SEVEN CHAKRAS

CHAKRAS are energy centers which govern the subtle, psychosomatic aspects of our inner being. Of the many chakras within the human body , SEVEN have been identified as major. Chakras are first mentioned in the Vedas, ancient Hindu texts of knowledge. Chakras are in the Linga Sarira (astral body). Linga Sarira is of 17 Tattvas, viz., 5 Jnanendriyas (ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose); 5 Karmendriyas (speech, hands,  legs , genitals, anus); 5 Pranas (Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, Samana); Manas (mind); and Buddhi (intellect). These have corresponding centers in the spinal cord and the nerve-plexuses in the gross body. Each Chakra has control and function over a particular center in gross body. They are our connection to the energy flow around us and to the Universal Entities. Connecting to the 7 major Chakras, automatically connects to the entire astral body.

MOOLADHARA - ROOT CHAKRA : We begin with the Root Chakra, as it is the core or our foundation. Red in color and it sit's at the base of our spine. We hold the ability's of Physical Energy, Vitality, Stamina, Grounding, Spontanaity, Stability and Passion within our Root Chakra. It gives us our drive, our gusto for life. The means for our direction with family values, career choices and the endurance to achieve what we can conceive in this life. When we hold issues such as our faith and love relationship, this chakra will not perform at it's fullest potential. When we are strong in our convictions, this chakra will assist us in our goals.

Root Chakra (located at the base of the spine) At birth, we experience an acute sense of disorientation and disconnection. Not only are we cut off from the physical security of the womb, but existentially we experience separation from Spirit as we find ourselves embodied in a human form. As the umbilical cord is cut we find ourselves thrust into a dangerous, insecure and vulnerable world. Our human incarnation means we have a dense, sensate, physical body made up of carbon and hydrogen - the constituent elements of the earth. In our attempt to re-establish a sense of spiritual connection, the root chakra becomes activated at birth - a connection that flows downward, and energetically connects deeply with the “sacred matter” of the earth. We cannot survive if we do not feed and nurture the physical body - making our relationship with the earth both necessary and integral to our survival. Part of that survival means also that we belong to a family or clan - a group that can ensure that we are fed from the earth and protected from the elements. Early cave dwellers soon learned that they could not survive without a sense of belonging and protection from the family or “clan.” If our early needs for security and belonging are not met, if disruption and fear are the norm, or if our connection to nature is tenuous, we end up feeling unrooted, anxious and insecure about our right to be here. Psychological symptoms may surface - neuroses, chronic anxiety, fears of becoming ill or dying, feeling vulnerable, ungrounded and afraid of getting one’s hands dirty. When root chakra issues arise, they can be addressed through compassionate self-healing techniques. These include finding ways to reconnect to the earth - “rooting” in nature through walks, gardening or camping; honoring the sacred in the Earth - (Indigenous people have much to teach us); caring for the earth through addressing litter and pollution; healing estrangement from family or friends or joining groups or associations that foster a sense of belonging and security….

SVADHISHTHANA - SACRAL CHAKRA : Our Sacral/Sexual Chakra is orange in color and  sit's at our groin area. While this chakra is called the Sacral/Sexual Chakra, it is not limited to our sexual experiences. We apply this energy to our Drive to accomplishments in this life as well. Our ability to stimulate creativity, productivity, Pleasure, Optimism, Enthusiasm and emotional expression. When we hold issues of our sexual experiences, this chakra does not operate at it's fullest potential. When we are able to cleanse and clear this chakra of these experiences this chakra assist us in our out look in this life.  

The Sacral Chakra (located at the base of the belly and sexual organs) Having established a secure connection to physical reality, the next energetic challenge for the newborn arises in the second chakra - the centre of relationship energy. The second chakra holds the energy of all relationships we encounter in our lives - the nurturing or rejection of our parents; the give and take of sibling rivalry; the devotion or betrayals of friendship; the intimacy and vulnerability of sexual attraction; and the ability to produce and nurture our own children. If we do not learn to connect to others through emotional intimacy we remain alone, estranged or dissociated. When our early needs for intimacy and love are thwarted through abandonment, abuse or neglect, we find it hard to trust and begin to doubt our ability to attract love or find passion and joy in life. Second chakra issues include avoidance of emotional intimacy; accepting or perpetrating abuse in relationships; sexual dysfunction; parenting problems and a lack of life passion. Healing the second chakra involves learning to recognize and respond to our wounded “inner child”; uncovering and healing painful memories of abuse or neglect; learning to forgive; and releasing blame and guilt. It means gently finding the courage to open ourselves to emotional intimacy. Often a wise and trusted counselor or healer can facilitate this process. Developing self-compassion and self-nurturing is key…

MANIPURA - The SOLAR PLEX CHAKRA is just below our belly  button and is Yellow in color. This is where we receive our Intuition, that gut instinct telling us what the spirit already knows. The yellow chakra increases fun, humor, lightness, personal power, intellect, logic and creativity. Being a chakra of intellect, it is meant for us to filter our emotions through this chakra, placing the issues within the color yellow and allowing the experiences to filter through and put it in the perspective so that we may heal from the issue and not carry them in our heart. When we hold issues of not listening to our instincts this chakra will not operate at it's fullest potential. Listening to ones intuition allows this chakra to assist in our guidance.

The Solar Plexus (located around the upper abdomen just under the belly button) Having established some success with relationships, the next psycho-spiritual challenge is to create a sense of self in relationship to the world in which we live. The psycho/spiritual qualities of the solar plexus chakra include self-worth, self-esteem, mastery, empowerment, humility, self-control, and awareness of life meaning and purpose. When our desire to develop a strong sense of ourselves is met with controlling, shaming, authoritarian or intentional ego-damaging behaviors we are left with a debilitated and wounded solar plexus chakra. This manifests as a sense of unworthiness and guilt; lack of confidence and poor self-esteem; a feeling of being disempowered, victimized or lacking a sense of purpose. Conversely, in response to feeling deprived of power, we may ourselves resort to controlling, manipulative or tyrannical behaviors. Healing the solar plexus comes about through restoring a sense of personal power, self-respect, courage, humility and grace. Learning to identify and respond compassionately to our own painful stories is empowering, as is using love to heal fears. Issues of guilt and shame can be transformed through healing work that nurtures a sense of innate goodness, while awareness of co-creatorship with the Divine instills a sense of power. Finally, becoming aware of the deep spiritual qualities of our own nature helps us to act responsibly and move forward with self-initiative, meaning and purpose.

ANAHATA - The HEART CHAKRA holds the heart's eye.  Green in color and sit's at the center of our chest. Supports Balance, Harmony, Love, Communication, Social, Nature and Acceptance. The Heart's eye is the door way to understanding things operating from the love center. When the emotions from an experience are held within this chakra, it blocks the hearts eye and limits our perception. We hold emotional issues from our parents, loved ones we feel have hurt us and the guilt from the labeling of the emotion. This energy should be moved down into the yellow solar plex chakra, to filter the experience into the proper perspective. Allowing the heart chakra to be clear of emotion, acceptance of healing while remaining in balance, giving harmony to our lives.

The Heart Chakra  (located in the chest) As we come to experience ourselves as safe, connected and respected, the energy begins to shift from a focus on the individual self towards a more generous and altruistic outlook. We notice that we feel grateful for the opportunity to live life, and want to give back. The heart chakra now becomes activated as the centre of love, compassion, devotion and generosity. The direction of energy in the body begins to move upwards in its desire to reconnect to the greater source of Divine love. We begin to experience universal compassion - the sense that we are connected to all beings on the planet. We may feel our hearts touched by images of young children a world away playing amongst the rubble of war. We know and have a sense of caring both for ourselves and others and feel compelled to take this love out into action. If however, we have not experienced security, intimacy and self-esteem in the lower chakras, the heart chakra will remain closed and shielded. Issues such as lack of compassion, anger, hatred, stinginess, being overly concerned with self protection, fear of loving too much, grief and heart-ache may all indicate wounding in the heart chakra. Healing the heart chakra involves paying attention first to the wounds that are still lurking in the lower chakras. Learning to love ourselves and our shadow places is the first step towards creating a sense of love and compassion for others. The gift of forgiveness allows deep healing within the heart chakra - forgiveness both for ourselves and others. Visualization, devotional chanting, yoga, prayers and Buddhist Metta or Tonglen meditation are powerful vehicles for opening the heart. Many people find that compassionate encounters with the suffering of others is a means to open their own heart. Important also is becoming aware of our own divine nature and beginning an intimate, sacred process of surrender to the Divine order.

VISHUDDHA - The THROAT CHAKRA is located in your throat and is Blue in color. This Chakra is another connection in which spirit speaks through us, as we speak our intuitions and hopes, desires our words carry with them the energy from within and makes manifest your thoughts. Increases Calmness, Peace, Love, Honesty, Peace, Kindness, Truth, Inner Peace, Emotional Depth and Devotion to our being. As we speak our truths, our connections become much deep in the understanding that we are all connected through our thoughts, our energy. When we allow others to weaken our ability to speak out against the experiences we endure and the messages from spirit, it causes this chakra too become weak. When fully operating this chakra assist us in our confidence, our trust in what we receive.  

The Throat Chakra (located around the throat, mouth and ears) As we grow into deeper awareness and opening of all the chakras, we also begin to expand our ability to tap into the vibrational energy field around us. The patterns of sound are our connection to the world. The throat chakra is the centre for making sense of these vibrations, for communication, self-expression, creativity, speaking our truth, and at the subtlest levels, telepathy, channeling and clairaudience (ability to perceive sounds outside the physical realm). If we encounter repression or attempts to stifle our innate ability for self-expression, the throat chakra closes down and energetically appears blocked. The natural flow of vibration is impeded - energy goes in but cannot go out. We are all too familiar with the childhood maxim “children should be seen and not heard”, the silencing of women’s voices in patriarchal systems and the stifling of creative talent for fear of ridicule. Other threats to the throat chakra include keeping shameful family secrets, living with chronic fear, being yelled at or shamed into silence. When the throat chakra is closed, all other chakras find their expression stifled too. The key to healing the throat chakra is finding the place of our own truth and relearning the ability to express ourselves. We can give ourselves permission to cry, to voice our fears, share our stories and engage in active listening with others. We can honor self-expression through finding creative outlets - writing, art, gardening or music. For some people it is important to reduce the pollution of vibrational noise through meditation or silent retreat. As the throat chakra begins to heal, the grosser vibrations of sound no longer create interference. We begin to tune into more subtle layers of vibration, including the development of psychic abilities such as telepathy and clairaudience and opening to divine revelations such as those experienced by mystics through the ages.

ANJA - THIRD EYE CHAKRA is located in the middle of your  forehead and is Purple in color. This chakra is connected to the Spiritual Realm, the Star Gate Within. We hold the essence of our Spirit Guides and connections to the Universal Powers. This Chakra stimulates Intuition, Imagination, Universal Flow, Meditation, Artistic Qualities. This Chakra is connected to our Pineal Gland, this gland has been called the Star Gate within as it connects us directly to our higher self and the universal energies. When we close our eyes it activates this eye within and our imagination becomes the television in our mind. We can talk with our guides and ask and receive our answers while in this energy. When not operating at it's fullest potential, this chakra can cause us to block the energies flowing from the Great Spirit and Mother Earth, causing us to loose focus and feel like we are all alone in this reality. Fully charged and connected this chakra is our doorway to the unseen world, giving it light and meaning.

The Third Eye (located around the eyes, forehead and the brain) The third eye is the center of intellect, inner knowing, discernment, wisdom, and clairvoyance (intuitive seeing). It is the place where we develop our “witness consciousness”, the ability to stand back and consciously observe and make choices in our life. This is the place where we create our beliefs and our judgments, and where, if we encounter fear-based or authoritarian belief systems, we come to doubt our own knowing and sense of ourselves. Confusion, negative beliefs, blindness to the truth, irresponsibility, close-mindedness and mental rigidity result. We may feel cut off from our emotions and become overly attached to empirical, dogmatic theories and beliefs. Healing the third eye means first of all a willingness to see. It includes opening to the truth beyond what we can physically see, and allowing intuition and inner knowing to become our primary teacher. Healing includes accessing our fear-based belief systems, judgments and criticisms and being willing to let them go. It also means a gentle opening to the messages of the heart. Self-healing techniques include developing inner awareness and witness consciousness; looking for the symbolic importance behind events or interactions; recording and analyzing dreams; practicing equanimity, detachment, and surrendering judgments. As we become aware of the deep spiritual qualities of our own nature, we move into a place of greater clarity, wisdom and acceptance in the third eye.

SAHASRARA - CROWN CHAKRA is located at the top of  your head, that soft spot, and is Magenta in Color. Our Crown Chakra is connected directly to the Great Spirit and is the portal for the energies to Flow through. This chakra emits the energies that protect and ground us to the Universal energies. Opening the Crown chakra involes trusting in the Divine Love and surrendering to the unlimited possibilities of self and the Great Spirit. Allow us to trust in our own abilities with the understanding of our connection to these energies.  Without this connection we feel disconnected to everything, alone, unloved. When fully opened this chakra beams the energies from the top of your head taking the form of light.

The Crown Chakra  (located at the top of the head) As we grow into deeper awareness of our spiritual nature, our energy is drawn increasingly upward in its desire to reconnect to the source of our Being. This process of spiritual awakening or enlightenment is facilitated through opening the crown chakra. Energetically, an open crown chakra appears as light emerging from the top of the head. The crown chakra indicates the extent to which we are willing to live our lives connected to Spirit and living from truth. It allows for inspirational and prophetic thought, mystical connection and devotion, ecstasy, transcendence and liberation from identification with suffering. When we are distracted or overwhelmed by the difficulties and pain of life, we may experience loss of faith in a compassionate Divine force. Issues of doubt, disbelief and depression cloud our inner knowing and overshadow the belief that we are spirit beings. We falsely identify with the finite world and feel “existential angst”. Some may experience a period known as the “dark night of the soul” immortalized by the poetry of St. John of the Cross. For some the sense of isolation and spiritual depression may seem unbearable. Opening and healing the crown chakra involves trust, surrender to Divine love and commitment to spiritual practice. It means living in the present, fully conscious and open to the experience that life offers. Mystics through the ages have turned to prayer, meditation, yoga and silent retreat to support their spiritual journeys. A trusted spiritual guide or teacher may offer compassionate facilitation along this path. The chakras are an elegant window to the soul. There is much we can learn through deepening our understanding of the qualities, attributes and spiritual nuances of these amazing vortexes of energy in the human body…..