How does consciousness affect the body?

In his discussion with Jack Kornfield on The Tim Ferriss Show, Tim Ferriss explores how consciousness can profoundly affect the body. Kornfield explains that meditation and similar practices reveal that one's consciousness extends beyond mere thoughts and feelings. These experiences can manifest physically, such as feeling heavy like a stone (earth element), light and floaty (air element), fiery (fire element), or icy cold.

Kornfield highlights that as concentration deepens, intense physical sensations arise, like vibrations, the opening of chakras, or even sensations akin to a heart attack due to emotional blockages releasing. Consciousness, when deepened through such practices, can lead to a process where personal energies move through and potentially "unlock" these barriers, affecting both the mind and body profoundly 1.