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| Chakra Visualisations
Depending on your personal point of view or belief system, chakras are real or imaginary energy points located at certain points in our bodies, feeding energy into the meridians or pathways through our bodies. The seven main chakras are the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, brow, or third eye, and finally, the crown chakra. They are represented as rotating wheels of colour, and if these energy centres are open and balanced, our life force or 'chi' flows freely, and we are able to function in a calm, clear and focused manner. Working through the colours of the chakras is an excellent exercise for grounding, balancing and relaxation, and is a regular feature of our weekly class. We often take a relaxing visualisation journey through the colours of our chakras before the main meditation. The glorious countryside here beside Loch Lomond is perfect for long, relaxing walking meditations, and the natural beauty of this area provides inspiration for many chakra meditations. The rich, red sandstone native to this valley for the base chakra; the glowing orange sun of the Northern Hemishere for our sacral chakra; the golden yellow of the gorse bushes for our solar plexus chakra; the many shades of green trees for our heart chakra, the deep, blue waters of Loch Lomond for our throat chakra; the purple heather on the hills for our third eye, and the gleaming, white rock quartz carved out of the mountains by the glacier that formed the loch, for our crown chakra. The Root chakra is located at the base of the spine, and its controlling element is Earth. It is your connection with the Earth and your ancestors. The Sacral chakra is located just below the navel, and its controlling element is Water. It governs your health, creativity and sexuality. The Solar Plexus chakra is located just above the navel and its element is Fire. It connects you to your personal will, inner power and vitality. The Heart chakra is located in your heart centre. Its element is Air. Its attributes are love and compassion. The Throat chakra is located in your throat. Its controlling element is ether and it is your centre of communication and self expression. The Third Eye chakra is located in the middle of your brow. It has no controlling element, and is your connection to insight, intuition and psychic abilities. The Crown chakra is located on the top of your head, has no controlling elements, and is the seat of your spritual connection to the Divine or your Higher Self or Consciousness. I will discuss each chakra in more detail each week. |
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| Exploring the Root or Base Chakra
The Base or Root chakra is our connection to Mother Earth. This is our fundamental issue. We live on the earth. This is where we live our physical lives, in our physical bodies; where our emotional, mental, intellectual, spritual and social interaction takes place. We share this interaction with everything on the planet - animal, vegetable, mineral. Our Base chakra 'earth's' us, and if it develops normally and healthily, we will feel safe and grounded in our bodies, and our relationships with family, friends, and the world at large, will flourish. Our roots give us our sense of connectedness, of who we are. Outside activities such as gardening and walking, are very good for keeping your base chakra healthy. Walking through woods and connecting with the trees is a good exercise. Visualise their roots pushing deep down into the earth, grounding them safely and securely. Plant seeds, nourish them and encourage them to grow strong and vigorous. Think about the four seasons, and how they affect trees and plants. How do the seasons affect you? Does any particular season make you feel less grounded than normal? Why do you think this is? Keep a journal, and note down anything that you feel may be affecting the function of your Base chakra. Try to become more aware of your Root chakra issues. This chakra vibrates with the colour red. To balance your Root chakra, wear red clothing and jewellery using rubies and garnets. Eat root vegetables and any food that comes from the earth. Be aware of the environment and the ecology of the planet - remember the three 'R's' - reduce, re-use, recycle. The Earth is our Mother - She nurtures and sustains us and we must honour that privilege. Meditation Try this short meditation to attune and balance your Root chakra. First of all, make sure you won't be disturbed. Unplug the phone, and tell family and friends you will be unavailable for half an hour or so. Find a red cushion or piece of material, or wear something red. Light a red candle, and if you have some red crystals, place them beside the candle. Put on some ambient music ( drumming is appropriate to the Base chakra - 'Sorcerer' by Phil Thornton, is excellent - New World Music - check out their website), and sit on your cushion or material. If you prefer to lie down, use the cushion as a pillow, or drape the material over a pillow. Close your eyes, and begin to focus on your breathing. Be aware of your breath as it comes in and as it goes out. Breathe in peace, and breathe out tension. Allow yourself to relax, and let each breath relax you even further as you become more peaceful, and as each out breath takes away more and more tension. Now bring your attention to your perineum - the central point between your legs, the site of your Root chakra. On the next out breath, move your attention to your feet, and visualise roots growing out of the soles of your feet, pushing down through the carpet, through the floorboards, all the way down into the deep, dark, moist earth. On your next in breath, imagine breathing vibrant, red, earth energy up through your roots, all the way up through your legs and into your Root chakra. Each time you breathe out, you are releasing tension and toxins from your body, and each time you breathe in, you are filling your Root chakra with the wonderful, nourishing, vibrant, red earth energy. See your Root chakra as a spinning wheel, or vortex of energy, and as it fills with this glowing, red energy, visualise it opening like a beautiful, red, many petalled flower, such as a lotus, dahlia, or a chrysanthemum. As each petal opens, your Root chakra becomes more energised, and you begin to feel recharged and revitalised. You feel more stable, grounded and relaxed. Stay with the visualisation until every petal has opened - for as long as it takes, breathing in the life giving, red energy of Mother Earth, and breathing out tensions, toxins and negativity. When the flower is fully opened, and your chakra is balanced and energised, slowly bring yourself back to normal awareness back to your room, feeling relaxed, calm, grounded and revitalised. Stretch gently, and have something nourishing to eat and drink. Blessed be. |
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| Baba Yaga - Root Chakra Goddess |