The Occult Anatomy: Human Principles in Cosmic Time
You’ve heard it so many times already: “You are more than your body”.
It’s true, you have always been more - seven principles/bodies, seven layers of being, each a doorway into your consciousness. Each body is a living volume, written not only in matter but in the currents of the cosmos. And through planetary epochs — Saturn, Sun, Moon, Earth, Jupiter, Venus, Vulcan* — these layers were forged, each carrying the imprint of its epoch.
* Vulcan is not a physical planet, but a symbolic energy that will guide the integration of mind, intuition, and spirit. In this stage, humans will develop higher coordination between all their layers, achieving a level of awareness and self-mastery beyond what is common today. You can think of Vulcan as the “coming chapter” in the evolution of humanity — a future imprint already beginning to stir in those who are consciously developing themselves.When we talk of the seven principles of man, these are not metaphorical or poetical ideas — it’s a system of observation of the human being, described through different traditions, as it develops across time and space, and as it interacts with the cosmos. Thus, man is composed of seven distinct principles:
Sthula Sharira — the physical body. The lowest principle, the material form you perceive and touch.
Linga Sharira — the etheric or life body. Subtle energy that sustains the physical body and life processes.
Kama Rupa — the body of desire or astral body. Seat of emotions, desires, and impulses.
Lower Manas — the lower mind or concrete mind. The perceiving, reasoning mind where ego develops.
Higher Manas (higher Ego/EgoSelf)— the synthesized higher mind/ Higher Ego. Integration of lower Manas with Buddhi. Enables reasoning informed by intuition, higher discernment, and conscious synthesis of experience.
Buddhi — intuition, higher intellect, wisdom. Direct knowing, insight beyond rational thought and emotional reaction. The principle of discernment and understanding universal truth.
Atma — the spirit, Higher Self, or pure consciousness. The highest principle, the eternal aspect of being that unites and harmonizes all lower principles, connecting the individual with the universal.
Each of these principles corresponds not only to a layer of human consciousness but also to the planetary epochs through which humanity has evolved. These epochs are not the physical planets we see in the sky, but cosmic stages in which the Earth and humanity developed:
Saturn Epoch – the physical body was formed; life existed in a very rudimentary, solid state.
Sun Epoch – the life body (Linga Sharira) emerged, establishing the forces of vitality and growth.
Moon Epoch – the astral body (Kama Rupa) arose, bringing desire, emotion, and the first forms of consciousness.
Earth Epoch – the ego or self-consciousness (lower Manas) was introduced, giving humanity individuality and moral responsibility.
Future Epochs (Jupiter, Venus, Vulcan) – higher principles such as Buddhi and Atma will develop, integrating and elevating earlier bodies.
In gnosticism, these epochs can be compared to emanations of the One or Monad — successive layers of divine manifestation that eventually lead to the creation of the material and spiritual human. In hermetic texts, they are mirrored in the concept of cosmic chains and planetary spheres through which divine forces descend to shape the microcosm.
Historically, the practice of understanding human principles in relation to cosmic forces is found in several traditions:
Ancient Egyptian teachings recorded in the Book of the Dead described the journey of the soul through multiple stages and trials.
Pythagoreans and Hermeticists wrote extensively about the “ascent” of the soul through planetary spheres, each associated with specific qualities of mind and spirit.
In the Middle Ages, alchemical texts treated the human body as a microcosm of the macrocosm, explicitly linking bodily processes to planetary influences.
Today, these principles are still active within us. The physical body retains Saturn’s imprint; the Linga Sharira carries the rhythms of the Sun; the Kama Rupa holds lunar tides of emotion; the lower Manas embodies Earth’s individualizing influence. The higher principles are only beginning to awaken on a collective level, thanks to to individuals who already engage consciously with themselves and the cosmos.
1. The Physical Body (Sthula Sharira)
Born in the epoch of Ancient Saturn, it is the first chapter. Your bones, flesh, and organs are the record of that distant shaping. To live it consciously, notice it. Move it with awareness. Feel its strength, honor its weaknesses. Nutrition, posture, rhythm — these are not trivial. They are text written by cosmic hands, teaching you stability, endurance, and form.
2. The Etheric Body (Prana / Linga Sharira)
Gifted in the Sun epoch, this body is the life force, the pulse beneath the pulse. To awaken it, watch your breathing, observe your energy cycles, notice the subtle currents in your body. Sleep, rest, vitality — these are lessons in harmony with cosmic rhythm. Meditate on the Sun; let its light animate your etheric form.
3. The Astral Body (Kama Rupa)
Forged in the Moon epoch, it holds desire, emotion, and intuition. To live through it consciously, do not suppress your feelings; track them. Journal your dreams. Sense where longing or fear arises, and ask: which lesson is this? Which tide am I riding? The Moon’s gift is the capacity to feel deeply — use it as a mirror, not a storm.
4. The Lower Mind (Manas – Lower)
Here thought takes form, born from Earth epoch individuation. Observe how your mind organizes experience, patterns your life, judges, decides. Discern impulse from insight. Ask: what is real, what is projection? Reflection and self-awareness are the tools. The “I” is learning to write consciously in the lower mind.
5. The Higher Mind (Manas – Higher / Buddhi integration)
Through Jupiter and Venus, desire and intellect transmute into wisdom, intuition, discernment. Begin practices of meditation and contemplation. Observe patterns, connect cause and effect, cultivate insight. Let your higher mind interpret the astral storms and bring understanding into your actions.
6. The higher intellect/wisdom(Buddhi)
This is the intuitive, compassionate, living knowledge that guides your will and emotion. Meditate on the patterns of life, allow intuition to rise. Study the cycles of the planets, reflect on their archetypal lessons, and integrate them into daily life. The Buddhi speaks not in words but in recognition: a sudden clarity, a moral certainty, a feeling of connection.
7. The Spirit (Atma)
The culmination of all, the eternal flame within. The Atma is the conscious alignment of all bodies with cosmic purpose. To live it is to act from the center, to make choices that honor all layers of your being, to merge selfhood with universal rhythm. It is not an abstract ideal; it is present now, in your breath, your awareness, your conscious deeds.
Living the planetary epochs today:
You already carry all epochs. Saturn’s discipline is in your bones. Sun’s vitality flows in your blood. Moon’s tides stir emotions. Earth’s spark gives choice. Jupiter and Venus whisper wisdom. Vulcan hints at the fires of future transformation. To live consciously is to notice them, to allow their qualities to awaken in the proper body, at the proper time.
To integrate this knowledge practically, observation and self-study are suggested, rather than ritual or meditation alone.
Practical Integration:
Observe bodily rhythms, energy, and health (Sthula and Linga Sharira)
Reflect on emotional responses and desires (Kama Rupa)
Examine thought patterns and moral choices (Manas)
Cultivate insight and intuition (Buddhi)
Align conscious actions with universal laws (Atma and Higher Manas)
The sky is your teacher, time is your blacksmith, and your bodies are the books. You are reading them every moment — consciously or not. The choice is yours. To awaken them, to integrate epochs and bodies, is to participate in the evolution of man itself, here and now.
