THE CHAKRAS AND EMOTIONS
THE AURA
The aura is a subtle shield of bio-energy that surrounds the body and interpenetrates it to some extent. Auras not only reflect our distinctive personalities but are also a barometer of energy fields within our body, warning us of impending trouble well in advance
The aura is a protective shield that keeps you healthy and joyful. However, stress and illness may adversely affect your aura. Certain diseases can even cause gaps in it. When something blocks the energy flow within the aura, the shield weakens, making you unhappy, depressed or sick.
To those who can see it, the aura appears as a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object.
CHAKRAS: AN INTRODUCTION
Chakras are subtle energy centers in our body.
The word chakra literally translates as wheel or disk. Chakras are visualized as spinning wheels or flowers with different numbers of petals.
The main subtle energy channels of our body (nadis) are the ida (left), pingala (right) and sushumna (central) channels, which run along the spinal column. They correspond roughly to the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and central nervous system.
Since the nadis run in a curved path, they cross one another several times. At the points of intersection, they form strong energy centers. These are the chakras.
DOORWAYS TO SUPERCONSCIOUSNESS Working with thoughts and emotions
Chakras are subtle energy powerhouses which are responsible for spinning and drawing the universal life-force (prana) into the body. They also act as batteries to store this energy and distribute it to the surrounding areas of the body. Each chakra influences bodily functions near its region of the spine.
The chakras roughly correspond to, and influence the activity of, the important glands of the body. They interact with the body's ductless endocrine glands and lymphatic system by feeding in good bio-energies and disposing of unwanted bio-energies. They are linked to the nerve ganglia (plexus) of the body and influence nervous functions as well.
The seven major chakras also correlate with different states of consciousness, and are directly linked to the ascent of the kundalini shakti in the body.
The effort of all kundalini yoga is to awaken the tremendous kundalini shatki (the universal life-force which lies latent in us). The kundalini lies coiled and sleeping at the base of the spine. When aroused through yogic disciplines, the kundalini ascends up the spine, passing through the increasingly subtle chakras, until union with the Divine energy is achieved in the sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head.
Thus, the chakras are influential at every level of our functioning. They are responsible for keeping the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health of the body in balance.
Although they have no definite physical location, these energy centers are represented in the physical body as aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
The seven major chakras are Mooladhara, Swadishthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Vishuddhi, Ajna and Sahasrara.
The mooladhara chakra (root center) is located in the sacral area, at the base of the spine. The swadishthana chakra (spleen center) is located two inches above the mooladhara chakra and two inches below the navel
The manipuraka chakra (navel center) is located at the navel, two inches above the swadishthana chakra.
The anahata chakra (heart center) is located in the heat region, in the center of the chest. The vishuddhi chakra (throat center) is located in the hollow of the throat. The ajna chakra (brow center) is located on the forehead, between the eyebrows. The sahasrara chakra (crown center) is located on the crown of the head.
Chakras – a deeper understanding
Strictly speaking, the chakras are not present in the physical body at all. They exist on the metaphysical plane, and link together our three shareeras or bodies.
The individual is made up of three shareeras - the physical or gross body (sthula sharira), the mental or subtle body (sukshma sharira) and the causal body (karana sharira). While the five layers (body, breath, mind, intelligence and bliss layers) are categorized according to their functions, the three bodies are categorized according to the states of consciousness where they come into play. Each of the shareeras or bodies is associated with a particular state of consciousness.
The physical body is the body we know in the waking state, which eats, speaks, moves about and so on.
This is the only body we are really familiar with. The mental body is what we use when we dream. While our body is lying fast asleep in our bed at home, in our dream we may be traveling in another country. How does this happen?
At this time, we are using the mental body to travel around! In the dream state, the mental body is as real and functional as the physical body in the waking state. We also use our mental body in the waking state to think, verbalize, visualize and so on.
The causal body is the one we use when we are in deep restful dreamless sleep. It is made up of pure tamas (inertness). During our sleep cycle there are phases when the mind becomes dormant and there are no thoughts. This is the time when we experience the causal body.
These three bodies are not separate as we may think. They are tightly coupled.
Consider two curved lines drawn on a piece of paper in such a way that they intersect at seven different points. If one of the lines represent the physical body, the other line represents the subtle body and the paper represents the causal body, the seven points at which the physical and the subtle body meet the causal body are the locations of the seven chakras or energy centers. So the seven chakras are present at the intersection of the physical, subtle and the causal body.
Some recent research in aura photography has been able to even photograph these energy centers.