|
|
 |
|||||||||
|
The Chakras
The chakras are spinning vortexes of energy. Each one represents
an aspect of consciousness that is vitally important to our lives. There are
seven primary chakras located in the kundalini chakra system. This chakra system
is located in the etheric body. These seven chakras are responsible for receiving,
interpreting, and transmitting energy. Each chakra also acts as a pressure valve
for our subtle energy system. When a chakra is open, it prevents a build up of
energy and also allows our emotions to flow through the system naturally. A block
in any part of our subtle energy system will affect all the other parts of the system.
If you are holding on to the emotion of fear in your first chakra, all other six chakras will also be affected. In order to maintain health in your subtle system, it is important to become familiar
with your chakras and be able to determine where any blockages are and what is causing them. Richard Gerber tells us, “Proper functioning of each of the major chakras is critical to the
balance and cellular health of each organ system. …The chakras help to
regulate the flow of vital energy into different organs of the body.” This
tells us that blockages can result in physiological problems as well as emotional problems.
If this it true, then we can also be assured that our spiritual growth will also be affected. Cords in our chakras can also present problems. The
coping mechanisms people develop as a result of trauma may very easily include cords.
Cyndi Dale tells us, “Cords are energetic connections between people, beings or part of ourselves that serve
as negative relationship contracts.” She goes on to explain that, “Cords
are formed when we contract with another person to meet our needs. …Cores
are almost always detrimental. Cords generally gum up our energy system, filling
holes that need to be there. In short, we cannot work efficiently – or
at all – with our energy system if we do not address our cords and the reasons we are holding them.” These are obvious reasons for identifying and removing cords. In order to effectively identify and remove blockages and cords, it is necessary to be familiar with
each individual chakra. By understanding the locations, functions, and healthy
traits of the seven primary chakras, you will be able (with much practice) to detect problem areas in yourself and others. There is a vast amount of information available on the kundalini chakras. I have chosen to use the information presented by Caroline Myss in her book Anatomy of the Spirit, and Anodea Judith in her book Wheels of Life. I strongly urge you to read as much as you can on this subject. You will find a list of suggested reading at the end of this lesson.
As you read more and begin to work with the chakras, you will develop your own understanding and perception of these
energy centers. The  The Root Chakra The root chakra is located at the base of the spine. The
name comes from its position at the "root" of the body. This chakra has the lowest vibration of all the chakras.
It is the vibration of energy that creates your physical being. This is the center that allows the universal life energy
to move through you. This is where survival and awareness begins. This is the center you should work with concerning
survival and awareness issues. The root chakra vibrates at the same frequency as the universal
energy. Many things vibrate to this base rate...plants, rocks, and even galaxaies. It is very possible to atune
yourself to this base vibration. Some people can even hear it. This is the vibration of creation, the vibration
from which all things came. When your root chakra is in a state of imbalance, you are not longer atuned to that flow
of universal life energy. When this happens, you will experience issues that have to do with your perceptions of survival.
It is possible, when dealing with issues of this type, to experience physical manifestations in the form of hemorrhoids, colon
problems, and even cancer in that area of the root chakra. The choices you make, as a result of having free will, can alter
the vibration of your chakras. The perceptions that result from these choices can change the vibrational frequency of
the chakras enough to cause blockages and discomfort. When this happens, the enegy cannot flow freely.
When you experience fear in regards to survival, you are
actually observing the vibrational frequency of your root chakra. These can be fears of lack of money, lack of
food, lack of shelter, lack of healthy relationships, ... anything that pertains to your perception of survival.
Distortions and blockages can also develop as a result of feeling responsible for other people. With responsibility
come issues of control and command. This is the result of feeling more and more responsible for others.
It is possible to make a conscious choice to change this distorted vibrational frequency in the root chakra - to return
it to the base frequency of the universal life energy. There are many ways to do this. You can apply the
color red to the root chakra by placing a red cloth over it, by using a red light, bathing in water tinted red, or by using
a basal note of around three decibels. This basal note can be accomplished by meditating on or chanting the Om sound
in a very low range. The key to balance in the root chakra is changing your
own perception enough to realize the importance of your own responsiblity to yourself....along with the independence of others'
responsibilities to themselves. From this, you can develop the interdependence of yourself to others - and allow your
root chakra to vibrate at its optimal vibration. It is the fear of survival that makes an individual want to
control people and circumstances in his/her life. If there was not fear, there would be no need to control.
This attempt to control can leave a person frustrated because, no matter how much we attempt to control, the universe
keeps moving at its own speed. It is no respector of persons. The more a person attempts to control, the
more he/she creates situations that give them the opportunity to observe the vibration of their root chakra - and respond
to the imbalance. Basic Root Chakra Information (from Wheels of Life by A. Judith) Sanskrit Name: Muladhara Meaning: Root support Location: perineum, base of spine, coccygeal plexus Function: survival, grounding Glands: adrenal Body parts: legs, feet, bones, large intestine, teeth Malfunction: weight problems, hemorrhoids, constipation, sciatica,
degnerative arthritis, knee problems Color: red Sense: smell Planet: Saturn, Earth Minerals: loadstone, garnet, ruby, bloodstone Metal: lead Foods: proteins, meats Cheif operating force: gravity
Sacral Chakra The sacral chakra is located approximately 3 inches below the
navel. This chakra involves certain sexual reproductive organs and is also perceived as the center of emotionals.
The fourth chakra (heart) is also associated with emotions, with sensuality. This sensuality is a combination of sexuality
and emotion. Your reproductive organs and the ability to enjoy sex reside in this chakra. It resonates
to the color orange. This resonation is from the perspective of sexuality - the procreation that allows humanity to
continue. Balance in this chakra requires a balance between sexuality and the emotinal state. It is important
to understand that your sexuality resides in the spiritual (upper) chakras as well as the sacral chakra. Issues of high or low sexuality are related to the sacral chakra.
When this chakra is balanced, there is a communion and communication between the first and second chakra. The survival
issues of the root chakra depend on balance in the sacral chakra through the use of the sexual organs. This is also the center of pleasure. The pleasure of procreation
rests on viewing yourself through the sacral chakra - the center of pleasure. Even simple pleasure found in sports,
music, or lying in bed with a loving partner (even a sexual partner) come from the sacral chakra. To bring balance to the sacral chakra, you must look at the
beliefs surrounding the issues related to this chakra. Many people today see themselves as victims - victimized through
sexuality or through abuse. Through the perspective of victimization, many people are working through the process of
rebalancing this chakra. To find balance, the energy of victimization must be released. By releasing this energy,
awareness can be gained concerning personal choices that had been made. Many scientists view the thalamic portion of the brain as the
pleasure center. This is only somewhat correct. The energy of an individual related to pleasure revolves around
the sacral chakra. Pleasure has been viewed as an equivilalent to joy. As
a result, we tend to focus on pleasure rather than joy. Joy is a natural state of being. It is a state that takes
one beyond the self...with the ability to recognize your connection to all of existence. This is a state of intercommunication
and intercommunion with all of existence. A separation has been created between the ego personality, the soul essense,
and the connection of soul essense to all of existence. Because of this separation, pleasure began to replace joy.
The ego personality knew there was something beyond survival. This is how the second chakra came to be. Because
of this, we now view everything as an extensions of pleasure. We believe that certain choices bring more pleasure.
These choices can involve greed, lust, jealousy, happiness, sex, money, and so on. Pleasure is viewed as beneficial
- which can lead to some interesting choices. There are many ways to balance the sacral chakra.
One way is to shift your conscious belief structure. When you bring balance to this chakra, an expansion of existence
in manifested. It amounts to being aware of the co-existence between the self and the existance surrounding
the self. When there is balance in this center, there are no highs and lows - pleasure turns to joy. By realizing your
connectedness to all that is, you create joy of existence. As you shift from pleasure to joy, the ego personality
will shift - which can result in fear. As this occurs, it is necessary to rebalance the whole self until fear no
longer exists. Basic
Sacral Chakra Information (By Anodea Judith) Sanskrit
Name: Svadhisthana
Meaning: Sweetness
Location:
Lower abdomen, genitals, womb Element: Water
Function: Desire, Malfunction:
Impotence, frigidity, uterine, bladder or kidney trouble, stiff lower back Color: Orange
Sense: Taste
Celestial Body: Moon
Metal: Tin
Food: Liquids
Minerals: Carnelian, moonstone, coral Animals: Makara, fish, sea creatures  The
Solar Plexus Myss describes the third chakra energy as follows: “The third
chakra energy, the energy of the Personal Power chakra, becomes the dominant vibration in our development during puberty. It assists us further in the process of individuation, of forming a “self,”
ego, and personality separate from our inherited identity. This energy center
also contains most issues related to the development of personal power and self-esteem.
The third chakra completes the physical trilogy of the human energy system. Like
chakras one and two, it primarily relates to physical form of power. Where the
first chakra resonates to group or tribal power, and where the second chakra resonates to the flow of power between the self
and others, the third chakra relates to our personal power in relation to the external world.” The third chakra is located in the solar plexus.
The energy connection to the physical body, according to Myss, is as follows: “The third chakra, often called
the solar plexus, is our personal power center, the magnetic core of the personality and ego.
The illnesses that originate here are activated by issues related to self-responsibility, self-esteem, fear of rejection,
and an over-sensitivity to criticism.” The symbolic/perceptual connection, according to Myss, is thus: “The third
chakra mediates between the primarily external (which is characteristic of the first and second chakras) and the internalization
of consciousness. The first chakra has an external center of gravity and is always
located within a group mind. The second chakra, too, has an external gravitational
center but focuses on relationships and their effects on us. In the third chakra,
however, the gravitational center is partly internalized, as our focus shifts from how we relate to people around us to how
we relate to and understand ourselves.” Myss describes the primary fears: “Fears of rejection, criticism, looking
foolish, and failing to meet one’s responsibilities; all fears related to physical appearance, such as fear of obesity,
baldness, or aging; fears that others will discover our secrets.” She goes
on to describe the strengths as; self-esteem, self-respect, and self-discipline; ambition, the ability to generate action,
and the ability to handle a crises; the courage to take risks; generosity, ethics, and strength of character.” The sacred truth of this chakra is described by Myss as Honor Oneself. The energies that come together in this chakra have but one spiritual goal: to help
us mature in our self-understanding – the relationship we have with ourselves, and how we stand on our own and take
care of ourselves. …We all have faced or will face an experience that reveals
to us our own internal strengths and weaknesses as separate from the influence of our elders.
This spiritual quality inherent in the third chakra compels us to create an identity apart from our tribal self.” Anodea Judith explains the concept of will at the third chakra: “Will
is consciously controlled change. As the second chakra opens dualities, we are
presented with choices. Making those choices gives birth to the will. Getting to the third chakra requires that we give up seeing ourselves as a victim, and realize that lasting
change can only come from hoping others will change – something we cannot control.
When we take back responsibility, the changes come under the jurisdiction of our own will. Then we can truly heal from victimizing circumstances.” Judith goes on to say, “The task of the will is, first of all, to overcome
inertia. …inertia occurs in rest of in motion. Simple lethargy or laziness can be an example of inertia at rest.
Energy begets energy, through the creation of momentum – and it is the will which begins this process. We also may find ourselves caught up in the momentum of something we would rather avoid. Here, we can use stillness to effect change, by refusing to be a part of this motion – and stopping
it whenever it comes to us. The first step in developing your will is to realize
that you do have one, and that it is functioning quite well all the time. Look
around you. All that you see in your personal midst, you have created with your
will – the clothing you’re wearing, the home you live in, the friends you keep.
Feeling powerless is not due to lack of will, but failure to recognize and connect with our unconscious use of that
will.” Judith continues, “Failure to recognize that we have will is common. How many times in a day do you look at your tasks, exude a tired sigh, and say (or
whine), “I have to do this.” We tell ourselves we have to go to work,
we have to do the dishes, we have to run this or that errand, or have to spend more time with our kids. It is disempowering to regard these circumstances as a dreary series of obligations, rather than choices
we make actively. I don’t have to do the dishes, but I choose to because
I like a clean kitchen. I don’t have to go to work, but I choose to because
I like receiving a paycheck, or because I like to honor my agreements. This subtle
change in attitude helps us befriend and realign with our will. In order for
our will to be engaged, we must also be in touch with our desires. How can we
exert our will if we don’t know what we want? While undue attachment to
our desires may keep us trapped in lower chakras, suppression only blocks the force of the will. When a person feels deprived, unloved, or overworked, they are easier to manipulate. The will flourishes best when we are relaxed, happy, and in touch with ourselves.” A final comment from Judith: “All chakras have their positive and negative
aspects, and the overuse of the personal will can keep us trapped at this level, especially if that will is not in harmony
with the greater Cosmic Will of which it is a part. The intelligent and sensitive
person must recognize when their will becomes detrimentally dominating and overly controlling.
(And if they don’t catch it, others will surely try to tell them!) Engaging
this chakra requires developing the will, yet the passage beyond this chakra requires the ability to yield our will when appropriate. A person of true power should not have a need to dominate.” Basic
Third Chakra Information (By Anodea Judith) Sanskrit
Name: Manipura Meaning:
Lustrous gem Location:
Navel to solar plexus Element:
Fire Function: Will,
power, assertiveness Glands:
Pancreas, adrenals Other
Body Parts: Digestive system, muscles Malfunction:
Ulcers, diabetes,
hypoglycemia, digestive
disorders Color: Yellow Planets:
Mars; also the Sun Metal:
Iron Foods:
Starches Minerals:
Amber, citrine, rutilated
quartz Animals:
Ram Sense:
Sight
According to Myss, “The fourth chakra is the central powerhouse of the human energy
system. The middle chakra, it mediates between the body and spirit and determines
their health and strength. Fourth chakra energy is emotional in nature and helps
propel our emotional development. This chakra embodies the spiritual lesson that
teaches us how to act out of love and compassion and recognize that the most powerful energy we have is love.” The heart chakra is located in the center of the chest, in line with the heart. Myss describes the fourth chakra energy connection to the physical body s follows:
“Heart and circulatory system, ribs, breasts, thymus gland, lungs, shoulders, arms, hands, diaphragm.” She describes the energy connection to the emotional/mental body: “This chakra resonates to our emotional
perceptions, which determine the quality of our lives far more than our mental perceptions.
As children, we react to our circumstances with a range of emotions: love, compassion, confidence, hope, despair, hate,
envy, and fear. As adults, we are challenged to generate within ourselves an
emotional climate and steadiness from which to act consciously and with compassion.” The symbolic/perceptual connection of the fourth chakra is described by Myss
as follows: “More than any other chakra, the fourth represents our capacity to “let go and let God.” With its energy we accept our personal emotional challenges as extensions of a Divine
plan, which has as its intent our conscious evolution. By releasing our emotional
pain, by letting go of our need to know why things happen as they have, we reach a state of tranquility. In order to achieve that inner peace, however, we have to embrace the healing energy of forgiveness and
release our lesser need for human, self-determined justice.” Myss describes the primary fears of this chakra as, “Fears of loneliness,
commitment, and “following one’s heart”, fear of inability to protect oneself emotionally; fear of emotional
weakness and betrayal. Loss of fourth chakra energy can give rise to jealousy,
bitterness, anger, hatred, and an inability to forgive others as well as oneself.”
She describes the primary strengths as, “Love, forgiveness, compassion, dedication, inspiration, hope, trust,
and the ability to heal oneself and others.” According to Myss, “The fourth chakra is the power center of the human
energy system because Love Is Divine Power.
While intelligence or “mental energy” is generally considered superior to emotional energy, actually emotional
energy is the true motivator of the human body and spirit. Love in its purest
form – unconditional love – is the substance of the Divine, with its endless capacity to forgive us and respond
to our prayers. Our own hearts are designed to express beauty, compassion, forgiveness,
and love. It is against our spiritual nature to act otherwise. We are not burn fluent in love but spend our life learning about it. Its energy is pure power. We are as attracted to love as we
are intimidated by it. We are motivated by love, controlled by it, inspired by
it, healed by it, and destroyed by it. Love is the fuel of our physical and spiritual
bodies. Each of life’s challenges is a lesson in some aspect of love. How we respond to these challenges is recorded within our cell tissues: we live within
the biological consequences of our biological choices.” Anodea Judith explains more about fourth chakra love; “Love. Of all the words in the English language, this four-letter word probably has the most meaning, or at least
the most elusive meaning. So basic to the soul of each one of us, love becomes
the precious essence governing each of our lives. How do we find it? How do we maintain it? How do we share it? And beyond the power of words lies the question, “What is it?” Judith goes on to say, “Love is unifying force – it draws things
together, and keeps them in relationship. From this unity, we can touch an underlying
continuity that allows our separate parts to be held in relationship to something larger.
From our parents we needed to learn that they would be there, day after day, in order to grow into security. A binding force allows something to hold together long enough to evolve its patterns to deeper and more
cohesive states. Love allows change and freedom, but keeps coherence at the center. In entering the fourth chakra, we transcend ego in order to loosen our self-defined
boundaries and merge into the ecstasy of love. There is no greater way to invite
love than to offer it first. Since it is something we all want and need, we gravitate
towards those with whom we feel safe and appreciated. To offer that safety and
acceptance to another invites the field of love to flourish. To offer loving
energy, whether as verbal compliments, empathic acknowledgments, or physical nurturing, invites similar energy to be returned. Those who seek money or power are often merely seeking a way to receive love, usually
in the form of admiration or acknowledgment. Going straight to the acknowledgment
can bypass some of the less functional ways we behave in order to find love. There are many things, however, which reduce the flow of loving energy from
one person to another. Undue attachment to one person can reduce the flow of
energy that could come from many others. Jealousy reduces the flow of love as
it dictates that they must flow within narrow limits. Homophobia, ageism, and
racism restrict love. …Any of these demarcations destroy the understanding
of oneness and interdependence that is integral to the heart chakra. If we see
love as infinite, and approach it from abundance instead of scarcity, we see that in truth love is self-perpetuating. … Learning to love takes energy on many levels.
We need all of our chakras functioning in order to create and maintain it. We
must be able to feel, we must be able to communicate, we must be able to have our own autonomy and power, and we need to be
able to see and understand. Most important, we need to relax and let it happen. The heart chakra is yin, and sometimes the most profound love is that which can simply
let things be the way they are. Love is the expansion and equilibrium of air,
the new dawn of the east, the gentleness of the dove, the spirit of peace. It
is the field that envelops us. Through it we find our center, our core, our power,
and our reason for living.” I would like to add one more thought by Judith on what love is: “Love
is not a matter of getting connected; it is a matter of seeing that we already are connected within an intricate web of relationships
that extends throughout life. It is a realization of “no boundaries”
– that we are all made of the same essence, riding through time on the same planet, faced with the same problems, the
same hopes and fears. It is a connection at the core that makes irrelevant skin
color, age, sex, looks, or money. More than anything, love is the deep sense
of spiritual connection, the sense of being touched, moved, and inspired to heights beyond our normal limits. It is a connection with a deep, fundamental truth that runs through all of life and connects us together. Love makes the mundane sacred – so that it is cared for and protected. When we lose our sense of connection with all life, we have lost the sacred, and we
no longer care for and protect that which nourishes us.” Judith writes about another aspect of the heart chakra: healing. “To heal is to make whole. IF the heart chakra is the
integrator and unifier, then it follows that it is also the center of healing. Indeed,
love is the ultimate healing force. As we come up to the heart chakra, we encounter
the arms. Upright, with arms outstretched, the body forms a kind of cross, the
four points of which meet in the heart. Just as the legs are connected to chakra
one, the arms are an integral part of the middle chakras three, four, and five. The
inside, yin, channels of the arms contain three of the fourteen Chinese energy channels, called meridians. These particular meridians correspond to the heart, lungs, and pericardium (a loose sack covering the heart). Obviously, these are all relevant to the heart chakra, and they carry energy from
that center down to the arms and hands.” Judith continues, “The channels of energy moving out from the heart toward
the hands I call the haling channels, the means by which healing energy reaches out to others.
There are also minor chakras in the hands. Hands are very sensitive extensions
of the body/mind, having far more neural receptors than most parts of the body. The
hands both create and receive and are sensory organs pulling in as much information as the eyes and ears. They are valuable tools in the perception and control of psychic energy.
Healing is the restoration of balance to an organism or situation. It
is believed that all diseases, whether caused by germ, injury or stress, is the result of an “imbalance” that
then fragments the organism and destroys its natural resonant infinity. Opening the heart chakra and developing compassion, connection, and understanding
for those around you naturally gives rise to the urge to heal. The realization
that we are all one dictates that, like a Bodhisattva, we cannot advance alone while others are ailing. (A Bodhisattva is someone who is spiritually realized but avoids crossing into enlightenment until others
can follow, instead staying behind to teach.) Like the Bodhisattva, we find we
must take the time to heal others as we advance along our path. This brings into
balance the lure of spirituality and the need to remain in the physical world. Many
people forget the lesson of balance in their healing efforts. You might call
them meddlers. To properly heal someone, it is necessary that they come into
balance with their own energy, which may not comply with the healer’s concept of “correct.” A true healer must tune into her subject, remaining grounded in her own energy, and allowing the subject
to create his own sense of balance. The healer is merely a catalyst in the subject’s
own healing experience. When our heart chakras are open and balanced, our very
presence radiates love and joy. The love is the essence of true healing. Basic
Fourth Chakra Information (By Anodea Judith) Sanskrit
Name: Anahata Meaning:
Unstruck Location: Heart Element: Air Outer
State:
Gaseous Function:
Love Glands:
Thymus Other
Body Parts: Lungs, heart, pericardium,
arms, hands Malfunction: asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease Color:
Green Celestial
Bodies: Venus Metal: Copper Sense:
Touch Minerals: Emerald, tourmaline, jade, rose quartz Animals: Antelope, birds, dove
The
Throat Chakra According to Myss, “The fifth chakra embodies the challenges of surrendering our
own willpower and spirits to the will of God. From a spiritual perspective, our
highest goal is the full release of our personal will into the “hands of the Divine.” Jesus and Buddha, as well as other great teachers, represent the mastery of this state of consciousness,
complete union with Divine will.” The throat chakra is located, naturally, in the throat. The energy connection to the physical body is, according to Myss, “Throat, thyroid, trachea, esophagus,
parathyroid, hypothalamus, neck, vertebrae, mouth, jaw, and teeth.” She
describes the energy connection to the emotional/mental body as follows: “The firth chakra resonates to the numerous
emotional and mental struggles involved in learning the nature of the power of choice.
All illness has a connection to the fifth chakra, because choice is involved in every detail of our lives and therefore
in every illness.” Myss describes the symbolic/perceptual connection: “The symbolic challenge
of the Willpower chakra is to progress through the maturation of will; from the
tribal perception that everyone and everything around you has authority over you; through the perception that you alone have
authority over you; to the final perception, that true authority comes from aligning yourself to God’s will.” The primary fears of this chakra, according to Myss, are as follows: “Fears
related to our willpower exist within each chakra, appropriate to that chakra. We
fear having no authority or power of choice within our own lives, first within our tribes, then within our personal and professional
relationships. And then we fear having no authority with ourselves, being out
of control when it comes to our response to substances, to money, to power, to another person’s emotional control over
our well-being. And finally, we fear the will of God. The notion of releasing our power of choice to a Divine force remains the greatest struggle for the individual
seeking to become conscious.” Myss describes the primary strengths as,
“Faith, self-knowledge, and personal authority; the capacity to make decisions knowing that no matter what decision
we make, we keep our word to ourselves or to another person.” Fifth chakra sacred truth, according the Myss: “The fifth chakra is the
center of choice and consequence, of spiritual karma. Every choice we make, every
thought and feeling we have, is an act of power that has biological, environmental, social, personal, and global consequences. We are everywhere our thoughts are and thus our personal responsibility includes our
energy contributions. What choices would we make if we could actually see their
energy consequences? We can approach this kind of foresight only by abiding by
the sacred truth Surrender Personal Will to Divine Will. The spiritual lessons of the fifth chakra show us that actions motivated by a personal will that has been
trusted in Divine authority create the best effects. Understanding the energy
consequences of our thoughts and beliefs, as well as our actions, may force us to become honest to a new degree. Lying, either to others or to ourselves, should be out of the question.
Genuine, complete healing requires honesty with oneself. An inability
to be honest obstructs healing as seriously as the inability to forgive. Honesty
and forgiveness retrieve our energy – our spirits – from the energy dimension of “the past.” Our fifth chakra and its spiritual lessons show us that personal power lies in our
thoughts and attitudes.” Judith, when writing about the firth chakra, takes us to the “Subtle World
of Vibration.” The following are her thoughts: “Ether can be equated
with the all-encompassing and unifying field of subtle vibrations found throughout the universe. Any vibration, be it a sound wave or a dancing particle, is in contact with other vibrations, and all vibrations
can and do affect each other. To enter the fifth chakra is to tune our consciousness
into the subtle vibrational field that is all around us. Let’s take something we’re all familiar with: the automobile. We know that our cars are powered by an engine with numerous parts. We have solid matter in the form of pistons and valves, liquid gas and oil, spark plugs firing, and compressed
air (the first four elements). Intricately timed movement allows all these parts
to work together in precise relationships. When we open the hood, however, we
see only vibration. Because we can’t see the small parts inside the motor,
we see it only from a kind of macro-perspective. A running engine looks like
a vibrating block of metal, emitting a whirring sound. We can tell if our car
is running well be listening to the sound it makes. When the sound is different
than what we know it should be, that tells us something is wrong. In the same way, we experience the overall vibrations of a person or situation,
even though we may not know the minute details. We can tell if something is off. The sum total of vibrations includes all the levels within it. In the fifth chakra, as we refine our consciousness, we begin to perceive these subtle vibrational messages. The etheric field is a kind of blueprint for the vibrational patterns of our tissues,
organs, emotions, activities, experiences, memories, and thoughts. Even the most solid aspects of matter are constantly vibrating at high speeds. In fact, it is only by this constant movement that we perceive the emptiness of matter
as a solid field. The movement of atomic particles, bound to a very small space,
becomes more like vibration or oscillation… . Vibration, even at our most fundamental units, exists throughout all forms of matter, energy, and consciousness. Vibration is a manifestation of rhythm.
Dion Fortune, in The Cosmic Doctrine, describes vibration as “the
impact of the rhythm of one plane upon the substance of another.” As we
climb up the chakra column, each plane is said to vibrate at a higher, faster, and more efficient level than the chakra below
it. Light is a faster vibration than sound (by about forty octaves), and thought
is a subtler vibration than light. Our consciousness vibrates upon the substance
of our bodies, energy affecting movement and movement affecting matter. What many of us lack in our lives is this resonant rhythm, the integrating aspect
that connects us from the very core of our being to the heartbeat of the universe. Consequently,
we are at odds with the world and with ourselves. We lack coordination, cohesiveness
and grace. Furthermore, rhythms, like chakra patterns, tend to perpetuate themselves. The person who starts each day from a calm, centered state of mind will find his interactions
more calm and centered. On the other hand, a person who drives to work every
morning during rush hour and works a high-pressure, fast paced job is involved with different kinds of vibrations each day. This rhythm affects one down to the cellular level of his or her being, and necessarily
affects one’s thoughts, actions, and emotions. After working all day, then
driving home in rush hour traffic, one can’t help manifesting this rhythm in his or her home life, eating patterns and
interactions with others. Spouse and children are subject to the bombardment
of these rhythms and may be stimulated or irritated by it, either consciously or unconsciously. They may react on the same vibrational level, adding further aggravation.
If the heartbeat is a conductor of our internal rhythms, no wonder so many executives suffer from heart failure!” Judith also writes about an aspect of the fifth chakra called telepathy. Her thoughts are as follows: Telepathy is the art of communicating across time and
space without using any of the “normal” five senses. There are relatively
few people adept at this form of communication, yet it is something we all respond to on a subliminal level. With a well-developed fifth chakra this type of communication becomes accessible. As we learn to refine our chakras, calm our minds, and quiet our thoughts, the
fabric of our consciousness becomes smoother and smoother. Our vibrations become
steadier and our perceptions more direct. In this state it is far easier to become
aware of the subtler ripples of vibrations in our energy field. The quieter levels
of telepathic communication become apparent when the grosser vibrations of our lives are no longer creating interference. Telepathy could be defined as the art of hearing the whispers of another’s
mind. In order to do this, we must be quiet within our own heads. We’re always conversing with ourselves or running tapes through our heads. When added to the usual din around us, this dulls the receptivity of the fifth chakra. We’re accustomed to using technological devices to send our messages beyond the limits of our voices. We’re not accustomed to listening for the subtle stirs in the ether that can
bring us communication across time and space. Consciousness is not really a verbal process.
In order to communicate, we must translate our consciousness into symbolic structure.
In order to receive the communication, we must translate symbols back into consciousness. While this may seem instantaneous, we are downgrading consciousness from its purer form. As any linguist knows, the essence of a communication is often distorted in translation. Seen in this light, telepathic communication can be more precise and immediate
than verbal communication, which can often become distorted in translation. Whether we are initiators or receivers, there is little doubt that there exists
some medium through which we can tap into a realm where the vibrations of minds converge.
Through the refinement of our chakras and attention to the vibrational world that surrounds and creates us, we can
gain access to this unifying level of consciousness. As we approach the upper
chakras, we approach a universality of mind transcending the physical limitations of time and space that keep us separate. We need not create it. We need only to
quiet our minds and listen. It is already there, and we are already playing a
part in it. We can choose to make that part conscious.” Basic
Fifth Chakra Information (By Anodea Judith) Sanskrit
Name: Visuddha Meaning:
Purification Location: Throat Element:
Sound Function:
Communication
symbols Outer Manifestation: Vibration Glands: Thyroid Other
Body Parts: Neck, shoulders, arms,
hands Malfunction: Sore throat, stiff neck, colds,
thyroid problems, hearing
problems Color: Bright
Blue Sense: Hearing Planet: Mercury Metal:
Mercury Foods: Fruits Minerals: Turquois, aquamarine, celestite Animals: Elephant, bull, lion Chief
Operating Quality: Resonance
The
Third Eye Chakra According to Myss, “The sixth chakra involves our mental and reasoning abilities,
and our psychological skill at evaluating our beliefs and attitudes. The Mind
chakra resonates to the energies of our psyches, our conscious and unconscious psychological forces. Within Eastern spiritual literature, the sixth chakra is the “third eye,” the spiritual center
in which the interaction of mind and psyche can lead to intuitive sight and wisdom.
This is the chakra of wisdom. The challenges of the sixth chakra are opening
the mind, developing an impersonal mind, retrieving one’s power from artificial and “false truths”, learning
to act on internal direction, and discriminating between thoughts motivated by strength and those by fear and illusion.” The third eye chakra is located in the center of the forehead, between and above
the eyes. Myss describes the energy connection to the physical body: “The
brain and neurological system, pituitary and pineal glands, as well as the eyes, ears, and nose. She describes the energy connection to the emotional/mental body as follows: “The sixth chakra links
us to our mental body, our intelligence and psychological characteristics. Our
psychological characteristics are a combination of the facts, fears, personal experiences, and memories that are active continually
within our mental energy body.” She goes on to explain the symbolic/perceptual connection: “The sixth
chakra activates the lessons that lead us to wisdom. We achieve wisdom both through
life experiences and by acquiring the discriminating perceptual ability of detachment.
Symbolic sight is partly learned “detachment” – a state of mind beyond the influences of the “personal
mind” or “beginner’s mind” that can lead to the power and insight of the “impersonal”
or open mind. Myss states the primary fears of the sixth chakra as follows: “An unwillingness
to look within and excavate one’s fears; fear of truth when one’s reason is clouded; fear of sound, realistic
judgment; fear of relying on external counsel, of discipline, fear of one’s shadow side and its attributes.” She sees the strengths as, “Intellectual abilities and skills; evaluation of
conscious and unconscious insights; receiving inspiration, generating great acts of creativity and intuitive reasoning –
emotional intelligence. Finally, Myss sees the sacred truth as follows: “The sacred truth of the
sixth chakra is Seek Only the Truth. It
compels us to search continually for the difference between truth and illusion, the two forces present at every moment. Separating truth from illusion is more a task of the mind than of the brain. The brain commands the behavior of our energy body, which is our relationship to thought
and perception. The brain is the physical instrument through which thought is
transferred into action, but perception – and all that is associated with perception, such as becoming conscious - is
a characteristic of the mind. In becoming conscious one is able to detach from
subjective perceptions and see the truth or symbolic meaning in a situation. Detachment
does not mean ceasing to care. It means stilling one’s fear-driven voices. One who has attained an inner posture of detachment has a sense of self so complete
that external influences have no authority within his or her consciousness. Such
clarity of mind and self is the essence of wisdom, one of the Divine powers of the sixth chakra.” Judith describes the sixth chakra as “The Winged Perceiver” and
goes on to explain, “From the dawning of ages, darkness and light have intertwined bring us one of the greatest gifts
of consciousness – the ability to see. To witness the wonders of the universe,
whether light years away in the twinkling dome of stars, or blossoming in the flowers of our backyard, the gift of sigh allows
us to behold the beauty of creation. Seeing gives us the ability to instantaneously
take in enormous amounts of information about our surroundings. From our dreams,
images spring from the unconscious and connect us to the soul. With intuition,
we see our way through situations, gleaning wisdom to guide us in difficult moments.” Judith goes on to explain, “The “brow chakra”…is associated
with the third eye, and etheric organ of psychic perception floating between our two physical eyes. The third eye can be seen as the psychic organ of the sixth chakra, just as our physical eyes are tools
of perception for the brain. The chakra itself includes the inner screen and
vast storehouse of images that comprise our visual thinking process. The third
eye sees beyond the physical world, bringing us added insight, just as reading between the lines of written material brings
us deeper understanding.” Judith gives us an in-depth description of clairvoyance, an important component
of the sixth chakra. She states: “The most significant aspect of consciousness
at the level of the sixth chakra is the development of psychic abilities. While
psychic perception is not always visual, as in clairaudience (from chakra five), or clairsentience (chakra two), the timelessness
of clairvoyant information allows it to encompass a greater scope than any psychic abilities discussed thus far. The term clairvoyance means clear seeing.
This seeing that is not muddled by the opaque world of material objects normally defining our limited sense of space
and time. The words clear and seeing quite accurately describe the processes involved: to be clairvoyant, we need to look in the spaces that
are clear – to look at the fields of energy, not at the objects themselves; to look at relationships, not things; to
see the world as a whole, and to reach with our minds directly and clearly for the information we want. The more clarity we have within ourselves, the better we’re able to see the subtle properties of
the world around us. To see implies a far deeper perception than to look – as exemplified by
Don Juan in the Carlos Castanada series. When Castanada looked at a person, he
only perceived a body, facial expressions, clothing. When he learned to see, he perceived a luminous egg surround the body – the web of interpenetrating energies we call the aura. When Don Juan looked at his brother dying, he was deeply grieved, but when he instead
changed his mode to seeing, he understood the greater process involved and could learn from it. Looking is the action of seeing, but seeing is the internalizing of the image
into understanding. …How do we do this?
According to Pirbram’s model of the hologram, our mind/brain acts as a kind of stage upon which our visual images
play. When the proper cue is given (the holographic reference bear), the images
appear on the stage. But where and what are the actors? The actors are the slides, stored holographically, as colors shapes, sounds,
and tactile patterns. There is no carousel in the brain keeping complete and
separate images, but instead portions of the brain may produce qualities such as red, warm, fast, or quiet. These qualities combine in unique ways to create the images we see. We can think of the third eye as a mental screen upon which we cast our slides
for viewing. If you close your eyes and remember your first car, you may be able
to see the color, the texture of the upholstery, perhaps a small dent on one side. In
your mind’s eye you can walk around the car, seeing the front and back as you choose, just like the three-dimensional
effect of a hologram. The actual car need not currently exist. The image exists apart from it. By focusing our attention,
the image is retrieved. In your mind’s eye, you can see what you choose to look at. If I ask you the color of your lover’s hair, you can mentally retrieve that “slide,”
look at it, and tell me what it is. Our memories are holographic. Can you create an equally vivid picture of a car you would like to have? Can you picture the color, the make, the vanity plate on the back? Can you visualize yourself driving it, going down a country road, the feel of the steering wheel in your
hand? That care may never be yours to own, so your visualization is called imagination,
even though it may seem just as real as your memory. If, however, you won a sweepstakes,
and a car such as the one you just visualized came to you, then your visualization could be considered precognitive –
a form of clairvoyance. The difference lies in the result, but the process is
the same. Through development of visualization and imagination, we simultaneously
develop the means for clairvoyance. The process of clairvoyance is one of specified visualization. It is a matter of systematically being able to call up relevant information on demand, regardless of whether
it had been previously known. Our minds are using a self-made reference beam
in the form of a question to retrieve previously unknown data from the holographic memory bank. For instance, you may ask yourself to look at the area around someone’s heart chakra with a specific
question that needs answering, such as something about their health or relationship.
That question becomes the reference beam that “lights up” that particular piece of information in the holographic
pattern. We have stated that we transcend time in the sixth chakra. We need not limit accessible information to what has been learned in the past – we can also retrieve
information from the future. The only difference is that we are actively creating
the reference beam that will bring forth the image, rather than waiting for some point in future time where circumstance will
call it forth. To quote novelist Marion Zimmer Bradley, “I don’t
decide where my stories are going. I just peek into the future and write down
what happened.” The development of clairvoyance depends on the development of the visual screen
and the creation of an ordering system with which to access information for the screen.
If we don’t label our slides, we won’t know what it is we’re looking at. The development of visualization is the ability to retrieve, create, and project images onto the material
screen. Once this is done, seeing depends largely on asking the right questions. Many people begin the Tarot cards, palmistry, or astrology to use as a structure
that can provide the reference beam. The card brings up a variety of images,
the person you are reading brings up another variety of images. What points seem
most important? What points seem to “light up”? Where do the waves of information cross and become strongest? To look at something clairvoyantly, we not only need a reference point with
which to retrieve the data, but also a blank screen to view the information. This
comes with practice, patience, and a quiet and open mind. Emptying the mind of
images, through meditation, paradoxically allows one to better see what images there are.
Learning to focus the mind, creating pointedness, allows one to look deeper, and therefore see more. In clairvoyance there are no substitutes for a clear and quiet mind.” Judith sums this all up by saying, “Clairvoyance, then, is a matter of
seeing the inner relationship of things – the fitting of the part into the whole.
It is done by searching for the cross-point, or interference pattern between our question (the reference beam) and
the piece of information that best fits the space we have created for it. The
potency of the image that clicks into the place sets it apart from the infinite number of other possible answers. Through mediation, visualization, and training, we can develop our abilities to perceive the subtle difference
between the information we request and the countless other possibilities.” Basic
Sixth Chakra Information (by Anodea Judtih) Sanskrit
Name: Ajna Meaning: To
perceive, to command Location: Center
of the head slightly above
eye level Element:
Light Essential
Form: Image Function: Seeing,
intuition Gland:
Pineal Other
Body Parts: Eyes Malfunction: Blindness, headaches, nightmares, eyestrain, blurred vision
Color: Indigo Planets: Jupiter, Neptune Metal: Silver Foods: Entheogens Minerals Lapis lazuli, quartz,
star sapphire Animals: Owl
The
Crown Chakra According to Myss, “The seventh chakra is our connection to our spiritual nature
and our capacity to allow our spirituality to become an integral part of our physical lives and guide us. While our energy system as a whole is animated by our spirit, the seventh chakra is directly aligned to
seek an intimate relationship with the Divine. It is the chakra of prayer. It is also our “grace bank account,” the warehouse for the energy we amass
through kind thoughts and actions, and through acts of faith and prayer. The
seventh chakra represents our connection to the transcendent dimension of life.” The crown chakra is located at the top of the head. The energy connection to the physical body, as described by Myss, is as follows: “The seventh chakra
is the entry point for the human life-force, which pours endlessly into the human energy system, from the greater universe,
from God or the Tao. This force nourishes the body, the mind, and the spirit. It distributes itself throughout the physical body and the lower chakras, connecting
the entire physical body to the seventh chakra. The energy of the seventh chakra
influences that of the major body systems: the central nervous system, the muscular system, and the skin.” Myss goes on to explain the energy connection to the emotional/mental body as
follows: “The seventh chakra contains the energy that generates devotion, inspirational and prophetic thoughts, transcendent
ideas, and mystical connections.” She also describes the symbolic/perceptual
connection: “The seventh chakra contains the purest form of the energy of grace or prana. This chakra warehouses the energy generated by prayer and meditation and safeguards our capacity for symbolic
sight. It is the energy center for the spiritual insight, vision and intuition
far beyond ordinary human consciousness. It is the mystical realm, a dimension
of a conscious rapport with the Divine.” The primary fears of the crown chakra are described by Myss as, “Fears
relating to spiritual issues such as the “dark night of the soul”; fears of spiritual abandonment, loss of identity,
and loss of connection with life and people around us.” She describes the
strengths of this chakra as follows: “Faith in the presence of the Divine, and in all that faith represents within one’s
life – such as inner guidance, insight into healing, and a quality of trust that eclipses ordinary human fears; devotion.” Myss describes the sacred truth of the crown chakra as follows: “Seventh
chakra energy motivates us to seek an intimate connection to the Divine in everything we do.
This spiritual desire for connection is significantly different from the wish for connection to a religion. Religion, first of all, is a group experience whose main purpose is to protect the group, primarily from
physical threats, disease, poverty, death, social crises, and even war. Religion
is rooted in first chakra energies. Spirituality, on the other hand, is an individual
experience directed toward releasing fears of the physical world and pursuing a relationship to the Divine. The sacred truth of this chakra is Live in the Present Moment.” Judith describes the crown chakra as follows: “Here we find the infinitely
profound seat of cosmic consciousness known as the seventh or crown chakra. This
chakra connects us to divine intelligence and the source of all manifestation. It
is the means through which we reach understanding and find meaning. As the final
goal of our liberating current, it is the place of ultimate liberation.” Judith goes on to say, “Like a king whose crown signifies order in the
kingdom, the crown chakra represents the ruling principle of life – the place where the underlying order and meaning
of things is ultimately perceived. It is the pervading consciousness that thinks,
reasons, and gives form and focus to our activities. It is the true essence of
being as the awareness that dwells within. In the unconscious, it is the wisdom
of the body. In the conscious mind, it is the intellect and our belief systems. In the superconscious, it is awareness of the divine. In Sanskrit, the crown chakra is called Sahasrara, meaning thousandfold, referring
to the infinite unfolding petals of the lotus. What brief glimpses I have been
privileged to have of this chakra reveal a pattern of such magnitude, complexity, and beauty, that it is almost overwhelming. Its petals bloom in fractal-like patterns, infinitely embedded in each other, drooping
down life a sunflower to drop the nectar of understanding into the awareness of being.
Each perfect petal is a monad of intelligence, which together form the gestalt of an overarching divine intelligence
– sensitive, aware, responsive, and infinite. Its field is delicate, the
lightest thought will ripple through the petals like wind in a field of grass. The
shining jewels deep in the lotus whine forth only in a state of ultimate stillness.
To witness this miracle is profound. When we reach this level, the seed of our soul has sprouted from its roots in
the earth, and grown upward through the elements of water, fire, air, sound, and light, and now to the source of all –
consciousness itself, experienced through the element of thought. Each level
brings us new degrees of freedom and awareness. Now the crown chakra blossoms
forth with infinite awareness, its thousand petals like antennae, reaching to higher dimensions. It is this chakra that yoga philosophy has deemed to be the seat of enlightenment. Its ultimate state of consciousness is beyond reason, beyond the senses, and beyond
the limits of the world around us. Yoga practice advises withdrawing the senses
(pratahara) in order to achieve the mental stillness necessary to perceive this ultimate state. Tantric philosophy, on the other hand, regards the senses as a gateway to awakening consciousness. Chakra theory tells us that it is both – a stimulation of intelligence to give
us information, and a withdrawal to the interior where information is sifted into ultimate knowledge. Our thousand-petaled lotus must keep its roots in the Earth to maintain its blossom. The element of this chakra is thought, a fundamentally distinct and unmeasurable
entity that is the first and barest manifestation of the greater field of consciousness around us. Accordingly, the function of Sahastrara is knowing – just
as other chakras are related to seeing, speaking, loving, doing, feeling, or having.
It is through the crown chakra that we reach into the infinite body of information and run it through our other chakras
to bring it to recognition and manifestation. The seventh chakra relates to what we experience as the mind, especially the
awareness that makes us of the mind. The mind is a stage for the play of consciousness,
and can bring us comedy or tragedy, excitement or boredom. We are the privileged
audience that gets to watch the play, although sometimes we identify so completely with the characters on stage (with our
thoughts) that we forget it is only a play. Through watching this play of thoughts, our mind assimilates experience into
meaning and constructs our belief systems. These beliefs are the master programs
from which we construct our reality. (In this way, the crown chakra is the master
chakra, and relates to the master gland of the endocrine system, the pituitary.) Physiologically, the crown chakra relates to the brain, especially the higher
brain, or cerebral cortex. Our amazing human brain contains some thirteen billion
interconnected nerve cells, capable of making more connections among themselves than the number of stars in the entire universe. This is a remarkable statement. Our brains,
as instruments of awareness, are virtually limitless. Yet there are 100 million
sensory receptors within the body, and ten trillion synapses in the nervous system, making the mind 100,000 times more sensitive
to its internal environment than to its external one. So it is truly from a place
within that we receive and assimilate most of our knowledge. From within, we access a dimension that has no locality in time and space. If we postulate that each chakra represents a dimension of smaller and faster vibration,
we hypothetically reach a plane in the crown chakra where we have a wave of infinite speed and no wave-length, allowing it
to be everywhere at once. In this way, ultimate states of consciousness are described
as omnipresent – by reducing the world to a pattern system occupying no physical dimensions, we have infinite storage
capacity for its symbols. In other words, we carry the whole world inside our
heads. This place within is the seat of consciousness and the origin of our manifesting
current. All acts of creation begin with conception. We must first conceive of an idea before we can enact it. This
begins in the mind and then descends through the chakras into manifestation. Conception
gives us the pattern and manifestation fills it with substance, giving it form. Pattern
implies order. To the Hindus, order is the underlying universal reality. Indeed, if we look at nature and the celestial universe, the apparent intelligence
of its exquisite order is astonishing. Pattern relates to the word for father, pater. The father gives the seed (the DNA), the information of pattern which stimulates the
creation of form. Conception begins when a pattern is adequately received. It is then the maternal aspect that gives substance to the pattern (as well as half
the DNA). Mother comes from mater,
as does the English work: matter. To make something matter, it must materialize,
manifest, be “mothered.” In this way, Shiva provides the form or
pattern, while Shakti, as the mother of the universe, provides the raw energy that materializes the form. We may think consciousness is invisible, but we only need to look around us
– at the structure of our cities, the furnishings in our houses, or the contents of our bookshelves – to see the
incredible versatility of consciousness in its manifested form. If we want to
know what consciousness looks like, our world – both natural and manmade - is its expression. Consciousness is the field of patterns from which manifestation emerges.
What then is “higher” consciousness? Higher consciousness
is the awareness of a higher or deeper order – one that is more inclusive. Higher
consciousness is sometimes called cosmic consciousness, and refers to awareness of a cosmic or celestial order. Where the lower chakras are full of millions of bits of information about the physical world and its cycles
of cause and effect, cosmic consciousness reaches far into the galaxies and beyond, opening to the awareness of unifying truths. It is the perception of meta-patterns, overarching organizational principles of our
cosmic ordering system. From this place we can descend again to lesser orders
with an innate understanding of their structure and function as subsets of these meta-patterns. Some say Sahasrara is the seat of the soul, an eternal and dimensionless witness
that stays with us throughout lifetimes. Others say it is the point through which
the divine spark of Shiva enters the body and brings intelligence. It is the
master processor of all awareness – the gateway to worlds beyond and world within, the dimensionless circumference that
encompasses all that is. However we choose to describe it, we must remember that
its scope is fare greater than our words can convey. It can only be experienced.” Basic
Seventh Chakra Information (by Anodea Judith) Sanskrit
Name: Sahasrara Meaning: Thousandfold Location: Top
of head Element: Thought Manifestation: Information Personal
Function: Understanding Psychological
State: Bliss Glands: Pituitary Other
Body Parts: Cerebral cortex, Central
nervous system Malfunction: Depression, confusion apathy,
inability to learn Color: Violet to
white Planet: Uranus Metal: Gold Foods: None –
fasting Minerals: Amethyst,
diamond |
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
Enter content here |
|||||||||||
|
Enter content here |
|||||||||||
|
Enter content here |
|||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
