for all of you my dears ****************************** Chakras, Experiences and Powers Each chakra provides an awareness of corresponding levels of the universe or different worlds (lokas) beyond the physical. We gain insights into the subtle workings of nature (Prakriti), the senses and their subtle essences (tanmatras), the life-force (pranas), and the process of cosmic creation. The corresponding sub planes of the astral universe, which are quite marvelous beyond anything in the physical world, may become available to the third eye. Beautiful astral mountains may be seen, vast expanses of translucent astral oceans, scintillating astral suns and pulsating astral stars. One may ride the astral winds through various worlds, or expand ones mind through endless astral spaces and their many universes of beauty and delight. One can meet with sages and deities or with friends from former lives, renewing soul connections. In the higher chakras one can gain access to causal realms of pure insight, ideal perception, and endless awareness beyond personal limitation. One can visit the workshop of creation and see how the universes are made out of mind and thought alone. Yet not all yogis choose to explore the worlds or the faculties that relate to the chakras. Many great jnanis, or yogis of the path of knowledge, strive to merge directly into pure unity or the Absolute, which is beyond both subtle and causal bodies. In their awakening they may hardly note the distinctions of the chakras and their functions. From their experience such as that of Ramana Maharshi, who perhaps most typifies this view - there is only one chakra or center which is that of the Self in the heart, from which all the phenomenon of the gross and subtle worlds and bodies appear like images seen in a mirror or bubbles on the waves of the sea. Similarly many great devotees simply seek to merge in God or Bhagavan in the heart and are not concerned with the various experiences of the chakras, even when these are known to them. These are very high states that few can approach, but we must recognize that the chakras are a series of stages rather than an end in themselves, and can become a side track if we are not careful. Yogic literature speaks of various siddhis or psychic powers. These relate primarily to the subtle body and its pranas, as subtle matter is totally malleable. The subtle udana or upward moving air allows one to become as light as one likes, including the ability to levitate (laghima). The subtle apana or downward moving air enables us to become as heavy or as stable as we wish (garima). The subtle vyana or expansive air allows us to become as large as we like, to expand endlessly (mahima). The subtle samana or contracting air allows us to become as small as we like, to be perfectly concentrated (anima). The primary prana itself allows us to gain whatever we wish (prapti). As the chakras open, these corresponding powers in the subtle body may be experienced. Sometimes their effects extend into the physical body as well. In addition we should not forget that many subtle states exist between ordinary physical consciousness and the true awakening of the kundalini and the chakras. We should not regard any extraordinary experience as enlightenment or as a kundalini experience. Visions, out-of-body experiences, trances, channeling, mystical dreams, genius, inspiration of various sorts and other such states, even if legitimate, may still fall short of the real awakening of the kundalini and certainly should not be confused with Self-realization, which requires the full development of our awareness rather than giving ourselves over to some entity or experience outside ourselves. To properly open the chakras requires divine grace. It cannot be done willfully or forcefully arrived at from a state of emotional disturbance. Attempts to awaken kundalini without having first purified the body and mind lead to side effects in which the mind or the life-force become disturbed and various illusory experiences arise. For this reason, traditional yogic literature has always stressed right living factors and right attitudes (yamas and niyamas), as well as appropriate ayurvedic lifestyle regimens, as the basis for kundalini practices. While it is possible to have aberrant kundalini or chakra experiences, most of these are pranic or mental disturbances. If the mind is not purified there can be a heightened activity of the lower chakras, along with an increase in their corresponding physical and emotional urges. For this reason we should seek to work on the lower chakras from the standpoint of the higher, mainly either the heart or the third eye. In addition to the seven higher chakras, there are seven lower chakras beneath the muladhara which relate to the underworld, the lower astral or realm of the asuras (anti-Gods), the powers that work to keep us in ignorance and illusion. It is possible to fall into these lower chakras and their negative experiences of wrath, pride and power if one is not careful. If we approach the chakras carefully and with the right guidance, we have nothing to fear, but it is better to be overly cautious rather than too daring while working with these lightninglike forces. Above all we should understand that opening the chakras is not an end itself, but part of the process of Self-realization. The chakras only show the road; they also indicate the side paths where one can go astray. While we need to understand them, we must do so in terms of their cosmic connections. Yoga and Ayurveda
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 13:13:59 +0000