Chakras And Flowers

How do you connect chakras, the energy centres of the body in Eastern tradition, and flowers, pretty, ephemeral, bright, cheerful manifestations of nature?

…by way of colour therapy.. yoga energy balancing techniques…meditation… and a simple way of making yourself feel better and re-energized even if you don’t really believe in any of the above.

There are seven main chakras (as well as several others) in a line from the base of the spine to the crown of the head and one more newly recognised chakra just above the head which I believe is important. Each one is associated with various areas of physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. When the energy flow in one becomes blocked it can result in certain symptoms and vice versa. By keeping the chakras open and the energy flowing, we can maximise our body’s ability to keep well and heal itself.

One way of stimulating energy flow is by a simple visualisation. Each chakra has a colour of the spectrum linked to it. Focus on that colour and imagine that colour light pouring into the chakra and saturating it in pure coloured light, then visualise the chakra as a spinning disc of colour. Take 2 or 3 deep breaths as you do so. You can also repeat a mantra or affirmation to intensify the positive energy you are creating. Work through each chakra (see below for summary) in turn from Root to Crown to rebalance your whole energy level.

So what about the flowers? Whatever you use to visualise the colour would work, paint swatches, coloured stones or crystals, an image in your minds eye, but beautiful photographs of flowers saturated in the pure colour of each chakra can bring some extra flower energy into your life as well.

Flowers raise the vibrational energy around them, which is why they have long been associated with celebrations, brought as presents to new mothers, sick people, loved ones. Weddings and funerals are lavish with them. We are rarely aware of the spiritual connection these days, we just know that flowers cheer people up and make them feel glad. So flower photos as visualisation aids make sense and are beautiful to have around.

There are books written about the chakras going into far more detail than there is space for here, as it is a deep and complex subject, with infinite, individual interpretations, but here is a basic, brief summary of the chakras and their associated areas and colours.

1. Root - Red
Situated at the base of the spine.
Emotional grounding and ones roots. The excretory and reproductive systems and the immune system.
Mantra “I am in touch with the earth, my roots”

2. Sacral – Orange
A hands breadth down from the belly button.
Sexuality, creativity, financial issues, honour and ethics, one to one relationships.
Genital and urinary systems, bladder and prostate.
Mantra “I am a creative, sexual being”

3. Solar Plexus – Yellow
Over the solar plexus at the bottom of the rib cage.
Self-esteem, self-confidence and how you see yourself.
Digestive system, worries and fears, the stress of responsibility.
Mantra “I believe in myself”

4. Heart – Green
Over the heart.
Love, forgiveness, unconditional love. Relationships.
Circulatory and immune systems. Heart and lungs. Loneliness.
Mantra “I can give and receive love”

5. Throat – Blue
Centre of the throat
Communication, self-expression and will power.
Thyroid problems, sore throats, addictions(due to lack of will)
Mantra “I speak my truth”

6. Brow - Indigo
Centre of forehead
Intuition, intellect and mind, inner vision.
Brain and nervous system, eye problems.
Mantra “I see clearly”

7. Crown - Violet
Top of head.
Spiritual awakening, search for meaning. Our relationship to our spirit and God.
Central nervous system, overwhelming fatigue.
Mantra “I believe”

8. Soul star – White/crystal
Directly above the crown, about two hand’s breadths from the head
Awareness of ones soul and its connection to the conscious self.
Gives perspective on life and ability to see seemingly random positive or negative events as part of the soul’s journey.
Mantra “I transcend”

This is a personal, simplified interpretation of the chakras. Use it as a stepping stone to finding out more for yourself.

Chakra Meditation Basics

Chakra meditation is one of the more popular meditation techniques used today. Its philosophy is based upon the discovery or the search of the charkas. A charka can be considered as an energy point or force in the body that tries to govern different physical, mental and spiritual functions in an individual. It is the practice of awakening the charka in the body that is the aim of chakra meditation.

According to the practice of chakra meditation, there are seven chakras locate din the different parts of the body. Each one governs different bodily functions and may also provide different benefits when awakened through meditation. One of the charka is the Mooldhara or the “root place”. This chakra is located somewhere in the cervix in women and in the perineum in men. It is said to govern the skeletal and the excretory system of the body. The Mooldhara may also affect the sense of smell as well as the legs and the cervix. Attributes to it include the basic life force, material attachment, procreation, and response to stimuli of labour for women.

Another of the seven chakras is the Swadhistana or “place of one’s abode”. It can be located somewhere at the tip of the spinal column. It is said to affect the urinary system such as the kidney and the bladder. Other bodily systems that this chakra may affect include the reproductive system such as the ovaries, fallopian tube and the uterus in women and the testes and prostrate gland in men. Attributes connected to this chakra include the sense of taste, the ability to analyse, a balanced sex drive, high fertility and no fear of water.

The third chakra is the Manipura or the “city of sparkling jewels”. This chakra is located in the spinal column somewhere in the lumbar junction of the L1 and T12 vertebras. It is said to affect the digestive system, the adrenal glands as well as the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems of the body. This chakra is attributed to power, ego, self confidence, strength and good assimilation and digestion.

The fourth chakra is the Anahata or “unstuck”. This chakra is located in the spinal column somewhere in the center of the chest. It is said to affect the cardiovascular, respiratory system as well as the muscular system. This chakra is attributed to a person’s emotions, relationships, love, and ability to express oneself through the arts. If this chakra is afflicted in the body, it is said to lead to respiratory disorders, heart problems, and low immunity. It may also lead to a person having fear of loneliness, experience some form of emotional imbalance and the inability to maintain friends

There is also the Vishudh chakra or “purification”. It is located in the spinal column somewhere at the C7 vertebrae. It is said to affect the thyroid and parathyroid glands, as well as the function of the throat including the voice, ears, sense of hearing. Attributes to this chakra include the transformation of thoughts into speech, better ability to speak or sing, and the acute sense of hearing. If afflicted, this chakra may cause thyroid imbalance, restriction in the voice as well as the inability to comprehend and understand.

The Ajna, or “command” chakra is said to be located in the mid-center of the brain somewhere at the top of the spinal cord. It governs the autonomic nervous system, pineal gland, and the pituitary gland. This chakra is also said to be attributed to the sense of intuition, higher level of mind and wisdom that is beyond normal intellect.

The Sahasrara or the “one thousand” chakra is said to have various positions according to different ancient texts but is usually found at the base of scalp. It is said to control no specific bodily system but has the overall control of the brain. The knowledge of the seven chakras is the basic in better understanding chakra meditation.

Different Forms Of Meditation

There are no special tricks to meditating; no special posture or breathing rhythm is required. Once you have gotten the knack of it you can meditate anywhere during any activity. Some readers have succeeded in reaching this altered state of conscious while reading about my sand meditation, perhaps you too may realize this transformational state of consciousness as you read on…

Sometimes meditation opens a door into the mysteries of creation. If we allow ourselves to pass through this door there is no telling what we may encounter on the other side. Do not become discouraged if you have tried to meditate in the past and not gotten any remarkable results. Meditation is a mystical process and it may take awhile to learn how to quiet your mind and open yourself to all the present moment has to offer you.

My meditation began while sitting on a beach. My hands were sandy. I rubbed my thumb and forefinger together feeling the grains of sand between them slipping away until only a single grain of sand remained. I could feel the shape of the grain of sand distinctly as I rolled it back and forth between my thumb and forefinger.

The longer I rolled the grain of sand about the more defined my awareness of the grain of sand became. The more detailed my experience of the grain of sand became the larger it appeared to be.
While I could clearly feel the tiny grain of sand trapped between my thumb and finger roll about across the grooves and ridges of my fingerprints the grain of sand appeared to be growing larger and larger as I contemplated it.

The grain of sand continued to grow, encompassing the beach and then the world. Before long the grain of sand had grown to an infinite size and it now encompassed all of creation; yet I still held the tiny grain of sand between my thumb and forefinger, rolling it about across the grooves and ridges of my fingerprints.

The tiny grain of sand was intimately connected to every part of creation and all of creation existed within it, even as it existed within my grasp. I communed with the grain of sand, aware of its infinite connectedness to everything else; through the medium of the grain of sand I became aware of my own infinite connectedness with all of creation.

The sand spoke to me of eternity. It told me tales about creation and the infinite nature of our existence in creation. From the grain of sand I learned that every tiniest part of creation is a living being experiencing creation and sharing in the process whereby creation makes everything manifest.

My meditation with a grain of sand always produced a feeling of intense bliss. It was an eternal meditation that transcended the time and place where it began to continue throughout all of creation. From time to time I would return to this meditation, engrossed by the wisdom and experience of a single tiny grain of sand.

Meditation Using Your Body And Brain

There is a constant two-way communication going on between your body and your brain.Do you remember a time when you may have thought of something that was just terrible or maybe you had a “sinking feeling” in your stomach area? That is the kind of communication that goes on between your brain and your body.Meditation can help relax your mind so it can help train your body to relax and your brain to be clear.

Recent research has found that not only does your brain communicate with your cells,but your cells will also communicate with your brain and also with other parts of your body.In fact,scientist have recently discovered that we think with not only are brain but our bodies as well.Meditation can help us to also understand about our brain.It is not inaccurate to look at your entire body as being part of your brain.

That may be a new fact that may startle you,but do not reject it.Many scientists are now starting to believe that we are actually a “bodybrain”.You can communicate with your body and brain through meditation.A key part of your body’s incredible communication system involves your cells’ receptors.This means every call in your body can have millions of receptors on it’s face,and each cell has perhaps seventy different types of receptors.

While meditating as I learned more I discovered that in the early 1970s,Candace Pert,PhD.D, was the first scientist to prove that the existence of these receptors with her own discovery of the opiate receptor.This receptor molecules float on the cell’s oily outer part of the membrane and also have roots that can reach deep inside the cell.I’m sure that Dr.Pert had to do a lot of meditating as she wrote her wonderful book The Molecules Of Emotion,Dr.Pert says that “the life of a cell,what it is up to at any moment,is determined by which receptors are on its surface,and whether those receptors are occupied by ligands or not.

A ligand is described as a small molecule that will bind itself to a cellular receptor.Still using mediation to keep my mind clear I learned that there are three chemical types of ligands. They are the neurotransmitters,the steroids,and the ones that we are most interested in at this time,the peptides. According to Dr.Pert,as many as 95 percent of all ligands may be peptides.

The receptors and their ligands have come to be seen as “information

Using Meditation Through Music

Clearing your mind through meditation is one of the most peaceful ways you can find to just relieve all the tension you have in your body. Once your mind and body are relaxed you can start to just enjoy some time to yourself. I know that most of us listen to the radio at some point of the day. You may enjoy music ranging from country,to easy listening,to disco,soft rock,classic country,or even blue grass.

Whatever kind of music you enjoy you can find this as a very relaxing way of meditation. For a lot of you that are in good physical shape and like to exercise in a gym at home or even by jogging you want to be able to free your mind of a lot of things that have bothered you through the day.If you are out and about doing your exercises take a Walkman with you and just put it on a station that you really like and let the music just relax all of your tension.

If you are at home exercising or even cooking or cleaning if you have a CD player get one of your favorite Cd’s and play it while you are doing the things you need to do.You can also just go get some blank tapes and record your favorite music off the radio for your meditation. One of the things I find relaxing is listening to music while I am working on the computer.

I have found free sites such as lime wire and frost wire and have taken the time to download my all time favorite songs. I transfer the songs I enjoy into my windows media player and play my music everyday when I am on the computer. I just quietly sing along to my favorite music relax and just meditate about my day. I actually use my keyboard a lot and have to do a lot of typing about different subjects. I have found that if I am not completely relaxed and my mind clear I will make many mistakes in my work which I can’t afford to do.

I know I need to be completely relaxed so I pull up my windows media player and play my most favorite songs that will help me to use mediation to get my work done. I have also bought some blank Cd’s and burned my favorite songs and then listen to that CD while working on the computer or even going somewhere in my car. After having a busy long hard day and I know I still have to drive home and start my routine of cooking,helping kids with homework,giving the kids a bath and getting them to bed.

As soon as I get in my car and I think about all the things I will have to do I put my CD in the player clear my mind and relax and meditate. After I get all my work done I put the kids to bed and the house is very quiet I will draw me a hot bubble bath and listen to my music and just clear my mind and gather my thoughts so I then can start the next day with a clear head.

So whether you enjoy meditating by exercising,shopping,or listening to your favorite music you will find once you have released all of your tension you can then start to feel good about yourself and when you feel good about yourself you can then feel good about your life.

The Solar Plexus and Heart Chakras

The Solar Plexus Chakra has to do with our feelings of power and control. If your Sacral chakra is clear, you are quite comfortable with who you are. If it is closed, you self-esteem has been broken down. The pancreas, liver and gallbladder are also associated with this chakra. The sense of sight is also controlled here. Nearsighted people may have insecure feelings about the world around them. Farsighted people see the world though anger. People with astigmatisms see the world with a lot of confusion. These people usually have poor self-esteem and need to be pushed to get where they are capable of going, whereas those with a clear chakra accept themselves for who they are.

The pancreas is the key organ for this chakra. Diabetes develops when the pancreas is not working correctly. Could it be that Diabetes is some emotion that is kept hidden and not sown to the world? Anger? Shame? Embarrassment? The emotions creates a safe distance to keep you from feeling what you need to and dealing with it.

The Heart chakra is associated with relationships and perceptions of love from people around us – Spouses, children, siblings, parents, and friends. The circulation of blood through the heart and lungs are associated with this chakra as well as the thymus gland that helps to control the immune system. This chakra also correlates with someone having difficulty breathing. The difficulty is either breathing in or out as with love. Should you let the person go or stay in your life a little longer?

These people also do not like to be touched a lot. They are quite sensitive and so this tells us something is wrong with the heart chakra. Even when getting a back rub from a trusted spouse or friend, they do not enjoy and sit there and wait for it to be over wondering why they went through with this. The person rubbing may catch those feelings and be able to relate them to the heart chakra.

Learning the Techniques of Chakra Meditation

When it comes to meditation and all the different styles, there are many of them to choose from. In fact, one of the styles of meditation that is becoming more and more popular is chakra meditation; as it is very simple to learn.

Many times when people learn chakra meditation, they will not want to meditate any other way after that! For many people, chakra meditation is one of the easiest to learn as well as remember.

One thing that many people are unaware of is that chakra meditation is a form of meditation that focuses on certain parts of the body; such as your head, heart or any major organs. In fact, there are seven chakras located throughout everyone’s body (which are the perineum, swadhisthana, navel, heart, throat, eyebrows or forehead, and the top of the head). The main chakra is located just at the base of the spine, which is also known as the coccyx; and it is close to our body and allowing us to master it. Also, our health and security are both linked to the chakra.

Most often when people are taught chakra meditation, they are taught that chakra is an energy that is in the center of the body which is located right at the center of the nervous system; which is at the beginning of the spinal column and goes throughout the entire body to the top of the head. In fact, many people believe that it is the biophysical energy of a person’s body.

Just like any other type of meditation, when practicing chakra meditation, there are several things that you should follow or learn; especially if you are a beginner at meditating and learning on your own. Some of the things that you should first learn before beginning chakra meditation is that it can be done while sitting or lying down, you should adjust all your clothing as well as your body, you should have your eyes closed, when breathing keep your breath relaxed, slow and deepened (but you do not want to control it), find the spinal passage and bring awareness to it, focus on the general area of where the chakras are, before finishing the breath sound, chant “Om” 3 times.

Even though with meditation there are supposed to be no bad side effects, with chakra meditation there is. In fact, a couple of the side effects are excessive mental energy; especially if one does not have enough physical activities. Another problem that many beginners have problems with is getting an emotional imbalance which cause mood (personality) and behavioral problems.

If you are thinking about trying chakra meditation, it is best to go to a professional for advice and some lessons; as you will want to be as healthy as possible!