Ayurveda-vedanta: Chakras and Energy Healing

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[From our newsletter, Tattva Prakasha - Illuminations of Truth: Volume 2,

Issue One.]

 

"Ayurveda-vedanta: Chakras and Energy Healing"

by Sri Atmatattva Das

 

In the ancient Indian historical records called Puranas we find the

following text:

 

ekah svayam san jagatah sisrikshaya-

dvitiyayatmann adhi yogamayaya

srijasy adah pasi punar grasishyase

yathorna nabhir bhagavan sva shaktibhih

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.21.19

 

“O Lord, you are one without a second, desiring to create, you create,

maintain and dissolve the creation by winding up your energies. The

diffusion of these energies are under the control of your secondary energy,

viz., yogamaya (linking energy), just as a spider creates a cobweb by its

own energy and again winds it up.”

 

The great Yoga teacher Manu is the speaker here, explaining creation to

another great Yoga practitioner, Kardama Muni. The Yoga path of ancient

India clearly observed the creation to be nothing but a variety of

transformation of energies, primary and secondary.

 

This word dvitiya refers to matter in the cosmos, and to the body in the

individual. Matter is the secondary manifestation of spirit, for matter is

produced from spirit. It is for this reason that the body is known as

secondary energy. Even though the body is visible with seven coverings,

viz., from skin to marrow, it is a conglomeration of different energies of

matter both subtle and gross. These energies are the higher controlling

factors of the functions of all bodily mechanism both physical and psychic.

This control is activated from certain energy centers, which are known as

Chakras.

 

The prime mover, which is the consciousness (the primary factor of energy)

functions as follows: 

 

(1) It utilises the interaction of the three modes of nature of matter

(viz., sattva – goodness, rajas – passion, and tamas – ignorance -- the

secondary factor of energy)…

te vyakta suksma gunatmakahPatanjali Yoga-sutras 4.13

 

(2) …via the medium of the five kinds of life airs (prana, apana, samana,

vyana and udana )…

 

(3) …and finally, it makes the mechanism of the subtle body (identity,

intelligence and mind) and the gross body (made up of the perceiving and

working senses) work.

 

Thus it is consciousness which is the irreducible de facto reality out of

which and by whose potency, mind and matter proceed. The perceivable reality

as mind and matter is merely an external transformation in the dvitiya, or

secondary level of voltage of energy.

 

Yoga shastra confirms this:

pravrittibhede prayojakam cittamekamanekesam

Patanjali Yoga-sutras 4.5

 

Consciousness and unconsciousness are spun in harmony in the phenomenal

world. In the human species of life, this harmony is in full blossom. That

makes the human body as the most evolved mechanism of matter.

 

The cerebrospinal system with 72,000 fine nerves is the power supply system

for this complex factory of the human body, and the main switch boards are

converged in Chakras, the six psychic centers. 

 

To visualize this from the technical point of view:

 

1) The human body, is bestowed with the sensory radar system, (the mind)

that receives and transmits radiant energy frequencies, through the towers

of sense organs (ears, eyes, nose, tongue , and skin) [“matra sparshas tu

kaunteya...”, Gita 2.14]

2) The spinal chord is the “in – out” canal to the central bio-computer of

the human factory administration.

3) The Chakras are six interactive psychic spheres, controlled by an electro

conductive “genetic” programme.

4) In alignment with the glandular system (nadis) by the network of five

kinds of life airs, there exists a body of “light” (“jyotisham…”, Taittiriya

Upanisad) within in the spinal column

5) This psychic body of illumination has a vibrating infra structure that

consists of a meta-physical field of electro-magnetic power-lines of force,

anchored through the “six Chakras”

6) The ultra frequency points of this system have their monitor-screens set

up in the palms, soles, solar plexus and crown

 

7) Thus the controlling mechanism of DNA is only seemingly physical, the

“boss” is behind the curtain, expressing presence through the “control

centers”, viz., the Chakras.

8) The human body is an electro magnetic battery system powered by

consciousness, with a well aligned infra-structure consisting of a metabolic

cellular system (the physical, gross body) accompanied by a psycho-sensory

electro-magnetic circuit board (psychic, subtle body).

 

“The Tantra and yoga scriptures of the ancient Indian Hindu tradition have

very detailed and scientific knowledge about the Chakras.” (Sir John

Woodroffe – “Shakti and Shakta”, page 25)

 

Following the Vedic tradition of India, the Tantra conceives of creation in

terms of several planes of existence, from the Plane of Bliss at the summit

to the Plane of Physical Matter below; each plane to fit a manifestation of

its own psychological Principle. Since both the body of universe and the

body of individual (especially in the case of the fully evolved human form)

have the same ingredients, one can see the physical body of humans as a mini

reproduction of the universe. The only difference is that the matter is of

varied multi-dimensional potencies when it manifests as the universal body.

The various grades of fully evolved human species have in the designs of

their bodies limitations to deal with various dimensions of matter, fitting

to where they are situated. In the meantime, the consciousness of the

individual has the same potential within all of these bodies. By the process

of detachment through meditation, even in a lower dimensional body one can

achieve the perfection of dealing with higher dimensions. This is how a

martial art master becomes a higher human being with apparently superhuman

powers.

 

The ancient Tantra scriptures define these higher states of consciousness:

 

“There are in the being of man certain 'nodii' (not to be mistaken with the

ayurvedic 'nadi') which are so to say centers connecting him with the

universal planes of existence; and when properly tapped they open up in

one’s being their respective planes and the powers that are characteristic

of the principles governing those planes. These are called Centres or

Chakras in the Indian Yogic system” (page 433, in “Shakti and Shakta” by Sir

John Woodroffe)

 

The cerebral control room, Sahasrara is sometimes seen as the seventh

Chakra.

 

Apart from these main energy centers there are many branch transformers

within the body, totally numbering 108, known as marma sthaanas (secret

centers of energy). The traditional martial arts schools like Kalari of

Kerala and Silambu of Tamil Nadu teach about these energy centers in their

anatomy training.

 

Certain commentaries on Tantra and yoga see the number of Chakras in sets of

12 and 18, 36 and 72, or 54 and 108 depending upon which area of psychic

control they are trying to explain.

 

List of Chakras 

(1 - Chakra), (2 - Place in Body), (3 - Tattva) (4 - Colour), (5 - Sense),

(6 - Aspects)

 

1 - Muladhara, 2 -Spine Base, 3 - Earth, 4 - Gold, Yellow, 5 - Smell, 6 -

Nutrition, Reproduction

 

1 - Svadhisthana, 2 -Genitals, 3 - Water, 4 - Gold, Blue, 5 - Taste, 6 -

Reproduction

 

1 - Manipuraka, 2 - Navel, 3 - Fire, 4 - Gold, 5 - Sight, 6 - Ego, Sight

 

1 - Anahata, 2 - Chest, 3 - Air , 4 - Gold, Green, 5 - Touch, 6 - Balance

 

1 - Visudhhi, 2 - Throatpit, 3 - Ether, 4 - Gold, Purple, 5 - Sound, 6 -

Knowledge

 

1 - Ajna, 2 - Eyebrow Centre, 3 - Mahat (Three Gunas), 4 - Blue, Camphor, 5

- Multi Vision, 6 - Realization

 

Chakras - Bija Mantras

 

Muladhara - vam, sham, Sham, sam

 

Svadhisthana - bam, bham, mam, yam, ram, lam

 

Manipuraka - Dam, Dham, Nam, tam, tham, dam, dham, nam, pam, pham

 

Anahata - kam, kham, gam, gham, Nam, cam, cham, jam, jham, Nyam, Tam, Tham

 

Visudhhi - am, aam, im, iim, um, uum, rim, reem, lriˆ,lreem, em, aim, om,

aum am aham

 

Ajna - ham, ksham

 

The chakras are visualized as flowers with different numbers of petals:

 

1) Muladhara – 4 petals

2) Swadhistana - 6 petals

3) Manipuraka - 10 petals

4) Anahata - 12 petals

5) Vishuddhi - 16 petals

6) Ajna - 2 petals

 

The life airs of the body flow through certain channels known as “nadis”.

The term nadi comes from the root word “nad” which means movement. These are

different from nerves, veins or any other pathways which are known to

medical sciences. It is the number of configuration of these nadis that

makes the petals of the Chakra-flowers.

 

Each of the petals is manifested from a syllable of sound, called “varna”

representing the superior control (adhi-daiva) or the deity at that Chakra.

These varnas are fifty in total, and they are the seed-letters

(bija-aksharas) of all that is there in Mantra or Speech. (Refer table

above.)

 

“The sound that a particular bija akshara represents is the sound-body of

that controlling deity of the Chakra.” (M.P.Pundit, “Lights on Tantra”, page

15)

 

The different paraphernalia that is associated with the worship of these

adhi-daiva deities are also manifested by the nature (especially the

ingredients of worship that come from the plant kingdom) from the same

seed-letters. Because of this, the syllables that form the name of the

ingredient are invariably the same as the seed-syllables which are the sound

form of the particular deity of the Chakra.

 

Varna also means color, it is the author’s personal experience in the

research of Pancaratric Upasana that the colors of the Chakras and the

colors of the ingredients of worship also tally.

 

The root word of the term Yoga is “yuj” meaning, “to link”. Realization of

one’s constitutional nature through Yoga and Tantra brings release from the

captivity of one’s lower nature. The lower nature spans from aquatic to

animalistic, (“Jatyantaraparinama prakrityapurat“ – Patanjali Yoga-sutras

4.2) and it causes conditioning of consciousness, limiting one’s perceiving

power through the secondary energy, viz., material. In these computer chip

days of mechanistic life, it is a boon to utilize this ancient technology to

establish peace and harmony within us, which can subsequently make us

accomplish peace and harmony in the world around us.

 

The Yoga scriptures advise us to transcend the lower platform of existence

by unifying it with the primary platform. This will actually save us from

external distractions and conflicts, and help us to explore all our latent

potentials. With this harmonization of primary and secondary energies, much

can transpire in yoga practice. The following is a small list of some of the

beneficial results:

 

a) Purification and cleansing of the various physical layers.

 

b) Cleansing of old, subconscious stress, impressions, and mental states.

 

c) Balancing of excessive, deficient or improper use of energies.

 

d) Proper utilization of inherent habits and practices, etc.

 

e) Help in expressing ourselves better in every function, from digestion, to

dreams, up to physical and mental health. Better power for digestion, calm

and peaceful sleep, and a disease-free body with an agitation-free mind.

 

“Sadhana (practice of yoga) opens up the six centers of the subtle nervous

system and by the opening one escapes from the limitations of the surface

consciousness bound to the gross body and great ranges of experiences proper

to the subliminal self, mental, vital subtle physical are shown to the

sadhaka (yoga practitioner).” (Sri Aurabindo – “Letters”, First Series, Page

226)

 

These results can be accomplished in different degrees of intensity, and

there are much more than one method prescribed in the ancient practice of

Yoga. One such prescribed method is healing with herbs.

janmoushadhi mantra tapah samadhijah siddhayah

Patanjali Yoga-sutras 4.1

 

“Either by birth, by the use of herbs, by sound vibration or by absorption

one can attain perfection (in yoga).”

 

Healing again does not mean curing a virus, bacteria or unwanted growth.

Healing actually means to harmonize our potential energies.

tasmin sati svasaprashvashayor gati vicchedah pranayamah

brahyabhyantara stambhavrittih desha kala sankhyabhih pariddrishtho dirgha

sukshmah

Patanjali Yoga-sutras 2.49-50

 

“One must practice control of the breath by stopping the motions of

inhalation and exhalation. The breath may be stopped externally, or

internally, or in mid motion, and regulated according to place, time and a

fixed number of moments, so that the stoppage is either protracted or

brief.”

 

By proper and simple regulation of breath, (known as prana yama – breath

regulation) if one could engage the olfactory sense by treatment with the

smell from different parts of plants, like roots, barks, branches, flowers,

fruits, peels and seeds, one could attain the same result of healing that is

accomplished through the complex systems of yoga practice. (Refer to our

explanation on the petals and seed letters of the Chakras.) Among these,

flowers are considered as the most essential energy harmonizers. 

 

Hard to believe? Well, let's analyze the power of flowers from a different

angle of vedic view namely “Upasana Yoga”, or the linking process by

worship. (From the discussion between Agasthya and his disciples, found in

Skanda Purana Upakyana, Pushpa-khanda):

 

When the moon planet enters in the eighth house in one’s birth

constellation, it is known as Chandra ashtama according to vedic astrology.

This occurs for two and a quarter of days every month for a person. It is a

real trial period where one becomes intolerant, too sensuous, jealous, and

suffers low resistance in the physic and psychic.

 

There are three kinds of Chandra ashtamas namely Sadhaka, Maitra, and Parama

Maitra.

 

1) Sadhaka Chandra ashtama: considered as a dangerously bad period of time,

in which one may even die. The Rishis of yore have prescribed that if one

worships with a garland of small grass tied with Chemparuthi and Jasmine

flowers he can counteract the negative influence. With the protection from

these flowers one could even transform the influence into an extreme

auspicious one for sex and fame, financial prudence and clearance of debts.

 

2) Maitra Chandra ashtama: causes one to make wrong decisions, contracts and

agreements, and physically failure of organs may occur. It brings infamy and

unaccomplishment. The Rishis prescribed worship with a garland of Champangi

, Shenpaga and Tulasi as the solution.

 

3) Parama Maitra Chandra ashtama: causes a misconceptions about one’s own

capacity of output, and over-confidence that results in big failures.

Worship with Maruvu Malli and Tavanam flowers is prescribed to counteract

the negative influence and attain success.

In the Puranas there is specifications of suitable flowers for different

days of the week:

 

1) Monday: Lilly and Jasmine (for family union)

2) Tuesday: Arali, Champangi (for safety, protection from accidents)

3) Wednesday: Pavizha malli (for memory power)

4) Thursday: Chamandhi (for success in finance)

5) Friday: Ramabhana (Picchi) white and red (for conception)

 

They also provide specifications according to the constellations:

 

Aswini – Sunflower (for success in business)

 

Mrgasirsa – Drumstick flower (for purchase of vehicles)

 

Hastha - Thazhamboo flower (for purchase of gold and courting date)

 

Anusha – Mangoe flower (for dealing with iron or steel, printing, machines,

ships)

 

Thiruvonam – Pavizhamali flower – (for travel, going abroad)

 

Avittam – Agaththi flower – (for a safe journey, and to escape from

accidents)

 

Poosam – Chamandhi flower – (for medical treatment/surgery)

 

Punarpoosam – same as for Poosam

In general, uses of the flowers are classified as follows:

 

Neem flower for freedom from loans; Magizham flower for freedom from black

magic; shenbagam for good food; Arali for buying property; white lotus for

shortage of garments; Asoka for matrimony… in this way the list goes on.

 

The scientific basis for these traditions is the touch and smell of the

flowers (apart from the adhidaivika – supernatural influence coming from the

worship) that harmonize the Chakras, which have been imbalanced due to the

influence of the moon planet.

 

As the Chakras have their connections with the five great elements of

matter, the association of flowers through the sense power of smell (the

earth element) combined with touch (the air element) and sight (the fire

element) bring into effect a wonderful tally of the trial balance of one’s

energy account.

 

In the Ayurveda it is said:

 

vayu agni bhumy abguna padavat tad sadbhyo rasebhyah prabhavat ca tasya

Caraka-samhita 4.2.4

 

The semen that passes into the ovary is constituted of equal parts of air,

fire, water and earth. The ether becomes mixed with it in the ovary. The

semen is the product of six kinds of fluids (rasas). 

 

Thus the fetus of the body is a veritable combination of the five elements.

And the world that it perceives is a display of the sense objects, which are

the subtle form of these five elements.

 

The analytical study of the elements and the sense objects is known as

Sankhya in the ancient books. There we find, in the Puranas (Srimad

Bhagavatam 3.26.48-49):

 

bhumer guna vishesho artho

yasya sa ghrana ucyate

 

“The sense, whose object of perception is odor, the distinctive

charasteristic of earth is smell.”

 

parasya drishyate dharmo

hyaparsmin samanvayat

ato vishesho bhavanam

bhumav evopalakshyate

 

“Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the

former are observed in the latter. Thus the peculiarities of all the

elements exist in the earth alone.”

 

Sound is the cause of ether, ether is the cause of air, air is the cause of

fire, fire is the cause of water, and water is the cause of earth. In the

ether there is only sound, in the air there are sound and touch, in the fire

there are sound, touch and form; in the water there are sound, touch, form

and taste; finally in the earth there are all of these qualities and the

quality of smell as well. 

 

The Sankhya system of philosophy explains how each element telescopes out

from the previous element. The first physical or gross element is the ether.

Within the ether all the other four gross elements are present (earth,

water, fire and air) in a subtle form. The subtle quality of ether is sound,

and from the sound expands the air. The subtle quality of air is touch

(movement), and from the touch expands the fire. The subtle quality of fire

is sight, and from the sight expands the water. The subtle quality of water

is taste, and from the taste expands the earth. And finally, the subtle

quality of earth, the last of the physical elements, is smell.

 

Thus you have a telescoping effect of the elements and their subtle

qualities beginning from ether down to earth. Since each element is

manifesting from the previous, each new element contains all of the

qualities of the previous elements. The ether element, being the first, only

possesses the quality of sound. One cannot touch, see, taste or smell ether.

The air element, having expanded from the ether, possesses both the

qualities of sound and touch. One can feel and hear the movements of air,

but one cannot see, taste or smell the air. The fire element's added quality

is sight. Thus one can see, touch and hear the fire, but one cannot taste or

smell fire. The water, having expanded from the fire, can be heard, felt,

seen and tasted, but not smelt. Earth, being the final element, contains all

the five qualities of sound, touch, sight, taste and finally smell. This is

the natural sequence of manifestation of gross matter, and it is within the

earth that all of these qualities manifest in full.

 

The plant kingdom deposits in their flowers a wonderful amount of these

essential nectar aspects, extracting them from the earth, which is the

repository of all the sense objects.

 

The Srimad Bhagavatam (3.26.44-45) explains:

 

rasa matrad vikurvanad

ambhaso daiva coditat

gandha matram abhut tasmat 

prithvi ghranas tu gandhagah

 

“Due to the interaction of water with the taste perception, the subtle

element odor evolves under superior arrangement. Thence the earth and the

olfactory sense, by which one can variously experience the aroma of the

earth, become manifest.”

karambha puti saurabhya

shantogramladibhih prithak

dravyavayava vaishamyad

gandha eko vibhidiyate

 

“Odor, although one, becomes many – as mixed, punchy, fragrant, mild, strong

and so on – according to the proportions of associated elements.”

 

Bad odors are perceived from filth, waste and pollution of air; healing

scents are perceived from camphor, menthol and similar products; pungent

smells are perceived from garlic, onions, etc.; and acidic smells are

perceived from turmeric and similar substances.

 

The nature, from one single original aroma that emanates from the earth

element, arranges for a variety of exhibition of various useful and healing

smells through the auspices of the plant kingdom.

 

In the Bhagavad gita (15.3) it is stated:

 

gam avishyaca bhutani

dharayamy aham ojasa

pushnami caushadhih sarva

somo bhutva rasatmakah

 

“I enter each planet, and by my energy they stay in their orbits, I become

the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all herbs”

 

The moon nourishes the plant kingdom. The moon influences the tides of the

ocean (which is the cosmic mental substance) and thereby provides a supply

of water that is transformable to pure, non-salty taste by evaporation to

make rain clouds. This is why the association of flowers can counteract the

influence of the moon in the eighth house.

 

In summary, one could postulate that all stress and disease is a result of a

lack of equilibrium between the levels of energies of the body and the life

force, the consciousness. 

 

The consciousness is the Managing Director of the whole network of psychic

and physical departments of our existence. Distortion of this administration

due to conditioning by external elements is the real problem facing us. 

 

Re-alignment of this administration allows the vital forces to interact

freely, and the nature has kept within the plant kingdom the nectarine

powers for this re-alignment.

 

By this powerful method of treatment (utilizing the sight, touch and smell

of flowers) the Chakras are “balanced”. This is the minimum effect; but one

may even attain to mystic visions, or even a log-on to cosmic consciousness

once the Chakras are balanced.

 

The nadis, or the expressways of energy transmission in the body can be

fully cleansed and the traffic jams of work stress there are cleared,

allowing the consciousness to drive in bliss!

 

No wonder, why the Holy book of India, Bhagavad gita (7.9) describes the

Divine as “smell”:

 

punyo gandhah prithivyam ca

 

“I am the original fragrance of the earth.”

 

It is for this reason that flowers (and incense) play such an essential part

in the worship (puja) of the Lord. No worship is complete without offering

flowers to the Lord; and the devotee, after offering the flowers, smells

their fragrance, thereby automatically balancing various levels of energy

within his body. Just see how the Ayurveda, Vedanta, and Agamas are all

naturally harmonized within our daily activities. With this in mind, let us

worship the Lord and smell our way to health, happiness and peace!