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MARCH 2005 TOPIC OF THE MONTH

CHAKRAS
Chakra means “wheel of light”. The chakra system is an Indian philosophy that we have 7 major energy centers within our body (there are 21 minor chakras, animals have up to three chakras). The chakras are based on the ancient knowledge that all life is energetic and spiritual in origin.

The chakras fall along the spinal column and upward to the brow center and crown of the head, each location of a chakra corresponds with a plexus. The chakras are not of the physical body (a surgeon would not see one during surgery), but are in the subtle or energetic body. The lower three chakras are below the diaphragm and are receptive in nature. They link us with Mother Earth and the events and qualities that tie us to family and community. They are responsible for how we master life through our instincts, these chakras also carry the patterns for dis-ease and health, as well as courage, cunning and stealth required to stay alive.
The upper four chakras are primarily concerned with giving energy out in the form of love, communication, healthy attitudes, and inner reflection. These chakras become more active as we become more spiritual and capable of love.

The chakras are all interdependent. When one energy center is shut down, others will have to compensate in maintaining our life force (prana). When working together the chakras help keep our prana free flowing upward, we are “economical” and fluid. When something happens to impede the flow of life energy, the chakras slow down and energy becomes sluggish and even stagnant. If this situation is temporary, energy flow resumes. If the situation continues our health and well being will be compromised. The health and integrity of the chakras are maintained through a grounded lifestyle and positive and loving thoughts toward the self and surrounding world.

The Lower Three Chakras

The first, second, and third chakra are the chakras govern how we get along in this world.
1. The Root Chakra deals with our family, survival, and shelter. It is located at the root of the spine, the perineum, at the anal plexus.
2. The Sacral Chakra is our partnership chakra. This chakra is concerned with our 1:1 relationships-- how we deal with other people in the world, sex, and feel good stimuli such as food. This is also where we “give birth” not just do babies, but to ideas, art, or creativity. Job and money related issues can be related to the first or second chakra. The second chakra is located in the center of the abdomen, at the sacral plexus.
3. The Solar Plexus Chakra is the face we show to the world; our ego. Power, control, and the ease with which we can be ourselves; ease of being, are the feelings associated with this chakra.

As Children we are born into our first chakra, and it serves us well, our family nurtures us, provides home and shelter, and teaches us to be “part of the tribe”. However, we must follow the tribal rules if we want to remain part of the tribe.

As we grow older we start to develop relationships outside of the tribe, relationships with other people. Now we need to get along with others, be it in a childhood friendship, then a relationship, and on to our job.

As we enter our profession and “what we want to be when we grow up” we are showing the world our face, our ego. We want to have power and control and want everyone to think well of us. This is the magnetic core of our personality. This is our third chakra.

The process of spiritual development challenges us to retain the family influences, social influences, and those parts of our ego that are positive and discard those that are not. As we grow through the chakras, it does not mean we abandon the lessons we have learned, we want to take what works for us and lovingly discard what does not. Then move upward.

The Upper Four Chakras
The upper four chakras raise our consciousness and how we behave in this world.
4. The heart chakra, or fourth chakra leads us to the path. We must first pass through the chakra of love, responding to all beings with love and compassion, to continue the journey upward of higher consciousness.
5. The fifth chakra, at the throat governs what we put in our mouths and what we send out. This is also the chakra of will and will power. The challenge of the fifth chakra is learning to surrender to divine will--and to recognize the difference between self will and Divine will.
6. The sixth chakra, located at the brow center is the chakra of wisdom and intellect. The challenge here is to remain open minded and seek the truth, or the ability to see through the illusions of the mind.
7. The seventh chakra is the highest chakra both in location and conscousness. It is located at the crown of the head. 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. (This is not religion, religion is of the first chakra, it is a tribal act, seventh chakra spirituality is 1:1 with your Higher Power. )

Operating our daily lives in the upper four chakras require constant awareness and daily maintenance. In the early part of our years we are conditioned to live in the lower three chakras, so this becomes our habit. The process of spiritual growth requires us to break this habit. I like the following guidelines to sum up living in the upper chakras.

• Make no Judgments
• Have no expectations
• Give up the need to know why things happen as they do.
• Trust that the unscheduled events of our lives are a form of spiritual direction.
• Have the courage to make the choices we need to make, accept what we cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference.

How can we use this knowledge of the Chakras?
Biography becomes Biology
The issues are in the tissues . . . Every thought you have has traveled through your biological system and activated a physiological response. Fear for example, activates a physiologica response, your heart rate increases, your stomach tightens, your breath changes.
Now sit and feel a loving thought, do you feel relaxed, at ease? You know you can evoke that response anytime you need it! It is always there for you if you allow yourself to FEEL it.
In this way our biographies (lives) are woven into our biological system (physical bodies) at a cellular level gradually, slowly every day.
This implies that we participate to some degree in the creation or healing of dis-eases—we must not abuse this truth by blaming ourselves or others for becoming ill. Rather, illnesses develop as a consequence of negative behaviors and attitudes that we do not realize are toxic until they become so. We all have negative feelings, but not all negative feelings produce dis-ease. To create dis-ease negative emotions have to dominate in us and we have to give it power to thrive in our minds.
Our personal power lies in out thoughts and attitudes! Energy is power, and transmitting energy into the past by dwelling on painful events drains power that can lead to present day illness.
Power is essential for healing and maintaining health, improve your attitudes, get out of your head and into you body. Feel what is happening in you.
Learning the chakras can be a tool we use to help us work out our issues that may be residing in our tissues. If you are suffering with an ache or illness, it may behoove you to learn which chakra is out of balance, what issues it deals with and work on that area of your biography.

A Chakra Meditation
Working with this meditation will let you feel the health of your spirit and your body. Through this self evaluation you will begin to detect prana leaks and how to recognize when you are not honoring a truth. Developing this skill requires daily practice - in times of crisis, even hourly.

This simple act of awareness, coupled with a conscious commitment to learn from your experiences, will weaken your fears and strengthen your spirit. We are meant to move toward self discovery and spiritual maturity, to be ready and able to live a life that matters to us and those around us.

As a daily act of meditation, draw your attention consciously into each of your chakras, beginning with the first and working your way up.

For chakra one: All is one. Feel yourself connected to all of life, bless the life you have agreed to live, and the family both personal and extended that make up your life.

For chakra two: Honor One Another. Focus and sense the energy you have released from this area of your body into acts of creation. If your energy is filled with negativity, reexamine your intention. See each person in your life as having a Divine purpose. Wherever you cannot see that Divinity clearly, ask for the energy to see through the illusions that are controlling you.

For chakra three: Honor Oneself. Focus on integrity and endurance. Evaluate your own code of behavior and whether you have compromised your honor in any way. Commit to yourself to honor your own dignity.

For chakra four: Love is Divine Power. Focus on the energy of love and compassion. Evaluate how well you extend love to others as well as to yourself, including the loving energy contained within acts of forgiveness.

For chakra five: Surrender Personal Will to Divine Will. Focus on mercy and judgment. Evaluate the quality of the thoughts you are holding about other people, as well as yourself. Evaluate the words you have shared with others, if you have expressed harmful words, send positive energy to those people. If you have expressed false words, consciously acknowledge that you have acted to deceive others, and examine the fear that exists within you. Ask for guidance and the wisdom to see Divine Will.

For chakra six: Seek Only the Truth. Focus on the energy of Divine wisdom and understanding. Continue to evaluate your daily life. Request wisdom and insight for the situations in which you feel confused or frightened. Remind yourself each of us has a special gift to give to this life and that each of us is inevitably led to that path. It is impossible to miss our life's purpose.

For chakra seven: Live in the Present Moment. Focus on your connection with the divine, consciously completing and releasing your unfinished business. Allow the energy of God to enter into your mind, body, and spirit, and breathe that energy into your being.

© 2006 Bobbi Misiti | Be Fit Body & Mind YOGA