Info on the specific chakras taken from: The Castle of the Wiccan Realm Newsletter Vol. 1, Issue No. 17 at http://members.theglobe.com/Katherina2/newsletters.html
Other info taken from: Jenn Knight's Wicca Page.
1) The Major Chakras:
The major chakras are situated at:
1) Master: Base Chakra (base of spine, between anus and genitals)
Sanskrit Name: Muladhara, which means "root and base" or "support".
Element: Earth
Color: Red
Deities: Gaia, Demeter, Persephone, Erishkagel, Ana, Ceres, Cerridwen, Geb,
Hades, Pwyll, Brahma, Dakini.
Stones: Clear quartz, Smoky quartz, Bismuth, Epidote, Fluorite, Hematite, Tan
Jasper, Mugglestone, Obsidian, Black Tourmaline.
***Note*** When working with any stones remember, Cleansing, personalizing.
Also when you start working with a stone in meditation, start off with short
periods of time, so that you can get the feel of the stone. If at ever you
feel uncomfortable with a stone then don't use it, select one other. Don't let
others touch your stones.
Function: Survival, stability and grounding.
Body Parts: Legs, feet, bones and the large intestine.
Gland: Adrenals.
When this chakra is out of balance symptoms may arise such as physical:
obesity, constipation, hemorrhoids and sciatica or psychological such as grief,
depression and instability.
Working with this chakra has wonderful benefits such as grounding,
learning to let go, integration of joy and sorrow, taking responsibility for your
own life and trusting your own development on all levels,
physical/emotional/spiritual.
The root chakra responds to earthy tribal music such as drumming and
chanting.
When this chakra begins to awaken there may be sudden awareness, such as
trapped or buried memories, the releasing of emotional issues that have been
repressed. You may experience an on set of dreaming and visions during
meditation.
This is the beginning of letting your energy flow as it is meant to flow.
Work with this chakra by meditating on it, you can associate it to an earth
deity. Remember to ground yourself, see the grounding coil coming from your
Root chakra spiraling down to the very core of the earth and holding firmly.
This is also good for disbursing negative energies back to mother earth
where she may absorb them and return them as positive energies.
2. Spleen Chakra (slightly below the belly button)
Sanskrit Name: Svadisthana, meaning "sweetness" or one's own abode.
Element: Water
Color: Orange
Deities: Vishnu, Rakini.
Stones: Agate Botswana, Aqua/Beryl, Aquamarine, Aventurine, Bismuth, Jade,
Lepidolite, Staurolite, Zircon.
Inner State: Well being and self-confidence.
Function: Sexuality, procreation, pleasure and creativity.
Body Parts: Womb, kidneys, reproductive system, circulation system and the
bladder.
Gland: Ovaries and Testicles.
When this chakra is out of balance the following may arise: on the
physical...frigidity, impotence, uterine, bladder or kidney trouble.
Sacral plexus Chakra is located very close to the Root Chakra and some
functions are shared.
The life energies that generate through the 2nd chakra move up into the
higher chakras. Its bright color indicates the impulses, desires and ideas
motivated are stimulating to the mind.
Water symbolizes purification, ritual bathing, sanctified water.
This 2nd chakra is assigned both water and lunar symbols. The moon is a
powerful symbol of the collective unconscious and depths of the
subconscious mind. It is also associated with the astral level. The moon is
connected with all waters.
When this chakra awakens it increases powers of intuition and psychic
abilities also awareness of the astral form.
Awaken this chakra can give temporary instability to the sex drive, either
positively or negatively, it is only until the energies stabilize and settle down.
When the chakra is balanced there will be a sense of self-confidence and
creativity. It is common for dreams with water to begin.
When meditating on this chakra you should focus on the element of water.
See stones above.
If you have sensual flowing music such as belly-dancing music...there is power
in this music for this chakra to release the energies.
3. Solar Plexus Chakra (1 hand-span above the belly button)
Sanskrit Name: Manipura, meaning city of jewels or lustrous gem.
Element: Fire
Color: Yellow
Deities: Rudra, Lakini, Apollo, Agni
Stones: Clear crystal quartz, Botswana Agate, Angelite, Boji Stone,
Danburite, Fuchsite, Tan Jasper and Celedine Jasper, Lepidolite,
Obsidian, Snow Quartz, Rhyolite, Yellow/Gold Topaz.
Inner State: Intense emotion: laughter, anger and joy.
Function: Will and power.
Body Parts: Digestive system, spleen, stomach, liver and small intestine.
Gland: Pancreas.
When the 3rd chakra is out of balance the following may arise:
diabetes, eating disorders like bulimia or anorexia, ulcers and hypoglycemia.
A note about this chakra; This chakra is like the generator of the life force
energies. It is the storage room of our raw emotions. If these emotions are
repressed they block the flow of energy to rise. It is said that anger can
remain trapped here for many years.
Meditate one this chakra by focusing on the element fire. you may wish to
visualize a radiate sun above you and its rays beaming down upon your solar
plexus chakra, absorbing the suns life fire.
Balancing this chakra one may expect to achieve the abilities to overcome
fears, achieve personal goals, act from joy and experience self-awareness,
balance within and acquire patience.
This chakra responds well to music that expresses emotional release.
Perhaps a soft instrumental that builds to a climax or just the reverse.
4. Master: Heart Chakra (centre of the chest)
Sanskrit Name: Anahata, meaning "unstruck" or "unbeaten".
Element: Air
Color: Green
Deities: Isa and Kakini
Stones: Clear quartz, Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Prehnite, Rhodochrosite.
Inner State: Compassion, love.
Function: Love
Body Parts: Lungs, heart, arms and hands.
Gland: Thymus
When out of balance one may experience Asthma, heart disease, lung
disease or blood pressure problems.
The process for awakening this chakra is to empty the heart of selfish
desires and prepare for transformation into a abundance of selfless love
(unconditional love). A constant flow of divine love.
The heart chakra is not easily fully awaked. To awaken this chakra, one must
rid them self of limited views of reality. These limited views obstruct the flow
of love. Once the chakra is awakened one will notice changes which are all
related to this chakra.
1. An increased sense of touch.
2. An increased sensitivity to energies of others.
3. An awareness of others areas of disruption or disease.
4. Being drawn towards healing of self and others. When this chakra is
open and balanced there is the wondrous ability to give and receive.
5. One will be aware of increased sense of compassion that becomes a
natural state of being.
Meditation on the element of air, free flow, no limits, no restrictions. I
recommend using the Rose Quartz stone for this chakra. Use music that evokes
the power to melt the heart like the natural sounds of whales and dolphins.
5. Throat Chakra (base of throat, above where it joins the chest)
Sanskrit Name: Vishuddi, meaning "to purify".
Element: Akasa (spirit) (the 5th element)
Color: Bright blue
Stones: Clear quartz, Aquamarine, Blue Calcite, Celestite, Chrysoprase,
Jade, Kyanite, Labradorite, Lepidolite, Blue Topaz, Vegosite.
Deities: Sadasiva, Sakini.
Inner State: Intuition
Function: Creativity and communication.
Body Parts: Neck and shoulders.
Glands: Thyroid and the parathyroid.
When out of balance the following may occur: thyroid problems, swollen
glands, colds and sore throats.
This chakra represents our power of verbal communication, our voice
transmits emotions, information and subtle meanings. Sound is vibration energy.
The awakening of this chakra also attunes our inner hearing and brings
telepathy into consciousness.
When this chakra is opened and balanced one experiences the power of
creativity and communication leading to an awareness of new dimension of
comprehension.
Meditate on this chakra, focusing on spirit. Music for this chakra is sacred
chanting or choirs.
6. Brow Chakra (exact centre of forehead)
Sanskrit Name: Ajna, meaning "to know, to perceive or to command".
Element: There is no element.
Color: Indigo
Stones: Clear quartz, Blue Agate, Leopard Skin Agate, Amethyst,
Azurite, Bismuth, Hematite, Jade, Lepidolite.
Deities: Paramasiva and Sakti Hakini
Inner State: Self-mastery
Function: Direct perception
Body Parts: Eyes, two hemispheres of the brain.
Gland: Pituitary
When out of balance the following may occur: Headaches, nightmares,
defects of vision.
This chakra represents or may be known as the "command center of the
whole being". The awakening of this chakra acts as a third eye in the aspects
of telepathy that bypasses the ordinary senses.
The activation of this chakra increases the powers of visualization or to see
with the "minds eye".
When this chakra is opened and balanced one experiences the power of
the awareness of the teacher within or the wisdom within, immediate abilities of
perception and a point of return for manifestation. This is a marker step into
the journey of self-awareness.
Meditate on this chakra. Music used for this chakra can be pieces that
would allow scenes and images to appear in the mind's eye.
7. Master: Crown Chakra (whole top of head above the hairline)
Sanskrit Name: Sahasrara, meaning "thousandfold".
Element: There is no element.
Color: Violet
Animal: The rising serpent
Stones: Clear quartz, Gold/Yellow Topaz, Hematite.
Deities: Shiva
Inner State: Bliss
Function: Union
Body Parts: Cerebral cortex, brain, the whole body.
When out of balance the following may occur: Alienation.
This chakra represents or may be known as the "thousandfold" which
represents the totality of creation, wholeness. The explanation or description
of this chakra is really beyond the use of words. Words in this state a
merely an attempt to give an idea for greater thought and awareness into ones
one knowingness of this chakra.
They are best imagined as roughly the size of the palm of your hand, except for the crown chakra which is much larger.
2) What Are Chakras?
Chakras are non-physical organs that transform raw Kundalini energy into more subtle, and usable, forms of energy, of a different type. The chakras do not, themselves, contain energy. Raw energy is drawn up from the planet, by the minor chakras in the legs and feet, and fed into the main chakra system.
Kundalini energy is, in essence, pure thought energy that permeates and binds the universe together. This living energy field can be tapped, more deeply, by the application of focussed, creative will. It can be drawn into the human body and transformed, by the chakra system, into a more subtle and usable form of energy.
The chakras are attached to the spinal cord and nervous system via certain glands and nerve ganglia. The full chakra system is extremely complex. There are 3 master, 4 major and over 300 minor chakras in the human body. There are also several non-physical chakras situated outside of the body. Detailed maps of the chakra system and their connecting meridians and pathways, have been used for thousands of years in Eastern mysticism and medicine, i.e., acupuncture.
The chakra system is used with every psychic ability, no exceptions. Whatever the psychic ability, the method of development or the terminology used to describe it, it is all done the same way, through chakra stimulation. It is impossible to manifest any psychic ability without first stimulating the chakras.
3) Raising:
Sit, or lie down, do the relaxation exercise and clear you mind with breath awareness. Focus your awareness in your feet. Use your HANDS to pull energy up from your feet, through your legs, to the base chakra. Imagine you are gripping energy and pulling it up through you. Just like you did when you used these HANDS with breath awareness and colour breathing, pulling air and energy into your lungs. Note: Try and imagine your HANDS are inside your legs and just inside the front of your torso as you do this.
Use breath awareness as an aide to energy raising. Draw energy up through you, with the inhale, and hold it in place on the exhale. Do this over and over again, pulling energy to the Base chakra, for at least a few minutes. You may or may not feel anything while you do this. Even if you don't, you are still drawing some energy with this exercise. The amount of energy drawn up through you will increase as the chakras develop with time and use.
From the feet, up the legs to the base centre, is a natural path for the energy that flows through you. This energy will stimulate your chakras and they will transform this, basic energy, into energy of a different type. This transformed energy will then flow into your subtle bodies, energizing them. With practise, you will actually FEEL this energy tingling and surging through you.
4) Chakra Stimulation:
Opening a chakra: Your imaginary HANDS are used for this. Imagine you are tearing open a bread roll at the site of a chakra when you are asked to do this. You don't have to visualize anything, just FEEL like you are doing this, as if you were doing it in real life without looking at what you are doing.
Chakras are non-physical centres, so you need a non physical method to stimulate them. This is achieved by focusing your awareness in the area of a chakra and using your mind to manipulate it. You need a localized, mental opening effect in a chakra to stimulate it; this tearing open action, with your imaginary HANDS, provides it. By moving your point of awareness to the site of a chakra and causing a mental opening effect with your HANDS, you are directly stimulating the chakra.
Note: Do the energy raising exercise, as above, before stimulating the chakras. Use breath awareness to aide your HANDS in pulling energy into each chakra, i.e., draw energy UP on the inhale and HOLD it on the exhale, with all the chakra stimulation exercises below.
[1] Base chakra: Raise energy up to your Base chakra. Use your HANDS to open it. Pull energy INTO the Base chakra. Repeat this first step, thoroughly, seven times.
[2] Spleen chakra: Draw energy from the feet, through the Base chakra and on up to the Spleen chakra. Open the Spleen chakra. Repeat this three times, starting at feet.
[3] Solar Plexus chakra: Draw energy from the feet, through the Base and Spleen chakras and on up to the Solar Plexus chakra. Open the Solar Plexus chakra. Repeat this three times, starting at feet.
[4] Heart chakra: Draw energy up from the feet, through the Base, Spleen and Solar Plexus chakras and on up to the Heart chakra. Open the Heart chakra. Repeat this three times, starting at feet.
[5] Throat chakra: Draw energy up from the feet, through the Base, Spleen, Solar Plexus and heart chakras to the Throat chakra. Open the Throat chakra. Repeat this three times, starting at feet.
[6] Brow chakra: Draw energy up from the feet, through the Base, Spleen, Solar Plexus, Heart and Throat chakras to the Brow chakra. Open the Brow chakra. Repeat this three times, starting at feet.
[7] Crown chakra: Draw energy up to the Crown chakra as in the previous step. Open the Crown chakra. This chakra is much larger than the others (whole top of head, above hairline). Imagine you have a much larger, flatter bread roll inside the top of your head and are tearing it open with your HANDS, or like you are tearing your scalp open. Repeat this entire process twice, starting with the feet.
Note: Try your best not to tense any muscles during these exercises. You may, however, feel a slight internal contracting, a feeling that is NOT muscular while you are stimulating your chakras. These are the glands and nerve ganglia, linked to the chakras, contracting in response to the stimulation. This internal contracting is normal.
The Base, or Root chakra, is a MASTER chakra and THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE TO ACTIVATE. This chakra is the doorway for the Kundalini energy. Unless this is opened sufficiently, the energy cannot flow into the other chakras. I suggest you concentrate most of your time and energy into stimulating your Base chakra, at least in the early stages of chakra development.
5) Stop And Check:
Check your muscles for any tensing during the energy raising and chakra stimulation exercises, and re-relax as needed. Your muscles will automatically try and respond to the mental action of pulling energy up through you. Remember, this is ALL mental, your body must stay calm and relaxed throughout.
6) Chakra Sensations:
The sensations you will feel in your chakras can vary, according to the degree of activity occurring in them, i.e., your physical make up, natural ability, concentration and relaxation skills affect this. It can vary from a gentle warmth, a localized pressure, or bubbling (like stomach wind), a localized dizziness, a tingling, a gentle pulsing, to a heavier throbbing, or a combination of some or all of the above. The heavier the thrumming, the more active the chakra. If you place your hand on a chakra, when it is active, you will actually feel the flesh pulsing.
Some of the chakras, when active, can cause other odd, localized sensations:
Base chakra: You may feel a very slight burning or tingling, or a cramping, like you have been riding a bicycle for too long, to begin with. Once it is working properly, you will feel a gentle pulsing or throbbing between your legs, at the site of the chakra.
Solar Plexus Chakra: This can sometimes cause a shortness of breath feeling, which can cause you to hyper-ventilate. This will pass, with time and use, as the chakra stabilizes.
Heart Chakra: The heart chakra merits special mention due to the strong, and sometimes frightening, sensation it can cause. When strongly activated it can feel like your heart is racing at an impossible rate. It is a powerful sensation. Try and ignore this when it happens, it won't hurt you. It is not your heart racing but the chakra working. I know this is easier said than done, ignoring it, but with practise and familiarity you can. This racing is more apparent in the early stages of development. I think this is caused by a lack of energy flowing from the lower centres. In a way it is like a pump racing, when it does not have enough fluid to pump.
The heart chakra, when fully operational, feels like: Place one hand on your chest, with your finger tips resting in the middle of it over your heart. Tap your fingers on your chest, in time with your heart. Increase this rate until you are tapping as fast and hard as your fingers can move.
Note: Your actual heart rate does NOT speed up with this racing sensation. If you hook yourself up to a heart monitor, you will see that your heat beat hardly changes at all.
Throat Chakra: The throbbing in it can cause a very mild choking feeling, because of the sensitive area it is in. This feels something like having an emotional lump in the base of your throat.
Crown Chakra: When fully active it feels like a thousand soft, warm fingers gently massaging the inside of the top of your head, above the hairline, and extending down in the centre of the forehead, to include the brow chakra, which is part of it. This sensation is the reason the Buddhists call it "The Thousand Petalled Lotus". Note: You may feel a stronger sensation in some chakras and little or none in others. Concentrate on the lowest ones with the least sensation. This will help balance the energy flow in the chakra system.
If you are unbalanced, during projection the inactive chakras can cause failure, i.e., you may get your body partly loose but find you are stuck to your body at the site of the inactive chakra. If this happens, concentrate on stimulating the inactive chakra prior to projection.
7) Closing The Chakras:
After any chakras work, it is VERY important to close them, unless you are going to use them, as in projection. This closing is especially important if you FEEL strong activity in them. If you leave chakras open during normal day to day activity you will bleed energy. This can cause fatigue and even health problems. It can also attract the unwanted attention of undesirable astral entities. To close them, simply reverse the process until no activity is felt. Feel your mental hands closing the chakras and push the energy back down. The more activity you feel, the more time you must spend learning to close them. If you still feel any activity after doing this; eating and physical exercise also helps to close them.
8) Psychic Abilities:
After beginning chakra work, you may find psychic abilities start to grow in you. This is a natural offshoot of stimulating the chakras. In my next series, on more advanced energy work, I will show how to develop and use some of these abilities and how to raise the Kundalini.
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