How do you perceive yourself?
Do you see yourself solely through the lens of your physicality?
Is most of your energy directed towards mental activity?
Are you open to any form of spiritual practice?
It has always come naturally to me to perceive life with a holistic lens. As I believe everything is interrelated, human beings make no exception. I like seeing ourselves as multi-layered beings seeking to be nourished holistically for greater health and consciousness, making our body, mind and spirit equally important and fascinating.
Taking such an expansive view of one’s being can be quite overwhelming unless you have a system to guide you. I am not such a fan of putting everyone in the same boat as we are all individually unique. Yet, if we meet every human being with an open heart, we come to the realisation that we do all share the same constitution of a body, mind and spirit. Happily, universal systems exist and can be used to support humans on their quest to greater self-understanding, health, and harmony such as the Chakra System.
“In a fragmented world where mind is severed from body, culture from planet, and the material from the spiritual, we have a deep need for systems that allow us to reclaim our wholeness. These systems must allow us to integrate mind and body and take us to new and expanded realms without denying the mundane realities we all face on a daily basis.” Anodea Judith
Generally speaking, a system is created to alleviate complexity where infinite possibilities arise, enabling concepts to be more easily understood and integrated. As human beings, we are complex and in continuous movement and change. There is not a single day alike and our needs, desires and dreams keep evolving. Personally curious about this so-called human journey, I’ve been searching for insight, wisdom, and tools to cultivate a healthy, creative, aligned, conscious, connected, and authentic life. Discovering the chakra system has been an eye-opening roadmap to respond to such thirst for self-discovery, growth, and self-inquiry.
I’ve been highly inspired by Anodea Judith, a devoted educator, practitioner, and author who blends yoga, energy, and psychotherapy work. According to her definition, “chakras are wheel-like organizational life force energy centers where energy is received, assimilated, stored, and transmitted.” Found in our subtle body along a vertical column, each of the seven basic chakras is associated with a particular name, location, colour, element, and development stage. They also come with specific challenges to overcome and gifts to treasure. To work with each chakra, key words, specific skills set, affirmations, body movements, and meditations can be practiced to support a charkas return to balance as deficiency or excess can emerge through coping strategies. Ultimately, working with the chakras is a pathway to healing and restoring one’s balance.
I quote Judith: “As you transform yourself, you transform the world.”
The chakras are related to the science and practice of yoga and more precisely the non-dual Tantric* tradition that embraces life and spirituality. This ancient philosophy sought to interlace the polarities found between spirit and matter, mind and body, masculine and feminine, Heaven and Earth. In other words, the chakra system was meant to share a path towards wholeness.
Understanding these seven basic levels of consciousness is where I wish to take you as I believe recognizing our multi-layered and rich colorful potential is foundational. Becoming aware of the importance each chakra plays in our lives is an opportunity to create a more intimate and uniquely addressed relationship with our selves.
Briefly, here are the seven chakras and a glimpse of their teachings, retrieved from several sources from Anodea Judith and more precisely, the book: Wheels of Life.
- Root Chakra (Muladhara)
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- Located at the base of the spine
- Associated with our physical identity and self-preservation
- Invitation: Grounding, embodiment, nature, health, safety, structure, prosperity, belongingness
- Element: Earth
- Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)
- Located in the lower abdomen
- Associated with our emotional identity and self-gratification
- Invitation: Emotions, movement, sensuality, feeling, sensation, pleasure
- Element: Water
- Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
- Located in the solar plexus
- Associated with our ego identity and self-definition
- Invitation: Will, power, energy, strength, self-esteem, sovereignty, courage
- Element: Fire
- Heart Chakra (Anahata)
- Located over the sternum
- Associated with our social identity and self-acceptance
- Invitation: Love, compassion, acceptance, relationships, intimacy, balance
- Element: Air
- Throat Chaka (Vissudha)
- Located in the throat
- Associated with our creative identity and self-expression
- Invitation: Communication, listening, creativity, vibration, sound, resonance
- Element: Sound
- 3rd Eye Chakra (Ajna)
- Located in the center of forehead
- Associated with our archetypal identity and self-reflection
- Invitation: Vision, imagination, dreaming, remembering, light, clarity
- Element: Light
- Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
- Located at the top of the head
- Associated with our universal identity and self-knowledge
- Invitation: Higher power, union, consciousness, wisdom, transcendence
- Element: Thought
7
7 chakras.
7 interconnected energy centers.
7 doors to open, swirl around and explore.
7 compasses for greater awareness & healing.
7 carriers of life-long teachings.
7 portals to awakening.
7 ways to come into relationship with yourself, others and beyond
…ultimately affecting how you walk this World and make your mark.
The chakra system invites self-inquiry, greater consciousness, and possibilities for growth and change. May we come to acknowledge the beauty of our wholistic being, where all is inter-related and seeking to be aligned.
* “The Tantric teachings are a syncretic weaving of many spiritual traditions of India, which came to popularity during the sixth and seventh century A.D., in reaction to the dualistic philosophy which preceded. This tradition advised being in the world rather than separate from it.” Anodea Judith
References:
Garcia, T. (2021). Chakras. The Guide to Principles, Practices and More
Judith, A. (2014). Wheels of Life
Judith, A. (2004). Eastern Body Western Mind