2. Spinning vortex / wheel
• The chakras are energy vortices or spirals that
exist within the etheric body. A vortex is a
swirling mass, that draws energy into its center.
3. • Contained within the subtle body
• Pranamaya kosha (pancha kosha)
• Meeting point of 2 main Nadis (streams) and
prana (life force) = current is created
Where do Chakras fit?
4. Nadis
• Nadis are the channels along which prana flows
through the body !
!
• Located in the subtle/astral body (pranamaya kosha)!
!
• Traditionally said to be 72,000 nadis in the body!
!
• Tantra Yoga identifies 14 principal nadis !
!
• Three are the most important
5. Ida Nadi
!
!
• Starts at muladhara chakra and terminates in the left
nostril, stimulating the right side of the brain
• Feminine/lunar energy: softness
!
• Is the mental nadis.
!
• Facilitates meditation: breath to flow more freely in
the left nostril.
6. Pingala Nadi
!
!
• Starts at muladhara chakra and terminates in the
right nostril, stimulating the left side of the brain
!
• Masculine/solar energy: vitality, physical strength
and efficiency
!
• Facilitates physical activities: breath through the
right nostril.!
!
7.
8. Sushumna
!
!
• Passes through the spinal column, originating at the
base of the body and terminating at the top of the scull
!
• Although considered the most important nadi it is
dormant
!
• Shushumna will only flow when movement in ida and
pingala is suspended or perfectly balanced
!
• The occurrence of this perfect balance or suspension
happens during Samadhi
9.
10. Hatha Yoga – the Yoga of Balance!
!
‘ha’ means sun and ‘tha’ means moon - embodies the balance of these two
forces. !
!
The Hatha Yoga path is developed around the concept of balance of ida and
pingala. When these are perfectly balanced shushumna can flow.!
!
12. !
•Seven primary chakras run up the spine!
!
•Two poles for the three main nadis are mulhadhara chakra and
ajna chakra. !
!
•It is only shushumna that goes all the way up to sahasrara chakra.!
!
•Seven main chakras are connected to specific organs, glands and
body systems.!
!
• Each chakra is connected to a colour vibration frequency!
!
•Radiate energy vibrations + receive the energy of our environment!
!
• Can go out of balance and block (physical, mental, emotion)!
!
•Referred to as the rainbow bridge connecting the physical body
with the mind and spirit.
13. 3 levels:
!
1. Physical !
2. Emotional/Mental!
3. Spiritual!
!
The emphasis is always on:!
!
• Drawing awareness to each
area!
!
• Balancing the functioning of
the chakra!
14. Physical
!
!
N.B. The chakras aren't actually located in the body. They
reside in the subtle/astral body.!
!
• Related to how the chakra is functioning on a physical level!
!
• Each chakra has an associated gland and areas of the
physical body!
!
• Physical disease is related to how the chakra is functioning!
!
• Links to the Doshas.
15. The endocrine system is the
collection of glands that produce
hormones that regulate
metabolism, growth and
development, tissue function,
sexual function, reproduction,
sleep, and mood, among other
things.
!
16. Mental/emotional
!
• Related to how the inner chakra is
functioning!
!
• An emotional or psychological
association exists with each chakra!
!
• May be used as a tool for personal
development!
!
• Links with the Gunas!
!
!
17. energetic/spiritual!
!
• Aiming to allow Kundalini to flow up Shushumna through the chakras.!
!
• A chakra can be closed on the spiritual level, and yet fully functioning
and balanced on the physical/emotional level.
18. • Muladhara - Root - Earth - Matter - Foundation of the spiritual
journey ending at the crown chakra
• Svadisthana - Sacral - water - ‘ones own place’ - ebb and
flow
• Manipura - Solar plexus - fire - ‘lustrous gem’ - Burn with
purpose
• Anahata - Heart - space - ‘unhurt ’- love - unity - social
awareness
• Vishuddhi - Throat - etherial - ‘purification’ - sound -
expression - voice within - truth
• Ajna - 3rd eye - ‘perceive and to command’ - vision - insight
- single point focus
• Sahasrara - crown - ‘thousand fold’ - completion - infinite
awareness - consciousness - aware - limitless
19. Chakra Therapy• Positive thought patterns!
• Getting out in the sun and nature for a few hours!
• Eating foods that contain each of the seven colour energies!
• Meditation and/or Yoga!
• Wearing gemstones or placing gemstones in your environment!
• Color bathing!
• Aromatherapy!
• Music & Dance!
• Toning & Sounds!
• Positive colour décor in your home or office!
• Clothing colour!
• Surround yourself with colour (calming colours in bedroom, stimulating colours in
workplace)!
Through regular meditation and other above mentioned techniques, we become
automatically very dynamic, creative, and confident, while at the same time very
humble, loving and compassionate.
21. Kundalini Shakti
The Story:!
!
Kundalini is traditionally depicted as a sleeping serpent coiled three and
a half times at the base of Shushumna nadi. !
!
As it is awakened it spirals up shushumna nadi, travelling through all of
the chakras. !
!
Unlike ida and pingala which end at ajna chakra, shushumna reaches
all the way up to sahasrara.!
!
Kundalini is a feminine energy so is termed Kundalini Shakti !
22.
23. What is Kundalini Yoga?!
• A system of postures, breathing exercises, and meditations
designed to promote general well-being.
• A philosophy and system of health and wellness taught by
Yogi Bhajan.
What is Kundalini?!
• A biological mechanism, linking the activity of the
reproductive system and the brain.
• An evolutionary mechanism guiding the species toward a
higher dimension of consciousness, referred to directly by all
the founders of the major faiths, including Christ, Buddha,
and Muhammad.
24. The idea of Kundalini as a special type of Energy!
!
It takes twice as much energy to activate muladhara (1st) chakra as
it does to just function ordinarily on the physical/emotional level. !
!
It takes twice as much energy again to open/activate svadhistana
(2nd) chakra. !
!
The regular prana in the body is not enough to fulfill this process. It
is only Kundalini which can fill this role.!
!
The opening/activating of chakras on the spiritual level is merely
the progression of kundalini shakti up shushumna.!
!
Siddhis arise out of the subtle body and its prana. As the individual
chakras open on the spiritual level different powers can be
experienced. It is easy to fall from grace here as many yogis
become attached to the powers bestowed.
!
25. There was a beggar who lived in terrible poverty. He just
sat under a tree and begged. People threw a few coins,
and he just lived on.
One day he died and his body was just lying there. He
had no friends or relatives, and nobody wanted to carry
him somewhere and bury him. So they decided to just
bury him right there under the tree.
As people began digging, they hit upon a huge
treasure. Just a few feet beneath him there had been a
huge treasure, a huge pot full of gold, and the fool was
sitting right there all his life, begging. If only he had dug
down, he would have been a very rich man. But he sat
there all the time being a beggar.
26. Power, plug and light bulb
• Kundalini - powerful energy
• “plug-point” within the human body. The seven
chakras.
• The muladhara - Is the first entry
• seventh chakra is like a light bulb. If you plug it in,
everything about you glows.
• Yoga is the science of getting the plug properly in
so that there is an uninterrupted source of power
27. Is Kundalini dangerous?!
!
• It is of paramount importance to purify the body and mind
first, before attempting to awaken Kundalini !
!
• The first four limbs - especially Yamas and Niyamas -
should be fully mastered or else Kundalini can lead to
disturbed mental states and stress on the physical body!
!
• Teacher is highly recommended!
!
• Don’t Build a “Kundalini” Bomb!
28. Methods to awaken Kundalini!
!
!
• Every aspect of Yoga in some way activates
Kundalini
!
• Birth - we don’t awaken it, it awakens us…..
!
• Shatkat - touch by an enlightened individual
!
• Pranayama - suspending ida and pingala nardi
!
Consciously trying awaken Kundalini must be
done under absolute control and guidance.
29. Order of practice
working with the subtle body:!
!
Awakening Kundalini is the goal of Hatha Yoga, and there
is an order which must be followed in order to achieve this. !
!
• Purify the nadis. !
!
• Chakras awakened (the awareness of them) Dormant
Chakras act as blocks obstructing the flow of energy
through the nadis. !
!
• Shushumna Nadi must then be awakened, as if it is
closed the Kundalini energy can’t flow.!
30. Spiritual evolution
!
!
Kundalini represents your spiritual evolution……!
!
She weaves her way up from the lower chakras that are
concerned with matter/physical body, to the higher
chakras concerned with consciousness and spirituality.!
31. Granthis
• Granthis are the energy knots or blocks
• three common blockages in the central pathway (sushumna-nadi) preventing the
full ascent of the serpent power
• According to the yogic tradition,there are three
• granthis: 1.) Brahma Granthi. 2.) Vishnu Granthi & 3.) Rudra Granthi.
• Brahma Granthi: First knot. It is the lowest knot covering the area of muladhara &
svadhisthana chakras. It is also known as perineal knot.
• Vishnu Granthi: Second knot. It covers the area between manipura, anahata &
vishuddhi chakras. It is also known as the navel knot.
• Rudra Granthi: Third knot. It covers the areas of Ajna & Sahasrara chakras. It is
also known as forehead knot.
• These three knots prevent the free flow of prana along chakras & prevent the
arising of kundalini.
• All the three gods takes the test of the sadhaka before they give the way forward.
33. 1) Both concentration and visualisation still the mind and its
constant chatter.!
!
2) It shows the students that there is more than just the physical
yoga poses.!
!
3) Who are we to withhold these teachings? Is it for us to decide
which parts of yoga are beneficial and which aren't? !
!
4) Many people these days agree with the body-mind concept. It
is now time to show them that pranamaya kosha is the bridge
linking the two.
35. 1) BREATH & PRANA: The link between breath, prana and movement of
energy in the nadis.!
!
2) IDA & PINGALA: Nadi Shodhana!
!
• Let them experience right and left nostril breathing, but no need to link it to ida
and pingala. Could link it to hemispheres of the brain instead.!
!
3) PATHWAYS & POINTS: Lay the foundations for 'points' and pathways!
!
•Pathway between eyebrow centre and ajna chakra!
•Moving awareness up and down spine.!
!
4) LOCATIONS AND ELEMENTS: associated elements for each area rather
than using all the sanskrit names !
!
• Grounding, earth element.!
!
5) LOCATIONS AND EMOTIONS: Mind moving to physical locations and
evoking emotional attitude. !
!
•Attention to heart space and mental focus to love, giving and receiving. !
•Chanting and attention to throat.!