Chakras of life
A human being is not merely a physical body. He is a combination of various layers — physical and etheric. In our etheric layers, there is a set of energy centres called chakras, the whirling pools of concentrated energy. Each and every cell of our physical body has a chakra associated with it. They throw out the used up prana and pull in fresh prana for the body’s vital functions. Just as a set of cells make an organ and a set of organs make a body so does a set of micro chakras controlling a set of cells make a minor chakra, which controls an organ in the body, and a set of minor chakras make a major chakra.
In the set of seven major chakras, Mooladhar is the first chakra from the bottom, at the tip of the tailbone. It controls the basic instincts of a human being. Representative of the most basic needs of a being — survival, food, shelter and desire for the material; these were also the first characteristics of the people who started human civilisation. It supports the skeletal and the muscular system. Swadhishtan is the next chakra. which controls the powerful and potent sexual energy responsible for the creation at the lower level. In the physical body, it controls urinary, sexual and reproductive organs.
The characteristics of each chakra are the stages a civilisation reaches and crosses over to progress and evolve further. First food and shelter, then sexual fulfillment, then came the desire to rule.
“Power” is the quality of Manipoorak, the next chakra at the navel. This is the powerhouse and the bank of the human body, which supplies the energy required to run the physical system. It controls the digestive organs at the physical level. When one has acquired the best of the physical and the material worlds, one looks forward to peace, harmony and love. These are the characteristics of the Anahat chakra. This chakra represents compassion, kindness and selfless love.
Now comes the stage of higher level of creation. The next chakra, Vishuddhi, seen around the throat pit is the seat of higher creativity, the Goddess Saraswati. People proficient in any field of art have a well-developed Vishuddhi chakra. It has a direct connection with Swadhishtan chakra. This is the strong link that holds a person from rising over the physical. This is the stage where most civilisations and human beings get stuck in the physical.
Mastery of the characteristics of the above chakras is the quality of the next chakra, Ajna chakra. It signifies exemplary force, power and will. It is seen around the centre of the forehead.
Evolution through the chakras leads to attainment of a higher body, a higher form. This transformation happens at the Sahastrar chakra, the thousand petal lotus, which is seen over the head. Sahastrar is the gateway to the next higher loka, the next dimension, which is beyond the physical.
Yogi Ashwini is an authority on yoga, tantra and the Vedic sciences. He is the guiding light of Dhyan Foundation. Contact him at dhyan@dhyanfoundation.com
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