Chakras (Energy Centres)

In the previous post, I explained about nadis. Now, I am going to continue with the explanation of another part of the astral body, chakras.

In physical body, where there is interlacing of nerves, arteries and veins, the junction is called plexus. In astral body where nadis ida, pingala and sushumna are crossing each other along the spine, those junctions are called chakras or energy centres. They are along the axis of the spine. Chakra is a Sanskrit word. It means vortex, spiral or spinning wheel. The chakra system was developed in India while studying mind and consciousness for thousands of years. These are subtle centres of vital energy. The chakras are aspects of consciousness, but they are not materially real in the physical body. There are seven important chakras namely root chakra, sacral chakra, solar plexus chakra, heart chakra, throat chakra, third eye chakra, and crown chakra. Each of them is associated with one of the endocrine glands. They regulate the functioning of the endocrine glands and organs in that area. They are also associated with particular group of nerves called plexus. For example, anahat chakra is associated with cardiac plexus. Each chakra is a solid ball of energy vibrating at a certain frequency. They vibrate in a logical and orderly sequence of seven vibrations of the seven colours of the visible spectrum of light and also the same orderly sequence of musical notes starting from a low pitch to high pitch note or sound. Each chakra represents particular colour in its clear state starting from the red colour of root chakra of lowest frequency or longest wavelength and heaviest vibration at bottom. As we move up the scale, they become lighter and lightest at the top. Crown chakra with violet colour of highest frequency or shortest wavelength and lightest vibration is at the top.

First five chakras, from muladhar to visudhi, represents five physical elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether (space) and ajna chakra, mind or subconscious or soul and highest sahastrar chakra representing super consciousness, God, or divinity. As we move up the scale, elements become more and more subtle and lighter and more powerful. The heaviest element of earth is at the bottom at root chakra and lightest and most powerful of super consciousness is at the top.

Chakras are usually represented as lotus flowers. From each chakra, number of nadis crop up. The number of petals of each chakra is determined by the number of nadis in that chakra. The chakra gives an appearance of lotus flowers, with nadis as its petals. The lowest root chakra has four petalled red lotus flower. As you go higher and higher increasing number of lotus petals in ascending order indicates rising energy or rising vibrational energy of respective chakras. The highest of crown chakra having 960 outer and 12 inner petalled violet lotus flower.

Each chakra is functioning as transformer of higher energy, so the whole process is progressive transformation with elements of higher energy. As it ascends, this ascent of energy through chakras can be viewed as refinement of physical energy or raw sexual energy to mental energy, into emotional energy and finally into spiritual energy at the top, in the brain. Each chakra has particular polarity of positive or negative, or rotating clockwise or anticlockwise. Each chakra is like solid ball of energy interpenetrating physical body in the same way the magnetic field interpenetrates physical body.

We are body, mind and spirit; none of these can function entirely alone. Each one has an effect on the other. Chakras serve as junction points between body and consciousness, or between matter and mind. These spinning wheels or vortices of energy receive, assimilates, and express our vital life force energy or pran. When flow of energy in one or more of chakras gets blocked or unbalanced, we develop problems in our emotional and mental health. Slowly it manifests as physical symptom or illness. When you feel stress or tension in your consciousness, you feel it in the chakra associated with that part of consciousness and symptoms in that part of physical body.

Some authors state two more chakras namely kundali and bindu. Kundali chakra is situated near solar plexus chakra. Kundali chakra begins to work when solar plexus chakra is cleansed and not otherwise. Bindu chakra is situated at the tip of the head, beneath the whirl of hair. This chakra is colourless.  As there is ‘black hole’ in the universe, anything that goes near it disappears. In the same way, bindu chakra is our bodies’ black hole. Thousands of impulses coming to our body disappear here. Bindu chakra gives us the power of physical and mental recuperation such as control of hunger and thirst. It is the seat of soul. The soul leaves the body from bindu chakra.

Malfunctioning chakras can be opened by yogic asanas or different body poses. Imbalanced or malfunctioning chakras can be balanced or healed by certain yogic practices such as chakra balancing, chakra healing etc.

Structure of Astral Body

In the previous post of human body. We have seen that human body is made up of physical body and astral body (subtle body). Scientist have detailed knowledge of physical body. We also learn about working of physical body in school and colleges, but we are not taught about astral body. As we know, astral body is primary body to develop illness and heal illness, detailed knowledge of its structure and its function is absolutely essential. Astral body is mainly made up of nadis(life force energy flowing channels), chakras(energy centres) and kundalini(dormant serpent power). it is necessary to study their location, function and nature.

In this post, I am going to write about nadis.

Nadis (life force energy flowing channels)

Nadis are subtle passages to flow pran or vital force energy in every cell of the body. They are astral tubes made up of astral or subtle matter. Since they are made up of astral matter they cannot be seen by naked eyes or by existing modern scientific instruments. They are not ordinary nerves or arteries or veins. They are quite different from them.

Nadis play vital part in functioning of astral body. They are innumerable so that they cannot be counted, but yogis state number of nadis between 72000 and 350000. Out of innumerable nadis, 14 nadis are said to be important. Out of those 14 nadis, 3 nadis i.e. ida , pingala and sushumana are most important. Sushumana is the main nadi.

Ida nadi start from the left testicle and pingala nadi from right testicle. Ida flows through the left nostril and pingala flows through the right nostril. Ida is associated with lunar energy, It is the Chandra(moon), nadi and has cooling effect. It is feminine energy and is associated with the right side of the brain. It controls all the mental processes. Pingala nadi is associated with solar energy. It is surya(sun) nadi and has heating effect and digests foods. It is masculine energy.

Sushumna nadi starts at first crossing of ida and pingla nadi, which is situated at the base of the spine between the anus and the root of the reproductive organs. Also at the place, muladhar [root] chakra is situated. Sushumna is dropped within the spinal canal. Ida and pinagla nadis spirals around sushumna like the double helix of our DNA, crossing each other at every chakra along the spine. All nadis meet at ajna [third eye] chakra, midway between the eyebrows. When nadis are full of impurities, the pran cannot pass through sushumna. Sushumna is activated when the breathe flows through both the nostrils simultaneously. When pran flows through sushumna, the mind becomes steady and calm, the highest state of yoga. When this system works freely and efficiently, we are vital and healthy, physically and mentally. When it becomes congested or obstructed, we become sick physically and mentally. Nadis can be cleaned or purified by certain yoga practices such as anulom vilom pranayam(alternate nostril breathing).

Relaxation

In this post I will write about how to get good relaxation of muscles and mind by different exercises.

Relaxation is the act of releasing tension from body muscles and mind. Each time when you feel frustrated, angry, and anxious or upset, your muscles tension increases and your mind becomes stressful. When we are stressed, stress hormones are released into blood streams to prepare you for fight or flight. This will result in increased heart beat, faster breathing, increased blood pressure, digestion upset etc. In the long run it interrupts healthy state of equilibrium of the body and creates various diseases.

Stress is necessary in life for creativity, learning and for the very survival, but when it becomes overwhelming and persistent, it becomes harmful. So it is necessary to release tension and stress regularly to maintain health.

To get good relaxation of muscles first you have to give them tension. Take your awareness where part of body or group of muscles are being tensed and feel the tension. Hold it for a few seconds then release it mentally, moments before relaxing the muscles physically and feel relaxed.  In this way, when the whole body muscles gets relaxed, mind also gets relaxed and calms down.

There are different relaxation exercises or techniques. No single one is best for everyone. Right one for you is that which calms your mind, relaxes your body muscles, keeps you motivated, makes you feel happy and good and provides the best results in the long run.

Here are some exercises for relaxation:

Tension relaxation exercises

These are seven exercises to release tension in the major group of muscles. It increases blood circulation and pran circulation in the body.

Note: All this exercises should be done on empty stomach or 2 to 3 hors after taking meal.

Sit on floor cross legged or on chair in front of a ticking clock.

Exercise 1

-    Clench your fist and tense the hand and arms muscles.
-    Take your awareness on the muscles being tensed,
-     Feel the tension.
-    Hold for ten seconds.
-    Release tension mentally moments before relaxing the muscles physically.
-    Feel the relaxation for the ten seconds.
-    Repeat two more times.

Exercise 2

-    Extends both arms sideways and stretch outwards as much as possible.
-    Take your awareness on the muscles being tensed.
-     Feel the tension.
-    Hold for ten seconds.
-    Release tension mentally moments before relaxing the muscles physically.
-    Feel the relaxation for the ten seconds.
-    Repeat two more times.

Exercise 3

-    Extend your right leg in front of you.
-    Lift it six inches from the floor and stretch outwards as much as possible with the toes bent towards you so as to give tension in the whole leg and knee muscles.
-    Take your awareness on the muscles being tensed
-     Feel the tension.
-    Hold for ten seconds.
-    Release tension mentally moments before relaxing the muscles physically.
-    Feel the relaxation for the ten seconds.
-    Repeat two more times.

Exercise 4

-    Extend your left leg in front of you.
-    Lift it six inches from the floor and stretch outwards as much as possible with the toes bent towards you so as to give tension in the whole leg and knee muscles.
-    Take your awareness on the muscles being tensed
-     Feel the tension.
-    Hold for ten seconds.
-    Release tension mentally moments before relaxing the muscles physically.
-    Feel the relaxation for the next ten seconds.
-    Repeat two more times.

Exercise 5

-    Put both hands on your chest.
-    Inhale deeply to give tension in the chest area muscles and hold your breath.
-    Take your awareness on the muscles being tensed
-     Feel the tension.
-    Hold for ten seconds.
-    Release tension mentally moments before relaxing the muscles physically.
-    Feel the relaxation for the next ten seconds.
-    Repeat two more times.

Exercise 6

-    Put both hands on your upper abdomen
-    Inhale a little and then exhale completely while pulling the abdomen muscles inwards and hold your breath out.
-    Take your awareness on the muscles being tensed
-     Feel the tension.
-    Hold for ten seconds.
-    Release tension mentally moments before relaxing the muscles physically.
-    Feel the relaxation for the next ten seconds.
-    Repeat two more times.

Exercise 7

-    Stand up with your shoulder – width apart.
-    Extend your hands upwards.
-    While breathing in lift your whole body on your toes and stretch your hands and the whole body upwards.
-    Take your awareness on the muscles being tensed
-     Feel the tension.
-    Hold for ten seconds.
-    Release tension mentally moments before relaxing the muscles physically.
-    Feel the relaxation for the next ten seconds.
-    Repeat two more times.

Home Remedies for Burns

In this post, I will write about how to treat burns by home remedies. Burns are caused by live fires, hot objects or steam. First degree burns are most treatable at home. They affect only outermost layer of skin. If burns are not serious it can be treated with following home remedies.
They can also be used as first aids if burns are severe.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is good remedy for burns. Cut aloe vera leaf, slice it, and extract some sap or gel from it. Apply it on the burn. It cools the burnt area, prevent blisters and helps the area to heal quicker. Sometime even scars are not left.
Aloe vera will help reduce inflammation and pain. It will help reduce swelling by promoting better circulation of blood. Aloe vera promotes healing by destroying harmful bacteria invading open wound. If applied immediately after receiving burn, its cooling effect offers instant relief and it will prevent or greatly reduce blistering. Apply several times a day and the burn wound get healed.

Potatoes.

Potatoes are easily available in every home. Raw potato is a very good remedy for burns, if applied immediately. Take a potato, clean it with water, cut slices or grate it, and put it over the burn. When it loses moisture replace it with new one. You can also apply it with aloe vera sap or gel. It relieves pain and heals faster. It won’t allow forming blisters. The wound will dry out and heal faster.
Starch in potato neutralises the burn. Potatoes are full of moisture that helps to take away heat from burnt skin and stop the burning feeling. They also contain several vitamins which aids in quicker healing. Potato not only works but probably works better than anything else. I have tried it so many times. It even leaves no scars.
It removes redness of eyes caused by looking at naked flames of arc welding. In that case, grate potatoes, put on leads of eyes and put bandage overnight. Redness and pain will go away. They are also good for throbbing headache. Slice the potato, place the pieces on temple, and gently rub on temples until pain goes away.

Honey

Honey is also a pretty good remedy for burns. Apply it on the burn. It relieves pain and heals wounds faster. It is highly effective anti-microbial which reduces chances of infection. Honey draws out fluids from burnt tissues and reduces blisters and cleans wounds.

Related links where you can get more information:

1. Home Remedies For Burns: Foods You Can Use As Medicine

Human Body

In this post, I am going to write about different typed of human bodies for better understanding of how and why different ailments are caused and how they can be cured.

Our human body is made up of three different bodies:
1. Physical body
2. Astral/subtle body
3. Mental

In this post, I am going to focus more on the first two bodies, as they affect our day to day life; depending on how well we take care of them.

1. Physical body

As an ordinary person, we only know about the physical bodies. It made up of five basic elements:
- Earth
- Water
- Fire
- Air
- Ether (space)

It has several operating systems, such as, digestive, excretory, circulatory, nervous, immune, reproductory etc. All these systems work in coordination with each other and are controlled by brain. Scientists have a quite in-depth knowledge of how it works right up to cells, genes and DNA.

2. Astral body

Behind this physical body, there is another body called the astral body. It is also called the subtle/molecular body. It is called molecular body, because when it leaves the physical body, its speed is of molecular level. It is invisible, yet we can feel its presence. It cannot be seen by modern scientific instruments such as x-rays, sonography, CT scan, MRI etc but day to day experience confirms its reality. It gives us ability to have desires, emotions, and imagination and physic abilities. It is made up of senses, chakras/plexus (energy centres), nadis (life force energy circulating channels), mind, emotions, intellect etc. In the future posts, I will write more details on the astral body.

In the following table, I have tried to compare astral body and physical body:

Astral body	Physical body
It is invisible, yet we will feel its presence.	It is visible.
It has five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.	It has five sense organs: eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin.
It has chakras/plexuses such as root chakra, heart chakra, third eye chakra etc.	It has endocrine glands such as prostate gland, thymus gland, pituitary gland etc.
It has mind to control its functions.	It is brain to control its functions.
It can cause negative or positive emotions.	Different emotions can produce different chemicals in the physical body.
It takes in pran by the use of kand (subtle bulb)	It takes in air by use of lungs.
Pran is circulated in the whole body by heart chakra.	Blood is circulated in the whole body by heart.
Pran is circulating in nadis, such as ida, pingla, sushumna etc.	Blood is circulating in arteries and veins.
Nadis carry emotions and feelings of the mind to the whole astral body.	Nervous system carries impulses from brain to the whole physical body.
Debris of negative emotions causes blockages and knots in pran circulation.	Morbids collected in physical body causes blockages in blood circulation.

From the above table, we can see that different emotions produce different chemicals in the body. Negative emotions of anger, fear, doubt, jealousy, anxiety, depression produces bad hormones in the physical body. Anger, for instance, creates the urge to attack; fear causes the urge to escape and so on. These emotions involve both the mind and body. As thoughts about action to these specific urges (attack, escape), body mobilizes physiological support by producing more negative hormones, causing heighted cardiovascular reactivity. Such cardiovascular reactivity, if large, recurrent or prolonged is thought to develop coronary heart disease, initiate atherosclerosis, high B.P etc.

In the same way, positive emotions of joy, love, happiness, forgiveness, gratitude, kindness, hope, inspiration, amusement etc produces good hormones. Love and joy, for instance, causes our body to be flooded with hormones that makes us feel good, which reduces stress, heal ailments, and lengthen our lives.

Focusing on negative emotions will lead you to even more negative emotions.  It’s a vicious cycle that a lot of people try to escape from. Positive emotions also work in the same way, so focusing on positive emotions leads to more positive emotions. The benefits of positive emotions are varied such as better attention and focus, better relationships, better health etc.

As negative emotions are necessary to flourish, they should come and go. They should not be recurrent or hold for long. Rather than trying to eliminate negativity, we should balance negative feelings with positive feelings.

Recurrent, large and longer negative emotions causes imbalance of chakras and energy systems in astral body. After some time, it manifests as disease symptom in physical body. This way, the astral body is the primary body causing ailments. If you want to cure an ailment, you should first deal with the astral body causing the particular ailment.

Home Remedies for Heart Health

In this post, I am going to write about how to maintain good heart health by the use of home remedies.

Garlic                        

Garlic is very rich herb consisting of many vitamins and minerals. Some of them being: vitamin A, B, C, B2, zinc and Calcium. Full of antioxidants, it seems to be able to lessen plaque buildup and reduce chest pain. It is also a mild coagulant helping to thin blood, lowering B.P., raising HDL while lowering LDL, cholesterol and triglycerides. Thus it helps to prevent arteriosclerosis, hence reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Moderate amount of garlic everyday can help in keeping the heart generally healthy. Best way to use it, is to crush 2 to 3 cloves of garlic into fine paste, leave it for 10 minute , mix it water and drink 30 minute after taking food. Allicin and other powerful medicinal compounds are produced when garlic is finally crushed and left for about 10 minutes.

Cayenne pepper             

It is a great food for circulatory system in that it feeds the necessary elements into the cell structures of arteries and veins, so that they regain elasticity again. Blood pressure adjusts itself to normal. It regulates the flow of blood from the head to feet. It influences the heart immediately, and then gradually extends its effect to the circulatory system and nerves. One of greatest stories of Dr. John Christopher, the great natural herbalist, in his long career was how he could make the patient to drink a glass of warm cayenne water. He said “a teaspoon of cayenne should bring the patient out of heart attack”. Start by mixing about a quarter of teaspoon in glass of warm water and drink.

Oat

Oats are full of omega -3 fatty acids, folate and potassium. This fiber rich super food can lower levels of LDL cholesterol and keep arteries clear.

Olive oil

It is full of monounsaturated fats. Olive oil lower LDL cholesterol and reduces risk of developing heart disease.

Avocado

Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fat. It can help lower LDL levels while raising amount of HDL cholesterol in your body.

Strawberries

This fruit is loaded with vitamin C. Vitamin C is antioxidant vital to maintaining healthy heart. It is also good source of fiber and potassium, both important for heart health.

Spinach                            
Along with other B vitamins, B6 and B12, it has folic acid. Folic acid can help prevent heart disease.

Broccoli

It is rich in calcium which is another heart healthy nutrient.

Related links where you can get more information:

1. Home Remedy for Clearing Blocked Coronary Arteries.

2. How to Clear Blocked Coronary Arteries by Exercises
3. Natural Remedy to Clear Blocked Arteries
4. Narrowing of Arteries: Home Remedies
5. Causes and Home Remedies for Heart Disease

Benefits of Rhythmic Breathing

In this post, I am going to write about the benefits of rhythmic breathing. By practising rhythmic breathing, your physical body comes in harmony with the astral body, so there is no conflict between two bodies. Mind which is difficult to control comes automatically under control and becomes calm. Negative emotions of anger, fear, doubt, worry etc becomes less and less. Even some occasions can cause certain emotions, but they don’t overpower, hurt or disturb deeply. You don’t take life seriously. Your habit of reaction  becomes response. It helps to improve relationships and family life. Positive attributes such as tolerance, forgiveness, joy, happiness, positive thinking, mindfulness etc. takes root in your daily life. As breathing and thought process is connected. In rhythmic breathing, as breaths slow down, thoughts also slow down. You can watch your thoughts and become mindful. It helps to practise positive thinking. You allow only those thoughts which make you happy, healthy, joyous and good. In religious discourses, motivational and inspirational talks, we are told that negative emotions of anger, jealousy, greed and lust are doors to hell, and are bad to live peaceful and healthy life, but nobody shows us practical way to control them. Rhythmic breathing is a practical way to control these emotions.

Positive emotional changes in astral body slowly manifests in our physical body. Its immediate benefit is on the heart as heart is the organ which is strictly working on rhythm. Heart beat becomes near optimum i.e. 72 B.P.M. Coronary arteries blockages, valves blockages starts dissolving. Palpitation comes under control. Other diseases such as diabetes, asthma, arthritis, gout, cholesterol etc comes under control. Normally, a person is breathing 14-15 breaths per minute. By breathing rhythmically at 12 breaths per minute, we are saving 20-25% of energy used in breathing, so we stay energetic with less hunger and sleep. With less number of breaths, we are getting more oxygen because we are using full capacity of the lung. When blood circulates in the body, it carries rhythm together with oxygen and nutrients and gives rhythm to every cell of the body. Hence, they get new life and starts vibrating with energy at right frequency and rhythm. Imagine a community of trillions of cells living in rhythm, harmony and coordination living under the control of their master i.e. the mind. A happy, healthy and prosperous life.

Those who are spiritual and believes that we are spiritual being, having human body experience and seeking spiritual enlightment and salvation (moksha), and looking for freedom from birth and death cycle should also practise rhythmic breathing. By practicing rhythmic breathing, you come in harmony with the universe. You become attuned to the rhythm of universe. You experience sense of oneness with the super consciousness, God, nature, Divine wholeness or whatever you may like to call. The soul becomes free from all emotions, which is the cause of birth and death cycle.

From my own personal experience, I feel that more research needs to be done on rhythmic breathing, especially its ability to cure heart ailments and cancers, as cancer is also caused by some body cells losing rhythm, becoming rebellious and out of control of the mind.

Related links where you can get more information:

1. Introduction to Rhythmic Breathing
2. An introduction to 3 Step Rhythmic Breathing (3SRB) by Parth Sejpal
3. Stress Relief Techniques 1: Rhythmic Breathing
4. Meditate Now Making Your Breath Rhythmic
5. Rhythmic Breathing Exercise