The chakra system, honoured in Ayurvedic and Tibetan teachings for thousands of years, is increasingly being acknowledged in western society. Recognition of the body’s electromagnetic field includes the chakra system that is linked to the health of our physical form. Energy therapies that assist in balancing our energy and physical body unit are continuing to expand as we become more familiar with the concept and positive effects. A few of these include Polarity Therapy, Acupuncture and Reiki, along with many others today.
The resulting benefits from experiencing these therapies add fuel to the expansion of energy therapy as a beneficial adjunct to maintain health. Awareness of the chakra system brings understanding in why energy therapy can be effective for health improvements. As a more subtle system than the density of physical form, colour and sound therapies are often incorporated into energy work because of the effect of frequency or resonance which has been proven scientifically for many years.
Our experience of reality is said to be coloured by the vibration and health of our chakras. For me, knowledge of this system means an expansion of my awareness that leads to understanding more about self, growth and change. As respect of our energy system as part of the body unit grows, we gain insight into why we attract the circumstances into our life that we do. This can help us accept our responsibility to accept the lessons involved and better yet, to perceive alternative responses.
Chakras are usually described as the energy centers or transformers in the body that bring energy in to flow through our nervous systems, influencing all body tissues and functions. Although there are said to be many chakras throughout the body, with some above and below it, seven of the twelve ‘major chakras’ of the body are located along the spine, paralleling the major physical nerve ganglia or plexus locations. These are also linked to our endocrine system.
Influencing how we operate on many levels, these energy centers effect various physical systems as well as emotional and mental responses and resulting thought patterns, or habits. The lower body chakras vibrate at a slower or lower frequency than the upper centers. Each chakra has a different rate of vibration or particular tone frequency, usually assigned notes of the major diatonic scale from C at the root or base chakra progressing to B at the crown chakra in our head.
Sound and light are both forms of energy, so each center is linked to a corresponding physical and etheric colour association because colour is simply a much higher rate of vibration than sound. The physical and etheric colours differ because the physical vibration is lower on the scale than the etheric vibration. One chakra will influence another, just as striking one note on a keyboard resonates harmonic overtones on the keyboard. And, just like an instrument, we operate and sound much better when our chakras vibrate in harmony rather than in discord (with discord referring to distortions or congested energy influencing a chakra’s vibratory rate and function).
Our ability to make choices evolves as we grow, as does the function of our chakra centers. Each one, from the bottom to the top of the body, displays a successively more complex mode of functioning for both body and mind. Varying philosophy exists on which center develops at whatever physical age, but the concept of their development linked to our physical ages and emotions further unravels the choices of our life patterns.
A key teaching in the work of Dr. Randolph Stone, D.C., D.O., N.D, (founder of Polarity Therapy) is that no polarization or balance is possible on a permanent basis, if the emotion is not dealt with.
We most often find energetic distortions occurring in the three lower chakras, the earliest to develop and the basis of our growth as an individual. Energy patterns can be held for many years. We may acquire an attitude during our early, impressionable years or from a time when we were simply unable to cope. Until we adjust the thought pattern we adopted from the experience, that energy remains part of us, influencing how we operate and the energy we attract into our life.
Once aware of this, we can either adjust our perspective of the cause and our interpretation of it, or develop new positive thought forms to replace it. When an experience or trauma is beyond our resources to cope with it, the resistance we feel is crystallized into the tissues until a time when we have accessed enough resources to deal with it. And so the concept of ’tissue memory’ evolved along with therapies to assist in release or dissolving such issues.
In most cases, lack of nurturing in our early developmental years was not intentional, but rather a reflection of the parents or care-givers personal upbringing and behavioural patterns from their life experiences. To own responsibility for changing your own personal concepts is most important for expanding your comprehension level and degree of acceptance, rather than blaming upbringing or someone else for your on-going responses.
Varying degrees of balance are expressed among the chakra centers at different times throughout our life. They all are active, some to varying degrees. It has been said that most people who gather together are moving through the same vibrational frequency or growth of a particular chakra. Having a chakra ‘balanced’ should leave you feeling relaxed, but how long you hold a balance depends on the changes occurring within you, your responses to circumstances and the key people in your life.
The following outline may help pinpoint the origin of some of your emotional patterns, either by age of experience or by the type of emotions experienced.
|
Chakra/Location |
Color & Tone |
Element |
Body Reference |
Issues |
1st Activation |
|
1st Chakra |
Red: C |
Earth |
skeleton, feet, legs, adrenal glands, colon |
survival, structure, foundation, patience |
Approximate ages 1 – 3 years |
|
2nd Chakra (Navel, Sacral, Sexual) |
Orange: D |
Water |
reproductive system, pelvis & low back, bladder |
emotions, sexuality, polarities, desire |
Approximate ages 4 – 7 years |
|
3rd Chakra (Solar Plexus) |
Yellow/Gold:E |
Fire |
solar plexus, thighs, eyes |
self-esteem, power, vitality |
Approximate ages 8 – 12 |
|
4th Chakra |
Green or Rose: F |
Air |
heart, lungs |
compassion, love, balance |
Approximate ages 12 – 15 |
|
5th Chakra |
Blue: G |
Ether |
throat, thymus, esophagus |
expression, truth, creativity, reliability |
Approximate ages 15 – 17 |
|
6th Chakra |
Indigo: A |
pineal and pituitary glands |
insight, moral discernment, intuition |
Approximate ages 17 – 22 |
|
|
7th Chakra Crown |
Violet: B |
pituitary gland |
soul, surrender, spirituality, understanding |
No defined age |
First Chakra (also termed Base or Root Chakra)
Chakra development during our earliest years is seen in the family or the original ‘tribal’ concept, so the first chakra resonates to our basic survival needs and physical comforts. It sets the foundation for our outlook and attitudes as later experienced in group situations. Distortions can reside here when early family life contained elements of trauma, death to one of its key members, severe financial struggle or strife and division that influenced the family unit. How easily these types of trauma were handled as a family unit largely determines how well you move these types of stress emotions through this chakra. Distortions may manifest as insecurity and fears, finding us resonating to the ‘mass consciousness’, or as absent-mindedness whenever our foundation, our stability seems threatened and we feel ungrounded. We revert from threatening emotions then, to our original growth patterns.
The first chakra denotes our degree of acceptance or conversely, resentment and rigidity. Fear-based attitudes from this center represent the least evolved platform from which we make decisions and choices, but can show a degree of on-going influence until we change the misconceptions earlier thought processes recorded to restructure our habit of holding that pattern. As an evolving society we are still emotion-based and society’s opinions are always ready to act as our mirror. Distortions here may help us create aspects, true or untrue, that we need at some level in order to bring areas within self to the surface for examination.
Second Chakra (also called Navel, Sexual or Sacral chakra)
This center pertains to our emotional identity and sexuality. Our consciousness first expands beyond survival of self to dualism at this chakra level, so it’s said to represent the balancing of polarities: male/female, positive/negative, relationships and how we relate to others. Balanced energy flowing through this center would influencve the degree that we can harmoniously work with others, giving and receiving, tolerance levels, healthy emotional boundries, how we handle change and sexual or passionate love. Repressed emotions and trauma easily settle into this center. Energy congestion here may display as a movement to disorder, and thought forms like “It’s not safe to commit to a relationship” or “I mustn’t get close to…” and so forth.
Third Chakra (Solar plexus)
A person who feels powerless in controlling the direction of their life could take a look at thought forms that may have become established around the ages of 7 to 12, when our self-concept is further expanded from family to the world outside.
Balanced energy in this center might be seen as the balanced use of personal power, mastery of desire, self-control, warmth, humour and radiance. Whenever feelings of inadequacy, inferiority and helplessness occur, they may influence this chakra’s balance. Distorted or imbalanced energy here may manifest as a tendancy to take on more then you can handle, or too much emphasis on power and recognition, perfectionism, anger or fear. Digestive problems may result. Thought forms indicative of distortions or congestion might include “nothing comes easy in my life”, or “my survival depends on you…” The solar plexus center has been called a great clearing house, and makes a trio of the lower three chakras that reflect up to the heart center.
Fourth Chakra (Heart chakra)
This center unites the energies above with the energies below, meaning both the lower chakras of our body with the higher chakras, and also spirit with physical. It reflects our ability to express love, for our self and for others. Not to be confused with sexuality, the heart center reacts under group impetus, group happiness or unhappiness and group relations. Here we expand beyond self. Forgiveness and compassion resonate within the heart center, as does acceptance and contentment. Growth may be expressed in compassion, non-judgmental understanding, care towards others, or loving relationships with family and friends. Feeling and wisdom are awakened at the heart center. Distortions are said to revealed with such thought forms as “I can’t do all I should, I feel guilty”, or “there’s always something missing in my life”.
Fifth Chakra (Throat)
This chakra governs our ability to recognize our own truth , our ability to communicate and all forms of self-expression. Energetic distortions may manifest as vocal cord difficulties, mouth, trachea, esophagus and thyroid conditions. Thought forms indicating it’s time to address the energy at this chakra may be something like, “If I express my true feelings and needs, I’ll be ridiculed” or similar concepts that result in restrained expression of truth.
Sixth Chakra (Anja or Brow)
Said to govern the growth of our vision and moral discernment, this center deals with our ability to see the world around us and to perceive without prejudice. Also termed the “seat of our spirituality”, when clear-flowing, we have direct, intuitive insight into our life, accompanied with peace of mind and wisdom. When this chakra activates, between the ages 17 – 22, we usually are ready to achieve independence and explore personal values. The higher chakra centers, (from the heart up), in addition to functioning on an individual basis, also represent our growth as a society expanding in group consciousness and spirituality.
If we think of the chakras as regions of mind power, or interrelated thought patterns, it paints a clearer picture of their dual role in the evolution of individual growth from the lower to the higher chakras as well as society as an evolving group. Energy distortions may manifest as being enslaved by a compulsive drive for your own brand of perfectionism, which naturally leaves you falling short, becoming prey to guilt. Cynicism and lack of concentration or imagination abilities also said to resonate from imbalance in this center.
Seventh Chakra (Crown chakra)
Our spiritual search resonates from this center, and may begin quite early in life or never happen in a given lifetime. When separated from our spiritual connection at this chakra level, there is no meaning in life apart from purpose shifting among goals to acquire worldly gain, social status or physical pleasure.
Chakra system balance
What do the chakras have to do with massage or polarity therapy? Therapies to balance either the physical body or the energy body reflect into all areas to some degree, according to the intent and skill application of a practitioner and the level of acceptance of the client. While massage therapy always moves energy to some degree as the tissue softens its holding patterns, the energy change is more noticeable when the practitioner is aware of energy and uses some energy techniques to acknowledge energy flow. Polarity therapy techniques evolved to balance the energy field of a person, with focus being to ease underlying causes that developed into physical concerns. Energy balance is achieved by adjusting the flow of energy through knowledgeable application of the various types of energy, understanding how they manifest or influence our total person and our responses. Energy is like water, continuously flowing, but distortions can occur in our system and cause an interruption in the smooth, optimum flow.
The power of Polarity Therapy is that rather than focus on any one aspect it uses a whole-being approach. With this perspective, it accesses all body systems, from the chakras to the nervous systems, body tissues and most importantly… thought processes and underlying energy patterns.
Dr. Stone largely based this energy work on ancient Ayurvedic principles that attained positive results for thousands of years. It incorporates an understanding of the energy grid-work of the body as the source from which we develop, including emotional and mental expression as well as our physical appearance. Dr. Stone recognized the importance of brain crossover patterns.
Today, various energy therapies address our energy fields and body balance. These include such examples as Polarity Therapy, One Brain, Brain Gym ®, Hypnotherapy, NLP, Bodytalk, Matrix Repatterning and Psychotherapy…. as samples within the growing field of energy workers. These therapies use techniques that provide yet another method to access ingrained mental and emotional patterns you wish to change, assisting the body/mind unit to revert to integration and balance.
While it sometimes may be important to acknowledge where you acquired a misconception in order to change it, one worthwhile philosophy to consider is that things are set in motion before you come into physical form. We are said to incarnate to serve a higher purpose, both for our own growth and for the good of others.
This theory acknowledges that mistakes can happen when someone gets their messages reversed, that the power to choose is a large component of how life unfolds. You could say that represents the ‘free will’ part, both on an individual basis and as a society that sometimes ‘turns a blind eye’.
A quick energy balance on yourself can be done whenever you notice energy tightening in a particular chakra center. Hold your right, positive-energy hand over the front of the chakra and your left negative-energy hand over the stem of the chakra on your back. This helps adjust the flow of energy through it. You can also visualize a stream of the associated colour flowing between your hands through the chakra while focusing with three or four deep, diaphragmatic breaths. When you adjust your thought patterns, you are also adjusting the energy pattern flowing through the chakra that resonates to that thought or emotional vibration.
Whether you start to change your lifestyle with polarity therapy, nutrition, massage therapy, yoga, fitness programs or art lessons, it all begins with your thoughts and your choices. Once you choose health, vitality and joy, it spirals into more and more areas that assist you and those within your life to feel better on many levels.
