Hindus: What is the difference between a 'subtle body' and a normal physical body?

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What is the difference between a ‘subtle body’ and a normal physical body?

I’ve tried to research it, but most of the websites that explain it are full of Eastern philosophy jargon.

I’ve been told that a subtle body has the appearance of a physical body, but it’s actually not a real physical body.

But, they also said that these bodies can be touched.

How is that any different than a physical body?
 
The actual subtle body has no physical appearance. It arises on the mental plane, in some individuals, to counteract the division between the masculine and feminine halves of the soul. It arises for the purpose of re-uniting these halves. Yet, even though the subtle body arises on the mental plane, it is is not a verbal or visual thought. Certain religious practices recommend “visualizing” it, but the visualization is not the actual thing. At best, the visualization may help you discover (or recongize) the actual thing. YMMV.

In any case, the subtle body is quite different from the physical body, the latter arising not on the mental plane but on the physical (space-and-time) plane.
 
The answer to your question is in ‘New Advent Encyclopedia’ online, the sublety of bodies and its very lenghty.
 
In here is a quick little summary.
In most Eastern religions the human person has seven levels of being and thus seven bodies. They all interpenetrate. We start with the physical that is composed of the food we eat. But more subtle than that, finer is the astral body, like when we dream we ar in the astral body. Even more subtle than that there are five more levels or bodies. They just get more and more finer, more and more subtle. Our own understanding of the soul can be compared to them at some level.
 
I remember reading a story how the subtle body of Krishna visited Yogananda one time. Yogananda said he touched Krishnas feet.

I always found that confusing since a subtle body is said to be non-physical.

Which is why I asked this question
 
You might then call it a subtle touch, an astral touch.

And I guess there can be some question about the subtle body being subtle material , subtle physical.
 
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In some philosophy even the subtle bodies are part of nature, physical. But who knows. We generally consider only what we can sense and measure as physical, material.
 
How so?

(I’m not trying to be interrogative. I’m genuinely curious.)
 
CatholicHere_Hi said:
What is the difference between a ‘subtle body’ and a normal physical body?
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Not quite sure why you seek a Hindu answer when there is a Chistian one.

Subtility is a quality (1 of 6) of a glorified body.
Aquinas speaks about it.
 
Sophie111 said:
Not quite sure why you seek a Hindu answer when there is a Chistian one.
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To find a substantial difference between the re-appearence of someone like Krishna (mentioned above) to a devotee that physically touched him…and Jesus’s body when Thomas touched him.
 
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