Post by Indilwen on Jun 10, 2010 14:26:12 GMT 12
Chakra History & Information
Chakra 1
The Sanskrit name for this chakra is Muladhara which means root. The Hindus depict this center as a lotus of four petals within which is a square. This can be seen as representing the four directions, and the firm foundation of the material world, which is symbolized by a square. In the centre is the symbol for the seed sound, believed to contain the essence of the chakra which is lam. These images and sounds are all symbols that can be used to access the chakra when we need to. In the body, the first chakra is located at the perineum, midway between the anus and the genitals. Chakras have been described as vortices of energy. At the level of the first chakra, our vortex is the most dense. To ignore this chakra or its elements is to threaten our very survival, either in our personal lives, or as a planet. If we do not balance this chakra before we progress to others, our growth will be without roots, ungrounded and will lack the stability necessary for longevity.
Chakra 2
The second chakra is located in the lower abdomen centered between the navel and the genitals. The element of this chakra is water, and classically, this chakra is the centre of sexuality as well as emotions, sensation, pleasure, movement and nurturance. In Sanskrit, the chakra is called Svadhisthana, from the root "svad", to sweeten. The Hindu symbol for Svadhisthana has six petals, generally of a red (vermillion) colour. It contains a crescent moon, and a lotus within a lotus. The seed sound in the lotus is "vam".
The second chakra is related to the moon. Like the moon's pull on the tides, our desires and passions can move great oceans of energy. The moon rules the mysterious, the unseen, the dark, and the feminine. This gives the centre a very subtle power of its own as we move from our depths outward to create change in the world. At the level of the second chakra, desire and duality play a distinct role-that of getting us motivated for movement and change. Through our desires we expand. Desire is the expression of the physical and spiritual needs of the being. It is like the movement of water. It is the nature of water to move with gravity. If water is held back in its path, a pressure will build up. This pressure will gradually erode whatever is holding it back. It is the nature of the water to flow in a particular direction, and the water has no preference as to what form it follows to get there. All rivers lead eventually to the sea. All rivers find the path of least resistance. Thwarted desires are often saying that we are not traveling the path of least reisitance. If our consciousness is inward instead of outward, we will find another way.
Clairsentience is the psychic sense of the second chakra, the first "stirrings" of higher consciousness and the development of greater sensitivity toward others. It is the ability to sense other people's emotions, also called empathy. It is experienced as a subltle feeling, but as if we were experiencing the feeling ourselves. Most people are clairsentient to some degree. the phenomenon usually occurs more strongly in people who have a proclivity for clairvoyance or telepathy characteristic of the upper chakras. Clairsentience is a valuable source of information in healing and helpful in the development of psychism. With conscious attention, it is an aid rather than a detriment.
Chakra 3
From earth to water to fire. The first chakra was one of solidity, stability, focus and form. Through the undimensional eyes of the first chakra we experienced unity. Within this unity we then found difference, change and movement. Through the second chakra we saw dark and light, the passions of duality and choice, emotion and desire. We expanded our instincts from our own survival to the desire for pleasure, nurturance and the need to reach out and expand. When these two levels are put together, we find that they create a third and unique state of existence: energy - the field made by the dance of matter and movement. In physical terms we call it combustion; in the body it is metabolism; psychologically, it relates to personal power and will; and in our outer lives, it is the realm of action.
This is the third chakra. Its element is Fire and its purpose is transformation. The third chakra transforms the inertia of earth and water into action, energy and power. The first two chakras flow downward, subject to gravity and to forms already in existence. Fire flows upsward, destroying form and taking the raw energy to a new dimension.
At chakra three we reach deep into our sense of self, established at the base level, and find a point of dynamic balance between extremes. We temper our desires - not controlling them , but shaping them, riding on their passion, directing it. We create a third point withing ourselves, newly expanded from the growth of the second chakra. We emerge from the pasivity of earth and water and take conscious, deliberate action. We release ourselves from the duality below, and ride upon the constant flux of many points as they combine together. The second chakra presents choices. Out of choices, fueled by desire, the will is born. Will is the conscious combination of mind and action, the overcoming of inertia, and the essential spark that ignites the flames of our power. The task of the third chakra is to overcome inertia. In order to develop and heal ourselves at this third chakra level, we must re-examine our concept of the power which involves control of one part over another. Instead we can replace it with a cooncept of power as integration, power from within, the power of an organism's wholeness, and its ability to connect with the power around us in all of life. When we think about power, we can think about it as an active verb rather than a noun. We think in terms of "power to" inistead of "power over".
In The Body the third chakra is located in the solar plexus, over the adrenal glands. This is where we get those "butterfly' feelings when we're nervous. The third chakra rules over the metabolic system, and is responsible for the regulation and distribution of emtabolic energy throughout the body. This is done throught the combustion of matter (food) into energy (action and heat). Malfunctions digestive system such as diabetes, hypoglycemia or stomach ulcers relate directly to this centre.
In Sanskrit the chakra is called Manipura, which means "lustrous gem" because it shines bright like the sun. Its symbol is a lotus with ten petals,within which is a downward pointing triangle, surrounded by three T-shaped "svastikas" (Hindu symbols for fire). Within the lotus is a ram, a powerful and energetic animal, usually associated with Agni, Hindu god of fire. The seed sound for this chakra is Ram.
To break the cycle of fear and withdrawal takes a reconnection with the self in a loving and accepting way. If we are not in touch with our ground, our bodies our passions and pleasures, desires and unions, we have no fuel for our fire.
Chakra 4
From the active, fiery solar plexus, we are thrust into a new and different realm. From the world of the body and manifestation, we break deeper into the softer touch of spirit. From the focus on the self and its desires and actions, we embrace a larger pattern, and dance our tiny part within the web. We transcend our ego, and grow toward something greater, deeper, stronger. As we embrace the Heavens,we have more than ourselves. We expand. We have reached the central part of the chakra system. It is our core, the inner spirit that unites all the other forces above and below, within and without. Above, we have our abstract spirit, the mental realms, and below we have our "worldly" chakras. The task of chakra four is to integrate and balance the realms of the mind and body. In so doing, it brings a radiant sense of wholeness to the entire organsim and a realization that we are an exquisite combination of both spirit and matter. Within this sense of wholeness lies the seed of inner peace, which takes root and grows firm as this chakra is opened. The symbol for the heart chakra is a circle of 12 lotus petals surrounding two intersecting triangles, forming a six-pointed star. The triangles represent the descent of spirit into the body and the ascent of matter rising to meet spirit. In the heart, the cosmic and the earth energies combine, forming a star that radiates from the center of the chakra. The six points can also be seen as relating to the six other chakras, each represented at this center. The colour for this chakra is green, and its seed sound is Lam.
The heart chakra is the center of love. The love we experience at the level of the heart chakra is distinctly different from the more sexual and passinate love of the second chakra. At the fourth chakra, the love is no longer object dependent. The love we feel is felt toward everything we encounter, because it is felt within as a state of being. At the heart, our love is no longer one of need or desire. Instead, it is one of joyous acceptance of our place among all things, of a deep peace that comes from lack of need, and of a radiating quality that comes from harmony within the self. Love takes the emotional content of the second chakra and balances it with understanding from the seventh. The understanding tempers the desire, and allows us to see beyond our own needs. The element of this chakra is air, the least dense of our physical elements. Air, as an element, is commonly associated with knowledge, love and things that are light and spirited. Air represents freedom, as inthe birds that fly. Air represents lightness, simplicity and softness. Air also represents breath,the vital energy of life. The Hindus call it prana, the Chinese call it chi, the Japanese call it ki.
Chakra 1
The Sanskrit name for this chakra is Muladhara which means root. The Hindus depict this center as a lotus of four petals within which is a square. This can be seen as representing the four directions, and the firm foundation of the material world, which is symbolized by a square. In the centre is the symbol for the seed sound, believed to contain the essence of the chakra which is lam. These images and sounds are all symbols that can be used to access the chakra when we need to. In the body, the first chakra is located at the perineum, midway between the anus and the genitals. Chakras have been described as vortices of energy. At the level of the first chakra, our vortex is the most dense. To ignore this chakra or its elements is to threaten our very survival, either in our personal lives, or as a planet. If we do not balance this chakra before we progress to others, our growth will be without roots, ungrounded and will lack the stability necessary for longevity.
Chakra 2
The second chakra is located in the lower abdomen centered between the navel and the genitals. The element of this chakra is water, and classically, this chakra is the centre of sexuality as well as emotions, sensation, pleasure, movement and nurturance. In Sanskrit, the chakra is called Svadhisthana, from the root "svad", to sweeten. The Hindu symbol for Svadhisthana has six petals, generally of a red (vermillion) colour. It contains a crescent moon, and a lotus within a lotus. The seed sound in the lotus is "vam".
The second chakra is related to the moon. Like the moon's pull on the tides, our desires and passions can move great oceans of energy. The moon rules the mysterious, the unseen, the dark, and the feminine. This gives the centre a very subtle power of its own as we move from our depths outward to create change in the world. At the level of the second chakra, desire and duality play a distinct role-that of getting us motivated for movement and change. Through our desires we expand. Desire is the expression of the physical and spiritual needs of the being. It is like the movement of water. It is the nature of water to move with gravity. If water is held back in its path, a pressure will build up. This pressure will gradually erode whatever is holding it back. It is the nature of the water to flow in a particular direction, and the water has no preference as to what form it follows to get there. All rivers lead eventually to the sea. All rivers find the path of least resistance. Thwarted desires are often saying that we are not traveling the path of least reisitance. If our consciousness is inward instead of outward, we will find another way.
Clairsentience is the psychic sense of the second chakra, the first "stirrings" of higher consciousness and the development of greater sensitivity toward others. It is the ability to sense other people's emotions, also called empathy. It is experienced as a subltle feeling, but as if we were experiencing the feeling ourselves. Most people are clairsentient to some degree. the phenomenon usually occurs more strongly in people who have a proclivity for clairvoyance or telepathy characteristic of the upper chakras. Clairsentience is a valuable source of information in healing and helpful in the development of psychism. With conscious attention, it is an aid rather than a detriment.
Chakra 3
From earth to water to fire. The first chakra was one of solidity, stability, focus and form. Through the undimensional eyes of the first chakra we experienced unity. Within this unity we then found difference, change and movement. Through the second chakra we saw dark and light, the passions of duality and choice, emotion and desire. We expanded our instincts from our own survival to the desire for pleasure, nurturance and the need to reach out and expand. When these two levels are put together, we find that they create a third and unique state of existence: energy - the field made by the dance of matter and movement. In physical terms we call it combustion; in the body it is metabolism; psychologically, it relates to personal power and will; and in our outer lives, it is the realm of action.
This is the third chakra. Its element is Fire and its purpose is transformation. The third chakra transforms the inertia of earth and water into action, energy and power. The first two chakras flow downward, subject to gravity and to forms already in existence. Fire flows upsward, destroying form and taking the raw energy to a new dimension.
At chakra three we reach deep into our sense of self, established at the base level, and find a point of dynamic balance between extremes. We temper our desires - not controlling them , but shaping them, riding on their passion, directing it. We create a third point withing ourselves, newly expanded from the growth of the second chakra. We emerge from the pasivity of earth and water and take conscious, deliberate action. We release ourselves from the duality below, and ride upon the constant flux of many points as they combine together. The second chakra presents choices. Out of choices, fueled by desire, the will is born. Will is the conscious combination of mind and action, the overcoming of inertia, and the essential spark that ignites the flames of our power. The task of the third chakra is to overcome inertia. In order to develop and heal ourselves at this third chakra level, we must re-examine our concept of the power which involves control of one part over another. Instead we can replace it with a cooncept of power as integration, power from within, the power of an organism's wholeness, and its ability to connect with the power around us in all of life. When we think about power, we can think about it as an active verb rather than a noun. We think in terms of "power to" inistead of "power over".
In The Body the third chakra is located in the solar plexus, over the adrenal glands. This is where we get those "butterfly' feelings when we're nervous. The third chakra rules over the metabolic system, and is responsible for the regulation and distribution of emtabolic energy throughout the body. This is done throught the combustion of matter (food) into energy (action and heat). Malfunctions digestive system such as diabetes, hypoglycemia or stomach ulcers relate directly to this centre.
In Sanskrit the chakra is called Manipura, which means "lustrous gem" because it shines bright like the sun. Its symbol is a lotus with ten petals,within which is a downward pointing triangle, surrounded by three T-shaped "svastikas" (Hindu symbols for fire). Within the lotus is a ram, a powerful and energetic animal, usually associated with Agni, Hindu god of fire. The seed sound for this chakra is Ram.
To break the cycle of fear and withdrawal takes a reconnection with the self in a loving and accepting way. If we are not in touch with our ground, our bodies our passions and pleasures, desires and unions, we have no fuel for our fire.
Chakra 4
From the active, fiery solar plexus, we are thrust into a new and different realm. From the world of the body and manifestation, we break deeper into the softer touch of spirit. From the focus on the self and its desires and actions, we embrace a larger pattern, and dance our tiny part within the web. We transcend our ego, and grow toward something greater, deeper, stronger. As we embrace the Heavens,we have more than ourselves. We expand. We have reached the central part of the chakra system. It is our core, the inner spirit that unites all the other forces above and below, within and without. Above, we have our abstract spirit, the mental realms, and below we have our "worldly" chakras. The task of chakra four is to integrate and balance the realms of the mind and body. In so doing, it brings a radiant sense of wholeness to the entire organsim and a realization that we are an exquisite combination of both spirit and matter. Within this sense of wholeness lies the seed of inner peace, which takes root and grows firm as this chakra is opened. The symbol for the heart chakra is a circle of 12 lotus petals surrounding two intersecting triangles, forming a six-pointed star. The triangles represent the descent of spirit into the body and the ascent of matter rising to meet spirit. In the heart, the cosmic and the earth energies combine, forming a star that radiates from the center of the chakra. The six points can also be seen as relating to the six other chakras, each represented at this center. The colour for this chakra is green, and its seed sound is Lam.
The heart chakra is the center of love. The love we experience at the level of the heart chakra is distinctly different from the more sexual and passinate love of the second chakra. At the fourth chakra, the love is no longer object dependent. The love we feel is felt toward everything we encounter, because it is felt within as a state of being. At the heart, our love is no longer one of need or desire. Instead, it is one of joyous acceptance of our place among all things, of a deep peace that comes from lack of need, and of a radiating quality that comes from harmony within the self. Love takes the emotional content of the second chakra and balances it with understanding from the seventh. The understanding tempers the desire, and allows us to see beyond our own needs. The element of this chakra is air, the least dense of our physical elements. Air, as an element, is commonly associated with knowledge, love and things that are light and spirited. Air represents freedom, as inthe birds that fly. Air represents lightness, simplicity and softness. Air also represents breath,the vital energy of life. The Hindus call it prana, the Chinese call it chi, the Japanese call it ki.