The Seven Major Chakras

• A chakra is a focus point for experience, and it is connecting experiences of physical, astral and spiritual nature.

• The chakras work to bring energy balancing and adjustment.

• The chakras also have a psychological aspect. They are symbolic centres or knots of archetypes, which can be structured as focus points for different levels of energy.

Edited and translated from Jes Bertelsen: Drømme chakrasymboler og meditation

 

Each chakra is accessible both on the front and the back of the body.

From ancient times have six of the major chakras been connected with the zodiac, with star signs per chakra (one on the front, one on the back).

 

The principle of uncertainty at work

Just as there is apparent disagreement in the various Mystery teachings about the number of auric bodies that man has, so there is some variance in the number of chakras to be found in these bodies. Tibetan writings often speak of six centres of force; others mention eight, ten or even twelve. Ancient Taoist texts show direct correspondence to the Tibetan outline of six centres.

David Tansley: Subtle Body

 

The chakras act as bridges between the three auric layers, the causal, astral and physical

The physical body is empowered by astral life with causal consciousness

Edited from the Bhagavad-Gita, Translated by Paramahansa Yogananda

The three bodies have a subtle anatomy, the chakras, which are wheels or circulations of energy. They have their pendants in each of the three levels of man, and thus the three levels are knitted together via the chakras.

Edited from Motoyama H.: Theories of the Chakras.

 

A complete zodiac is found in the spinal cord

Each of the [6 chakras, the Crown chakra is not included] has an anterior and a posterior pole so that we have twelve localised points, six on the front side and six on the back, in an ascending and descending order.
These twelve localisations are directly related to the twelve signs in the zodiac. Therefore, one can say that a complete zodiac is found in the spinal cord of every individual.
In the same way, there exists a relationship between the seven principal planets of the solar system, the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, and the seven chakras.
In concrete terms, according to the hour and place of birth, the planets hold a particular position in the sky. They reflect their influence upon each of us in a specific manner which has effect in our chakras and centres of energy.

Swami Shankarananda Giri,Kriya Yoga Darshan

 

You are spirit

Yogananda says […] “You are spirit. The very universe, vast as it is, is inferior to your soul’s majesty. Stars and planets, like your own body, are manifestations of spiritual realities that you can discover on deeper levels of your own inner being. The very physical universe is but symbol of those higher realities; it is the lesser always that symbolises the greater, never the reverse. Since those realities can be realised only in the Self, it is not wrong to say that the universe is the outer symbol of man’s inner world. In this way […Yogananda] said that the sun is the symbol of the spiritual eye not the reverse.”

Kriyananda: Lessons in Yoga, l4 steps to higher awareness. p. 467 & 499:

Yogananda says: Stars and planets, like your own body, are manifestations of spiritual realities that you can discover on deeper levels of your own inner being. The very physical universe is but symbol of those higher realities
 

For most of us this does not make sense, maybe in meditations we have felt something like it, but the majesty and beauty of Cosmos stirs
 

“Why does a feeling of grandeur, of reverent awe come over us when we look into the starry heavens
It is because without our knowing it, the feeling our soul’s home awakens in us.
The feeling awakens: Before you came down to earth to a new reincarnation you yourself were in those stars, and out of the stars have come the highest forces that are within you, your moral law was imparted to you when you were dwelling in this world of stars. When you practice self-knowledge you behold what the starry heaven bestowed upon you between death and a new birth - the best and finest powers of your soul.
What we behold in the starry heavens is the moral law that is given us from the spiritual worlds, for between death and a new birth we live in these starry heavens.

Steiner: Life between Death and Rebirth 1912

 

Zechariah’s Messianic Menorah by Yosef HaTzorfati

The seven-branched golden Menorah is surrounded by two olive trees, representing the High Priest Yehoshua and the political leader Zerubbavel. These two leaders were involved in the restoration of the Temple in 516 BCE after the return from the Babylonian exile. The olive trees provide the Menorah with a continuous supply of fuel. The description of the Menorah from Zechariah is read in the Haftorah for the first Shabbat of Hanukkah, and concludes with a messianic vision of peace, "Not by Might, and Not by Power, but by my Spirit." (Zechariah 2:14 ff.) (The Cervera Bible, Spain circa 1300)

http://haggadahsrus.com/z.Art01Zechariah.htm

The Bible:

And [the angel] said to me, what seest thou?
And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold [the Sushumna], with a bowl [the crown chakra] upon the top of it, and his seven lamps (the seven chakras) thereon… And two olive trees [the Ida and Pingala] by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

The Bible, Zechariah 4:2, 3

Where are the chakras – an overview:

7. The Crown centre

This centre is beyond everyday psychology, it is the centre of oneness.
The crown centre is reacting on collective and group energies.

 

6. The Pineal centre

3’eye at the front
Leo:
Keyword: The door opens
Contemplations: If you are a man,
Contemplate your father and yourself as a father
If you are a woman
Contemplate your father and the father of your children
King; are you king in your kingdom? What is your kingdom?
Is your courage put to the right use?

Medulla in the grove of the neck
Star sign: Cancer
Keyword: Conscience is always with you.
Contemplations: Contemplate where in your life have you been hiding -
Where in your life are you hiding?
Hiding; are you hiding your truth?
What role does your conscience play?


The everyday psychology of the chakra system

An individual, who has been allowed to develop in his own natural rhythm, will have access to the psychic functions of the pineal chakra, the irrational and intuition.
This person will have premonitions that will guide him along his path in life, giving him landmarks, which no rational calculation would have brought forth.

Such premonitions or intuitive flashes will with intervals present themselves, often in essentially important situations, in situations with choices, crisis and disease. As a normally dormant radar system the intuitive feeling or the irrational idea, wakes up, manifests itself, and bring additional - or the only - help in a situation where the ego has given up because it is not able to control or analyse.

Intuition, the sixth sense, comes from the higher Self or the Wholeness, and can therefore use impulses which seems irrational, and IS so, seen from the limited horizon of the ego. The person with an open and balanced pineal centre will listen to these intuitive flashes, and carry them out.
A person with a closed pineal chakra will not be able to register this dimension, or if it is vaguely perceived, it will be rejected.

Edited and translated from Jes Bertelsen:Energy og Bevidsthed

5. The Throat centre

Throat at the front
Virgo
Keyword: The fruits of polarity
Contemplations: Contemplate how you have spend your life’s energy
Cleanliness; what is your relationship to cleanliness?
Mortal or immortal, what fruits do you eat?
Throat at the back
Star sign: Gemini
Keyword: Brotherhood.
Contemplations: Contemplate Relationships in your life
The Soul and your Ego; Ponder the relationship between your Soul and your Ego, who leads?
The mortal and the immortal you, do they relate? how do they relate?


The everyday psychology of the chakra system

A naturally developed throat centre means that the person has a good contact with his own creative qualities.

An open and balanced throat centre causes that the daily life with all its duties do not end up monotonous or boring. The inner creative sources will bring forth new ideas, inventive changes or alternatives to counteract boredom and depression.
The throat centre reflects the ability to communicate, and in couples the throat centre reflects the degree of balance or unbalance between them. The relative easiness of expression and explaining oneself to others, and to attract people who can understand; trust on a deep existential level, and ones relationship with destiny, also reflects the balance of the throat.
A closed or unbalanced throat chakra gives a boring, grey and routine-like life. It is difficult to express oneself, and it is equally impossible to find someone who is interested and wanting to listen.

Edited and translated from Jes Bertelsen:Energy og Bevidsthed

4. The Heart centre
Heart at the front
Libra:
Keyword: Earth meets Spirit, the incomparability of intellect
Contemplations: Contemplate the balancing act of life as it has unfolded for you
Contemplate that you can maintain your own standpoint without loosing respect for other standpoints
Is your intellect in the way for God?

Heart at the back
Star sign: Taurus:
Keyword: The necessity of inertia
Contemplations: Contemplate Possessions in your life. / Possessions;
What do your possessions do to you?
Mental and physical possessions, what is their power?


The everyday psychology of the chakra system

The heart centre is the focus of higher feelings of compassion, love, religious feelings, sacredness, exaltedness and joy.
If the centre is in a natural balance, the person will regularly be in touch with these feelings.

The heart chakra has a rhythm of its own, it builds up energy over 7 days, reaching a maximum, and in this state, seeks to be released, opened or expressed.
The natural person thus has a seven-day cycle, which was more appreciated in previous times. Approximately every seventh day the heart energy will have reached its peak, therefore people attended churches, temples, mosques and holy places every seventh day.
If a person only rarely or never experiences these higher feelings, his heart is heavy and burdened, and the heart centre is no longer in its natural state of openness.

Edited and translated from Jes Bertelsen:Energy og Bevidsthed

3. The Solar Plexus centre

Solar Plexus at the front)
Scorpio:
Keyword: Already here inflation is a risk
Contemplations: Contemplate Your mother, befriend her. Imagine your next other, befriend her
Contemplate: What is the power behind your power
Your skills and your integrity, do they match?

Solar Plexus at the back
Star sign: Aries:
Keyword: Even though we are created as a result of unbalances, we are also created with the active help and Grace of God
Contemplations: Contemplate Beginnings in your life.
Breakthrough
Your innocence and Grace, do they meet?

The everyday psychology of the chakra system

This centre is the emotional power focus. A normal balance in this centre means that if a person feels an emotion, it will be expressed directly.
A normal balance in solar plexus means that the expressions from the centre is relatively moderate, anger instead of temper tantrums, anxiety instead of panic and fear, friendliness instead of sentimentality and crying instead of depression.
Balance in this centre means that the person is healthy assertive, able to say no when that is required, and yes when that is appropriate.

The emotional energy from solar plexus can be used to spearhead, bully or manipulate in order to obtain power over others.
Balance in this centre means that unexpressed emotions (anger, fear, sadness, pity, disgust etc.) will not be accumulated, waiting for an outside trigger to come to an explosion.

Edited and translated from Jes Bertelsen:Energy og Bevidsthed

2. The Hara centre

Hara at the front
Sagittarius:
Keyword: the fusion has happened
Contemplations: Meet your life’s events with compassion
What will it take for you to be your own Master?
How do you know what wisdom is?

Hara at the back
Star sign: Pisces
Keyword: Affection and projection, unconscious development
Contemplations: Contemplate what is the highest principle you trust
To be
Who is in charge of your affections and projections?


The everyday psychology of the chakra system

The Hara centre is connected with spontaneity and sexuality. Spontaneity means that deep instinctive impulses relatively easy are expressed in ones life. A child who is not yet too much disturbed by upbringing and society, is naturally centred in Hara, and is therefore spontaneous, playful and happy.
A person with a balanced Hara centre is able to be present and flexible from situation to situation in the here and now, without loosing his own integrity or centeredness. The sexual act is not associated with much fantasy activity; the person will be present, fully enjoying the experience of intimacy and fulfilment.
On the other hand, people who are controlled, unspontaneous, too lost in thoughts, twisted or indirect in the expressions of their impulses, people who never or only rarely have real enjoyment of sex, people who seems to be afraid of having too much joy or happiness, or have difficulties in simply doing something good for themselves, these people only rarely have a natural Hara centre contact.

Edited and translated from Jes Bertelsen:Energy og Bevidsthed

1. The Root chakra

Root at the front
Star sign: Capricorn
Keyword: Identification with instinct
Contemplations: In your minds eye, generously give from your qualities and possessions
What is your being?
What role do your instincts play?

Root at the back
Star sign: Aquarius
Keyword: Consciousness is immortal
Contemplations: Contemplate what is the essence of your life
Knowledge versus wisdom
What do you do to your consciousness?


The everyday psychology of the chakra system

This chakra is psychologically related to how a person is surviving and functioning in his physical surroundings, the environment and in society.
The degree of balance in the root chakra reflects whether a person is able to manifest his projects successfully in the physical reality, if he can function in a productive circulation with others in order to get things done.

A person with a healthy balanced root chakra is content with his work situation and does not experience the environment or society as threatening (unless it actually is threatening). He is able to express his viewpoints, and get his point through.

There is a reasonable order in his reality and everyday life; his home is orderly and his financial situation is healthy.
If a person is not able to adjust to his life situation, to his surroundings, and if he does not have some contentment or success in his energy circulation and exchange with others and his surroundings, then this person does not have a natural balance in his root chakra.
Grounding in a deeper sense means that what you are thinking and what you are saying is what you are practising in your daily life.

Edited and translated from Jes Bertelsen:Energy og Bevidsthed

The Chakras and the pranic or etheric colours

Point of Identity No colour God’s will for you to be
7. Crown, Sahasrara Violet Unity with God
6. 3’eye, Ajna Indigo Will
5. Throat, Vishuddhi Blue Creativity versus void
4. Heart, Anahata Green Power to live your truth
3. Solar Plexus, Manipura Yellow Power
2. Hara, Swadhistana Orange Suffering, flexibility
1. Root, Muladhara, Red Health, grounding

Gold: God’s will to protect
Silver: Gods will to be
Dark blue: Stagnant creativity
Light Blue: Openness within the pranic sheath. An unbroken, whole etheric field, a sort of background colour. Calmness.
 

Astral colours do not exist On the physical level

Astral colours are characterised by their absence on the physical level, they simply do not exist on this level. The colours in the astral dimension are so quick in their vibrations that they cannot be seen as connected to specific chakras, they reflect a “chord” a relative balance between two or more of the chakras.

The etheric-astral colours mentioned in Alchemy are as follows:

Black (Nigredo):

Positive aspect (velvety black): Fertility
Negative aspect: Chaos

White (Albedo)

Positive aspect: Purity
Negative aspect: Death
(Related to the primary white light at the moment of death)

Red (Rubedo) (colour as in red wine):

Life, essence
(Darker red): Life, Gods joy
Rose pink Joy, suffering
Turquoise Astral in nature, as it creates structured energy-fields, ‘creativity meets growth’

Astral Metal-colour’s as found in Alchemy

Gold: The will to do
Silver: the will to be
Copper: The will to learn
Mercury: The will (or ability) to listen
Lead: Heaviness, pollution
Brass: Expansion
Iron: Strength and rigidity
Platinum: Will not be reflected, neither on the etheric, astral or spiritual level. If it does, it is a projection (expectation) on the healer’s behalf.

Spiritual colours:

Peach blossom: Connecting to the source
Creamy white: Connecting to the source (further out in the aura)
Pearl: Compassion
Gold: “Improving” transform.
Silver: Original unity (shining silver reflects a by far higher reality than gold)

Nadis: Nadi refers to points or stars.

The term is used to refer to stars as in Nadi shastra. It is also used in the science of Ayurveda to refer to points in the body.

Vedic Astrology, Glossary from Gorvani’s course on the net at:

http://www.goravani.com/

The chakras act as energy distributors. The primary energy is channelled from the receiving chakra, to its secondary chakra(s) via nadis, and from there, via nadis, to the nerves and endocrine system and blood of the physical body.
Working with the secondary chakras is thus at the same time working with the nadis.

The descriptions [of the nadis] vary considerably, both in particulars and degree of detail. […] some maintain that the nadis are an intrinsic element of the astral body, because the nadis are composed of subtle matter. Other researchers claim that the nadis are identical with the cardiovascular and nervous system.

There is no general consensus concerning the number of nadis which exists in the body, figures vary from 1000 to 350.000. The number of nadis that most often is expressed, is 72.000.
Out of these, ten, fourteen or fifteen, again dependent on the text, are deemed especially important.
The three major nadis, Ida, Pingala and Sushumna, originate in the Muladhara [root chakra]. these are the most important among the reputedly 72.000 nadis in the body. […]

Motoyama H.: Theories of the Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness.

 

 

1. Right Mental point (anchor above ear)

2. Left mental point (anchor above ear)

3. Right mental aura

4. Left mental aura

5 The bridge of the nose/Point of Silence

6 Medulla in the grove of the neck

7 Shoulder point (right)

8 Shoulder point (left)

9. Upper point of depression

10 Secondary chakra to the heart (right)

11 Secondary chakra to the heart (left)

12 Shoulder blade point on the back, (right)

13 Shoulder blade point on the back (left)

14 Lower point of depression

15 Liver point

16 Spleen point

17 Navel point

18 Right side of torso

19 Left side of torso

20 Hipbone point (right)

21 Hipbone point (left)

22 Pubic bone (right)

23 Pubic bone (left)

24 The point of grounding beneath the foot (right)

25 The point of grounding beneath the foot (left)

 

 

Secondary chakras

The bridge of the nose/ point of silence: Stillness, silence.

The two nadis, Ida and Pingala, from each side of the spine, meets, and thus polarity is transcended here, and stillness occurs as a result. The point also indicates that stillness or silence is synonymous with cessation of breath.
Medulla (the grove of the neck): The mouth of God
The shoulder points: Mental activity and balance
The upper point of depression: Gathering of unfulfilled wishes
The secondary chakras to the right and left of the heart: Rhythm of nourishment
The Shoulder blade points (on the back in solar plexus): Push
The lower point of depression: Unfulfilled will
The Liver point: Transgressions
The Spleen point: Organise, organism
The navel point: (Existential) nourishment
The Hipbone points: Instinctivity and balance
The Pubic bone points: Spring board for the energy, whether it is used in sex or in transformation
The points of grounding: The nadis of compassion

Multiple Choice questions for Week 11