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Wellness
The Four Bodies
Written by: the Editors of goop
Updated on: April 9, 2015
Reviewed by: Jill Willard
 Illustration by Valero Doval

So here’s a pretty compelling and revolutionary idea that incidentally, also makes a lot of sense. According to
Jill Willard (the intuitive who taught us how to Trust the Gut), our “bodies” are actually made up of four
distinct parts—physical, emotional, mental, spiritual—and while three of them seem intangible and ephemeral,
they actually have a physical presence. “These are additional rings around your body…in fact, a lot of extra
physical weight is actually in the emotional body—it’s as though the physical expands to eat up the space
allotted to the emotional ring.”

Per Jill, each body should be balanced—and make up 25% of our wholeness: “This is the roadmap to health,
wellness, and understanding our true being.” To add an extra level of complexity, two of the bodies are
masculine (physical, mental), and two are feminine (emotional, spiritual), which further underlines why so
many of us are out of whack. “Our culture generally emphasizes the masculine or patriarchal side of things—
even religion can be very patriarchal in our culture, which is why religion should not be confused with what it
means to be in our spiritual body. When we are solely in our masculine, we are focused on the physical and
mental side of things—the doing and the accomplishing, the yang and linear parts of our life experience…it’s a
very black and white way of thinking that ignores everything that isn’t concrete or seemingly controllable.
Things are becoming a bit more feminine—the emotional and spiritual side of our existence is taking a leap
forward—but we are not there yet. The feminine is what synthesizes our experience—it’s a large part of the
practice of being in the now and present, of feeling the moment.”

The ultimate goal, she explains, is to be balanced in all four bodies, not forgetting that the spiritual body is as
important as the other three. “It is then that you realize that you are never alone,” Jill explains. “You will know
that there is something more than our earth/life experience, you will feel a form of unity with a higher
force/energy, you will know that something “more” is for you and with you. You will also feel that you haven’t
lost the connection to those you believe you have lost.” And perhaps most important, being balanced means
“that you realize we are all worthy and whole beyond measure.” Below, Jill breaks down the four bodies, and
how to bring each into balance.

Physical Body
What it is: Just as it sounds: Our skin and everything under the skin, the brain, the organs, and everything
between the ears. It is the skeletal system, fascia, organs, and blood, veins, and ligaments. We usually know
when our physical body is full or not, hurt or not, happy or not, healthy or not. The signs are visible and
generally recognizable. Our western medical culture places a lot of emphasis on this body and that it not
experience pain or discomfort.

What it represents: Our physical experience in the world, our physiology, our ability to heal.

How the physical body should behave when balanced: We feel open, flexible and healthful, our vitamin and
mineral elements should be balanced, and we should be free of pain, toxicity, and acidity.

Masculine or Feminine: Masculine

 Quality of someone under-balanced toward physical: The body ages more rapidly, breaks down more easily,
and loses elasticity. Organ function is disrupted, there are issues with absorption and elimination, and there’s
a feeling of tightness, heaviness, and stress on our skeletal frame.

Qualities of someone over-balanced toward physical: There’s too much focus on physical strength, beauty,
and anti-aging. There’s also doubt that the body can heal itself, and an over-reliance on outside factors like
drugs, surgeries, and injections to bring the body’s radiance and worth back. There’s a tendency to bypass
elements of nature (whole food, water, air quality, yin time, quiet, physical touch, uninhibited sexual
experience, balanced movement) for the sake of the fast and immediate.

How to bring the physical into balance: Simple movements and slow, balanced repetitive sequences,
meditation, walking, massage, barefoot or bare hand earth play (dirt, water, soil, sand), yoga, stretching, and
weight bearing exercises that let you feel the strength in your own body and the union of all things physical.

Emotional Body
What it is: The nervous system, hormones, touch, water and water release (tears), and water absorption
(bloating or clutching from not letting go, feelings of lack, and trying to hold onto/control things too closely).
Some believe that the emotional body extends a few millimeters or inches around the body. How we are
doing emotionally is represented by how calm or rough the waters are in our thoughts and our dream state.

What it represents: As the bridge between the physical and the mental, it is where our experience of the
world is synthesized and interpreted. It represents our feelings and relationship to all things (i.e., how we
react, interpret, and respond to situations and outside energies, particularly anything that’s not factual—like
how we feel when people look at us in a certain way, or how we respond to something they might say, etc.).
The connection between the mental-emotional body is the reason why there are always different sides to a
story or situation—if the bodies are unbalanced, those situations can be greatly misread and misunderstood.
When balanced, it represents centering and acting from the heart space.

How the emotional body should behave when balanced: Inclusive, empathetic, open, honest, less or non-
judgmental toward others, and generous with help. There is a desire to give without expecting or wishing to
receive something in return. Cortisol, insulin, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone will be more balanced
and even, blood sugar is more regulated, the heart beat even and slow, and blood pressure balanced. The body
does not retain water, nor is the body over-dehydrated.

Masculine or Feminine: Feminine

Quality of someone under-balanced toward emotional: A general lack of emotional intelligence, trust, and
very little intuition or ability to read and understand people. There’s also a lot of fear and neuroses, as well as
concern for the self and less empathy for the experience of others. This can manifest physically as holding
water in the limbs, joints, and face (especially from hormone imbalance), dehydration or bloating, inflexibility,
and joint stiffness. Lack of sleep from emotional stress presents similar symptoms. Mentally, it manifests as
 self-doubt, projection, and thinking others have a better life, which again, causes us to lose sleep and
increases the physical symptoms of imbalance. Ultimately, it means that we are not using the mental or
physical body, either by talking ourselves down to a point of being rational, or using the lungs and breath to
calm the heartbeat.

Qualities of someone over-balanced toward emotional: Oversaturated, passive then quickly aggressive,
obsessive, irrational, extremely irritated, depressed, overly anxious, often with feelings of drowning or
hopeless conclusion of relationships or situations. This can manifest as weight gain (even while dieting) and
too much water in the aura and system, where the body is behaving like a sponge. Alternately, if someone
over-fires their nervous system, one can dry out the emotional body, which also manifests as being under-
weight, dehydrated, or desiccated. Hormones are key to our health. The heart might feel heavy and the
menstrual cycle might be heavy as well. The throat may feel closed, which also adversely affects hormones.

How to bring the emotional into balance: Anything that releases emotion, tension, stress, and anxiety—this
will create clear, running waters with fewer rocks or less damning of the stream. Depending on the person
this might require something like meditation, dance cardio, a comedy club, or breathing techniques.
Ultimately, the emotional body comes into great balance when we learn how important it is to balance our
hormones. Yoga, especially restorative and hatha, sauna, light detoxing or fasting (with adrenal and liver
support), more touch and intimacy are key. Forgiveness and acts of forgiveness are also crucial. Learning the
value of emotional intelligence and not only mental intelligence is central to empathetic and adrenal wellness.

Mental Body
What it is: Our thoughts, attitudes, judgments, and prejudices—also how we perceive our worth and value in
the world. Some believe it is about a foot out in diameter from the physical body, some feel it is inches.

What it represents: All things intellectual, including analytical thought, how we process information, how we
learn in school, and how we use our words. Also includes focus, clarity, direction, and contributions to
creation and society. It is a key element in thoughts becoming reality.

How the mental body should behave when balanced: Proactive problem solving, concise communication,
innovations coming into fruition with clarity and ease, and the ability to solve emotional or physical issues in a
direct and supportive way. There’s very little waste, nonsense, or going around in circles. Instead, a balanced
mental body offers direction that points true north (and benefits everyone).

Masculine or Feminine: Masculine

Quality of someone under-balanced toward mental: Confusion, brain fog, ideas lost quickly, lethargy, lack of
purpose, neuroses, doubt, a lack of work ethic, feelings of low esteem and low worth. Physically, it manifests
as a lack of a menstrual period and little self-care.

Qualities of someone over-balanced toward mental: Ego-centric, excessively driven, sociopathic, narcissistic,
and having little or no empathy especially when it comes to work or success. In a less extreme way, it’s doing
too much or frequently being on overdrive. This manifests physically in headaches and jaw aches.
 How to bring the mental into balance: Kundalini yoga, moderate cardio, talk therapy with an emotionally
intelligent leader, and being in touch with emotions and spirituality for balance. The type of person living
mostly in the mental body tends to overthink and overdrive, and doesn’t let go of emotional strife or forgive
easily or often. They might need to re-root (i.e., work through old emotional issues from the first years of life)
0
and often need a mental release, which most frequently comes from strong emotional support or handing the
reins over to a mentor who can lead them through positive thought mantras or positive stress releasing
What can we help you find? actions.

Spiritual Body
What it is: Connection to all things, including the earth/self, to what we call God, the universe, the beyond,
the divine, or higher self. This provides protection, union, help, and guidance from an outside source as well as
from those who have passed on. It connects us to all that is. Many do not understand or acknowledge this
aspect exists. It has little to do with what we believe culturally when it comes to religion or spirits—it is more
the element that no one and no situation stands alone, that there is no one fault, that we are all connected,
and that it always takes more than one body to create all that exists in life. It is the most outside ring in our
aura or energetic field.

What it represents: The unity of all living things, including the union between our soul, life experience, and
destiny. This is not about going to church. In fact, it has little to do with religion.

How the spiritual body should behave when balanced: Calm, fearless, highly creative, and operating without
limits—paired with the fortitude and support to create action from ideas. Along with this comes the
acknowledgement that there’s a higher force guiding and protecting the project, and that there is something
bigger at play than you. The spiritual body represents the synthesis and balance of the other three—it is very
similar to the idea that we are greater than the sum of our parts.

Masculine or Feminine: Feminine

Quality of someone under-balanced toward spiritual: Disconnected from the understanding that we are all
one and feeling or thinking that we can do things on our own or alone. That we are not co-creating our
existence, that we are victims of fate (or the health care system, the government, or the media) and most
often (or entirely) dismissive of listening to the gut. This person generally separates from being an active or
conscious member of community or society, and feels deserving and expectant of others’ energy or time.
They also feel left out, or like they have not been seen or heard. There’s also a tendency to put a high
emphasis on how things look or how they appear instead of focusing on transparency and honest heart
communication. There’s also a heavy focus and over-reliance on doing, controlling, and the grasping of an
exterior reference or relationship.

Quality of someone over-balanced toward spiritual: Head in the clouds, not turning ideas into reality, a false
god complex, a lack of unity between action and behavior, a lack of connection to interpersonal
responsibilities (relationships, physical health and wealth, respecting other people’s bodies, paying bills,
 debts). There is generally a feeling of entitlement and being overly deserving.

How to bring the spiritual into balance: Meditation, meditation, meditation. Breath work. Gratitude,
humbleness, generosity and the act of giving—seeing others as you see (or wish to see) yourself, and acting
accordingly. Also it’s key to connect personal gain with universal oneness, and to understand that heaven is
within, that you are always in caring company, and no one physically holds your key to ultimate, consistent joy.

—Jill Willard is also the co-founder of IM (Intuitive Meditation), which provides information on meditation and
centering.

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Home / Spirituality / Spring Horoscopes for Every Sign

Wellness
Spring Horoscopes for Every Sign
Written by: Hedy Noemi
Published on: March 28, 2024

Photo courtesy of Annika Kafcaloudis/Stills.com

When we’re due for a planetary check-in, we turn to astrologer and psychic Hedy Noemi. Her
horoscopes—which she shares every season—are solid guidance: They’re direct but never too
prescriptive, showing us where there’s space for each of us to accept (or push against) the
energy astrology offers us. Read yours for direction now and bookmark it for reflection later.
(Noemi offers one-on-one astrological readings, planetary birth chart analyses, and astrology-
based life coaching in person or on Zoom.)

YOUR ASTROLOGICAL OUTLOOK

ARIES
This season, the planets align in Aries, activating your notable strengths and fortifying your
determination in significant ways. Caution yourself against feelings of impatience or frustration
if there are delays in the unfolding of your dreams. Mars—your planetary ruler of courage,
strength, and risk-taking—is in your sign only once every two years, so trust that the planets
promise a successful outcome for your efforts, even if not on your ideal timeline.

The full moon at the end of April asks you to make time for intimacy and prioritize your closest
bonds. Allow yourself some time to rest from the pursuit of your goals and connect with others.
There is big potential for relationship healing at the end of April, which could steady your
foundation before you plow forward into May with renewed strength.

TAURUS
The cosmos is giving you permission to snooze a while longer as all the planets line up in your
house of sleep, spirituality, and healing through the arrival of spring. Then, change will come on
April 21, when Jupiter collides with Uranus in your sign. Should you need to turn over a fresh
leaf, that will be a chance to break new ground with decisiveness. Use the first few weeks of
April to strengthen your roots and get clear on your vision so you’re ready to maximize the
planetary encouragement coming your way at the end of April.

The cosmic support continues to build for you toward the end of May, particularly on the 19th—
when your ruler, Venus, will collide with the awakener Uranus. Adopting a gentle approach to all
your pursuits might give surprisingly positive results. The lesson this spring is about how to draw
your objectives into your field by focusing on your internal creative force. Mars will enter your
sign in June, asking you to be alert and push. Receive with ease until then.
GEMINI
Spring wants to help you balance and further expand your network as the planets move through
your friendship zone all April. This spring, it’s key to find the sweet spot between stepping into a
role of leadership and nurturing diplomatic ties. You’re known for your natural ability to bring
out the best in others, and this April wants to bring you support from outside to help nourish
your own talent. In late April, Venus conjunct Chiron will create room for healing in female
friendships. Whether in your work or your personal life, as you amplify the energy of others, let
others also reflect the best in you.

Since May 2023, Jupiter has encouraged your spiritual evolution and perhaps caused more need
for introspection than you normally desire. That energy phases out mid-May 2024, when Jupiter
makes a bold entrance in Gemini for the first time in 12 years. This opens up a one-year window
of expansion that encourages you to claim the resources you need in the forms of both money
and allies. Jupiter is the bringer of confidence, so bask in self-trust and have faith that there is
cooperation all around you.

CANCER
If you sometimes feel as though your efforts go unnoticed, this spring the planets will turn the
spotlight on you and bring you the praise you deserve. Your compassionate sign is often happy
to help others (or serve in the workplace) from a place of love, but the solar eclipse on April 8
wants to see you receive accolades or gain traction in whatever form you desire. However, you
may have to switch gears in your approach to align with this abundant energy that wants to
return to you what you have consistently put out.

If stepping outside yourself to please others is a habit, April 2024 will bring the chance to adopt
a new stance of firm resolve in your worth so others can meet you halfway. The full moon on
April 24 urges you to embrace your heart’s desires and take up more space. Whether in
romance or at work, remember that nobody wants to see you shrink. Spring 2024 is here to
help you become more full-bodied in all aspects.

LEO
Abiding by the rules will bring you surprising rewards. The planets will travel through your zones
of leadership and reputation in April and May, activating your ambition in the workplace. The
next few months highlight your need to stay disciplined and act in alignment with your vision.
Luckily there is little distraction for you, thanks to Saturn stabilizing the course ahead all year
long.

The month of May invites you to inject some of your own unique creativity into your work. Host
meetings in real time or in a beautiful setting. If working with others, inspire them to innovate;
set your own example. The full moon on April 23 will be in your zone of learning and self-
expression. If something feels off, the trick to realignment is all in your communication. Finesse
your words and watch the knots untangle this spring.

VIRGO
Spring 2024 is here to remind you that you are allowed to have audacious requests from the
universe regarding your financial abundance. As the planets line up in your wealth and
transformation zone this April, there are questions to ask yourself about what it is that you want
to make happen. Explore whether there might be subconscious beliefs in place that are blocking
your path to a new financial experience. If it all sounds a bit abstract, it’s because before you live
a different reality with money, you have to claim it within yourself.

By the time May rolls around, the energy lightens and the focus turns to learning, enjoyment,
and perhaps some short-distance travel. For some Virgos, this spring could trigger a desire to
switch career paths as Jupiter and Uranus align to shift your sense of purpose. There is no need
to make sudden changes, but instead take the opportunity to listen to those urges and how they
could find expression in harmony with your current role.

LIBRA
This spring is an invitation for you to drop deeper into your relationships. The solar eclipse on
April 8 opens a potent window of change and transformation in all your significant ties with
others. Mercury will be retrograde for most of April in this same part of your chart, so old
conversations may ask to be revisited—whether you want to enter the discussion or not. This is
the time for using your voice and speaking up for your desires.

The planets throughout April and May want to nurture and support you into a softer place of
operation. Remember that you must agree to that process. Venus holds space for
transformation in the deepest part of your chart, so if you operate from a place of tenderness
these next few months, you will come out on the other side of spring with a more robust
energy. Mars will trigger your sign in June, so your time for action will come soon enough.
SCORPIO
Spring 2024 asks you to prioritize and strategize for best results. With the planets moving
through your health and organization zone, this is about more than staying on top of your goals.
April wants to teach you one key tool that can be applied to all life areas: discernment.
Maintaining firm boundaries around your time will shift your experience, allowing more space
for you to spend time with your loved ones and family.

If you need it, the planets are promising excellent guidance throughout April and May in the
form of strong intuition, which will be bolstered by Jupiter. However, as Mercury will be
retrograde for most of April, this is not the time to try something new. Instead, notice if useful
insights crop up through dreams or in the mundane moments of your day. The solution you need
could find you unexpectedly.

Ultimately the key to finding flow this spring is to simplify everything externally and narrow your
focus to the actions that will lead you to what you want. Whether that’s more money or new
relationships, it all starts with self-care. If you need to make decisions at work, reduce the
outside noise so you can tap into your inner analysis. The full moon on April 23 in your sign will
show you clearly where you stand.

SAGITTARIUS
This is the time to drop into the pursuit of pleasure. As April gets started, the planets are busy in
your house of creativity and joy, giving you a chance to express yourself without reserve.
Inquire within if something feels stagnant at work. Jupiter and Uranus align on April 21 to help
you back your own ideas and believe in the value of risk.

As a Jupiter-ruled sign, you’ll find your life flows best when you connect with a higher truth or
some form of spiritual practice. This spring wants to remind you that you liberate others
whenever you give yourself freedom through self-expression. The full moon on April 23 will
occur in your zone of spirituality and the subconscious, so make time for connection with the
rituals that ground and guide you forward. Ultimately April and May are months that remind you
to never look outside yourself for the leader.

CAPRICORN
You have the rest of the year to build and manifest something. For the next couple of months,
enjoy the gentle pull inward back toward your home and yourself. Venus and Chiron align in the
deepest part of your chart this spring, inviting you to spend more time with family or loved
ones.

If you give yourself exactly what you need this April, you’ll allow the planets to smooth over
rough edges from the past nine months. Your productivity will benefit. Mars is in your zone of
perspective until May 1, which means it’s a great time to refine your vision and brush up on any
theory that might better equip you once things accelerate.

AQUARIUS
Fear not the material aspect of life this spring, dear Aquarius. Mars and Neptune together in
your financial zone could create some sort of confusion in April, so wait a while before
examining the details of your balance sheet. Come back later—when the fog has lifted—to really
understand your situation.

April is best used for creative writing, talk therapy, and getting involved in your community. As
the planets stir up multiple avenues of creative inspiration this spring, it’s okay to say yes to a
little bit of everything before you choose what you’re committing to. That time will roll around
with the full moon on April 23, when your desires will have crystallized, and you will understand
where your energy output benefits you most.

Your pursuits will finally take root in May. There are beautiful minds who want to listen to you
speak and hear about your plans. Engage—and enjoy the audience cheering you on.

PISCES
From now until the end of May, you are birthing yourself all over again. Mars, Saturn, and
Neptune are aligned in your sign, stirring up mixed signals about whether to push forward or
stay put and do some more groundwork. This can create a sense of contraction that, if you
surrender to it, will act as a wonderful creative incubator. Saturn in your sign is here to give you
the gift of patience and allow you to move slowly into a new phase without rushing the process.

Trust the process this spring. And don’t worry if you can’t see the end goal clearly. Receive new
opportunities with an open heart and trust they’re leading you somewhere strong. It will all
weave itself together eventually. You can use the new moon solar eclipse on April 8 to heal
limiting beliefs around money or put in place an action plan to move toward a higher income.
Meanwhile, Neptune and Mars will work behind the scenes to clear away outdated thought
patterns that might be holding you back.

THE WELLNESS SHOP

Related Reading
How to Know If Your New Relationship Will Work, Astrologically

How Do the Four Elements—Fire, Earth, Air, and Water—Define You?

Is Sexual Energy Connected to the Moon?

 ®

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