Chakras

The ancient wisdom teachings inform us that we have several  bodies formed out of different materials and all interpenetrating one another. Maybe we can understand this if we contemplate that we each possess a Physical body as well as Emotions (astral body) and a Mind (mental body). So it is that we possess a subtle body which has 7 main focal points which are loosely related to certain points along the spinal column. These are called ‘chakras’, the word meaning wheels. They can be seen by clairvoyants either as a rotating wheel of different coloured lights for each chakra or as flower-shaped appendages. These flowers are then said to be constructed from a specific number of petals. The chakras are also known more poetically as the windows of the soul. 

Red is the colour with the lowest number of vibrations whilst Violet vibrates at a much faster speed. Therefore, for the purpose of this CD cover, the Root Chakra (Muladhara) is depicted here as a Red circle along the Vertical line of Light and the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara) as a Violet circle. This is the ascending order of the chakras.  In the Hindu system each chakra has certain letters of the Sanskrit alphabet associated with its petals, a presiding deity and a seed syllable Bija Mantra (depicted in the painting above). There are also traditional diagrams to accompany each Chakra and these are described in the text below. 

MULADHARA Chakra, a major root centre concerned with physical experience, is conceived of as having four red petals on which are inscribed in gold four letters – representing the root variations and also related to the power of speech – within a golden square representing the earth element with the bija mantra Lam. This centre rules the sense of smell. The deity is Brahma with the Sakti Dakini.

SVADISHTHANA (pleasant) Chakra, the second centre, is situated at the base of the genital organ with six vermillion petals. In the pericarp is represented the water element, stainless and luminously white, in the shape of a half moon with the bija mantra Vam. Vishnu is the deity and the Sakti is Rakini or Chakini. Associated with the sense of taste.

MANIPURA (gem-site) Chakra, near the navel (lumbar or epigastric plexus), is a blue lotus with ten petals. In the centre of the lotus, a red triangle ‘radiant like a rising sun’ is related to the element of fire. Its bija mantra is Ram. The presiding deity of the chakra is Rudra with the Sakti Lakini. Thos chakra is related generally to the sense of sight.

ANAHATA (unstruck) Chakra, in the region of the heart (cardiac plexus), has twelve letters inscribed on the golden petals. In the middle are two interpenetrating triangles (forming a six-pointed star) of a smoky colour enclosing another golden triangle ‘lustrous as ten million flashes of lightning’, with a Bina-linga inside the triangle. This chakra is associated with the element air, and above the two triangles is its presiding deity, the three-eyed Isa with Kakini Sakti (red in colour). Its bija mantra is Yam and it is principally associated with the sense of touch.

VISUDDHA (pure) Chakra is locarted at the juncture of the spinal column and the medulla oblongata, behind the throat (laryngeal or pharyngeal plexus). It has sixteen petals of smoky purple inscribed with the sixteen vowel sounds and within its pericarp is a white circle enclosing a triangle that is inscribed with the bija mantra Ham. The presiding deity is Sadasiva in his Ardhanarisvara (androgynous) aspect, and the chakra is associated with the element ether and controls the sense of hearing.

AJNA (command) Chakra, situated between the eyebrows, commands the various states of concentration realised through meditation. It us a two-petalled white lotus with the letters h and ksh. In its centre is an inverted white triangle with the white Itara-linga and the bija mantra Om. The tutelary Sakti is Hakini, and it is associated with the various cognitive faculties of the mind.

SAHASRARA (thousand) is the ‘Lotus of a Thousand Petals’ located about four finger-breadths above the crown of the head; it is also called Brahmarandhra and is the meeting-place of the Kundalini Sakti with Pure Conscioousness. Its petals are inscribed with all sound potentials, represented by all the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. The Tantrika Satyananda Giri explains that Kundalini has to cross further, through eighteen mahavidyas, i.e. eighteen energised subtle centres encircling the Sahasrara region, finally to unite with Siva, in an act known as maithuna-yoga.

In the Tibetan system the top two chakras are united as one as are also the bottom two chakras. The elements are thus distributed differently in this system

Muladhara & Svadishthana – Earth,

Manipura – Water,

Anahata – Fire,

Visuddha – Air,

and the top two Ajna & Sahasrara Ether/Space.

CLOSING RITUAL

A closing ritual is most important for having opened the chakras it is best to seal them closed again before meeting the confused and disharmonious vibrations of the outer world. For those who’ve not been initiated or otherwise don’t have a procedure I offer the following taken from the teachings of White Eagle.

Sitting comfortably with spine erect and with the right foot resting over the left foot – First seal the Crown of the head centre with the symbol of the Cross of Light within the Circle of Light, then seal the Brow centre with this symbol, then the Throat centre, then the Heart centre, then the Solar Plexus centre, and then, from behind, seal the Spleen centre (situated at the Spleen) and then the finally Root centre with this same symbol. Now we encircle the entire body with a circle of Light as we breathe in we see it rise up the left hand side of our body and upon the out breath descending down the right hand side of our body to our feet. Do this seven times. Now we visualise a clockwise ascending spiral of Light upon the in breath making seven turns and upon the out breath we see this White Light descending in a straight perpendicular line right down to the ground. It is also sometimes helpful to drink some water to help come right back down to earth afterwards.

By kind permission of the White Eagle Lodge.

You may listen here to part of the Ajna Chakra track.  

 A full-length version of this track is available on YouTube alongside a reproduction of the painting (Lumen Coeli) that inspired the music. Find under Frank Perry.

Bibliography:

man’s subtle bodies & centres  the aura, the solar plexus, the chakras	Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov        1987
The Serpent Power the secrets of tantric & shaktic yoga	Arthur Avalon   1918
CHAKRAS roots of power	Werner Bohm   1991
Spiritual Centres in Man	Manly P Hall
The Occult Anatomy of Man	Manly P Hall   1929
Collected Writings Volume 3	Manly P Hall   1962
Man, Grand Symbol of the Mysteries	Manly P Hall   1972
CHAKRAS energy centres of transformation	Harish Johari   1987
Wheels of Life. A user’s guide to the Chakra System	Anodea Judith   1996
Eastern Body, Western Mind Psychology & the Chakra System as a Path to the Self	Anodea Judith   1996
The Chakras and the Human Energy Fields	Shafia Karagulla & Dora van Gelder     Kunz   1989
The Chakras & Esoteric Healing	Zachary F. Lansdowne   1986
The CHAKRAS a monograph	C.W.Leadbeater   1927
Science and the Evolution of Consciousness, Chakras, Ki and Psi	Hiroshi Motoyama with Rande Brown   1978
Theories of the Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness	Hiroshi Motoyama   1981
A Chakra and Kundalini Workbook Psychospiritual techniques for Health, Rejuvenation, Psychic Powers & Spiritual Realisation	John Mumford   1995 2nd      revised edition
Kundalini and the Chakras. A practical manual. Evolution in this lifetime.	Genevieve Lewis Paulson        1991
Understanding the Chakras	Peter Rendel   1990
KUNDALINI AWAKENING	John Selby   1992
Chakra Therapy for personal growth and healing	Keith Sherwood   1993
Chakras-Rays & Radionics	David V. Tansley        1984
Ray Paths & Chakra Gateways An Approach to Spiritual Psychology Through Radionics	David V. Tansley   1985
Kundalini Tantra	Swami Satyananda Saraswati        1984
Journey Through the Chakras Exercises for healing and internal balancing	Klausbernd Vollmar   1987
Chakras and their Archetypes	Ambika Wauters   1997

© Copyright by Frank Perry 2001. All rights reserved.