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Charging the seven chakras
These seven chakras not only concentrate, store and distribute the life-force or qi through the energy channels or meridians, but they also represent the various functions of our being. WHILE there are many versions describing the body’s energy centers, the most widely accepted version is that of the seven chakras, or revolving energy vortices. If you can imagine the spiral galaxies of the universe spinning rapidly, then you have a clearer picture of what chakras are. It is interesting that the universe is made up of billions of these spinning galaxies (and billions of other galaxies) and our own bodies are also powered by similar spinning chakras. Every one of us represents a universe of our own, with complexities that confound the mind. Each of our cells is more complex than the biggest and busiest city on Earth, and there are 70 trillion of these cells in the body. And that’s not counting another 100 trillion bacterial cells in our intestines! These seven chakras not only concentrate, store and distribute the life-force or qi through the energy channels or meridians, but they also represent the various functions of our being. In other words, the nature of our character is much determined by which chakras are dominant, and the organ systems served by them consume much of the available qi. With this understanding, many meditation and spiritual practices are aimed at uplifting the dominant active chakras to be the ones concerned with the best human values. Today I will take you through the “Charging The 7 Chakras Exercise”, to help you increase your qi, develop your chakras, and if you practice enough (preferably with meditation, and best if guided by a teacher or guru), you may even improve your character to become more balanced, calm, patient, positive, intuitive, altruistic and wise. This exercise will connect you with your inner self, your emotions and your character. It will energize you, and make you a better person. It will also influence your future for the better. Read through the behavioral values represented by each chakra before starting so that you can focus or meditate on having the desirable or healthy levels of these values while energizing the respective chakra. Find a time and place that you will not be disturbed. Having soothing music playing in the background can help get you into the meditative state. Sit in a comfortable position (if you can, then do this in the full or half-lotus yoga sitting position). Close your eyes to help you concentrate and visualize. Breathe in a relaxed manner (abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing). Start by being aware of your base or root chakra. It is located at the base of your spine. Imagine the energy as bright light, spinning incessantly at very high speed. Imagine the energy centre getting stronger and spinning faster and faster. Continue for six cycles of breathing, or more. Repeat this visualization as you energize every chakra (six or 12 cycles of breathing) and focus on the positive values described. But remember that the spin direction reverses each time. This is the centre for the energy that drives your animal and survival instincts. While it is important to have adequate qi here to keep these basic desires alive, having this as the dominant chakra will mean that you will be consumed by the desire for food, sex, gratification, and survival instincts. If that happens, you may be described as being glutton and over-indulging in sexual or other forms of gratification. It is important, however, to keep this chakra well-energized to ensure physical vitality, sexual adequacy and a healthy appetite for food and other essential needs. The aim is to check and balance this strong root chakra with even stronger chakras that empower your higher behavioral functions. Now bring the energy up to the area below your navel (about three fingers below and inside the body) to the navel chakra, which governs your basic emotions and senses. If this chakra dominates, then you may be described as being insensitive or inconsiderate. Again, it is important for this chakra to be strong, but it must be checked by even stronger, higher chakras. A harmonized navel chakra would mean you will be considerate, understanding and accommodative. Energize the chakra through at least six cycles of breathing. Next, bring the energy up to the solar plexus chakra, which is in the apex of your upper abdomen, just below the xiphisternum (small bone protruding below the sternum). This chakra governs your self-awareness, ego and will. If it dominates, then you may be described as being selfish, self-centred, egoistic or stubborn. However, it needs to be strong, but balanced by the higher functions, so that you will become confident, determined, strong-willed and dignified. Energize the chakra for at least six cycles of breathing. The lower three chakras described above govern the “lower self” that is concerned with our basic needs, senses, and emotions to ensure our survival and good health. The selfish attitude may not be good by human standards, but is a critical element for survival in the case of animals in the wild. A lion that encounters an unattached lioness nursing her cubs will kill the cubs to ensure that she will mate with him and then nurse his progeny. That is the law of nature. Humans are given intelligence, conscience, logic and most importantly, wisdom that allow us to survive and prosper without having to resort to such practices. These higher faculties enable us to make better choices, which require compromises and sacrifices for the good of all. Unfortunately, the events around us reveal that humans have failed to master their basic animal character, resulting in thousands of conflicts, murders, massacres, genocides and wars. Humans also rape, maim and kill their own family members. They even commit suicide. It is obvious that humanity as a whole have failed to function at the higher levels of behavior or consciousness expected of us. And if our leaders are the ones functioning at these lower levels, then we will continue to have wars between nations and annihilate ourselves as we have done since we first walked this Earth. Bring the energy up to the heart chakra, which is behind the lower sternum, in between the breasts. Energize for 12 breath cycles, or more. This chakra is the first that distinguishes humans from the animals, and gives us the realization that we are one human family, needing and depending on one another. The values represented here are love, compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, acceptance, servitude and charity. We want to maximize the energy driving these positive human values, which is why I have prescribed double the duration. Within the heart chakra is the spiritual heart. The spiritual heart is the abode of your Creator in you. The entire universe is too small for Him, because He created it all, yet the heart of the believer who yearns for and remembers Him always can contain Him. If the physical heart is strong, it nourishes all the other organs. Likewise, if the spiritual heart is pure and strong, then it nourishes everything else. The next three higher chakras govern the “higher self”, which are under the control of the mind and spirit. From the heart chakra, now bring the energy up to the throat chakra, situated in the middle of the throat. This governs the faculty of intelligent communication – through speech, expressions and movements. Although animals have similar abilities, their communication versatility and usefulness is limited by their lack of intelligence. Speech and expressions are powerful tools in our daily lives, especially since we live in families and communities, and need to communicate effectively. But speech and expressions can also be the cause of conflict among us, so we need to balance and harmonies this chakra with the heart and higher chakras. Energize the throat chakra for at least 12 breath cycles. Next, bring the energy up to the brow chakra, in between your eye brows. Energize for at least 12 cycles. This governs thought and vision. It is also the site of the “third eye”, which, if sufficiently developed, will give you psychic knowledge and psychic vision. So if you want to develop these abilities, you have to energize this chakra immensely. This will be easier if you meditate, especially with spiritual mantras. All spiritual traditions emphasize the opening of this chakra as a prerequisite to evolving to the higher spiritual stations. Spiritual knowledge can be passed from Master to pupil through the third eye, much like how we send data using infra-red technology. For this to be possible, the pupil must be sufficiently prepared and receptive. When spiritual knowledge is passed in this way, the receiver will feel heaviness, and if so much is received at one time, can cause physical stress. And like the data transfer in modern day technology, the amount of knowledge and wisdom passed can exceed that acquired though reading and learning thousands of books and years of training. But very few indeed are granted this gift! Finally bring up the energy to the crown chakra, below the top of your skull. Energize for at least 12 cycles of breathing. This is the conduit for the divine or universal energy, as well as the centre for wisdom and enlightenment. Healers and spiritual masters have well-developed crown chakras that make them easy channels for the healing energy. Although not all healers are spiritual, they have a tendency to be so. And although not all spiritual masters are healers of physical disease, they are all healers of spiritual and behavioral illnesses. Once you have completed energizing the crown chakra, flood your entire body with the brilliant white light, imagining that every cell in your body receives this revitalizing and healing energy. If you have any areas or organs that are having problems, send more of the energy to these areas. Open your eyes and feel fresh and energized! Dr. Amir Farid Isahak is a medical specialist who practices holistic, aesthetic and anti-ageing medicine. He is a qigong master and founder of SuperQigong. The views expressed are those of the writer and readers are advised to always consult expert advice before undertaking any changes to their lifestyles. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
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Each chakra can represent behavioral values, and stimulating these chakras may even improve your character to become more balanced, calm, patient, positive, intuitive, altruistic and wise. 