Workshop Review 2

The Chakras and Kundalini Yoga

1. Some background

Kundalini Yoga is very ancient. The phrase is mentioned in the Upanishads. These are Sanskrit scriptures written by the sages of old, the  Rishis, who recorded the techniques and insights they gained from spiritual exploration and the quest for enlightenment.

There are 108 Upanishads devoted to yogic thought and 20 of those are specifically related to Kundalini Yoga. Upanishad - literally sitting down near someone, conjures up the idea of a student sitting by a teacher, so maybe a loose translation, a lecture or a demonstration?

The Upanishads in turn are included in the Vedas the vast body of work which contains the philosophy and practice of Hinduism.

The Kundalini Yoga we practice today is very different to that which was conceived of by the Rishis but there are recognisable similarities, specifically the focus on chakras and the Kundalini energy.

The Rishis taught that the chakras (the word for wheel in Sanskrit) are energy centres, located at points along the spine or the midline of the body, starting from base and ending at the crown.

Each chakra represents particular physical, psychological and spiritual qualities related to organs they are close to and are said to be balanced or unbalanced depending on whether the a person experiences the qualities in a positive or negative way.

The techniques described in the Upanishads to activate and balance the chakras consisted of breathing practices, meditations, mantras, mudras (hand shapes and gestures) and bandhas (the tightening of different muscles). They did not mention much in the way of asana or posture/ exercises, the movements we have come to associate all types of yoga with. These came later.

The main way to activate the chakras was through the awakening of the Kundalini energy. The sages described this as a dormant power, envisaged as a sleeping serpent coiled at the base of the spine. By using the yogic techniques mentioned earlier, this serpent power can be woken and encouraged up through the chakra, energy wheels.

As each chakra is reached, the kundalini is said to boost the energy contained there and bring healing, openness and balance. Eventually the chakra ‘opens’ and the kundalini passes on through to the next one.

As the energy surges upwards, it becomes more refined and subtle, reflecting the element of the chakra it is passing through. So at the root, which is the earth element, the energy is said to be slower and more solid. Coming to the higher chakras, the heart and beyond, there is a lighter more ethereal quality to the energy.

All very interesting and ancient, you may be thinking, but what about the science? How do we relate these esoteric theories of anatomy and energy to 21st Century knowledge?

The idea of energy fields associated with the body is not exclusive to yoga, it appears in other traditional medicine disciplines, particularly TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) which has been subject to scientific examination.

In terms of Western science, there is an emerging theory referred to as the biofield. This was first identified by an embryologist studying the process by which a fertilised cell becomes a fully formed creature. The biofield is also implicated in the regrowth of cells and healing after injury (for both plants and animals). These ideas are still being developed  but are  possibly correlated with more traditional health paradigms.

The Workshop

During the workshop we practiced exercises to focus on each chakra location as it corresponds to the body. Below are descriptions of all seven. There is a wealth of material about chakras available, this is a short(!) summary

Starting with the MULADHARA or Root Chakra which corresponds to the Earth element and is shown as red in colour. The sages believed everything in the universe is contained within each one of us so each chakra contains one of the physical elements.

The Root Chakra represents safety, security, connection with the earth and location. If the chakra is balanced and the Kundalini energy infuses it, we are comfortable in our own skin and our organs of elimination work well. We can get rid of all toxins, both physical and emotional.

SVADISTHANA or Sacral Chakra Named for the sacrum - the pelvic bone situated in the lower back - Svadisthana can be translated from Sanskrit as sweetness and its colour is orange. The associated element is water. Our emotions, sexuality, and creativity, passion and flow, joy and playfulness are all connected with this chakra. Kundalini energy flowing through Svadisthana can ignite the spark of enthusiasm and engagement with life and people.

MANIPURA or Navel Chakra is next. Lustrous jewel in Sanskrit, Manipura is presented as a golden yellow in colour, associated with the fire energy needed for all processes of digestion. This chakra's qualities are all about strength, willpower, confidence and the ability to bring ideas into fruition, make things real, get things done. It is our powerhouse, our inner sun.

ANAHATA or the Heart Chakra. The meaning of Anahata is unstruck, unassailed. The chakra represents non violence, compassion, empathy, love, sharing, forgiveness and openness. The element is Air. The major associate organs are of course heart, lungs and thymus gland – this gland is mainly active in children and is involved in the maturation process of white blood cells. The Heart chakra is also perceived in the Kundalini Yogic teachings as our centre of neutrality. If we respond directly from the heart we are being calm, graceful and centered. The green of this chakra indicates the fresh, open, natural quality of its energy.

VISHUDDHA is the Throat Chakra. Light blue in colour, the translation from Sanskrit is 'purification.' When this chakra is energised we are able to communicate authentically, truthfully, be creative with language and confident with self expression. The element is ether which is conceived as the transmitter of sound. The thyroid and parathyroid glands are situated within this chakra, responsible for many of our metabolic functions.

AJNA -THIRD EYE. Dark blue in colour but corresponding to the element of light, Ajna chakra is our centre for intuition and perception. It is associated with our autonomic nervous system, hence our intuitive abilities. Also located close by the eyes and the pituitary gland which is the master gland of the endocrine system. Hormones secreted from here help to control growth, blood pressure, energy management, sex organs, thyroid, aspects of pregnancy, breast feeding and childbirth. Ajna means the control centre.

SAHASRARA meaning the infinite, the Crown Chakra. Element also light. Here we have a soul connection, an understanding of who we really are and our connection with the universe. This is the destination of the Kundalini energy and the goal(!) of yoga. The organs and glands associated with this chakra are the pineal gland, which produces melatonin and the cerebral cortex which plays a key role in consciousness.

We also discussed The Vagus Nerve and the Nadis. The Kundalini energy is thought to travel up the body by means of the sushmuna, an energy channel which starts at the base of the spine and rises to the crown. 2 smaller channels, the Ida (association with the moon/feminine) energy which rises from the base of the spine to the left nostril and the Pingala (sun/masculine) which rises to the right. There are 72,000 nadis in the body.

Western anatomy identifies the Vagus nerve which runs from the brain stem to the colon transmitting information about the condition of the body to the brain. It is the main nerve of the autonomic nervous system, which governs our unconscious responses to stimuli, both external and internal.

The function of the vagus nerve has been understood only in recent years and it is understood that it plays an important role in keeping the body and mind calm and balanced. Breathing practices, chanting and singing have been identified as being particularly helpful in activating the vagus nerve.

As this was an introduction to some of the teachings of Kundalini Yoga I thought it would be good to include the practice of Kirtan Kriya meditation. This a very strong holistic exercise using voice, mantra, mudra and visualisation activating the Throat, Third Eye and Crown Chakras. It has been shown in clinical trials to reduce cognitive impairment, improve memeory and slow cognitive decline when practiced daily. It also improves blood flow to the brain, reverses memory loss, eases depression, decreases inflammation and increases healthy genetic expression! Not a bad outcome for 11 minutes a day!