The widespread familiarity with chakras has risen alongside the popularity of yoga. Commonly, laymen consider about seven chakras, though descriptions and interpretations vary widely. With this newfound fame, the market has been flooded with extravagant depictions, fanciful notions, and new-age gadgets, many of which offer little genuine help. It seems safe to suggest that something essential is missing. Chakras are a sacred aspect of our being, a complex and delicate part that calls for a deeper connection. Purchasing technicolour silkscreens and matching scented candles is unlikely to assist in any sincere aim to comprehend them fully.
Cultivating a positive relationship with one’s chakras is crucial. Without this intention, the quest for insight can be hijacked by perfectionism—a kind of violence towards the self—leading to years of unproductive fantasy. Similarly, over-conceptualisation can keep one light years away from genuine experience. While reflecting on various maps of the energy system can be helpful in forming an initial idea, it is vital to break away from theory and engage in actual experience. Attachment to theoretical models alone can be imprisoning.
Genuine self-knowledge gained from authentic experience with one’s chakras can lead to a better understanding of one’s potential, intuition, and subtle energy system. This, in turn, can lead to greater freedom in one’s life.
Support a healthy relationship with your chakras with these common-sense tips:
- Get grounded: Connect to the earth as often as possible.
2. Focus on the Divine: Spend a few moments each day meditating on your highest truth or spiritual reality, which will aid in clarity of perception.
3. Be mindful of your breath.
4. Cultivate body awareness: Learn how to fully inhabit your body.
5. Develop witness consciousness: Feel and notice bodily sensations without judgement, honouring their origins even if unknown. This practice will eventually enhance your awareness of your energy field and chakras.
6. Observe your emotional responses: When you feel something, such as surprise at a gift, amusement from a radio show, or annoyance at a mix-up, ask yourself where these feelings arise in your body and simply notice them.
7. Acknowledge your uniqueness: Your ways of feeling and perceiving are unique.
Through developing this kind of awareness, you will gain an authentic sense of the subtle, multifaceted structure of your chakras and how they work together as a unified whole. This will support you in becoming a more fully integrated human being.