Chakras

The Chakras are the way in which our consciousness and energy system interacts with the "outer" world. There are variations on the number of chakras depending on the school of thought. Most systems recognise the standard 7 major chakras as I have illustrated below, I have found these to be more than adequate and it fits in with what I have experienced. There are minor chakras also on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet and I hope to explore those after the major ones below!

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   The chakras feed energy into the central channel which is called the Sushumna and is found within the spine. This central channel is fed by two smaller channels which correspond the male and female energies. These smaller channels are known as Ida and Pingala and circle around the main channel joining each other at around the Ajna (Brow chakra). The Caduceus symbol (that of snakes twining around a staff) is illustrative of this energy and has been commonly adopted by many medical practitioners without them having any idea of its true meaning.
    The chakras play a vital role in modulating the energy as it flows from the outer world into our energy system. Ideally the chakras are open and spinning to allow energy to flow un-impeded into the central channel. As we expand and grow consciously the chakras also enlarge to take in more energy.

A Healthy Chakra

    It is rare that a person will be open on all levels of consciousness. Most of us have blockages of some type in most if not all of them and the constant process of growing means that they often fluctuate in how much they can absorb. Each of the chakras also has "petals" which are related to virtues. By embodying these virtues the petals unfold allowing a greater amount of energy in. Only those who have reached total enlightenment have their chakras completely open and grown to their maximum capacity.
     For the rest of us it falls to clearing the major blockages we find in them, as they reflect very real stumbling blocks in the outer world. This can be done by living by the virtue that corresponds to the chakra, or by finding resolution for the issue
   As an example a damaging relationship can cause the heart centre to close for a while and if not fully resolved can leave a residue in the chakra which impedes our ability to form new healthy relationships. Most of us work through these issues without ever realising the existence of the chakras. A virtue related to the heart is compassion and by integrating this virtue into our lives then our heart chakra will literally expand.

Engines of Consciousness
      Chakras can be likened to the wheels of our consciousness. When they are spinning freely, we happily move forwards in our lives. But if they become stuck, then the direction our lives take is often rather limited.
So far you may be forgiven for thinking that they are simply engines for our bodies, replenishing them with life force and keeping them functioning. But there is a great deal more to them than that. They are doorways to new levels of perception and understanding, taking us beyond and above the mundane...or at least allowing us to get the most out of it!
       Each of the chakras is best seen as a window through which our consciousness perceives the layer over which it presides. What we can see through these windows determines the choices that are open to us. Take for example the Base chakra, the lowest chakra on the scale. This chakra provides us with a perspective on the material level, so it governs the basic human functions such as survival, procreation, security and the day to day continuation of our lives. It sees everything through this lens. Every person we meet is categorised by how they can fulfill or threaten us on this level. Every person is either a threat, a mate,companion or some derivative.  As it expands we recognise such virtues as generosity and stability. We learn to become financially stable, to stay healthy and recognise and honour our basic needs.
    If we have had particularly traumatic events relating to these needs then our perspective is obscured by this debris. We see the world as dangerous and the virtue becomes a vice. Generosity becomes Miserliness and so forth. By recognising that we are obscured and projecting this idea onto the world, we can release the trauma, re-integrate our virtue and become open again.


Muladhara Chakra (Root/Base Chakra)

 
    The base chakra is where it all begins. It is the energy centre that governs our connection to the material plane of existence. Here we link to issues of survival and fundamental needs. If there is healthy function here then we feel happy to be here on Earth, we feel taken care of and safe. All our needs are met and we do not fear for our very existence, we are healthy, enjoy exercise, sex, eating and taking walks in nature.
    When this is out of balance we can feel threatened, financially insecure and out of place in the world. If we have difficulty making money, remaining healthy and fit and feeling motivated then this is the chakra that may have issues. If the world is manifesting poverty, hunger and violence for you then it speaks of deeper issues here which may be individual or karmic.
    If the chakra is overactive, we may be violent, aggressive or hyperactive.
    The chakra relates also to family and inheritance whether genetic or financial (and whether you have a good or poor inheritance!). While these factors may seem immutable, a lot of the deeply ingrained patterns can actually be alleviated by working through to the source. The deeper the belief is held, the deep the issue is and I feel that even the deepest of issues can find resolution when this chakra clears.

Svadisthana Chakra (Sacral Chakra)

This chakra relates to our emotional well-being, our ability to be open to our emotional core and to feel what others feel. Those who have this well developed have an empathetic bond with others deeply feeling what they feel although this usually requires the heart centre to be open at the same time.
   When it is healthy and functioning we feel connected to our emotions whether they are seen as positive or negative. We feel the full range and allow them to flow through us. We are are literally in touch with our emotional being. It is linked to our sexuality and our sensual natures. We enjoy the positive emotions and take the lessons from the negative ones, getting stuck in neither.
   Closed or blocked and we can feel cut off from how we feel. We may remain aloof or numb, or we may reject emotions as being shameful or bad. We may be out of touch with our sexuality or feel that it is sinful or needs to be controlled or restrained.
   Typically this chakra deals primarily with how we feel within ourselves and the emotions that arise within us. Deeply held patterns can dictate the emotional situations we find ourselves in. If the chakra is overactive it can lead to overt promiscuity, dramatics and excessive displays of emotion as we feel overwhelmed by emotion.
    Clearing this chakra can release us from negative cycles in our lives that force us into situations in which we feel we have no choice to be feel certain emotions.

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus Chakra)

 The Manipura is located over the solar plexus where the ribcage joins below the breastbone. This chakra is a bright yellow colour and is related to the intellect.
    When this chakra is fully open and healthy we have a healthy amount of willpower, self esteem and personal power. We are able to look at situations logically and thoughtfully and the ego serves as a buffer between the outer and inner worlds.
  If this chakra is closed we can be slow witted, lack self esteem and confidence and have a weak personality. Folding ones arms over ones chest is a sign that the person feels lacking either in self-esteem or feels defensive and is trying to protect themselves.
  If the chakra is over active the person can have a big ego, overestimate their own importance and be overly logical.
   This chakra is where the majority of humanity lies (at least within my own understanding of the western world). As a society we tend to view massive egos, large intellects and over-importance as being part of a well developed person. We have adopted over thinking as a positive aspect and downplay the importance of any other perspective. The drugs of choice is caffeine which stimulates this chakra and  is often abused and regarded as normal and in some cases is exalted.

Anahata Chakra (Heart Chakra)

  This chakra is the gateway to the higher centres and serves as a transformer for the energy system as a whole. It stands as the midpoint and fulcrum for all the other parts.
  If this is functioning well the person is capable of forming healthy bonds with other beings based on love, compassion and a recognition of the other being as being equally valid. It also connects us with love to everything else in creation be it animate or not. This feeling emanates from the heart and makes one feel light and joyous.
  When it is closed or blocked, we feel unloved, or are incapable of feeling anything for another outside of ourselves. We may still connect to others but it can be based on emotional gain for oneself, without regard for the other and their desires. Without this centre open, love is always conditional. Such conditions may come with such caveats such as "I will only love you if you love only me", or "I love you as long as you continue to feed my self image". The feeling may be one of heaviness.
     If this is overactive the person may make all choices based on how the heart feels regardless of consequences and may become too strongly attached.

Vishuddha Chakra (Throat Chakra)

 When the throat chakra really begins to open, there is a great change that begins to happen within us. It is the first of the truly higher chakras and serves as a gateway to subtler perceptions of the universe. It is where the ego takes it true role as servant and not master, as a messenger for the individuals true purpose.
    When this chakra is healthy then the person is able to find their own individual voice and begins to truly be in touch with the higher part of themselves. They find their true vocation. They are able to be truly honest, open to hear the truth no matter how difficult or painful and when this opens fully they are in touch with their own guidance from within.
   If closed or barely functional, the person will have their own impressions of the truth and feel their individual truth is more important than reality. They will be unable to be truly honest with themselves or others and will be guided by whichever inner impulse speaks the loudest. They will believe themselves free, but still be totally enslaved by their own constantly shifting desires, thoughts, impulses and emotional patterning. There will be a lack of meaning and purpose and a core of spiritual emptiness. At worst they will be belligerent and cut off from their real nature.
   
Ajna Chakra (Third Eye)

   The third eye chakra often lays dormant in many individuals only really opening periodically to give insight. It is functional primarily in artists, psychics and visionaries. When it blossoms it brings the gifts of clairvoyance and the ability to walk within our dreams.
    When functioning healthily then the person is able to be imaginative, visually creative and have a strong dream life. They can clearly visualise concepts, ideas and may see energy. They are able to see truly and are not easily taken in by lies and false emotions.
    If this is closed or blocked, then the person may believe themselves to be unimaginative, have a hard time picturing concepts and see things as they wish them to be, rather than how they are.
    Opening the brow chakra does not mean clarity as impressions and projections from the lower chakras may still cloud what the individual perceives. Some psychics are naturally open on this level but have done so little clearing that they only see their own sub-conscious material floating before them. Some caution must be exercised when this chakra is open and is only as reliable as you are clear. This stands for many of the higher faculty perceptions.

Sahasrara Chakra (Crown Chakra)

  The crown chakra is the highest chakra that exists within the body and some argue that it actually sits an inch or two above it. Generally this chakra opens only when all the other chakras have at least a modicum of energy flowing through them. It is the chakra that governs self-realisation.
    When it is functioning healthily the individual is in touch with universal energies. They can receive complete comprehension about subjects by simply contemplating it. True conceptual models are available to them instantaneously. They simply know things fully and truly.
   If this is closed or blocked then the person may be unable or unwilling to contemplate the divine. They be be atheistic, agnostic or simply misguided by a false philosophy. Following a religion does not mean this chakra is open.
   Awareness of divine power is part of this chakra being open, being deluded is not. Having this area open can also result in connecting with more negative sources of intelligence if the being is still clouded with their own projections and patterning.


Blockages and projections
      
    There are almost countless ways in which a chakra can function in a less than optimal way and trying to list them for each individual chakra would be a fool's errand. I have worked with energy for almost 10 years and I am still met with new and odd distortions in people's energy fields. They seem as numerous as the situations that cause them, although they do typically fall into certain types of distortions.
     The most common occurrence with a chakra is the blockage. A false belief has been set up in the chakra and as a result distorts the flow of energy into the body system. This usually results in less energy being available for use at this particular level or layer. The false belief is the root of the problem, but it is usually not immediately apparent as it often obscured by debris or stagnant energy that has accumulated around the obstruction. The belief may have been instilled early in ones life, or it may have come as a defense against a particularly traumatic event. The energy system is wonderful at protecting us, but we are often less than adequate at clearing out our emotional baggage afterwards.
   Common blockages can appear in the heart which is most prone to damage. We get injured, we close up to protect ourselves and heal, then never open back up again afterwards. Then we begin to wonder why life is not giving us another chance, when we have adopted the erroneous belief that the world is out there with the sole desire to emotionally wound us. The longer the blockage stays closed, the more debris it will accumulate and eventually it may succeed in choking off and closing the chakra entirely. 
   The second most common distortion is the projection. When this occurs a belief has been set up that is particularly negative and is in open opposition to reality. What happens is that this belief has the power to reverse the flow of energy in the chakra and energy floods out of the chakra into the world. An example may be that everyone hates us. Because this is patently not true, the belief has to use energy in order to maintain this illusion. Thus when we meet a someone, the energy reverses and projects this belief onto the person who then appears hateful to us. Obviously this requires a great deal of energy and can often leave the person feeling exhausted or drained, who then feels the need to "attack" and steal energy back in order to replace what has been lost. This may not be a typical attack, but may be sadness or whining. Whatever the method is, you are left feeling drained after interacting with such a person. Arguing is a common way of achieving this and is more socially acceptable. 
     Typically this type of projection is so exhausting that the person will subconsciously seek out people of a like mind in order to maintain the structure without constant projection. Healthier individuals will tend to stay away rather than re-enforce the erroneous belief structure.
    The third type is one of transference. In this type of distortion the chakra is weakened and will sap the supply of energy from the chakra adjacent. This may be to avoid a negative belief on the weakened chakra. The person is most likely more conscious of the problematic belief but for some reason believes it is optimal to supplement the energy with a "purer" source. One I see regularly, especially in un-evolved men is that the emotional chakra is weak and relies on the intellectual chakra or on the base chakra. This means that rather than process emotional information, they would rather use the mind to filter it, or subvert it to a physical desire. This often comes from the idea that the mind is superior because it is higher, which is untrue. If forced to take in emotional data the person may "tune" out because the chakra is actually too weak to process it. 
    
Removing negative beliefs
    
      All of these distortions and blockages can be resolved by removing the negative belief structure and replacing it with a healthier more positive one. Without a positive re-enforcement the energy is likely to revert to its former pattern. This is the basis behind positive mantras. That they eventually replace the negative belief structure...of course this only works if the emotional core is released and one can successfully integrate the new belief. 
   Confronting a false belief structure, even in ourselves can seem a monumental task. Most energy blockages are part of the body-mind and even if they are damaging they are likely to be protected by the individual as they perceive them as part of themselves. The person has to have some recognition that what they believe is somewhat damaging even if they appear unwilling or unable to confront it. When dealing with this it is best to remain compassionate and recognise that the blockage or projection was implemented to protect the person from some terrible trauma, which the energy system is still doing its best to protect against. 
    One must understand of course that there is no point in helping another out if we are going to end up more injured because of it and an appropriate distance is necessary to make sure we are not damaged because of it. Professional help from someone who understands the necessary treatments is always advised as the professional distance provides a safe buffer for both. If the person is actively aggressive or violent then professional treatment may be the only way (this includes emotional aggression). 
     The optimal way I have found it to gently show the person that their behaviour is damaging both to themselves and others and suggest that a new perspective on the subject may alleviate their suffering and stop further pain from occurring to others. This becomes increasingly difficult the further up the chakras one goes as society barely recognises emotional abuse and sometimes even physical abuses are overlooked. Suggesting someone is intellectually abusive or spiritually damaging is only recognised on a personal level and requires great presence of mind and clarity. 
    The person may need to process lots of unresolved emotions and feelings and it is best to do this without sinking into it, but to let them flow through them. Understanding it as energy allows one to let it go a lot easier, or seeing it as a toxin leaving the body. 
    Once this is done the core negative belief has to be discovered. It may be a phrase or aphorism, or simply the way the person sees the world. This part does require insight, introspection and gentle coaxing. This part is the most important part as without it the debris will simply accumulate once more there is a great tendency to just relax and enjoy the free space. The negative belief may be connected to a body part or area (not necessarily around the chakra) which may need to release tension. This part is best left to the individual to discover.
   When the belief is discovered then an antidote belief needs to be applied, which is often the converse belief. The person needs to feel it connects and makes sense on more than an intellectual level. Hopefully after all this work there will be sense of relief!