How many of you have been in yoga classes or meditations and the instructor starts talking about chakras? We get a little information about its translation, colors, body part or region it governs and sometimes the life experience associated to the chakra. What is the potential meaning behind these energy bundles that are apart of us? Most people are familiar with the main 7 but I’m going to expand and discuss a 12 chakra system, and go into depth on each one.
Let’s start with the most obvious question---What is a Chakra? The Sanskrit meaning of the word chakra is “Wheel of Light” and most researchers believe that this esoteric anatomy system began in India outlining the various subtle energy bodies and channels that affect the human body, our material world and spiritual universe. Einstein said, “Energy cannot be destroyed; it can only change form.” These subtle energies act as collection & transmission centers for both the subtle energy and the biophysical energy. The main seven chakras are located at the main branching of the nervous system and align with the spine.
Chakras are thought to be either circular, or when emerging from the body envisioned as vortices that are conical in shape. According to metaphysics, a circle holds the meaning of ‘wholeness’ and when altered causes hurt, injury, damage or separation. The lower six are usually two-sided, spinning out the front and the back of the body. The front side governs everyday behavior and regulates our relationship with the physically based world. The back side responds to our own unconscious programs and manages our relationship with the less tangible world. The right side deals with male energy oriented issues and the left side deals with female energy oriented in issues.
All 12 chakras have an inner and outer wheel. The inner reflects programming from own spirit and the Divine Source (God of your own understanding) and enables actualization of our own spiritual gifts and the abilities necessary to carry our spiritual mission. The outer circle holds our personal issues, private desires, hurts, sounds, and soul issues. Its job is to helps us adapt to the reality that surrounds us. In a healthy person the inner wheel establishes speed and direction of both wheels. The direction is usually clockwise with exception of menstruation, especially the first, fourth and eighth chakras where they spin counter clockwise in order to release built up emotions. Outer wheels may turn counter clockwise when someone is in shock, grief, near death or performing a physical cleanse. Mystics and Shamans may have the eighth, many or all the chakras spinning counter clockwise permanently. Chakras interact with the flow of subtle energies through specific energy channels to affect the body at the cellular level, and are reflected by hormonal and physiological levels in the physical body.
While the energy centers have a lot in common but at the same time differ greatly, each serve a greater purpose and particular function, each affect PEMS (Physical, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual) well-being. Major differentiation is in how each chakra affects our purpose. By examining these differences, we can gain a better understanding of what is going on inside and outside us all the time. Researchers in subtle energy technologies, as well as those in the medical & scientific community are evolving our understanding of the chakras.
Not only do the chakras transform particles of the invisible world into the physical world but they perform the opposite task of transforming physical energy into the invisible energy of the subtle world. The main seven chakras are body based and operate according to physical laws. The additional five connection points lie outside the physical body, still operating according to physical principles. These chakras together compose the 12 chakra system, a revolutionary approach to healing and manifestation.
All energy centers contain clues to everything that affect us, so that you can take on the challenge of growth. They perfectly mirror all that has ever occurred, is occurring or might occur. Your emotions can affect your physical health; your self-judgments can alter your relationship with Divine Source (again the God of your own understanding); your physical well-being can have an impact on your effectiveness in the world.
References: 1. Dale, Cyndi: The Book of Chakra Healing