Exploring Chakras

What are Chakras?

Chakras are centers in the brain and spinal cord where are woven together the three bodies: physical body (our body, material substance), astral body(emotions and desires), and causal body (thoughts and beliefs). Each influences the others. Focused meditations, it is said, can help a yogi disentangle from our physical influence, examine our emotional attachments, and mental misconceptions to free consciousness and expand into realms of wisdom and bliss.

During a great yoga session, we don’t often think about our “chakras”. After teaching two thousand hours of classes I set out to research and create the perfect yoga practice to clear and strengthen the chakras in the order the ancient Indian texts suggested. Guess what I found? The Ashtanga order of poses. Keep in mind that an hour class can not cover all of the poses. In a private practice, when I’m hitting every pose in Primary, much of Intermediate, and a few favorite advanced poses, I use up my full two hours.

Though you may have noticed over a multitude of classes, an order to most vinyasa classes: Warm up, Sun Salutations A then B, Standing poses, Balance poses, and seated poses. Typically, that is followed by the finishing poses: Backbends, shoulder stand, inversions, twist and rest. Once you study the chakras, it is perfectly understandable why we feel so wonderful almost euphoric after a yoga class, as long as you are being true to yourself and your breath, and dropping the ego during the time.

So let’s get an idea of these energy centers, the subtle body which works to make you feel so refreshed after a yoga class..

Susumna Meridian-a special meridian that lies along and inside the spine that contains all of the chakras. (Strung like beads on a string from the coccyx to the top of the skull.)

The crown chakra is sometimes referred to as Brahman’s Gate, called the fontanel (location of the soft spot in infants.)

Don’t be limited to physical conceptions when thinking of chakra location. Dr. Motoyama within his description of chakras, said the Chakras, like flowers, have roots within the spine, while the flower of a chakra opens out from the spine and into the body in a significantly larger but less defined region.

To expand consciousness, we pause and explore the movement of chi in each dimension. In the physical dimension, this means siting still, and slowing the breath. In the astral dimension, it means controlling our responses to the emotions we experience. In the causal dimension, it means calmly observing our thoughts without reaction or attachment.

One meditates on where one is most sensitive in the spine area and associate this with the chakra or observing more general sensations within the body.

To help in the observation, each Chakra has commonly accepted attributes that can assist with this process.

Chakra Attributes

1st Chakra- Muladhara Chakra- Root Chakra

Affirmation: You have the right to be.

Meridians most affected: Kidney, Urinary Bladder.

Color: Red

The 4-petaled lotus.

Seed Sound: Lam

Location: Base of the spine

Element: Earth

Archetype: Earth Mother.

Negative archetype: Victim

Demons: Fear

Issues: Sense of belonging, security, survival, grounding

2nd Chakra- Svadhisthana Chakra- Sacral Chakra.

Affirmation: You have the right to feel.

Meridians most affected: Kidney, Urinary Bladder

Color: Orange

The 6-petaled lotus

Seed Sound: Vam

Location: Sacrum, genitals

Element: Water

Archetype: Lover

Negative archetype: Martyr, Demons: Guilt

Issues: Sexual energy, Enhanced Immune System, Pleasure/pain.

3rd Chakra- Manipura Chakra- Navel Chakra

Affirmation: You have the right to act.

Meridians most affected: Stomach and Spleen

Color: Yellow

10-petaled lotus

Seed Sound: Ram

Location: Solar plexus, Pancreas, Digestive System

Element: Fire

Archetype: Hero

Negative archetype: Slave, Demons: Shame

Issues: Power, autonomy, self-esteem, confidence, will.

4th Chakra- Anahata Chakra- Heart Chakra

Affirmation: You have the right to love and be loved.

Meridians most affected: Heart and Small Intestine.

Color: Green

The 12-petaled lotus

Seed Sound: Yam

Location: Heart, respiration, circulation & immune system

Element: Air.

Positive Archetype: Healer

*Respiration, Circulation & Immune System

Negative archetype: Actor

Demons: Grief.

Issues: Love, relationship, balance, compassion

5th Chakra- Vishuddha Chakra-Throat Chakra

Affirmation: You have the right to speak and be heard.

Meridians most affected: Lung and Large Intestines.

Color: Blue

The 16-petaled lotus.

Seed Sound: Ham

Location: Throat

Element: Ether.

Positive Archetype: Artist, communicator

*Thyroid, Parathyroid, Metabolism

Negative archetype: Demons: Lies

Issues: Communication, speaking one’s truth, self-expression

6th Chakra- Ajna Chakra- Third Eye Chakra.

Affirmation: You have the right to see clearly.

Meridians most affected: Conception, Governing

Color: Violet

The 2-petaled lotus.

Seed Sound: Om

Location: Center of forehead

Element: Light.

Positive Archetype: Seer

Pituitary, Brain, Hypothalamus, Endocrine System

Negative archetype: Excessive intellectual,

Demons: Illusion

Issues: Clarity, vision, imagination, seeing things as they really are.

7th Chakra- Sahasrara Chakra- Crown Chakra.

Affirmation: You have the right to know, understand.

Meridians most affected: None recognized

Color: Clear light

1000-petaled lotus.

Seed Sound: Silence

Location: Crown of head

Element: Pure Consciousness

Positive Archetype: Sage, guru,

Nervous System and Mind

Negative archetype: Egotist

Demons: Attachment.

Issues: Growth, spirituality, eternity, mystery, relationship with the divine.