The Chakras

In classical Hindu yoga, it is thought that prana (life force) flows through the body via a network of very fine channels called nadis. This network of channels, which may or may not have an exact set of physiological correlates, is referred to in yoga (and in many other systems) as the subtle body. The principal nadi (the sushumna) runs from the base of the spine to the interior of the cranium, passing through various psychophysical centers called chakras. Inside the sushumna is a finer channel called the vajra. Inside the vajra is the chitrini, which is said to be as thin as a thousandth of a hair. On the chitrini are the chakras. The chakras (literally “wheels’ or “lotuses”) may be thought of as resonance nodes or vortexes acting as storehouses of vital energy (though it is probably more accurate to say that they are tuned to the oceans of energies which surround us constantly).

There are said to be 72,000 different nadis in the human subtle body. Twenty-four of these are considered principal channels. Of the twenty-four principal channels, ten are connected to parts of the body above the navel, ten are connected to parts of the body below the navel, and one pair branches to each side of the body. These ten nadis are thought to be particularly important:

Name of Nadi	Begins	Ends
Ida	Base of spine	Left nostril
Pingala	Base of spine	Right nostril
Sushumna	Base of spine	Center top of head (“Cave of Brahma”)
Gandhari	Center of gravity	Left eye
Hastijihva	Center of gravity	Right eye
Pusha	Center of gravity	Right ear
Yashasvini	Center of gravity	Left ear
Alambusha	Center of gravity	Mouth
Kuhu	Center of gravity	Genitals
Shankini	Center of gravity	Anus

Some sorces view each of the “petals” of the chakra diagrams (and the Sanskrit letters associated with the petals) as representing a nadi. The student may find it beneficial to compare the yogic concept of nadis wit the Chinese concept of acupuncture meridians.

Two main nadis, called theida and the pingala, coil in two spirals around the sushumna (the spine). Beginning at the muladhara chakra (at the base of the spine), the ida (coiling counterclockwise) and the pingala (coiling clockwise) twist upwards around each chakra until they reach the ajna (the brow center). (This produces a structure resembling the caduceus of Mercury, which is remarkably appropriate.) From the ajna, they descend to each nostril, the left nostril being connected to the ida and right nostril being connected to the pingala. These nadis draw prana (vital energy) from the air through the nostrils (and the maxillary bone of the nose), which is why alternate nostril breathing is considered so important to pranayama. The ida and the pingala manifest in the physical body as the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, respectively. The ida is associated with the left side of the body and is sometimes called the Moon Channel. The pingala is associated with right side of the body and is sometimes referred to as the Sun Channel.

The energies of the chakras are primarily dormant until activated by kundalini (literally “fire-serpent”), an evolutionary, transformative force thought to be equivalent to Crowley’s “magickal current” and Bulwer-Lytton’s “vril”. The kundalini serpent is very similar to the phoenix in its associations: regeneration, rebirth, and the transformative power of spiritual Fire. The concept of raising the kundalini from chakra to chakra can be compared to the stages of the Great Work described by Western alchemists. The techniques of kundalini (or laya) yoga and Western sexual magick are intended to awaken the kundalini and lead it up the sushumna. As it rises, the kundalini balances and revivifies the chakras, gradually opening the practitioner to greater and greater levels (or quanta) of awareness. This inner initiation is thought to confer powers (called siddhis in classical yoga). These “Powers” are said to range from feats of biological wizardry (such as holding one’s breath while buried for a couple of days) to clairvoyance, telepathy, telekinesis, and becoming invisible. The claims continue ad infinitum, but are down played by most teachers and adepts, who seem to view siddhis as mere signposts along the Path. In fact many teachers consider siddhis distractions liable to inflate the ego. (The Zen roshis tend to tell students that all such powers are sent by demons. This is not done out of superstition, but because the desire for power and abilities can be a serious obstacle to the seeker.) The practitioner achieves transcendent illumination when the kundalini is raised to the crown center, the sahasrara chakra.

In the Hindu system, each chakra is thought to be intrinsically connected with a color, a geometric form, and inherent sound or mantra, a nerve plexus, a glandular system, a male and female pair of deities, among other things. In addition, most of the asanas and breathing patterns of hatha yoga are designed to cleanse, tune, or energize specific chakras and nadis. These physical practices are thought to be essential to safely raising kundalini. If the subtle body has too many “impurities” (usually called blocks), the kundalini attempts to burn them away on its path upwards. Depending on how much resistance is encountered, the kundalini may cause sever mental or physical effects as it cleanses the impurities. This is the reason that so many sources warn students against practicing the faster, more artificial ways of raising the kundalini (such as use of drugs), since these methods might cause the kundalini to ascend beyond the student’s level of awareness. Each chakra opened represents a new level of energy and power, requiring increased awareness in order to safely channel the increased energy.

Different schools of yoga describe the chakras with considerable variation. Most systems contain the seven chakras as described here, but some sources also name additional chakras (or subchakras) near the base of the spine and/or in the head. Much of this depends on one’s definition of a chakra. In some cases, a chakra is anything that appears as a nexus of subtle energies in the body when viewed by astral or clairvoyant sight. For example, Crowley describes investigating three lower subchakras in this excerpt from his correspondence with a “ Brother Keefra”:

It appears that a special set of nadis feed the Muladhara lotus as if it had three roots. The source of these roots is in the centers tou mentioned. But they are not lotuses of the same order as the sacred Seven. For on thing, they are not protected by the spine, and do not enter into that symbolism.
From a passage quoted in The Magical Revival by Kenneth Grant

Many variations in doctrine exist, both in the number and nature of chakras, and in their descriptions and associations. The attributions presented here are merely a cross-section of the most prevalent.

Exercises

Chakra Reference Table