What are the Kundalini yoga chakras?

Before answering this question let us take a look at the three main nadis or energy channels that can be found in the subtle energy body which is often called etheric body. Actually there is a huge number of energy channels through which the energy of the etheric aura flows, but three of them are very important. Those are sushumna nadi, ida nadi and pingala nadi. So, the knowledge of the kundalini yoga chakras is related to the most important channel or pathway - the Sushumna psychic energy stream, and to a lesser extent to ida and pingala. The energy that flows through these psychic pathways is often called Prana.

To be precise, the kundalini yoga chakras are the regular 7 chakras which, if cleansed and prepared, can play their role in raising the kundalini along the spine. Basically, the yoga of ‘Kundalini awakening’ is ‘Energy yoga’, meaning that we should master our own life force and subtle energy, which is in fact the Kundalini. The ida and pingala nadis are ascending in a spiral way, crossing the spine at several points, whereas the sushumna channel goes straight up (see the figure below).



All three energy pathways start at the root chakra, where kundalini is awakened, and meet again in the Manipura solar plexus chakra, then once again they cross the throat chakra or Vishuddha, and finally they meet in the Sahasrara region or in the crown chakra.

The Sushumna is the main psychic current; it is of pale yellow color; it passes all along the spinal cord, from the first to the seventh chakra. This is actually the channel of the Kundalini energy, which is dormant and latent in an average individual. When awaken, this energy should advance passing through the seven kundalini yoga chakras.

The pingala nadi is blue; its nature is of male yang energy; it is a channel that brings intellectual and mental energy. The Pingala flows upwards, and the flow ends at the right part of the body at the top of the head. Ida is pink; its nature is of female yin energy; it is more emotionally oriented. The ida channel flows downwards and ends at the left part of the body.

The basic seven kundalini yoga chakras are located at seven levels. But some of these levels are grouped together. Five of the yoga chakras are paired (or double sided), and two are unpaired meaning that they have no back side. The single sided chakras are the first and the seventh energy center and they point in opposite directions. The sahasrara chakra points upwards, while the muladhara chakra downwards. When combined in a proper way, all of the 7 chakras can be sorted out in three special groups or centers. Therefore we talk about a center of will, feelings and reasoning.

We can correlate the mental or reasoning center with the Sahasrara chakra, the front side and the back side of the third eye Ajna chakra.

To the feeling or emotional center we can ascribe the front part of the Vishuddha, Anahata, Manipura and Svadhisthana chakras.

The will center is located at the rear part of the body, encompassing the rear side of Vishudha, Anahata, Manipura and Swadhisthana plus the Muladhara chakra which points downwards.

Another way to look at these important centers of energy is to group them into triangles:

Muladhara, Svadhisthana, and Manipura: The Lower or Material Triangle:

This triangle takes care of all the fundamental needs of our body, like food, sleep, or reproduction.

Anahata - the Point of Balance

The fourth chakra Anahata is the central, balancing point of our entire microcosm. In the heart we see the energies of the Earth meet the energies of the Heavenly realms. Here we establish our relationship to God in us. This is the place where Our Individual Christ Self resides.

Vishudha, Ajna, and Sahasrara - the Upper Triangle

Here we find chakras of refined energy. No longer are there any gross material elements. We are concerned with higher psychic process, intuition, imagination, devotion, enlightenment, and abstract thinking.

We have seen that the kundalini yoga chakras can be grouped in a certain way. We have also seen that they can be double-sided or single-sided and now we will focus our attention to some features of these chakras. In order to achieve kundalini awakening, the first and foremost requirement is to be able to purify or cleanse the yoga chakras and to develop the positive aspects of each of them. This is done by conducting healthy, devoted spiritual life first, and only afterwards by deliberate practice and exercises. So let us take a look at the functioning of these energy centers given the fact that some of them can have vortices from either side of the body.

The crown chakra helps in integrating our personality with the totality of all life and with the spiritual aspects of the mankind. Always consider yourself as part of a greater whole and feel the unity with it, and in this case the greater instance is the humanity.

The ability to visualize and create mental concepts is the responsibility of the chakra ajna when it is opening to the front. When opened to the back side, the third eye chakra is responsible for our ability to execute our ideas and mental concepts on a practical, material level.

The fifth chakra, when opened toward the front side of the body, is in charge of the following activities: assimilation, purification, knowledge about the past and the future, freedom and immanence. The back vortex of the Vishudha chakra represents a door, a pathway in a symbolic way. Here we find our own rightful place within the society.

The front vortex of the hearth kundalini yoga chakra is directed towards Pure Divine Love, love for all human beings and openness towards life in general. The back vortex is responsible for the ego will, that is, those will which is directed toward the external world.

The solar plexus chakra provides some aspects of spiritual wisdom in its frontal expression. It is also responsible for great pleasures and enjoyment in life and brings consciousness about the unity of all life. The will aspect of this kundalini yoga chakra is healing and focusing toward health.

Physical giving and receiving, mental and spiritual pleasure and energy creativity and sexuality are aspects of the front vortex of the second chakra. The will aspect is connected to the availability and amount of sexual energy.

Finally the first root Muladhara chakra is directed towards the earth and represents the amount of physical energy available as well as our readiness to face life as it is.

In this article we have seen how we can address the kundalini yoga chakras in a positive way. We have given some tips as to the energy channels and nadis that are most important. We have also addressed some issues regarding the kundalini awakening, and how it should be done only after the chakras have been purified to reflect their positive qualities.

Comments:

govardhan says:
06-07-2011

is it possible that we can awake kundalini without a guru

sunnyray says:
06-07-2011

Yes, it is possible. Kundalini awakening should be a normal process, available to everyone, even without a guru. All one has to do is to meditate. It should come spontaneously, as a result of ones spiritual development and attained purity. One should not provoke the awakening of kundalini by artificial means, however, since this can be dangerous when the person is not purified enough, and this is the reason why some people do not recommend it without a proper guidance.

With Love and Light, sunnyray

n.karthikeyan Osho says:
09-11-2011

The Eternal carnival of happiness flows in our heart. Like a huge river running towards the sea or the child running towards his mother after she hides in a secret side. The energy, our every energy becomes pure if we observe and preserve our mind. Because mind will become diamond, after we achive unity and purity of thoughts. Our true nature is pure, and we shine like sheen sun with joy. So, patience and silence to practice them will yield and wield us to victory... Be Blessed. God bless all!!!

priyank says:
04-21-2013

Thanks a lot for such a nice article for beginners as me. How long meditation & what should an individual do as a first step in awakening of kundalini...
Thanks

sunnyray says:
04-21-2013

Finding the right spiritual teacher is very important if you want to work directly on your kundalini. However, this is not the only way. By practicing meditation or other types of spiritual training, you should be able to purify your lower bodies so that the the kundalini can be awakened in a natural way.

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