Chakras
Written with a Focus on the element, sense, and sound
The “truth” of the matter — in terms of the body & its connection to release & nurturing of the spirit.
This is a quick break down and reflection of some of the elements and concepts and prompts that have been provided by South Boston Yoga’s Teacher Training.
A brief breakdown of the shakra is stated. My personal reflection will be on the ‘chief operating force’ of the chakra and its tie to sense sound and verb and ending with personal mantras for each chakra.
1st Charkra: Muadhara
Meaning: Root
Location: Perineum, Base of Spine
Element: Earth
Color: Red
Sense: Smell
Sound: Lam
Chief Operating Force: Gravity
Corresponding Verb: “I have”
Personal Reflection: Lets start with ‘gravity.’ Just by your very existance and tie to the gravity of this earth you are rooted.
One of the questions of this chakra is ‘how comfortable are you with your place, do you believe you have the right to be here” — recognizing and appreciating our bodies, our environment, our finances, and the strucutre of our lives.
Personal Mantras and Statements that can be affirmed through this.
I have a body. I have a mind. I have family & friends. I have everything I need. I have a mind and a voice. I have rights, roles, and responsibilities. I have fun. I have a life worth living. I have the skills, tools, and knowledge to effect positive growth and change. I have memories. I have love.
2nd Chakra: Svadhisthana: Sweetness
Location: lower abdomen, genitals, womb
Element: Water
Color: Orange
Sense: Taste
Sound: Vam
Chief Operating Force: Attraction of Opposites
Corresponding Verb: I feel
The 2nd Chakra, the chakra of sweetness speaks to the contrast in our lives. The attractions of opposites gives us the a platform to find the balance in ourselves and the experience and people in our lives. My old mentor would always quote Bruce Lee and would state “Be Like Water.” The 2nd Chakra speaks to the fluidity in our lives. It speaks to the pleasure of flexibility in a physical sense, but also in a bend and flow that we have as we move through our day to day. The space that we allow for ourselves to shift and move, or to be still.
Personal Mantras for this Chakra: I feel emotions. I feel heat. I feel cold. I feel open. I feel love. I feel the effects of giving and recieving love. I feel positive and negative vibration. I feel confident in my choices in order to bend towards the positive. I feel grounded in my root chakra. I feel honest and willing to create positive change in the world.
Third Chakra: Mainpura: Lustrous Gem
Location: Naval to Solar Plexus
Element: Fire
Color: Yellow
Sense: Sight
Sound: Ram
Corresponding Verb: “I can”
Chief Operating Force: Combustion
The 3rd Chakra -that of the lusterous gem is the phyical force of combustion. I feel that the concept of sight is a matter of interal vision — having enough belief in yourself you be able to invision the life that you love and the places and spaces that you would like to be. This to me is an internal combustion of personal awareness and sense of self. To understand that we create our on realities and they can be as vast, adventurous, and as achievable as we want them to me.
Personal Mantras for the 3rd Chakra: I can do this. I can do anything that I set my mind to. I can create change by creating spaces and places for love. I can love. I can both give and recieve love. I can look forward rather than dwelling on the past. I can use my skills to create life and love. I can be free.
Fourth Chakra: Anahata: Unstruck
Location: Heart
Element: Air
Color: Green
Sense: Touch
Sound: Lam
Corresponding Verb: “I love”
Chief Operating Force: Equilibrium
The 4th Chakra meaning Unstruck is operated by an equilibrium based force. Equilibrium meaning a state when opposite forces or influences are balanced — mind/body, Upper Body/Lower Body, Left/Right, North/South, East/West. The root chakra of gravity sets us up for immediate success because it holds us in a polar and magnetic field. We exist in this univers because we are loved. Because we were all created in a body- a womb, a place of ‘sweetness.’ However our ability to stay in love, to stay innocent, and green, in order to grow and evolved is housed here in this chakra.
Personal Mantras for the 4th charkra: I love myself. I love my body. I love my friends and family. I love my neighbor. I love regardless of religious belief. I love forgiveness. I love the earth and all that is offered to us to grow. I love learning and expansion of the mind. I love to be present. I love the sensation of love. I love to remain calm, open, and reflective.
Fifth Chakra: Visudha: Purification
Location: Center of Throat
Element: Ether
Color: Bright Blue
Sense: Sound
Sound: Ham
Corresponding Verb: “I speak”
Chief Operating Force: Sympathetic Vibration
Sympathetic Vibration is understood as a harmonic phenomenon wherein a formerly passive string or vibratory body responds to external vibrations to which it has a harmonic likeness. It is said that your voice resonates based on your light, the moral, joyous, and unconditional loving outlook that we have for ourselves and the world around us. In this case the formally, passive string can be the body or the mind, but when two meet with intention our voice can not only lift our minds and settle us with willing acceptace into our bodies, but also through conversation and action can do the same for others.
The element for the 5th Chakra is ether, which we can see as a split definition. Webster defines ether as the rarefied element formerly believed to fill the upper regions of space; or less commonly aether \ˈē-thər\ : a medium that in the wave theory of light permeates all space and transmits transverse waves. I’ve spent a lot of time in the past few years thinking about waves -those that we can see in terms of water and earthly flow, the vibrations that carry a certain resonance to create impact and emotion. Voices hold a certain story and they carry with them innocense, experience, and personal truth and the belief in yourself carried in your verbrato. When your life experience, moral code and action are aligned it is reflective in how you speak and what you are speaking about.
Personal mantras for the Visudha: I speak what I know to be true based on my human experience and instilled beliefs of equity, quality and justice. I speak to amplify the good work of others. I speak for myself. I speak from a space of gratitude and graciousness for love in my life and the people who have taken action to support me. I speak through song. I speak with an open mind, discretion and thoughtful disclosure. I speak up when I see injustice. I speak out against slavery and oppression. I speak to create unity — to offer resistance when necessary and with collaborative intent. I speak to express love.
Sixth Chakra: Ajna: To know, percieve, command
Location: Between the brows and slightly above
Element: Light
Color: Indigo
Sense: Sight
Sound: Om
Corresponding Verb: “I see”
There is not chief operating for state for Ajna, but it can be best described as intuition. The sense of perception based on vibration and energy for you to sense when something may be out of line or order in the present. Its essential form is described as the interaction between color and light. Of as stated in the training manual
“The center of ‘seeing’ related to the element light. In our culture, there is a deep prejudice in favor of light against darkness, dating back…whe darkness was a time of fear and helplessness. Yet it is only through light and darkness a rainbow spectrum of choice available to us at each momet…To accept the darkness as well as the light, enabling us to erceiv without prejudice the vast realm of visual inforation, is the essence and function of chakra six.”
We are told that in order to shift towards a life of joy, we must first see ourselves in a joyous light. I do believe this to be true. However, it is the unconditional love of others that allows us shift not only our view of others, but the worthy acceptance of the love being given.
6th Chakra Mantras: I see people for who they are as a person, without prejudice based on race, sex, or creed. I see myself for who I am as a person. I see my own ego when it begins to creep into present thought, and work to interrupt negative thought and behavior. I see where I must hold myself accountable. I see the love and life experience of others. I see my womanhood. I see all good things in my life. I see endless possibilities for the future of human kind. I see kindness and honor in all people. I see and seek out the light in others.
Seventh Chakra: Sahasrara
Meaning: Thousandfold
Location: Top of head
Element: Thought
Color: Violet
Sound: None, Soundless Vibration (Pure Energetic Vibration)
Corresponding Verb: I know
The seventh chakra, the pinacle of knowlege is to me a state of being woke. Open, honest and reflective about the world, and willingness to admit that in terms of culture and experience we still have much to learn.
Univeral conciousness, to understand how our local effects by way of earth, energy and light carries global impact. That if we vibrate higher in a visionary space of a life without oppressive systems, in a space of love, that is not restricted by time or material possessions, we can create a new world of understanding and grace within our lifetime.
Mantras for the seventh chakra:
I know that my life here is to serve with purpose for the goodness of others and the whole. I know that I create my own reality. I know that I am connected to all things in this earth my way of energy and experience. I know collaboration, comprehensive education, and culture are the elements that can change the way we see and operate in society. I know that I am here- that I am present, that I am free, that I am alive.
