Body Types: An Attribute of Essence

Body Types: An Attribute of Essence

A few decades ago, prior to becoming a member of my School, we were required to attend a series of three prospective student meetings designed for those interested in the Work. The first meeting was an overview of the Work ideas as explained in P.D. Ouspensky’s book, The Psychology of Man’s Possible Evolution. It was recommended to read this book before attending the first meeting. The second meeting was a detailed look into the theory of the seven functions of the human machine.

The final third introductory meeting was an explanation of the theory of Body Types. As it was presented in the 1980s, much of this information was unavailable in written form and only orally transmitted through the Teacher. The theory of Body Types describes man as a microcosmos, reflecting and being influenced by the heavenly bodies in our solar system visible to the naked eye. It is the third meeting topic, Body Types, that I would like to address in this post.

“There's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all.” — Shakespeare, Hamlet

We study and observe attributes of essence, reliable characteristics of the human structure to reveal knowledge about ourselves. Even the smallest detail about body type provides insight. This study of essence is more of an art than a science and the focus of observation is on understanding the movements and habits of the lower self in order to eventually go beyond its limits. We observe variables such as physical and psychological traits, positive and negative tendencies (i.e., seeing the glass half full or half empty), active or passive inclinations, and strengths and weaknesses.

The Enneagram is used to represent the seven human types. The body types correspond to the planetary bodies visible to the naked eye – Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter. The theory states that the celestial influence of the planetary world is conveyed through the body’s endocrine system, akin to the connection between transmitters and receivers. Just as our Solar System (macrocosm) contains within it each of these planetary bodies, so does our human system (microcosm) contains each of these planetary body types, yet the influence of two or three is predominant.

Once this tool of body types has been used and explored and the value of its knowledge incorporated into the being and body of students in the School, the Teacher guided students from focusing on the lower self to observing and drawing our attention toward attributes of Higher Centers: from mechanics to consciousness. It is a shift from lower centers into the conscious aspects of Higher Emotional Center and Higher Intellectual Center. It is a progression to where “man’s possible evolution” resides.

Student: I heard that you do not work with body types anymore.

Teacher: I still work with body types but, of course, consciousness is independent of type. The reason for knowing body types is to lead you to who you are. We want to be third eye, not our body type.

The valuable observations of the lower self by using ancient knowledge of body types helps me to formulate a sketch of the lower self and to recognize its resistance to awakening. I still find it useful to know, for instance, that my machine will predictably respond to a stimulus in a certain way based partially on my body type. This observation is a culmination of many years of witnessing repeated patterns of my machine. In addition, and beyond my subjective perspective, knowing another person’s body type also helps me understand and accept – without judgment – the variable behavior of others.

I recently interacted with a longtime friend in the School who shared his retrospective thoughts on body types. He said, “Body Types is still a useful esoteric tool thousands of years old that helps us accept others, understand them, and be present to them if we do not get lost in the minutiae.” This is sage advice for those working in a living School.

Throughout human history, spiritual ways of awakening have been transmitted through oral traditions – from Teacher to student. The Fourth Way is a living School, and the knowledge is conveyed through the guidance of a conscious Teacher. If you were to join the School today, you would not receive the same three meetings or emphasis on the theory of Body Types, although the Teacher has taught that, “We all live in a subjective body type.” To join a School is like hopping onto a moving train or stepping into a river. In fact, change is a constant and trustworthy sign of a real School.

To learn more about Body Types, feel free to ask questions in the comments below or read Chapter 10 “Man as a Microcosmos” in Rodney Collin’s book, The Theory of Celestial Influence.

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Triad of Baalshamin, Palmyra: Central figure Baalshamin, the Lord of Heaven; Left figure Aglibol, the Moon God; Right figure Malakbel, the Sun God; forming a celestial triad where each represents a different aspect of the heavens.