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…..
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