Aura, the Fourth Aspect of Man
Author: Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami
Description: The human aura is the colorful spectrum that registers reactionary patterns of the instinctive mind. Fear, anger and depression are passive or aggressive odic forces. The colors of the aura lighten as more control of these forces is effected and we evolve beyond these basic instinctive emotions of the subconscious mind. When actinic flow from the core of the soul is in action emotions of compassion, benevolence and joy are experienced. As we draw upon the actinic forces through discipline on the raja yoga path to enlightenment, worship and meditation, karma yoga, setting challenging spiritual goals, our nature becomes refined. "Every effort that you make to curb and control your base, instinctive nature brings you that much closer to your spiritual goal." Master Course Trilogy, Merging with Siva, Lessons 220-221.
Transcription:
Good morning everyone.
We are "Merging with Siva" Chapter 32, part of "The Seven Aspects of Man." Lesson 220:
"The Aura and the Instinctive Mind
"As we begin the study of the fourth aspect of man, let us hold in mind the first three: the physical body as the first aspect, the vital health body as the second aspect and the astral body as the third aspect. The fourth aspect is the instinctive mind and the human aura, the colorful spectrum that registers whatever state of mind the person passes through. The human aura is the reflection of specific evolution. But it registers most clearly the basic reactionary patterns of the instinctive mind.
"Within the instinctive mind there are both aggressive and passive odic forces. Some of these are fear, anger, jealousy, deceit, pride, greed--and then there is that form of attachment sometimes called odic or magnetic love, as well as happiness and affection. These emotions are either aggressive or passive, depending upon the motivating factors involved. The motivating factors are desire, a lack of control of odic force, or a type of actinic, superconscious flow which motivates from within to the externals of human consciousness. (That's a great sentence; I'll read it again.) The motivating factors are desire, a lack of control of odic force, or a type of actinic, superconscious flow which motivates from within to the externals of human consciousness. When this actinic flow is in action, the more refined emotions of compassion, benevolence and joy are experienced. Basically, all of these qualities may be defined as being either odic or actinic. The actinic forces flow from the core of the soul out through the odic force field, and when the actinic forces become diminished, odic forces congeal and rush in to fill the gap."
So we're going to look at that last sentence there with some commentary:
"The actinic forces flow from the core of the soul out through the odic force field, and when the actinic forces become diminished, odic forces congeal and rush in to fill the gap."
What this means on a daily basis is we need to utilize the actinic forces within us such as by worship and meditation, setting challenging goals to accomplish today, even on our days off. We need to draw on that actinic force otherwise on our days off the odic forces will rush in. So, of course, days off are important so we don't need to do it as much. But, it's important to do it. We need to raise the energies or draw on the actinic force even on our days off and a simple way to do it is just karma yoga. Do something to help someone else, do something in a volunteer project; it's an easy way to draw on the actinic forces.
And back to the text:
"Fear is passive odic force. Anger is aggressive odic force. The two basic colors of the odic aura are gray and red. Gray is the color of fear, which when it leads to depression or intense fear, becomes black. Red is the aura's registration of anger. In a suppressed state of the instinctive mind, when desire has not been met, the aura registers a reddish black to portray the emotion of lust.
"Fear dominates the lives of many people, even when they have no reason for being afraid. It is a protective mechanism of the lower, instinctive nature inherent in every human being; animals, too. The fear of the darkness, for instance, was born in primitive man's lack of a shelter. Long before he discovered the use of fire or even learned to live in caves, he trembled in the darkness when the sun went down each day, for he knew he was at the mercy of wild animals and other dangers of the night. Even today, the ability of men to fear endows them with a natural caution in the face of the unknown. The gray cast permeates the aura during protective investigation until it is proven that a condition of safety exists.
"Today man still retains fear of the darkness. But now he surrounds himself with electric light, symbolizing the new golden age in which his actinic force has begun to penetrate through the instinctive mind, refining this mind just as the glow of electricity refines the vibration of the Earth at night. Among other forms of fear are fear of death, fear of poverty, fear of water and fear of high places.
"Anger is also, like fear, an instinctive control, and at one time served its purpose. The onrush of anger served to protect man's private interests in critical situations by injecting adrenaline into his blood and thus preparing him for defense. But as man evolves closer to his real, actinic being, he discovers that actinic love, understanding, compassion and wisdom are higher qualities than anger. Two more instinctive emotions that motivate the passive and aggressive odic forces into action are jealousy and deceit.
"The actinic age is bursting forth upon this planet. Its signposts heralding the spiritual mind of man are portrayed in symbolic happenings upon the Earth, such as the electric light, atomic energy, probes into space, probes into the subconscious, probes into prior lives and dangerously expanding states of awareness stimulated by chemicals. All this and more show us that man has outgrown the lower, instinctive emotions such as jealousy, portrayed in the odic aura around and through the body in the color of dark green, and deceit, portrayed as green-gray."
The we have my comment:
Let's look closer at fear. Gurudeva's text read: "Even today, the ability of men to fear endows them with a natural caution in the face of the unknown. The gray cast permeates the aura during protective investigation until it is proven that a condition of safety exists."
So this is pointing out that fear is okay when it is temporary and goes away when it is proven that a condition of safety exists. It's a protective mechanism. It's saying we need to be cautious here. What we don't want is a perpetual state of fear, always living in a state of fear no matter what is going on around us. That's to be avoided and unfortunately some people end up in that state of mind.
Lesson 221:
"Harnessing Instinctiveness
"Yes, man has outgrown jealousy and deceit, but how often does he realize this? The newspapers are filled with examples of people who let themselves be controlled by these emotions. When jealousy is felt, one feels that the person they admire has more control over the odic and actinic forces than they do, and in a frantic effort to balance the forces, they devise plans to tear down the odic forces or cease the flow of actinic forces of their prey. Jealousy is treacherous when it turns active and aggressive and makes a person deceitful..."
I always like to say, it's easier to show superiority by putting down someone else than actually improving yourself. So that relates to jealousy and all that.
"...Many people do not feel deceit to be an emotion after it has been existent in their nature long enough to become a habit. Instinctive emotions often become habits when allowed to be indulged in too much, especially these basic and baser ones--fear, anger, jealousy and deceit--all of which are resident in the lower chakras, below the muladhara chakra.
"Fear, anger, jealousy and deceit produce an odic aura web of green, gray, black and red, running through and through the organs of the astral body, affecting the organs of the physical body, as well as draining the vital health body of needed odic power. This cuts the actinic flow to a minimum, so that the only life in the body exists in a dull, crafty sparkle in the eyes.
"These basic, instinctive emotions of the subconscious mind are the substance through which we evolve. As more control of the forces is effected, the colors of the aura lighten and the nature is refined. This refining process is done quickly through discipline on the raja yoga path to enlightenment. Every effort that you make to curb and control your base, instinctive nature brings you that much closer to your spiritual goal. There is a very true saying, 'You are only as actinic as your lowest active odic force.' Those things to which you still react represent your low points and must be turned into actinic understanding before you can dissolve the odic force field that contains them."
So why don't we stop there.
Thank you very much. Have a wonderful day.