The physical body is considered to be many things by humanity, but sometime, someplace one comes to realize that the body is a beautifully and wonderfully made instrument of the soul, and that it is something to be used and cared for with great love and consideration. The physical body has a specific purpose and it must be treated in such a manner that it is able to perform its specific functions with the highest degree of efficiency. It must be brought up to attunement like an expensive violin.

The body is the instrument which the soul uses to come into contact with the physical plane. Slowly, through the long process of evolution, this instrument has evolved, in many cases, to a highly perfected state which enables the soul to work with the higher, subtle divine agencies. Also, with the help of the five sense organs of action, which have been developed slowly one by one, the soul gains knowledge of the physical plane. Also, through these organs, the soul can range deep into the subtle and with a certain technique can transcend the whole field of relativity.

The physical body has a double, called the etheric body, which is an exact counterpart of the dense physical body. The etheric body operates through the four finer grades of matter referred to as ethers. The etheric body projects out from the dense body about three inches on all sides. It is not a separate vehicle as such. Rather, it is a complement of the dense body and the two together constitute the whole physical body.

The function of the etheric double is to serve as the vehicle of prana. Prana is the specialized energy in its various modifications that regulates and keeps the activities of the physical body going. This energy comes from the sun and is broken up by the chakra situated near the spleen, then distributed to the different parts of the body to do its work.

There are also a couple of well known organs, the pineal gland and the pituitary body. These organs play a very important part in the last stages of human evolution when the physical body becomes an instrument of the higher Self. These two glands are located within the brain and their real function is little understood.

However, it is the pituitary gland that serves as a valve for the transmission of vibrations belonging to the planes of buddhi and makes it possible for the higher mind to operate in the physical brain. The pineal gland is the organ of thought transference and its vivification enables one to send any thought from his brain to that of another.

Also, the chakras, or centers of light, serve as points of contact between the physical and the astral vehicles and the chakras. When these chakras are vivified and made active, astral clairvoyance is developed and it becomes possible to bring down into the brain clear and correct memory of all the experiences gone through on the astral plane. Then the two planes become as one, as part of the waking consciousness.

In the future, the matter of the world will be far more highly evolved than it is now. The physical body that one will have at that time will be able to respond to very high vibrations coming from the higher planes and the humans of that time will be able to bring down much of their divinity into physical consciousness, and they will be known as God-men.

However, even in our present lifetime, there are great opportunities for progressing in spirituality; especially through Transcendental Meditation. What must be done is to master emotions and bring the body under control. Without control it is not possible to purify or make the body sensitive enough to respond to the very subtle vibrations coming from within. The body has semi-consciousness, fixed habits and many idiosyncrasies and a certain amount of free will. However, the body resists our attempts to change our habits and mode of living. It is not really the physical body that is doing the resisting, since the physical body is still an instrument. It is the desire and mental bodies trying to gain what they desire. To master the lower body, or the lower self, we must find a sure method to separate ourselves in consciousness from the lower self, and this is done in Transcendental Meditation; by transcending the relative field and infusing the Being. Through devotion and regularity in the practice of Transcendental Meditation, this can be accomplished. Sometimes, it is not easy. But, it can be done and must be done sometime.

The lower self must be broken like a wild horse is broken to the saddle and then learns to obey. The lower self will do anything to keep from surrendering and if it can turn one away from the spiritual path, it will do so. This is why so many turn to other teachings, or none at all. This makes the lower self very happy.

One, in starting the practice of purifying the body, has to take into consideration the quality of the various grades of matter incorporated in the body. The coarser combinations in the body present a greater problem, and the coarser the matter the greater the problem. So, purification is the lessening of the coarser matter in the body and increasing the finer grades of matter in the body. This allows the nervous system to be able to vibrate at a higher and higher rate, for it is through the nervous system that the soul works when it inhabits the physical body. Any disorder in the nervous system hampers and disrupts the function of the soul in the body. So, what one does and what one eats and what one thinks is of vital importance to one's development.

It is true that purity of the body is necessary, but it cannot make one spiritual anymore than a good violin can play itself. Purity must be combined with a spiritual practice in order to make one spiritual. Good health also goes along with purification. Good health means that the vital organs are functioning harmoniously. When the body is able to respond to higher vibrations and energies it is said that one is sensitive. Purity is related to the nature of the material, while sensitiveness has to do more with vibratory capacity. One cannot become sensitive unless one practices Transcendental Meditation regularly, as this polarizes all the energies working in the lower vehicle in the direction of the higher Self and the buddhic plane. This makes an influx of the subtle forces into the physical brain possible; this in turn means the merging of the lower with the higher consciousness.

It takes patience and devotion to accomplish the end result. The truth is that sometime, some place, everyone must take up this path, and for those of us who are now on this path, why not make the most of this life, for nature plays no favorites. We get what we have earned.