The power of Chakras

The Chakras, literally ‘wheels’, are said to be vortices of pranic energy, each associated with special powers that can be awakened by concentrative meditation. The functioning of the chakras reflects decisions we make concerning how we choose to respond to conditions in our life, when we decide what to think, and what to feel, and through which perceptual filter we choose to experience the world around us. The chakras are not physical. They interact with our body through our endocrine and nervous system.
Each of the seven chakras is associated with one of the seven endocrine glands. Thus, each chakra can be associated with particular parts of the body and particular functions within the body controlled by that endocrine gland associated with that chakra. The chakras represent not only the particular parts of your physical body, but also particular parts of your consciousness. When you feel tension in your consciousness, you feel it in the parts of the physical body associated with that chakra.
1) Muladhara Chakra (Root Centre)
Located at the base of the spine, between the anus and the genitals.
Sound: Lam, Colour: Yellow, Element: Earth, Sense: Smell
Meditation Interpretation: When the body is in survival mode through the arousal of fear. The body requires the basic necessity such as food, water, air, shelter, lust and a self-identity. Without it, the energy system in the body will anticipate the need to hunt for self-gratification.
Anatomy interpretation: Tight hips, tandem issues
2) Swasdhishthana Chakra (Pelvic Centre)
Located at the genitals.
Sound: Vam, Colour: White, Element: Water, Sense: Taste
Meditation interpretation: With sense of belonging and jealousy issues.
Anatomy interpretation: Ovary, bladder or menstruation problems
3) Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus center)
Located at the navel.
Sound: Ram, Colour:Red, Element: Fir, Sense: Sight
Meditation Interpretation: Very driven, fire moving them forward but too much will be ego-cenric.
Anatomy interpretation: Middle back where the lumbar spine is.
4) Anahata Chakra (Heart Centre)
Location: at the heart.
Sound: Yam, Colour: Blue, Element: Air, Sense: Touch
Universal love, no judgement, peace.
Anatomy interpretation: upper back and chest opening
5) Vishuddha Chakra (throat centre)
Located at the base of the throat
Sound: Ham, Colour: White, Element: Space, Sense: Hearing
Excellent communicators, charismatic. Eventually success to purity and truth
Anatomy interpretation: Halasana, Shoulderstand, Brahmri / ujayi pranayama
6) Ajna Chakra (Brow center)
Located in between eyebrows, the third eye chakra
Sound: Om (Aum) Colour: Snow white
Power of intuition, only left with one attachment
Anatomy interpretation: Headstands/ inversions, sending blood flow back to the head
7) Sahasrara Chakra (Crown of the head centre)
Located at the cerebrum.
The rich and colourful symbolism of the chakras goes far beyond the concise summary given above. This is the centre of self-realization (Samadhi).
The process of raising kundalini from chakra to chakra can take hours of psycho-physical control and concentrative meditation, and it may take decades of regular practice before the brow centre is reached, if it ever is. According to the British Edition of the Secret of Yoga, Gopi Krishna, after 17 years of meditation, ‘unexpectedly experienced the awakening of kundalini, and subsequent severe ordeals which few have survived.’ And have taken serpent power to the crown of the head. As things now stand, kundalini is not the easiest of paths to the self.
Ruby 2oohr astanga/hatha TTC November weekday 2014