The journey of the spirit is a personal one. Yet at the same time the evolution of the soul has a path which is universal to all sentient beings. We can benefit from the experience and understanding gained by those who have walked the path before us. For those who are interested in personal evolution, spiritual awakening or enlightenment it is extremely helpful to have a basic understanding of the chakras. They represent stages in our development, different levels of consciousness and spiritual maturity.
These centers are seen in history with slightly different variations depending on the culture from which it sprang: Indian chakras, Christian sacraments and the Kabbalah’s Tree of Life. These experiences and understandings are universal in their origin and application.
The seven chakras or seals are powerful energy centers within the body which represent different levels of consciousness. Chakra means “wheel”; a vortex of vibration, light and energy. A chakra point is where two lines of energy cross. They are located in the astral (light/energy) body. Some people think of them as little computers; each center processes different information. There are seven major chakras and many minor ones. The first three levels of sexuality, pain/suffering and power respectively represent the dynamics at play in social consciousness and in the human drama. When the upper centers are activated a higher level of awareness is experienced.
The kundalini is the energy at the base of the spine. It is often referred to as the sleeping serpent. The journey of the kundalini awakening and moving to the crown of the head is the journey of enlightenment. As the kundalini wakes up it dances up the spine. In yoga philosophy the central channel is called the sushumna and the energy that dances around it the ida and the pingala. The ida represents the sun and the pingala represent the moon. The ida and pingala separate at the first chakra, dance around the spine and meet up again at the sixth chakra.
One of the benefits of yoga is that a regular asana practice clears out these energy channels so that the kundalini energy can move freely up the spine. It has been known to be a painful experience for some if there is an energy blockage in one of the channels so that, as the kundalini moves upward, the energy is prevented from going forward. There are stories of old about yogis spontaneously jumping into different postures to assist this energy moving through the body.
What you spend your time thinking about and contemplating, what is important to you is where your energy will be dominant. If you are concerned about how you will pay rent or where you will get your next meal you will be situated in the first chakra (a chakra could also be called a center, a seal or a level/plane of consciousness. They all pretty much mean the same thing and are used interchangeably in this article and in the chakra colour chart below).
If you spend much of your time thinking about sex your energy will be concentrated in the first seal. This center is located at the perineum, the base of the spine. It is represented by the element earth and all solid, dense forms of matter.
If you are experiencing a dis-ease and putting most of your attention on it, your energy is in the second seal. This chakra is located in the lower abdomen and is also related to the emotions (fear, anger, frustration, depression, guilt, hatred, blame, worry, doubt etc…) and the water element. At any moment we can be coming from any one of these levels of consciousness. However, most people in the world, in social consciousness, spend their time in the first three seals.
Notice when you are relating with people where they are coming from and where you are coming from. If you are having lunch with an old friend and all he is talking about is how everything is going wrong for him and nothing is working out you know he is coming from his third seal, in a state of consciousness known as victimization. It is important that as we become aware of these levels and how they play out; not to judge ourselves or others; just notice, “Oh, I’m in the third seal right now, I’m trying to control this situation.” Know that we all have all of these inside of ourselves and that at some point or another we have all been there. We are not better than anyone else. The third seal of power and control lies in the solar plexus area (just below the sternum and above the belly button). It is represented by the element fire and the colour yellow.
The fourth seal is one of unconditional love, deeply felt yet not expressed in words; like that of a mother for her child. This mother would do anything for that child and is willing to make sacrifices yet is not skilled in communication or open enough to verbally articulate that unconditional love. In some traditions its colour is green and in others violet blue. It is located in the center of the chest, just to the right of the physical heart. The fourth chakra is represented by the element air and it relates to respiration. It is known as bridge consciousness because it is located in the center, between the upper and the lower chakras; it is the link between the lower states of consciousness and the higher states of consciousness.
The fifth seal is one of unconditional love expressed. This level relates to sound, our voice, expressing ourselves clearly and stating our intentions out into the world. Its location is the neck and is related to the element of ether or space. It relates to the process of manifestation: first, we have a thought (in the sixth plane); if we want to bring this inspiration into form, at some point we must, most likely, verbalize this idea so that it can make its way down the seals into the densest form of matter and materialization at the first plane. This stage of evolution is often seen as a grandmother who has unconditional love for her grandchild and is able to freely, easily and openly express that love.
The sixth seal is the contact point between the mind of God (Universal Mind; Source; Universal Consciousness; Big Mind) and the individual mind. It is a sending and receiving station; a transmitter and receiver of telepathic communications. This is seen in the individual who is clairvoyant (having the power to see objects or actions beyond the range of natural vision) or has the ability to remote view (dura-darsana; distant viewing). Certain parts of the brain are activated so that one gains access to this information. Therefore every person has these abilities dormant and one just needs training to access them at will. This chakra is located in the center of the head and is related to the element light.
The seventh seal is the state of consciousness of enlightenment which is an experience masters throughout the ages have struggled to put words to due to the limited nature of language. It is an experience and words only point to the experience. A person who has never been far out in a forest surrounded by ancient trees and sacred land has no concept of what that really feels like if they have only seen pictures and read words to describe the experience.
Science confirms that we only use about a third of our brain. As the Kundalini travels up the spine and reaches the seventh level it opens dormant aspects of the brain. Enlightenment is the awakening of the full potential of the human being; realization of our immortality and an unlimited mind, one that is not bound by time and space. The energy of an enlightened master is situated in the seventh seal, at the crown of the head.
Learn where the chakras are located and the state of consciousness they represent. Then pay attention at any given moment to where you are, what you are thinking and where others are. Awareness and understanding is the first step. Do not be harsh or judge yourself or others. Be kind and know that at any moment we can change; we can choose what we put our attention on and what we think. Now that is the beauty and process of conscious evolution.
