- 7 Subbodies -
(read note at the end of this post!)
Main idea: the self can be conceptualized to have at least 7 subbodies that can be distinguished from each other. These are not completely separate. They are integrated together. Most are very intuitive. I will list these and then describe them. They are:
- Physical control center (CC) subbody
- Physical environmental (env.'l) subbody
- Oneiric CC subbody
- Oneiric env.'l subbody
- Formal CC subbody
- Formal env.'l subbody
- Transitional subbody
- The Physical control center (CC) subbody is the most obvious. It's the physical body that is seen and felt and distinguished from the physical environment. This subbody is like a central area in the environment, from which the self tries to manipulate the environment and gain sense of the physical status of themselves.
- The Physical environmental subbody is everything else in the physical environment. This subbody is counted as a part of the physical self, because everything sensed in the physical environment goes through the physical senses. Everything seen physically is known by only the reactions of neurons of the physical body. When a noise is heard, that noise is known and perceived because of the changes to the physical body, its eardrums, etc. And the same for smell and taste and touch and the other senses. The physical environment is known when it is perceived by the self. So this subbody is not separate from the environment. It is a part of the self, making up one of the seven subbodies of an entity (such as a human).
- Oneiric CC subbody. This is similar to the physical CC subbody, in that it is a "control center" or center from which a person can have a perspective of their experience. However, instead of this perspective being from a physical body, it is from a dream body, also called an oneiric body. It is the body that one has when they dream, imagine, daydream, have a vision, etc. Of course, in a dream, a person is not moving their sleeping physical body in the same way their dream body moves. But they might feel as though they are walking around or traveling their dream world, while their physical body is asleep and lying still. So then, what part of them is moving? Their dream body, or their oneiric CC subbody. Unlike the physical CC subbody, the oneiric CC subbody can drastically change form and move much more unrestrictedly. The oneiric CC subbody can also move and change while a person is awake. One way is when a person experiences virtual proprioception, which can be done willfully and intentionally. A person may be able to have multiple of this kind of subbody.
- The Oneiric environmental (env.'l) subbody is similar to the physical environmental subbody, in that it is everything else in the oneiric space besides the oneiric CC subbody. It is everything else in the imagination or dream, etc., besides the dream body. If the perspective of the dream or imagination or virtual experience, is from the oneiric CC subbody, then what is being experienced in the dream/imagination/virtual experience is the oneiric env.'l subbody. This experience is perceived because it affects the self, and so is apart of the self. The self's sensory interpretations and reactions to the experience are what the experience seems to be.
- The Formal CC subbody. When having a dream or even an out-of-body experience, how does consciousness know or remember that the self is a human? How can consciousness retain human form or behave humanly, and not dissipate? The Formal CC subbody keeps the self (at least the oneiric CC subbody) in human form, and retains the general human shape and behavior of a person. (With animals and other entities, formal CC subbodies would be different and keep their own unique blueprint or "essence" in tact). In Genesis 1:26, the Deity talks about mankind, using the word "ADEM" but mankind had not yet been created. The idea and concept of a human, the "blueprint" of a human, existed before the human did, physically or oneirically. A human was conceptualized and talked about, but not physically made yet, and didn't have perception yet to have dreams or imagination perceived by an oneiric subbody. This conceptual essence is likely the formal CC subbody of a human, conceived and conceptualized in order to be talked about. It is like the "essence" or very essential nature of what makes a human, and also distinguishes a human from the other concepts and living things.
- The Formal environmental subbody. It is more difficult to explain. It is everything else other than the formal CC subbody, including the "essences" or essential natures, or maybe even spirits, of other concepts in the environment. After a Formal CC subbody of a human existed, a human COULD exist. And therefore, it possibly COULD interact with other essences or spirits, which COULD be in its environment.
- The Transitional subbody is like the connector or integrator between all of the other subbodies. If a person can dream and wake up, they use their oneiric subbodies, and then their physical subbodies. Even when a person in an awake state imagines something, and changes their virtual proprioception, they can switch back and forth between the physical and oneiric subbodies, their imagined body and their physical body, as the formal subbodies keep their "essences" or forms in tact, to be conceptually congruent. Switching between subbodies and even using two or more subbodies at the same time can be considered a subbody itself. This is the Transitional subbody. This is especially if one subbody affects another. The physical env.'l subbody can affect the physical CC subbody, and vice versa. Same with the oneiric subbodies. The oneiric subbodies, such as in imagination or visualization of planning out physical actions, can also affect how the physical subbodies behave. And seeing something in the physical environment can trigger the oneiric environment of a memory. Inter-effects between subbodies can be distinguished and considered as changes of the Transitional subbody.
Note: You must be vigilant to be able to distinguish some things in your environment as good from bad, and distinguish non-self from self, in many cases. There are processes of coe to learn about, like 'animalianly' dividing the division (See Leviticus 11 in interlinear Hebrew on Biblehub.com or elsewhere). Animalian spiritual influences on human behaviors are interesting to study. Such as avoiding swallowing spiritual camels! Animalians may also affect our perception of self, according to current LWC theory. I may mention those in another "Notes for Book 3 LWC" post on this blog.
One of reasons is that you may want to avoid assuming something in your environment is you, is if it did an evil thing. Just because it may affect a part of you, such as senses of your oneiric subbody (perhaps with its desires), it's still important to distinguish between things in the heart and to have boundaries. Such as clean and unclean, and holy and profane. And others like spatial borders of concepts. If something bad is happening in your environment, oneirically or otherwise, don't be okay with it just because you think it's you or a part of you. This can make your life so much better, if you separate yourself from unlawful things, drawing and maintaining boundaries (ROS's, CPR's), Toraically (Torah-wise). One of the first acts of creation in Genesis was a separation between light and darkness.