by Dada Vedaprajinananda

A key to understanding how the mind, body and soul are connected lies in an appreciation of the psychic and spiritual structure of the human body.

The early tantric yogis did mental experiments in which they meditated on the internal nature of mind and body. They observed that along the backbone of the body there is a nerve which is crisscrossed by two other subtle nerves. I use the word “subtle” because these are not physical nerves which can be seen in a dissection of a physical body. They have psychic and spiritual existence though.

The nerve running up the center is called shushumna and the nerve on the left side is called ida and the right side is called pingala. Wherever the two nerves cross over the central shushumna nerve we find a special area called a chakra.

Chakra means circle and theses centers are roughly circular in shape, though as we will see they have individual particular characteristics. The chakras are also sometimes called lotuses because around the circular shape the yogis observed petals. Inside the circles there are shapes and the shapes have unique colors.

The chakras are important points of the body because the first five chakras control the fundamental factors (solid, liquid, luminous and aerial) that compose the body as well as the five basic layers of the mind. In fact Anandamurti defines chakras as “the different seats of the mind for controlling the fundamental factors .”1

Of huge importance for yoga, the chakras are associated with glands which secrete hormones that affect mind and body. The first six chakras are linked with glands that control 50 basic mental propensities and each of the petals in these chakras is the controlling point for one propensity. In Sanksrit a mental propensity is termed Vritii. Because of this glandular link, the chakras play a big role in the proper functioning of the physical the physical organs and nerves that lie in proximity to these centers. The whole science of yoga postures is based on this knowledge.

Let’s look at the chakras

Muladhara Chakra

The first chakra is located in the first vertebra of the spinal column. It is called Muladhara which means “fundamental base.” Inside the circular area of the chakra the yogis observed a square shape with a golden yellow color. The first chakra is the controlling point of the solid factor in the human body.

The circular area is surrounded by four petals. Each of the four petals surrounding the circle governs a propensity and taken to together these propensities constitute the four basic urges of a human being. The propensities governed by this chakra are:

1. Dharma – psycho-spiritual longing
2. Artha – psychic longing
3. Ka’ma – physical longing
4. Moks’a – spiritual longing

This chakra is also the controlling point of the conscious mind (kamamaya kos’a)

Svadhisthana Chakra

The second chakra is located on the spinal column on a level plane with the root of the sex organ (Cialis generic). This chakra is called svadhisthana chakra and its name means “seat of my own energy.” Inside the circular area the ancient yogis observed a white crescent moon shaped figure. This chakra controls the liquid factor in the body, and the sub-conscious mind (manomaya kosa).

Surrounding the circular area there are six petals and each petal controls a particular propensity (vritti). The propensities of the second chakra are:

1. Avajina’ – indifference

2. Mu’rccha’ – psychic stupor, lack of common sense

3. Prashraya – indulgence

4. Avishva’sa – lack of confidence

5. Sarvana’sha – thought of sure annihilation

6. Krurata’ – cruelty

The ovaries and testes are the physical glands which are associated with this chakra.

Man’pura Chakra

The third chakra is located on the spine on a plane level with the navel. This chakra is called man’ipura and it means “the treasure house of the devotee.” Inside the circular area is a triangle with a blood red color. The circular area is surrounded by ten petals. This chakra controls the luminous (fire) factor of the body as well as the first layer of the super-conscious mind (atimanasa kosha).

The ten petals of the third chakra govern the following propensities:

1. Lajja’– shyness, shame

2. Pishunata’ – sadistic tendency

3. I’irs’a’ – envy

4. Susupti – static-state, sleepiness

5. Vis’a’da – melancholy

6. Kas’a’ya – peevishness

7. Trs’n’a’ – yearning for acquisition

8. Moha – infatuation

9. Ghrn’a’ – hatred, revulsion

10. Bhaya – fear

The adrenal gland and the pancreas are associated with this chakra.

Ana’hata Chakra

The fourth chakra is located on the spine in a plane with the center of the chest. The fourth chakra is known as the ana’hata chakra which means the “unstruck holy sound.” It is also often referred to as the “heart center” or “heart chakra.” Within the circular area of the chakra is a hexagon shape with a smoky grey-green color. The circular area is surrounded by 12 petals. This chakra controls the aerial (gaseous) factor of the human body as well as the second layer of the super-conscious mind (vijinanamaya kos’a)

The 12 petals of the chakra govern the following propensities:

1. A’sha’ – hope

2. Cinta – worry

3. Ces’ta’ – effort

4. Mamata’ – mine-ness, love

5. Dambha – vanity

6. Viveka – conscience, discrimination

7. Viklata’ – mental numbness, due to fear

8. Aham’kara – ego

9. Lolata’ – avarice

10. Kapat’ata’ – hypocrisy

11. Vitarka – argumentativeness to the point of exaggeration

12. Anuta’pa – repentance

The thymus gland is associated with is chakra.

Vishuddha Chakra

This chakra is located in the throat and its name means “spotless purity.” Inside the circular area there is no particular form or a fixed color, rather there are many points of various colors. This chakra controls the ethereal factor (medium through which sound travels) of the human body and the third layer of the super-conscious mind (hiran’maya kos’a).

The 16 petals of this chakra govern the following propensities respectively.

1. S’ad’haja – sound of peacock

2. Rs’abha – sound of bull

3. Ga’ndha’ra – sound of goat

4. Madhyama – sound of deer

5. Paincama – sound of cuckoo

6. Dhaevata – sound of donkey

7. Nis’a’da – sound of element

8. Onm – acoustic root of creation, preservation and destruction, primordial sound

9. Hummm – sound of arousing the kundalinii

10. Phat – putting theory into practice

11. Vaos’at’ – expression of mundane knowledge

12. Vasat – welfare in the subtler sphere

13. Sva’ha’ – performing noble actions

14. Namah – surrender to the Supreme

15. Vis’a – repulsive expression

16. Amrta – sweet expression

 

The thyroid and parathyroid glands are associated with this chakra.

A’jina Chaka’

This chakra is located in the point between the eyebrows. Its Sanskrit name means “authority, command and unlimited power.” This chakra is popularly known as the “third eye.”

There is no form or fundamental factor associated with this chakra. This chakra is beyond form and color. It has two petals which are associated with mundane knowledge (Apara) and spiritual knowledge. This chaka is the seat or controlling point of the mind and is an important concentration point in meditation and advanced yogic practices.

The pituitary gland is associated with this chakra.

Sahasrara Chakra

This chakra is located at the crown of the head and is visualized as a lotus with 1000 petals. There are 1000 petals because the chakra controls all possible human expression. There are 50 propensities in the first six chakras. These propensities can function internally and externally and in ten different directions. Thus, 50 x 2 = 100 x 10 = 1000.

The pineal gland is the physical gland that is associated with this chakra.

The seven chakras described above are the chakras mentioned in most yogic texts and pictured in most diagrams of the chakras and the subtle nerves. In subtle yogic meditation there is another chakra situated just below the crown of the head. It is called Guru Chakra. Anandamurti says the guru chakra is the internal side of the sahasrara chakra and is situated below the pineal gland.
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The chakra “map” pinpoints the controlling locations for the important human urges and emotions and can be used to help people to overcome psychic difficulties. For example if someone has a fear of speaking in public, he or she could do yoga postures (such as the peacock [mayurasana] aimed at strengthening the third chakra. The propensities of shyness and fear are both located in the third chakra. Similarly other psychic problems can be addressed if one has a proper knowledge of the chakras and of yoga postures.

Acoustic Roots and Seed Mantras

In addition to controlling the elements of the body, mental propensities and particular layers of the mind, the chakras are also linked with particular sounds. Each chakra has a special seed (biija) mantra, and in most diagrams of the chakras that mantra is usually written in Devanagari script in the center of the chakra.

The seed mantras for the chakras are the acoustic roots of the particular element controlled by the chakra. An acoustic root is the fundamental sound associated with an idea, concept or action. Anandamurti said, “Every vibration in this universe has color and sound. Every vibration also represents a particular idea, and hence each idea has a vibrational sound and vibrational color.”2 For example, if you are laughing you will make the sounds “ha, ha, ha.” The sound “ha, ha” is the root sound for the action of laughing. Similarly the root sounds for each of the five elements (solid, liquid, luminous, aerial and ethereal) are the following biija mantras:

Solid Factor (muladhara chakra): Lam’ (pronounced like the English word “lung”)
Liquid Factor (svadhisthana chakra): Vam’ (the “ v” is pronounced like a “w”)
Luminous Factor (manipura chakra): Ram’ (pronounced like English word “rung”)
Aerial Factor (anahata chakra): Yam’ (the “y” is pronounced as a “j” and the am sound is pronounced like the “ung” in “hung”)
Etherial Factor (vishuddha chakra): Ham’ (pronounced like the English world “hung”)

These root sounds are often shown in diagrams of the chakras and are used in advanced meditation lessons associated with the chakras.

In addition to these seed mantras for the five factors there are other important sounds embedded in the chakras. As we have seen, each of the fifty petals in the first six chakras is associated with a gland that secretes a hormone which governs a particular human mental propensity. Each of these propensities has a corresponding root sound, and in some diagrams of the chakras, the letters for these sounds are written on the petals. These 50 sounds comprise the vowels and consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet.

Kundalinii: The latent Divine Energy

Another important discovery of the early yogis is that at the base of the spine lies the kundalinii, or kulakundalinii. Kundalinii is the sleeping divine energy of an individual living being. The yogis say that it looks like a coiled snake, lying dormant in the first vertebra of the spinal cord. When the kundalinii is awakened by the repetition of an effective mantra it travels up the subtle nerve in the spinal column (shushumna) and as it goes through the different chakras the yogi experiences increasing degrees of proximity to the Supreme Consciousness.

When the kundalinii reaches the Sahasrara chakra the spiritual aspirant merges with the Supreme Consciousness. This state is called Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

Anandamurti said that “The inner spirit of raising of the kulakun´d´alinii is for one to control the [propensities] and seed sounds of the different glands and to suspend one’s self in Paramashiva [the Nucleus Consciousness], whose rank is beyond the scope of all the instincts and seed sounds.”3

Notes

1. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, This world and the next, published in Subhasita Samgraha 4

2. Anandamurti, The Acoustic Roots of the Indo-Aryan Alphabet published in Discourses on Tantra Volume 1

3. Anandamurti, Tantra and Its Effect on Society, published in Discourses on Tantra, Volume 2

This article is a new chapter which will be added to the next printing of The Wisdom of Yoga