Fw: Hrit- or Hridaya-Chakra

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Alexandra Kafka

Ramakrishna Moderator

Friday, December 21, 2001 03:36

Hrit- or Hridaya-Chakra

 

 

Hello Everyone,

 

I am new member of your group.

I am currently searching for information about the Hrit- or Hridaya-Chakra (1),

a chakra situated near the well-known Anahata Chakra and not commonly described

in books about the Indian Chakra tradition.

I am in need for this information because it is stated that in this Chakra there

is the spiritual heart, it is the seat of the Atman and the place where ones

Ishtadevata should be worshiped. But so far I could not find a satisfactory

description of this Chakra. It is variously described as a lotus with 8, 16, or

1000 petals, being golden, red, or white of colour; inside of the lotus there

are circular regions of sun, moon, and fire and in the centre of the Chakra,

there are a whishing-tree (kalpavriksha), a throne consisting of Matrika letters

(symbolizing the spiritual heart of the aspirant) on which he/she should place

his or her Ishtadevata in meditation, and an altar.

However, I am not sure what is meant with these " circular regions " - does that

mean one should visualize sun and moon circling round over the top of the

wishing-tree, and fire burning around it? How does a throne consisting of

Matrika letters look like? And where is the altar to be placed in

meditation-imagination - before or at side of the throne?

If you have some more information or know where I can find a better description

of this chakra, I would be most grateful for your kind help.

 

1 There are many names given to this chakra in different traditions:

 

Veda: hridaya chakra, hrit padma, hridaya padma, hridaya kamala, hridaya

amburuha, hridaya padmakosha, hritpundarika, hemapundarika

Tantrika: hrit padma, hritpundarika, hridayambhoja, eight-petalled padma,

eight-petalled kamala, sixteen-petalled padma

Puranas: hrit padma, hritpadmakosha, hritpundarika, hritpankaja, hritsaroruha,

hridabja, hridambuja, hridambhoja, hridayambhoja, hridaya kamala, hridaya

pundarika, hridaya, hrit desha, ashtapatra, adi shodasha chakra

 

(information taken from: " Layayoga: the definitive guide to the chakras and

kundalini " by Shyam Sundar Goswami, 0-89281-766-6)

 

 

Kind regards from Klingonqueen2000, new member of your group

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~response~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Dear Alexandra

 

Somehow this message was perhaps not sent to the list as it came to us directly.

We have forwarded it to the list.

 

A few personal observations on this topic:-

 

Always read a Yoga book written by someone you

are confident is successful in practising it. Else the blind lead

the blind.I can recommend the book " Raja Yoga " by Swami Vivekananda

as a masterpiece on this topic. I have studied it in detail and have found it

to be clear and rational.

 

It will not be right for us to comment on

" Layayoga by Shyma Sunder Goswami "

 

Some of the other list members may have other views.

 

jay