Sahaja Yoga

CHAKRAS AND CHANNELS OF ENERGY.

Inside every human being there is a network of nerves and sense organs that interprets the outside physical world.

At the same time, within us resides a subtle system of channels ( nadis ) and centers of energy ( chakras ) which look after our physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual being.

Each of the seven chakras has several spiritual qualities. These qualities are intact within us, and even though they might not always be manifest, they can never be destroyed.

When the Kundalini is awakened, these qualities start manifesting spontaneously and express themselves in our life.

Thus, through regular meditation, we become automatically very dynamic, creative, confident and at the same time very humble, loving and compassionate. It is a process which starts to develop by itself when the Kundalini rises and starts to nourish our chakras.

The CHAKRAS are energy centres which govern the subtle, psychosomatic aspects of our inner being. This Sanskrit term means WHEEL, and when the chakras are awakened, they turn in a clockwise direction. They open up like flowers and pour out their qualities, thus re-establishing our inner balance and restoring our health and form.

Our Subtle System

. 3 Nadis & 7 Chakras (plexuses) .Responsible for our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being.

. Ida (left sympathetic) - corresponds to our past, emotions, desires, terminates at superego (storehouse of all habits, memories, conditionings) . Pingala (right sympathetic) - corresponds to our actions and planning, mental and physical activity, terminates at ego which gives "I-ness"

. Sushumna (para sympathetic) - channel of ascent, sustains our evolution and guides us towards higher awareness

There are actually three channels in the system. The one in the center is called Sushumna, which caters to the parasympathetic nervous system, or the autonomous nervous system. The one on the the left looks after the left sympathetic nervous system and on the right it looks after the right sympathetic nervous system. Now, it is not accepted yet, or discovered yet in medical science, that the left and right sympathetic nervous systems are two different juxtaposed systems. Their functions are absolutely opposite to each other.

The left side channel is called the Ida Nadi and is connected to the right side and back of the brain. The two left and right channels cross at the Agnya Chakra level. This channel caters to the left sympathetic nervous system. This channel looks after our emotional life and our past. It is the channel which creates our past. Whatever is present today becomes past tomorrow. The subconcious mind recieves information from this channel. The subconscious mind has an age-old collective subconscious mind beyond it. Everything that was in the past since creation resides dormant in the collective subconscious. This collective subconscious has all that is dead in the evolutionary process collected and stored. Whatever that is dead or gone out of the subconscious mind goes out into the collective subconscious mind.

The right side channel is called the Pingala Nadi , which crosses Ida Nadi at Agnya Chakra level. It is connected with the left side and the front of the brain. This channel caters for the right sympathetic nervous system. On the right hand side there is the supraconscious mind, which creates our future. Whenever we think about our future is recorded on the right hand side, and it also has a collective supraconscious, which has got all that is dead, which happened due to over-ambitious, futuristic personalities, aggressive animals or plants.

The Central path is called the Sushumna Nadi , through which the Kundalini passes to pierce through the 'Fontanelle bone area' (Little fountain or Brahmarandhra) to enter into the subtle energy of the all-pervading power. This is how the actualisation of Self-Realization (Baptism) takes place. First the hands feel at the fontanelle bone area and on the finger tips the cool breeze of the Holy Ghost. The hands are steady, they do not shake, they look normal but the seeker feels the ripples of the cool breeze. For the first time he feels the existence of the all-pervading power.

Mooladhara Chakra

The first center is called the Mooladhara center. It has four petals (sub-plexuses), is placed below the triangular bone, and is responsible on the physical level of the manifestation of the pelvic plexus which looks after all our excretion, inclusive of sex activity. When the Kundalini rises, then

this center becomes inactive in the excretion functions but active in the support of the rising of the Kundalini. Though the Kundalini has to rise through six centers, the first center of Mooladhara protects the purity of chastity of the Kundalini at the time of its awakening"-- H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Quality
The fundamental quality of this Chakra is innocence and the innate wisdom, which comes from having childlike innocence. The innocence is the type of quality which is evident in babies and small children. It represents action without motive or desire for gross personal gain. Simplicity, joy, purity, integrity and balance are other qualities manifest in human beings through this Chakra.

	Swadhisthan Chakra "The second center is the center of Swadhisthan. It has six petals and caters on the physical level to functions of the aortic plexus, and is the one which supplies us with the energy of creativity, of thinking, of being futuristic. It supplies Power to the brain cells by converting fat cells into brain cells." -- H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Quality The fundamental quality of the Swadhisthan Chakra is that of creativity. It is here that the energy for our creativity is generated. After Self-Realization we discover that the true key to creativity is in achieving the state of thoughtless awareness (nirvichara samadhi) through meditation

	Nabhi Chakra "The third center is called as Nabhi center and has ten petals. It is behind the navel, and this center gives us the Power to sustain something within ourselves. On the physical level it caters to the functions of the solar plexus."--H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Quality Satisfaction is actually a key word for the Nabhi Chakra. Some 'hot-livered' people are naturally irritable. For them life without worry is an impossibility and will express their discontent at the slightest excuse. When our Spirit manifests, we can put things into their true perspective, and worry becomes an unusual occurrence. In the peace of thoughtlessness, we can only be content.

The Void

Surrounding the second and the third chakra is the Void which stands for the principle of mastery (guru principle) within us. In many spiritual traditions, this area is the "ocean of illusions" that needs to be crossed with the help of a spiritual guide. When the Kundalini is awakened and

passes through the Void, this principle of mastery is established within us. Thus, as Shri Mataji says, in Sahaja Yoga you become your own guru, your own spiritua l guide since you can feel on your fingertips all your subtle problems and have the power to cure them using your own Kundalini. Moreover, establishing this center helps us get rid of all our habits, laziness, gross attachments, and everything that enslaves us in a way or another:
we become our own master. Following false "gurus" who are more interested in power tricks or your purse can damage very much the Void area. But after Self Realization, everything can be cured through the purifying power of the Kundalini in meditation.

Since the Void is directly connected with the Nabhi Chakra it is no coincidence that the principle of Dharma is a fundamental aspect of this area. All of the great Prophets who have come to act as role models for the human race and to give Knowledge of the higher Reality are associated with the Void. The Primordial Deity is Shri Adi Guru Dattatreya.

The ten incarnations of the Adi Guru, the Primordial Master are: Raga Janaka, Abraham, Moses, Zarathustra, Confucius, Lao-Tse, Socrates, Mahommed, Guru Nanak, and Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi.

Quality
Principle of mastery (Guru Principle), balanced life, stability

The Heart Chakra or Anahat Chakra

"The fourth center is called as the Anahatha Chakra, meaning the heart center. It has twelve petals and is placed behind the sternum in the spinal cord. This center produces the anti-bodies till the age of twelve years and then these anti-bodies are circulated in the whole body to be

ready to fight any kind of attack on the body or on the mind. If there is any attack on the person these anti-bodies are informed through the sternum, which has a remote control of information. Heart center caters for the cardiac plexus."
-H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Quality
The Heart Chakra is the home of the Self, the Spirit or Atma - all mean the same thing. We start the process of becoming our Spirit after Self-Realization, as we start to lose our false identifications with our body, mind and feelings. Pure love, which enlightens all, is the real quality of the Heart Chakra. Where many people share and care, then the whole society opens up its Heart center. It becomes a collective society and changes the world.

Vishuddhi Chakra

"The fifth center is called as Vishuddhi Chakra. This is placed in the neck of the human being and it had sixteen petals which look after ears, nose, throat, neck, tongue, teeth etc. This center is responsible for communication with others because through our eyes, through our nose,

through our speech, through our hands, we communicate with others. On the physical level it caters for the cervical plexus." --H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
Quality
One of its qualities is that of staying detached from the problems we face every day whilst trying to survive in the modern world. The flowering of the Vishuddhi Chakra provides us with a sense of detachment which lets us witness the Play of Life to survive in the modern world. It also embodies those qualities which govern our relationship with other members of the human race.

Agnya Chakra
"The sixth center is called Agnya Chakra and has only two petals. This is the center placed where the two optic nerves cross each other in the brain (optic chiasm). The center caters for pituitary and pineal body which manifest the two institutions of ego and superego within us." --H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Quality
At this point in our evolution humans have developed a sophisticated society, and with it came the problem of ego - the idea that he is doing it all. This idea of "I"-ness was accelerated by the continuing success of his material gains throughout history. The natural result of this brought about an inflated ego, and with further arrogance came the superego. So ego and superego isolated the human from Spirit. Before Self-Realization human beings are always in various stages of imbalance, which gets corrected with awakening of Kundalini.

Sahasrara Chakra
"Lastly, the seventh centre, the most important centre is the Sahasrara which has got, according to Sahaja Yoga, a thousand petals. Actually there are a thousand nerves and if you cut the transverse section of the brain you can see that all these petal-like structures of the brain are forming a lotus of the thousand petals.

This centre of a thousand petals covers the limbic area of the brain before Realization like the closed bud of a lotus. Above this covering is the balloon-like structure of ego and superego. As the brain is covered completely when these two institutions join and calcification takes place on top of the head; that is how we become a closed personality. At the time of our awakening, of our second birth, this egg-like personality breaks at the top of the head."--H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi

Quality
At the point of the Sahasrara we go beyond the relative to the Absolute, and into the Absolute realization of Heaven on Earth. This is a country far beyond our wildest imaginings, so much more than our words can even seek to imply. This is our ultimate destination, stretching out forever. Our progress towards this goal is a living process. When the seed matures it naturally sprouts. When the Kundalini reaches the Sahasrara, the lotus petals open and enlightenment takes place. You may feel a pulsation in the crown of the head, followed by a melting sensation and a flow of cool vibrations from the fontanel areas. This is the baptism by which you know that you are truly born again.

Colours and Their Qualities

Red: Properties are strength and power....When to Use: lack of vitality and depression.

Orange: Properties are self-confidence and courage....When to use: insecurity & self-doubts.

Yellow: Properties are happiness and stimulation...When to use: fear, stress & tension.

Green: Properties are healing and balance...When to use: selfishness & jealousy.

Blue: Properties are peace and serenity...When to use: nervousness and restlessness.

Indigo: Properties are intuition & awareness...When to use: lack of decisiveness and blockages.

Violet: Properties are creativity & enlightenment...When to use: boredom & lack of spiritual growth.

White: Properties are purity, encompassing all colours...When to use: completion and protection.