LETS BEGIN

These first steps should be done before each meditation for whichever chakra you are intent on working. Now I will tell you the way that this was taught to me & you may use this first step or discard it as you will. I prefer to take a nice, long cleansing bath in scented water before beginning this meditation. It helps to make me relax & I am a very difficult person to get into a state of relaxation & visualization. The water & feeling of cleanliness, the aroma, they all aid me in beginning, but if you wish to skip this step, you may. You may be able to relax & continue without it. As I leave the bath, I generally wrap up in a nice large robe & use this as my attire for meditation. Now on to the next step, or possibly, your first.

Your surroundings can be extremely important.You should choose a place that you feel safe & calm in. Quiet. Distractions do not help while meditating or visualizing. Avoid them. Now first find this place to meditate in & a comfortable position in which to do so, preferably in a sitting position, back straight. Now we begin:
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Location:The Root Chakra is located at the base of the spine. (Gonads). Element/Fire; Color/Red; Gemstone/Garnet, Ruby. Keywords: Survival, physical energy,grounding.

Now we begin working on the Muladhara chakra. Close your eyes and breathe deeply through your nose, inhaling and exhaling continuously. There should be no interruptions in between each breath. Inhale should naturally follow exhale & vice versa. You should begin to feel yourself relax bit by bit. Go slowly, exhaling, inhaling and let yourself become fully aware of your body. Now focus your attention on your first chakra at the base of your spine. Then begin breathing in and out from your first chakra.

On every inhalation, visualize that your breath does not stop filling up in the lungs but that it continues filling up & flowing all the way down to the base of your spine. Without interruption, no jerky stop/start breaths, between inhalation and exhalation, breathe out naturally through your nose. On each exhalation feel the energy at the base of your spine growing rapidly stronger. The energy wil feel like an intensive heat which will become more powerful with each exhalation. The stronger it grows, the warmer it feels. Now visualize this energy as a flaming, red ball of fire, glowing, full of energy. Continue visualizing the energy growing stronger for several more minutes. Now focus carefully and move your consciousness downward, all the way down until it reaches the base of your spine and becomes centered in the red ball of energy. Become the ball of energy. You and the energy are one now. Feel yourself as this tremendous energy being drawn downward into the Earth.

As you do this, pay attention to how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally. For some of you there will be a profound change, while with others it will be more subtle & become stronger with time. Some of you may experience imagery associated with the Earth, the cycles of life, death and rebirth. Some have said that they experienced feelings of kinship and rapport with other life forms, feelings of security and belonging associated with Mother Earth.

After a time when you feel ready , take a final cleansing breath through your nose, a very deep breath, and slowly allow your breathing to return to normal, releasing the ball of energy at the base of your spine and the imagery associated with the first chakra. Then mentally return to the room and relax.
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Location: Lower abdomen. (Lymphatic). Element/Water; Color/Orange; Gemstone/Carnelian, aquamarine. Keywords: Emotions, pride, sexual desire.

Now we begin working on the SVADHISTHANA chakra. Close your eyes and breathe deeply through your nose, inhaling and exhaling continuously. There should be no interruptions in between each breath. Inhale should naturally follow exhale & vice versa. You should begin to feel yourself relax bit by bit. Go slowly, exhaling, inhaling and let yourself become fully aware of your body. Now focus your attention on your first chakra at the base of your spine. Then begin breathing in and out from your first chakra.

Now focus your attention on your second chakra, right above your sexual organs. On each inhalation, feel the energy centered in your sexual organs increase in intensity. The energy will feel like an intensive heat which will become more powerful with each exhalation. The stronger it grows, the warmer it feels. Now visualize this energy as a bright orange ball, radiant & glowing, full of energy.

Continue visualizing the energy growing stronger for several more minutes. Now focus carefully and move your consciousness downward, all the way down until it reaches a point just above your sexual organs and now focus & feel your consciousness centered in that ball of energy. Become the ball of energy. You and the energy are one now. Feel yourself as this tremendous energy being drawn into the outer environment.

As you do this, pay attention to how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally. You may feel bursts of energy running up and down your spine or throughout your entire body. These are called Kriyas in Sanskrit. They are normal & should be enjoyed. They may feel like warm bursts of energy, or vibrations flowing through your body. This means that your energy flow has increased.

As you experience the changes, pay attention & observe them, but don't attempt to influence them. Soon, you may begin to experience imagery associated with the second chakra. It might be sexual at first or could be creative. After a time when you feel ready , take a final cleansing breath through your nose, a very deep breath, and slowly allow your breathing to return to normal, releasing the ball of energy at the base by the second chakra and mentally return to the room and relax.
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Location: Solar plexus. (Adrenal or splenic). Element/Air; Color/Yellow; Gemstone/Topaz peridot; Keywords: Personal power, self-confidence, strength.

Now we begin working on the Manipura chakra. Close your eyes and breathe deeply through your nose, inhaling and exhaling continuously. There should be no interruptions in between each breath. Inhale should naturally follow exhale & vice versa. You should begin to feel yourself relax bit by bit. Go slowly, exhaling, inhaling and let yourself become fully aware of your body. Now focus your attention on your your third chakra located just below the breastbone and begin breathing in and out from it. On each inhalation you will feel the energy in the solar plexus growing stronger. As the energy grows stronger, visualize it as a ball of bright yellow energy. Next, feel your consciousness moving downward until it becomes centered in the ball of energy. As it does you will feel a sense of lightness, water-like fluidity. Now you will become the ball of energy and feel yourself radiating outward from it, from your body first and then into the outer environment.

You may feel a profound empathy that will permit you to feel compassion for the pain and suffering of others as well as for yourself. Immerse yourself in these feelings and let them continue flowing throughout your body. After you feel that time has been sufficient, inhale deeply through your nose and let your breathing return to normal, release the ball of energy from your third chakra and also the imagery associated with it. Now mentally return to the room and relax.
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Location: Heart. (Thymus). Element/Earth; Color/Green; Gemstone/ & Pink/Adventurine,Emerald. Keywords: Love, self-love, harmony, compassion.

Now we begin working on the ANAHATA chakra. Close your eyes and breathe deeply through your nose, inhaling and exhaling continuously. There should be no interruptions in between each breath. Inhale should naturally follow exhale & vice versa. You should begin to feel yourself relax bit by bit. Go slowly, exhaling, inhaling and let yourself become fully aware of your body.

Now focus your attention on your fourth chakra at the center of breastbone. Then point your breath to your fourth chakra. Each time you inhale, feel the energy centered in your heart chakra growing stronger. As it flourishes, getting stronger & stronger, visualize the energy there as a ball of emerald green light. Feel your consciousness flowing downward until it reaches a point at the center of your chest and then visualize and feel your consciousness centered in the ball of energy. Then you become the ball of energy and feel yourself radiate outward from that center through your body and then into the outer environment.

Feel the love which radiates through the heart chakra. Visualize it getting stronger and brighter. Now pay attention to how you feel physically, emotionally and mentally.

You should experiance a warmth that pulsates rhythmically from your heart and flows throughout your whole body, filling it from top to bottom.

After a time when you feel ready , take a final cleansing breath through your nose, a very deep breath, and slowly allow your breathing to return to normal, releasing the ball of energy at the base of your spine and the imagery associated with this fifth chakra. Then mentally return to the room and relax.
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