Yoga to balance your chakras

Our chakras are very important for our wellbeing. Here are a few yoga techniques that can help you keep these energy centers in balance.

The word 'Chakra' always elicits a mystical as well as a curious response, every time it is spoken of. It is a vast topic and hence the effort here is to introduce the topic and provide information that can be used by the average reader. To understand the concept of Chakras we need to be first aware of our levels of existence as explained in the Indian philosophy.

These are what are termed as the Koshas or sheaths which are as follows;

• Annamaya Kosha:This is the physical body that we are able to see and feel.
• Pranamaya Kosha: This is the sheath of prana or energy (chi) that flows in our body through subtle channels (nadis), invisible to the naked eye.
• Manomaya Kosha: The mind encompassing various emotions are included in this sheath.
• Buddhimaya Kosha: This is the intellect or the aspect of logic and thoughts that determine the course of our actions.
• Anandamaya Kosha: This is the state of Bliss ever residing in all of us that cannot be explained through words but can only be experienced.

The chakras are relate to the energy level of our existence, but before proceeding to understand them, we need to understand some more aspects of these Koshas.

• All these 5 levels are present in each of us, yet depending on our personal beliefs, we consider one or the other from them to be our reality or being more important.
• These 5 levels are not distinctly separate bodies but rather, closely inter-related entities. Thus we find that imbalance at one level is capable of causing disturbance at other levels. For example, a disease can cause your emotions to get disturbed and simultaneously the thought process to be hampered. Also, these imbalances at one level can be corrected even through a healing/ balancing of the other sheaths. Thus, a headache (physical level) can be caused by disturbed emotions and can also be reversely corrected by balancing disturbed emotion.
• Thoughts being the deepest level of creation, are most capable of affecting the chakras. Thoughts create emotions and hence an imbalanced state of emotions corresponds to an imbalanced state of Chakras and conversely, balanced emotions lead to balanced Chakras.
• Kundalini is the word used to describe this energy. It is imagined symbolically that it is like a coiled serpent which is coiled two and a half times at the muladhara chakra and one by one the chakras can be opened systematically from bottom upwards.

Hence, Chakras relate to the energy (pranamaya) sheath, can be affected by or influence the other Koshas.

What are Chakras?

Chakras are intense energy points present at the junctions of various energy channels that criss-cross our body. Since there are around 72,000 energy channels (nadis) in our body and correspondingly thousands of junctions between them, there are simultaneously thousands of Chakras in almost every part of our body. Yet seven Chakras that are present from the waist above are considered to be the most important ones.

Each Chakra is related to a particular colour, deity, mantra, yantra, etc. as also various organs and related illnesses. The colour, mantra, etc. is then used to treat diseases in particular organs. In the practice of yoga, these Chakras are balanced through various asanas or pranayams. Selecting the proper asana would require the right diagnosis and hence the opinion of an expert.

However, there are two yoga activities that can be safely performed to balance the energy and hence the chakras, without going much into its diagnostic details.

Alternate Breathing: This is based on the concept that the major energy channels of our body (Ida and Pingdala) are in connection with the two nostrils (left and right respectively). Our health is related to the smooth flow of energy through these energy channels and simultaneously, illness is said to occur when this energy gets imbalanced. Health can thus be restored if we are able to restore this balance. Since these energy channels are connected to our nostrils, breathing alternately from the nostrils evens out the imbalances whatever they may be.

Procedure: Sit straight, preferably without a support to your back. Use the fingers of your right hand to block your nostrils alternately. Join the index and middle finger of the right hand and keep it on the Ajnya Chakra as a fulcrum. The thumb can then be used to block the right nostril and the little and ring finger for blocking the left nostril.(put image if possible)

Begin by closing your eyes and focusing on your breath for a while. Now close your left nostril and breathe in through your right nostril. As you finish taking your breath in, now close your right nostril (with your thumb) and start to breathe out through the left nostril. After you finish breathing out, again breathe in through the same (left) nostril and then breathe out through the right. Repeat this process continuously.

With practice the breathing should become smooth and gentle hence do not worry if it doesn't happen so initially.

Things to remember

• The breathing should be natural and there should be no effort to control it (prolonged or deep breaths).
• This practice can be done irrespective of the problem for as long as felt necessary
• Done before sleeping, it improves the quality of sleep as also aids in the generalised healing.
• Done regularly, it importantly prepares the individual for the next option (meditation).

Meditation:Sit comfortably, with your head straight, back erect and shoulders slightly pulled back. Attempt to keep your body relaxed. Slowly, shift your attention to your breathing and try to be aware of the movement of air as it passes through your nose when you breathe in and out. Let your breathing be slow and gentle and practice more to let that happen. Regular meditation creates a calm state of mind which corresponds to a balanced state of emotions, which in turn automatically balances the concerned Chakra.

As you progress in meditation, you may slowly start shifting your attention to focus on your chakras one by one. Meditate on each Chakra till you feel the need to move ahead. Correspondingly, you may place your right palm on the chakra that you are focusing on for healing.

You may also like to read:

• 12 yoga poses for weight loss
• 10 yoga poses to keep diabetes under control (gallery)
• 4 yoga poses to beat menstrual pain that really work

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