Level 5. Etheric Template Body
Location Eighteen to 24 inches beyond the physical body
Center of Higher will connected with divine will, speaking, listening, work,
taking responsibility for our actions
Color Clear lines on cobalt blue background
Level 6. Celestial Body
Location Twenty-four to 33 inches beyond the physical body
Center of Celestial love, spiritual ecstasy, protection and nurturance of all
life
Color Shimmering pastel colors
Level 7. Causal Body
Location Thirty to 42 inches, forming an egg shape around body
Center of Higher mind; integration of spiritual and physical body
Color Shimmering gold threads
Meridians
A person’s vital energy is not simply radiated outward; it also has patterns of circula-
tion within the body, referred to as the meridian system. Meridians are a network of
energy circuits or lines of force that run vertically through the body, connecting all
parts. Meridians may be understood more clearly if they are compared to a major
city’s highway system, with entrance and exit ramps, merging roads, and connecting
surface streets. If a flood blocks an exit ramp, the streets served by this ramp are inac-
cessible, affecting the people who live and work on those streets. What’s more, the
traffic may be backed up on the highway waiting for the ramp to reopen, affecting
the people stuck in that traffic jam. Meridians operate this way in a person’s body. If
some kind of blockage affects your hip, for example, the pathways of energy leading
to that hip get “backed up.” Pain or discomfort restricts the motion of the hip, which
puts a different strain on the foot, and the foot in a different position creates a strain
on other sets of muscles. Changes in the body’s general posture affect the positions of
the internal organs, restricting nutrition to the organs, altering organ function, and
thereby changing the body’s balance. As the body and mind are affected, the person
will think and feel differently, leading to more tension and more changes.
Each meridian passes close to the skin’s surface at places called hsueh, which means
cave or hollow and is translated as point or acupuncture point. Since each meridian
is associated with an internal organ, the acupuncture points offer surface access to
the internal organ systems. The flow of qi can be strengthened or weakened by
manipulating specific points. Keeping the flow of energy open contributes to a state
of balance and health.
CHAPTER 2 HOW DOES ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE WORK? 27
