Subtle Energy Chakras The chakra system is thousands of years old, but it is a relatively new concept to the West and its cultures. Unlike the cardio-vascular, muscular or nervous system, it isn’t visible using the standard methods of observation used in scientific analysis and so it isn’t easily studied by Western science. This elegant and complex system serves as a channel of the life force in the body and interconnects with all the body’s other systems—an integrated whole—body/mind/spirit. The Sanskrit word chakra means wheel or disk. Chakras are depicted as variations on the lotus flower, each chakra having a different number of petals. There are many chakras in the body but the seven main chakras follow the body’s energetic center line—the sushumna and its two main “arteries”—the ida and the pingala, which exit out of the nostrils. The seven main chakras are anchored within the sushumna, which flows from the base of the coccyx to beyond the crown of the head. The ida and the pingala intertwine the sushumna. The chakras, in turn, are connected to thousands of nadis or energy points/conduits throughout the body. The chakra system cannot be detected from a gross physical standpoint as it operates within an energetic vibration field linked to areas within the physical, emotional and spiritual being. What does Kundalini rising mean? Kundalini is the name of the Hindu serpent goddess who is often shown as coiled around the first/root chakra. As the Kundalini is awakened by the universal life energy traveling up the sushumna—each chakra is awakened. It is said that once each chakra is fully awake and energy is flowing out of the crown of the head, enlightenment or oneness is achieved. Below is a list of the Chakras in ascending order, from the root chakra to the crown chakra. Chakra Names Gland Suggested Color Muladhara - Root Adrenals Red Svadhisthana-Sweetness Ovaries/Testes Orange Manipura-Lustrous Gem Pancreas Yellow Anahanta-Unstruck Thymus Green/Pink Vishuddha-Purfication Thyroid Blue Ajna-Perception/Knowing Pituitary Purple/Indigo Sahasrara-Thousandfold Pineal Violet/White/Multi 1 Meditation Teacher Training Copyright Ó Yoga on High 2018 Subtle Body Each of the seven chakras is associated with a myriad of different areas. Here are some: body parts, planets, astrological signs, senses, fragrances, crystals or stones, animals, archetypes, physical dysfunctions, emotional dysfunctions, rites of passages, sacraments, foods and developmental stages in one’s life. Each of the seven chakras vibrates at a different rate or speed related to the number of its lotus petals with the Root chakra vibrating the slowest. Each one can be activated by different Bija or seed sounds. Symbol Chakra Sound Location Muladhara Lam (Lang) Root Svadisthana Vam (vang) Sacrum Manipura Ram (Rang) Solar Plexus Anahanta Yam (Yang) Heart Vishuddha Ham (Hang) Throat Ajna Kham (Kshang) or OM Third Eye Sahasrara OM Crown 2 Meditation Teacher Training Copyright Ó Yoga on High 2018 Subtle Body Chakra Meditation Script by Stephanie Estice This meditation is done sitting upright. Students can sit in a chair, cross-legged on the floor, in full lotus position, or in any other comfortable seated position as long as the spine is upright, with its natural curves, to allow for open energy flow. There is repetition in this meditation, as you move up the chakras. It isn’t necessary to always repeat exactly the same words, but it is also alright to repeat the words, maintaining the rhythm of the words in this chakra exploration. Be sure to tune into the location – to the chakra – within your own body and being as you lead others through this exploration. If you don’t yet have an experience of the energy of chakras in your body and your life, record this and practice it yourself, bringing your attention to each chakra and gently holding it as you follow along. See if it’s possible to be alright with not having a concrete understanding of the experience, to rest with not knowing. One day you will begin to notice or sense your own experience of energy, possibly a sensation of movement or pulsation, or maybe you will see colors. It is a valuable practice to come back to whenever you feel called. As you read this meditation, the double spacing between the chakra sections is intentional – allow an extra moment of rest and tuning in, without words, to each chakra, before moving the attention up the spine to the next one. Find your most comfortable seated position to allow for an upright spine… ..this may be on a chair, on the floor, on a cushion… …with knees at or below the line of hips… …be sure that the position of the pelvis supports the natural curves of the spine… …you may want to rock the pelvis forward and backward until you have a sense of the spine having more space…to be as comfortably upright as available in this moment… …if you need the support of blankets, cushions, pillows…take time at the start of this meditation to settle in to what is most supportive for your practice… Tuning into what is available for you in this moment… …weight of the body releasing, any amount, into the support of what you are sitting on… …the spine lifting up from the floor… …through its curves… 3 Meditation Teacher Training Copyright Ó Yoga on High 2018 Subtle Body …along the way to the top of the spine in the center of the head… …and follow that to the top of the head… …any experience of gentle lifting at the top of the head… …any experience of the head resting at the top of the spine… …the shoulders softening, any amount… …the arms releasing with gravity… …maintaining this upright shape…noticing any possibility now for rest in this shape… Now, bring your conscious attention to the base of the spine… …gently allowing your attention to rest at the base of the spine… …noticing any sensation… at the base of the spine… …any experience of pulsation… …the Root Chakra…Muladhara… ..some may see a wash of red… …perhaps it is an experience of frequency…vibration…at the base of the spine… …as your attention rests here…hold the intention to allow the optimal flow of energy in this 1st chakra…the optimal flow for this practice today… Now, bring your attention up the spine just a bit, to the center of the pelvis, in the spinal column… …gently allowing your attention to rest where it is drawn in this area… …noticing any sensation…along the spine at the center of the pelvis… …any experience of pulsation… …the Sacral Chakra…Swadhisthana… …some may see a wash of orange… …perhaps it is an experience of frequency…vibration…along the spine at the center of the pelvis… 4 Meditation Teacher Training Copyright Ó Yoga on High 2018 Subtle Body …as your attention rests here…hold the intention to allow the optimal flow of energy in this 2nd chakra…the optimal flow for this practice today… Now, again bring your attention moving up to a point along the spine a few inches above the level of the belly button… …gently allowing your attention to rest where it is drawn in this area, along the spine a few inches above the level of the belly button…notice where your attention is called… …noticing any sensation…along the spine a few inches above the level of the belly button … …any experience of pulsation… …the Solar Plexus Chakra…Manipura… …some may see a wash of golden yellow… …perhaps it is an experience of frequency…vibration…along the spine a few inches above the level of the belly button … …as your attention rests here…hold the intention to allow the optimal flow of energy in this 3rd chakra…the optimal flow for this practice today… Now, move your attention up the spine to space of the heart center… …gently allowing your attention to rest where it is drawn along the spine at the center of the chest… …noticing any sensation… along the spine at the center of the chest … …any experience of pulsation… …the Heart Chakra…Anahata… …some will see a wash of green… …perhaps it is an experience of frequency…vibration… along the spine at the center of the chest … …as your attention rests here…hold the intention to allow the optimal flow of energy in this 4th chakra…the optimal flow for this practice today… 5 Meditation Teacher Training Copyright Ó Yoga on High 2018 Subtle Body Now, bring your attention up the spine to the center of the neck… …gently allowing your attention to rest where it is drawn along the spine in the center of the neck… …noticing any sensation… along the spine in the center of the neck… …any experience of pulsation… …the Throat Chakra…Vishuddha… …some may see a wash of blue… …perhaps it is an experience of frequency…vibration… along the spine in the center of the neck … …as your attention rests here…hold the intention to allow the optimal flow of energy in this 5th chakra…the optimal flow for this practice today… Now, bring your attention up to the top of the spine, the center of the head… …gently allowing your attention to rest where it is drawn in this area in the center of the head… …noticing any sensation…at the top of the spine in the center of the head… …any experience of pulsation… …the Third-eye Chakra…Ajna… …some may see a wash of indigo… …perhaps it is an experience of frequency…vibration…at the top of the spine in the center of the head… …as your attention rests here…hold the intention to allow the optimal flow of energy in this 6th chakra…the optimal flow for this practice today… Now, our final stop on this chakra exploration, follow the line upward as if the energy continues to move up above the spine to the top of the head… …gently allowing your attention to rest where it is drawn at the