Korpo

If we move into the mystical, we can also say that none of the energy bodies described is truly you. You could say things like "I am not my thoughts." because at times you may be able to observe them from the outside. Who observes? But I like another way to put it better: "I am more than my thoughts.", just as Robert Monroe put his affirmation "I am more than my physical body."

The human consciousness exists before the physical, etheric, astral and mental elementals were formed, so there's more to us than these aspects. Depending on where we are in our spiritual maturation we can even look at them from the outside, react detachedly, not being taken in by outbursts, habits and reactions ingrained into them. And in meditation we may even be able to set them aside and dwell in the higher aspects of consciousness beyond.

An energy body is at the same time "just a tool", but also part of who you are right now, part of taking part in the experience itself, a means to experience it at all, but also part of the totality of your being, and part of your reincarnational cycle. This puts it into perspective. You need etheric, astral and mental bodies to interact with the world, and each have their place, time and needs. If you value thought over feeling, this might cause just as much imbalance as when you disdain thought (as some spiritual teachings suggest).

This very much ties in with what people term as the ego, because the ego can be either seen as the mental body or all three lower bodies. Some people would effectively suggest a strategy of neglect of some kind, and with what I have laid out here you might get an idea why I don't think that would be advisable. We neglect ingrained aspects of our own being at our own risk, but we needn't indulge them either. Learning to balance this is also part of the reincarnational cycle as I see it.

This is a reversal of "Neti Neti" (not this, not that) to a more inclusive form. Instead of saying "I am not this, I am not that" and say "I am more than this, I am more than that." I would expect this to stimulate a different experience, what kind of experience remains as of yet to be seen.

As I tried to point out in the past, elementals can also be referenced in dreams. In this way they act as an archetype and help us explain the state of our being to ourselves. Not only explain, but also modify! As I believe dream recall is basically interpretation of energetic events, these energetic events have a reality of their own and effect. As people become mystical explorers in the realms beyond, their elementals start to show up in dreams at times as well.

While exhaustion can sometimes help to induce an experience, stresses usually tend to cancel out higher experiences effectively. Next time you wonder why your nightly life got less exciting, use the opportunity to assess if all your elementals' needs are met and if you are subject to any stresses that need alleviating or any kind of processing (therapy, talking to a friend, resolution of a problematic situation, etc.).

I do think one reason why exhaustion can be helpful at times because it can diminish the role of the mental elemental, the keeper of our beliefs, including our beliefs about reality and what can be done. My most amazing waking experience derived from being mentally so tired I just had to let go. In our society so dominated by thinking and so in reverence for analytical thought, our beliefs and our mental body can be an effective filter for blocking out mystical experiences, just as strong fears in the etheric and astral bodies can be.

Relaxation then is a quality that kicks in when the actual needs (instead of perceived wants) of the elementals are satisfied and the energy bodies settle down. When you return from an evening out with friends feeling stimulated, satisfied, comfortable and content, try to see how many of your needs got met and how relaxed and content you are then.

I mention relaxation because I mentioned exhaustion in relation to the mental elemental. The relaxation of the mental elemental is not easy to achieve for some. Other refer to them as "not being able to switch off or kick back". The mind needs to relax as any part of our being does, to heal, maintain itself and ultimately grow. Just a little hint to where the actual value of meditation lies, and how relaxation, meditation and the needs of our energy bodies all tie together.

This is part of the reason why projection problems are not as easily diagnosed. They are problems that are both holistic (the whole being affects it, not only parts), but also multi-dimensional - any part of the being might be the problem and it might pay to look at them in isolation. Some people cannot hold a state of consciousness long enough and need focus. They would benefit from concentration exercises that aim at one-pointedness. Other people grip unto anything too hard and cannot let go, so they need to learn to relax their minds. Both problems may even have similar symptoms at first glance, a similar outcome, but carefully looking at what the elementals seem to be doing and what is out of alignment can yield clues of what the actual remedy may be.

Knowing about the nature of the elementals is then part of the toolbox we can use to help other people and ourselves and to navigate this world and other realities. We can mind the warning signs that pop up, understand our dreams better and take them more seriously. And we might be able to bring it all together for greater insight.