What are chakras?

The chakras are subtle energy centres that are aligned with the Central channel (Sushumn?n???) of the Kun?alin? system. There are seven main Kundalini chakras that are distributed along the Central channel. They provide subtle-energy to the functions of the body organs, mind and intellect. However, they are primarily associated with the subtle-body of a person.

What are the subtle energy systems in the body?

The universe is sustained by God’s mere presence. According to the Path of Kundalini awakening, God’s energy that is used in the running (i.e., creation, sustenance and destruction) of the universe is Divine consciousness (Chaitanya). With respect to a person, this Divine consciousness is known as ch?tan? and it is that part of God’s energy required for the functioning of a human being.

This chetana is of two types and, depending on its state of activity, it takes on two different names.

·         Active chetana – also known as Vital energy (Pr??a–shakti). The Vital energy sustains and gives energy to the gross body (sth?lad?ha), mind (manod?ha), intellect (k?ra?d?ha) and subtle-ego (mah?k?ra?d?ha). It is distributed through subtle energy channels known as n???s. These energy channels are prevalent throughout the body and supply energy to the cells, nerves, arteries, lymph etc. Refer to the article – What are we comprised of?

·         Non-active chetana – which is known as the Kundalini. This Kundalini lies dormant in a person until kundalini awakening takes place.

The Kundalini or non-active chetana is used primarily for spiritual growth. It is not used for, nor does it take part in, day-to-day bodily functioning.

Kundalini awakening happens through spiritual practice or spiritual transfer of energy.

Kundalini awakening through spiritual practice

This includes practices that come under generic spiritual paths to God such as Path of Action (Karmayoga), Path of Devotion (Bhaktiyoga), Path of Deliberate Rigour (Ha?hayoga) and Path of the Guru’s grace (Gurukrup?yoga). The practices in the Path of Deliberate Rigour include celibacy, breathing exercises (pr???y?m) and yogic exercises and other spiritual practices.

Some people try to force Kundalini awakening by efforts through the Path of Deliberate Rigour. However, this can lead to deleterious effects. Some can even become insane from it.

Shaktip?tyoga or Shaktip?t refers to the bestowal of spiritual energy on one person by another i.e. mainly a Guru/spiritually evolved person to His disciple. Shaktipat can be transmitted with a sacred word or mantra, or by a look, thought or touch – the last usually to the mid-brow chakra (?dny?–chakra) of the recipient. It is considered an act of grace from the Guru to a deserving disciple. This transfer of energy itself initiates the Kundalini awakening .

After it is awakened, the rate at which the Kundalini rises is dependent on the disciple’s continuous and ever increasing efforts in spiritual practice.

Key aspects of the Kundalini

Just as the heart is the principle centre (organ) of the circulatory system and the brain of the nervous system, similarly the subtle energy system has various centres (chakras), channels and ducts.

There are 72,000 subtle-channels. Of these channels, the three main subtle-channels are:

·         Sushumn?n???, that is, the central channel that extends from base of spine to the top of the head,

·         Pingal?n??i or the S?ryan??i (sun channel), that is, the channel that runs to the right of the Sushumnanadi, and the

·         I??n??? or the Chandran??? (moon channel), that is, the channel that runs to the left of the Sushumnanadi.

·         The Vital energy is transmitted in the body through the Sun channel and the Moon channel and the other smaller channels. The vital energy flow alternates between the Sun channel and Moon channel.

·         The Kundalini is spiritual energy and it generally lies dormant, coiled at the base of the Sushumnanadi for an average person. Through spiritual practice it begins to rise from the base of the spine through the Sushumnanadi right till the top of the head. While it does so, the Kundalini awakens each of the chakras along the way.

·         As the Kundalini passes each chakra along the Sushumnanadi, there is a thin subtle-valve that it needs to push through at each chakra to make its onward journey upwards. As it keeps pushing through the wall there is sometimes an increase in the amount of spiritual energy from the Sushumnanadi at that chakra. Having nowhere to go, it sometimes flows out through the surrounding subtle-ducts and becomes converted into Vital energy (Pr??a–shakti). For that period of time, the concerned person may experience a heightened activity associated with that area. For example an increase in Vital energy or Vital energy around the sacral chakra (Sw?dhish?h?n–chakra) area can produce a heightened sexual drive.

(SPIRITUAL SCIENCE RESEARCH FOUNDATION. www.ssrf.org)