3.2 – The four realms
3.3 – Overview and definitions
3.4 – Correspondences
3.5 – The etheric body
3.6 – Etheric, qi and acupuncture
3.7 – The astral body
3.8 – Ego, warmth and Cosmic Fire
3.9 – Subtle bodies and sleep
3.10 – Contraction, pain, and the astral body
3.11 – Puberty and the menstrual cycle
3.12 – The etheric-astral articulation
3.13 – The breath cycle
3.14 – The incarnation balance
3.15 – Incarnation balance and physical vision
3.16 – Food and the incarnation balance
3.17 – Altering the incarnation balance
3.18 – Deserts and pyramids
3.19 – Substances and subtle bodies
3.20 – Perception, sense organs and thought processes
3.21 – Manvantaras, hierarchies, and the bodies of angels
3.22 – Fall and regeneration
3.23 – Testing your knowledge
3.24 – Subtle Bodies– a short commented bibliography
With the exceptions of 3.6 and 3.20, all sections from 3.1 to 3.22 are part of the audio recordings.
An introduction, by Samuel Sagan
The study of subtle bodies is bound to gain momentum in the coming decades, for a number of crucial reasons. The first has to do with a transformation of extreme importance happening in the world right now – something that future generations will perhaps regard as a revolution, no less important than the industrial revolution that began in the 18th century. An awakening is taking place, a global awakening of people's perception of nonphysical energies.
As a medical doctor, when I first practiced acupuncture in the early 1980s, I only occasionally met clients who could perceive their meridians. Now, in the introductory workshops conducted at the Clairvision School, at least 80% of participants merely have to tune into their third eye in order to reach feelings of inner vibration flowing throughout their body. The etheric body no longer appears 'ethereal'. To masses of people, it is becoming a tangible reality.
The consequences of this awakening can only be a fundamental review of concepts relating to the scope of human consciousness, and the acceptance by mainstream science of the reality of so-called 'nonphysical energies' – of which subtle bodies are made.
In the Knowledge Tracks, as a starting point, I have chosen a 'fourfold model', which explores the human framework in terms of a physical body, an etheric body, an astral body and a Higher Ego. There are precise reasons for this choice.
Firstly, it is a simple model. Having studied and taught subtle bodies for many years, I have come to the conclusion that for a model to be usable in practice, simplicity is an essential requirement. Subtle bodies is not a topic that can be apprehended with the intellect alone. Unless students can relate the model to their direct experience, they never really come to understand what these bodies are about. It is therefore essential that the concepts presented be easily related to tangible sensations and facts of daily life. Otherwise, the model remains theoretical and vague, and students have great difficulty making use of it in their own field of activity.
It should be clear that this KT does not try to present an academic thesis, or some philosophical theory aimed at convincing rationally-minded people of the existence of subtle bodies. The purpose here is not to prove anything, but to establish clear and practical references in a field that often remains nebulous.
The second reason for choosing this fourfold model of subtle bodies is that it has many practical applications. If you are involved in rebirthing, acupuncture, Reiki, energy healing, meditation, or any discipline leading toward an expansion of consciousness, you will soon be able to use the concepts presented here in your own practice. You will start identifying energies and discerning layers of consciousness within yourself, your clients, or the people around you. A new meaning will appear behind a number of seemingly insignificant facts of daily life. New directions and ways of expanding your art will open.
The third reason for using the fourfold model as a starting point is that it is quite compatible with a wide range of existing theories, in particular those of Rudolf Steiner and also, to a certain extent, the Vedantic model of the koshas and shariras (explained in the KT), near-universally followed by the Hindu tradition. After digesting this KT, explanations on subtle bodies given by Steiner or Vedantic masters will make perfect sense to you.
Before starting, one piece of advice. As a young medical student, when I first read about subtle bodies, I was not only fascinated but also shocked, irritated and dismayed by a number of concepts that were completely foreign to my scientifically-oriented reference system. It took some time before I realized the depth and the immense potential of this approach to natural phenomena. In this Knowledge Track, I have of course tried to make things easier for the student, and clarify possible misunderstandings. Yet, if some aspects seem weird to you, my suggestion is to ponder upon them rather than reject them too quickly. It is not unusual to first react negatively to things which later on you will master, or as in the Buddhist saying:
That which you find hard in the beginning, You will enjoy the most in the end.
If you have a specific interest in subtle bodies, you may want to start with this module. Otherwise, begin with KT Portal 1.