Energy Centers Or Chakras

One of the central tenets in Indian spirituality as in several other mystical schools is the theory of chakras or energy centers in the subtle body. There are seven major chakras, starting at the base of the spine and ending at the top of the head. Six of these lie along the Sushumna and correspond in the physical body to the nerve plexuses along the spinal column. They are responsible for the functioning of the endocrine glands and the organs in that region. The energy that rises through these chakras is known as the Kundalini energy. There are two channels/nadis on either side of the spine that form a kind of a double helix pattern. They are the Ida and the Pingala and they are said to correspond to the sympathetic and the para-sympathetic functions of the nervous system. The Sushumna, Ida and Pingala are nerve channels or tubes in the astral body along which Prana flows. As Kundalini energy passes through each of the seven chakras different states of consciousness are experienced.

There are other energy centers corresponding to other planes and/or other systems. For example, the hara is located 10 cms below the navel. This is where a Japanese might stab himself when wanting to commit hara-kiri. This is a very powerful point, as when one’s energy is centered here, there is no effort required for doing anything, everything flows with great ease. The Japanese system believes that energy flows downward through the legs into the ground from this point and upwards through the spine to the sky. The other hara center is at the level of the upper chest and often called the soul seat. The third point is outside the physical body approximately three to three and a half feet above the center of the head. This is the point of individuation.

The Chinese consider the importance of the meridians that flow through our limbs and organs. Some minor charkas or energy centers are located along these meridians. For example, in the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, between the shoulder blades, one in front of each ear, one above each breast, one where the clavicles meet, one just behind each eye, one related to each gonad, one near the liver, one connected with the stomach, two with the spleen, one near the thymus and one near the solar plexus. They correspond to the points used by the acupressurists and the acupuncturists. The Indian system too believes in these minor charkas.

To experience what a chakra feels like, try the following exercise.

Sit comfortably with your hands pushed straight out in front of you, elbows straight. Turn one palm downward and one palm up. Quickly, with repeated motions, open and close your fists tightly, as fast and for as long as you comfortably can. Switch the positions of your palms and repeat until your hands are tired.

Drop your arms, open your fists and bring your palms together slowly, moving them together and out again. Do you feel a ball of energy between your hands? If you tune in closely, you can feel the spinning. These are your hand chakras, a smaller version of your spinal chakras.

When you feel the energy of the chakra you will also feel how the chakra spins. Most schools believe that the energy needs to rotate in a clockwise manner and if the energy is rotating in an anti-clockwise fashion, then there is some anomaly that needs to be corrected. However, there are also several people who maintain that the energy alternates in each of the charkas, so if the base chakra has a clockwise rotation, then the second would have a counter-clockwise and the solar plexus would again have a clockwise rotation and so on. There are also differences in the description of the colors associated with the chakras. Most regard the colors as corresponding to the vibgyor scale of the rainbow, but others (the Sivananda School of Yoga for one) maintain that the first is yellow, the second white, the third red, the fourth smoke colored, the fifth sea-blue, the sixth snow-white and the seventh golden.

However, we stay here with the most popular information about the chakras.

The first chakra at the base of the spine is called the muladhar chakra mul meaning main or base or root and adhara meaning support. It corresponds to the sacral plexus. The base chakra is responsible for connecting the individual energy to the earth. It is responsible for all manifestation on the earth plane. Its sound is said to be lam (pronounced as lum) and it is depicted as a four petal lotus. Its color is deep red. Earth is the element related to this chakra. It is responsible for the adrenal gland and for the functioning of the kidneys and the spinal column.

The second chakra is the swadhisthan. It relates to the sexual functions as well as to a definition of the self and to one’s place in the world, since sthan means place and swa is self. Its sound is vam (pronounced as vum) and its color orange. It is represented as a six-petal lotus. Its element is water and it corresponds to the prostatic plexus. It is responsible for the gonads and for the functioning of the urinary, sexual and the reproductive system.

The third chakra is called Manipura. The most common translation for this term is the city of jewels. Its location has been said to be roughly behind the navel by some and at the solar plexus by others. It is depicted as a lotus with twelve petals. And it’s color is yellow, while it’s sound is Ram (pronounced more like rum). It is the center of will and has to do with intent. It is the main storage center for prana and closely related to our emotional life. The element it relates to is fire and it corresponds to the solar plexus. It is responsible for the pancreas and for the functioning of the stomach, liver, gall bladder and the nervous system.

The fourth chakra is the heart chakra called Anahata and it’s meaning depends on the original pronunciation either the sound made without any two things clashing (anahad) or the one who is not hurt (anahat, soft t). I like to think it also means no movement and no sound (as aahatt, hard t, is sound of some movement and ana is negation). It is a place of deep stillness and expansiveness. It corresponds to the feeling of oneness with all, and of universal compassion. This is the transition chakra where the individual rises above personal concerns and moves into the transpersonal and universal realms. Its color is green and it is depicted as a sixteen petal lotus. It’s sound is Yam and its element is air. It corresponds to the cardiac plexus. It is responsible for the thymus gland and the functioning of the heart, circulatory system, blood, and the vagus nerve.

The fifth chakra is called vishudhha, meaning pure and/or cleansing. It is located in the throat and responsible for communication as also for the expression of our higher selves in the world i.e. creativity. Its lower counterpart is the swadhisthana. It has sixteen petals, its color is bright blue and its sound is Ham. The element it relates to is sky and it corresponds to the laryngeal plexus. It is responsible for the thyroid gland and for the functioning of bronchial and vocal apparatus, lungs and alimentary canal.

The sixth chakra is the Ajna chakra. It is located just behind the middle of the forehead or a little above where the eyebrows meet. This center is responsible for insight into the nature of oneself and is the seat of true knowledge. It is depicted by a two petal lotus and it’s color is indigo and it’s sound is Om. The element it relates to is the mind and it corresponds to the cavernous plexus. It is responsible for the pituitary gland and for the functioning of lower brain, left eye, ears, nose and nervous system.

The seventh and the highest chakra is the Sahasrara at the top of the crown. The literal meaning of the word is itself thousand. The lotus that depicts it has a thousand petals and some say the color is violet and others that it is white, as an amalgamation of all colors. It corresponds in the physical body to the pineal gland. It is responsible for the functioning of the upper brain and the right eye. It is our connection with the universal life force. It is the spot where babies still have not developed a hard skull. The element it relates to is the infinity of space, time and beyond. A free flowing connection through the crown chakra is said to occur in states of enlightenment or cosmic bliss.

There are various ways to work with the chakras and different schools and systems offer different methods. The most popular is yoga, hatha yoga, kundalini yoga, tantra yoga all deal with the chakras. There are several simple exercises that one can do to charge and balance the chakras. I will deal with some of these in my next articles.