The Subtle Bodies / Chakras
SEMINAR II
Practices for Directing the Breath for Healing
Practices for Rhythm in the Breath
Chakras: Systems and Correspondences
The anatomy of the jism e latif or the subtle body in Inayatian mysticism. As there are different organs of senses, so there are the centers of inner perception. The centers may be likened to the space that one finds in the apple. It is an akasha, an accommodation, where not only smell, touch, seeing and hearing are perceived, but even the thought and feeling of another is perceived, the condition in the atmosphere is perceived, the pleasure and displeasure of one’s fellow human is perceived. And if the sense of perception is keener, then even the past, present and future can be perceived. Not being able to perceive it does not mean that the experience is alien to one’s nature but simply that one has not yet awakened to that perception.
These centers can be blocked by certain foods and material indulgence. These centers are located in such places as there are some plants in the caves of mountains, where the sun does not reach and the air does not touch them so it is difficult for the plants to live there. The same is the case with these subtle centers of perception. The physical body receives nourishment from food but these centers remain without nourishment until the fine living current of the breath is directed towards them. This fine substance which is not visible to physical sight is called nur by the mystics.
The body not only wants food but also the evolved breath, in other words vibration. This vibration is given to it by the repetition of sacred words. The sounds and vowels and the composition of the sacred words is chemical and this chemistry is called alchemy by the mystics. The centers are the akashas or domes of our being where every sound has its re‑echo, and the re‑echo once produced in an akasha reaches all other akashas which exist within and without. Therefore the repetition of a sacred word has not only personal implications but it spreads higher and wider than we can imagine; even wider than humans can perceive.
In sum the subtle body is composed of myriad channels (nadis) through which subtle breath flows. The channel which rises within the spinal cord (sushumna), extending from the root of the body to the crown is the central axis around which all subsidiary channels revolve. Running alongside it the left lateral channel (ida) and the right lateral channel (pingala) converge and diverge at each plexus.
'The breath makes a circuit through the body, and the channel through which it makes the circuit is the subtle spine. The mystics give the channel great importance. They call it the serpent; they picture it as a serpent holding its tail in its mouth. In the terms of yogis it is called kundalini.'
Source
Hazrat Inayat Khan ‑ Volume XIII ‑ The Gathas Part IV: Pasi Anfas: Breath, Gatha I, The Channel of the Breath.
Pir Vilayat says that the Life Field is like a vortex in certain respects and since the centre of a vortex is a vacuum, one may expect that the energy rising and descending in one of the lateral channels of the spinal cord tends to be sucked into the central channel, and so will consequently spiral upwards or downwards as the case may be. This establishes interconnections between the nerve transmissions in the lateral channels with the central channel, in other words between the autonomic and central nervous systems of the body and hence the unconscious and conscious functions of the psyche.
These connections take place at those junctures, where the spirals, which have a common axis, criss‑cross. This is the location of the chakras. More than being a physical location it is an energetic center of concentrated energy. Emphasis is laid on the two ends of this energetic spiral: the muladhara, a point at the bottom of the spine, which means the root, and the point where the spiral culminates at a location in the brain called bindu by the yogis. The latter point corresponds to the point of junction where the pituitary gland is linked with the hypothalamus, this is perhaps the most important junction in the body, linking the central nervous system to the autonomic.
The configurations of these streams in the life field bear a close resemblance to the caduceus, a symbol utilized by the Greeks for medicine.
'Know that in the human being the first thing that appeared was the channel called sushumna. Then came the channels called ida and pingala. The sushumna channel draws breath from below the navel, and its root is at the center below the genitals. From there it rises upwards. The ida and pingala are the channels of the right and left of the sushumna. Whenever the seeker draws a breath from the navel, it is from the sushumna. Then it comes to the heart.'
Source
Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
The mystic sees the whole body as a plant of the breath. According to physicians the lungs are the channels of breath, but to the mystics they are branches of the tree and along with other branches they reach all parts of the body. These branches have been called by different names by mystics. Nadis is also a name used meaning channel. When the central channel of the spine is made clear by the method of breathing, it not only helps our physical health but also opens up the faculties of intuition within. It is in opening the doors lying within that the real happiness of man lies. In order to clear this channel of all the blocks one follows the rules of mystical ablutions and rhythmic breathing.
Man breathes but he does not breathe rightly. As the rain falls on the ground and matures little plants and makes the soil fertile, so the breath, the essence of all energy, falls as a rain on all parts of the body.
As soon as breath touches these centers it makes them vibrate and they come alive. Each chakra is a storehouse of physical and mental (psychic) energies. Energy influenced by the elements moves through the chakras producing different psychic states, desires and moods. Chakras are junction points between the physical body, endocrine system, etheric and astral bodies.
The physical areas associated with the chakras are only the locations of the related sense organs and work organs. The chakras themselves are related to the source of energy that puts life in the cellular body (prana and the elements). The desires of the first chakra are not the desires of the anal region.
We shall identify each chakra in ourselves by breathing into it and allowing its respective quality, colour, taste and experience to come to the fore. It is a way of familiarizing ourselves with our subtle body of the chakras.
Sit in a comfortable position. Keep the spine erect for the free flow of energy through it. Take a few deep breaths to come in contact with the action of your breath upon your being.
Let us go to the first chakra which is the root support of an individual and thus the name Muladhara. Murshid says the lotus spoken of by the mystics of the east is the root of the human body. It is here that lies the luz or nut of the spinal column which is the seed of the body of resurrection. Focus on the tailbone and breathe in and out of this center. Know that it is here that the mould of the body is formed. It provides the template for the physical body. The body can be formed and re‑formed by the active participation of this energetic center. Imagine the colour red of a deep earthy tone. As you breathe in and out of this center allow this colour to emerge and spread around it. The qualities associated with this center are stability, security, grounding, belonging and cohesiveness. A sufficiently developed first chakra gives physical strength, muscular power, endurance, self‑discipline and patience. It gives us the ability to filter our own and other’s negativity. Focus on the tailbone in the fikr of Ya Fattah. This supports the general organization of the body. The element connected with it is earth. (Though we sometimes use a wazifa to focus on a certain subtle center, the wazifa is not the definition of the center.)
The second chakra is the Svadhisthana (pelvic chakra) meaning ‘abode of the self’ and is the basis of birth in human form. It is associated with your subconscious storehouse of latent impressions called samskaras in Sanskrit. Without these seeds of desires we would never incarnate as humans. It is the seat of instinctive drives and cravings. This chakra is associated with seeking pleasures and sensations through sensory stimuli and sexual contact. It views the world according to how much pleasure it can bring. At the same time it is a center that generates great personal magnetism, provides space for creativity and processing our received impressions of the physical, emotional and mental planes. The element connected with it is water. Its colour is orange. The related organs are the sexual organs and the kidneys. It has the dual ability to keep us in the world of sensory experience and also propel us towards the higher plane of intellectual becoming. Physically it drives digestive, circulatory and reproductive functions, also regulating the immune system. It fires our desire body and can also enhance our creativity. Breathe into it imagining the colour orange. Direct breath to the perineum while in the fikr of Allah/Khaliq (Divine Creation).
The third chakra is the Manipura (navel chakra) which means the city of lustrous jewels. It is the hub of an incredibly complex network of nadis (energetic conduits) that conduct pranic energy throughout the body, controlling body functions. It is an important storehouse of vital energy. It is the center of self‑assertion and domination. Its element is fire. The colour is yellow. It is here that personal spiritual consciousness awakens. It is the base for our rational and logical thinking. It takes the place of the sun in our bodies and distributes vitality to all parts of our being. It aids digestion and absorption of food, not only physical but also psychological and intellectual. It is the center for the development of the ego. Breathe into it and allow the colour yellow to emerge. Pir Vilayat said concentration upon the Hara balances the medullar and cortical glands (the ego and its aggressiveness). Let it emanate a yellow light. One can breathe in La ilaha and breathe out Ilallah. (In most Chakra systems it is placed at the solar plexus, and sometimes at the navel).
The fourth is the Anahata (heart chakra) it means the unstruck sound. It is the center of human consciousness. It is considered the best chakra for meditation because it purifies and transmutes emotions into intense devotion. It allows one to accept and love others unconditionally. Each person is seen as a unique embodiment of perfection, acting according to his or her nature. It is the gateway to higher awareness and the key to spiritual discernment. Its element is air. The colour is gold or golden green. It gives us control of our work and sense organs and makes us masters of ourselves. Focus on the heart while in the fikr of Ya Wahabo Ya Fazl. This brings about progress in illumination.
The fifth or Vishuddha chakra is the throat chakra. It means perfection or purification. It is the center that purifies and harmonizes all opposites bringing balance, understanding and perfection. It is the stage of awareness where all experiences are welcomed without judgement. Rather than resisting negative experiences, we let go and relax, accepting all circumstances. Its colour is green and the element is ether. It is the center of communication and creativity. Spoken words give expression to emotions within the heart. Concentration upon it enhances the function of the Thyroid. We can intone the wazifa Quddus (The Holy, The Sublimely Pure).
The sixth chakra is the Ajna (eyebrow) chakra and it means command. It is the center of wisdom, higher consciousness and self‑authority. It develops intuition, insight and suprasensory perception. It is the center of telepathy. The medieval mystic Meister Eckhart said, ‘The eye with which I see the Supreme is the same as that with which it sees me.’ Ajna is the seat of the purified subtle intellect and when it opens, mental fickleness disappears. The mind becomes a perfect instrument of discernment. It is where Ida, Pingala and Sushumna merge. From here Sushumna alone carries up to the Sahasrara. Here we have gone beyond the consciousness of elements. The colour is indigo. The related faculties are the two eyes and the two halves of the brain. The pituitary. Focus between the eyes while intoning Aleem (All‑Kowing).
The seventh is the Sahasrara (crown) chakra. It means thousandfold and is the symbol of the awareness of universality. It brings an awareness of unity consciousness and totality of the inexpressible infinite. At this stage the experience, experiencer and experienced are one and the same. Therefore it transcends experience. The subject and object merge in wholeness. The colour is white. Related faculties in the body are the brain and the whole body. The pineal. It is the crossover point between human and divine evolution. Focus on the crown intoning Nur (Divine Light). Have a sense of peace and eternal serenity.
SEMINAR II
Practices for Directing the Breath for Healing
Practices for Rhythm in the Breath
Chakras: Systems and Correspondences
Tools for Living Well
Practice of Five Magnetisms
The anatomy of the jism e latif or the subtle body in Inayatian mysticism. As there are different organs of senses, so there are the centers of inner perception. The centers may be likened to the space that one finds in the apple. It is an akasha, an accommodation, where not only smell, touch, seeing and hearing are perceived, but even the thought and feeling of another is perceived, the condition in the atmosphere is perceived, the pleasure and displeasure of one’s fellow human is perceived. And if the sense of perception is keener, then even the past, present and future can be perceived. Not being able to perceive it does not mean that the experience is alien to one’s nature but simply that one has not yet awakened to that perception.
These centers can be blocked by certain foods and material indulgence. These centers are located in such places as there are some plants in the caves of mountains, where the sun does not reach and the air does not touch them so it is difficult for the plants to live there. The same is the case with these subtle centers of perception. The physical body receives nourishment from food but these centers remain without nourishment until the fine living current of the breath is directed towards them. This fine substance which is not visible to physical sight is called nur by the mystics.
The body not only wants food but also the evolved breath, in other words vibration. This vibration is given to it by the repetition of sacred words. The sounds and vowels and the composition of the sacred words is chemical and this chemistry is called alchemy by the mystics. The centers are the akashas or domes of our being where every sound has its re‑echo, and the re‑echo once produced in an akasha reaches all other akashas which exist within and without. Therefore the repetition of a sacred word has not only personal implications but it spreads higher and wider than we can imagine; even wider than humans can perceive.
In sum the subtle body is composed of myriad channels (nadis) through which subtle breath flows. The channel which rises within the spinal cord (sushumna), extending from the root of the body to the crown is the central axis around which all subsidiary channels revolve. Running alongside it the left lateral channel (ida) and the right lateral channel (pingala) converge and diverge at each plexus.
'The breath makes a circuit through the body, and the channel through which it makes the circuit is the subtle spine. The mystics give the channel great importance. They call it the serpent; they picture it as a serpent holding its tail in its mouth. In the terms of yogis it is called kundalini.'
Source
Hazrat Inayat Khan ‑ Volume XIII ‑ The Gathas Part IV: Pasi Anfas: Breath, Gatha I, The Channel of the Breath.
Pir Vilayat says that the Life Field is like a vortex in certain respects and since the centre of a vortex is a vacuum, one may expect that the energy rising and descending in one of the lateral channels of the spinal cord tends to be sucked into the central channel, and so will consequently spiral upwards or downwards as the case may be. This establishes interconnections between the nerve transmissions in the lateral channels with the central channel, in other words between the autonomic and central nervous systems of the body and hence the unconscious and conscious functions of the psyche.
These connections take place at those junctures, where the spirals, which have a common axis, criss‑cross. This is the location of the chakras. More than being a physical location it is an energetic center of concentrated energy. Emphasis is laid on the two ends of this energetic spiral: the muladhara, a point at the bottom of the spine, which means the root, and the point where the spiral culminates at a location in the brain called bindu by the yogis. The latter point corresponds to the point of junction where the pituitary gland is linked with the hypothalamus, this is perhaps the most important junction in the body, linking the central nervous system to the autonomic.
The configurations of these streams in the life field bear a close resemblance to the caduceus, a symbol utilized by the Greeks for medicine.
'Know that in the human being the first thing that appeared was the channel called sushumna. Then came the channels called ida and pingala. The sushumna channel draws breath from below the navel, and its root is at the center below the genitals. From there it rises upwards. The ida and pingala are the channels of the right and left of the sushumna. Whenever the seeker draws a breath from the navel, it is from the sushumna. Then it comes to the heart.'
Source
Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti
The mystic sees the whole body as a plant of the breath. According to physicians the lungs are the channels of breath, but to the mystics they are branches of the tree and along with other branches they reach all parts of the body. These branches have been called by different names by mystics. Nadis is also a name used meaning channel. When the central channel of the spine is made clear by the method of breathing, it not only helps our physical health but also opens up the faculties of intuition within. It is in opening the doors lying within that the real happiness of man lies. In order to clear this channel of all the blocks one follows the rules of mystical ablutions and rhythmic breathing.
Man breathes but he does not breathe rightly. As the rain falls on the ground and matures little plants and makes the soil fertile, so the breath, the essence of all energy, falls as a rain on all parts of the body.
As soon as breath touches these centers it makes them vibrate and they come alive. Each chakra is a storehouse of physical and mental (psychic) energies. Energy influenced by the elements moves through the chakras producing different psychic states, desires and moods. Chakras are junction points between the physical body, endocrine system, etheric and astral bodies.
The physical areas associated with the chakras are only the locations of the related sense organs and work organs. The chakras themselves are related to the source of energy that puts life in the cellular body (prana and the elements). The desires of the first chakra are not the desires of the anal region.
We shall identify each chakra in ourselves by breathing into it and allowing its respective quality, colour, taste and experience to come to the fore. It is a way of familiarizing ourselves with our subtle body of the chakras.
Sit in a comfortable position. Keep the spine erect for the free flow of energy through it. Take a few deep breaths to come in contact with the action of your breath upon your being.
Let us go to the first chakra which is the root support of an individual and thus the name Muladhara. Murshid says the lotus spoken of by the mystics of the east is the root of the human body. It is here that lies the luz or nut of the spinal column which is the seed of the body of resurrection. Focus on the tailbone and breathe in and out of this center. Know that it is here that the mould of the body is formed. It provides the template for the physical body. The body can be formed and re‑formed by the active participation of this energetic center. Imagine the colour red of a deep earthy tone. As you breathe in and out of this center allow this colour to emerge and spread around it. The qualities associated with this center are stability, security, grounding, belonging and cohesiveness. A sufficiently developed first chakra gives physical strength, muscular power, endurance, self‑discipline and patience. It gives us the ability to filter our own and other’s negativity. Focus on the tailbone in the fikr of Ya Fattah. This supports the general organization of the body. The element connected with it is earth. (Though we sometimes use a wazifa to focus on a certain subtle center, the wazifa is not the definition of the center.)
The second chakra is the Svadhisthana (pelvic chakra) meaning ‘abode of the self’ and is the basis of birth in human form. It is associated with your subconscious storehouse of latent impressions called samskaras in Sanskrit. Without these seeds of desires we would never incarnate as humans. It is the seat of instinctive drives and cravings. This chakra is associated with seeking pleasures and sensations through sensory stimuli and sexual contact. It views the world according to how much pleasure it can bring. At the same time it is a center that generates great personal magnetism, provides space for creativity and processing our received impressions of the physical, emotional and mental planes. The element connected with it is water. Its colour is orange. The related organs are the sexual organs and the kidneys. It has the dual ability to keep us in the world of sensory experience and also propel us towards the higher plane of intellectual becoming. Physically it drives digestive, circulatory and reproductive functions, also regulating the immune system. It fires our desire body and can also enhance our creativity. Breathe into it imagining the colour orange. Direct breath to the perineum while in the fikr of Allah/Khaliq (Divine Creation).
The third chakra is the Manipura (navel chakra) which means the city of lustrous jewels. It is the hub of an incredibly complex network of nadis (energetic conduits) that conduct pranic energy throughout the body, controlling body functions. It is an important storehouse of vital energy. It is the center of self‑assertion and domination. Its element is fire. The colour is yellow. It is here that personal spiritual consciousness awakens. It is the base for our rational and logical thinking. It takes the place of the sun in our bodies and distributes vitality to all parts of our being. It aids digestion and absorption of food, not only physical but also psychological and intellectual. It is the center for the development of the ego. Breathe into it and allow the colour yellow to emerge. Pir Vilayat said concentration upon the Hara balances the medullar and cortical glands (the ego and its aggressiveness). Let it emanate a yellow light. One can breathe in La ilaha and breathe out Ilallah. (In most Chakra systems it is placed at the solar plexus, and sometimes at the navel).
The fourth is the Anahata (heart chakra) it means the unstruck sound. It is the center of human consciousness. It is considered the best chakra for meditation because it purifies and transmutes emotions into intense devotion. It allows one to accept and love others unconditionally. Each person is seen as a unique embodiment of perfection, acting according to his or her nature. It is the gateway to higher awareness and the key to spiritual discernment. Its element is air. The colour is gold or golden green. It gives us control of our work and sense organs and makes us masters of ourselves. Focus on the heart while in the fikr of Ya Wahabo Ya Fazl. This brings about progress in illumination.
The fifth or Vishuddha chakra is the throat chakra. It means perfection or purification. It is the center that purifies and harmonizes all opposites bringing balance, understanding and perfection. It is the stage of awareness where all experiences are welcomed without judgement. Rather than resisting negative experiences, we let go and relax, accepting all circumstances. Its colour is green and the element is ether. It is the center of communication and creativity. Spoken words give expression to emotions within the heart. Concentration upon it enhances the function of the Thyroid. We can intone the wazifa Quddus (The Holy, The Sublimely Pure).
The sixth chakra is the Ajna (eyebrow) chakra and it means command. It is the center of wisdom, higher consciousness and self‑authority. It develops intuition, insight and suprasensory perception. It is the center of telepathy. The medieval mystic Meister Eckhart said, ‘The eye with which I see the Supreme is the same as that with which it sees me.’ Ajna is the seat of the purified subtle intellect and when it opens, mental fickleness disappears. The mind becomes a perfect instrument of discernment. It is where Ida, Pingala and Sushumna merge. From here Sushumna alone carries up to the Sahasrara. Here we have gone beyond the consciousness of elements. The colour is indigo. The related faculties are the two eyes and the two halves of the brain. The pituitary. Focus between the eyes while intoning Aleem (All‑Kowing).
The seventh is the Sahasrara (crown) chakra. It means thousandfold and is the symbol of the awareness of universality. It brings an awareness of unity consciousness and totality of the inexpressible infinite. At this stage the experience, experiencer and experienced are one and the same. Therefore it transcends experience. The subject and object merge in wholeness. The colour is white. Related faculties in the body are the brain and the whole body. The pineal. It is the crossover point between human and divine evolution. Focus on the crown intoning Nur (Divine Light). Have a sense of peace and eternal serenity.