The aura is a subtle, invisible energy field that surrounds and interpenetrates your body.

The auric field is the main human subtle energy field. It surrounds your body and links with your chakra energy bodies and other interacting electromagnetic fields.

The Seven Main Energy Bodies

There are seven energy bodies of the human aura. The seven energy bodies relate to, but should not be confused with, the seven chakras.

They are as follows, in sequence radiating outward.

#1 The Etheric Energy Body

The Etheric body is the first energy body.

It is the physical body, existing on the material plane and gathers your experiences at the material level.

#2 The Emotional Energy Body

The emotional body is the second energy body.

It extends out beyond your physical/ethereal body and connects with your Second Chakra. It governs your emotional aspects.

The emotional body registers emotions and feelings. Through it, you experience your emotional life.

#3 The Mental Energy Body

The mental body is the third energy body.

It extends out beyond your emotional body. It connects to the Third Chakra and governs your mental life.

This mental body’s high vibration constantly produces thoughts and fantasies.

The unconscious and conscious mind are both active in the mental energy body and together cause desires, thoughts, fantasies, hopes and fears to take place in your body.

#4 The Astral Energy Body

The astral body is the fourth energy body.

It connects with your fourth chakra (the heart chakra, which creates the energy of love) and is the vehicle through which you love others.

The astral body extends out from the body approximately a 1 ½ feet.

#5 The Spiritual Energy Body

The spiritual body is the fifth energy body. It connects to your higher will and divine will. It represents the “divine spark” in a human being.

The spiritual energy body connects to your fifth chakra (the throat chakra) and relates to speaking, listening, and taking responsibility for your actions.

It contains all of the forms that exist on the physical plane. To be in touch with your higher self and your spiritual energy body, you first need to purify the first, second, third and fourth energy bodies.

#6 The Cosmic Energy Body

The cosmic body the sixth energy body. It relates to celestial and divine love.

It connects to your sixth chakra (third eye chakra). The cosmic energy body contains a love that extends beyond human love. It body extends out from your body approximately 2 – 2 2/3 feet.

The cosmic body is the energy body that brings your conscious awareness to understand your connection with the Universe and all that exists.

#7 The Nirvanic Energy Body

The nirvanic body connects to your seventh chakra (crown chakra) and extends approximately 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 feet out from your body.

The outer form of the nirvanic energy body is the egg shape of the aura and contains all of the energy bodies related to your present incarnation and everything that you are going through.

This layer holds the form of the chakras and creates a strong layer of protection for the energy fields.

Raising your awareness to this layer will create a consciousness within that melts with the divine consciousness causing a oneness with existence and a return to the original sourse from which all existence originates and returns.

How to Feel the Human Aura

While sitting in a comfortable upright position, close your eyes and begin to breathe deeply. Begin to relax and let go of your shoulders with each exhale. Do this for three exhales. While doing this, clear your mind and let go of any thoughts or tensions in your body.
Keep your eyes closed and hold your hands out in front of you, approximately 12 inches apart, palms facing each other. Hold your hands still. Relax and begin taking deep breaths, breathing through your belly. Keeping your eyes closed, begin to watch your hands “from inside”. Watch the energy between your hands build up in this way for approximately 2-5 minutes.
Still keeping your eyes closed, slowly move your hands towards each other. Notice the space between them. Can you feel the energy field between your hands? Become aware of this energy field, and you will feel resistance.
With your eyes still closed, experiment with the space between your hands. Move your hands closer together, then further apart. Notice the different sensations as you do this. You might feel something similar to static electricity, or maybe tingling pressure or tickling sensation.
You are feeling the human aura!

Everything that is alive pulsates with energy. Practitioners of complementary medicine, as well as physicists, acknowledge the existence of an electromagnetic field generated by the body’s biological processes. This energy field surrounding the physical body extends as far out as your outstretched arms and the full length of your body. It contains information and is a highly sensitive, perceptive system. Through this system, we are constantly in communication with everything around us and we transmit to, and receive messages from, other peoples bodies as well.

– Tanmaya Honervogt “Inner Reiki: A Practical Guide for Healing and Meditation”

Sources: Inner Reiki: A Practical Guide for Healing and Meditiation by Tanmaya Horvogt

The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy by Cyndi Dale