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Introduction to Chakras
The Crown Chakra
Located just about the crown of the head
Violet (sometimes white)
Inspiration, wisdom, cosmic consciousness, spirituality, oneness with
all. Concerned with thinking and decision making. At a physical level
it is linked to the pineal gland. Its energies also affect the brain and
the rest of the body.
When Unbalanced you may experience: Depression, lack of grounding, lack
of inspiration (because you're disconnected from your spiritual source)
and unable to make decisions.
To Awaken and Balance: Meditation, guided visualisation, energy work.
The Ajna Chakra
Located between the eyebrows
Indigo Blue
Intuition, imagination, visualization, concentration, memories and imagination
and is associated with intellect, understanding and intuition. At a physical
level it is linked to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. Its energies
also affect the nerves of the head, brain, eyes and face.
Element: Light
When Unbalanced you may experience: Headaches, poor eyesight, lack of
concentration, nightmares. A person with an imbalance in this charka may
be oversensitive, be afraid of success, be non-assertive and undisciplined.
To Awaken and Balance: Meditation, guided visualization
The Throat Chakra
Throat area
Sky blue
Communication, expression, eloquence - it also deals with the issue of
truth and true expression of the soul. At a physical level it is linked
to the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Its energies also affect the pharyngeal
nerve plexus, the organs of the throat, neck, nose, mouth, teeth and ears.
When Unbalanced you may experience: Difficulty communicating, emotions
caught in the throat. Frustration and tension may result. A person with
an imbalance in this charka may feel unable to relax
To Awaken and Balance: Sing, chant, hum, breathe consciously.
The Heart Chakra
Green
Unconditional love, forgiveness, compassion, peace, tolerance. At a physical
level it is linked to the thymus gland. Its energies also affect the cardiac
and pulmonary nerve plexuses, the heart, lungs, bronchial tubes, chest,
upper back and arms. It is the point of connection between the upper and
lower charkas.
When Unbalanced you may experience: Anger, heart problems, rigidity, lack
of love. If the energy does not flow freely between the solar plexus and
the heart, or between the heart and the throat, it can lead to energy
withdrawal into the body. It can lead to feelings of self-pity, inability
to ‘let go’ and feeling unworthy of love or feel terrified
of rejection.
To Awaken and Balance: Serve others, love and take care of yourself. Breathe
consciously. Watch tender movies that "tug at your heart strings."
The Solar Plexus Chakra
A little above the navel
Sunshine yellow
Relates to our emotions, self-esteem and self-worth. The is the centre
of will and determination, assertion and personal power; the link with
hearty laughter. Feelings such as fear, anxiety, insecurity, jealousy
and anger are generated here. At a physical level it is linked to the
Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Its energies also affect the solar
and splenic nerve plexuses, the digestive system, the pancreas, liver,
gall bladder, diaphragm and middle back.
When Unbalanced you may experience: Lack of will, overemphasis on power,
anger, poor digestion, eating disorders, fear, hate. People with an imbalance
in this charka may feel depressed, insecure, lacking in confidence and
may worry what others think. It is in the solar plexus charka that negative
energies relating to thoughts and feelings are processed. People who are
under stress will show imbalance in this charka - shock and stress have
a greater impact on this charka.
To Awaken and Balance: Rub your belly, become aware of the energy radiating
from your solar plexus, breathe using your diaphragm.
The Sacral Chakra
Between the naval and the base charka
Orange
Concerned with all issues of creativity and sexuality. At the physical
level it is linked to the testes in the male and ovaries in the female.
Its energies also affect the urino-genital organs, the uterus, kidneys,
lower digestive organs and lower back. Associated with desire, pleasure.
When Unbalanced you may experience: over sensitivity, lack of creativity,
sexual problems, jealousy, possessiveness, uterine or bladder problems,
lower back pain.
To Awaken and Balance: Sexual healing, try new ways of expressing yourself
creatively, dance, move your hips, practice yoga.
The Root Chakra
The base of the spine
Red
Grounding, good health, survival instincts, vitality, sexuality (for men).
Concerned with all issues of a physical nature – the body, the senses,
sensuality, a persons sex, survival, aggression and self-defence. At a
physical level it is linked to the endocrine system through the adrenal
glands. Its energies also affect the lower parts of the pelvis, hips,
legs and feet.
When Unbalanced you may experience: feeling of being ungrounded and unfocused.
May feel weak, lack of confidence and be unable to achieve goals. May
also feel violence, anger, have constipation, and survival fears.
To Awaken and Balance: Spend some time each day sitting directly on the
earth. Walk with bare feet on the ground (grass, sand etc.) Dance!
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From Yoga Journal:
Yogis Score High on Happiness
Scientific studies reveal yoga may be the key to bliss By Angela Pirisi
No matter how much we lust after worldly objects and material pleasures,
in the end, we all just want to be happy. But despite our efforts, happiness
often eludes us. Now the ranks of science have stepped in to help unravel
the secrets of this precious state of being. And they're discovering what
yogis have known all along.
Happiness, it seems, has a biological component. Groundbreaking studies
conducted by University of Wisconsin psychologist Richard Davidson over
the past decade have shown that people who report high rates of happy
feelings have a larger and more active left prefrontal cortex than their
depressed counterparts. Other studies have concluded that happiness may
be a matter of genetics. A 1996 study of 1,500 pairs of twins at the University
of Minnesota found that, on a self-report happiness scale, adult twins
were highly matched in their scores despite variations in income, marital
status, and education.
Happiness also seems to lie outside the limits of material wealth and
life events. Winning the lottery may tip the emotional scales at first,
but most people return to a certain grade of happiness within three months.
This is nothing new to the practitioners of yoga. As Dr. R.M. Matthijs
Cornelissen explains, "In the Vedic tradition, ananda, or delight,
is seen as being present in the essence of everything that exists. Happiness
is thus not something that depends on what you have, but what you are."
In fact, many studies suggest that yoga can effect positive states of
mind, despite life's highs and lows. In 1993, a British team measured
the effects of three relaxation techniques: chair sitting, visualization,
and yoga. They found that yoga resulted in the greatest increase in alertness,
mental and physical energy, and lust for life. Likewise, a 1994 German
study, which compared a group of women practicing hatha yoga to a second
group that did not, found that the yoginis showed markedly higher scores
in life satisfaction, and lower scores in aggressiveness, emotionality,
and sleep problems.
"Yoga primarily changes your consciousness, which includes your
way of looking at things," says Cornelissen. "In the process,
many aspects of your physical functioning also change, including your
brain chemistry."
Whether we use yoga or some other self-affirming behaviour, it's clear
that even born-to-be-negative types can choose to cultivate happiness.
Just as a bad mood can become a bad habit that perpetuates unhappiness,
so can nurturing positive feelings lead to a more permanent positive state
of mind.
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