Ether is considered to be the most vital of the five elements, as without
space no movement or circulation is possible. Without circulation everythingwill become so gross that life simply cannot exist. This element is associated
with the vishuddhi (thr oat) chakra. The importance of the five elements in our lives can also be recognised
through the fact that our physical bodies can survive without food (which
nourishes the earth element) for about 21 to 30 days and without water for
seven to 10 days. If our body temperature moves beyond or below the
normal range of temperature we can survive for only a few hours. Air
sustains life; without air we can survive only for a few minutes. This body of
ours is a potential space. Our blood, lymph, breath, food and everything in
the body moves because there is space inside; without the space we will just
be dead. When a person dies all the energies leave the physical body along
with the space, which is why bodies turns rigid. Ayurveda insists on the
balance of the fiv e elements as the f oundation of good health. Nadis
Our bodies ha ve four main systems of distrib uting prana:
◼ The circulatory system: comprising arteries, veins and lymphatic
systems. ◼ The nervous system: including the central, sympathetic and
parasympa thetic nerv ous systems . ◼ The endocrine system: comprising various ductless glands that
regulate body physiology and various aspects and functionings of the
physical bod y through the secr etion of hor mones. ◼ The nadis: the conduits of ener gy in the subtle bod y.The subtle body consists of a channel system of energy known as nadis. The word ‘nadi’ originates from the Sanskrit word nad, meaning ‘mo vement’. According to Rig Veda (sacred text) it also means ‘stream’, although the
literal meaning of nadi is ‘flow’. As part of the circulatory system the physical
body has various streams such as arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels; these
are channels for the flow of consciousness . As both negative and positive
energy flow into the body through a complex circuit like meridians , similarly
consciousness flows into the body through nadis. The ego or ahamkara does
not reside in the ph ysical bod y but in the subtle bod y, and moves in the nadis . When awakened the dormant energy of kundalini also works through the
nadis. According to tantric texts, there are 72,000 nadis (channels) in our body
that are the conduits of pranas. Of these numerous nadis, 10 are significant
and three of those 10 are the most significant; they form the basis of
kundalini tantra. T hese three nadis ar e:
◼ ida (left or lunar nadi), r epresenting the cooling ener gy of the moon
◼ pingala (right or solar nadi), representing the heating energy of the
sun; and
◼ sushumna, which is closely associated with the spine and spinal
cord at the subtle level. Sushumna runs through the centre of the
energetic spine and corresponds to the spinal canal; chakras are
strung upon it like lotuses . Sushumna, considered to be the most important of all of the nadis, starts
at the muladhara (base root) chakra and culminates at the sahasrara (crown)
chakra.From a numerological perspective 7 + 2 + 0 + 0 + 0 adds up to 9, which
in a spiritual sense is considered to be the number of completion. This is why
mala or prayer beads have 108 or 54 beads, both of which add up to 9. Our
physical body has nine openings or doorways through which we experience
the world, and the pranas can enter or leave the physical body from these
doorways. The nine body openings are associated with our sense organs: two
eyes, two nostrils, two ears, the mouth, the anus and the genitals. Most of the
nadis begin or ter minate at these openings . Control of the nadis enables us in turn to control the ego, the mind and
the senses, as the pranas moving with the breath kindle the body’s fire and
are carried to the mind. Nadis move in the body through each and every part, being the subtle
counterpart of the physical flow of nervous energy and blood. They are not
described in terms of structures but rather as conduits or channels. Ida
represents conscious energy and knowing, while pingala is vital and life-
giving; they are roughly translated as mind and body. As we discuss the
polarisation of the individual, mind and body themselves are polarised but
complementar y to each other. Ida represents the moon’s energy and pingala
the energy of the sun. Sushumna, representing the spirit or consciousness , is
supreme and is the c hannel for kundalini shakti. The ancient discipline of swar yoga (the yoga of breath) states that our
temperament and nature change according to the dominance of our
breathing nostrils. At any given time our breath does not come in equal
volume through both nostrils, except for a brief period. Most of the time one
nostril is more active and dominant than other one, and this dominance
alternates between left and right nostrils in a r egular pattern. The left nostril is associated with the ida nadi, which connects with the
right hemispher e of the brain, while the right nostril is associated withpingala nadi, which connects to the left hemispher e of the brain. The
movement of energy through these nadis, from one hemispher e to the other,
happens simultaneously with the change of breath from one nostril to the
other. Therefore, when the right nostril dominates pingala is active and the
left hemisphere dominates. When the left nostril dominates ida is active and
the right hemispher e dominates. When both nostrils operate evenly both
hemispher es operate in unison. When energy concentra tes in the left hemispher e, solar energy is drawn
by the right nostril and a person becomes more active, verbal, intellectual,
extroverted, ambitious , creative and masculine . Conversely, when the right
hemispher e dominates it draws on lunar energy through the left nostril, and
a person is characterised by femininity , passivity, introversion, emotional
responses and orienta tion to sight and sound. The three nadis — ida, pingala and sushumna — start from the
muladhara chakra at the pelvic floor. From here sushumna flows directly
upwards within the central canal to the sahasrara chakra, while ida passes to
the left and pingala to the right, crisscrossing each other at each higher
chakra. Sushumna flows inside the central canal of the spinal cord, while ida and
pingala flow simultaneously on the outer surface of the spinal cord but still
within the bony vertebral column. In human physiology, these two nadis
roughly correspond with the two halves of the autonomous nervous system:
the sympathetic and the parasympa thetic. Pingala coincides with the
sympathetic nerves, which are responsible for stimulation and the
acceleration of activities; it tends to utilise a lot of internal energy. The
sympathetic nerves speed up the heart, dilate the blood vessels, increase the
respiration rate and intensify the ef ficiency of the e yes and ear s and so on.The parasympa thetic nerves directly oppose the sympathetic nerves as
they reduce the heartbeat, constrict the blood vessels and slow the breathing
rate so that a person becomes an introvert. The flow of prana in ida and
pingala is completely involuntary. Basically, the pingala nadi represents the
components of action and controls all of the vital processes, while the ida
nadi represents reception and contr ols all of the mental pr ocesses. Ida can be viewed as the energy within the personality, which is passive,
receptive, feminine, negative and yin. At the physical level, it is dark, cold,
lunar, energy-dissipating, entropic, expansive (centrifugal) and relaxing. It is
emotional, feeling, intuitive and non-discrimina tive, which is also the soma-
psychic aspect of a person where energy is inwardly directed and the body
acts on the mind. Ida controls the feeling centres and sense organs
(gyanendriyas), thereby giving us awareness and knowledge of the world in
which we live. Pingala can be defined as masculine , dynamic, active, positive, yang
energy within our personalities. It has a physical and mental side,
representing light, heat, solar energy, creativity, organisation, focus
(centripetal) and contractiv e. It is psychosomatic energy, and directs the
organs of action (kar mendriyas) outwar ds. It is the basic life-giving ener gy. Our body chemistry, which is reflected in our feelings and temperament,
can be altered easily by changing the breath pattern. One of our gurus used
to say that the entire world population could be divided into two categories
of people: one dominant in the left nostril and the other dominant in the
right nostril. Where the left nostril is dominant the ida nadi is overactive and
draws in more lunar energy, which in turn makes people more emotional by
nature. These people are creative, moody and prone to depression; they are
also prone to having a low body tempera ture and low blood pressure.When the right nostril is dominant the pingala nadi is overactive, which
affects the manipura (solar plexus) chakra. These people draw in more solar
energy and are driven, making them very ambitious in life. They push
themselves and others around them to fulfil their life ambitions , chasing
money, power or authority. They tend to be multi-tasker s, as their minds are
always busy planning too many things at one time. These people are
sometimes not grounded and lose focus on the activity at hand. They tend to
have a high body temperature, may have a heated liver and are prone to
hypertension, high b lood pressure, high blood sugar/diabetes , headaches and
migraines. Yoga and tantra have gone hand in hand to devise exercises to restore the
balance of energies to promote wellness. The imbalance of the ida and
pingala nadis can be restored by practising breathing through alternate
nostrils (anulom vilom). The practices of kundalini yoga are focused on the
awakening of sushumna; once sushumna comes to life a means of
communication between the higher and lower centres of consciousness is
established, which leads to the a wakening of kundalini. Granthis
Tantric scriptures talk about three granthis or psychic knots in the physical
body. These granthis represent the three fundamental principles of energy:
creation, sustenance and dissolution. As mentioned previously, ida, pingala
and sushumna rise from muladhara at the pelvic floor; sushumna flows
directly upwards within the central canal, while ida passes to the left and
pingala passes to the right, crisscrossing at each of the higher chakras. Located at the points of cr ossing over are the three granthis.The granthis, which are basically levels of awareness, are named after the
three Hindu deities forming the trinity: Brahma (the energy of creation),
Vishnu (the energy of sustenance) and Rudra (or Shiva, the energy of
dissolution). Granthis pose as obstacles or barriers, and on the path of raising
the consciousness each aspirant has to cross the barriers. During the process
of kundalini movement and spiritual progress our consciousness moves
through the g ranthis. The brahma granthi is located in the region of muladhara, exactly at
the T junction of the muladhara (base root) and swadhisthana (sacral)
chakras. It is the first crossover point in the path of kundalini awakening. Some tantric scriptures place the brahma granthi in the region of the navel,
as it is also considered to be the knot of samsara (the world of names and
forms). Muladhara is associated with the physical body, with our attachment
to material things, physical pleasures and self-centredness — the world of
maya, or illusion. According to Hinduism, the deity Brahma is the creator of
the universe, so the energy of procreation is also associated with this granthi;
unless this psychic knot is open in both the partners a couple will not be able
to conceive a child, which may explain why some couples are unable to have
children despite ha ving everything right biologically . The brahma granthi is the major obstacle in the spiritual path, creating a
lot of restlessness and distraction of the mind. Until the time our
consciousness stays embedded in tamas (the mundane or gross world) our
mind is trapped; we are ignorant of reality, living in the world of senses or
experiencing lethargy and negativity and acting egocentrically . To overcome
the obstacles associated with brahma granthi an aspirant has to go beyond
the senses and sensory pleasures, and rise beyond tamas. Once the energy
becomes pure and radiant this knot can be untied, which frees the aspirant
from the bondages of a ttachments and selfishness .The vishnu granthi is located at the crossover point of the anahata
(heart) chakra. It is associated with bondages created by attachments,
especially emotional attachments to people and things. In his Yoga Sutras
Patanjali mentioned attachments as being the main source of pain and
suffering. Anahata is mainly associated with devotion, love and faith;
however, our emotional attachments are the main cause of heart chakra
imbalances . When we promote detachment, it doesn’t mean you do not care
for the other person. Consider the difference between empathy and
sympathy. Empathy is a balanced state where you can understand someone’s
pain or suffering while maintaining your own balance. Sympathy is an
imbalance arising from attachment, where we actually feel someone’s pain or
suffering and lose our balance also. These attachments are hindrances to
spiritual progress; only through detachment or vivek (absolute
discrimina tion), knowledge and faith can w e untie this psy chic knot. In ancient India, a spiritual aspirant would forgo family life (grihastha
ashram) and undertake asceticism (sannyasa ashram) by giving up worldly
ties and home life, thereby freeing themselves from the deep ties of
attachment with the family. Such people are known as ‘divij’ (twice born) and
live for their spiritual aspirations only. This is still practised by some seekers
in the Jain religion of India. The rudra granthi is located in the area of the ajna (third eye) chakra. Rudra is another name of Lord Shiva when he is referred to as the lord of
dissolution. The untying of this psychic knot leads to the end of duality and
results in the dissolution of an aspirant’s ego. This granthi is also associated
with attachment to siddhis (psychic powers), which may nurture the ego and
cause a hindrance in spiritual progress. Unless the seeker is willing to
surrender the ego, further spiritual progress will not happen. Hence this
granthi is the point of transcendence wherein time-bound consciousness getsdissolved and a yogi is established into infinity by ascending to the crown
chakra and e xperiences a sta te of bliss. Vayus
The human body has two types of nervous system: sympathetic (sensory or
information) and parasympa thetic (motor). According to tantra, we have two
types of energy reaching every organ of the body: vital/ dynamic (prana
shakti) energy and mental (manas shakti) energy. The vital energy, prana,
flows in the body through the nadis, the conduits of energy. Nerves are part
of the physical bod y, while the nadis ar e part of the subtle bod y. We describe chakras as the energy centres of the body; however, the
energy at each chakra has a different role. In a tantric context each chakra’s
energy is called vayu, though the literal meaning of the word is ‘wind’. This
vital energy has five variants that are responsible for different functions in the
body:
◼ Prana vayu: when we talk of prana, we are talking about the vital
life-giving energy, not just the breath, air or oxygen. This prana
energy is located in the area of the larynx at the top of the
diaphragm and is associated with the heart chakra. It is responsible
for our survival and governs all the functions of the heart and lungs,
along with other activities in the r egion of the heart c hakra including
breathing, swallowing and b lood circulation. ◼ Apana vayu: centred in the pelvic region between the navel and
the perineum, this energy is associated with the muladhara (base
root) chakra. We receive cosmic vibrations and vital pranas through
the sahasrara (crown) chakra. These pranas circulate and feed our
bodies, and the processed pranas are then eliminated through theroot chakra. Apana vayu has a downward flow, regulating all the
elimination processes in the body; it is responsible for the expulsion
of gas, wind, faeces , urine and e ven foetuses at the time of birth. ◼ Vyana vayu: associated with the swadhisthan a (sacral) chakra, this
vital force pervades the whole body and governs the circulatory
system. It regulates the movement of all fluids including blood,
lymph, saliva and menstrual fluid. Emotional blockages affect our
swadhisthana chakra and affect the movement of this energy. This in
turn affects the movement of fluids and particular ly lymphatic fluids,
which may also cause physical or physiological complications in the
body that affect the reproductive organs and glands, causing
lymphatic congestion and f luid retention. ◼ Samana vayu: ‘samana’ means ‘equal’ or ‘balanced’. This energy
is centred in the small intestine between the navel and ribcage, and
provides balance between the two opposite energies of apana and
prana vayu. Associated with the manipura (solar plexus) chakra, it is
here that food is digested, assimilated and converted into nutrition. This energy activates and controls the digestive organs and their
secretions and ensures a balanced distribution of nutrients to each
organ, especially vital or gans, according to their needs . ◼ Udana vayu: ‘udana’ means ‘flight’, as our spoken words fly away
from us. Centred in the throat, this energy controls the sympathetic
and parasympa thetic nervous systems and communication of all
kinds: our will, memory and even exhalation. Blockages of this
energy affect the functioning of the vishuddhi (throat) chakra and
may cause issues r elated to the th yroid. The sensesOur awareness within this body constitutes the waking state of consciousness ,
which is made up of 16 components: five sensory organs, five organs of
action, five elements and the mind. The energetic basis or pure form of the
physical body is the subtle body; the subtle body is also composed of 16
components . Within the subtle body exist the seven major chakras, which
have an association with the five senses of smell, taste, sight, touch and
hearing. Smell. Our sense of smell is primordial, the most basic sense. It is associated with the muladhara chakra, wherein we evolve
from animal consciousness to human consciousness . This is the
most developed sense in animals and the one whereby they
recognise their food, mate and medicine. A newborn baby recognises their
mother only from the smell. It is also believed that out of the five senses this
is the only one that transcends from this life to the next life, which is why we
use flowers or incenses to please de parted souls . Taste. The Indian name f or the sacral c hakra, swadhisthana, is
composed of swad, meaning ‘taste’, and sthan, meaning ‘place’
or ‘centre’, so the sense of taste belongs to the sacral chakra. This chakra is the desire centre of our physical bodies, not only
sexual desire but material and all other kinds. When the sacral chakra is
imbalanced we are stuck in our desires, and when our desires are
uncontrollable they lead to addictions . All addictions are the result of an
imbalanced sacral c hakra.Sight. The sense of sight is associated with the solar plexus
chakra, as our optic nerve is under the influence of manipura. Mental stress or poor digestion, both of which are related to
the solar plexus chakra, lead to headaches and migraines and
indicate an imbalance in the chakra. Even anger, the seat of
which is the solar plexus chakra, is visible in our eyes; suppressed anger
shows up as a heated liver. When people develop diabetes or glaucoma their
eyesight is affected, which is again under the influence of the solar plexus
chakra. Touch. We express our love through hugging or holding, touch
being a therapy in itself. The anahata (heart) chakra is the one
associated with love and is also the seat of the healer. We hold
someone when we want to console them, and a loving couple
can express their love of each other by holding hands, with no words
required. Hearing. The vishuddhi (throat) chakra is associated with our
sense of hearing: we speak or express ourselves to be heard. When we are not able to express our emotions easily it results
in blockages of the throat chakra. When the throat chakra is
blocked for a prolonged period it affects our ears and sense of hearing,
resulting in frequent ear problems, earaches, ear infections or ringing of the
ears (tinnitus). The sixth sense: intuition. We all have a certain sense of intuition, which
is connected to our ajna (third eye) chakra. When this sense develops furtheralong with spiritual growth and with a shift in consciousness we
develop clairv oyance. The seventh sense: common sense. Common sense requires awareness. There are
two things we do regularly but are not aware of. The first one is breathing. We all start breathing
from the moment we come into the material world, but we are not conscious
of it. One part of yoga is pranayama, which is completely devoted to
breathing. According to tantra and yoga, our lives are not measured in the
number of days, months or years but in the number of breaths assigned to
each one of us; if we breathe fast we die young. Fast breathing is shallow
breathing, which doesn’t fill our lungs with oxygen and ultimately shows in
the body and its health. The second thing we do unconsciously is rubbing the body, which we all
do almost every day when we bathe or shower. If we rub the body with
awareness it will lead to good health. God has made our body very
intelligently , with all our lymph nodes in the front of the body; we can rub
those areas easily. The only lymph nodes that are towards the back are
behind the knees and in the neck, called occipital nodes, and our hands can
reach those. If we can focus on our lymph nodes when rubbing our bodies
and keep them unblocked and healthy, most health issues such as niggling
aches and pains , fluid retention and so on can be a voided.OceanofPDF .com4
Nervous and endocrine
systems
The chakras represent the activity of our organs and glands: they are the
barometers of our health. Yogic and spiritual practices impact the nerve
plexuses and thus the c hakras. Many people of scientific and y ogic mind ha ve
sought to understand and explain the physical and psychic aspects of
kundalini and the chakras; in particular Dr J.K. Sarkar, who in his paper
‘Anatomical and Physiological Basis of Raja Yoga’ tried to explain the
working of chakras thr ough the nerv ous and endocrine systems . The human nervous system is composed of two parts: the central (or
somatic) nervous system (CNS), which is responsible for voluntary actions,
and the autonomic nerv ous system (ANS), w hich is independent of our will. The CNS involves the brain and all its divisions within the skull,
including the cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalam us, pituitary, pineal body,
mid-brain, cerebellum, pons and medulla oblongata and the whole length of
the spinal column. The CNS sends and receives nerve impulses to and from
the entire body and its periphery with the help of 43 pairs of nerves arising
from the brain and spinal cord. The higher centres for thinking, hearing,
seeing, movement and so on are located in the different areas of the cerebral
cortex. The four ventricles or cavities of the brain and the narrow canal in
the spinal cord contain a fluid called cerebrospinal fluid, which flows in a
continuous stream. The ANS controls the activities of the internal organs and consists of two
divisions: sympathetic and parasympa thetic. Parasympa thetic nerves arisefrom the brain and from the lower part of the spinal cord. Their actions are
usually localised, such as slowing of the heart rate, and help to conserve body
energy. The sympathetic system consists of nerves arising from the middle
part of the spinal cord, forming two long trunks on the two sides of the spine
and extending fr om the base of the skull to the coccyx. The two sympathetic trunks contain several ganglions (congregation of
nerve cells) that meet terminally at a small ganglion called the ganglion
impar, which is located in front of the coccyx. Sympathetic nerves arising
from the ganglia on these two trunks form various nerve plexuses (networks
of fine nerves) on their way to different body organs such as the uterus,
intestine and heart. The reactions of sympathetic nerves are mass reactions
such as a constriction of arteries, acceleration of heart rate and slowing of
gastric movement. Sushumna is the central canal of the spinal cord; it continues into the
cavities of the brain and is in direct contact with the hypothalam us and
pineal gland. The spinal cord lies only in the upper two-thirds of the
vertebral column. In the lower third of the spine it tapers off abruptly into a
conical extremity. From the apex to this conical extremity a delicate non-
nervous filament called the filum terminale descends to the coccyx, the
lowest bone of the vertebral column. The lower part of the filum terminale is
in the vicinity of the inferior hypogastric plexus. There are various other
autonomic nerve plexuses situated on the two sides of the vertebral column;
these are the lotuses associated with our chakras. The suggested anatomical
sites for the chakra lotuses ar e as follows:
◼ muladhara (base root) chakra: inferior h ypogastric (pelvic) ple xus
◼ swadhisthana (sacral) chakra: superior h ypogastric plexus◼ manipura (solar plexus) chakra: coeliac or solar ple xus
◼ anahata (heart) chakra: car diac plexus
◼ vishuddhi (throat) chakra: plexuses connecting the superior, middle
and inferior cervical g anglia
◼ ajna (third eye) chakra: inter nal carotid plexus
◼ sahasrara (crown) chakra: pineal bod y.
Glands of the endocrine system
The holistic approach to health fully acknowledges the integration of mind
and body; the well-being of one depends on the good health of the other. Human bodies consist of two kinds of glands: exocrine and endocrine . Exocrine glands are the glands that release their secretions through ducts
such as the liver and gall bladder. Endocrine glands do not have ducts and
release their secretions, known as hormones, directly into the bloodstream. These glands are responsible for our bodies’ physiological functioning . The
hormones secreted by the endocrine glands are chemical messenger s, and
together with the autonomic nervous system they maintain the parameter s
for optimum growth. Since the nervous and endocrine systems are
interconnected, then functionally an imbalance in one will af fect the other . Each of the seven main chakras is associated with a particular endocrine
gland. Chakra health is affected by the functioning of the endocrine glands
and vice versa: any imbalance  in the chakras may affect the associated
endocrine g land, manifesting in ter ms of physical or ph ysiological symptoms . The hypothalamus gland
The hypothalamus gland is a small region of the brain that activates and
regulates that part of the nervous system responsible for controllinginvoluntary body functions, the hormonal system and many other body
functions such as sleep regulation, body temperature and appetite. With
complex interconnections with the cerebral cortex and the other parts of the
brain that are little understood, it links emotions with the body’s autonomic
nervous system. It is r egulated by the ajna (thir d eye) chakra. The pituitary gland
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized structure that looks like an upside-do wn
mushroom; it hangs by a stalk from the undersurface of the brain. This vital
gland influences growth and metabolism and stimulates the activities of other
glands. It orchestrates the secretion of hormones from other endocrine
glands by producing a range of controller hormones such as human growth
hormone, follicle-stim ulating hormone, prolactin and thyroid-stimulating
hormones (vasopressin and oxytocin). The hypothalam us gland controls the
pituitary gland and indir ectly master minds its or chestration. The pituitary gland has two lobes — anterior and posterior — that
release a wide range of different hormones, including those responsible for
contractions during childbirth and those that regulate the release of breast
milk by a nursing mother. It is interesting to note that the intuition of a
mother is at its peak while nursing. The process of nursing and intuition are
also associa ted with the thir d eye chakra. Adrenal glands
The adrenal glands are attached to the top of each kidney. They are
associated with the muladhara (base root) chakra. Each of the adrenals has
two parts: an outer corte x and an inner medulla. In response to the release of adrenocorticotr opic hormone (ACTH,
which stimulates the release of cortisol) from the pituitary gland, the cortexsecretes a number of steroid hormones that directly affect
the balance of salt, water and glucose in the body. Cortisol is usually secreted by the adrenal cortex and
affects glucose metabolism according to our daily sleep
and wake cycle; its concentra tion in the blood is much
higher during the day than it is at night. During a stress
response, cortisol secretion rises in proportion to the
degree of stress; this is mor e marked when the str ess arises
from physical injury. Cortisol increases the concentra tion
of glucose in our body by breaking down proteins, fats
and carbohydrates. As a result, stress increases the level of
blood sugar, an appropriate response to acute stress to
ensure adequate energy supply for both the brain and
skeletal m uscles at a time w hen immedia te physical activity ma y be required. Besides ACTH, the pituitary produces endorphins and other related
compounds . The precise mode of operation of these compounds is still not
completely clear; however, it is assumed their pain-relieving properties, along
with other postulated effects on mood and perception, may combine to allow
life-saving exertions by a person despite serious injury, which is similar to acts
of heroism in extreme danger situa tions. The adrenal medulla is intimately associated with the sympathetic
nervous system. Its main secretion — adrenaline — is related to
noradrenaline, one of the most important neurotransmitter s of the
sympathetic system. Adrenaline secretion is initiated by direct stimulation of
the adrenal medulla b y the sympa thetic nerv es. Exposure to a stressor produces an immediate increase in sympathetic
nerve activity, which in turn results in the release of significant quantities of
adrenaline from the adrenal medulla into the bloodstream, therebypreparing the body for fight or flight. Once this hormone is released into the
blood it can quickly permeate the tissues of the body, augmenting the activity
of sympathetic nerv es. The effects of this ar e well known: increased heart ra te
and breathing rate, palpitation, trembling, hair rising and so on. Along with
these predominantly physical responses, the feedback to the brain arouses an
emotional response to stress that is normally manifested as some degree of
fearfulness and anxiety, therefore impacting the base root, solar plexus and
heart chakras. Gonads
The gonads, including testes and ovaries, are associated with the muladhara
(base root) and swadhisthana (sacral) chakras. The physical aspect of sex and
sexuality is connected with muladhara, while the physiological aspect is
connected to swadhisthana. Adrenal fatigue or depletion of physical energy
affects physical relationships. The gonads play an important role as hormone-producing endocrine
organs, responsible for producing sperm and egg cells. The manufacture and
release of sex hormones in both the sexes during reproductive life is
controlled by the hypothalam us and pituitary glands, in much the same way
they control other endocrine organs. Acute and chronic emotional stress can
affect the balance of the female reproductive system, leading to hormonal
imbalances and irregularities of the menstrual cycle along with a disturbance
or inhibition of ovulation. This is quite common in the presence of both
physical and emotional stressors. Men are also affected by emotional and
physical stress, which can lead to common sexual dysfunction such as
difficulties with erection and premature ejaculation and sometimes affect
sperm production, causing infertility .Pancreas
Most of the pancreas is non-endocrine in nature, being concerned with
producing digestive juices for the gut. Its function is regulated by the
manipura (solar ple xus) chakra. The pancreas is situa ted behind the stomac h.
Embedded within the bulk of its tissue lie numerous clusters of endocrine
cells called islets of Langerhans that secrete insulin and glucagon, two
substances with essentially complementar y actions in the maintenance of
normal glucose levels. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels by encouraging body
cells to absorb more glucose, and raises blood sugar levels by mobilising the
sizeable store of carbohydrates present in the liver and converting it to
glucose. Thymus gland
The thymus gland, which is regulated by the
anahata (heart) chakra, is called a gland
although it is now accepted that its primary
function is regulatory, mainly for the immune
system. It is most active before birth and
during early life, after which it reduces in size. Despite its size in adult life it continues to
secrete significant volumes of the hormone
thymosin, w hich regulates the imm une level. The thymus is responsible for the
initiation and maintenance of the immune
response, underlying the importance of the heart chakra’s role in health
maintenance . Thymosin is responsible for the production and programming
of T-cells (a type of white blood cell), which can distinguish between thebody’s own protein and that of foreign origin such as invading germs and
bacteria or genetically mutated cells. When the system identifies such foreign
proteins it can mobilise resources to destroy and remove them. Thymosin is
also involved in the maintenance of T-cell function; malfunction or
maldevelopment of T-cells leads to overwhelming infection or the
uncontrolled multiplication of mutated cells, which may manifest as cancer
or auto-imm une disease or HIV/AIDS . Thyroid gland
The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly or a bowtie and is located across
the front of the upper part of the trachea (windpipe). It is associated with the
vishuddhi (throat) chakra. The thyroid is responsible for the manufacture of
hormones, which are released into the bloodstream to control the rate of
metabolism (the process of oxygen uptake and subsequent production of
energy and hea t within the bod y) in all the other tissues and or gans. While all
other endocrine glands produce their secretions when required, the thyroid
stores within itself almost three months’ supply of its hormones. In most
people thyroid production is controlled within fairly narrow limits, but severe
stress exposure may result in increased production. The vishuddhi chakra,
which is related to communication and self-expression, is easily affected by
emotional stress and bottled emotions, which may have a direct or indirect
effect on the th yroid gland as well as the sacral and heart c hakras. Pineal gland
This small organ (6 mm x 4 mm) lies deep within the brain and appears at
around the 36th day of gestation. It gains maximum development at around
seven years of age and undergoes involution by the age of 14. Pinealocytes ,
the main cells contained in the pineal gland, are responsible for theproduction of melatonin, which regulates sleep and wakefulness in synchrony
with the dark/light cycle. The balance of this delicate rhythm is easily upset
by events such as changing time zones, going on night duty and stress,
causing sleep disturbance . Pinealocytes are necessary for the development
and functioning of gonads , pituitary and thyroids. Although considered to be a part of the brain, the pineal gland is outside
the brain blood barrier and lacks true nerve cells. It is associated with the
sahasrara (cr own) chakra. OceanofPDF .com5
Lymphatic system
As mentioned ear lier, vital ener gy or pranas cir culate in the bod y through the
nervous system, the circulatory system and the nadis. The circulatory system
has two aspects: the blood circulatory system and the lymphatic system. Blood moves through the body in closed vessels, arteries and veins, while
lymph moves via lymphatic vessels, which are like open channels in the body. While the movement of blood is regulated by the pumping of the heart,
lymph movement is mainly due to muscle activity. A sedentary lifestyle
adversely affects our lymphatic flow and makes it sluggish. However, other
factors that affect our lymphatic system adversely are emotional blockages
and stress. We have observed this over a period of time while working with
clients with lymph-related issues. We could establish an interesting
correlation between emotional blockages, lymphatic blockages and chakra
health. The lymphatic system has not been given enough attention by the
medical world, nor has there been any significant study or research to
analyse lymphatic movement and the causes of lymph blockages. Medical
doctors are sometimes clueless in understanding the causes of and treatment
for lymphatic blockages and swollen lymph nodes, which can often be
cleared simply by manual lymph drainage, a technique used by massage
therapists. As explained in the section on vayus (the role of the energy in each
chakra), there are five variants of energy associated with the different
chakras. The energy associated with the swadhisthana (sacral) chakra isvyana vayu, which controls fluid circulation in the body. The swadhisthana
chakra is associated with the water element, an element that represents all
the fluids in the body, including lymph. Therefore, it can be concluded that
the swadhisthana c hakra influences lympha tic flow in the bod y. To understand this concept, we need to understand the lymphatic system
and lymph nodes. In short, lymph is all the interstitial fluid, or the fluid
between the cells. This fluid basically oozes out from the arteries at the
extremities. Our arterial b lood carries oxygen, nutrients and hor mones for all
the cells in the body. To reach the cells at the extremities lymph leaves the
small arteries and flows into the tissues, filling the space between the cells. This fluid delivers its nourishing products to the cells then leaves the cells,
taking with it toxins and waste products. It is composed of 97 per cent water
and almost 3 per cent of white blood corpuscles and lymphocytes. Lymph
contains less proteins and oxygen than blood plasma and doesn’t have any
red corpuscles (erythrocytes). Our lymphatic system is a secondary
circulatory system that supplies nutrients and drains the tissue fluids and
toxins from the tissue spaces . The lympha tic system is mainly r esponsible for the following functions:
◼removing excess fluid and waste products from the interstitial spaces
between the cells
◼aiding the imm une system b y removing and destr oying waste , debris,
dead blood cells, pathogens, toxins and cancer cells
◼absorbing fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the digestive system and
delivering these n utrients to the cells of the bod y. Lymph moves in the interstitial spaces up to the subclavian veins at the
base of the neck. Approximately 70 per cent of these veins are superficialcapillaries located near or just under the skin. The remaining 30 per cent,
which are known as deep lymphatic capillaries , surround most of the body’s
organs.Lymph nodes generally occur in groups at various parts of the body, such
as under the knee, groin or inguinal area under the arm or neck. The task ofthe lymph nodes is to control the lymph transported to it. Every lymph node,
which is only a few millimetres in diameter, consists of lymphatic tissue
enclosed in a co vering of connectiv e tissue. All lymph nodes ha ve the primar y
function of the production of lymphocytes , which help defend the body
against microorganisms and harmful foreign particles and remove debris
from lymph bef ore it is returned to the b loodstream. The major lymph nodes ar e mainly f ound in six ar eas:
◼ Cervical region: nodes in this area are grouped along the lower
border of the jaw, in front of and behind the ears, and deep in the
neck along the larger blood vessels. They drain the skin of the scalp
and face, the tissues of the nasal cavity and the pharynx. This area is
associated with the vishuddhi (thr oat) chakra. ◼ Axillary region: these nodes are in the underarm region and
receive lymph from vessels that drain the arm, the walls of the
thorax, the breast and the upper walls of the abdomen. This area is
associated with the anaha ta (heart) c hakra. ◼ Inguinal region: the nodes in this area receive lymph from the
legs, the outer portion of the genitalia and the lower abdominal wall. This area is under the influence of the swadhisthana (sacral) chakra. The health of these lymph nodes and the health of the sacral chakra
are interrelated as both affect each other. The sacral chakra is the
one that indirectly controls lymphatic circulation as the energy
associated with it, called vyana vayu, regulates fluid circulation in
the body. ◼ Pelvic cavity: the nodes here appear mostly along the paths of the
blood vessels within the pelvic cavity and receive lymph from thelymphatic vessels in the area. This area is also associated with the
swadhisthana and m uladhara (base r oot) chakras. ◼ Abdominal cavity: within this area, nodes occur in chains along
the main branches of the arteries of the intestine and the abdominal
aorta. This area is associated with the manipura (solar plexus)
chakra. ◼ Thoracic cavity: these nodes occur between the lungs and along
the windpipe and bronchi, and receive lymph from this area and
from the internal wall of the thorax. This area is also associated with
the anaha ta (heart) c hakra. The idea tha t ‘our issues ar e in our tissues’ is indeed true , as all emotional
issues get stuck and are stored somewhere in the body. Our minds tend to
forget bitter experiences over time but they remain imbedded somewhere in
the body’s memory. Over the years of our chakra healing practice we have
noticed these issues show up as knots in the muscles in the inguinal area, just
above or below the inguinal lymph nodes; they lead to blockages of the
inguinal nodes. In the same way these emotional blockages may also show up
as knots on the sides of the breast and under the bra line, affecting the heart
chakra and axillar y nodes. Emotional and mental stress and blockages mainly affect the energies
and vibrations of the sacral, heart and throat chakras. Prolonged stress
affecting the energies of these chakras may cause sluggishness and congestion
of lymphatic flow in the inguinal, axillary and sub-mandib ular region. Congestion in inguinal nodes may result in fluid retention and lower back
pain, and may also affect the reproductive organs and lead to menstrual
imbalances , uterine fibr oids, endometriosis and fertility issues .If a person has an inability to express emotions it can affect thyroid
function and lymph circulation in the sub-mandib ular area or the jaw line,
manifesting as congestion on the chin and face. This also affects the lymph
nodes in the front and back of the ears, resulting in problems such as tinnitus
(ringing of the ear s). The sacral chakra has a direct bearing on the heart chakra, since
emotional issues also involve the heart and can affect lymph circulation in
that area. Blockages of the axillary lymph nodes in the underarms may cause
swelling or lumps in the area and lymphatic congestion in the chest area,
leading to mastalgia, fibrocystic breast conditions or even breast cancer. This
aspect of health and the process of disease needs more research and
investigation, which may give us insight into the unexplained causes of
various health pr oblems including cancer . OceanofPDF .com6
Chakra aspects and sym bols
Tantra and eastern yogic systems describe the presence of seven major
chakras between the head and up to the base of the torso that correspond to
the major nerve plexuses in the body, while also acknowledging the presence
of varying numbers of minor chakras all over the body. This part of the body
houses our major organs and glands, and the energy metabolism of these
organs and glands is responsible for chakra formation. Each of the major chakras has two aspects: one on the front of the body,
the ventral aspect, and its counterpart on the back of the body, the dorsal
aspect. These can be considered as the front and rear aspects of the chakras,
and are known as vortices (openings). The muladhara (base root) chakra and
the sahasrara (crown) chakra — the first at the bottom and the last at the
crown — have just one funnel-like opening; they are termed single-vortex
chakras. The other five chakras have front and back openings and are known
as double-vortice chakras. The front or ventral aspect of the chakras is related to feelings, while the
back or dorsal aspect is related to the will. Since the ventral aspect is
associated with feelings it is considered to be highly sensitive, therefore it is
recommended that healing work is performed from the dorsal side of a
client. Self-healing can, however, be done from the front. It is also interesting
to note that at the lower part of the body the muladhara and swadhisthana
chakras are connected a t a T-junction, as ar e the ajna and sahasrara c hakras. In tantra symbolog y, each of the chakras is associated with a symbol that
depicts different aspects and has a spiritual r elevance:◼the number of petals of the lotus f lower
◼colour
◼animal
◼deity
◼yantra, or geometric shape
◼bija mantra. See Chapter 8  for the specific symbol of eac h chakra. In tantra practice each chakra has a specific number of petals denoting
the vibration frequency; the higher the number of petals the finer the
vibration. In Hindu spiritual practices the lotus flower is highly revered and
is used with most of the deities. The lotus plant is considered to be the best
example of spiritual ascension since the plant grows in mud, symbolising
tamas or ignorance; moves up through water, symbolising rajas or endeavour
and aspiration; and eventually reaches out of the water and blooms under
the light of the sun, symbolising sattva or illumination. Thus the lotus
symbolises the evolution of man from the lowest state of awareness (tamas) to
the highest sta te of consciousness (sa ttva). Ancient sages envisioned the chakras as moving energy centres and
assigned particular colours to each one. In their 1988 research, Dr Valerie
Hunt and associates stated that the chakras frequently follow the same colour
patterns as mentioned in tantric and metaph ysical litera ture (see Chapter 2 ). In the chakra system animals are an objective representation symbolising
the psychological meaning of the individual chakra. For instance, in
muladhara the elephant represents stability and memory of previous births. In astrology animals are assigned to various zodiac signs, and Chinese
astrology is also based on animal symbols. Certain chakra healers alsorecommend visualisation of the animals and colours associated with each
chakra to dra w in the healing vibra tions for that chakra. Hindu deities are also assigned to various chakras; they represent the
energy vibrations resonating with a particular chakra. For example, the
elephant god Ganesha is the ruling deity of muladhara, as he represents
Earth energy. Ancient sages recommended praying to him at the beginning
of any religious or spiritual ritual, which is still practised, to help remove
obstacles in the ritual as well as in life. Even the deity’s energy can be drawn
upon by praying to the yantra (sacred geometry drawn according to the
vibrations of the deity). However, the best yantra to pray with is shri yantra,
which has nine inter laced triang les of yin and y ang with a point in the centr e;
this is the point of connection with higher consciousness . Meditating on shri
yantra is recommended, keeping the focus on this point to establish a
connection with higher consciousness . A bija or seed mantra is a single-syllable sound. ‘Bija’ means ‘seed’, and
like tiny seeds they have all the wisdom of a tree. A bija mantra contains
spiritual wisdom; it is the creative force and has the vibrations of a whole
verse (mantra). Each chakra is assigned to a particular bija mantra such as
‘lam’, ‘vam’, ‘ram’, ‘yam’, ‘hum’ or ‘aum/om’. The primordial sound of the
universe, aum has three letters. Chanting ‘a-u-m’ generates two vibrations;
the first aspect in the beginning  produces the sound of ‘aa’, which can be
prolonged as ‘aa … uuuu … nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn . . .’ and ending ‘m’,
which marks the culmination. After that the mouth closes. Chanting ‘aum’
regularly leads us to a medita tive state. During a chakra meditation it is recommended we chant a bija mantra
while keeping focus on the associated chakra, then move our breath
vibrations and energy to the respective chakra point. For detailed guidance
on chakra medita tion see Chapter 9 .Each of the chakras is depicted as a set of lotus petals; for example, the
muladhara (base root) chakra is depicted as a four-petalled lotus, the
swadhisthana (sacral) chakra is depicted as a six-petalled lotus and so on. A
Sanskrit letter is depicted on each of the petals and is associated with the
particular chakra. The Sanskrit language has 50 letters, each of which is
inscribed on each petal of the chakra from the root to the third eye chakra. The last four letters of the alphabet are inscribed on the four petals of the
root chakra. OceanofPDF .com7
Chakra numbers and planets
When a child is conceived in its mother’s womb and starts growing from a
unicellular being to a multicellular one, the first organ to develop is the brain
and particular ly the hypothalam us. At this stage the sahasrara (crown) chakra
opens. The crown chakra is our connection to higher consciousness , and
with its opening our individual consciousness flows in. This consciousness
comes with the complete blueprint of the child to come in this material
world. According to Hindu philosophy this blueprint is based on our past-life
karma and carries information about our destiny in this lifetime. An
astrologer deciphers this blueprint by understanding planetary positions at
the time of birth. Palmists read the lines on the palm, numerologists calculate
birth/life numbers and psychics use their intuition. All these tools and
methods are used to read the map of consciousness , which also proves that
the universe and our psyche are not random or chaotic but that there is a
certain or der and structur e to them. There are hidden numerical patterns that serve as keys for unlocking the
secrets of the psyche. According to numerology, each number is associated
with a particular planet and planetary influences affect our life and also the
chakras. While exploring the fundamentals of form and frequency, the Greek
philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras discovered relationships between
mind and matter. He pointed to the hidden numerical patterns that served as
keys for unlocking the secrets of the psyche, mystically associating numbers
with virtues, colours and many other ideas. Astrologers added to this
knowledge by associating planets to numbers. While assessing chakras over aperiod of time we had been looking for certain common denomina tors to
understand the forces that shape the human psyche and personality, and we
also found the key in numerology. By studying clients’ birth and life path
numbers and the association with a certain planet and their influence on
each chakrawe establish certain patterns and temperamen ts affecting
particular c hakras. We observed that numbers and planets have an influence on a person’s
life and personality that is also reflected in their temperament and attitude
towards life and in turn their chakra energies. For example, the number 1 is
ruled by the sun, which influences the manipura (solar plexus) chakra. Temperamentally , people with the number 1 as their birth or life path
number are over-ambitious in life, over-using their manipura chakra. These
people have signs and symptoms of an overactive manipura chakra and are
prone to conditions such as acid reflux, headaches/migraines, high
cholesterol, hypertension or high blood sugar. In the chart below we have
demonstra ted which numbers and planets have association with each of the
chakras. If a practitioner can figure out the birth and life path numbers, they
should look into the related chakras for imbalances and help the clients
accordingly:
◼ muladhara (base root) chakra: planet Mar s; number 9
◼ swadhisthana (sacral) chakra: planets Venus, moon, Rahu, Ketu;
numbers 2, 4, 6, 7
◼ manipura (solar plexus) chakra: planets J upiter, sun; numbers 1, 3
◼ anahata (heart) chakra: planets Mer cury, Venus; numbers 5, 6
◼ vishuddhi (throat) chakra: planets Mercury, Rahu, Ketu; numbers
4, 5, 7◼ ajna (third eye) chakra: planets J upiter, Saturn; numbers 3, 8
◼ sahasrara (crown) chakra: planet Sa turn; number 8. OceanofPDF .com8
Chakra attributes
In this chapter we have tried to put each aspect and attribute of the
individual chakras in perspective so you can understand the whole picture. We have explained the causes and r esults of imbalances along with the c hoice
of healing tools , mainly in ter ms of essential oils and cr ystals.Muladhara (base root)
Guna: tamas
Element: earth
Vayu: apana
Auric layer: physical/etheric body
Colour: crimson red
Structural representation: four petals
Bija mantra: lam
Developmental age: one to seven years
Main issues: survival, physical needs
Glands: adrenal and gonads
Site: perineum (corresponds to the coccyx)
Sense: smell
Sense organ: nose
Work organ: anus
Animal: elephant
Deity: Ganesha
Number: 9
Planet: Mars
Zodiac sign: Capricorn
Essential oils: jatamansi (Indian spikenard), patchouli, valerian root,
nagarmotha (nutgrass), vetiver, costus root oilsCrystals: coral, jasper, haematite, black/brown/moss agate, red garnet
Traditionally , the subtle body or aura is considered to be formed of seven
layers, each corresponding and sequentially related to a definite chakra. The
first layer of the energy field over our physical body, the etheric body (the
etheric state between energy and matter), is connected to our first chakra or
the muladhara (base r oot) chakra . This layer is associa ted with automa tic and
autonomic functions of the body, as muladhara is associated with physical
functioning and ph ysical sensa tions of feeling , whether it’s pain or pleasur e.Muladhara is the first chakra in the spiritual evolution of man, where a
person goes beyond animal consciousness and starts to be a real human. Located at the perineum (between the anus and the genitals) at the area of
the pelvic plexus, this chakra represents the grounding of a being in the
material world. It represents the will to survive and acts as an energy pump. Within it lies dormant kundalini energy, representing the physical potency
and vitality of the per son in whom it is activ e.
The muladhara chakra represents a person’s basic nature (mool prakriti). It is the manifestation of the individual consciousness into human form. This
chakra is dominant during the first seven years of a child’s life and is
responsible for physical development. During these first seven years a child is
self-centred and highly concerned with their physical survival and security. This is the phase in which an infant grounds itself and adapts to the laws of
the world, learning to regulate patterns of eating, drinking and sleeping and
securing a worldly identity. An imbalance of this chakra during this early
phase of life ma y result in ph ysical problems, deformity or even insecurity . The muladhara chakra is depicted as a four-petalled lotus of a crimson
red colour. Tantric scriptures state that each of the petals has letters written
in gold: ‘vam’, ‘sha’, ‘sham’ and ‘sam’ – the last four letters of the Sanskrit
alphabet. There is a yellow square in the pericarp of the lotus flower, which
symbolises the earth element. The yellow square is supported by an elephant
with seven trunks. The elephant represents strength and solidity, and the
seven trunks denote the seven minerals vital to physical functioning as well as
memories of the past seven lives as the muladhara chakra also carries the
imprints of our past liv es. In the centre of the lotus fire is symbolised by an inverted red triangle; on
top of the triangle is the bija mantra for muladhara, which is lam. Hindu
philosoph y associates Ganesha as the ruling deity for this chakra. Anothername for Ganesha is ‘Ganapati’, Gana being the guardian deity of eight
directions and pati meaning ‘nurturer’; thus Ganapati/Ganesha is the lord of
all directions. Ganesha belongs to Shiva’s family. According to Hindu mythology, he
was created by Shiva’s consort Parvati out of mud and her body dirt. She
invoked life in the boy, called him her son and directed him to guard the
entrance of her home. She instructed him not to allow anyone inside the
house while she was gone for her bath. During this period Shiva returned
home but was not allowed to enter as he was not known to Ganesha. Shiva
tried to reason with Ganesha but Ganesha was adamant; a confrontation
followed and Shiva, out of anger, beheaded the young boy and entered the
house. Later, Parvati made him realise his mistake of beheading their own son
and insisted that Shiva revive the boy. When Shiva agreed to her demand,
the head of the boy disappear ed mysteriously . Shiva sent his soldiers to find
the boy’s head, or any head. The soldiers went to the jungle, found a baby
elephant sleeping with his head towards north and beheaded the elephant
after seeking his permission. This head was then placed on the boy’s
shoulders and life was invoked in the boy again. The boy was named
Ganesha and blessed by all the gods as Pratham Pujya (first worshipped). Since that time in all Hindu rituals and prayers, Ganesha is invoked and
prayed to first. The relevance of the baby elephant being beheaded while sleeping with
its head in the north can be found in fundamental principles of vastu, the
ancient Indian science of structures and dwelling units. According to vastu
shastra, our heads represent the North Pole and our feet the South Pole. When we sleep with our head in the north it causes a disturbance in the
body’s biomagne tic fluids and affects our health, which is why ancient Indianscriptures describe north as the direction of death and recommend not
sleeping with the head towards north. However, from a spiritual point of
view north is the dir ection of the gods , especially the lor d of wealth, Kuber. The muladhara chakra is the core of our physical existence. As our
physical body is the carrier of our soul, we can say our physical body is our
soulmate. As long as we are embodied, our primary responsibil ity is to take
care of the ph ysical bod y. The muladhara chakra represents our grounding in the physical world. According to Ayurveda and tantra, it is associated with the earth element. As
mentioned previously, we are the microcosm of the macrocosm. Mother
Earth represents the macrocosm, which is made up of minerals, metals, flora
and fauna. Our physical body is the microcosm, representing the balance of
minerals, metals, flora and fauna. Any imbalance of these may lead to health
problems; for example, a deficiency of calcium can cause bone problems and
arthritis, an iron deficiency can lead to immune system problems and
magnesium, potassium, zinc and selenium all affect our muscles and physical
body. The source of nourishment of the physical body is the food we eat;
whether the food is vegetarian or non-vegetarian, it all comes from the
Earth. Earth is an important element for the grounding of trees and for human
beings to stay healthy and grounded in life. Grounding actually means to be
focused in whatever activity we are engaged in. When our mind is
preoccupied or drifts to something else and away from the task in hand, we
are prone to making mistakes and will face obstacles in life. Those who are
unstable in life and not able to hold on to jobs and relationships and who
change residences often need grounding. They need to work to strengthen
their muladhara c hakra.Ancient Indian sages were able to visualise chakras and chakra
imbalances , and they suggested simple remedies to correct the imbalances . To strengthen the muladhara chakra they would prescribe a daily bare foot
visit to a pipal or banyan tree (both are renowned for their strong and
healthy roots). They also suggested offering water and walking seven times
around the tree. Some people considered this all to be superstition, but
walking bar e footed on the g round around plants with str ong roots helps with
grounding and str engthening of the r oot chakra. The muladhara c hakra is also associa ted with our sense of smell, the most
primordial and basic of the senses. This chakra is the highest chakra in
animals, which have a very well-developed sense of smell. The vayu or energy associated with this chakra is apana vayu, the energy
of elimination. Physiologically , this chakra is related to elimination processes,
controls the urinary, sexual and reproductive organs, influences large
intestine functions and bowel movement and regulates the adrenals and
gonads. Apana vayu works as a flush valve so that we can control elimination
at will; when we can’t control elimination there is a leakage of this energy
that leads to incontinence or chronic or adrenal fatigue, making us feel weak
and drained. Imbalances and the tools to heal them
Since this chakra governs our physical body it is responsible for everything
about our physical body: skin, hair, the immune and skeletal systems and
accompan ying physical complaints or disease. It is responsible for skin
problems such as allergies, eczema and psoriasis, regenerative powers,
irregular bowel movement and renal system problems, resulting in things
such as brittle bones, frequent illness, delayed recovery from common
ailments, accident proneness, arthritis, constipation, fistula, fissures andhaemorrhoids. Some other related diseases are cancer, leukaemia, sexual
ailments, retarded physical growth and psy chological pr oblems. According to Patanjali, yoga is a system that aligns mind, body and spirit. Hatha yoga exercises are designed to help our physical bodies to stay healthy
and flexible and strengthen our chakras. All light physical exercises have a
soma-psychic effect as they improve breathing and provide us with the ability
to manage mental and emotional stress. Kriya yoga recommends mula
bandha, a pelvic floor exercise similar to Kegel that specifically strengthens
this chakra and helps to contr ol incontinence . The recommended crystals are any that are coloured red, such as red
jasper and red garnet, along with haematite and all black-colour ed stones
such as black tourmaline, black obsidian and black onyx. These all help to
strengthen this c hakra and pr ovide grounding. Aromatherapy essential oils are effective for chakra healing and
activation. To pick the right essential oils for the muladhara chakra, look for
oils that represent earth energy. Since the oils from the roots of the plant
resonate with earth vibrations, they are best suited for this chakra’s healing
and balancing. Jatamansi, or Indian spikenard, was used by Mary
Magdalene to massage Jesus Christ’s feet before the last supper. Other useful
oils to strengthen this c hakra are patchouli, vetiver, valerian toot and angelica
root.Swadhisthana (sacral)
Guna: rajas
Element: water
Vayu: vyana
Auric layer: emotional body
Colour: vermilion orange
Structural representation: six petals
Bija mantra: vam
Developmental age: seven to 14 years
Main issues: emotional balance, sexuality
Gland: gonads
Site: cervix or the sacral plexus in the pubic region
Sense: taste
Sense organ: tongue
Work organ: genitals
Animal: crocodile
Deities: Shakti, Durga
Numbers: 2, 4, 6, 7
Planets: moon, Venus, Rahu, Ketu
Zodiac signs: Cancer, Scorpio
Essential oils: sandalwood, clary sage, cedarwood, ginger, juniper berry, cypress,
jasmineCrystals: carnelian, pearl, mother of pearl, hessonite garnet, orange or honey
calcite, moonstone
The swadhisthana (sacral) chakra is dominant between the ages of seven to
14, the phase of life associated with puberty and preparation of the body,
physically and physiologically , for procreation. This is the period that
sensuality enters in a child’s relationships, allowing them to reach out to
family and friends as a new awareness of the physical body evolves. During
this phase a child also undergoes emotional development, hence it isassociated with our emotional body. This chakra denotes the desire centre of
a being. The Sanskrit word ‘swadhisthan a’ comprises swa, meaning ‘one’s own’,
and adhisthan, meaning ‘dwelling place’; it represents the true nature of a
person. Also, the term swad means ‘taste’, which is the sense associated with
this chakra.
_OceanofPDF.com_Chakras_-_Dr_Ravi_Ratan.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Ether is considered to be the most vital of the five elements, as without
space no movement or circulation is possible. Without circulation everythingwill become so gross that life simply cannot exist. This element is associated
with the vishuddhi (thr oat) chakra. The importance of the five elements in our lives can also be recognised
through the fact that our physical bodies can survive without food (which
nourishes the earth element) for about 21 to 30 days and without water for
seven to 10 days. If our body temperature moves beyond or below the
normal range of temperature we can survive for only a few hours. Air
sustains life; without air we can survive only for a few minutes. This body of
ours is a potential space. Our blood, lymph, breath, food and everything in
the body moves because there is space inside; without the space we will just
be dead. When a person dies all the energies leave the physical body along
with the space, which is why bodies turns rigid. Ayurveda insists on the
balance of the fiv e elements as the f oundation of good health. Nadis
Our bodies ha ve four main systems of distrib uting prana:
◼ The circulatory system: comprising arteries, veins and lymphatic
systems. ◼ The nervous system: including the central, sympathetic and
parasympa thetic nerv ous systems. ◼ The endocrine system: comprising various ductless glands that
regulate body physiology and various aspects and functionings of the
physical bod y through the secr etion of hor mones. ◼ The nadis: the conduits of ener gy in the subtle bod y. The subtle body consists of a channel system of energy known as nadis. The word ‘nadi’ originates from the Sanskrit word nad, meaning ‘mo vement’. According to Rig Veda (sacred text) it also means ‘stream’, although the
literal meaning of nadi is ‘flow’. As part of the circulatory system the physical
body has various streams such as arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels; these
are channels for the flow of consciousness. As both negative and positive
energy flow into the body through a complex circuit like meridians, similarly
consciousness flows into the body through nadis. The ego or ahamkara does
not reside in the ph ysical bod y but in the subtle bod y, and moves in the nadis. When awakened the dormant energy of kundalini also works through the
nadis. According to tantric texts, there are 72,000 nadis (channels) in our body
that are the conduits of pranas. Of these numerous nadis, 10 are significant
and three of those 10 are the most significant; they form the basis of
kundalini tantra. T hese three nadis ar e:
◼ ida (left or lunar nadi), r epresenting the cooling ener gy of the moon
◼ pingala (right or solar nadi), representing the heating energy of the
sun; and
◼ sushumna, which is closely associated with the spine and spinal
cord at the subtle level. Sushumna runs through the centre of the
energetic spine and corresponds to the spinal canal; chakras are
strung upon it like lotuses. Sushumna, considered to be the most important of all of the nadis, starts
at the muladhara (base root) chakra and culminates at the sahasrara (crown)
chakra. From a numerological perspective 7 + 2 + 0 + 0 + 0 adds up to 9, which
in a spiritual sense is considered to be the number of completion. This is why
mala or prayer beads have 108 or 54 beads, both of which add up to 9. Our
physical body has nine openings or doorways through which we experience
the world, and the pranas can enter or leave the physical body from these
doorways. The nine body openings are associated with our sense organs: two
eyes, two nostrils, two ears, the mouth, the anus and the genitals. Most of the
nadis begin or ter minate at these openings. Control of the nadis enables us in turn to control the ego, the mind and
the senses, as the pranas moving with the breath kindle the body’s fire and
are carried to the mind. Nadis move in the body through each and every part, being the subtle
counterpart of the physical flow of nervous energy and blood. They are not
described in terms of structures but rather as conduits or channels. Ida
represents conscious energy and knowing, while pingala is vital and life-
giving; they are roughly translated as mind and body. As we discuss the
polarisation of the individual, mind and body themselves are polarised but
complementar y to each other. Ida represents the moon’s energy and pingala
the energy of the sun. Sushumna, representing the spirit or consciousness, is
supreme and is the c hannel for kundalini shakti. The ancient discipline of swar yoga (the yoga of breath) states that our
temperament and nature change according to the dominance of our
breathing nostrils. At any given time our breath does not come in equal
volume through both nostrils, except for a brief period. Most of the time one
nostril is more active and dominant than other one, and this dominance
alternates between left and right nostrils in a r egular pattern. The left nostril is associated with the ida nadi, which connects with the
right hemispher e of the brain, while the right nostril is associated withpingala nadi, which connects to the left hemispher e of the brain. The
movement of energy through these nadis, from one hemispher e to the other,
happens simultaneously with the change of breath from one nostril to the
other. Therefore, when the right nostril dominates pingala is active and the
left hemisphere dominates. When the left nostril dominates ida is active and
the right hemispher e dominates. When both nostrils operate evenly both
hemispher es operate in unison. When energy concentra tes in the left hemispher e, solar energy is drawn
by the right nostril and a person becomes more active, verbal, intellectual,
extroverted, ambitious, creative and masculine. Conversely, when the right
hemispher e dominates it draws on lunar energy through the left nostril, and
a person is characterised by femininity, passivity, introversion, emotional
responses and orienta tion to sight and sound. The three nadis — ida, pingala and sushumna — start from the
muladhara chakra at the pelvic floor. From here sushumna flows directly
upwards within the central canal to the sahasrara chakra, while ida passes to
the left and pingala to the right, crisscrossing each other at each higher
chakra. Sushumna flows inside the central canal of the spinal cord, while ida and
pingala flow simultaneously on the outer surface of the spinal cord but still
within the bony vertebral column. In human physiology, these two nadis
roughly correspond with the two halves of the autonomous nervous system:
the sympathetic and the parasympa thetic. Pingala coincides with the
sympathetic nerves, which are responsible for stimulation and the
acceleration of activities; it tends to utilise a lot of internal energy. The
sympathetic nerves speed up the heart, dilate the blood vessels, increase the
respiration rate and intensify the ef ficiency of the e yes and ear s and so on. The parasympa thetic nerves directly oppose the sympathetic nerves as
they reduce the heartbeat, constrict the blood vessels and slow the breathing
rate so that a person becomes an introvert. The flow of prana in ida and
pingala is completely involuntary. Basically, the pingala nadi represents the
components of action and controls all of the vital processes, while the ida
nadi represents reception and contr ols all of the mental pr ocesses. Ida can be viewed as the energy within the personality, which is passive,
receptive, feminine, negative and yin. At the physical level, it is dark, cold,
lunar, energy-dissipating, entropic, expansive (centrifugal) and relaxing. It is
emotional, feeling, intuitive and non-discrimina tive, which is also the soma-
psychic aspect of a person where energy is inwardly directed and the body
acts on the mind. Ida controls the feeling centres and sense organs
(gyanendriyas), thereby giving us awareness and knowledge of the world in
which we live. Pingala can be defined as masculine, dynamic, active, positive, yang
energy within our personalities. It has a physical and mental side,
representing light, heat, solar energy, creativity, organisation, focus
(centripetal) and contractiv e. It is psychosomatic energy, and directs the
organs of action (kar mendriyas) outwar ds. It is the basic life-giving ener gy. Our body chemistry, which is reflected in our feelings and temperament,
can be altered easily by changing the breath pattern. One of our gurus used
to say that the entire world population could be divided into two categories
of people: one dominant in the left nostril and the other dominant in the
right nostril. Where the left nostril is dominant the ida nadi is overactive and
draws in more lunar energy, which in turn makes people more emotional by
nature. These people are creative, moody and prone to depression; they are
also prone to having a low body tempera ture and low blood pressure. When the right nostril is dominant the pingala nadi is overactive, which
affects the manipura (solar plexus) chakra. These people draw in more solar
energy and are driven, making them very ambitious in life. They push
themselves and others around them to fulfil their life ambitions, chasing
money, power or authority. They tend to be multi-tasker s, as their minds are
always busy planning too many things at one time. These people are
sometimes not grounded and lose focus on the activity at hand. They tend to
have a high body temperature, may have a heated liver and are prone to
hypertension, high b lood pressure, high blood sugar/diabetes, headaches and
migraines. Yoga and tantra have gone hand in hand to devise exercises to restore the
balance of energies to promote wellness. The imbalance of the ida and
pingala nadis can be restored by practising breathing through alternate
nostrils (anulom vilom). The practices of kundalini yoga are focused on the
awakening of sushumna; once sushumna comes to life a means of
communication between the higher and lower centres of consciousness is
established, which leads to the a wakening of kundalini. Granthis
Tantric scriptures talk about three granthis or psychic knots in the physical
body. These granthis represent the three fundamental principles of energy:
creation, sustenance and dissolution. As mentioned previously, ida, pingala
and sushumna rise from muladhara at the pelvic floor; sushumna flows
directly upwards within the central canal, while ida passes to the left and
pingala passes to the right, crisscrossing at each of the higher chakras. Located at the points of cr ossing over are the three granthis. The granthis, which are basically levels of awareness, are named after the
three Hindu deities forming the trinity: Brahma (the energy of creation),
Vishnu (the energy of sustenance) and Rudra (or Shiva, the energy of
dissolution). Granthis pose as obstacles or barriers, and on the path of raising
the consciousness each aspirant has to cross the barriers. During the process
of kundalini movement and spiritual progress our consciousness moves
through the g ranthis. The brahma granthi is located in the region of muladhara, exactly at
the T junction of the muladhara (base root) and swadhisthana (sacral)
chakras. It is the first crossover point in the path of kundalini awakening. Some tantric scriptures place the brahma granthi in the region of the navel,
as it is also considered to be the knot of samsara (the world of names and
forms). Muladhara is associated with the physical body, with our attachment
to material things, physical pleasures and self-centredness — the world of
maya, or illusion. According to Hinduism, the deity Brahma is the creator of
the universe, so the energy of procreation is also associated with this granthi;
unless this psychic knot is open in both the partners a couple will not be able
to conceive a child, which may explain why some couples are unable to have
children despite ha ving everything right biologically. The brahma granthi is the major obstacle in the spiritual path, creating a
lot of restlessness and distraction of the mind. Until the time our
consciousness stays embedded in tamas (the mundane or gross world) our
mind is trapped; we are ignorant of reality, living in the world of senses or
experiencing lethargy and negativity and acting egocentrically. To overcome
the obstacles associated with brahma granthi an aspirant has to go beyond
the senses and sensory pleasures, and rise beyond tamas. Once the energy
becomes pure and radiant this knot can be untied, which frees the aspirant
from the bondages of a ttachments and selfishness. The vishnu granthi is located at the crossover point of the anahata
(heart) chakra. It is associated with bondages created by attachments,
especially emotional attachments to people and things. In his Yoga Sutras
Patanjali mentioned attachments as being the main source of pain and
suffering. Anahata is mainly associated with devotion, love and faith;
however, our emotional attachments are the main cause of heart chakra
imbalances. When we promote detachment, it doesn’t mean you do not care
for the other person. Consider the difference between empathy and
sympathy. Empathy is a balanced state where you can understand someone’s
pain or suffering while maintaining your own balance. Sympathy is an
imbalance arising from attachment, where we actually feel someone’s pain or
suffering and lose our balance also. These attachments are hindrances to
spiritual progress; only through detachment or vivek (absolute
discrimina tion), knowledge and faith can w e untie this psy chic knot. In ancient India, a spiritual aspirant would forgo family life (grihastha
ashram) and undertake asceticism (sannyasa ashram) by giving up worldly
ties and home life, thereby freeing themselves from the deep ties of
attachment with the family. Such people are known as ‘divij’ (twice born) and
live for their spiritual aspirations only. This is still practised by some seekers
in the Jain religion of India. The rudra granthi is located in the area of the ajna (third eye) chakra. Rudra is another name of Lord Shiva when he is referred to as the lord of
dissolution. The untying of this psychic knot leads to the end of duality and
results in the dissolution of an aspirant’s ego. This granthi is also associated
with attachment to siddhis (psychic powers), which may nurture the ego and
cause a hindrance in spiritual progress. Unless the seeker is willing to
surrender the ego, further spiritual progress will not happen. Hence this
granthi is the point of transcendence wherein time-bound consciousness getsdissolved and a yogi is established into infinity by ascending to the crown
chakra and e xperiences a sta te of bliss. Vayus
The human body has two types of nervous system: sympathetic (sensory or
information) and parasympa thetic (motor). According to tantra, we have two
types of energy reaching every organ of the body: vital/ dynamic (prana
shakti) energy and mental (manas shakti) energy. The vital energy, prana,
flows in the body through the nadis, the conduits of energy. Nerves are part
of the physical bod y, while the nadis ar e part of the subtle bod y. We describe chakras as the energy centres of the body; however, the
energy at each chakra has a different role. In a tantric context each chakra’s
energy is called vayu, though the literal meaning of the word is ‘wind’. This
vital energy has five variants that are responsible for different functions in the
body:
◼ Prana vayu: when we talk of prana, we are talking about the vital
life-giving energy, not just the breath, air or oxygen. This prana
energy is located in the area of the larynx at the top of the
diaphragm and is associated with the heart chakra. It is responsible
for our survival and governs all the functions of the heart and lungs,
along with other activities in the r egion of the heart c hakra including
breathing, swallowing and b lood circulation. ◼ Apana vayu: centred in the pelvic region between the navel and
the perineum, this energy is associated with the muladhara (base
root) chakra. We receive cosmic vibrations and vital pranas through
the sahasrara (crown) chakra. These pranas circulate and feed our
bodies, and the processed pranas are then eliminated through theroot chakra. Apana vayu has a downward flow, regulating all the
elimination processes in the body; it is responsible for the expulsion
of gas, wind, faeces, urine and e ven foetuses at the time of birth. ◼ Vyana vayu: associated with the swadhisthan a (sacral) chakra, this
vital force pervades the whole body and governs the circulatory
system. It regulates the movement of all fluids including blood,
lymph, saliva and menstrual fluid. Emotional blockages affect our
swadhisthana chakra and affect the movement of this energy. This in
turn affects the movement of fluids and particular ly lymphatic fluids,
which may also cause physical or physiological complications in the
body that affect the reproductive organs and glands, causing
lymphatic congestion and f luid retention. ◼ Samana vayu: ‘samana’ means ‘equal’ or ‘balanced’. This energy
is centred in the small intestine between the navel and ribcage, and
provides balance between the two opposite energies of apana and
prana vayu. Associated with the manipura (solar plexus) chakra, it is
here that food is digested, assimilated and converted into nutrition. This energy activates and controls the digestive organs and their
secretions and ensures a balanced distribution of nutrients to each
organ, especially vital or gans, according to their needs. ◼ Udana vayu: ‘udana’ means ‘flight’, as our spoken words fly away
from us. Centred in the throat, this energy controls the sympathetic
and parasympa thetic nervous systems and communication of all
kinds: our will, memory and even exhalation. Blockages of this
energy affect the functioning of the vishuddhi (throat) chakra and
may cause issues r elated to the th yroid. The sensesOur awareness within this body constitutes the waking state of consciousness,
which is made up of 16 components: five sensory organs, five organs of
action, five elements and the mind. The energetic basis or pure form of the
physical body is the subtle body; the subtle body is also composed of 16
components. Within the subtle body exist the seven major chakras, which
have an association with the five senses of smell, taste, sight, touch and
hearing. Smell. Our sense of smell is primordial, the most basic sense. It is associated with the muladhara chakra, wherein we evolve
from animal consciousness to human consciousness. This is the
most developed sense in animals and the one whereby they
recognise their food, mate and medicine. A newborn baby recognises their
mother only from the smell. It is also believed that out of the five senses this
is the only one that transcends from this life to the next life, which is why we
use flowers or incenses to please de parted souls. Taste. The Indian name f or the sacral c hakra, swadhisthana, is
composed of swad, meaning ‘taste’, and sthan, meaning ‘place’
or ‘centre’, so the sense of taste belongs to the sacral chakra. This chakra is the desire centre of our physical bodies, not only
sexual desire but material and all other kinds. When the sacral chakra is
imbalanced we are stuck in our desires, and when our desires are
uncontrollable they lead to addictions. All addictions are the result of an
imbalanced sacral c hakra. Sight. The sense of sight is associated with the solar plexus
chakra, as our optic nerve is under the influence of manipura. Mental stress or poor digestion, both of which are related to
the solar plexus chakra, lead to headaches and migraines and
indicate an imbalance in the chakra. Even anger, the seat of
which is the solar plexus chakra, is visible in our eyes; suppressed anger
shows up as a heated liver. When people develop diabetes or glaucoma their
eyesight is affected, which is again under the influence of the solar plexus
chakra. Touch. We express our love through hugging or holding, touch
being a therapy in itself. The anahata (heart) chakra is the one
associated with love and is also the seat of the healer. We hold
someone when we want to console them, and a loving couple
can express their love of each other by holding hands, with no words
required. Hearing. The vishuddhi (throat) chakra is associated with our
sense of hearing: we speak or express ourselves to be heard. When we are not able to express our emotions easily it results
in blockages of the throat chakra. When the throat chakra is
blocked for a prolonged period it affects our ears and sense of hearing,
resulting in frequent ear problems, earaches, ear infections or ringing of the
ears (tinnitus). The sixth sense: intuition. We all have a certain sense of intuition, which
is connected to our ajna (third eye) chakra. When this sense develops furtheralong with spiritual growth and with a shift in consciousness we
develop clairv oyance. The seventh sense: common sense. Common sense requires awareness. There are
two things we do regularly but are not aware of. The first one is breathing. We all start breathing
from the moment we come into the material world, but we are not conscious
of it. One part of yoga is pranayama, which is completely devoted to
breathing. According to tantra and yoga, our lives are not measured in the
number of days, months or years but in the number of breaths assigned to
each one of us; if we breathe fast we die young. Fast breathing is shallow
breathing, which doesn’t fill our lungs with oxygen and ultimately shows in
the body and its health. The second thing we do unconsciously is rubbing the body, which we all
do almost every day when we bathe or shower. If we rub the body with
awareness it will lead to good health. God has made our body very
intelligently, with all our lymph nodes in the front of the body; we can rub
those areas easily. The only lymph nodes that are towards the back are
behind the knees and in the neck, called occipital nodes, and our hands can
reach those. If we can focus on our lymph nodes when rubbing our bodies
and keep them unblocked and healthy, most health issues such as niggling
aches and pains, fluid retention and so on can be a voided. OceanofPDF. com4
Nervous and endocrine
systems
The chakras represent the activity of our organs and glands: they are the
barometers of our health. Yogic and spiritual practices impact the nerve
plexuses and thus the c hakras. Many people of scientific and y ogic mind ha ve
sought to understand and explain the physical and psychic aspects of
kundalini and the chakras; in particular Dr J. K. Sarkar, who in his paper
‘Anatomical and Physiological Basis of Raja Yoga’ tried to explain the
working of chakras thr ough the nerv ous and endocrine systems. The human nervous system is composed of two parts: the central (or
somatic) nervous system (CNS), which is responsible for voluntary actions,
and the autonomic nerv ous system (ANS), w hich is independent of our will. The CNS involves the brain and all its divisions within the skull,
including the cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalam us, pituitary, pineal body,
mid-brain, cerebellum, pons and medulla oblongata and the whole length of
the spinal column. The CNS sends and receives nerve impulses to and from
the entire body and its periphery with the help of 43 pairs of nerves arising
from the brain and spinal cord. The higher centres for thinking, hearing,
seeing, movement and so on are located in the different areas of the cerebral
cortex. The four ventricles or cavities of the brain and the narrow canal in
the spinal cord contain a fluid called cerebrospinal fluid, which flows in a
continuous stream. The ANS controls the activities of the internal organs and consists of two
divisions: sympathetic and parasympa thetic. Parasympa thetic nerves arisefrom the brain and from the lower part of the spinal cord. Their actions are
usually localised, such as slowing of the heart rate, and help to conserve body
energy. The sympathetic system consists of nerves arising from the middle
part of the spinal cord, forming two long trunks on the two sides of the spine
and extending fr om the base of the skull to the coccyx. The two sympathetic trunks contain several ganglions (congregation of
nerve cells) that meet terminally at a small ganglion called the ganglion
impar, which is located in front of the coccyx. Sympathetic nerves arising
from the ganglia on these two trunks form various nerve plexuses (networks
of fine nerves) on their way to different body organs such as the uterus,
intestine and heart. The reactions of sympathetic nerves are mass reactions
such as a constriction of arteries, acceleration of heart rate and slowing of
gastric movement. Sushumna is the central canal of the spinal cord; it continues into the
cavities of the brain and is in direct contact with the hypothalam us and
pineal gland. The spinal cord lies only in the upper two-thirds of the
vertebral column. In the lower third of the spine it tapers off abruptly into a
conical extremity. From the apex to this conical extremity a delicate non-
nervous filament called the filum terminale descends to the coccyx, the
lowest bone of the vertebral column. The lower part of the filum terminale is
in the vicinity of the inferior hypogastric plexus. There are various other
autonomic nerve plexuses situated on the two sides of the vertebral column;
these are the lotuses associated with our chakras. The suggested anatomical
sites for the chakra lotuses ar e as follows:
◼ muladhara (base root) chakra: inferior h ypogastric (pelvic) ple xus
◼ swadhisthana (sacral) chakra: superior h ypogastric plexus◼ manipura (solar plexus) chakra: coeliac or solar ple xus
◼ anahata (heart) chakra: car diac plexus
◼ vishuddhi (throat) chakra: plexuses connecting the superior, middle
and inferior cervical g anglia
◼ ajna (third eye) chakra: inter nal carotid plexus
◼ sahasrara (crown) chakra: pineal bod y. Glands of the endocrine system
The holistic approach to health fully acknowledges the integration of mind
and body; the well-being of one depends on the good health of the other. Human bodies consist of two kinds of glands: exocrine and endocrine. Exocrine glands are the glands that release their secretions through ducts
such as the liver and gall bladder. Endocrine glands do not have ducts and
release their secretions, known as hormones, directly into the bloodstream. These glands are responsible for our bodies’ physiological functioning. The
hormones secreted by the endocrine glands are chemical messenger s, and
together with the autonomic nervous system they maintain the parameter s
for optimum growth. Since the nervous and endocrine systems are
interconnected, then functionally an imbalance in one will af fect the other. Each of the seven main chakras is associated with a particular endocrine
gland. Chakra health is affected by the functioning of the endocrine glands
and vice versa: any imbalance  in the chakras may affect the associated
endocrine g land, manifesting in ter ms of physical or ph ysiological symptoms. The hypothalamus gland
The hypothalamus gland is a small region of the brain that activates and
regulates that part of the nervous system responsible for controllinginvoluntary body functions, the hormonal system and many other body
functions such as sleep regulation, body temperature and appetite. With
complex interconnections with the cerebral cortex and the other parts of the
brain that are little understood, it links emotions with the body’s autonomic
nervous system. It is r egulated by the ajna (thir d eye) chakra. The pituitary gland
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized structure that looks like an upside-do wn
mushroom; it hangs by a stalk from the undersurface of the brain. This vital
gland influences growth and metabolism and stimulates the activities of other
glands. It orchestrates the secretion of hormones from other endocrine
glands by producing a range of controller hormones such as human growth
hormone, follicle-stim ulating hormone, prolactin and thyroid-stimulating
hormones (vasopressin and oxytocin). The hypothalam us gland controls the
pituitary gland and indir ectly master minds its or chestration. The pituitary gland has two lobes — anterior and posterior — that
release a wide range of different hormones, including those responsible for
contractions during childbirth and those that regulate the release of breast
milk by a nursing mother. It is interesting to note that the intuition of a
mother is at its peak while nursing. The process of nursing and intuition are
also associa ted with the thir d eye chakra. Adrenal glands
The adrenal glands are attached to the top of each kidney. They are
associated with the muladhara (base root) chakra. Each of the adrenals has
two parts: an outer corte x and an inner medulla. In response to the release of adrenocorticotr opic hormone (ACTH,
which stimulates the release of cortisol) from the pituitary gland, the cortexsecretes a number of steroid hormones that directly affect
the balance of salt, water and glucose in the body. Cortisol is usually secreted by the adrenal cortex and
affects glucose metabolism according to our daily sleep
and wake cycle; its concentra tion in the blood is much
higher during the day than it is at night. During a stress
response, cortisol secretion rises in proportion to the
degree of stress; this is mor e marked when the str ess arises
from physical injury. Cortisol increases the concentra tion
of glucose in our body by breaking down proteins, fats
and carbohydrates. As a result, stress increases the level of
blood sugar, an appropriate response to acute stress to
ensure adequate energy supply for both the brain and
skeletal m uscles at a time w hen immedia te physical activity ma y be required. Besides ACTH, the pituitary produces endorphins and other related
compounds. The precise mode of operation of these compounds is still not
completely clear; however, it is assumed their pain-relieving properties, along
with other postulated effects on mood and perception, may combine to allow
life-saving exertions by a person despite serious injury, which is similar to acts
of heroism in extreme danger situa tions. The adrenal medulla is intimately associated with the sympathetic
nervous system. Its main secretion — adrenaline — is related to
noradrenaline, one of the most important neurotransmitter s of the
sympathetic system. Adrenaline secretion is initiated by direct stimulation of
the adrenal medulla b y the sympa thetic nerv es. Exposure to a stressor produces an immediate increase in sympathetic
nerve activity, which in turn results in the release of significant quantities of
adrenaline from the adrenal medulla into the bloodstream, therebypreparing the body for fight or flight. Once this hormone is released into the
blood it can quickly permeate the tissues of the body, augmenting the activity
of sympathetic nerv es. The effects of this ar e well known: increased heart ra te
and breathing rate, palpitation, trembling, hair rising and so on. Along with
these predominantly physical responses, the feedback to the brain arouses an
emotional response to stress that is normally manifested as some degree of
fearfulness and anxiety, therefore impacting the base root, solar plexus and
heart chakras. Gonads
The gonads, including testes and ovaries, are associated with the muladhara
(base root) and swadhisthana (sacral) chakras. The physical aspect of sex and
sexuality is connected with muladhara, while the physiological aspect is
connected to swadhisthana. Adrenal fatigue or depletion of physical energy
affects physical relationships. The gonads play an important role as hormone-producing endocrine
organs, responsible for producing sperm and egg cells. The manufacture and
release of sex hormones in both the sexes during reproductive life is
controlled by the hypothalam us and pituitary glands, in much the same way
they control other endocrine organs. Acute and chronic emotional stress can
affect the balance of the female reproductive system, leading to hormonal
imbalances and irregularities of the menstrual cycle along with a disturbance
or inhibition of ovulation. This is quite common in the presence of both
physical and emotional stressors. Men are also affected by emotional and
physical stress, which can lead to common sexual dysfunction such as
difficulties with erection and premature ejaculation and sometimes affect
sperm production, causing infertility. Pancreas
Most of the pancreas is non-endocrine in nature, being concerned with
producing digestive juices for the gut. Its function is regulated by the
manipura (solar ple xus) chakra. The pancreas is situa ted behind the stomac h. Embedded within the bulk of its tissue lie numerous clusters of endocrine
cells called islets of Langerhans that secrete insulin and glucagon, two
substances with essentially complementar y actions in the maintenance of
normal glucose levels. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels by encouraging body
cells to absorb more glucose, and raises blood sugar levels by mobilising the
sizeable store of carbohydrates present in the liver and converting it to
glucose. Thymus gland
The thymus gland, which is regulated by the
anahata (heart) chakra, is called a gland
although it is now accepted that its primary
function is regulatory, mainly for the immune
system. It is most active before birth and
during early life, after which it reduces in size. Despite its size in adult life it continues to
secrete significant volumes of the hormone
thymosin, w hich regulates the imm une level. The thymus is responsible for the
initiation and maintenance of the immune
response, underlying the importance of the heart chakra’s role in health
maintenance. Thymosin is responsible for the production and programming
of T-cells (a type of white blood cell), which can distinguish between thebody’s own protein and that of foreign origin such as invading germs and
bacteria or genetically mutated cells. When the system identifies such foreign
proteins it can mobilise resources to destroy and remove them. Thymosin is
also involved in the maintenance of T-cell function; malfunction or
maldevelopment of T-cells leads to overwhelming infection or the
uncontrolled multiplication of mutated cells, which may manifest as cancer
or auto-imm une disease or HIV/AIDS. Thyroid gland
The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly or a bowtie and is located across
the front of the upper part of the trachea (windpipe). It is associated with the
vishuddhi (throat) chakra. The thyroid is responsible for the manufacture of
hormones, which are released into the bloodstream to control the rate of
metabolism (the process of oxygen uptake and subsequent production of
energy and hea t within the bod y) in all the other tissues and or gans. While all
other endocrine glands produce their secretions when required, the thyroid
stores within itself almost three months’ supply of its hormones. In most
people thyroid production is controlled within fairly narrow limits, but severe
stress exposure may result in increased production. The vishuddhi chakra,
which is related to communication and self-expression, is easily affected by
emotional stress and bottled emotions, which may have a direct or indirect
effect on the th yroid gland as well as the sacral and heart c hakras. Pineal gland
This small organ (6 mm x 4 mm) lies deep within the brain and appears at
around the 36th day of gestation. It gains maximum development at around
seven years of age and undergoes involution by the age of 14. Pinealocytes,
the main cells contained in the pineal gland, are responsible for theproduction of melatonin, which regulates sleep and wakefulness in synchrony
with the dark/light cycle. The balance of this delicate rhythm is easily upset
by events such as changing time zones, going on night duty and stress,
causing sleep disturbance. Pinealocytes are necessary for the development
and functioning of gonads, pituitary and thyroids. Although considered to be a part of the brain, the pineal gland is outside
the brain blood barrier and lacks true nerve cells. It is associated with the
sahasrara (cr own) chakra.
Ether
What is considered the most vital of the five elements?
The vishuddhi (throat) chakra
What is associated with the vishuddhi chakra?
To restore the balance of energies and promote wellness
What is the purpose of the practices in yoga and tantra?
To regulate the production of hormones and other bodily functions
What is the role of the pituitary gland?
To represent the activity of our organs and glands, and to maintain the balance of the five elements
What is the purpose of the chakras in the human body?