The Etheric Body...

The occultist finds that physical matter exists in seven sub-grades or orders of density: Solid; Liquid; Gaseous; Etheric; Super Etheric; Sub Atomic; Atomic. Particles of all these grades enter into the composition of the body, the physical vehicle. The physical body however, has two well-marked divisions; the Dense Body, composed of solids, liquids and gases, and the Etheric Body, or Etheric Double as it is frequently called, consisting of the four finer grades of physical matter. Every solid, liquid and gaseous particle of the physical body is surrounded with an etheric envelope: hence the Etheric Double, as its name implies, is a perfect duplicate of the dense form. In size it projects about one quarter of an inch beyond the skin.
The Etheric Double by A.E. Powell, Theosophical Publishing House, London
Between this physical and the etheric, the next major level, there is an important intermediate level: the astral realm, composed of lower-vibration etheric matter. This is the seat of our emotions, senses and memory, and the level on which our subconscious mind works, recording all our thoughts and experiences into the ether where it is stored in a celestial memory-bank (the Akashic Records) for our later retrieval and review. The subconscious on the astral level also acts as an inner voice, conscience, or agent of intuition as a guide for our earthly consciousness. The astral plane is usually the first level on which we arrive after the transition we call "death".
Since most illnesses originate in mental or emotional disorder they first manifest at the etheric level before transmitting themselves to the physical body. Many New Age healing therapies and practises such as radionics and spiritual healing are applied at the etheric level, and can thus be conducted from a distance without any physical contact between healer and patient. Healing is effected by transmission through the finer etheric matter that interpenetrates the physical and which is not subject to the same physical limitations.
What is known to New Age Thought as Higher Knowledge exists on the higher etheric and spiritual planes. It can be communicated down to Earth by Beings living on the higher vibrational levels who transmit their thoughts directly to a trained Earth mind known as a channel. This process is only possible through Earth channels who have undertaken training in opening their higher spiritual centers either in this life, or more usually over long periods in past lives. It is equally important when "opening to channel" to set aside one's earthly emotions and preconceptions which might otherwise color and distort the communication. These openings to the reception of higher-level transmissions allow us to receive channeling either in a state of trance, or in more developed cases, directly into the conscious mind as words or thoughts, or as automatic writing.