A Beginner’s Guide To Chakras For Kundalini Meditation
To practice Kundalini Meditation, knowledge of chakras is very essential. There are six chakras along the Sushumna Nadi to the final chakra Sahasrara Chakra.
Chakras are storage places for subtle and vital energy.
Chakras are also of consciousness with specific tones of awareness and bliss.
Chakras have corresponding centres in the spinal cord and nerve plexuses of the gross physical body, with which they are closely related.
The location of chakras and their corresponding centres in the physical body are –
1. Muladhara Chakra (Root Chakra) – at the lower end of the spinal column, corresponding to the sacral plexus.
2. Swadhisthana Chakra (Sacral Chakra) – in the region of the genital organs, corresponding to the prostatic plexus.
3. Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus) – at the navel, corresponding to the solar plexus.
4. Anahata (Heart Chakra) – at the heart, corresponding to the cardiac plexus.
5. Vishuddha (Throat Chakra) – in the throat region, corresponding to the laryngeal plexus.
6. Ajna (Third Eye Chakra) – between the eyebrows, trikuta, corresponding to the cavernous plexus.
7. Sahasrara (Crown Chakra) – at the crown of the head, corresponding to the pineal gland.
During Kundalini Meditation,
Each chakra is visualised as a lotus with a certain number of petals.
The number of petals is determined by the number and position of the nadis that emanate from the chakra and give it the appearance of a lotus.
Petals In Each Chakra
Muladhara – 4 petals.
Swadhisthana – 6 petals.
Manipura – 10 petals.
Anahata – 12 petals.
Vishuddha – 16 petals
Ajna – 2 petals
Sahasrara – 1000 petals.
Associated with each petal is one fo the fifty Sanskrit letters, representing the vibration produced on it by the kundalini as it passes through the chakra. These sounds exist in latent form, and when manifested as vibrations on the nadis, can be felt during concentration.
Besides petals and sound vibration, each chakra has its geometric form representing a specific power, as well as its colour, function, element, presiding deity and bija, or mystic vibration.
Colour Of Different Chakras.
Muladhara – Red
Swadhisthana – Orange
Manipura – Yellow
Anahata – Green
Vishuddha – Blue
Ajna – Indigo / Purple
Sahasrara – Purple / Purplish white
Element Of Each Chakra
Muladhara – Earth
Swadhisthana – Water
Manipura – Fire
Anahata – Air
Vishuddha – Ether
Ajna – Light
Sahasrara – Thought
Function Of Each Chakra
Muladhara – Safety, grounding, right to live
Swadhisthana – Emotions, creativity, sexuality
Manipura – Will, social self, power
Anahata – Compassion, love, integration
Vishuddha – Personal truth, etheric, expression
Ajna – Extrasensory perception, intuition, inspiration
Sahasrara – Wisdom, transcendence, universality
Presiding Deity Of Each Chakra
Muladhara – Lord Ganesha (Removal of obstacles)
Swadhisthana – Lord Brahma is god of creative energy, represents the creative energies of the Sacral Chakra.
Manipura – Vishnu is the great preserver and peace bringer who brings positive emotions through the Stomach Chakra.
Anahata – Rudra is the unpredictable god of the weather who brings sudden change and exerts his power over the Heart Chakra.
Vishuddha – Isvara, an aspect of Shiva as ruler of the universe, is the presiding god of the Throat Chakra.
Ajna – Paramashiva is an aspect of Shiva as the supreme self, the highest development of humanity before uniting with the divine in the Crown Chakra.
Sahasrara – Shiva resides in the Crown Chakra as the bringer of liberation and ecstasy.
When attempting to locate the chakras from the back, one moves his concentration directly upward along the spinal cord, from chakra to chakra.
If approaching from the front, one moves from the base of the spine up to the navel, the heart, the throat, etc.
At all times the consciousness is kept internalised and receptive to experiencing the inner vibrations indicating an energy centre. In all exercises, a comfortable meditative posture should be assumed, a straight spine is essential.
One should focus on chakra while chanting Om or any other mantra, in different pitches. Fixing the concentration on the Muladhara chakra, Om is chanted at the lowest pitch. Then moving up the spinal cord to the area of each successive centre, the pitch is raised higher each time.
When he Kundalini is awakened, it does not proceed directly to the Sahasrara unless one is an exceptionally pure yogi. It must be moved up from one chakra to another, and a great deal of concentration and patience is required.
The speed at which the Kundalini is aroused depends upon the aspirant’s purity, stage of evolution, dispassion, purification of the psychic nerves and vital sheath, and yearning for liberation.