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Bioenergy
Basics ~ CHAKRAS
The traditional chakra system
was introduced to Western culture from Hindu studies, along with
Yoga. According to these studies,
the rate of spiritual and intuitive growth is based on
awareness, and opening of, the chakras. There are
reportedly over 300 major and minor chakras related to the human body ~ at each
vertebrae, each major joint (shoulder, hip, etc.), above the head, below the
feet, and so on.
The chakra
system consists of patterns of electromagnetic energy centered
around major nerve plexi and endocrine glands. They act as
points of intersection between various planes of a person's
bioenergy field (physical, mental, etc.) and serve as receptors,
assimilators and transmitters of "Life Force Energy" via
meridians (energy pathways). These meridians are utilized
during acupuncture and acupressure.
Each chakra functions as a unique channel
for the vibrational energy frequencies entering one's personal
bioenergy field.
Seven major chakras (energy centers)
are located in our etheric body at points related, physically, along the spine to the to top of the head. In
Sanskrit, "chakra" translates to mean a spinning "wheel of light"
and is thought to be linked to sound, light and color. In
order for our bodies to function optimally, energy must flow
freely through each balanced chakra.
An imbalance or block in a chakra may cause
physical dysfunction in the part of the body related to it.
In turn, this may result in emotional or mental issues related
to that chakra. For example, stagnant energy or "chi" in
the fourth chakra, the heart center, may result in anxiety,
inability to express or receive love, hardening of the arteries
or heart attack.
The
following is a compilation of information on chakras ~ there are
many schools of thought and variations on precise chakra
characteristics.
1st Chakra -
Root, base, muladhara
Associated Color: Red
Location: Base of the spine/perineal area.
Governs:
spinal column, lower legs, vagina & urinary organs, adrenal
gland,
legs, feet, rectum, immune system; gives energy to counteract
fatigue, anemia, low blood pressure & other blood disorders.
Positive qualities/balanced:
physical vitality & strength, deep
connection to nature & her rhythms; self-esteem/confidence,
awareness, display of healthy ambition & leadership skills,
ability to manifest on the earth plane the basic needs (food,
shelter, job, etc.), independence, joy, gratitude, ability to
listen to other points of view, equality, spontaneity, vision,
charity, a sense of justice & fair play, community, honesty,
"recycle" attitude, love.
Negative
qualities/out of balance: include, but are not limited to,
fear of surprise/change, anger, resentment, hatred,
self-loathing, racism, abandonment, distrust, revenge,
jealousy, impulsiveness, violent/aggressive tendencies,
restlessness, irritability, obsessive behavior, boredom,
maliciousness, inaction, giving up, dishonesty, dwell on need
for material possessions.
May need for others
to see us as always "on top of things"/right/good. Seedbed
for co-dependence - fills others' needs or need others to do
so for us.
In the physical
body, dysfunction manifests in lower back pain,
sciatica, varicose veins, rectal tumors, feet and knee
problems, etc.
to
the top
2nd
Chakra -
Sacral, svadistana
Associated Color: Orange
Location:
2-3 inches below the navel in the center of the body.
Governs:
uterus/ovaries in women, testes/prostate in men, and fluid
forms such as blood, urine & lymph; gives energy to strengthen
the respiratory and digestive systems, spleen (the storage area
for "chi" or energy in the body), kidney & gallbladder; recharges
the energetic biofield; reduces cramps or spasms.
Positive
qualities/balanced: share our emotions with others & allow
them to do the same in a non-judgmental environment; healthy
self-esteem based on who we are, not "what we do/have";
express our individuality & healthy sexuality in a safe space;
accept & experience pleasure without guilt;
joy, gratitude, honesty, self-love.
Negative
qualities/out of balance: we believe we ARE our feelings;
suppression of our natural needs results in feelings of
worthlessness, jealousy, and shame/guilt. Other emotions
include: need to control, addiction, ego/pride, humorlessness,
homophobia, sadomasochism, violence, insensitivity, fear of
the future, feelings of suicide, victimization, sexual
guilt/shame & materialism/consumerism - the need for "more
stuff".
In the physical
body, dysfunction manifests in abdominal/pelvic pain,
endometriosis, infertility, low back pain, colon & bowel
illness, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.
to
the top
3rd
Chakra
-
Solar
Plexus, manipura
Associated Color:
Yellow
Location: 2-3
inches above the navel in the center of the body.
Governs:
digestive
organs, pancreas (and the level of blood sugar or sweetness of
life), liver, spleen & gallbladder; assists with diabetes,
headaches, skin diseases; provides energy.
Positive
qualities/balanced:
have "gut feeling" of what to do along with an inner peace and
respect for those with whom we
share our world; ability to creatively manifest abundance
through creative visualization/thought projection; wisdom,
clarity, self-esteem, confidence.
Negative qualities/out
of balance:
we believe we ARE our
thoughts/failures; may appear "very grown up", responsible &
intelligent, however this may be a mask to cover the lack of
their sense of true "self"; restrict the natural flow of the
Universe - need outer status symbols (material possessions,
fame, title, lifestyle, extreme physical make-overs, etc.) to
validate who we are; extreme extroverts who need to be the
center of attention, inflated egos, power-hungry, controlling
over others; distrust, alcoholism & other self-destructive
tendencies, rage/anger, insecurity, revenge, surrendering
personal power to others (victim, martyr).
In the physical body,
dysfunction manifests in
abdominal pain, liver
disease, acne or other skin disorders, rash, diabetes,
hypoglycemia, anxiety, etc.
to
the top
4th Chakra
- heart, anahatha
Associated Color:
Green. At birth the heart chakra is
green, indicating an innate healing ability &energy. Our goal is
to ultimately to achieve gold (color of universal love).
Location:
Below breast bone, between nipples.
Governs:
immune system, thymus gland, circulatory
system (heart, blood vessels, arteries, veins, etc.),
respiratory system (lungs, bronchial tubes); helps with healing
burns, fevers, infection, ulcers; compassion,
healing, transmutation of pain into unconditional love; openness
to life and love, especially SELF-love.
Positive
qualities/balanced: we are "in our hearts" & without
judgment; sense of complete peace throughout our being ~ this
peace comes from a true love & acceptance of Self and loss of
ego, as we know it. From this center, our breath and blood
draw in Universal Love and radiate it throughout our body and
outward to others. We are open to accept & receive the gifts
of the Universe with gratitude, knowing we are worthy & loved
by our Creator. Emotions: love, forgiveness, gratitude,
self-compassion, mercy, openness of heart.
Forgiveness
for our own sake, not for others: we do not forgive "what was
done to us", but forgive the Divine in the other person. It
was once said that holding on to the past & refusing to
forgive is similar to our taking poison with the expectation
that the OTHER person will be harmed...
Negative
qualities/out of balance: we restrict our ability to give
& receive love, both to ourselves & others. Feelings of
worthlessness, jealousy, insecurity, self-doubt, "poor me" or
"martyr" syndromes, stinginess, feeling unloved. Other
emotions include: fear, anxiety, fraud, hardness of heart,
blame, pessimism, pride, greed, resentment and hatred.
When out
of balance, it restricts the flow of energy to all the other
chakras.
In the physical
body, our immune system is a good measure of Self-love.
Dysfunction manifests in high blood pressure, hardening of
the arteries, heart attack, chest pain, panic attack, asthma,
emphysema, lung cancer, breast cancer, etc.
to
the top
5th Chakra
- throat,
visshuda
Associated Color: Blue
Location:
Throat
Governs:
speech, hearing, communication of our emotions, thoughts & beliefs to others; helps to treat thyroid/parathyroid
glands, voice box, lungs, sore throat, laryngitis, swollen
glands, alimentary canal; truth,
decisiveness.
Positive
qualities/balanced: we feel free to speak our truth
without fear of judgment or criticism; loyalty,
self-confident, outgoing, inspirational, creative expression
(singing, writing, journaling, story-telling); listen to
others ~ tune in, without considering your response; stand up
for self or others in a healthy manner.
Negative
qualities/out of balance: we experience a fear of judgment
or rejection. Negative thinking, criticism, indecision,
hyperactive attitudes, food addiction, shopping addiction,
drug/alcohol addiction, focus on material possessions,
creating emotional drama, over-reaction, gossip, slander,
lying, defamation, concealing the truth, lying & hypocrisy.
In the physical
body, dysfunction manifests in ear ache/infection, sore
throat, laryngitis, hyper/hypothyroidism, chronic cough or
throat-clearing, hearing loss, neck pain, cervical spine
issues, goiter, hyperactivity, menstrual issues.
to
the top
6th Chakra
- brow, "third
eye", ajna
Associated Color: Indigo
(midnight blue)
Location:
One finger width above bridge of nose, center of
forehead
Governs:
intuition through inner & outer sight &
dreams; pituitary & hypothalamus glands, skeletal system,
nervous system.
Positive
qualities/balanced: we merge left/right hemispheres of
the brain; yin/yang, male/female energies of the Universe;
Union vs. duality. We creatively manifest win/win compromises
& attract truth, share ourselves with others. We invite our
Higher Self, Angels and Spirit guides into our lives & become
more open to seen & unseen possibilities of the Universe.
Negative
qualities/out of balance: we cannot see beyond the
obvious, the concrete, the rationally or scientifically
explained. We experience a fear of the unknown, self-doubt,
guilt, mistrust, forgetfulness; decreased concentration,
stifled/suppressed creativity, wisdom and prophetic dreams.
Any
addictions: shopping, drugs, alcohol, work, gambling, sex,
etc. Focus
on material possessions, creating emotional drama,
over-reaction, gossip, slander, defamation, concealing
the truth, lying & hypocrisy.
In the physical
body, dysfunction manifests in anxiety/panic attacks,
depression, nervousness, paranoia, Alzheimer's, dementia,
passing out, spinal pain, inability to remember dreams,
headaches, poor eyesight.
to
the top
7th
Chakra -
crown, sahasrara
Associated Color: Violet, Gold, White (a true
violet is a balance of 50% red & 50% blue)
Location: Top of
head
Governs: intuition through Divine Connection with
higher planes & the Source of All; pineal gland; helps with
insomnia and brain disorders.
Positive qualities/balanced: we
unite with different realms & worlds - the collective
conscious & unconscious. It fortifies our heart for
challenges & supports our spiritual journey. Pure love,
acceptance, non-judgment, encouragement, inspiration,
gratitude, radiant, glowing, praising of others, perfectly
healthy & abundant on all levels, altruism, grace.
Negative qualities/out of balance:
we feel fear & anxiety about what others may think of our
beliefs; we feel abandoned, ungrounded or separate from our
Creator/Source. Feelings misunderstood, unworthy, not "fitting
in" or "being an outsider", hatred, gossip,
depression, envy, grief
resulting in resentment or hatred, gloom, peer pressure, "mob
mentality", pleased with another's misfortune, feeling as
though "if they win, I lose", comparing Self to others,
criticism.
In the physical body, dysfunction
manifests in anxiety, depression, headaches, pressure or
itching on top of head, thoughts of suicide ("no reason to
live...no one will miss me...they'll be better off without
me")...
to
the top
The above information is used with
permission from Barb Hudak, RN, BSN, MS, a Reiki
Master Practitioner and Teacher. She is
involved with Reiki research and bioenergetic consultation in
the Scottsdale, AZ area.
For more
information, please contact
Barb.
Compiled with gratitude from a multitude of authors over the
course of twenty years ~ Namaste.
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