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Hatha Yoga and the Seven Chakras
This is an excerpt from Hatha Yoga by Ram Jain & Michèle Hauswirth.
According to yogic philosophy, human beings have three bodies. All of them are interconnected via the vital life energy: prana. The three bodies are the physical body, the energetic or so-called astral body, and the spiritual body (or soul). The physical body in its entirety is connected to the energetic body, and furthermore every body part individually is associated and connected with an astral counterpart.
As we know, asanas work on the physical body in various ways. They ensure and enhance homeostasis. They do so by bringing your body into a parasympathetic state. Further, the practice of asanas exerts an immediate effect on internal glands and organs, increasing and balancing their functions. Also, asanas influence and stimulate the astral body.
An important aspect of the astral body is the chakra system of energy centers. In yoga, we focus on the seven major chakras. These exist along the line of your spine. Each one connects to its specific glands or organs of the physical body, as well as areas of the mind that influence personality. According to yogic scriptures, health and well-being blossom when energy flows in a balanced way through each of the seven major chakras. The astral body also includes about 72 thousand astral energy nerves: nadis. The three main nadis—the Sushumna Nadi, the Ida Nadi, and the Pingala Nadi—coincide with the spinal column.
The astral body is intricately connected and intertwined with the physical body. Every physical action has an influence on the astral body and therefore on the chakras. Some influences are more direct and pronounced. Others are subtle and materialize over time. The astral and physical bodies are in a constant state of connection and exchange. The energies of the astral body and the physical body influence each other and their processes. So a malfunctioning gland or organ has an effect on the rest of the physical body as well as on the corresponding chakra.
In the physical body, blood flows through veins, capillaries, and arteries. In the energy body, prana flows through the nadis, which are energy pathways. There are many ways we absorb this prana: breathing is one of them. So when we breathe in, we inhale prana. When we expand the breath and improve the quality of it, we are expanding and improving the quality of this vital life force within and around us. Yoga asanas and breathing exercises improve and expand the flow of prana through the chakras. When all chakras are in balance, then the astral and physical bodies are in a state of holistic health and equilibrium.
When prana is prevented from flowing naturally, either becoming blocked or overactive at a certain point, it can create disharmony on both physical and emotional levels. Yoga postures, when performed according to Hatha Yoga principles, stimulate specific chakras. For example, Bridge Pose and Shoulderstand stimulate the energy at the throat chakra. This in turn activates and stimulates physical and subtle responses. Subtle energetic qualities of the Vishuddha Chakra (the throat chakra) govern your ability to speak, listen, and express yourself as a higher form of communication. They govern creativity, faith, and a feeling of freedom and liberation.
Some of the physical responses of Hatha Yoga we discussed in a previous chapter can be explained from a scientific viewpoint. Other effects, however, are more subtle. For example, by practicing Kakasana, Crow Pose, we stimulate the Svadhishthana Chakra. There is no immediate physical pressure on the organs and glands (kidneys and gonads) related to this chakra. Yet, through the stimulation of the chakra, the physical counterparts are stimulated and balanced as well.
Your body is a single system, interconnected so complexly that it is difficult, even impossible, to fully appreciate. So whatever you do, whichever asana you practice, your whole body is involved. Therefore the entire body also reacts. Yet each of the main internal organs in the trunk as well as glands in the physical body can be linked to one of the seven main chakras. And each asana balances the function of its corresponding chakra, organ, and gland, and of the whole body.
The Seven Chakras and Their Physical and Mental Properties
Sahasrara means “thousand.” The Sahasrara Chakra resembles a lotus with a thousand petals located at the crown of your head. This chakra is referred to as the Crown Chakra and is considered to be the center of spirituality, awareness, and enlightenment. It allows for the inward flow of wisdom and brings the gift of cosmic consciousness. This is also the center of connection with supreme consciousness.
Ajna means “foremost,” and the sixth chakra, the Ajna Chakra (pronounced “Agya”) is located about 4 inches behind the eyes, at the center of your head. It is also known as the Third-Eye Chakra. This is the center of perception. Your capability to perceive and understand are dependent on the condition of this chakra.
In the physical body, the Sahasrara and Ajna Chakras correspond with the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the pineal gland, located in the brain, as well as the eyes, ears, and the nose.
Vishuddha means “especially pure,” and the fifth chakra, the Vishuddha Chakra, is located at the base of the throat. It is the center of communication, sound, and the expression of creativity via thought, speech, and writing. The possibility for change, transformation, and healing are located here. It is associated with the element akasha, or ether, and the sense of hearing, as well as the action of speaking. Because of its physical location, it is also called the Throat Chakra.
The Vishuddha Chakra is connected to the thyroid and parathyroid glands, as well as the larynx and tongue in the physical body.
Anahata means “unstruck” or “unhurt” and refers to non-attachment. The Anahata Chakra is located in the center of the chest, near the heart. It is associated with the element air. The Anahata Chakra is also associated with love and compassion and is therefore often referred to as the Heart Chakra.
The Anahata Chakra is connected to the heart, the lungs, and the thymus gland in the physical body.
Manipura literally translates as “place of shining gem” and is the name of the third chakra, the Manipura Chakra, located at the solar plexus (between the belly button and bottom of the rib cage). The Manipura Chakra is related to the fire element in your body. Ego, energy, will power, aggression, and intellect are the qualities of this chakra, which often is referred to as the Solar Plexus Chakra. The Manipura Chakra is connected to the stomach, gallbladder, liver, spleen, and pancreas in the physical body.
Svadhishthana means “dwelling place of the Self ” and is the name of the second chakra, the Svadhishthana Chakra, located at the lower abdomen, four finger breadths below the belly button. This chakra is also known as the Sacral Chakra and governs sexuality, desires, and pleasures. It is associated with the element of water and the act of procreation.
The Svadhishthana Chakra is connected to the urinary tract, kidneys, and gonads (ovaries, testes) in the physical body.
Muladhara means “root support,” and the first chakra, the Muladhara Chakra, is located at the base of your spine, between the perineum and the coccyx. Muladhara is considered the foundation of the energy body and is also referred to as the Root Chakra. Kundalini awakening begins here, because it is the base from where the three main nadis—Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna—emerge. It is the most instinctual of all chakras. It governs instinct, safety, survival, and grounding. It is associated with the element of earth and the action of excretion.
The Muladhara Chakra is connected to the large intestines and adrenals in the physical body.
Mostly, the physical location of an organ or gland corresponds with the location of its corresponding chakra in the astral body. There are some exceptions, however. The adrenals, for example, correspond with the Muladhara Chakra, even though their physical location would suggest the Svadhishthana Chakra. This has to do with the functions of the adrenals. The adrenal glands are in charge of survival. The Muladhara Chakra is the primary chakra: the chakra of instinct, survival, and stability. The sexual glands (gonads and ovaries), however, are associated with creation and creativity, which link to the Svadhishthana Chakra. The truth is that we can survive without our sexual glands, but we cannot live without our adrenal glands.
So, the location of an internal organ or gland is not sufficient to determine its corresponding chakra. Another factor we have to look at is its element. So even though the stomach and the kidneys are more or less at the same level in your body, the stomach is related to the Manipura Chakra, while the kidneys, because of their functions involving the water element, are related to the Svadhishthana Chakra.
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